Hard Light Productions Forums
Modding, Mission Design, and Coding => The Modding Workshop => Topic started by: TrashMan on June 21, 2005, 06:58:59 pm
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(http://img173.echo.cx/img173/9888/nameplate29pq.th.jpg) (http://img173.echo.cx/my.php?image=nameplate29pq.jpg)
(http://img250.echo.cx/img250/5474/nameplate7rt.th.jpg) (http://img250.echo.cx/my.php?image=nameplate7rt.jpg)
Ahh..how I love this game..especially now that:
the Orion has 27 turrets and a nameplate
the Typhon has 27 turrets (I was thinking of adding a nameplate)
the Hecate had more detail, 31 turrets and a nameplate
my cobra has more details and a nameplate...
doing the Deimos now (crap..the conversion moves all the lights around...eeek)
I'll put this tomorrow for download if anyone is interested
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Oooh, highlighted. :):yes:
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No nameplates on Vasudan ships. That's too Terran an idea, IMO.
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yeah, stains and splotches and grass stains fit better ;) :p :ick:
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*interested*
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Are you going to nameplate a non upturreted Hecate as well?
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Vasudan nameplates have to be in vasudan, if they did have them that is.
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I'm equipping the Hecate with nameplates, just FYI.
No, it's not forgotten :p With some guidance and advice from VA, I have more of an idea to go from. However, I'm restarting - going back to the original mesh and working from there (I'm still keeping the one I have now, though, you know. Just in case.). Believe me, no matter how nice it might have looked, it was quite... Not-nice. It'll be betterer.
Anyway, why'd you up the turret count? That will probably be... harmful to game balance, at the least.
My only gripe is the nameplates look a bit to... unreal. They really should be more grimey and painted-on looking, rather than a pure white group of letters. (Also, though the serial numbers are cool, I'd think that would be something broadcast on internal transponders or something rather than painted on the hull)
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Originally posted by Grimloq
(Also, though the serial numbers are cool, I'd think that would be something broadcast on internal transponders or something rather than painted on the hull)
.
Intergalactic identity theft.
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Yeah, the nameplates are great looking and all, but they just stand out WAY too much...they need to be a lot more subtle, not just grimy and dirty, but only visible to someone who knows it's there...or someone who's about to be destroyed by it...
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I don't think that cryptic series of numbers make it any better. Just look at B5. The Omega has a plain plate with a name on it. In the age of ID transpoders, who needs to read some slimy nameplate.
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Ever notice that most navies paint on hull numbers but not names?
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Agreed....putting in just a nameplate is good enough. Ships use transponder system alright, but those nameplates give the ships some depth and reputation. This is especially true in B5 where "Agamemnon" wouldn't be the Agamemnon without that nameplate.
And those numbers then, what about trying a single number with two to three digits, like 43, 82, 101 or so on....
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Since the Bastion had GTD Bastion writte in big letters, I guess thats normal for the GTA fleet..
Anyway, do you think I should try to add vasudan nameplates (if so, what font/laguage could I use?) or not?
I'm kinda inclining not to.... and for now I?m not..
Anyway, here are the fist 4 ships..I'm working on others
http://dj.rogueserv.com/TRASHMAN/FS2/
EDIT: If anyone is playing EV Nova, here's a nice little mod for it:
http://dj.rogueserv.com/TRASHMAN/VA.zip
EDIT2: the hecaste has 4 more turrets - 2 Terrna Turrets and 2 Standard Flak... It doesn't break hte gameplay at all, since I changed some of the really big turrets it has to Terran Huge Turret, so the number of AF turrets is left more or less the same - it only got a bit bigger anti-cap firepower...
