Hard Light Productions Forums

Modding, Mission Design, and Coding => The Modding Workshop => Topic started by: Titan on October 11, 2007, 04:09:14 pm

Title: <INSERT MOD NAME HERE> official thread.
Post by: Titan on October 11, 2007, 04:09:14 pm

ok, i know, i know, i dont have a name. plz submit ideas.

ok, currently we have working: (i decided to keep the FS2 designation system, i.e., GTF, GTC)

GTF Dragon III (AKA GTF Ullyses)
GTF Dragon IV (AKA GTF Myrmidon)
GTB Peregine (AKA- you guessed it- GTB peregine.)
GTWc Gryphon (gonna find a better name, i also hacked it so theres ALOT of AAAf instead of flak)
IH2 Sunrider (whys it come with Loki instead of the ship pictured?)
GPCt Pirahna (hacked, 2500 armor and 2 Pirate-HAAfs on each side)

Currently NOT working:

GTF Dragon V (AKA GTF donar, can someone download it and see what it is? i have NO idea)
GTT Corsair (again, no idea)
PATr Barracuda (again, same problem; fred/FS2 just exit out when you try and put the in mission/ look at them in tech, however, they do show up on both list)

Currently needed staff:

Tblers
Debuggers (WHOO-HOO!!!!! THE SUPER NINJA BUGS ARE TAKING OVER!!!!!!!!)
People will good downloads for ships with balanced tables.


Will post screenshots later today/ tommorow.

Title: Re: <INSERT MOD NAME HERE> official thread.
Post by: TrashMan on October 11, 2007, 05:48:32 pm

Urk...Barracudea is old as hell... I allmost forgot about that transport...should realyl re-work it one of these days..

Hm.. I suggest you check if hte table entry is correct - remember, it was made a long time ago, and the newer builds have some differences in teh table.

I suggest you take a table from a cruiser or transport that works (like Fenris) and then jsut change the values  to match the ones from the original Barracuda table. You can't go wrong that way.

Title: Re: <INSERT MOD NAME HERE> official thread.
Post by: Getter Robo G on October 11, 2007, 06:45:20 pm

Um I don't remember if you posted any ideas for what the mod is about. typically a Mod name reflects some element that is IN the mod.

"Pirates of Capella" and so forth...

How about "Beyond the Cerulean sky"?

Blind guesses are fine, but as mod creator if you have no ideas then how is the wider world going to know? Thus you've created a new thread just for a name. Are you going to keep all future threads in this one or make a new one to consolidate your mod discussion?

IF your mod included Vasudans and some humor related to interspecies hijinks I would suggest "Lost in Translation"...  ;)

I'm not very creative with pure FS2 ideas.

[If no one's claimed it, I envision a Merc campaign called, "For a few credits more..." but not thinking about developing it for quite a while...]

Title: Re: <INSERT MOD NAME HERE> official thread.
Post by: Titan on October 12, 2007, 10:58:08 am

uhh... anyways, heress a mild version of the storyline:

The year is 2657. Mankind has long ago been forced to abandon earth due to uncotrollable over-pollution (scary, huh?) The current capital is the Regulus system, which is also the site of humankinds biggest shipyard. They have expanded their borders very far, always in search of more resources and space for a rapidly multiplying population. Meanwhile, in the Antares system, underworld/ criminal groups run rampant. It is a system filled with resources, but its military prescence is relativly low. (i gtg, sorry)

Title: Re: <INSERT MOD NAME HERE> official thread.
Post by: Cobra on October 12, 2007, 11:34:40 am

I thought you were working on a TC?

Title: Re: <INSERT MOD NAME HERE> official thread.
Post by: Goober5000 on October 13, 2007, 01:28:09 am

Quote from: Titan on October 12, 2007, 10:58:08 am

Mankind has long ago been forced to abandon earth due to uncotrollable over-pollution (scary, huh?)

Stupid, huh?  If mankind can colonize inhospitable planets (and FreeSpace has established that they can) then surely they can colonize an inhospitable Earth.

Quote

(i gtg, sorry)

:doubt: Perhaps you should wait until you have enough time to write a decent description, instead of summarizing and then dashing off?

