[NGTM-1R]

It still contains the potentional to break retail-designed missions with slash beams. The original example I cited from Derelict was of a slash beam using a fire-beam sexp. I honestly have no idea if AAAs adhere to the same 30km ceiling, but if they do, then we're back to the same stance as last time: if it could break a mission constructed in retail, it does not belong.

[Woolie Wool]

I agree with everyone who hates this effect. I really, really, really, really despise this effect, and there are of course the mission breaking concerns. If Fury wants to break other people's missions, he should just start an FS2 main campaign remake and leave FSU to people who actually care about the original game.

[Mura]

I'm divided here... i like how it looks when piercing a ship, but it looks silly when it misses, could there be a way to make it fade in the piercing?

[Droid803]

I'm divided here... i like how it looks when piercing a ship, but it looks silly when it misses, could there be a way to make it fade in the piercing?

That would be ideal, and it would fix all the concerns about breaking missions, and it'd only appear when it'd look the best
That'd probably be more of a code-side thing though, I'd imagine.

[Mongoose]

I still think it'd look rather silly to see the beam fading after punching through a dying ship.  I can't help but think all the way back to the FS2 trailer, and how awesome the Colossus's beams looked coming full-diameter out the back of a Shivan cruiser it had pummeled to shreds.  And anyway, from a "realistic" standpoint, that final beam-pierce shouldn't fade off like that, since there isn't really any matter standing in its way anymore.

[Droid803]

Have it gradually grow in length to its full length as the blow-through progresses

[Bobboau]

fun fact: beam fading has been hard coded as on for all beams for something like 7 years.

[Droid803]

Huh? at 30km yes?
We're discussing the new +Range: flag which reduces the effective range of all beams in the mediavps to just about their targeting range.

Clarification: the +Range: flag was newly added to the mediavps tables.

[General Battuta]

fun fact: beam fading has been hard coded as on for all beams for something like 7 years.

Definitely not, at least not in the sense we're discussing; I believe I first saw it in TBP.

[Mongoose]

Man, I just played through the BP:AoA mission "Fallen Angel," and the Sathanas looks awful from long-range when firing all beams.  It's been emasculated.

[Dragon]

Fade should be controllable and disabled by default.

[Slasher]

Early in-game screenshot from FS2 Open 3.6.13 coming Christmas 2010 with new and improved beam fade.*

* Actual graphics may or may not be represented by above image.

[MatthTheGeek]

Fade should be controllable and enabled by default.

Fix'd for you

[Woolie Wool]

However cool or uncool you think it is, if it has even the potential to break retail missions, it has no more business being in the mediavps than all-new ships or other mods. Because gameplay-changing effects like this are mods.

[Bobboau]

so what we are discussing here in fact has nothing do do with fading at all, but beam range.

poorly named thread is poorly named.

[SypheDMar]

Well, the beam fade effect is screwin' with the range.

[X3N0-Life-Form]

Well at least it forced me to learn how to use tables to implement long range versions of basic beams.

No strong feelings at the moment.

[jr2]

I think that those fading beams only really work well (visually) when they hit a ship and go across it, kind of what happens here:


I also agree with the sentiments regarding backwards gameplay compatibility of mods.

That looks ... not FreeSpace.  Really cool, but not FreeSpace.  Beams =/= Lightsabers.  =/

EDIT:  Although fading to 30km might look both cool and FreeSpace.  If so, that would be FTW.

[blowfish]

Beams DO fade near 30 km currently.  It's just so far out that you don't see it.

[Galemp]

Hmm. I was pro-fade, but I just realized this would nuke any chance of us having planetary-based beam weapons (faked by having a Mjolnir really far away in front of a planet bitmap.) They'd fade out before they hit the battlefield.

We need a compromise; a $Fade Distance:weapons table entry would be best.