Author Topic: A WoD dev blog  (Read 422662 times)

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i like the no-cockpit look
The good Christian should beware of mathematicians, and all those who make empty prophecies. The danger already exists that the mathematicians have made a covenant with the devil to darken the spirit and to confine man in the bonds of Hell.

 
Well, that sure looks lively and cheerful for what is basically a flying coffin.
[19:31] <MatthTheGeek> you all high up on your mointain looking down at everyone who doesn't beam everything on insane blindfolded

 

Offline niffiwan

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looks good  :yes:

Also makes me think there's a bug in the code, the thruster plume seems to vanish when the origin (i.e. nozzles) is out of sight, but the plume should still be in sight.
Creating a fs2_open.log | Red Alert Bug = Hex Edit | MediaVPs 2014: Bigger HUD gauges | 32bit libs for 64bit Ubuntu
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Debian Packages (testing/unstable): Freespace2 | wxLauncher
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m|m: I think I'm suffering from Stockholm syndrome. Bmpman is starting to make sense and it's actually written reasonably well...

 

Offline Spoon

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looks good  :yes:

Also makes me think there's a bug in the code, the thruster plume seems to vanish when the origin (i.e. nozzles) is out of sight, but the plume should still be in sight.
As far as I know, this has always been how it was. It'd definitely be nicer if the plume was always properly visible as it should be though!
Urutorahappī!!

[02:42] <@Axem> spoon somethings wrong
[02:42] <@Axem> critically wrong
[02:42] <@Axem> im happy with these missions now
[02:44] <@Axem> well
[02:44] <@Axem> with 2 of them

 

Offline LoneFan

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Here's a shiplab rotation of the Templar: https://my.mixtape.moe/gbjagg.webm

Actually I like the no-cockpit look. I just like pointing out its really more functional than standard cockpit would be. Also, doesn't the new caliburn actually have a traditional cockpit? Can't seem to find a picture anywhere. Looks like they've all been taken down.

 

Offline Spoon

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Caliburn has a 'coffin' cockpit too, the black part is not actually glass




On a different note, photobucket has suddenly decided to resize every image in existance down to 1024x786, in the year 2016, because they like going out of business I guess.  :blah:
Guess I'll move to imgur
Urutorahappī!!

[02:42] <@Axem> spoon somethings wrong
[02:42] <@Axem> critically wrong
[02:42] <@Axem> im happy with these missions now
[02:44] <@Axem> well
[02:44] <@Axem> with 2 of them

 
Well, if it's as slow and sluggish as it was before a "coffin" cockpit would fit nicely :P
[19:31] <MatthTheGeek> you all high up on your mointain looking down at everyone who doesn't beam everything on insane blindfolded

 

Offline LoneFan

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Well, if it's as slow and sluggish as it was before a "coffin" cockpit would fit nicely :P
Now now, that just adds a bit to the challenge. I happened to love the original caliburn,  so much firepower.

Getting attacked while trying to kill a particular cordi fighter. "Just form a line and I'll be with you in a minute." :lol:

 

Offline Spoon

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If memory serves, the Caliburn in old wod had rotation values of 4+
So with 3.4 3.8 it at least has that beat! For comparison, the Ray MkIII has 2.9 2.9.  The GTF Perseus rotates at 3.3 3.3


So in other dev news (hey, since I'm posting anyway), the species I'm currently working on are the Cordi. Honestly was kind of stumped on what to do with them. I had already changed their models from old WoD, but they still had that tiling (vasudan) texture going. But uh, I still don't really consider myself a texture expert or anything, and space bugs is a different style from all the other ship textures ingame. So without a real plan or a real inspiration, I just started ~trying~ things. Basically the 'throw stuff at wall and see what sticks' approach.

The result so far is not what I would consider amazing, but I feel its pretty passable at least. And compared to the old tilling texutre, I'd say it's a pretty big improvement. I'm also happy with how the turrets work with the rest of the ship (Red ones are anti capital turrets, teal ones are point defense), making it look like silly bug eyes of sorts.



Still at least 3 more models that need to be done for them, so work a plenty.
There's also a plan to rework the Hertak ships into something thats quite a lot different looking from their old spikey look. (And unlike the Cordi, there's actually a concept to work with there) But that's still a fair amount out, and a fair amount of more work.
Urutorahappī!!

[02:42] <@Axem> spoon somethings wrong
[02:42] <@Axem> critically wrong
[02:42] <@Axem> im happy with these missions now
[02:44] <@Axem> well
[02:44] <@Axem> with 2 of them

 

Offline LoneFan

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Is that the cordi gunship, massive improvement. Hmmm, are those little holes missile launchers. These actually have kind of a "Star Control" feel to them.


As far as armor goes, I always considered that the cordi's was comparatively lite. How about giving them the highest armor regen in the game and balance that out so as to make the bio-engineering in their ships more sensical. 

That brings back an old idea of mine.Way back I was thinking about how the cordi would have initially resisted Hertak encroachment into their territory given how week they appear in the original WOD. Obviously, and I think this was even suggest in-game during mission 19 Breakthrough,  that the cordi had ships and weapons back then that would have been much more effective.

Here are the ideas I came up with to explain the situation.
One such concept was a cordi battleship capable of going toe to toe with Hertak Armageddon dreadnoughts, but this seems a little out of character for the bugs.
Another was a strike craft or bomber capable for swarming and destroying Armageddons, I kinda liked this one. 
The final concept would be a super weapon.
For this I finally settled on was a sort of plasma area effect weapon that, because of its unusual characteristics, penetrated shields and eats away at enemy's hauls, small craft die first, larger hips later and cordi ships would be immune from this effect due to their organic hauls.
The area of effect would be massive and I would suggest just using the FreeSpace2 nebula effect.