If you're still hurting for a name, then maybe you can use "A Regulus Campaign".  I'd suggest "The Regulus Campaign", but that's already taken.  Anyway, be prepared to do 90% of the work -- including the testing -- yourself.

Title: Re: <INSERT MOD NAME HERE> official thread.
Post by: Koth on October 13, 2007, 02:04:01 am

I don't want to be an ass or discourage you but in the two years I have been browsing this forum I have seen countless people who came and announced their ''Campaign To End All Campaigns''. They maybe FREDed a misson or two then dropped the whole thing. It would be far more useful to the community if we would first finish the ''Uber-Campaigns-Of-Doom'' we already have. For example MT, INF, BWO, SA, Mindgames, TVWP and so on. See there are lot of projects to finish. But the problem here is that all of those campaigns need experienced modders and there aren't a lot of those who aren't working on something already. And whats the best way to gain experience? Yes creating your own mod. Sheesh what a dilemma.

Title: Re: <INSERT MOD NAME HERE> official thread.
Post by: TrashMan on October 13, 2007, 07:34:38 am

Not exaclty..you can get a lot of experience working on other peoples mods.. :D

Title: Re: <INSERT MOD NAME HERE> official thread.
Post by: Koth on October 13, 2007, 10:41:24 am

Okay wrong way to say it. That I meant was that if you want to work on another mod you need experience to do it. So you want to help out? Who cares, you only just started modding. Thats the way I meant it.

Title: Re: <INSERT MOD NAME HERE> official thread.
Post by: Titan on October 13, 2007, 04:31:36 pm

fine then, mankind still has earth, but we sucked it dry of resources in time immediatly before we- wait, THIS ISN'T EVEN FREESPACE!!!!!!! in this, we usually prefer to simply minme planets with inhostpitable atmospheres, and populate the ones that are closest to pre-exodus earth. Regulus5, AKA TMF capital, is a prime example.

Quote from: Titan on October 12, 2007, 10:58:08 am

The year is 2657. Mankind has long ago been forced to abandon earth due to uncotrollable over-pollution (scary, huh?) The current capital is the Regulus system, which is also the site of humankinds biggest shipyard. They have expanded their borders very far, always in search of more resources and space for a rapidly multiplying population. Meanwhile, in the Antares system, underworld/ criminal groups run rampant. It is a system filled with resources, but its military prescence is relativly low.

anyways;

due to this recent surge of pirate activities, TMF command deployed the 12th Strike group (do you think its a good name? i do) to Antares. strike groups are made up of usually a fighter 'wing', which is 2 squadrons, or about 200 fighters/80 pilots, a bomber 'wing', 2 squadrons totalling some 90 bombers/ 50 pilots, and up to 20 Battleship class vessels. also, note that MY Terrans prefer NOT to have huge vessels or anything. a battle ship is my equivlent of FS2 corvettes.

Title: Re: <INSERT MOD NAME HERE> official thread.
Post by: Goober5000 on October 13, 2007, 11:08:49 pm

Quote from: Titan on October 13, 2007, 04:31:36 pm

due to this recent surge of pirate activities, TMF command deployed the 12th Strike group (do you think its a good name? i do) to Antares. strike groups are made up of usually a fighter 'wing', which is 2 squadrons, or about 200 fighters/80 pilots, a bomber 'wing', 2 squadrons totalling some 90 bombers/ 50 pilots, and up to 20 Battleship class vessels.

This is not helpful.  A good campaign needs to have a good story, not a list of statistics.

Title: Re: <INSERT MOD NAME HERE> official thread.
Post by: Polpolion on October 14, 2007, 11:12:25 am

It's a good thing to have. But I'll have to admit, in a TC the main plot comes first.

Titan, assuming you have the actual plot planned out already, type out a mission and command breifing plan in notepad or something. After you have that made it's not only easier to FRED, but easier to summarize the story.

EDIT: I hope the reason why there is so much activity on this thread is the reason why there is so little on my thread :nervous:.

Well anyway, I doubt anyone will get what I just said.

