Graphics Programs Reference
In-Depth Information
19
The Blender Game Engine
19.1 Introduction to the Game Engine
19.2 Game Animation
19.1 Introduction to the Game Engine
Blender has the functionality to create interactive video games. The program integrates
real-time motion with physics and logic blocks, allowing you to turn objects into actors and
move them around. This process also incorporates character animation and allows interac-
tive walkthroughs to be created where doors open and close. The game engine is extensive
in its application and it is not possible to cover all of its intricacies in this manual. You will
have to research and experiment beyond the scope of this very brief in-
troduction to become proficient.
To get you started and to whet your appetite for gaming, follow this
very basic example. Begin with the default Blender scene, delete the cube,
and add a UV sphere. Gaming is a form of animation, therefore—as with
all animation—it is best to keep animated objects with a low vertex count.
To keep things simple, the default UV sphere will suffice. In the 3D win-
dow, tab into edit mode with the sphere selected and grab one single ver-
tex on the side and make a pointer, as shown in Figure 19.1. This will pro-
vide an indicator showing which direction you are pointing when moving
around. The sphere with the pointer will be our actor.
Go to the information window header and change the screen arrange-
ment from the “Default” screen to the “Game Logic” screen (Figure 19.2).
This arrangement has the logic editor window, 3D window, properties win-
dow, and the outliner window displayed. The information window header
Figure 19.1
Vertex grabbed and
moved to form a pointer
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