Escher's Relativity is doable

[janaba]

I always wondered why the shadows where like that.
After going threw three printouts of the drawing to build it, two of which where so covered in reference lines they had become useless it was ..........Elementary.
I always wondered why no one else noticed, which is why I waited so long to say something.

Dearest Karkadann, I suspect that not everyone or maybe even almost no one would realize such a subtle disparity unless they were enthusiasts and breathing them in or digging deep into those artworks to be able to even replicate them ... I know that I'm not even though I am impressed by Escher's 'different relative perspectives' and creations, but I wouldn't go so far as to compare the stairs, door or railing knobs, the plants or the hands or shadows etc. to the originals ...

To be able to actually compare the original version with ours here I found of course so many great replicas through Google ... just wow ... I'm astounded how many people put much time, passion and energy into this to make impressive replicas in other computer environments like Lego, Minecraft, the Superman comic, there is even a Starbucks version and so many beautifully rendered 'Relativity' and other Escher art works like the hands and endless stairs and stars etc. in so many interpretations and variations, and even real architecture ... awesome ... Here's a link to a website showing all I've just mentioned and more on one page ...

There was one of those, more like the original, which impressed me a lot and which I'd like to post, cause it really looks and feels amazing ... This guy has a passion for Escher's Relativity and built this in Maya and Blender and even offers the model downloads on his site, and he works on stereoscopic renders of which I'd like to post one here, it looks just so awesome and real ... So, if you like, dig out your 3D Anaglyph (red/cyan) glasses if you still have them somewhere lol and enjoy this view in 1920 x 1080HD ... The video of his Relativity model and the Anaglyph version (01:20 min only) you can watch on his main page or directly here ...

[Ainia]

[..] but also note that neither of my questions have been answered. So I'm still left wondering...

Ainia, if this was your first question:

Regarding the love seat photo, I assume the lighting will be fixed in a later post-beta release? It's kinda strange to turn on the lamp and see the room brighten but for me (my avvie) to remain shadowy.

then I think I answered it:

It's planned to be extented in functionality, yes. [..]
, yes, I can make the lamp in the sofa room light the avatar accordlingly to the lightmaps as well.

If that was not your first question, but this instead:

The loveseat room, to my untrained eye, was simply out of synch with the rest of the Age as the lighting in general in Relativity is quite natural and consistent, hence my first question. It's a bit confusing, that's all. So perhaps this location presents unique challenges? It seems to be the only indoor location unaffected by outdoor light since its few windows are fairly small and the corner is rather far from the doors... Don't know if its separation from the external world is the factor which makes this location seem so different from the rest of the Age's "look".

then I did not get what you were asking, and only understand now (hopefully) because you explained later. Not sure what you mean with uniques challenges though.
If you mean that the lighting does not look pleasing when the lamp is switched off: That can be adjusted later, yes. Needs some more lamps at the windows to simulate outdoor lighting, and re-work of the lightmaps.

The first item was more a curiosity than a concern; glad to know you will be looking at it when you have time.

Regarding your second question:

Also, has the ability to look up/down been turned off or is this a bug?? I am seeing this peculiarity on both DI and in my offline version. Just wondering...

I could give now a long answer which explains how cameras in Relativity must work and why they are limited in functionality, but judging from what happend when I gave a long answer, I prefer a short answer now:
Yes, the ability to look up and down has been turned off.

Yes, thanks tach, it helps to know that things were working correctly and as intended with the views and that I needn't do more troubleshooting on my end. That possibility had me a bit worried. The Bootcamp mapping with my pointing device (trackpad) has always been laggy and sub-optimal (a driver issue I'm sure) and seeing performance even further degraded was very worrisome.

[Ehren]

I love this age! But...

Is there any chance of the blender source of this new release being posted?

[janaba]

Hi, everyone, I've been exploring some more today, this time more inside through all the levels and dimensions and sub-dimensions, and I'm still or even more excited and amazed ...