Title: Re: <INSERT MOD NAME HERE> official thread.
Post by: Jeff Vader on October 14, 2007, 11:21:03 am

I don't think he even has an accurate plot planned out. If you revise the posts here, you know that there aren't any confirmed elements. For example:

Quote from: Titan on October 12, 2007, 10:58:08 am

The year is 2657. Mankind has long ago been forced to abandon earth due to uncotrollable over-pollution (scary, huh?)

Quote from: Goober5000 on October 13, 2007, 01:28:09 am

Stupid, huh?  If mankind can colonize inhospitable planets (and FreeSpace has established that they can) then surely they can colonize an inhospitable Earth.

Quote from: Titan on October 13, 2007, 04:31:36 pm

fine then, mankind still has earth, but we sucked it dry of resources in time immediatly before we- wait, THIS ISN'T EVEN FREESPACE!!!!!!!

He's just over-enthusiastic and wants to create some breathtaking and cliché-filled stuff. Nah, he doesn't have an actual plot, and I don't think this'll ever get done. Sorry, but that's just the way it seems to be.

Title: Re: <INSERT MOD NAME HERE> official thread.
Post by: Titan on October 15, 2007, 07:00:04 am

I DO HAVE A PLOT!!!!! i just dont want to tell you.  :pimp:

but, here it goes

Spoiler:

turns out the pirates are part of a full on rebellion. even bigger in scope then the FS2 NTF. i know that doesn't sound good, but that all im going to tell you. and to the INFA2 crew, in the Dragon line of fighters i have the Dragon VP taken by the Apollo, the actual production (just dragon V, no P) will be the Latona. IM WAITING.

Spoiler:

Title: Re: <INSERT MOD NAME HERE> official thread.
Post by: Polpolion on October 15, 2007, 02:10:37 pm

Could you phrase that in a way that would prove that you have a story, but wouldn't require the use of a spoiler field? No one is going to read it, unless they weren't going to play the game anyway.

It's all part of presentation. You want to make your campaign interesting, but you don't want to give away the ending and/or major points in the plot. If you can't make a good description without doing that then your story isn't a good story.

EDIT: You really need to learn the proper usage of the spoiler field. And your story is so vauge, I think I'll go write more of mine.

EDIT2: Damn I'm an idiot.

Title: Re: <INSERT MOD NAME HERE> official thread.
Post by: Cobra on October 15, 2007, 02:14:05 pm

People hate the GTVA, so they rebel and become pirates? :wtf:

Title: Re: <INSERT MOD NAME HERE> official thread.
Post by: Jeff Vader on October 15, 2007, 02:25:02 pm

Rebelling pirates? Yet another rebellion? Aren't there enough rebel already? How 'bout something new?

Bigger than the NTF? Is this or is this not a FreeSpace mod? The way I've understood things from your posts, you use basic FS ships, but claim that you're making a total conversion. Then you make these sudden comparisons to the NTF and the FreeSpace universe. You might as well make an actual plan and even write a well-thought story down (including a name), before claiming that you're making the ultimate mod.

Title: Re: <INSERT MOD NAME HERE> official thread.
Post by: Snail on October 15, 2007, 02:46:48 pm

Flak man as far as I know it's not even in the FS universe. Read before posting.

Sorry, but the Latona isn't being released until INFASA is finished - that means tech descriptions, cb animations, effects, missions, dialogue, high-polification of low-poly models and the finalization of certain plot inconsistencies. Unless Woo is being in a particularly good mood and decides to give out the model (which may happen, but I definitely wouldn't count on it..

Title: Re: <INSERT MOD NAME HERE> official thread.
Post by: Jeff Vader on October 15, 2007, 03:06:26 pm

'Read before posting'. I've ****ing read every single Titan's Big Mod^TM thread, including this one (http://www.hard-light.net/forums/index.php/topic,49859.0.html). Most of the time he's been talking about a TC, but then he keeps making these comparisons, like 'humanity has expanded beyond the borders of FS2'. Now that irreversibly creates an image to my head about a campaign that takes place in the FS universe some years later (the date of events also seems to vary, at least from 2574 to 2675). So there you have it. It might be a TC if it ever gets done. But there's no guarantee. It might also be a mod with a few new ships. Most of which don't seem to work for him.

