Author Topic: custom content in Zathras  (Read 20451 times)

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Offline wesp5

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Re: custom content in Zathras
Speaking of Babylon 5, it seems as if The Babylon Project is not the only thing still alive ;). At the New York Comic Con JMS mentioned the following: “I said to Warner Bros.  a while back, 'When you’re ready to do something real with 'Babylon 5,' either a big-budget film or a TV show, if you want to do one of those two things, call me, otherwise don’t bother me.' About a month ago the phone rang. I don’t know where this is gonna go yet, but when they call you, there’s something going on. I can’t tell you what it is yet and it may not go anywhere, but there is movement in the tall grass.”

Also due to my Bloodlines patch I have connections to the The Patches Scroll site which want's to expend into mods and has connections to bigger game sites like Blues News. So if you want anything of TBP mirrored there or announced on Blues News, I should be able to arrange that :)! Maybe for Zathras 2.0 or the upcoming DVD 2.0 release? If there is indeed new B5 content in the making, this could revive the interest in your work, after all as far as I know it's the only B5 mod/game that actually has been finished! I updated the B5 Wikipedia article on it too ;)...

 

Offline Slasher

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Re: custom content in Zathras
There have been so many false starts I know better than to get my hopes up.  For eight years, the best one liners on the TBP team have always come from Skullar.  I still haven't forgotten "the Lost Tales should have stayed lost." :D  Skullar, come baaaaaaaaack!

But who knows, maybe JMS will be able to work his magic again.  

Keeping with the off topic theme, things are pretty quiet around here.  I think 0rph3u5 is working on his FS2 projects right now, Vidmaster is embattled in coursework, and FUBAR probably wants to take a much deserved break after Zathras 2.0.  I know there were a couple campaigns announced over the summer but they're in silent running if they're still active.  I've been trying to simultaneously work on a rerelease of Relic and another campaign while handling a dozen other things and it's turning into a little mess.  The good news is Relic 1.1 will be out this coming Saturday with bug fixes, some redone textures, and an achievement system I threw in last minute.  I might have some more news at that time, but we'll see.

 

Offline FUBAR-BDHR

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Re: custom content in Zathras
Actually I've been working on the next Zathras since even before 2.0 was released.  Adding missing LODs and debris to ships, removing unneeded maps and fixing other bugs I find while doing it.  Heck probably put in 60+ hours in the last week just on that. 
No-one ever listens to Zathras. Quite mad, they say. It is good that Zathras does not mind. He's even grown to like it. Oh yes. -Zathras

 

Offline wesp5

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Re: custom content in Zathras
There have been so many false starts I know better than to get my hopes up.

Yeah, I know...

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I still haven't forgotten "the Lost Tales should have stayed lost." :D  Skullar, come baaaaaaaaack!

I agree with Skullar on this, in my opinion Crusade and the 5th season were already bad. JMS is great when he can plan something, but improvisation or acknowledging others' achievements are not his strengths.

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But who knows, maybe JMS will be able to work his magic again.

He has indeed more main-stream publicity now after "The Changeling".
« Last Edit: October 19, 2010, 09:58:07 am by wesp5 »

 

Offline wesp5

  • 29
Re: custom content in Zathras
Actually I've been working on the next Zathras since even before 2.0 was released.  Adding missing LODs and debris to ships, removing unneeded maps and fixing other bugs I find while doing it.

Any chance of improving the 3D jumppoint effect ;)? Also shouldn't Zathras 2.0 be on the main page now?

 

Offline Slasher

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Re: custom content in Zathras
Ooooooookay, FUBAR opted not to take a vacation!  While we're sort of on the subject of LODs, is the EA Aurora going to utilize just one main texture?  I'm still not entirely clear on how LODs and their textures are going to work.  I only ask because if I can save time by not customizing ship_01b/ship_01c/ship_01d textures it would be win. 

 

Offline FUBAR-BDHR

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Re: custom content in Zathras
One set of textures.  All the b, c, d variants will no longer be needed. 
No-one ever listens to Zathras. Quite mad, they say. It is good that Zathras does not mind. He's even grown to like it. Oh yes. -Zathras

 

Offline Nergal

  • 24
Re: custom content in Zathras
Does it really make sense that a Minbari Ranger is flying a Centauri shuttle? Were the Centauri involved with the Rangers at all at that point? I know, I'm just nitpicking, but small details like those bother me and would be easy to fix :).

Aside from the Centauri blockading that Ranger training facility on behalf of the Shadows, no, they were not involved with the Rangers.

However, I don't see a problem with a Centauri shuttle among the Rangers. The Rangers probably tried getting their hands on every ship they could get in those days, and unlike Centauri cap ships or fighters, a shuttle might have been easily acquired. I imagine ships of that class were freely available to anyone who could pay for them.

