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Hosted Projects - Standalone => The Babylon Project => Topic started by: terran_emperor on January 30, 2008, 07:03:43 pm

Title: Project: Crusade
Post by: terran_emperor on January 30, 2008, 07:03:43 pm
As of this Date, I am Starting work on FRED version of Crusade for TBP. Actual fredding wont begin until 3.4b is released as a full release...ie not beta. Currently i am planning missions for the the first 3 parts and working out the plot to the last 3...I have basic ideas which i need to flesh out.

Basic Info
Crusade is a 13 part spin-off from Babylon 5 created by JMS (aka GOD) developed by TNT. Unfortunately due to network interference, the series was cancelled before season 1 was complete. Crusade was intended to be a 5 year arc like B5...but as we know, that never happened.

This Project will be my interpretation of what happened in the Crusade storyline. This will follow what iknow of JMS's plans as well as i am able to. However, some creative storytelling on my part will be required...So be advised that some existing episode will have some serious makeovers or be ommitted for gameplay purposes. Just bear with me

Storyline
It is December 2266Earth has been Quarentined! The reason - a biogenetic plague dumped in the atmosphere by a race known as the Drahk after their failed attempt to destroy the planet. The only bright spot is that the plague will take 5 years to do its work...Therefore a cure must be found by then. To this end, The ISA has commisioned the Excalibur - the one surviving Victory class destroyer to the EA as a travelling research vessel staffed with the best crew available, personality problems aside. Their aim - find the cure within 5 years However, for Captain Mathew Gideon, this is not just a crusade for the cure. It a crusade to find and punish those responsible for the Destruction of his old ship, the EAS Cerberus 8/10 years previously (not too sure about that number).

This project will consist of 6 campaings.

Part 1
A Call to Arms - The Pilot to Crusade. This will be an adaptation of what is seen on screen...For the most part.
You start off carrying out normal patrol missions as a Pilot for the EAS Charon. After about 5/6 missions Captain Anderson recieves Galen's Calling. You also hear the message as well. These missions will be entirly original to the story. These will be followed by missions based on the events of the film.

Part 2
To the Ends of the Earth - Crusade Season 1. Following on from part one, your are reasigned to the Excaliber. This will be as faithfull as i can make it but some episodes will be radically altered for gameplay reasons.
Will adapt the following:
13 Broadcast episodes
2 Original Episodes
My interpetation of the planned episode "tried and True"
The Sword Trilogy - I have absolutly no idea as to the plot of these 3 episodes...So i am making them into a sub-campaign against the rogue minbari clan - the Wind Swords
3 Lost Tales (Value Judgements, To the Ends of the Earth and The end of the Line)

Part 3 - 6
My interpetations of what could have happened in seasons 2-5 of crusade. They will be based on what JMS has revealled about his plans for the series. Now if only i could contact JMS and find out the full details...and get his stamp of approval - thatll never happen.
Storyline - Classified UltraViolet

IMPORTANT:
SCP INF build required due to the shear number of ships

MODS/FEATURES
*I require some ships to be modelled - details in later post
*Imported space suit from Hades Combine
*Land Missions - will require some creative FREDing to simulate Gravity
*To provide Alien ships will import some vessels from other SCP mods

Estimated Time to Comletion: Whenever it's done, it's done
Title: Re: Project: Crusade
Post by: terran_emperor on January 30, 2008, 07:16:02 pm
MODELS REQUIRED.

*Technomage Pinnace - Galen's Shuttle

*The Various Hostile Aliens seen in the produced S1 episodes

*Hybrid Fighter. (Mentioned in the Script to "To The Ends Of The Earth") A hybrid between EAS and Shadow Tech. I will send Concept Art to whoever agree's to do this craft

*City Buildings - 3 types: Tall(Skycraper -Twin Tower/Empire state building size), medium sized (average building height of Manhattern) and Small (smaller than Those)

*Mods of the Moon Surface Model to several different Terrains - Valley, Hilly etc

*MODs of the Spaceman Model from Hades Combine
1) Unarmed version
2) Drahk Version

*Will post other requests as they occur,
Title: Re: Project: Crusade
Post by: emi_100 on January 30, 2008, 11:48:24 pm
Quote
It a crusade to find and punish those responsible for the Destruction of his old ship, the EAS Cerberus 8/10 years previously (not too sure about that number).

The EAS Cerberus was destroyed 9 years ago. :D
I really love the idea! :yes: i alrealy made a Red Thunderbol re-skin (whit glow and shine maps). And now I'm making Crusede cast's .ani file. if you want it let me know. And if I can help doing somethig let me know too. I love help!  ;)
Title: Re: Project: Crusade
Post by: terran_emperor on January 31, 2008, 12:19:58 am
That thunderbolt model could be useful...

Definatly send me the .Ani files of the Crusade Cast. when your done. that would be Great

I have the Following Characters:

Gideon
Matheson
Eilerson
Dureena
Galen
Trace Miller
Dr Chambers
Captain Lochley - 2 Versions (Starfury Pilot and B5 CnC
Captain Anderson - call to arms
Sheriden - Call to arms
Garribaldi - call to arms

If you can do this characters if would be a great help
Title: Re: Project: Crusade
Post by: emi_100 on January 31, 2008, 03:47:18 am
Ok. when i've done I'll sent to you.  and on this morning the Thunderbolt model I'll sent to you. :)
Title: Re: Project: Crusade
Post by: terran_emperor on February 01, 2008, 06:56:44 pm
Let me know when you're done. Ill PM you  my e-mail.