But it's not gonna get done, the same way 'Destruction' didn't get done. I'll make a bet. If Titan manages to get this 'TC' done and if it can even remotely challenge, say, Blue Planet, I'll eat a hat full'o ****.

Title: Re: <INSERT MOD NAME HERE> official thread.
Post by: Titan on October 15, 2007, 03:39:55 pm

then just dont play it! for c***** sake!!!


and has anyone else having problems with the copernicus? here what i get:

Warning: JPEG Error: Not a JPEG file: starts with 0x0d 0x0a
File:J:\src\cvs\fs2_open_3_6_9.final\code\jpgutils\jpgutils.cpp
Line: 155
[This filename points to the location of a file on the computer that built this executable]

Call stack:
------------------------------------------------------------------
    jpg_error_exit()    first_marker()    read_markers()    consume_markers()    jpeg_consume_input()    jpeg_read_header()    jpeg_read_header()    gr_opengl_bm_load()    gr_bm_load()    bm_load()    model_load_texture()    read_model_file()    model_load()    ship_create()    parse_create_object_sub()------------------------------------------------------------------


and i click no (continue) and the game quits. uh................

Title: Re: <INSERT MOD NAME HERE> official thread.
Post by: Excalibur on October 15, 2007, 06:22:42 pm

:beamz:

So much flaming!!!

I'm thinking of making my first campaign, probably sort of a humourous one, though I don't know if people will like it - I should upload my first mission when I finish it.

Title: Re: <INSERT MOD NAME HERE> official thread.
Post by: Polpolion on October 15, 2007, 07:03:56 pm

Don't do that. Finish the entire campaign, before release, AFAIK, no one ever bothers to play single missions anymore. At least get two or three missions, and call it a demo or something.

Title: Re: <INSERT MOD NAME HERE> official thread.
Post by: Koth on October 15, 2007, 11:48:57 pm

Quote

But it's not gonna get done, the same way 'Destruction' didn't get done. I'll make a bet. If Titan manages to get this 'TC' done and if it can even remotely challenge, say, Blue Planet, I'll eat a hat full'o ****.

Calm done! Seriously let him do it. You can still laugh at him when he gives up like everyone does who tries to make ''THE BEST MOD EVAR''(TM).

Title: Re: <INSERT MOD NAME HERE> official thread.
Post by: Jeff Vader on October 16, 2007, 12:07:14 am

Quote from: Koth on October 15, 2007, 11:48:57 pm

Calm done! Seriously let him do it. You can still laugh at him when he gives up like everyone does who tries to make ''THE BEST MOD EVAR''(TM).

Right, I'll do that. I tend to be a bit edgy whenever I'm posting with a headache and after a killer math exam, particularly if I'm replying to one of these turbommegamod threads. But yes, I think that's a good option. Imma shuttin' up for now. Then, when the time is right, I shall have a drink once it's official that this mod has died horribly.

Originally, though, I was trying to get Titan to give up on this project since, as many have implied already, he'd be far better off helping people finish other projects-under-construction, than announcing yet another mod that'll collapse under its own weight.

Title: Re: <INSERT MOD NAME HERE> official thread.
Post by: Titan on October 16, 2007, 06:59:59 am

ok, sorry bout flaming you after the test. *shudder* i feel your pain  :shaking:

and guys, im just trying to have fun with some new stuff. and im only using those hades ships because (1) i cant model fo' beanz, and (2) I cant table for beanz. im still making sure to give credit to the makers of those awesome ships

Title: Re: <INSERT MOD NAME HERE> official thread.
Post by: Goober5000 on October 16, 2007, 05:04:05 pm

Quote from: Titan on October 16, 2007, 06:59:59 am

and guys, im just trying to have fun with some new stuff. and im only using those hades ships because (1) i cant model fo' beanz, and (2) I cant table for beanz.

I have a few suggestions.

