[Fineus]

In theory I think any of the original nebula files can be replaced with anything you like... a sports car, a custom nebula, a smilie. Whatever you like. Certainly what you've produced could be put in there (though the surrounding stars would have to go).

That said, you'd still have the problems of them overlapping - or being alone in the middile of empty space. Generally it seems people much prefer the "all around you" style of the original FS nebula or the IWar2 nebula etc. Despite the fact that the original FS nebula looks as old as the game is:

[Nico]

Originally posted by Kalfireth
How much more of a performance hit would skyboxes have over the regular FS2 nebuli though?

Also, would we be able to have the skyboxes take effect in standard FS2 missions? I'm kinda looking for backwards compatability as well - so that the original files are overwritten with something far more visually impressive... rather than have a totally separate skybox.

That backward compatibility crap is what is holding everything back. I've grown to hate it. Look at windows, stayed "backward compatible" with DOS ( well supposedly ) until XP. Pain, pain.

On a side note, Eve has by far the most beautiful backgrounds. Oh, and that's not true, there's actually a majority of pure black parts, but the thing are so well done the black areas are "parts" of the nebula. Hard to explain, but ubber cool.

[Fineus]

If it's not backwards compatable then someone has to go through each FS2 mission by hand and change things to take advantage of what changes we've made. A lengthy - but not impossible process.

Find someone to do that, and the issue goes out of the window - we can do what we please and then make the appropriate alterations to the mission later.

[Lt.Cannonfodder]

Here's my little attempt:



Check out the tutorial on this site. You can make fantastic nebulas with it.

http://www.ap3d.com/tutorials/

(BetterSpace>Building a Better Nebula Part 2)

[karajorma]

Originally posted by Nico
That backward compatibility crap is what is holding everything back. I've grown to hate it. Look at windows, stayed "backward compatible" with DOS ( well supposedly ) until XP. Pain, pain.

There's no point in breaking backwards compatability just for the sake of it though.

And it's not just the main campaign that would need fixing. You'd need to Deralict and all the other campaigns that would look like crap if you break backwards compatability for no good reason.

Besides look at how long it takes to make campaigns for FS2. If you break backwards compatability what are you going to play on your new fancy graphics engine? F**k all. You'd have to sit around and wait for a year or two for all the new campaigns to finish.

[Turnsky]

okay, you've forced my hand, i'll see what i can do to create a neb.

[Setekh]

Originally posted by Lightspeed
I agree FS2 needs completely new nebulae. The multi coloured thingies look crap.

When I update them i'll probably go for a mix between realistic and EvE style.

Agreed. EVE is getting there, but it's still lacking in detail. It will change the look of the game vastly to have some skybox nebulae everywhere.

[SadisticSid]

Out of all those I like the iWar2 ones the best. The stars really add to it though, so either you'd have to include them in the image or alter the rendering code to make far more.

[Nico]

Originally posted by karajorma


There's no point in breaking backwards compatability just for the sake of it though.

And it's not just the main campaign that would need fixing. You'd need to Deralict and all the other campaigns that would look like crap if you break backwards compatability for no good reason.

Besides look at how long it takes to make campaigns for FS2. If you break backwards compatability what are you going to play on your new fancy graphics engine? F**k all. You'd have to sit around and wait for a year or two for all the new campaigns to finish.

What is that two cents rambling? Skybox don't render old style nebulas useless. Plus I don't want FS2 to be upgraded to play old campaigns w/o any of the new neat features added, mind you. Not much faith into upcoming campaigns, have we?

[Lt.Cannonfodder]

Here's an attempt to do a Freespace nebula.



Any opinions?

[Setekh]

That's very well detailed and textured, CF. Quite a departure from FS' style (the closest approach to those I've seen are IceFire's), but we are indeed going for a change in direction aren't we.

[Rictor]

Originally posted by Lightspeed
I agree FS2 needs completely new nebulae. The multi coloured thingies look crap.

When I update them i'll probably go for a mix between realistic and EvE style.

Ok, there is no right or wrong answer, but thats the right answer

Originally posted by KARMA
as you know, I created a couple of nebs on my own,
this: http://www.3dap.com/hlp/hosted/swfs2/img/starmap.jpg
and this: http://www.3dap.com/hlp/hosted/swfs2/img/starfield2.jpg
and I made em as background pofs.
Now, I was wondering if I may substitute the vanilla fs2 nebs instead of having to create an entire skybox, since it would be many times easyer and less performance hit.
The background nebs are something that I never explorated so I don't even have a clue about what can be done or not

Slick. I like it, . Great use of colour. If there is any FS2 style neb's in the reworked versions, they should look like that.

Originally posted by Stryke 9
What we need, and what I-War and and the like seem to have, is full 360% backgrounds. I'm not sure if they're generated procedurals or what, but they work, and they're beautiful. None of this patchy **** the Freespace bitmaps have, there's just this consistent look all around, and it works.

What he said.

[karajorma]

Originally posted by Nico
What is that two cents rambling? Skybox don't render old style nebulas useless. Plus I don't want FS2 to be upgraded to play old campaigns w/o any of the new neat features added, mind you. Not much faith into upcoming campaigns, have we?

You're the one who started ranting about how backwards compatability was holding everything back.

 As for my faith in upcoming campaigns I have a lot of faith in them but it takes a lot of time to make a good campaign. If you break all the old ones you'll have long periods with absolutely nothing to play. The best of both worlds is when you can play the old campaigns with new SCP features while waiting for the new stuff.

[Nico]

just can't bother replying

[Fineus]

Then drop the arguement or take it to PMs, this is a nebula thread - not a backwards compatability thread

[Lt.Cannonfodder]

Ingame:



There are some problems, but they are easy to fix.

[Lightspeed]

I think it's too FS2-ish.

I like the soft and comfortable nebulae more.

[redmenace]

now what would be great would be far off lightning strikes in the nebula. just parts of it lighting up randomly or in a sequence. But I am sure that is far from possible.

[KARMA]

don't know cannonfodder, it's nice but it has something that don't convince me
it is a bit blurry and mmm "homogeneus". I mean that I can't see many dark details in the middle but only at edges, also the two colours are probably too similar.
I also suggest you to change the texture for the details (if you made it in photoshop, open the blending options and change the texture, and try different modes, screen or darken, depending by the texture chosen )

btw I have some questions:
if I draw a neb to be added to the background nebs, black=transparent? or have I to use TGA's alpha?
I noticed that in many effects (shockwaves, thrusters...) the background is just black: will black be used as transparent colour? In the anis I can't use alpha channels, so...
The nebs I draw must be added to maps directory or effects?

[Lt.Cannonfodder]

Originally posted by Lightspeed
I think it's too FS2-ish.

I like the soft and comfortable nebulae more.

Everyone's entitled to an opinion

Of course, I could easily make them a bit darker. Phostoshop is a wonderful tool