As to some of the ships i want modelled, there are rotating images on the B5 Scrolls site
http://ftp.themadgoner.com/B5/B5Scrolls/B5Scrolls.htm (http://ftp.themadgoner.com/B5/B5Scrolls/B5Scrolls.htm)


Title: Re: Project: Crusade
Post by: Capt.Jack on February 05, 2008, 01:55:54 pm
On the crusade campaign will you be bringing it to an actual conclusion with a resolution of the plague and all that or are you just going to end where the show ended?
Title: Re: Project: Crusade
Post by: Yathin on February 05, 2008, 01:59:15 pm
On the crusade campaign will you be bringing it to an actual conclusion with a resolution of the plague and all that or are you just going to end where the show ended?

no. he said he was going to continue with his interpretation of seasons 2-5.
Title: Re: Project: Crusade
Post by: terran_emperor on February 05, 2008, 02:56:30 pm
yep. I'll be using what litte JMS has revealed about season 2+ as the basic skelleton of the story, but im fleshing it out with my own ideas.
Same for the unmade s1 episodes that i dont know the plot for - the Sword Trilogy. I have no idea what is supposed to happen in these three episodse, Even though they have apparently been scripted. Therefor, i'm going to be using my own ideas for it,
Title: Re: Project: Crusade
Post by: Flipside on February 05, 2008, 04:55:06 pm
Sounds interesting, I was always really kinda pissed that Crusade never really had a chance to develop, like most Sci-Fi series' it had a slightly 'rocky' start while the actors get comfortable with their characters (even the very early Babylon 5's had that problem, people trying too hard to be alien, not used to talking in the makeup etc). I always felt it had potential, sort of like the Enterprises 5-year mission but with a goal and a frikking huge gun, which is always a good mix ;)
Title: Re: Project: Crusade
Post by: terran_emperor on February 12, 2008, 05:34:05 am
The Sword Trilogy, according to me [Minor Spoiler]

Basically the Excaliber has a minor war with with two renegade factions from one of the Core ISA races. Throw the Drakh into the Mix and you have some serious combat missions.

Tried and True according to me
Basically a series of search mission and rescue missions. Dureena's side will occur in command briefings. 
Title: Re: Project: Crusade
Post by: Capt.Jack on February 12, 2008, 03:52:04 pm
The part about the show that pissed me off was the fact that it was canceled without them even being able to make a resolution to the plot.  I was left wondering do they find the cure and how and what.  I was very traumatized. Lol
Title: Re: Project: Crusade
Post by: terran_emperor on February 12, 2008, 05:02:11 pm
Well, you kenw that they obviously found a cure, but as JMS put it: It not about the Destination, but about the journey to get there
Title: Re: Project: Crusade
Post by: Capt.Jack on February 12, 2008, 11:39:31 pm
Exactly I know that eventually a cure was found because the show Earth in B5 The Lost Tales.  But thats like reading the last page in a book.  How the conclusion is reached is just as important as the conclusion itself. 
Title: Re: Project: Crusade
Post by: FUBAR-BDHR on February 12, 2008, 11:49:13 pm
Or did they find a cure?  Maybe that was what the great burn was.  Could be only a few survived because of some sort of natural immunity or something.  Or it could have been found but too late for the masses.
Title: Re: Project: Crusade
Post by: nvsblmnc on February 13, 2008, 02:20:43 am
Spoiler:
IIRC The Great Burn was a massive military strike by nearby colonies in response to the broadcast of Earth's plans for attacks on civillian population centres.  From the way it's laid out in the episode, the weapons used against Earth were significant.  This was about 500 years (I think - maybe longer?) after the ISA was formed. 

I'll have to watch The Deconstruction of Falliong Stars again to find out.

EDIT: Added Spoilers in case someone hasn't actually seen Season 4 and I ruin the ending.
Title: Re: Project: Crusade
Post by: terran_emperor on February 13, 2008, 06:17:47 am
Aslo you know there's a cure since Franklin's alive and well in "sleeping with light"
Title: Re: Project: Crusade
Post by: terran_emperor on February 13, 2008, 08:17:47 am
I came up with an idea of how to do the Death cloud frame. See the ShPK thread. If it works out, I might alter the ACTA campaign into a branching campaign during the final battle. ie you have a choice to escort the V+E or protect an EA ship
Title: Re: Project: Crusade
Post by: IceFire on February 14, 2008, 11:48:33 pm
JMS said a few times that Crusade wasn't necessarily about the cure for the Drakh plague.  Something cryptic about how they would find the cure in season 2 but there would be a price.
Title: Re: Project: Crusade
Post by: terran_emperor on February 15, 2008, 01:30:52 am
I know. The plague was just threre to get the jouney started. He said something about the cure not working the way it was supposed to. I'll have my own interpretation of that
Title: Re: Project: Crusade
Post by: maje on February 15, 2008, 10:22:13 am
Doesn't Crusade's REAL story have more to do with the Technomages and their origins?

Crusade may have started with the Drakh Plague, but that's just a false story to drag you into the main story.

Babylon 5 did this in that at first, you think the big story is why the Minbari surrendered at the Battle of the Line, and in turn, that really was just a trap door into the real story, the conflict between the Vorlons and the Shadows.
Title: Re: Project: Crusade
Post by: karajorma on February 18, 2008, 03:34:54 am
JMS himself said that the whole plague story would have been wrapped up by season 3.
Title: Re: Project: Crusade
Post by: maje on February 18, 2008, 06:21:49 pm
Did JMS allude to what Seasons 4 and 5 would entail?
Title: Re: Project: Crusade
Post by: terran_emperor on February 19, 2008, 12:34:06 am
We discover that there's a much broader problem even than the plague - it had to do with Earth using Shadow technology in ways they shouldn't be doing, and who was responsible for the destruction of captain Gideon's ship. Suffice it to say that - through a series of incidents - the Excalibur crew would have been considered traitors and have to basically be on the run. Further, the cure that Earth would have believed to be the right one would not in fact work as they think it would have worked. Our guys would find out about this, and no one would have believed them. As things unravel, it's a larger conspiracy, so basically - after the second year - the show you think Crusade is would be a whole different show, with much more depth to it, more political, more controversial in some ways, and would deal with the impact of technology on society, would cast our characters as renegades and loners without port, and turn the whole series upside-down. The whole plague thing was really just a way to get the thing going and give them something to do in the beginning while we establish the characters before we pull the plug and change the whole nature of the show into something I think would probably have been revolutionary - but we never got that far.

