Hard Light Productions Forums

General FreeSpace => FreeSpace Discussion => Topic started by: Carl on May 06, 2004, 06:03:37 pm

Title: new explosions
Post by: Carl on May 06, 2004, 06:03:37 pm
for the SCP. we need 512x512 or higher. first we need to know how V made theirs, so they look similar.

here's my attempt using 3DS Max. it's a start.

(http://img36.photobucket.com/albums/v109/Carltheshivan/30dac163.gif)
Title: new explosions
Post by: phreak on May 06, 2004, 06:44:05 pm
it looks sweet near the end, but when it starts off it looks like a basic orange ball
Title: new explosions
Post by: Carl on May 06, 2004, 07:59:31 pm
okay, now let's see something from someone with more experience than just a few days.
Title: new explosions
Post by: Drew on May 06, 2004, 10:12:13 pm
LS already redid explosions
Title: new explosions
Post by: Rictor on May 06, 2004, 10:16:50 pm
I quite like the Inferno explosions, they're the best ones currently available IMHO. I'de suggest you look at them as a reference....

I agree with Phreak, near the end its good, but the beggining is just a organge blob type of thing.

Also I wasn't aware Lightspeed redid the 'splosions, I'll check them out.
Title: new explosions
Post by: mrfun on May 06, 2004, 10:18:57 pm
Yeah but they were basically enahnced versions of the ones that came from V.  They look nice, but theres still lots of room for improvement.  I'd love to see something that suggests a rapidly expanding ball of combusting gas that you'd expect to see when a ship's atmosphere ignites.  Right now it looks a lot like an explosion sprite superimposed on a disintigrating ship model- even if it is a very nice sprite and a very nice ship model.
Title: new explosions
Post by: Kosh on May 07, 2004, 12:44:48 am
But how much will it kill framerates?
Title: new explosions
Post by: Carl on May 07, 2004, 02:34:47 am
alot, i'd guess. even after 6 years, the sprite way still looks better than anything they've come up with since.
Title: new explosions
Post by: Nico on May 07, 2004, 02:46:44 am
Well, a 512*512 ani kills the frame rate a lot too.
Oh, and as for how V did them? They didn't, they probably took it from some videobank, and added the black areas for opacity.
Title: new explosions
Post by: JarC on May 07, 2004, 03:01:42 am
it looks 'flat' right up until the black spots start to appear...what I am also missing is the flash just prior to the blast
Title: new explosions
Post by: Ransom on May 07, 2004, 03:22:06 am
Actually I don't think LS redid them, he just made every LOD the same as the closest LOD, so from a distance they look better.
Title: new explosions
Post by: Lightspeed on May 07, 2004, 07:14:38 am
Quote
Originally posted by Drew
LS already redid explosions


no, no. I'm using V's original explosions, some from the FS1 archives (as they were in high-res) some from the FS2 data - removing some LODs, making them run smoother - but no new explosions at all.

Now who we would want to talk to for explosion effects is Lt. Cannonfodder - he made some really awe inspiring explosion effects for TVWP and MindGames. I think he would be the person who knows best how to make a convincing explosion.
Title: new explosions
Post by: Stunaep on May 07, 2004, 07:37:13 am
:v: used slightly modified explosions from Artbeats. (www.artbeats.com). Or at least some such source, because those explosions are there. And from what I´ve seen, so has Lt. Cannonfodder.
Title: new explosions
Post by: Lt.Cannonfodder on May 07, 2004, 07:46:20 am
Quote
Originally posted by Stunaep
:v: used slightly modified explosions from Artbeats. (www.artbeats.com). Or at least some such source, because those explosions are there. And from what I´ve seen, so has Lt. Cannonfodder.


True, my versions are originally from Artbeats. All L0D resolutions have been doubled and I've modified them to fit better to Freespace. Lightspeed's new 8-bit palette has made them even better, they look really nice :nod: That reminds me, how's the second explosion's palette coming, LS?

They've been made for MG and TVWP, but we could consider releasing them. No promises, though.
Title: new explosions
Post by: Lt.Cannonfodder on May 07, 2004, 09:43:54 am
Two shots of the first explosion. Original versions by Artbeats, tweaking by me and palette by LS.

(http://img4.imageshack.us/img4/8215/ArtExplosion01.jpg)

(http://img4.imageshack.us/img4/910/ArtExplosion02.jpg)
Title: new explosions
Post by: Setekh on May 07, 2004, 10:12:16 am
Explosions... hmm... I know how to make explosions. Let me see if I can get them animated.
Title: new explosions
Post by: Fineus on May 07, 2004, 10:34:15 am
Go for photo-realistic over bright and colorful yet cartoon like, will you? :)
Title: new explosions
Post by: Flipside on May 07, 2004, 10:58:10 am
Hmmmmmmmm Well, I think the [V] ones are excellent jobs anyway, I played around with a really fast one a few months ago...

http://www.sectorfiles.com/ti-file-dump/Flipside/Boom1.avi

I never finished the sequence, but I'll get round to it when I have the time to leave HVoxels rendering :)
Title: new explosions
Post by: Lt.Cannonfodder on May 07, 2004, 12:40:58 pm
Quote
Originally posted by Flipside
Hmmmmmmmm Well, I think the [V] ones are excellent jobs anyway, I played around with a really fast one a few months ago...

http://www.sectorfiles.com/ti-file-dump/Flipside/Boom1.avi

I never finished the sequence, but I'll get round to it when I have the time to leave HVoxels rendering :)


Just leave it on overnight. That's what I do :)

I've yet to see a truly good looking Hypervoxel explosion. They all look more or less bad, but I hope your version is an exeption :D
Title: new explosions
Post by: Lightspeed on May 07, 2004, 01:01:27 pm
Quote
Originally posted by Lt.Cannonfodder

That reminds me, how's the second explosion's palette coming, LS?


Haven't had much time to deal with it yet, but I might have the time I need this weekend.
Title: new explosions
Post by: ARothers on May 07, 2004, 01:05:16 pm
I prefer explosions that start off quite bright and end in a fireball.  Try to think like the non-purple Inferno one crossed with one from FS2.

The thing I don't like about the purple is that it is rubbish, it doesn't look like an explosion and the other one just goes on in a brown cloud forever sending out debris.  If the last bit was slower and looked more like a debris field clearing up then it would be better.
Title: new explosions
Post by: Antares on May 07, 2004, 01:13:44 pm
[glow=red][SIZE=9]BLAMMO![/SIZE][/glow]
Title: new explosions
Post by: Flipside on May 07, 2004, 01:46:15 pm
Problem with HVoxels is it's habit of making 'bubbles' out of everything :( This one does suffer a bit from that, I have a scene that looks very very promising, but I'll have to wait until I go away on my holidays or get a second computer, whichever comes first :(
Title: new explosions
Post by: Taristin on May 07, 2004, 03:42:47 pm
Wish I new how to do HVoxels. Does 3dMax 6 support them, or something similar?  Any tutorials?