[Mobius]

I don't know if you're interested, but seems that Ransom Arceihn will voice act for Warzone.

I noticed that you added wonderful background effects to the missions. Once you finish with them, give me the link so I can work with FRED.

[Admiral Nelson]

Download from the WIP link I posted before.  You should be good to go with those mission files.

[Herra Tohtori]

The problem is that what you are doing is basically what I am doing. The file that I provided has a similar effect, with the exception that the atmosphere on Terran1 isn't as hazy and thick as the planet you have created. So I ended up with a final product with a dark atmosphere on the antisunward side, and a bluish atmosphere on the sunward side, yet whenever I save the image as a 32-bit TGA everything transparent turns white. What you are seeing in-game is not what I am seeing when I am ready to save the image.

That sounds... weird, probably some JASC specific setting you have to use or something. I wouldn't know anything about that, though...

Btw, even if I used that example as a real atmosphere layer, it wouldn't appear half as thich because only the blurred edges would be clearly visible, spreading outwards from the sharp-edged planet's surface. Also, I would likely find a suitable level of opacity/intensity with layer modes and transparency settings as I told.

The atmosphere, as far as I can see, is whiter than the final product and practically flushed out most of the blue that was there. The same goes for the dark side, and since it was black to begin with, it appears to be a bright gray color.

It seems like no matter what I do, the atmosphere either gets an extra hint of white when the image saves with a white background, or an extra hint of black when the planet is saved against a black background. The background is always transparent, but whenever I save, it turns opaque. For this particular planet, I did not use GIMP, but Paint Shop Pro XI (it came with my laptop so I decided to see what I could do with it). I've done all I could by checking up on tutorials and how-tos, but I can't seem to get the atmosphere working properly. Any ideas?

Paint Shop Pro.... eeewwww... 

 

What I would do is to use a "copy visible" or equivalent setting, create a new GIMP window of same size, remove the default layer and paste the planet there, and then try and save it. I really have no knowledge at all about current PSP oddities, and only slightly more of Photoshop. Are you sure the dark side atmosphere really has RGB values like (0,0,0,0-255)? Check with the color select tool that the RGB values really are zero (black) and only the alpha varies... The saving process shouldn't alter the image. Perhaps PSP is adding some hidden layer or some other crap like that into the image... I dunno.

Other than that, I can't really help.

[Mobius]

I have finally started working!

That's basically what I have done:

1) Many ships(freighters, cruisers, corvettes, the Vidar)could receive orders from the player. Now they can't. There also are many fighter wings that can receive orders from the player(fighter wings that relieve the player from an escort duty, for example) and I don't know if you agree with me....normally, you jump out and you order your wingmen to do so after the arrival of these wings and they jump out as well, when they're supposed to escort a warship instead;
2) Sentry guns and cargo containers had default names. They have been changed with "Sentry X" and "Container X", respectively;
3) Some missions have the skybox "starfield01.pof". What should I do?;
4) Ships jumping to/coming from Knossos subspace portals have the Special Warp. I don't know if we should include the SW effect in the modpack;
5) E3M4. SSF Belial 13(now Sentry 9) had the alt name SCN Kali. Reset;
6) E2M5. Container 02 carries nothing. Should I leave it as it is?;
7) Since we're using skyboxes I have reduced the number of stars in the background to 100. They look weird when turning;

I will proceed with bugs...

[m2258734a]

Yes, it was weird and very annoying. It didn't make any sense at all, which is why it would confuse me after every image Admiral Nelson posted. There was unintentional mixing of white and black in the planet's atmosphere, depending on the color of the background image... which was supposed to be transparent to begin with.

 

Anyways, the alpha within the atmosphere on both sides of the planet are in the range of 0-255, but for some reason that all changes when the image is saved. I always get a warning before I save, telling me that the image has to be merged into a single image, and that only one alpha channel can be saved. That shouldn't be a problem, yet some how a problem always arises. I took your advice and saved the merged image onto GIMP, transparent background and all. This Terran1 should be the very final TGA for this planet.