---quoted from somewhere...cant remember where though

Basically from this i;ve made the following inturpetations
*Plague cured -sorta- in season 2
*Excalibur delcared traitors by end of season 2
*Season 3 is spent on the run
*Season 4 the crew find out the truth about the Conspiracy...
*S5 - everything comes to a head for now. -Cure administered, conspiracy unwound etc

-I've had some thought about the purpose of the conspiracy and abiut the A-Box origins...Hell, im considering throwing one or two other groups into the mix....the [EYES ONLY] and the [EYES ONLY]
Title: Re: Project: Crusade
Post by: P-90_177 on February 19, 2008, 01:56:00 am
Be sure to let me know about those when you're ready to reveal it. lol.  ;)
Title: Re: Project: Crusade
Post by: IPAndrews on February 19, 2008, 02:56:12 am
I'm a big fan of the apocalypse box :D
Title: Re: Project: Crusade
Post by: P-90_177 on February 19, 2008, 03:54:35 am
I'm a big fan of the apocalypse box :D

you'll have to forgive my ignorance but while i have watched crusade i never paid that much attention. remind me what the apocalypse box is again please?
Title: Re: Project: Crusade
Post by: terran_emperor on February 19, 2008, 04:25:36 am
http://www.comp.dit.ie/dgordon/ApocalypseBox/ (http://www.comp.dit.ie/dgordon/ApocalypseBox/) - that wierd yellow/black box that give gideon advice from time to time...a sort of alien version of Deep Throat from X-files (Galen also fills that role...)

As to what the A-Box was that would have no-doubt been revealed eventually
Title: Re: Project: Crusade
Post by: maje on February 19, 2008, 09:44:04 am
The Apocalypse Box has two possibilities: It's either Shadow or Vorlon in origin.
Either way, it said not to trust Galen.  Now, it's obvious why the Vorlons wouldn't be all for the Technomages, but as for the Shadows, well, they might have felt betrayed seeing how the mages would rather run than fight, like their ancestors, the Taratimude.
Title: Re: Project: Crusade
Post by: P-90_177 on February 19, 2008, 04:15:36 pm
Having watched a few episodes again it certainly looks vorlon in design. the voice also sounded a little like a vorlons.
Title: Re: Project: Crusade
Post by: terran_emperor on February 19, 2008, 05:15:21 pm
P-90_177. You've just given me a briliant idea for the A-Box origin...I'm not saying what it is  :p ...but part of it has been discussed quite a bit about a about 1/2 a year ago in this section....Sufficed to say that i may have more show up...it also ties into the events of the other b-5S Spin-offs. In fact...The way ive got things tied in....I think JMS aka GOD would approve

And now everything has gotten so....interwoven(?) (Im not sure if that's the way to put it) I think overall I shall rename this project
"Crusade: The Spider's Web"...

Hell...I might even Novelize this as a fanfic...
Title: Re: Project: Crusade
Post by: P-90_177 on February 19, 2008, 06:03:56 pm
I would say 'yeah good idea man'....................but I have no idea what you've come up with so that's a bit difficult lol.
Title: Re: Project: Crusade
Post by: Flipside on February 29, 2008, 06:03:52 pm
To be honest, the A-Box always looked techno-magical in origin. I always kind of suspected that was actually one of Galens little toys and that he was, for whatever reason, pointing the captain in two direction at once, which is the sort of thing he would do, I suppose it is some kind of test, will he choose between technology or friendship at a crucial moment?

That was always my take anyway.
Title: Re: Project: Crusade
Post by: Whitelight on February 29, 2008, 10:30:05 pm
To be honest, the A-Box always looked techno-magical in origin. I always kind of suspected that was actually one of Galens little toys and that he was, for whatever reason, pointing the captain in two direction at once, which is the sort of thing he would do, I suppose it is some kind of test, will he choose between technology or friendship at a crucial moment?

That was always my take anyway.
     That makes perfect sence  :D :yes:
Title: Re: Project: Crusade
Post by: Flipside on February 29, 2008, 10:45:13 pm
Heh, thanks :) I've just been watching Into the Fire again, so I'm going to wax theoretical here....

The reason I got thinking like that is because of the two 'extra' questions that Galen tags onto the Vorlon and Shadow questions ('Who are You?', 'What do you want?'), which were 'Who do you serve and who do you trust?'. He goes where the box bids him to go, effectively serving it, but I wondered if there might come a point in the series where his service and his trust are at odds, and that is where he has to answer those final two questions.
Title: Re: Project: Crusade
Post by: terran_emperor on March 26, 2008, 03:59:21 pm
Now that 3.4b final has been released, I will soon start FREDing. Expected time a release is when ever i get it done.

Now, since my modeling skills beyond TBL/Model Hacks and Reskins are almost non-existant I REALLY need someone to model the Following ships/Other:
Important ones (Ones essential to the campaign) are highlighted in Red
Blue indicates models that I would like to have, but aren't essential - I can always import ships from other FS mods to take their place.