 

Offline wesp5

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Re: custom content in Zathras
However, I don't see a problem with a Centauri shuttle among the Rangers.

I still don't like it. It just looks strange having a Minbari talking out of a Centauri shuttle ;). Speaking of Fortune Hunters, I didn't manage to beat the "Shadow Base Mission" after several tries, so I removed some fighter wings to finish it :)! Is this because I'm a beginner or is this mission bugged? I didn't even notice why the mission failed, were the Harvester shuttles killed or the Enfili damaged too much? Something is amiss here...

 

Offline Nergal

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Re: custom content in Zathras
It's not bugged. That mission is really, really hard. Either the Minbari cruiser gets taken out by the Shadow fighters, or one of the shuttles later on in the mission bites the dust. I managed to beat that mission once by, pretty much, being everywhere at the same time.

 

Offline wesp5

  • 29
Re: custom content in Zathras
It's not bugged. That mission is really, really hard. Either the Minbari cruiser gets taken out by the Shadow fighters, or one of the shuttles later on in the mission bites the dust.

Yeah, I noticed that indeed if one shuttle is destroyed the mission ends. This is a bad mission design IMHO because after frantically fighting for a very long time everything depends on such a weak link.

 

Offline boewolf

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Re: custom content in Zathras
With a little luck I should have a few good missions that set up the EA shadow teched war against almost everyone.

 

Offline Nergal

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Re: custom content in Zathras
With a little luck I should have a few good missions that set up the EA shadow teched war against almost everyone.

Sounds interesting.  :nod:  Any more info you can give us?

BTW, looking forward to Skullar's EACW campaign, as well.  :drevil:
« Last Edit: October 22, 2010, 01:58:12 pm by Nergal »

 

Offline boewolf

  • 28
Re: custom content in Zathras
If I was to say anything much more.  I would have to put you on a skylark headed for implantation to a Shadow battle crab.  Oh hell.  I've said too much.  Looks like Nergal is the next Shadow slave in the bulk of the camp.

 

Offline wesp5

  • 29
Re: custom content in Zathras
I finally used the "rearm" command and have some suggestions:

1) Please rename it to "Rearm/repair me" or to "Support me" in the options because this is not obvious.
Also in the communication menu I would remove the "subsys" because this is just confusing info as well.

2) The docking shuttle clips into the screen. Can this be fixed? Or maybe a maintenance bot be used?
This would make more sense in the B5 universe anyway, nobody would send a shuttle into a dogfight ;).
« Last Edit: October 23, 2010, 11:42:57 am by wesp5 »

 

Offline FUBAR-BDHR

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Re: custom content in Zathras
1.  The interface is hard coded so no.
2.  Support ships were required for all species by the engine (don't know if they still are) and there was only one allowed per species.  One does not fit all ships so you get the clipping.  I can try to improve it but no guarantees. If I make it work for one it might look terrible for the rest. 
No-one ever listens to Zathras. Quite mad, they say. It is good that Zathras does not mind. He's even grown to like it. Oh yes. -Zathras

 

Offline wesp5

  • 29
Re: custom content in Zathras
1.  The interface is hard coded so no.

Really? I would have thought that changing shown text would be a simple thing to do! After all you must have changed a lot of text from the Freespace universe to the B5 universe...

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2.  Support ships were required for all species by the engine (don't know if they still are) and there was only one allowed per species.  One does not fit all ships so you get the clipping.

Ah. Still my idea of using the maintenance bots for the EA could possible fix this, because only its arms may appear on screen which might look better. Can you please try this out for me?

 

Offline FUBAR-BDHR

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Re: custom content in Zathras
Some things are hard coded some aren't. 

Using the maint bot is not possible as it is not the proper ship class.  Support ships are a special class.  Also you think the shuttle has clipping issues what do you think a maint bot's arms would do when it docked?  Go right through your fighter that's what.   
No-one ever listens to Zathras. Quite mad, they say. It is good that Zathras does not mind. He's even grown to like it. Oh yes. -Zathras

 

Offline wesp5

  • 29
Re: custom content in Zathras
Using the maint bot is not possible as it is not the proper ship class.  Support ships are a special class.

And this has to be a shuttle? And it can't be a special class maint bot just from the model side?

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Also you think the shuttle has clipping issues what do you think a maint bot's arms would do when it docked?  Go right through your fighter that's what.   

Yeah possibly ;), but I had hoped that it would look as if the arms would dangle down in front of the window. It may be worth a try would it not?

 

Offline General Battuta

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Re: custom content in Zathras
1.  The interface is hard coded so no.

Really? I would have thought that changing shown text would be a simple thing to do! After all you must have changed a lot of text from the Freespace universe to the B5 universe...

Not in the interface. It's entirely the same as in FS2, to my knowledge.