[attachment deleted by admin]

[Admiral Nelson]

Terran1 now looks done!

I have finally started working!

That's basically what I have done:

1) Many ships(freighters, cruisers, corvettes, the Vidar)could receive orders from the player. Now they can't. There also are many fighter wings that can receive orders from the player(fighter wings that relieve the player from an escort duty, for example) and I don't know if you agree with me....normally, you jump out and you order your wingmen to do so after the arrival of these wings and they jump out as well, when they're supposed to escort a warship instead;

Agreed.

2) Sentry guns and cargo containers had default names. They have been changed with "Sentry X" and "Container X", respectively;

Makes sense.

3) Some missions have the skybox "starfield01.pof". What should I do?;

All missions should have it except those in the nebula.  If you find any missing, please add it.

4) Ships jumping to/coming from Knossos subspace portals have the Special Warp. I don't know if we should include the SW effect in the modpack;

Excellent.  I think the effect is in the media vps anyway.

5) E3M4. SSF Belial 13(now Sentry 9) had the alt name SCN Kali. Reset;

Good.

6) E2M5. Container 02 carries nothing. Should I leave it as it is?;

I'd put something suitable in there.

7) Since we're using skyboxes I have reduced the number of stars in the background to 100. They look weird when turning;

This will probably help with the issue Herra has spoken of, yeah.

I will proceed with bugs...

I will stay out of editing missions until you post another WIP.  I did notice a few more you may as well fix:

In E2M5 there should be a directive "Destroy Gas Miners" and a directive "Destroy cargo."  Otherwise it is unclear what exactly you need to destroy.

In E3M2 the "Destroy Cortez" directive is misplaced at the end.  It should come chained after you are instructed to destroy it immediately.

[m2258734a]

Terran1 now looks done!

PHEW!!! Finally...  You could put Terran1 back where you had it before if you like. I only asked you to move it because I wanted to verify the cause of the extra white portions of the antisunward atmosphere. Thanks for posting the images. 

Now I can finish the main-sequence stars like I said I would. It looks like we have a new contribution in the Celestial Objects thread. Do you think that planet would be a good replacement for one of the "dead planets"?

[Admiral Nelson]

Yes, it looks good.  The lava planet is the only one besides Terran1 that has a really unique appearance.

[MP-Ryan]

I had started correcting grammar and spelling in briefings/debriefings/in-game transmissions, but as you guys have made mission changes could you upload them again?  Then I can go through the most recent copies.

[Mobius]

I have added events in missions where Shivan Comm Nodes appear. They will self destruct if the core subsystem is destroyed.

Also, I have added the directives you mentioned. I have created chained directives iin E2M5. They should appear on the HUD when the Setekh activates its sensors(cool and realistic, eh? ). In E3M2, the "Destroy Cortez" directive should now appear after the message "We are being jammed.  It's coming from the Cortez.  Eliminate the Cortez at once!" is sent by a random wingman.

Ok, I will UL a rar with all the mission. Tell me if I have to change "starfield01.pof" into "starfield.pof"(I have always used starfield.pof, I don't know if the other works).

[Admiral Nelson]

Ok, I will UL a rar with all the mission. Tell me if I have to change "starfield01.pof" into "starfield.pof"(I have always used starfield.pof, I don't know if the other works).

Yes, you are correct.

[MP-Ryan]

Waiting on the RAR.  Once it's uploaded I will immediately begin going through the missions, so if you guys want to hold off on making more corrections for an hour or so I can repost it immediately when I finish.

[Admiral Nelson]

Yep, once Mobius posts, you will own the missions next.  We'll do round robin; Mobius owns it now, you are next, then when you are done back to me.  We'll continue with that process until all of the issues are resolved.

[neoterran]

is another WIP build coming ?