Ships
*Technomage Transport
*An Earth/Shadow Hybrid fighter - I will provide concept art for this soon
*Surgical fighter from "Racing the Night"
*Moradi Heavy cruiser and shuttle from "The needs of the Earth"
*Icarus scout
*Unarmed version of the Space Suit from Hades combine
*Drakh version of this model - (I may just make this a reskin, but i would prefer it to be a different model)
*Gideon's Speeder bike from "Racing the Night"
*Drydock's from "A Call To Arms"
(One other ship, which i will PM to the Modeler - for Secrecy's sake)

Surface Plates - modded from the Moon Surface plate
*Valley
*Hilly Region
*Mountain
*I would also like artwork to reskin each of them to show different environmets

Building for cities in surface missions
*Sky Scraper - up 1km high
*Tall Building -
*Medium sized buildings - around 100m high
*Small - ~50m high
*Very small ~ 10m high
 I will not ask for that wierd ship from "Appearances and Other Deceits" - instead i may import some medels from FS1/2/other Mods

All i need are the the models. I'll provide the TBL/M entrys

There are some other models that are required - but they are just TBL/Model hacks and/or Reskins so I can handle them easily
Title: Re: Project: Crusade
Post by: Vidmaster on March 27, 2008, 09:53:31 am
I dont want to disappoint you but you are asking for a lot. And you should consider supplying pictures, since not every modeller here is Babylon5 fanatic and knows the stuff by heart.
Title: Re: Project: Crusade
Post by: terran_emperor on March 28, 2008, 09:09:35 am
Sure...At least 5 of the ships that i'd like are reskins...Don't worry about them i can handle them

Technomage Shuttle
(http://foxfire.fatal.ru/mesh/pic/technomage1600.jpg)
According to the Babylon 5 RPG, this ship is Pinnace class

***Ships that are Essential to the campaign***
Earth/Shadow Hybrid Fighter
Concept art- when it is drawn
*A Hybrid fighter developed from the Thunderbolt Starfury. Though at first, you wouldn't be able to guess it. However after careful comparison, the similarities can be seen

***Ships I'd Really like to have
Several of the others that i would like are found here: at the B5 Scrolls
http://ftp.themadgoner.com/B5/B5Scrolls/B5Scrolls.htm (http://ftp.themadgoner.com/B5/B5Scrolls/B5Scrolls.htm)
Crusade Speeder Bike+Rider - MIA Ships section - will post better images when i find tem
IPX Icarus Scout - Earth-Other Section
PSI-Corps Armoured Transport - Earth-Other
Boomer Troop Transport - Earthforce Section
 
***Ships that i would be nice to have***These models would be nice to have, but i can always replace with FS2 models
Also found at the b5 Scrolls
Surgeon Fighter - Unknown Section
Modradi Cruiser and Shuttle - Miscallaneous Section
(Some lowQ images found here http://www.isnnews.net/hyperspace/races/index.html (http://www.isnnews.net/hyperspace/races/index.html))
 
***Space Suit Versions***
Do you know that Space suit Model that is used in the FS2 Campaign "Blue planet"? Basically they are alterations of that
The unarmed version is obvious -
*Remove all weapon banks from the Model - I don't mean remove the pathways. I mean physically (Virtually?) remove them from model all together
*Remove the Weapons subsystem
*Give the model Arms, similar style to its legs 

The Drakh Version is just that  Mostly a Drakh reskin but also a modified Model
*Remove all Missile Banks - the Big square things on the left of the model and the two on the right shoulder
*Remove Gun Bank 2 ( The big cannon where the model's Right arm would be) - Replace with a Right Arm

***
Never-mind about the Dry-Docks - I'll import models from the various other FS Mods
Title: Re: Project: Crusade
Post by: terran_emperor on March 28, 2008, 09:32:31 am
The Buildings are easy - they are generic models for making a city
*No Subsystems or Paths (Except a Fighter bay+paths and Docking points)
I don't care too much for the look but try to keep them consistent

Surface plates - Modified from the Moon surface
*The three different types i would like are
1)Valley
2)Hilly region - mix of high and low lands
3) mountain
These should be Obvious as to how they look
Anyone who has played "Dropship: United Peace Force" these descriptions should come in handy
*Valley is similar to the canyon seen in the first 2 missions in North Africa
*Hilly region similar to the surface used in the Columbia Missions
*Mountainous region - The surface plate used in the final Kazakhstan mission

-The default skin for all three is the same one used for the lunar surface
I would like the following skins made for them
Mars - All
Snow - All
Mountain - Just the mountain
Desert - all but the Mountain region
Greenland - all but the mountain
Title: Re: Project: Crusade
Post by: Slasher on March 29, 2008, 09:34:22 am
Someone threw a black paper airplane at one of the concept artists for Crusade and it really hit him in the head. 
Title: Re: Project: Crusade
Post by: Skullar on March 29, 2008, 12:41:55 pm
Slashibashi ! Hows the going ?
Title: Re: Project: Crusade
Post by: terran_emperor on March 29, 2008, 01:42:37 pm
Campaign status:

Its going alright, though im having trouble trying to put together a model for the Death Cloud.
Thus my attempts to make the Second battle of the Line a branching battle may scrapped.

Ive been attempting to assemble a frame using the GVI Karnak. as the Central Core, with the Sahr/Polaris Drydock pieces as additional structure. However, ive not been able to merge them into one model. I may just import the individual pieces and assemable the thing in in FRED.

I do need modellers, for other ships quite urgently

Currently, im putting together a series of missions that take place at the beginning of Call to Arms, before the Charon heads to B5.

I also have a small group of missions planned as a sort of prologue to the whole thing. However, this micro campaign will be stand-alone as well.
Title: Re: Project: Crusade
Post by: maje on March 31, 2008, 10:28:16 pm
Here's a quick doodle I did on my lunch break.  Don't know if this is what you had in mind for a "Thunderbolt"-inspired Shadow fighter.



[attachment deleted by ninja]
Title: Re: Project: Crusade
Post by: terran_emperor on March 31, 2008, 10:46:02 pm
Actually, that is Surpisingly similar to my own design.