1) Shut down all production on this mod (for what it's worth) immediately.  I can tell you right now that you're not going to release anything, and in all likelihood you'll simply get discouraged and stop modding entirely.  You don't begin a rock-climbing career by trying to scale Mount Everest, you begin by going up the climbing wall in the gym that's got zillions of handholds and is at a 45 degree angle.

2) Set a goal for yourself that's easily reachable in a short amount of time for a short amount of work.  For example, you could FRED and release a single, simple mission.  (I highly recommend this.  You could even use the Inferno mod if you wanted something big and garish.  But don't edit any tables; just do -mod inferno.)  Alternatively, you could create something using Google's SketchUp (http://sketchup.google.com/).  Or you could do some simple table editing, like releasing an existing ship or weapon with modified stats.

3) Stop posting about every single thing you do.  The forum isn't your own personal blog.  It's not even a good way to get feedback, most of the time.  By posting your stuff early you open yourself up to public ridicule and an enormous amount of discouragement.  Furthermore, you can be a lot more productive when you're not being distracted by the Internet.

Just my two cents, but I strongly recommend that you give them serious consideration.

Title: Re: <INSERT MOD NAME HERE> official thread.
Post by: Mustang19 on October 16, 2007, 05:40:02 pm

Quote

1) Shut down all production on this mod (for what it's worth) immediately.  I can tell you right now that you're not going to release anything, and in all likelihood you'll simply get discouraged and stop modding entirely. 

The whole point of modding is to have fun... except for those people who only do it for recognition. You work on what you want to work on; it's projects that's noone's interested in that cause people to "stop modding entirely". I can name a few off the top of my head. TVWP?

This guy just wants to mess around with FRED and TrueSpace. He'll probably read about 3 sentences of what Goober just posted, since I read about half a sentence. If noone's going to lock the thread then leave him be, he's not hurting anyone and he already knows what most people think.

Title: Re: <INSERT MOD NAME HERE> official thread.
Post by: Goober5000 on October 16, 2007, 07:24:02 pm

Quote

This guy just wants to mess around with FRED and TrueSpace. He'll probably read about 3 sentences of what Goober just posted, since I read about half a sentence.

Please go back and read more than half a sentence. :doubt: If you do, you'll see that the main thrust of my post is to advise and correct Titan, not write him off entirely.  Enthusiasm is very much a good thing, but unfocused enthusiasm is like a bowl of fireworks.  If Titan doesn't adopt a strategy, he's liable to burn himself out and get discouraged, having accomplished nothing permanent.

Quote from: Mustang19 on October 16, 2007, 05:40:02 pm

The whole point of modding is to have fun... except for those people who only do it for recognition. You work on what you want to work on; it's projects that's noone's interested in that cause people to "stop modding entirely". I can name a few off the top of my head. TVWP?

You're right but you're wrong.  You're sort of operating on flawed premises, so maybe you should back up and come at it again.

I agree that the whole point of modding is to have fun.  I continue to work on Fortunes of War even though it's targeted for FS1, which no-one plays anymore, and it's six years overdue, meaning that all the original fans are quite likely no longer active members.  Some day I'll even release it.  I don't care if it's not as popular as Inferno; I'll have the satisfaction that I designed, created, and completed something really cool.

TVWP didn't stall because "nobody was interested in it"; it stalled because everybody on the team was trying to do too many things at once.  That's an entirely different point than what I'm trying to communicate to Titan.

If Titan's project fails (and if history and human nature is any guide, it almost surely will) it won't be because of lack of interest.  It'll be because the amount of fun generated is not worth the amount of effort.  Giant mods fail because they quickly escalate beyond the modder's ability and date-of-expected-payoff (in the form of satisfaction that the mod is done).

Title: Re: <INSERT MOD NAME HERE> official thread.
Post by: Titan on October 17, 2007, 05:57:33 am

Quote from: Mustang19 on October 16, 2007, 05:40:02 pm

This guy just wants to mess around with FRED and TrueSpace. He'll probably read about 3 sentences of what Goober just posted, since I read about half a sentence. If noone's going to lock the thread then leave him be, he's not hurting anyone and he already knows what most people think.
[/quote]

I DID TOO READ ALL OF GOOBERS POST!