I've taken a lot of pictures and sorted out a few for you to glance through ... This is all so awesome, supernatural and everything I've said already many times before ... This time I esp. enjoyed the impressive glass annex, the beautiful ornamental paintings on the windows, the astounding technologies already implemented, partially interactive even, and I love those lamps, which not just go on and off by pushing the resp. button, no, they are smoothly dimmed on and off ... Of course, I love the different seasons views and the lovely snowman in particular, and besides everything else, this whole building/world/creation is an astounding art exhibition, even by and of itself ...

Ok, enjoy some more impressions if you like ...

Show Spoiler





This is an astounding piece of equipment or device ...



It's wintertime ...

You are knee-deep in the snow btw ...



The love seat




[janaba]

Me again lol ... Yesterday I didn't want to put too much into only one post, I first of all just wanted to showcase some more of the beauty and perfection ...

Ok, I'd like to comment sth to Ainia's and maybe other's questions to the loveseat and to the shadowy avatar ... I've uploaded some more pictures for comparison and to show why this is also perfect, from my point of view (everyone sees everything differently and from a different perspective, of course ) ...

Ok, the first pictures show where the sun is coming from and that it shines on the wall behind, means the little room with that tiny window doesn't get much light from outside, and the outside isn't completely open, there's part of the glass annex around that area ... Please have a look ...

Show Spoiler


I didn't take new pictures today, so unfortunately that seat picture I took with the light on, but one can easily imagine that corner being a bit more dark, when it is off ...


I took a picture with the loveseat inside and the light turned off to show how perfectly 'lighted' everything is, in my view, means with soft shadows on the walls, in the corners and on the floor, considering that this seat is standing at the back in a small room with a small window and not much light coming in, and, what makes it even more wonderful is that the little light coming in from the outside is reflected on that loveseat in a beautiful way ... Yeah, so, everybody can see it differently, this is how I see it ... Please have another look ...

Show Spoiler

Now on to the shadowy avatar ... There is no shadowy avatar in this age lol, except if you count that little shadow you see on it when sitting on that loveseat, it is not very dark, maybe one could say even in RL you'd have a little shadow when sitting in a corner or when the upper body is casting a shadow on your legs like in this case ...

Show Spoiler

The shadowy avatar is something I've always wondered about and I never saw anyone mentioning sth to that issue (that doesn't mean that no one ever mentioned sth to that lol) ... Yes, in many fan ages, not in some, the avatar is very shadowy, almost dark gray, so that you really sometimes cannot bear walking in third person or take pictures with it ... Yeah, why's that? ... as this is so very often the case I already thought maybe there's no way around it or just difficult to cope with as that's not in every age the case and in Cyan's ages not at all, so it is not this old offline Uru ...

Yeah, of course, I've realized that the up and down movement of the mouse was deactivated, but that seemed natural to me when thinking of the many levels and sub-levels etc. tach had to deal with ... I'm still impressed that everything is at all possible to function as it does ... The way around with the mouse is to just 'heavily' pushing it up and down and in all directions on the table or desk when you need a special spot for a photo etc. or you just want to lol ... Ok, that is it so far from me ... With that level of expertise and imagination and what some 'things' in that world already imply I suppose we can expect some more very interesting releases in the future ...

[tachzusamm]

Is there any chance of the blender source of this new release being posted?

Sure.
I just need some free time to collect the belonging sources and upload them.
It will happen, but I can't do this soon.

[Karkadann]

I have an update for Relativity, I wrote it specifically so it can be added to the next page of the existing journal if thats possible. I figured it would be easer then making a new one. If and when Relativity does find its way to open source we might need an explanation as to how it got into the world of D'ni

Show Spoiler

<font size=20 face=Atrus color=400000><p align=left>Well thats the logical explination all the credits, who did what ext. ext. the real story is somewhat diffrent. It turns out one of the Old Age Writers from D'ni who survived the downfall has been in hiding in the caverns ever since, I guess he just refused to leave. One day on his wondering among the old city ruins he uncovers a book left by a Surface dweller. He was so fascinated by one of the drawings and not knowing it only existed in the mind of the artist he decided he wanted to visit, assuming the drawing was more then someones wild imagination. In his attempts to write a link to what in his mind was a real place, he inadvertently wrote a link to a age that was thought to exist only in the mind of the artist.

