EXP 2: Week 1: Flow Graph Nodes Research

Within the current preliminary stage of research of Exp 2, I have produced a series of potential flow graph nodes which convey interesting prospects in general and in relation to my preliminary concept. Such a comprisal is outlined below:

1. EntityScreen (Plug-in) -

The ‘EntityScreen’ plug-in provides three additional nodes within the flow graph which allows one to control entities depending on their two dimensional position within the screen, in terms of x and y co-ordinates.

- Entity:EntityScreenPos
- Entity:GetEntityScreenPos
- Entity:EntityScreenText

Potential: This particular node system could potentially allow for rotation control of the various proposed individual cubes within planes through the camera’s view position. Such would allow for the structure to rotate while the responder’s perception remains dependant, allowing the environment to reform interconnecting the perception of the mentally unwell player and responder.

2. Iterators (Plug-in) -

The ‘Iterators’ plug-in includes four additional nodes allowing for the repetition of a flow graph process through numerous entities once originally created and defined.

- Iterator:GetEntitiesInSphere
- Iterator:GetEntitiesInBox
- Iterator:GetEntitiesInArea
- Iterator:GetEntities

Potential: Through this plug-in I identified a potential use within my own flow graphs in achieving my concept with reference to the systematic algorithms. Each algorithm is consisted of simple repeated rotations, which become rather complex within Crysis due to the grouping and un-grouping of the individual cubes into planes. However this plug-in may allow for such general rotation operations to be set as a singular unit, before being iterated when required.

3. Entity: EntityPos -

The ‘Entity:EntitiyPos’ flowgraph node allows for the manipulation of an entity within the environment through the altering of its position, scale or rotation in terms of vectors.

Potential: The potential for this node is immense due to the significance of the rotation feature within the proposed concept. Such a node could allow for the control of numerous individual cubes or a plane through various additional interaction possibilities such as the players position or other entities.

4. Entity: AttachChild -

The ‘Entity:AttachChild’ node allows for the grouping of numerous entities within the environment, while working in association with the ‘Entitiy:DetachThis’ in the un-grouping of entities.

Potential: The significance of this nodes discovery allows for a solution to emerge with regards to the grouping and un-grouping aspect of the numerous individual cubes and hence planes within my experiments proposal. Through the incorporation of this node within the environment I will be able to begin considering the manner in which such a process will occur with regards to inputs, action filters or other interactive opportunities to enhance the overall purpose of the study.

5. Mouse (Plug-in) -

The ‘Mouse’ plug-in is one which is rather simple, conveying the mouses position within the screen as x and y co-ordinates while also identifying particular entities within game mode.

Potential: The potential for the mouse plug-in within my experiment exists within the rotational control of the individual cube planes in terms of controlling either the direction of the player from within the structure or the general rotation from the exterior by adding a mouse button handler, allowing for the responder to interact with the environment, controlling the ‘disorder’ experienced by the player or protagonist.

6. Xml (Plug-in) -

The ‘Xml’ plug-in simply refers to the importing and editing of Xml documents within the flow graph editor to customise nodes, as Xml represents the file format of flow graphs within Crysis.

Potential: Although the potential use of this plug-in is abstract and rather advance it remains to exist in the form of modifying flow graph set ups and nodes to maximise the efficiency within my experiment. With my own limited scripting experience, I feel as though I may be able to produce modifications to achieve aspects of my concept which would otherwise be un-achievable.

7. Entity: DetachThis -

The ‘Entity:DetachThis’ node works in association with the ‘Entity:AttachChild’ node as it allows one to detach an entity which has been attached within the flow graph within the overall Crysis Environment.

Potential: The potential significance of this node is immense as it will allow me to perform the required algorithms within experiment two, due to being able to detach entities which have been previously attached, to hence perform the next stage of the systematic approach. Due to the nature of its inputs one will able to consider the use of Boolean expressions with regards to altering the entities transformation and physics within world space.

8. Movement: RotateEntity -

The ‘Movement:RotateEntity’ node allows for one to define the rotational speed (defined through degrees per second) of an entity upon any axis within Crysis environment.

Potential: This particular node has great potential within my experiment as it may allow for me to rotate my entity planes of cubes while working in association with other nodes such as ‘Entity:AttachChild’. Through the variable options of defining the rotational axis, I will be able to specify in an easy manner the required rotation of each plane in association with the systematic algorithms. This will be enhanced through the ability to specify the rotation velocity within the one node component.

Sources:

- http://fgps.sourceforge.net/Help/plugins.html Accessed September 12, 2010.

- http://wiki.crymod.com/index.php/Flowgraph_Nodes Accessed September 12, 2010.