Basically, I started with thunderbolt art found at http://efni.org/Thunderbolt.htm and drew spikes over it to make it look shadowish.

the differences are that mine has multiple spikes along the bottom and sides of the main body. Also the the tail-spines split in two near the ned, remniscent of the fins on Starfury/Thunderbolt Engines

Note: For some reason, the stupid like refuses to goe to the correct site and instead goes to a youtube vid
Title: Re: Project: Crusade
Post by: starlord on April 01, 2008, 11:06:36 am
Looks great! Thunbs up!
Title: Re: Project: Crusade
Post by: terran_emperor on April 01, 2008, 11:21:14 am
Yep, Lets go with that design for the EA/Shadow Hybrid fighter.
There is another Black-ops fighter. But that one is a simple reskin of the Thunnderbolt.
Title: Re: Project: Crusade
Post by: starlord on April 01, 2008, 12:17:32 pm
Yummy: Me loooves black ops! ;7
Title: Re: Project: Crusade
Post by: terran_emperor on April 01, 2008, 12:55:58 pm
Well, Im not saying anything other than most of the plot for Project Crusade revolves around 3 Black-Ops groups im not saying any more than that.
 But, there will be some rather surprising revelations and twist in S4 and S5
Title: Re: Project: Crusade
Post by: terran_emperor on April 01, 2008, 03:31:34 pm
Just finished Listing the ships that I need for this. Whist going through, I decided to Cut several ships Such as the Moradi shuttle and Speeder. Some ships i decided i would import from other FS Campaigns rather than try (or rather than ask someone) to model them.

Currently I only need i only need 11 models made. and only three of them are actuall ships
1) Technomage Shuttle
2) Hybrid fighter (Hopefully Maje's design)
3) [Eyes Only] -> Maje has made this model and was in the proccess of getting it in game. Not needed till Crusade year 3 (the 4th campaign)

The remaining models are Scenery, like the Lunar Surface.
4) Surface - Valley
5) Surface - Hills
6) Surface - Mountain region
Various other skins needed for these

Buildings
7-11)See earliar post for details. on the 5 building sizes

The rest of the ships will be reskins and/or TBL/POF Hacks of current TBP ships and other FS ships
Title: Re: Project: Crusade
Post by: maje on April 01, 2008, 04:53:16 pm
Theoretically, I see no reason why the EA/Shadow hybrid should get all fubared upon export unlike that other TBP-related model (I'll have to go throughout the Max file and re-set everything up which is going to suck balls.  Especially when said ship needs to be that way for animation code purposes).
Title: Re: Project: Crusade
Post by: den5 on April 01, 2008, 05:12:22 pm
EA/Shadow hybrid
(http://den5.pochta.ru/shhybrid.jpg)

[Moderator note: URL removed. We already have a Hybrid model in the mod]

Change tbl files to your desire if you want.
Title: Re: Project: Crusade
Post by: terran_emperor on April 01, 2008, 09:41:19 pm
Erm. I already know that model. Several missions will make heavy use of it. The hybrids im talking about being mafe are fighters. According to the Script of "to the Ends of the Earth", at one point, the Shadow Hybrid releases fighters which go after the Excalibur. To my knowledge, the script never said whether they were starfuries, Spitfires or hybrids. Now the use of Starfuries would make it obvious who the hybrid belongs to.
Also, Id prefer not to use Spitfires for anything other than with Pure shadow vessels

Title: Re: Project: Crusade
Post by: -Norbert- on April 03, 2008, 09:47:07 am
It wouldn't make much sense either to use Spitfires. After all if those Black Ops EA, or whoever they are, had access to the plans and manufacturing methods of the Shadows they would have made a full-fledges "Spider" instead of the Hybrid, so they surely can't just reproduce the fighters either.

Besides in the Technomage Trilogy Galen scannes a Hybrid (the very one that destroyed the Cerberus) and finds out that basically only the shadow skin, the weapon systems and the "main computer" are shadow technology, with the rest being earth tech.

With "main comptuer" (or "machine component" as the shadows used to call it) I mean of course some poor bastard who's been plugged into the ship and acts as central processor, not even knowing any longer that he is (or rather was) Human once.
Title: Re: Project: Crusade
Post by: terran_emperor on April 03, 2008, 03:58:16 pm
Well, untill the hybrid fighter gets made, I will be using Spitfires as place-holder's
Title: Re: Project: Crusade
Post by: maje on April 13, 2008, 02:32:14 pm
A quick pic of the model sheet.  I'm thinking that the modeling itself shouldn't be too much of a pain.  Also, the odds of this getting ingame are much better than the Hand Brittlestar.  Quite frankly, there are too many little things about the Brittlestar that are causing havok with bounding boxes, animation code, and the like to warrant continually messing around with it.  That's not to say it won't ever show up, it's just that currently, since I have no use for it, don't expect or bother me to work on it.

[attachment deleted by ninja]
Title: Re: Project: Crusade
Post by: 0rph3u5 on April 13, 2008, 03:28:05 pm
about landscapes:
ask around at the forum of the 158th.... maybe even at the forum of the Starfox mod-team

about buildings:
shiv_pl had some in the beta files of his one mod (quite bricky things) ... I'll go ask him for them if you like
Title: Re: Project: Crusade
Post by: maje on April 13, 2008, 11:02:42 pm
Here's two renders of a group of EA "Shadowbolt" Star Furies, though I'm more partial to Munin-class which has a historical background in Norse Mythology.  Munin was one of two ravens that sat perched on Odin's shoulders and represented "memory".  The other raven, Hugin, represented "Thought".

I figured the Shadowbolt looks like a crow head from the side view and did a little research into mythological symbolisms for crows in European history.  I figured Munin sounded appropriate for the class designation since the shadowbolt "reminds" people of the Shadows' legacy and that it's associated with a god (the king of Norse Gods, no doubt), is in perfect reference to the Shadows themselves.

[attachment deleted by ninja]
Title: Re: Project: Crusade
Post by: Flipside on April 15, 2008, 06:38:15 pm
Always found it a bit weird that Earth, of all the races in B5, seems to be the only one with access to both Shadow and Vorlon tech. The Excalibur is a mixture of Minbari and Vorlon-style technologies, and the Hybrid Cruisers, obviously, were based on Shadow tech.