[MP-Ryan]

Yep, once Mobius posts, you will own the missions next.  We'll do round robin; Mobius owns it now, you are next, then when you are done back to me.  We'll continue with that process until all of the issues are resolved.

Sounds good.

If I have time after correcting them (I'm also working on some academic papers in the middle of this) I'll finish playtesting them again and see if there's anything else needing a fix.  That last mission with the Ravana had some issues earlier; I'm going to see if they persist and if we can re-write part of it.

[Mobius]

Stupid connection! I'm sorry...the UL has been slightly delayed! This is my third attempt! Even sending it to Ryan via MSN is turning out to be impossible!

Ok, everything should be ok.

I checked one more time because I wanted to be sure. Report errors, please.

EDIT: The second attachment, that is corrupted, has been deleted.

[attachment deleted by admin]

[MP-Ryan]

OK, I'm done with Missions E1M1 through and including E3M1.  For the most part these missions are clean - what comments I do have are posted below.  I've checked all the in-game messages, briefings, and debriefings for content (spelling, grammar, understanding).  I have not playtested them yet. I'll get the rest done later tonight, hopefully.

To Do So Far:

E1M2
-The GTC Gouda (Aeolous class) is never mentioned in the briefing or mission, but it does arrive with the Valius and combats the Shivans.  It IS possible for the Gouda to survive the mission (The Ravana does not always fire on it, but sometimes it destroys it before the Valius) and it will jump out if the Ravana destroys the Valius first.  I recommend the Ravana's orders be adjusted so it fires on the Valius but NOT on the Gouda, and the Gouda's survival be added to the mission as an objective.  It will survive if the player defends it from bombers until the Ravana arrives (providing the Ravana does not fire on it).  Therefore, add a Defend Gouda directive, and make its survival a bonus objective.  Then add the following as debriefing texts (append to the end of what's there):
1.  Gouda survives. "While the GTD Valius was destroyed, you successfully protected the GTC Gouda from the Shivan bomber waves.  Excellent work.  If we are to repel this third advance of the Shivans into GTVA space we must preserve every ship possible."  No recommendation text.
2.  Gouda destroyed.  "It is unfortunate that we lost both the GTD Valius and the GTC Gouda in this mission.  Remember, pilot, the more ships that survive the engagement, the better chance we have of holding off the Shivans."  Recommendation:  Destroy Shivan bombers before they can fire on either capital ship.

E1M4
-GTC Abydos arrives and usually survives the engagement.  Should add a condition to the debrief that if Abydos survives, player gets commended for it.  Right now there is no mention of it.

E2M1
-Nicholas is not mentioned in debrief.  Check survival, ensure survival.

[Mad Bomber]

I thought it was "Gaudua", not Gouda. (Cheese?)

Also, C1M4 has fighter Epsilon 1 alttyped as "Jamming Device".

[MP-Ryan]

Yeah, that's a typo in the forums only.  Sorry.

OK, here's the whole batch.  I've corrected spelling, grammar, and made a few stylistic changes (most people won't even notice unless they're looking for them).  Most of the changes are simple to elaborate on exisiting mission events and provide insight.

As I said previously, E1M2 needs some revisions, as do E1M4 and E2M1.  I also came across a few missions where FRED spat up a warning about wing targets - I'm not very familiar with FRED, so I'll leave that for someone else.

I have NOT re-playtested any missions except E1M2, and as I said it needs some revisions.  Rather than mucking about now, I'll wait until one of the FREDers can make further changes and go through them again then.

Thus, I release my hold on the revisions to Nelson =)

File is attached.

[attachment deleted by admin]

[Admiral Nelson]

Great, I'll go through it today.  The wing errors have to do with the use of the change-iff sexp.  In effect, FRED thinks some wings have been ordered to attack vessels on its own side.  By the time those wings appear, the change-iff sexp has changed those vessels to the other side.  Thus these are warnings that may be safely ignored.