[Starman01]

Noted

But the first step is the texture limit. Even low poly models can look quite nice (remember the distance you see it ingame most of the time)
Here is an example :

The truck is below 600 poly, the gun wagon is only 450. The textures make them look good.

[gevatter Lars]

If you can get normalmapping or bumpmapping running in the engine you can do a lot of the details via textures.

[Starman01]

Yes, but we are talking about a RTS game here, with lots of small units on the screen (remember, this is MechCOMMANDER, not MechWARRIOR ) I don't believe that normal or bumpmapping can do any good when it's just displayed on small units. Though I have to admit, I do not have experience with that kind of mapping

[newman]

That really depends on how closely you can zoom in on said units. Pretty much all modern RTS games use normals. It's easy to do - in this case just create bump maps of said object's textures, and convert it to normals either using photoshop plugin, command line tools, crazybump, or some other tool. Of course, the question of engine actually supporting those is another matter entirely, but normals can bring a lot to the table in terms of looks. Ideally you want specular, glow and normal map support.

[The E]

Yep. I am not certain what version of DirectX the engine is based on, but one should definitely look into doing shader support (if it doesn't have that already). If it's already using shaders, adding support for those maps is rather trivial.

[Starman01]

I can't tell you that, that's something only magic and rollin can answer. Of course I would like to have all of this, but don't forget, we are now, where SCP was 8 years before today. I think we must first concentrate on the basics

As for the zooming, you can actually zoom in very much, which would make a good mapping, texture size and even lodding necessary.

Take a look (and also the madcat for newman  )

This is the max that is possible, but it will need another camera change (should be easy in a config file) to get the camera more horizontaly, the current angle is max :

http://wcsaga.hard-light.net/team/Starman/pics/screen0004.jpg

And I often like to play in that variant, where I can still move the camera horizontally

http://wcsaga.hard-light.net/team/Starman/pics/screen0003.jpg

So yes, new graphic would be sweat, but first we need a higher texture resolution

[gevatter Lars]

That really depends on how closely you can zoom in on said units. Pretty much all modern RTS games use normals

Jup, best example I can think of is StarCraft2. Even if the units are pretty small it gives thems lots of details and "realism"
Sure I know that you have to do things step by step but I guess that as the project evolves you will most likely walk the path of SCP in adding stuff over the years.

To bad I sold my copy of MC2....

[Starman01]

Well, if it is easy, I would love to have normal maps, don't get me wrong But they will suck with 128x128 texture size

To bad I sold my copy of MC2....

It's free, just no multiplayer and video in it (atm)

[gevatter Lars]

I will see if I get a copy of it on ebay or something like that. I like videos with my games ^_^
Also its one of the Battletech games I just noticed missing in my collection.

[Starman01]

Well, then at least be sure to get the englisch version, you know how much the german voice overs sucked. And don't pay too much, THOSE videos were certainly not worth much

[gevatter Lars]

The videos where not that good, I agree but without them its missing something.
Still I have other videos to do first...you know what I mean ^_^

[Starman01]

Yep

[Scotty]

Dammit, I wish I could help SOMEHOW, but the only thing I'm any good at is playing it. 

[Thaeris]

Dammit, I wish I could help SOMEHOW, but the only thing I'm any good at is playing it. 

Get a modeling program and start learning the ropes. Modelers - good modelers - are always needed. The only way to become is to start.

Next, this is a question I've had for a while... What are the benefits of either OpenGL or DirectX? I've heard the pros and cons of both to a minor extent over the course of time, though from what I've heard to date I'd assume OpenGL to be the way to go in the long run. Is there a more authorative stance on this comparison?

[The E]

It depends on what you want to do. If you want the program to run on platforms other than Windows, you must use OpenGL. However, if multiplatform capability is not your goal, then using DirectX gives you the advantage of somewhat better driver-side support (Intel cards, for example, usually fare better with DirectX).

[magic]

I can't tell you that, that's something only magic and rollin can answer. Of course I would like to have all of this, but don't forget, we are now, where SCP was 8 years before today. I think we must first concentrate on the basics

As for the zooming, you can actually zoom in very much, which would make a good mapping, texture size and even lodding necessary.

Take a look (and also the madcat for newman  )

This is the max that is possible, but it will need another camera change (should be easy in a config file) to get the camera more horizontaly, the current angle is max :

http://wcsaga.hard-light.net/team/Starman/pics/screen0004.jpg

And I often like to play in that variant, where I can still move the camera horizontally

http://wcsaga.hard-light.net/team/Starman/pics/screen0003.jpg

So yes, new graphic would be sweat, but first we need a higher texture resolution

Why using MadCat as an examle I made Timberwolf. It looks mush better and has higher num of polys.

I made all these models for mc2 around 2002-2003 and since then I made no models.

Right now I am trying to be only programmer, didnt look at all in "graphics" part of the game.

[Starman01]

Oh sweet, I didn't knew these are different models, I just thought it's a variant for giving it a new clan name

[gevatter Lars]

MadCat and Timberwolf are the same Mech. One is the Inner Sphere name and the other is the Clan name for it.
IIRC MadCat was the combination of names from Marodeur and Catapault because the Timberwolf has the combined firepower of these two Mechs when it was first encountered.

[Starman01]

Dude, we know

He is talking about the mechs in the editor, there are two different models behind the two names

Besides, you are wrong

Mad Cat is the name of the Clan Smoke Jaguar, Timber Wolf is from Clan Wolf. The Inner Sphere codenamed the mech Catapract

[gevatter Lars]

Ok, didn't know about the editor but...

This is a MadCat/Timberwolf/Waldwolf -> http://kernspeicher.twobt.de/images/tro/mech/timberwolf.gif
and this is a Cataphract -> http://kernspeicher.twobt.de/images/tro/mech/cataphract.gif

Except I am missing something these are two very different mechs.