EDIT: eek..forgot to put in hte tbl entry for Terran medium turret & anti-bomber turret
; ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
$Name: Terran Anti-bomber Turret
$Model File: none
@Laser Bitmap: laserglow04
@Laser Glow: 2_laserglow03
@Laser Color: 20, 230, 20
@Laser Color2: 100, 190, 20
@Laser Length: 10.0
@Laser Head Radius: 2.00
@Laser Tail Radius: 1.60
$Mass: 0.4
$Velocity: 200.0 ;; speed of the weapon (initially) -- may or may not change
$Fire Wait: 2.0 ;; in seconds
$Damage: 300
$Armor Factor: 1.25
$Shield Factor: 0.85
$Subsystem Factor: 0.75
$Lifetime: 10.0
$Energy Consumed: 0.30 ;; Energy used when fired
$Cargo Size: 0.0 ;; Amount of space taken up in weapon cargo
$Homing: NO
$LaunchSnd: 110 ;; The sound it makes when fired
$ImpactSnd: 85 ;; The sound it makes when it hits something
$Flags: ("Big Ship")
$Icon: icongun03
$Anim: LoadGun02
$Impact Explosion: none
; ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
$Name: Terran Medium Turret
$Model File: none
@Laser Bitmap: laserglow05
@Laser Glow: 2_laserglow03
@Laser Color: 20, 230, 20
@Laser Color2: 20, 150, 20
@Laser Length: 50.0
@Laser Head Radius: 3.60
@Laser Tail Radius: 3.50
$Mass: 0.4
$Velocity: 345.0 ;; speed of the weapon (initially) -- may or may not change
$Fire Wait: 5.0 ;; in seconds
$Damage: 550
$Armor Factor: 1.25
$Shield Factor: 0.5
$Subsystem Factor: 0.75
$Lifetime: 10.0
$Energy Consumed: 0.30 ;; Energy used when fired
$Cargo Size: 0.0 ;; Amount of space taken up in weapon cargo
$Homing: NO
$LaunchSnd: 111 ;; The sound it makes when fired
$ImpactSnd: 85 ;; The sound it makes when it hits something
$Flags: ("Big Ship" "Huge" "supercap")
$Icon: icongun03
$Anim: LoadGun02
$Impact Explosion: ExpMissileHit1
$Impact Explosion Radius: 50.0
; ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
$Name: Terran Huge Turret
$Model File: none
@Laser Bitmap: laserglow05
@Laser Glow: 2_laserglow03
@Laser Color: 20, 230, 20
@Laser Color2: 20, 150, 20
@Laser Length: 50.0
@Laser Head Radius: 6.20
@Laser Tail Radius: 4.50
$Mass: 0.4
$Velocity: 345.0 ;; speed of the weapon (initially) -- may or may not change
$Fire Wait: 5.0 ;; in seconds
$Damage: 1000
$Armor Factor: 1.25
$Shield Factor: 0.5
$Subsystem Factor: 0.75
$Lifetime: 11.0
$Energy Consumed: 0.30 ;; Energy used when fired
$Cargo Size: 0.0 ;; Amount of space taken up in weapon cargo
$Homing: NO
$LaunchSnd: 111 ;; The sound it makes when fired
$ImpactSnd: 85 ;; The sound it makes when it hits something
$Flags: ("Big Ship" "Huge" "supercap")
$Icon: icongun03
$Anim: LoadGun02
$Impact Explosion: ExpMissileHit1
$Impact Explosion Radius: 50.0
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I'd agree that the nameplates standout too much; need a reduction in opacity, addition of some scratch marks / darker shades, and maybe define an overlay to match the lines of the hull underneath.
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Originally posted by TrashMan
it only got a bit bigger anti-cap firepower...
And you don't see how that might break balance?
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Originally posted by Black Wolf
...upturreted...
Now you're just making up words.
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It's upturrented, damit!
(will this even work? LEt's find out!)
EDIT; nope, it won't.
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Originally posted by ngtm1r
Ever notice that most navies paint on hull numbers but not names?
Umm, I think you'll find that most of them do. The pennant numbers are often larger, but the names are alwys there...
Nice work Trash, but like people have said, make them a bit dirty so they don't seem to glow so much. :yes:
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You mean "upturrented"? :p
Anyway, I agree with the general sentiment; adding the nameplates is great as long as you don't touch balance. Once you start adding things like turrets, that goes out the window. Keep in mind that the primary usefulness of adding content like this is to be able to drop the model in to the data/models directory and have it work without messing anything up.
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Originally posted by pyro-manic
Umm, I think you'll find that most of them do. The pennant numbers are often larger, but the names are alwys there...
Nice work Trash, but like people have said, make them a bit dirty so they don't seem to glow so much. :yes:
Having spent an inordinate amount of my life in and around naval bases like Norfolk, VA for someone not a member of the armed services, and also an equally inordinate amount of time looking at pictures of said ships...no.
The US Navy, the Royal Navy, and most of their allies, paint on hull numbers (they also remove them during a war). Only a few, larger ships (read that: carriers, and at one time battleships) have other insignia. The Russians don't even bother with any insignia to tell one ship from another.