Any thoughts.
« Last Edit: August 08, 2016, 04:47:05 am by LoneFan »

 

Offline Spoon

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Hah, definitely Backwards Utilizing Tracking Torpedo's  :p

The Cordi's backstory is now quite a bit different from how it was before, but you wouldn't mind if I take inspiration from:
Quote
The final concept would be a super weapon.
For this I finally settled on was a sort of plasma area effect weapon that, because of its unusual characteristics, penetrated shields and eats away at enemy's hauls, small craft die first, larger hips later and cordi ships would be immune from this effect due to their organic hauls.
The area of effect would be massive and I would suggest just using the FreeSpace2 nebula effect.
This idea, would you?
Urutorahappī!!

[02:42] <@Axem> spoon somethings wrong
[02:42] <@Axem> critically wrong
[02:42] <@Axem> im happy with these missions now
[02:44] <@Axem> well
[02:44] <@Axem> with 2 of them

 

Offline Dragon

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Were the Boron from the X series an inspiration for the new Cordi design? It resembles their early vessels somewhat.

 

Offline Spoon

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I've never played any of the X games
Urutorahappī!!

[02:42] <@Axem> spoon somethings wrong
[02:42] <@Axem> critically wrong
[02:42] <@Axem> im happy with these missions now
[02:44] <@Axem> well
[02:44] <@Axem> with 2 of them

 

Offline LoneFan

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Hah, definitely Backwards Utilizing Tracking Torpedo's  :p

The Cordi's backstory is now quite a bit different from how it was before, but you wouldn't mind if I take inspiration from:
Quote
The final concept would be a super weapon.
For this I finally settled on was a sort of plasma area effect weapon that, because of its unusual characteristics, penetrated shields and eats away at enemy's hauls, small craft die first, larger hips later and cordi ships would be immune from this effect due to their organic hauls.
The area of effect would be massive and I would suggest just using the FreeSpace2 nebula effect.
This idea, would you?
YES, I contributed, please by all means help yourself.
« Last Edit: August 09, 2016, 02:46:54 am by LoneFan »

  

Offline -Norbert-

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I remember that there were some efforts to make animated hull textrues for Vorlon and Shadow ships in TBP so their hulls could have moving patterns like in the TV show, but I don't know if that was ever accomplished/finished.

Any chance you or someone else could do something like that for the Cordi? Having the patterns on their hull move would make them look that much more alive (for the big ones anyway, since you don't see the small ones long enough to notice such sublte changes with them scittering around all over the screen ^^) .

 

Offline LoneFan

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I remember that there were some efforts to make animated hull textrues for Vorlon and Shadow ships in TBP so their hulls could have moving patterns like in the TV show, but I don't know if that was ever accomplished/finished.

Any chance you or someone else could do something like that for the Cordi? Having the patterns on their hull move would make them look that much more alive (for the big ones anyway, since you don't see the small ones long enough to notice such sublte changes with them scittering around all over the screen ^^) .
I seem to remember that XY warships have animations like that. They look kind of like amorphous liquid metal, it's a cool affect.

 
I've never played any of the X games

I just started playing X and I was going to ask if it was an inspiration. Go figure.

The Xenon M (at least as it looks in the first game) reminded me a LOT of Zy fighters.
« Last Edit: August 09, 2016, 04:32:03 am by Dark Hunter »
"You need to believe in things that aren't true. How else can they become?" -DEATH, Discworld

"You can fight like a krogan, run like a leopard, but you'll never be better than Commander Shepard!"

 

Offline Dragon

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I remember that there were some efforts to make animated hull textrues for Vorlon and Shadow ships in TBP so their hulls could have moving patterns like in the TV show, but I don't know if that was ever accomplished/finished.
It worked, at least for the Shadows. This is a good idea, but the animations should be short and there shouldn't be too many separate animated textures. I don't know if anything was done about BMPMan limits recently, but using lots of animated textures was a good way of running headfirst into them.

 
.apng support helps with BMPMan limits but I'm not sure .apngs can be used for textures.
[19:31] <MatthTheGeek> you all high up on your mointain looking down at everyone who doesn't beam everything on insane blindfolded

 

Offline AdmiralRalwood

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They can, but AFAIK using an APNG in a non-streaming fashion (like an animated texture instead of a headani) will still result in each frame taking a BMPMAN slot.
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schrödinbug (noun) - a bug that manifests itself in running software after a programmer notices that the code should never have worked in the first place.

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<Aesaar> literary criticism is vladimir putin

<MageKing17> "There's probably a reason the code is the way it is" is a very dangerous line of thought. :P
<MageKing17> Because the "reason" often turns out to be "nobody noticed it was wrong".
(the very next day)
<MageKing17> this ****ing code did it to me again
<MageKing17> "That doesn't really make sense to me, but I'll assume it was being done for a reason."
<MageKing17> **** ME
<MageKing17> THE REASON IS PEOPLE ARE STUPID
<MageKing17> ESPECIALLY ME

<MageKing17> God damn, I do not understand how this is breaking.
<MageKing17> Everything points to "this should work fine", and yet it's clearly not working.
<MjnMixael> 2 hours later... "God damn, how did this ever work at all?!"
(...)
<MageKing17> so
<MageKing17> more than two hours
<MageKing17> but once again we have reached the inevitable conclusion
<MageKing17> How did this code ever work in the first place!?

<@The_E> Welcome to OpenGL, where standards compliance is optional, and error reporting inconsistent

<MageKing17> It was all working perfectly until I actually tried it on an actual mission.

<IronWorks> I am useful for FSO stuff again. This is a red-letter day!
* z64555 erases "Thursday" and rewrites it in red ink

<MageKing17> TIL the entire homing code is held up by shoestrings and duct tape, basically.