10/18/17

 

This past week I have been messing around the UE4's 2d plat former template. I made some practice sprite sheets in order to learn how to animate basic 2d sprites. I practiced working with flipbooks in UE4, seeing how they functions and making basic flipbooks such as an Idle animation and a Run animation. 

I also worked with materials as well, including working with textures that line up no matter where they are in the world space.

Random Isn't Random

Many Random Number generators that are included with programming languages aren't really random at all. These often use Pseudo-Random Number Generators. This means that every output is predetermined by the computer, making it deterministic. When it is started, it generates tons of 'random' numbers, and when a value is needed, it just chooses the next number in the list. Seeds are also used in these pre-determined numbers, and each seed is a different pattern.

This can be seen in a test made using python on Trinket. Multiple tests showed the dots appearing in what seems like a non-formal pattern, but after awhile, it would only repeat the dots it had already been too, and the blank spaces would never be filled in. This can be seen with Unreal Engine 4 as well.

10/5/17

As of 10/4/17 I am starting work on the "The Inventor" project lead by Mr. Compton. I will be programming for this project. I am going to need to learn more about construction scripts, cascade, and VR Programming in Unreal Engine. I am also going to start learning C++ with Unreal engine.

10/3/17 - Linear Interpolation

For this weeks math Monday we were assigned to research Linear Interpolation or Lerp. Linear Interpolation in mathmatics is defined as "a method of curve fitting using linear polynomials to construct new data points within the range of a discrete set of known data points." In more simple terms LERP Draws an imaginary line between point A and B and tells how far along the line you are. LERP is often used when making games in order to either blend a transformation, material or more. For Example: 

In this example I am Lerping two texture samples together, or in other words, I am joining them together along a line.

A Lerp can also be used to move an actor between two locations. For example I set up a platform which contained a start and an end collision box. I then got the location of the two collision boxes and made the platform lerp between the two over a timeline.