I met the old man wondering where I shouldn't, and after talking to him for a while he showed me the linking book he wrote and what inspired it, I explained to him that it was work of art it does not exist in reality, he smiled and told me to place my hand on the linking panel and see for my self, being a little suspicious I made sure I had my Relto book at my side and decided to trust him.

When I arrived all I saw was the drawing that inspired it and thought the old man had tricked me, until I stared walking around and what I saw blew me clear into next week, I could not believe it, this old man took what was thought to be a drawing and made it a reality. I wondered around for hours fascinated with what I saw. how could this be possible I thought to myself It couldn't be real but it was all their just like Escher's drawing on the wall where I linked in. It was all three planes existing at the same time in the same place in harmony. the Up-righters the Left-Leaners and the right-leaners I was so overwhelmed with what I saw I did not realize the old man did not follow me in and I had no way out except my Relto Book but when I returned to the cavern where I met the old man he was gone, all that was left was the book that I linked threw.

I have not seen the old man since, and never asked him his name but I did recognize the pipe he was smoking, from someone I met years before. I just could not remember who he was or where I met him. I still visit Relativity from time to time and I noticed every once in a while something in the age changes.

Well now you know about as much as I do about the real story behind Relativity. It just go's to show you their truly are more things in heaven and on earth, than are dreamt of in any of our philosophy. Timeless wisdom from a 15th Century Writer.

Thanks in advance

[Ehren]

I have an update for Relativity, I wrote it specifically so it can be added to the next page of the existing journal if thats possible. I figured it would be easer then making a new one.

Thanks in advance

I believe the Python would need to be updated for that, but it certainly should be possible.

I hope you don't find this annoying, but I looked through what you wrote and noticed some things seemed off grammar-wise. For example, "wandering" should be used instead of "wondering". So I made an edited version of what you wrote, trying not to change it too much.

Of course you don't have to use any of it if you don't want to, but here's how I think it should go, let me know what you think.

Show Spoiler

<font size=20 face=Atrus color=400000><p align=left>Well that's the logical explanation in the credits, who did what etc. etc. The real story is somewhat different. It turns out one of the Old Age Writers from D'ni who survived the downfall has been in hiding in the caverns ever since, I guess he just refused to leave. One day in his wandering among the old city ruins he uncovers a book left by a surface dweller. He was so fascinated by one of the drawings and not knowing it only existed in the mind of the artist he decided he wanted to visit, assuming the drawing was more than someone's wild imagination. In his attempts to write a link to what in his mind was a real place, he inadvertently wrote a link to an age that was thought to exist only in the mind of the artist.

I met the old man wandering where I shouldn't, and after talking to him for awhile he showed me the linking book he wrote and what inspired it. I explained to him that it was work of art it does not exist in reality, he smiled and told me to place my hand on the linking panel and see for myself. Being a little suspicious I made sure I had my Relto book at my side and decided to trust him.

When I arrived all I saw was the drawing that inspired it and thought the old man had tricked me, until I stared walking around and what I saw blew me clear into next week. I could not believe it, this old man took what was thought to be a drawing and made it a reality. I wandered around for hours fascinated with what I saw. How could this be possible I thought to myself. It couldn't be real but it was all there just like Escher's drawing on the wall where I linked in. It was all three planes existing at the same time in the same place in harmony. The up-righters, the left-leaners and the right-leaners, I was so overwhelmed with what I saw I did not realize the old man did not follow me in, and I had no way out except my Relto book. When I returned to the cavern where I met the old man he was gone. All that was left was the book that I linked through.

I have not seen the old man since, and never asked him his name but I did recognize the pipe he was smoking, from someone I met years before. I just could not remember who he was or where I met him. I still visit Relativity from time to time and I noticed every once in a while something in the age changes.

Well now you know about as much as I do about the real story behind Relativity. It just goes to show you there truly are more things in heaven and on earth than are dreamt of in any of our philosophies. Timeless wisdom from a 15th Century writer.

