[KARMA]

about shadows.. maybe something..uh more "simple", used only with capships? Something like using lod2 or lod3 to calculate a shadow created by a capship between the shadowed object and a sun. Dunno if it's possible, but it could be nice...a planet or a moon projecting a shadow on a big capship.. a Supestardestroyer hiding smaller stardestroyers...

btw my list is

-shield hit effect for capships with non modelled shields, maybe using decals
-decals
-some stuff on persistent variables, like the possibility to show the value of a PV during the game, the variables affecting loadout(honestly I don't even know if it is already   ) and maybe PV in multiplayer
-multiple docking objects
-geomod!!

[ChronoReverse]

Well, shadows casted onto another object isn't impossibly hard or slow.  However, if you think about it, even in FS2 the chances of two capitals shadowing each other are pretty tiny anyways.


Self-shadowing, however would look cool, but would also eat up the FPS.  Unless some quaint way of doing it (or faking it) is figured out.

[Nico]

Originally posted by ChronoReverse
Well, shadows casted onto another object isn't impossibly hard or slow.  However, if you think about it, even in FS2 the chances of two capitals shadowing each other are pretty tiny anyways.

One would assume fredders would take this into account and place the ships so it loks cool, and shadows are definitively a mood enhancer ( think The Empire Strikes Back, the first thing of the SSD you see is its shadow on the nearby SD )

[WMCoolmon]

Hmm, could the subobjects be treated as different objects and then the shadow effect applied? This could look good for something like the Fenris' radar dish, at least.

[KARMA]

well if it isn't hard to have different ships shadowing each other, then we could use as shadow source all the "big" objects (capships, planets, stations, maybe some asteroids), and as shadowed objects all the others...
imagine during action a fighter that goes in the dark side of a capship: it is irrealistic if it continue to reflect light, it'd be cool to see it becoming dark as it enters in the shadow

[Nico]

Sure would, even more with the self illu maps we have now

[Raptor]

Here's my wish list.  All related to turrets...

1) Turrets not firing though own ship (there was a test build around, still buugy AFAIK)

2) Unlimited no. of turrets shooting at a singel target (Currently only about 3-4 turrets can shoot at a single ship, might depend on type)

3) 'Savlo' firing (All barrels firing at once). Would remove need for multiple versions of the smae weapon for the diffrent configurations. Possibly default, with chain fire inposed by a weapon flag?

4) Smarter targeting.  I posted an idea for this a while ago, but no one seemed to care...

5) more firepoints for turrets (currently max of 4, more causes CTD)

6) Multi-part turrets aligning themselfs with their target BEFORE firing.

7) Turrets firing when target IS in range, not when they are just OUT of range.

8) Multi-part turrets not shooting at 90 degrees to barrel (Having the 'swarm' flag attached by default sorta thing)

9) Multi-parts on vertical faces.

10) (not quite turret related) plasma shots dissapating after reaching max range, rather than simply disappearing?

That's all I ask for.  I know that the turret code is a mess, but at some point it needs to be sorted, so...

Please, please, PLEASE focus on these ideas?

[Ransom]

Er... Doom 3 does have self shadowing (At least it does if I know what you're talking about), it has a unified lighting engine which means everything projects a dynamic shadow.

- Bumpmapping
- Overexposure
- Shader support (ChronoReverse's post)

[Carl]

we might be able to pull of shadows with stencil shadowing.

if we do have shadows, however, either everything gets shadowed, nothing at all. it doesn't make sense to have just cap ships cast shadows on just fighters, or have it cast a shadow on it's self but not on other things, or any of the other ideas people have for dumbing down shadows.

[Fineus]

Shadows on everything then. It'd look fantastic... and IIRC its not been done before.

[Janos]

1. Sexy shinemaps. See what LS is doing.
2. New plasma weaponry - dissipating, more powerful.
3. Enhanced beam effects.
4. Does friendly fire - primaries - work? Haven't paid attention, but do AI fighters damage each other?

[Nico]

Originally posted by Raptor

7) Turrets firing when target IS in range, not when they are just OUT of range.

Why? if the turret shoots at a bomber coming in its direction, the time it takes for the shot to reach its limit range, the bomber might have come to range, and would be hit, which makes turrets more efficient.

[ShadowDrakken]

Janos: friendly fire is already part of FS, check your pilot stats

[Janos]

No no no, not talking about me, Alpha 1. I know I always hit them wingmate bastards as they try to take my kills. I was talking about AI friendly fire: two Myrms chasing a Herc and dealing damage to each other. This may seem dumb, but if alcohol has not yet devastated my memory, there were issues with this in vanilla FS. AI fire was dealt with somehow differently as player fire, which resulted AI never ever hitting a friendly fighter - capships were a different issue. I guess it's no longer a case.

And a small add to my wishlist, which may be a bit off-topic:
Reducing the memory print.

[Drew]

Originally posted by ShadowDrakken

2) displacement mapping

real displacement mapping isnt somthing the typical cards here could do. Its pretty impossible to get displacment running ingame without a axing of fps.

so it goes

1. Bump\environment mapping
2. 1.4 Pixle shader
3. Particlesssss
4. Volume lighting
5. .pof update
6. better real time dammage system
7. Submodels that do stuff, like flaps n  stuff.
8. Scripted environment system thingy, so you can fly in the atmosferee....

[Singh]

Better AI.

That's all I ask.

Even a simple command as 'face side' which would make an AI automatically keep one side facing the enemy will do........

[Flaser]

I. Graphics
A - Some version was already seen

1. Enviromental Mapping
2. Overexposure
3. Decals

B. Possible Developments

3. Volumetric Fog
4. Shadows

II. Gameplay

1. Revamped Turret Targeting code: - solve issues with turrets ROF, as well as their stupid targeting code (also shooting through their own ship's hull)
2. Stop fighters from bumping each other/capships

My own mania

3. Extended capship damage system
(read some of my posts, I already suggested a multi-stage development process that could be the basis for some kind of development if anyone ever wants to start it)

a. Damage Treshold / Damage Resistant - armor simulation
b. Section Simulation

c. Extended Subsystem interaction - subsystems act as individual parts of a ship, not as just statistics.

d. Internal Explosion simulation.

e-1. Introduction of Frame - only vital component for ship integrity - elimination of hull/hull percentage
e-2. Hull plate simulation

[Bobboau]

the latest version of the decals code is very nice, it's in the asorted env builds I've been posting. you need a modifyed table though

[Raptor]

Originally posted by Nico
Why? if the turret shoots at a bomber coming in its direction, the time it takes for the shot to reach its limit range, the bomber might have come to range, and would be hit, which makes turrets more efficient.

It's okay against fighters/bombers, but the number of times I've seen shots disappear just a few 10's of metres from the target warships hull...

[ShadowDrakken]

Drew: oh, I know most cards can't handle displacement maps atm, but with as lightweight as FS is, a well written software displacement routine could be managed using a low resolution map.  Once the model is mapped in memory (and thus created as polys with the modifications), all the work is done, so preloading the models at mission start would save the hard work