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Well, I can only respond by saying that every single RN warship I've ever seen (from HMS Ark Royal down to coastal patrol vessels) has had it's name painted across the stern...
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Well, not in this picture
http://www.royal-navy.mod.uk/rn/data/gallery/full/1047472345f.jpg
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Out of curiousity, is there any way to remove the new nameplates and substitute older-style ones?
Actually, not quite out of curiousity; I'd like to use the upturreted model for my Orion Block 3 in Police Action, but the custom nameplates I got from karajorma would appear not to be compatible with this.
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Originally posted by ngtm1r
upturreted
:D
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well, this is something. nice, TrashMan. :yes:
i need to look at dark's nameplate tutorial... by the way, can anyone direct me to that site? thanx :D
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Originally posted by Black Wolf
:D
I blame you completely.
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Originally posted by Cobra
well, this is something. nice, TrashMan. :yes:
i need to look at dark's nameplate tutorial... by the way, can anyone direct me to that site? thanx :D
It's out of date with a number of models. New models use alpha transparency to map the name on, so all you need to do is create an image with the name on it, make the background completely transparent, and reduce the transparency of the foreground to ~50%.
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Originally posted by StratComm
It's out of date with a number of models. New models use alpha transparency to map the name on, so all you need to do is create an image with the name on it, make the background completely transparent, and reduce the transparency of the foreground to ~50%.
Better to have a proper alpha map, though; if you look at the V nameplates the hull lines show through more clearly than the other bits.
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Originally posted by Black Wolf
And you don't see how that might break balance?
I played the normal campaign with these modifications... 3 Terran Huge Turrets really don't change Hecates firepower...
Do you really think that 4 more turrets make any difference to even a moderate player?
I only had problems in one mission (the one where you have to lure rear admiral Kolth), and that's becouse I wasn't using normal FS2 weapons but modified ones (where the Terran Huge Turrets has far more range and damage)
Anyway, if you just frop the models in the model directory, it won't work (since they aren't names the same..you'll have to change the tbl to reference Orion.pof insted of capitalt-01.pof), but other than that, if you don't enter the extra turrets in the tbl, the game will just ignore them, so it will be as if no tuurets were added in the first place..
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Originally posted by ngtm1r
Out of curiousity, is there any way to remove the new nameplates and substitute older-style ones?
Actually, not quite out of curiousity; I'd like to use the upturreted model for my Orion Block 3 in Police Action, but the custom nameplates I got from karajorma would appear not to be compatible with this.
Well, you can make your own nameplates really easy.. as you can see, the nameplate is nothing more than a pure green pic with greyish letters on it (conversion to windows 256 colors changed it to a more whitish color, but thats easily fixed).
Other than that, I used the normal Orion model, not the bastion one when I added the nameplates. Teh bastion model has the special nameplate secion, normal Orion doesn't.. so I didn't remove anything..
On anotehr note, I have a question - is there a way to make a texture PARTIALY (or should I say SLIGHTLY) see-trough?
Instead of making new nameplates with a pannelish backgound, I was thinking of making hte letts slightly see-trough..that way some of the detail will see trough, giving it the apperance as tough it's actualyl painted over the hull....
If there isn't, I can allway make new nameplates if you don't realyl like this one, but I'm kinda satisfied with them as they are.
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Added the Deimos for download..only nameplates, no otehr changes..
*didn't put the tbl entry for this one..no need...just set the modelFile to Deimos.pof*
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Hi-Poly Deimos or reg.?
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regular...I am fixing up stock ships...
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(HLP ate my post...)
Originally posted by Mefustae
Yeah, the nameplates are great looking and all, but they just stand out WAY too much...they need to be a lot more subtle, not just grimy and dirty, but only visible to someone who knows it's there...or someone who's about to be destroyed by it...
Joy. We have a screenwriter in the works.
('turrent'... Whoever made that smiley has my warmest thanks...)
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Originally posted by Grimloq
('turrent'... Whoever made that smiley has my warmest thanks...)
;)
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I'm going to reserve judgement until I see a better version of the nameplates. No offense, but I think they could definitely be done better.
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The are originaly darker.. the Hecate shot doesn't do it justice...