[Karkadann]

Thank you for the proof reading, and no I did not find it annoying I know my grammar bites. I got my GED in my mid thirties and my high school diploma about a year later I figured I was half way their why not go the whole route. My spelling and grammar was much better back then, and writing although I do enjoy it from time to time what I think is usually far more complex then what I can write which is why I come across the way I do.

Thanks again Ehren.

About the Python do you think I should give editing the python a try or perhaps wait for someone with more experience?

[Ehren]

The actual text is in RelativityJournals.py at the very bottom. This (in the spoiler below) is what it should look like in the python itself, you will still see the same paragraphs spaced out in the book in-game. But the actual code needs "\n\n"

Show Spoiler

Code: Select all

DefRelativityJournal = "<font size=24 face=Arial><p align=center>\n\nThe Relativity Team <pb> <font size=16 face=Arial><p align=left>Designer, Concept Art and Inspiration \n\nM.C. ESCHER \n\n\n<font size=16 face=ArialBold><p align=left>Models, Textures and Lighting \n\n <font size=12 face=Arial><p align=left>Tachzusamm\nKarkadann\nCalena\nDendwaler\nRhee\nCorvus\n\n\n <font size=16 face=ArialBold>Coding and Programming\n\n<font size=12 face=Arial>Tachzusamm\nCalena\nSirius\nD'Lanor\nDiafero<pb>\n\n\n\n\n\n<font size=16 face=ArialBold>Music and Sound Effects \n\n<font size=12 face=Arial>Fabioguar\nTachzusamm\nCalena\n\n<font size=16 face=ArialBold>Special Thanks To\n\n<font size=12 face=Arial>Janaba\nDeledrius\nAloys\nThe Myst Community\nCyan <pb> <font size=20 face=Atrus color=400000><p align=left>Well that's the logical explanation in the credits, who did what etc. etc. The real story is somewhat different. It turns out one of the Old Age Writers from D'ni who survived the downfall has been in hiding in the caverns ever since, I guess he just refused to leave. One day in his wandering among the old city ruins he uncovers a book left by a surface dweller. He was so fascinated by one of the drawings and not knowing it only existed in the mind of the artist he decided he wanted to visit, assuming the drawing was more than someone's wild imagination. In his attempts to write a link to what in his mind was a real place, he inadvertently wrote a link to an age that was thought to exist only in the mind of the artist.\n\nI met the old man wandering where I shouldn't, and after talking to him for awhile he showed me the linking book he wrote and what inspired it. I explained to him that it was work of art it does not exist in reality, he smiled and told me to place my hand on the linking panel and see for myself. Being a little suspicious I made sure I had my Relto book at my side and decided to trust him.\n\nWhen I arrived all I saw was the drawing that inspired it and thought the old man had tricked me, until I stared walking around and what I saw blew me clear into next week. I could not believe it, this old man took what was thought to be a drawing and made it a reality. I wandered around for hours fascinated with what I saw. How could this be possible I thought to myself. It couldn't be real but it was all there just like Escher's drawing on the wall where I linked in. It was all three planes existing at the same time in the same place in harmony. The up-righters, the left-leaners and the right-leaners, I was so overwhelmed with what I saw I did not realize the old man did not follow me in, and I had no way out except my Relto book. When I returned to the cavern where I met the old man he was gone. All that was left was the book that I linked through.\n\nI have not seen the old man since, and never asked him his name but I did recognize the pipe he was smoking, from someone I met years before. I just could not remember who he was or where I met him. I still visit Relativity from time to time and I noticed every once in a while something in the age changes.\n\nWell now you know about as much as I do about the real story behind Relativity. It just goes to show you there truly are more things in heaven and on earth than are dreamt of in any of our philosophies. Timeless wisdom from a 15th Century writer."

Actually, if you want to see it in game exactly as above, I uploaded the edited pak file with the journal added in. Only the needed file was changed, the rest of Relativity's coding was only unpacked and repacked.

I changed the extension to .txt so the forum would let it be uploaded, so it will need to be changed back to .pak to be used for Uru.