[Luis Dias]

maybe make it so you can set the debris sprites based on your proximity to an asteroid field. change small dust sprites in the world for larger rock sprites in the asteroid field, and nebulas could have their own set of sprites. may also want some kind of density control. kind of interpolate between 2 sprite sets and density values on transition from inside and outside of asteroid fields.

Disagree. I think it should be left to the fredder when and where these particles intensify, start to exist, stop existing, etc. More freedom to who is writing the thing. Imagine a fredder "why should I have to put an asteroid field if all I want is dust?!?"

[Trivial Psychic]

Not to get this thread off track, but a lot of the controls for variable dust size and density are very much like those requested for variable nebular densities.  Perhaps if there is intended implementation for one, the other could be introduced alongside.

[Nuke]

any fredder who is concerned with every grain of dust in the mission is obviously very bored or has some kind of ocd.

still making dust work automatically doesn't exclude the possibility of some manual control. i mean every environment would have its particle set and associated variables. where these are loaded from is another matter entirely. im not even sure what table would cover something like this. however once the data structures exist then they can be manipulated quite easily with a sexp or scripting. i would imagine that in some table you would define the particle set/variables entry and give that entry some name. one may be set as the default set. certain asteroid sets may be associated with a particular particle set that would be used while in an asteroid field with that type of asteroid. way it would typically work is you would start a regular old mission and the default particle is used. if you enter an asteroid field (or start out in one) then whatever particle set the that type of asteroid has defined will be used (if none defined then default). transitions would be handled automatically. now the mission may override either one. if thats not enough you can have sexp to change your set (again transition would be automatic).  of course i probably wouldn't code the thing so i dont know.

[jr2]

Would be fun for flying through the tails of comets. 

[Sushi]

Not to get this thread off track, but a lot of the controls for variable dust size and density are very much like those requested for variable nebular densities.  Perhaps if there is intended implementation for one, the other could be introduced alongside.

We're halfway there with variable nebula densities. I've got code that adjusts the render distance in a nebula based on a mission setting: we just need to be able to make the nebula fog look "thinner" as well.

IMHO mission settings for dust density, size, and sprite + SEXPs to change them mid-mission would cover most things nicely.

[Trivial Psychic]

Would be fun for flying through the tails of comets. 

Or through planetary rings.

[Woolie Wool]

Not to get this thread off track, but a lot of the controls for variable dust size and density are very much like those requested for variable nebular densities.  Perhaps if there is intended implementation for one, the other could be introduced alongside.

We're halfway there with variable nebula densities. I've got code that adjusts the render distance in a nebula based on a mission setting: we just need to be able to make the nebula fog look "thinner" as well.

IMHO mission settings for dust density, size, and sprite + SEXPs to change them mid-mission would cover most things nicely.

How difficult would it be to introduce proper depth fog instead of the current nebula rendering?

[Nuke]

id love to have basic depth fog, for in and out of the nebula. its a boring effect by itself, but with backgrounds and particle sprites i think it would work well.

[Sushi]

How difficult would it be to introduce proper depth fog instead of the current nebula rendering?

Not sure. I'm really not familiar with the rendering code. Sounds easy, but that's the classic trap for coders.

[Nuke]

i think its just a matter of telling gl to use one of its extensions. its an effect that was quickly added to quake builds back when its source was released. though i think the hardest part would be to make it play well with backgrounds.

a google search gives me this code snippet:

Code: [Select]

void drawScene() {
    //...
    GLfloat fogColor[] = {0.5f, 0.5f, 0.5f, 1};
    glFogfv(GL_FOG_COLOR, fogColor);
    glFogi(GL_FOG_MODE, GL_LINEAR);
    glFogf(GL_FOG_START, 10.0f);
    glFogf(GL_FOG_END, 20.0f);
    //...
}

from here:
http://www.videotutorialsrock.com/opengl_tutorial/fog/text.php

variables here are color, near distance, far distance and curves. its worth a try to see what it does considering its just a few function calls.

[Black Wolf]

I can think of a few situations where the ability to control motion debris in mission would be useful - I'd love to see this implemented.\

[Reprobator]

I agree with the fog things, if we can replace nebula's sprite by a real fog (and beeing able to control depth color and... dust in it) i think i would looks better

[Nuke]

I agree with the fog things, if we can replace nebula's sprite by a real fog (and beeing able to control depth color and... dust in it) i think i would looks better

i dont know. of all the games that have had nebulas, i still think freespace did it fairly well. you should kind of think of distance fog as an alternative to nebulas, for where you need some kind of haze but without really playing havok on the sensors.

[-Norbert-]

Would it be possible for the motion debris to move on it's own?
I'm thinking of the atmosphere missions some mods have. There the dust could slowly drift down towards the "ground part" of the skybox or surface model, while you hover/stand still. That would be pretty nice to have, especially if the mission is supposed to play in a warzone with burning buildings.

[jr2]

Heh, here's an idea... can has spawn motion debris from exploding ships, getting thinner from the focal point  outwards?  You'd get sprayed by tiny pieces while you dodged the big ones. 

[VerGreeneyes]

Rendering that many particles sounds like a pain - unless the tiny particles move collectively as a field and the big chunks are handled separately.

[jr2]

Sounds like a plan. xD

[butter_pat_head]

Heh, here's an idea... can has spawn motion debris from exploding ships, getting thinner from the focal point  outwards?  You'd get sprayed by tiny pieces while you dodged the big ones. 

Add appropriate SFX to that and the effect would be great! 

"What do you hear?" 
"Nothing but the rain"
"Grab your gun and bring the cat in"