Anyway, I once saw a cruiser (the Orc) I liked very much.. So i wnet and made a version of my own..Meet his bigger and meaner brother - the Blade
(http://img20.echo.cx/img20/9595/blade1gk.th.jpg) (http://img20.echo.cx/my.php?image=blade1gk.jpg)
ADDED TO DOWNLOADS!
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Ridiculous to paint letters on there the size of houses. IMO
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Actually, I quite like the Blade.
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Originally posted by Raa
Ridiculous to paint letters on there the size of houses. IMO
Well, we've got a tradition going here...
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Originally posted by Grimloq
Actually, I quite like the Blade.
Though the Orc looks ok from that and a couple of other angles, overall I find its design unappealing (no offense Aldo :)). And that is just the Orc with a little remapping and some extra turrets.
Originally posted by TrashMan
On anotehr note, I have a question - is there a way to make a texture PARTIALY (or should I say SLIGHTLY) see-trough?
Instead of making new nameplates with a pannelish backgound, I was thinking of making hte letts slightly see-trough..that way some of the detail will see trough, giving it the apperance as tough it's actualyl painted over the hull....
Now see, if you'd actually read all the posts in this very thread, you'd have an answer. Or if you had downloaded my conversion of the high-poly Orion or any of my terran ships the last go 'round, you'd see exactly how to do it.
Originally posted by StratComm IN THIS THREAD
New models use alpha transparency to map the name on, so all you need to do is create an image with the name on it, make the background completely transparent, and reduce the transparency of the foreground to ~50%.
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While the model would have been quite useful to me, the nameplating has screwed it: it is unsuitable for words longer then "Orion", among other things, and looks quite bad with the serial number removed.
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Meh, cool concept for sure, Just needs a lil' refining. :) :yes:
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Originally posted by StratComm
Though the Orc looks ok from that and a couple of other angles, overall I find its design unappealing (no offense Aldo :)). And that is just the Orc with a little remapping and some extra turrets.
Eh? I made that ship from scratch, I didn't use Aldo's model...
It is very similar the the Orc but it has many differences - it has a tower, it has anti-cap turrets, differnt engines, different side-wings, a slightly altered profile, it's allso thicker.
While the model would have been quite useful to me, the nameplating has screwed it: it is unsuitable for words longer then "Orion", among other things, and looks quite bad with the serial number removed.
Make you own nameplate texture, but for longer ship names, don't stretch it vertically as much as you would a shorter named ship.
true, the letters will appear a ltiile smaller than by a GTD Orion, but that's no biggie..
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Alpha transparency? eh?...
*goes to check his photoshop nad fs2*
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Allmost forgot - did anyone actually test the modified Hecate and Blade?
did you notice anything wrong/missing? Any suggestions?
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Originally posted by StratComm
Though the Orc looks ok from that and a couple of other angles, overall I find its design unappealing (no offense Aldo :)).
I don't care; you should know by now I hate pretty much every ship I've made that is older than a few months. :D
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Originally posted by TrashMan
Eh? I made that ship from scratch, I didn't use Aldo's model...
It is very similar the the Orc but it has many differences - it has a tower, it has anti-cap turrets, differnt engines, different side-wings, a slightly altered profile, it's allso thicker.
I think we've had this argument before about a similar treatment of a :v: vessel. I have no problem with copying a ship, it's a good way to learn new styles. Just admit that you straight-up copied it. And don't make me go cite how many places that thing is distinctly aldo's Orc. :doubt:
Originally posted by TrashMan
Make you own nameplate texture, but for longer ship names, don't stretch it vertically as much as you would a shorter named ship.
true, the letters will appear a ltiile smaller than by a GTD Orion, but that's no biggie..
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Alpha transparency? eh?...
*goes to check his photoshop nad fs2*
I think the problem is the area you've laid out for the nameplate is too square. For just the name, the appropriate dimensions are about 4 times as long as the space is tall for the name. If you're going to base it off of shorter names, make your stock texture blank on the ends and only put the wording in the middle. If you're going to insist on the registry number, then make the area maybe twice as long as it is tall. But don't make people shrink the text size (or worse yet, the non-uniform scaling) to make it fit, that's not how a real Navy would ever do it. While the transparency levels aren't quite ideal, the ships in this thread (http://www.hard-light.net/forums/index.php/topic,31128.0.html) have nameplates that are of suitable size and dimension to accomodate just about any name without changing anything significantly.