Hard Light Productions Forums
Modding, Mission Design, and Coding => The Modding Workshop => Topic started by: Unknown Target on September 29, 2007, 01:56:16 pm
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Hey everyone :) I'm in a team and we're making a new space sim for both the PC and the Xbox (probably not commercial, but who knows). Anyway, we want to make it super easy to mod, and since FS2 is stupid easy to do that stuff with, we're doing a lot of the framework in the same manner (tables are gonna be nearly the same, skybox handling is similar, etc). The question I pose to you is, if we could go back in time and tell [V] what we wanted changed in FS2's code to make it easier to mod, what would you ask for? One of the big things on my plate is model handling, editing, and converting, but that's me - what about you guys?
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Nuttin. Freespace modding is AMAZING...BRILLIANT...GREAT
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The total lack of instruction manuals. I had to create a couple of threads to understand the basics. A modding manual is what a free-moddable game needs :)
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The fact I'm too lazy to give it a try.
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IMO FreeSpace is a very moddable game. Especially with the Source Code released, :v: even allowed us their own mission creator. It was designed with moddability a key factor (well, sort of).
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Converting, aside from actual code changes, I think is the most difficult part about modding right now.
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Yeah, the thing that bugs me is that retail uses only .pcx images and only .pof files which can get a bit annoying if you are too lazy to change them.
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Lack of Dev support in answering community concerns. We have had to figure almost everything out ourselves. This was especially true for FS1. For ages we could not even create new models for that, and for ages we at V-Watch, Planet FS, and other communities banged our heads against the wall trying to do the *simple* things we wanted to do. The release of FS2 changed a lot of those issues, but did not solve them. We have still had to be our own support. Of course, that is all a non-issue once V took their hands off the game altogether.
Conversions can be a major pain.
Not knowing and being able to do everything..... but that's a personal problem.
Limitations. Again, personal problem since we cannot expect a dev team to develop a code that will allow the end user to do whatever their little insane heart desires.
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TRUESPACE :D
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I agree. It disencourages modelling :blah:
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Then don't use it!
Both 3DS Max and Blender offer Truespace-free modeling platforms that can run a model right through from concept to conversion. ;)
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A semi intelligent AI that doesn't crash into other ships just for fun. How about a simple "When any object distance < 5 meters change direction away from said object."
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I couldn't believe you would ask that... :wtf:
Well, I think everything is great, except making a mod yourself requires too much time.
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Then don't use it!
Both 3DS Max and Blender offer Truespace-free modeling platforms that can run a model right through from concept to conversion. ;)
Except PCS2 doesn't currently support any direct conversion.
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Then don't use it!
Both 3DS Max and Blender offer Truespace-free modeling platforms that can run a model right through from concept to conversion. ;)
I don't think so. I permanently lost any kind of interest on modelling :P
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TRUESPACE :D
HERESEY!!! :mad2:
DIE, SPAWN OF CHAOS!!!!! :beamz:
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heh truespace sucks. i cant believe i put up with it for so long.
retail modding was also rather cumbersom, as there wasnt really a whole lot you could do. new weapon, new ship, meh. it got somewhat better with the scp and you could ask for a feature and eventually get it if everyone agreed. and it became even better when we got the scripting system. if you needed a feature and noone wants to put it in, just write it yourself in the much simpler language. but anyway design the engine from the bottom up with a scripting system and make its use optional.
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Except PCS2 doesn't currently support any direct conversion.
The Max exporter is the direct conversion (and hence Truespaceless), but by Truespace free path with Blender, I mean you can save a cob that you need not even open in TS before converting, so I simply no longer have to put up with it. :D
In fact, based on my rough understanding of your conversion process, you yourself probably don't even need to use TS aside from cases where you need to fiddle with smoothing. If you can save your models so that the conversion will interpret all the parts that are intended to be separate as actually being separate (hierarchy order doesn't matter since you can do that in PCS2) then you can convert pretty much anything. :)
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Well, I think everything is great, except making a mod yourself requires too much time.
What do you expect? The mod isn't going to make itself for you.
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Nuttin. Freespace modding is AMAZING...BRILLIANT...GREAT
Oh really? Remember this flashback...
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"7383 FreeSpace / FreeSpace Modding / ugh on: October 16, 2002, 03:33:43 AM
Pathing turrets is a "pain in the ass" job. It takes a very long time to do (and it's boring). It would be far better to change the AI. Turret and subsys. paths would then become unnecessary.
I have several models I work on, and only fighter/bombers have paths. I made a Starbase with 60 turrets and 6 hangars - now I wish I hadn't! And I allso have a battleship(89 turrets), frigate(50), and battlecruiser(60) models!!!!!
When I put the starbase for download it will be a Beta version (without paths). If anyone out there is willing to path it, let me know."
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So, I would say you mean everthing is great but pathing SUCKS !!! Right? :drevil:
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I discovered the "Joy of Pathing"* since then :p
*Bob Ross(TM)
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Fine, but if I find "a happy little tree" in any of your mods I know who to blame... ;)
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Freespace modding is amazingly simple compared to other game engines, Coding and UV mapping are my weaknesses but they're not down to Freespace at all so i can't fault Fred or VP / TBL editing in any way. :yes:
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yeah...i have to go with setting paths...tedious busy work it is. and having to match turrets to turret arms in PCS...but thats not as bad as setting paths. lets what other things do i hate...reality T.V., Mr. Frodo, Tom Landry, Tom Cruise, Tom Arnold, Tom Brokaw but not Tom Hanks...(money pit is an awesome movie), scripting...it's like trying to read Russian to me, Pop Tarts without frosting, when the beer goes flat from neglect, working in retail, coffee without sugar and the wiggles...those dudes are going to be the death of any form of intelligence amongst the new genartion of kids. yup...all of these things have a negative impact on my FS modding enjoyment.
but thats okay! really.
:lol:
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come on, lua is the easyest language ive ever used. you dont have to malloc anything, you dont have to **** around with pointers, you can have multiple function returns, and its bloody fast for being an interpreted language.
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easy you say? is LUA anything like this?
-----------------------barrage script from Operation Flashpoint, cant remeber the original authors name-----------------
;BarrageArea.sqs - script to Barrage a Triggered area
;make a tigger
;call this script on activate or deactivate:
;[ID,Type,#shells,Xrange,Yrange,starting height,minimum time, variable time] exec "tripobject.sqs"
_tag = _this select 0
_objtype = _this select 1
_amount = _this select 2
_randomX = _this select 3
_randomY = _this select 4
_height = _this select 5
_timemin = _this select 6
_timev = _this select 7
_offsetX = _randomX / 2
_offsetY = _randomY / 2
_height = _this select 4
_tX = getpos _tag select 0
_tY = getpos _tag select 1
_tZ = getpos _tag select 2
#Loop
? (_amount < 1 ) : exit
_obj = _objtype CamCreate[((_tX+Random _randomX)-_offsetX),((_tY+Random _randomY)-_offsetY),_tZ+_height]
_amount = _amount - 1
~(_timemin+(random _timev))
goto "Loop"
now that i look at it OFP scripts look alot like a table file.... but anyways, i can manipulate these scripts, i'm just horrible at actually writing them. where do you go to learn LUA around here? honestly, i actually do have some interest in getting frustrated learning to write script...despite the fact it looks like an encripted russian message.
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A semi intelligent AI that doesn't crash into other ships just for fun. How about a simple "When any object distance < 5 meters change direction away from said object."
:wtf:
You mean how they (fighters) expect you to move out of the way in a head to head battle?
Or the captial ship lock up when they have orders and they're close to each other?