That said, I never did quite figure out why an EA Captain got assigned to an Alliance vessel in the first place with Excalibur, the ship was supposed to be a Destroyer to help the dwindling numbers of Whitestars, so why wasn't the captain a member of the Rangers? It was the one part of the series that always confused me.
Title: Re: Project: Crusade
Post by: FUBAR-BDHR on April 15, 2008, 07:15:24 pm
The rangers always operated in the shadows (behind the scenes not the race) until they were needed like during the Shadow war.  After the Shadow war was over maybe they returned to that way leaving the open operations to the League's various defense forces. 
Title: Re: Project: Crusade
Post by: Flipside on April 15, 2008, 07:19:08 pm
I suspect JMS could probably give a reason, it was, obviously, EA that were responsible for the defence of Earth, so maybe the Alliance loaned them their best ship to help, after all, Sheridan had a vested interest in helping his Homeworld, but it still strikes me as kind of like the Centauri asking the Breen to test their newest, most powerful ship for them.

Edit: Admittedly, this was set after the Telepath wars, so any 'official' special ops teams wouldn't work like Black Omega, though you might get a situation similar to the GTI and GTVI.
Title: Re: Project: Crusade
Post by: maje on April 15, 2008, 08:47:04 pm
who the hell are are the Breen?
Title: Re: Project: Crusade
Post by: Flipside on April 16, 2008, 10:18:49 am
Not the Breen, wrong series, it was, after all, posted at around 4am.
Title: Re: Project: Crusade
Post by: -Norbert- on April 21, 2008, 06:00:46 am
Quote
I suspect JMS could probably give a reason, it was, obviously, EA that were responsible for the defence of Earth, so maybe the Alliance loaned them their best ship to help, after all, Sheridan had a vested interest in helping his Homeworld

I'm not absolutely sure, since I havn't seen ACTA in a while, but I think I remember something like that being told in the "end-monologue". That the alliance borrowed the Excalibur to the EA so they could find a cure.

It also makes sense. The Rangers (btw, they are the "police" of the ISA, and certainly not working behind the scenes - at least not all of them), acting behind the scenes like they used to, didn't have any big ships. They needed quite a time to adapt to the Whitestar in the series and due to the plague they didn't have time for that.
So instead they loan the ship to the EA who can draw from a lot of crews experienced with operating such big and powerfull ships.
Title: Re: Project: Crusade
Post by: terran_emperor on April 22, 2008, 09:57:31 am
Sorry Ive been out of it for so long. Ive started FREDing A Call to Arms. Ive also decided how to fill up Crusade season 2 and how to end Season 3.

Any Black Omega's that turn up will be Psicorps Remnants. Im thinking of picking up a thread from the unmade episode "Value Judgements".

BTW Maje how progresses the Munin Shadow bolt?

Title: Re: Project: Crusade
Post by: maje on April 22, 2008, 07:56:00 pm
The Munin seems fine in terms of modeling, though I'm wondering if it could stand to have its polygon count cut down a bit.  Last time I looked at it, the count was around 900 tris or so, which seems rather high when considering the ships it's based off of are lower (Thunderbolt is 537 tris, Spitfire is approx.  300).  I think that I'll need to trim down, but once that's done, LODs should be easy.

What WILL need to be addressed is game balance and tech specs.  Since the Munin uses the Thunderbolt as its design basis, I'm thinking that it will have a rapid fire cannon (actually, I'm considering just using the Thunderbolt's cannon).  Earth should have an impressive hybrid Shadow fighter, but I want to make it clear that their grasp of technology isn't sufficient enough to create a fighter as powerful as the Spitfire.  You can have Shadow bio armor or the quantum cannon, but not both.  Besides, if any race deserves to have a fighter that comes close to the Spitfire, it SHOULD be the Drakh.  Seriously, JMS made them out to be the boogeymen of Centauri Prime just to be demoted to the level of incompetent Raiders for the run of Crusade.  For the ELITE servants of the Shadows who had access to all their tech, they sure do get their asses kicked.
Title: Re: Project: Crusade
Post by: starlord on April 23, 2008, 05:35:05 am
So call to arms will be planet killer less? You plan to include the victory however, don't you?
Title: Re: Project: Crusade
Post by: maje on April 23, 2008, 04:49:42 pm
The Victory is already included with the Babylon Project.

Also, I just finished creating the LOD models.  LOD 0 is 508 tris, LOD 1 is 288, LOD 2 is 188, and LOD 3 is 130.  I may do things fire points, paths, and subsystems tomorrow.  And then see what crap POF Exporter gives me.... meh.   :doubt:
Title: Re: Project: Crusade
Post by: starlord on April 24, 2008, 04:07:52 am
LOD?

Please excuse the newb.
Title: Re: Project: Crusade
Post by: Flipside on April 24, 2008, 05:52:49 am
Level Of Detail, basically each model in Freespace is actually several models, using less and less polygons. As the model gets further from the 'camera', the game swaps between the models so they are using less of the computers runtime :)
Title: Re: Project: Crusade
Post by: Topgun on April 24, 2008, 09:24:25 am
who the hell are are the Breen?

not who but what. answer: breen is a narn delicacy. soggy but meaty.
ok, I am a nerd
Title: Re: Project: Crusade
Post by: terran_emperor on April 24, 2008, 12:23:08 pm
Breen is the narn dish that tastes identicle to sweedish meat balls. every race has a dish that tastes like sweedish meatballs.

okay on topic.

For the inital part of the ACTA campaign, you will be a pilot for the charon, ivolved in some initial duties.

After the initial police action sequence, you move onto actual adaptations of ACTA. You then can choose wether to serve as a pilot for the victory  or Excaliber. Im working on making the campaign branching depending on which ship you choose. For example if you choose the Excaliber you follow the drakh into the Null field. if Victory, you stay with the victory

Im also trying to get the shadow planet killer ingame so i can make the "Second Battle of the Line" branching. Ie you stay to defend the Victory/excaliber - in which case you witness the film events first hand in missions - or you go to fufill another objective (help an omega in distress?) - which leads to a series of missions (disarming a DH Distroyer, chasing down Plague carriers, that sort of stuff), while the movie events in the cloud happen in cutscene missions.

