Hard Light Productions Forums

Modding, Mission Design, and Coding => The Modding Workshop => Topic started by: DaBrain on May 22, 2005, 12:50:28 pm

Title: How do you like this? (img heavy!)
Post by: DaBrain on May 22, 2005, 12:50:28 pm: Well I always try to work on the ugliest part of FS2.
Since many parts got updated, one part that once was pretty beautiful when FS2 was released, looks now outdated.

I thought I could work a bit on the nebula poofs.

(Please view at full size.)
(http://img151.echo.cx/img151/8305/neb11uq.jpg)

(http://img151.echo.cx/img151/1295/neb23st.jpg)

(http://img151.echo.cx/img151/5977/neb32xw.jpg)

(http://img151.echo.cx/img151/5839/neb44lo.jpg)

(http://img151.echo.cx/img151/6515/neb51cw.jpg)

I'm not sure about this one, but if you like it I'll complete it and release it.
Title: How do you like this? (img heavy!)
Post by: redmenace on May 22, 2005, 01:16:17 pm: Goodluck.

Most looks really good. Are you redoing all retail nebuleas.
Title: How do you like this? (img heavy!)
Post by: DaBrain on May 22, 2005, 01:30:05 pm: Actually I've just completed the last one. :)

(http://img163.echo.cx/img163/9536/neb69er.jpg)

(http://img163.echo.cx/img163/804/neb74gp.jpg)
Title: How do you like this? (img heavy!)
Post by: Zarax on May 22, 2005, 01:39:48 pm: They looks much better now, good work DaBrain ;)
Title: How do you like this? (img heavy!)
Post by: Black Wolf on May 22, 2005, 01:53:40 pm: Wow. They look awesome. Kudos. :nod:
Title: How do you like this? (img heavy!)
Post by: Fineus on May 22, 2005, 03:39:01 pm: To be honest, I really hate the way FS2 does its nebula in the first place. But reworking it would be such a massive task that it's really not worth it. These look perfectly fine though - considering what you have to work with in the first place :)
Title: How do you like this? (img heavy!)
Post by: Ghost on May 22, 2005, 03:43:44 pm: I don't notice as much difference in the blue/pinkish one, but the rest are great. I'll take them, if you release them.
Title: How do you like this? (img heavy!)
Post by: Getter Robo G on May 22, 2005, 03:53:25 pm: Question, could you help me tweak what ever the combo is for the atmosphere nebula? In regular fs2 it was a little thick but workable. Now when you run the Robotech mod in the SCP it is WAY too thick!!! It's like you're in one big cloud with no blue sky at all. Is there a way to thin it out more? I don't know if it is a result of a nebula pcx change or just a setting in fred. Sorry for the noobish question.
Title: How do you like this? (img heavy!)
Post by: DaBrain on May 22, 2005, 04:05:27 pm: Well, I can't help you with that very much. I'm really trying to pull of a similar effect for the SF mod....

I can only edit the poofs. The distance fog won't be affected. :(
Let us hope of a neat code change and an option in FRED.

The 'range' option didn't help me much either.

I've to check something about these poofs. Maybe I can reduce the memory usage to the half ammount. ;)
Title: How do you like this? (img heavy!)
Post by: NGTM-1R on May 22, 2005, 04:11:12 pm: Looks good...
Title: How do you like this? (img heavy!)
Post by: DaBrain on May 22, 2005, 04:42:13 pm: Ok, I'm done.

Try this one. It takes up less ram.
Download (http://www.game-warden.com/starfox/Non_SF_related_stuff/neb_poofs_S3.rar)

If you have any problems with that one, try the other one.
I played a bit around with the Alpha channel. I don't know if it has any effect at all, but it might look better.
Download (http://www.game-warden.com/starfox/Non_SF_related_stuff/neb_poofs_AL.rar)
Title: How do you like this? (img heavy!)
Post by: Kie99 on May 22, 2005, 04:44:49 pm: Sorry, but I can't tell the difference.
Title: How do you like this? (img heavy!)
Post by: Taristin on May 22, 2005, 04:47:26 pm: Honestly... they look too... fiberous for my tastes.
Title: How do you like this? (img heavy!)
Post by: DaBrain on May 22, 2005, 04:57:13 pm: Quote
Originally posted by kietotheworld
Sorry, but I can't tell the difference.

The images are the same, but the game *may* use them different. If the look the same in-game, that's even better. ;)
Title: How do you like this? (img heavy!)
Post by: Mongoose on May 22, 2005, 09:16:19 pm: They have my vote. Get 'em in the next VPs! :D
Title: How do you like this? (img heavy!)
Post by: FireCrack on May 22, 2005, 09:51:08 pm: The purple poof in the first download is corrupt.
Title: How do you like this? (img heavy!)
Post by: DaBrain on May 23, 2005, 02:48:33 am: Quote
Originally posted by FireCrack
The purple poof in the first download is corrupt.

I'll check that.

Edit: You are right. I'm re-uploading it now.

Edit2: Ok, it should work now. :)
Title: How do you like this? (img heavy!)
Post by: MetalDestroyer on May 23, 2005, 03:18:55 am: Can you have a nebula effect like I war 2 or X² ?
It seems the nebulaes are the same as the original.
Title: How do you like this? (img heavy!)
Post by: DaBrain on May 23, 2005, 03:33:08 am: Nope I can't do nothing about the system. The only thing I can do is to create high-res textures for the poofs.
But still, I think X² has worse nebulas.
Title: How do you like this? (img heavy!)
Post by: Ransom on May 23, 2005, 04:39:38 am: I thought X2's nebulas looked terrible.

These look a lot better than the old graphics, nice work DaBrain.
Title: How do you like this? (img heavy!)
Post by: redmenace on May 23, 2005, 08:58:44 am: definatly belongs in the adv_effects vp.
Title: How do you like this? (img heavy!)
Post by: AqueousShadow on May 23, 2005, 06:21:54 pm: Shots 2 and 3 really make the poofs shine.

Actually all those first shots except the 1st one make the nebula seem more gaseous, less seamless, less clippy. Good work :yes:
Title: How do you like this? (img heavy!)
Post by: Cobra on May 26, 2005, 05:51:05 pm: is it possible to make one big poof? i'm sick of seeing like 400 poofs in a nebula everytime i do a roll. >_<
Title: How do you like this? (img heavy!)
Post by: Taristin on May 26, 2005, 05:56:38 pm: That's not texture issue. that's a software issue. The game does it without caring what you want.
Title: How do you like this? (img heavy!)
Post by: Carl on May 26, 2005, 07:09:38 pm: they look too...do this:

go into photoshop, make a 256x256 image, and render clouds.

now, make a 512x512 image, and render clouds. now scale the 512x512 down to 256x256. compare. the 2nd one is more "compact". more details in a smaller space.

that's how yours look more compact than the originals, and therefore do not looks close enough to the originals to put in the media VP.
Title: How do you like this? (img heavy!)
Post by: DaBrain on May 27, 2005, 06:53:10 am: I didn't want them too look too much like the stock effects.

[V] was too limited in size and colors by the engine. It was time to evolve in both directions.

But If you add too many details, you'll end up seeing the layers. They need to flow into each other. (Well, in an optical way. ;) )

I tried a few things.

So you need to use very small details (like the kind of detials I've used), which get only visible as soon as they're really close to the player. That's all I can do to trick the engine. It's a bit like an additional layer, though it's only a static effect.