I will be taking some creative licence with the film events though to make it a bit more..(what ever that word is)...for example, above Daltron VII, instead of 4 Drakh raiders you encounter 2 Cruiser and 2 destroyers.

***
Oh i finally managed to convert that Technomage shuttle model i found from a .cob to a .pof and started adding subsytems and paths, but...

The textures dont work. In PCS2 the ship shows up as a dark silhouette with no texures. Even after adding the textures in. When i try selecting them, they dont hilight a specific section.

Maje. Can i send you the Model files and ask if you can see what you can do with them? If you open the .pof with pcs2, and select textures, you'll see my problem instantly.

One request though. if you can get it working, can you shrink the thing down. The model is too large; acording to b5Tech, the ship is supposed to be 30 meters long, yet the model is the size of a small cruiser.
Title: Re: Project: Crusade
Post by: Topgun on April 24, 2008, 12:30:38 pm
can you post the model? I can see if I can fix it.
Title: Re: Project: Crusade
Post by: terran_emperor on April 25, 2008, 01:44:28 pm
Sure PM me your email and ill send it to you on monday. Current whereabouts: an internet café. It will be just over a week before i can post properly again.

PS it has to be via e-mail - the "add atatchment" thing for this forum doesnt like me.
Title: Re: Project: Crusade
Post by: maje on April 25, 2008, 05:04:10 pm
terran_emperor, when are you planning on being online next?  I wanted to see about coordinating efforts to get the shadowbolt underway.  I will probably be online tomorrow.  I'm on US Eastern Standard Time, so as of right now, it's 6:02 PM.  I might even be online later tonight, depending on how awake I am.  Getting 5-6 hours of sleep is taking its toll.  :shaking:
Title: Re: Project: Crusade
Post by: maje on April 27, 2008, 12:05:21 am
So, the Munin works in game and has been setup.  All that's really needed at this point is beta testing to work out game balancing, and a nifty "shadowbolt" icon for HUD display (since I'm using the Shadow spitfire as a temp).

Can't think of anything else at the moment, so anytime terran_emperor is ready to receive his EA BlackOps package (from Z'ha'dum with love no doubt), he can PM me and I'll send it over.

[attachment deleted by ninja]
Title: Re: Project: Crusade
Post by: terran_emperor on April 28, 2008, 07:26:57 am
maje, im several hours ahead of you. UK British Sumertime...As i cant post regularly till next week,  lets wait till then.
P.S. The Technomage shuttle files should be on their way soon.

In other news, the only music tracks that Crusade seems to use are "WarZone Suite", "Elizabeth" and "the Main/ending title". Therefore, i will be importing a few tracks from BluePlanet: AoA after ive diced WarZone suite into a set
Title: Re: Project: Crusade
Post by: Topgun on April 28, 2008, 03:38:43 pm
the shuttle is WAY, way, WAY to high poly. so I just will remake the thing from scratch.
so, can I make some little touches to the ship and texture? I just hate that jet black paper airplane look.
Title: Re: Project: Crusade
Post by: terran_emperor on April 29, 2008, 10:05:22 am
I agree.

Leave the TBL entry to me, i have the stats for it on my home PC. dimensions should be 30m from the nose to the back. wingspan should be something like 30-35m for each wing and the fin should bring height to about 20-25m...(all rough guesses) i will try to work out the proper size and het back to you
Title: Re: Project: Crusade
Post by: terran_emperor on May 15, 2008, 09:06:58 am
Work is on hold till after exams
Title: Re: Project: Crusade
Post by: Topgun on May 19, 2008, 07:34:59 am
I agree.
agree with what? that I should add detail to the model or that it has too many polygons?
Title: Re: Project: Crusade
Post by: terran_emperor on May 19, 2008, 01:06:47 pm
Definitly agree with the too high poly count and thus building the model from scratch.

As for the detail in the model, if you want to add them, do so. It would be nice to see the ship a little less bland.

Also, do you think you could manage an all-black reskin of the Thunderbolt? Ive been having trouble in that area
Title: Re: Project: Crusade
Post by: Topgun on May 19, 2008, 01:13:15 pm
Also, do you think you could manage an all-black reskin of the Thunderbolt? Ive been having trouble in that area
how black? pure black or a realistic black (ie, with dirt and what not)? or a shadow style black?
Title: Re: Project: Crusade
Post by: terran_emperor on May 19, 2008, 02:40:33 pm
like the panels that make up the craft are black...Sorta like the PSI-Bolt but cmpletly black
Title: Re: Project: Crusade
Post by: terran_emperor on May 23, 2008, 02:13:35 am
Testing out the Shadowbolt. It handels well, best for swarm tactics though. Godd against fighters, though numbers overwhelm.

Havent tried against capitals, but recomend the above mentioned swarm tactics

Couple of points:
1) Change the Species to Shadow to keep in line with the Shadow Hybrid (or change the Hybrid's species to others)
2) Either make a purple "shadow" version of the 45mm cannon or make the SH Quantum Pulse and Bolt weapons available to them
Title: Re: Project: Crusade
Post by: IPAndrews on May 23, 2008, 02:43:18 am
(or change the Hybrid's species to others)

Want you campaign to break everyone else's campaign? Yes? Great! Here's how to do it:

Step 1) Needlessly modify existing ships that other people may be using in their campaigns.
Step 2) Nothing. You're done already!  ;7
Title: Re: Project: Crusade
Post by: 0rph3u5 on May 23, 2008, 06:26:37 am
(or change the Hybrid's species to others)

Want you campaign to break everyone else's campaign? Yes? Great! Here's how to do it:

Step 1) Needlessly modify existing ships that other people may be using in their campaigns.
Step 2) Nothing. You're done already!  ;7

Gosh, IP!
Since TBP is standalone YOU CAN USE THE MOD FEATURE like any other FSSCP project does as well...
that's
1st - very easy
2nd - it avoids the mentioned conflicts!

I'm willing to HELP ANYONE to get the mod-feature rolling (in deed I plan to use it myself on a DoW-Trilogy release once DoW 3 is finished)
Title: Re: Project: Crusade
Post by: IPAndrews on May 23, 2008, 06:52:39 am
Sure. You can also use tbm files to create new ships.tbl entries. Which is another and I think more elegant solution. Anything but modifying the original ships.tbl entry. The important thing is people take into account that if you modify someone's installation of TBP in a way which makes it differ from the standard you aren't doing them a favour.
Title: Re: Project: Crusade
Post by: 0rph3u5 on May 23, 2008, 11:52:23 am
damn you are missing my point!

with the mod-feature HE can without affecting the standard installation

look how all those FS2 mods do!
eg look at INFR1 for SCP  - they completely overhault the tables using a new ships and weapon.tbl - but due to the nature of the mod feature and how the INFR1 installation for SCP is organized it does not effect the main installation -
the effects of the new table are not used UNTIL SELECTED IN THE LAUNCHER
Title: Re: Project: Crusade
Post by: terran_emperor on May 23, 2008, 01:15:46 pm
Excuse me....how many people have used the Hybrid? And what if i want to change the stats for the Nova or Hyperion?
Im thinking be two versions of the nova: The original bought to the level they were at in 2266 (likely thier level in the EA Civil War)
and a Second version aupgraded to handel drahk.

-heres a table of the nova:Model and when it goes goes
Pre-Dilgar War: Nova Alpha - Not used in the mod
Post-Dilgar War/Minbari War: Nova Beta -  not used in the Mod
Post EM-War/EA Civil war/Drakh Battle of the Line: Nova Gamma - TBL hack of the existing entry
Post Drakh Battle of the line: Nova Delta - New entry

The Shadow bolt..
First off the Shadowbolt is a new fighter for this campaign.
1) The reason im considering changing the Species of it or the the Shadow Hybrid is consistansy.
Both ships are Hybrids of Shadow and Earth Tech but they look more shadow than earth, when compared to the Omega-X or Warlock...

Maybe ill have 2 Entries for the Shadow Hybrid...One as a "Shadows" vessel, the other given a class-name (Dark Rage) and in the others catagory...

2) This is doing one of two things. making a second version of the 45mm cannon. Not changing the original, but making a new version unique for this fighter. OR just adding existing weapons to its TBL entry.
----
I think Orph3u5 has got the solution...I mean i dont know how all the music is going to fit in, so i may have to replace some of the existing track. nd the only way i can think of to do that is with the mod-feature in the Launcher, like for Blue Planet or INFR1
Title: Re: Project: Crusade
Post by: IPAndrews on May 23, 2008, 03:31:03 pm
damn you are missing my point!

No you misunderstood my point. Frankly I don't give a damn how he avoids screwing up the standard installation and everyone else's campaign as long as he actively tries to avoid it. You see? When I see him making comments like this:

Quote
Excuse me....how many people have used the Hybrid?

It doesn't fill me with a great deal of confidence really. Anyway your solution of using the -mod flag will work so as long as he does that if he's going to screw with the installation then I'm happy. So we can let this lie and let him get on with making his campaign.
Title: Re: Project: Crusade
Post by: maje on May 23, 2008, 07:07:43 pm
Funnily enough, I purposely set the shadowbolt as "Others" in the TBM file, because it wouldn't work when I tried to name the species "Shadows".

Well, whatever.
Title: Re: Project: Crusade
Post by: terran_emperor on May 23, 2008, 08:14:06 pm
Well, I'll change the Hybrid to "others" to keep them consistant. Still have to try the Shadowbolt out on against capitals...
Title: Re: Project: Crusade
Post by: terran_emperor on June 22, 2008, 11:54:16 am
I'm Back and the Shadow-bolt is excellent. Maje did a brilliant job
Title: Re: Project: Crusade
Post by: madaboutgames on June 22, 2008, 06:43:58 pm
I agree totally, At the end of the day you are making the campiagn for people to play, and that person will most likely have the normal tbp installed.  So if everyone who made campaigns and missions stuck to using the same tables and freded their way around it then there would be no compatibilty issues as we are all using the same version to test and play. :)

My two cents :)
Title: Re: Project: Crusade
Post by: terran_emperor on June 22, 2008, 07:45:48 pm
This has been said to death but "MOD SELECTION TAB ON THE INSTALLER"

I'll try and get a demo done before August
Title: Re: Project: Crusade
Post by: 0rph3u5 on June 23, 2008, 10:51:14 am
"MOD SELECTION TAB ON THE INSTALLER"

Spread the word, brother!
Title: Re: Project: Crusade
Post by: emi_100 on August 19, 2008, 06:01:03 pm
Quote
I'll try and get a demo done before August

any updates?  :)
Title: Re: Project: Crusade
Post by: Topgun on August 19, 2008, 06:48:56 pm
release dates are meaningless here. just wait until it's done.
Title: Re: Project: Crusade
Post by: emi_100 on August 20, 2008, 12:26:47 pm
Quote
release dates are meaningless here. just wait until it's done.

.... :doubt: ....
I just ask for updates, because nobody post nothing for a while  :nervous:
I hope this project isn't dead.. or dying.
Title: Re: Project: Crusade
Post by: terran_emperor on August 20, 2008, 01:13:01 pm
Its still alive...Just kind of on hold due to graphics errors on my computer - i need to buy a completely new graphics card for my computer - And some life problems - but those are private.

FRED works fine. But my graphic card has decided it cant handle the games too well

I'm designing the missions on paper. Then FREDing them when i have the patience.

My biggest problem other than my graphics card and life woes is that my modelling skills are limited to Reskins, POF hacks (Changing path, etc, data in POF files) and TBL hacks. So I need modelers. Otherwise im going to have to borrow models from other FS campaigns. Unfortunatly i dont have the clout to get a team together

I may do an Anti-Drahk campaign ive got in the planning stages as an artistic prelude and storyline sidequel. May include hints towards the Project crusade storyline.

Cant really do much until i get back on to a permanent Internet conection