Hard Light Productions Forums
Community Projects => The FreeSpace Upgrade Project => Topic started by: Fury on October 04, 2009, 12:07:11 pm
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I think shivans getting their own unique flak effect would be kind of cool. Something reddish that is typical to them. :) This way you could also distinguish between friendly and hostile flak before you fly into it. :p
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That would certainly be interesting.
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Certainly would, yes. :yes:
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Maybe something like the Vishnans shoot in Blue Planet only in red perhaps?
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^_^
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Nighteyes' stuff?
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^_^
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I think shivans getting their own unique flak effect would be kind of cool. Something reddish that is typical to them. :) This way you could also distinguish between friendly and hostile flak before you fly into it. :p
Red is a bit over-done for Shivans. I mean, in FS1 IIRC they canonically had some more orangish shots, and the mediavps gives them some purple aspects...
I would concentrate on making it look different, shape/animation wise, more than color-wise, if anyone is going to do this.
Maybe a whole bunch of mini-blasts in the animation, going off in sequence (but fast, like a chain of firecrackers. But unlike firecrackers, not in a chain, position-wise)...
Also, one thing to note, this would require more duplicating of weapons.tbl entries, and reassigning them to the shivan ships.
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I like the idea of using "alien" colors for it, even if not red. After all, color is more easily perceived from distance, if you want to make the effect stand out.
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The green copper flame here might be a cool place to start, though strontium says Shivan to me too. Agreed that it might be nice to have something Shivan that isn't red though.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d8hpUtRnsYc&feature=related
Edit: Though a take on the pure transparent blue alcohol burn might be a cool way to reinvent the weapon--sort of a bursting bubbles of semi-viscous energy, Greek Fire in space thing.
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Maybe something like dark flak with orange lightning in it?
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bright blueish white flash followed by a red electrical disturbance
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I vote for greenish/copper.
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Green-copper.
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Oh yess copper flak.
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^_^
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Maybe something like this?
(http://i104.photobucket.com/albums/m173/c914/flack_shivan.jpg)
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:eek2: Yeah, I really like that
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Y'know, I really like the idea of a Shivan flak effect, but the 'ball of energy' thing is...hrm. We at least need to keep the same sound effect. The Vishnan flak in Blue Planet followed the ball of energy model, and it lost a lot of its intimidation because it didn't have the same presence as regular flak.
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^_^
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Yeah, but I don't think we want the Shivans coming across as a bunch of fey little pixies waving their wands.
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Just had a random thought.
If you really go for an energybased flak, maybe you could do a soundeffekt like the seismis bomb from Star Wars Ep 3.... of course without the complete silence in the beginning of the explosion.
That would sound pretty threatening I guess....
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Maybe something like this?
(http://i104.photobucket.com/albums/m173/c914/flack_shivan.jpg)
:doubt:
AWESOMESAUCESAGE :jaw:
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bright blueish white flash followed by a red electrical disturbance
I like that...
(http://i104.photobucket.com/albums/m173/c914/flack_shivan.jpg)
But that as well :eek:
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That's not bad at all. But I think the colouring doesn't look unfriendly enough yet.
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Very pretty, but unnecessary. Unlike missiles, flak is just represented by a bunch of explosions. I don't see any reason to differentiate it from Terran and Vasudan flak. And if you do, you might as well be consistent and make new Shivan explosion and shockwave effects.
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Red Shockwave is done, it would be great if you could integrate it into Mediavps (and orange shockwave for Vasudans when we're at it). Different explosions for Shivan flak would help the player in distinguishing between enemy is firing at them and thieir own flak barrage, not to mention it looking really cool. As for proposed effect, I like it, it looks Shivan and would fit as flak effect.
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it would also be nice if the shivan flak lasted a lot longer and left a red haze
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^_^
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bright blueish white flash followed by a red electrical disturbance
I like that...
[awsome pic of the flack esploding]
But that as well :eek:
It also looks like a depiction of the big bang.
maybe our univese IS a shivan flak shot...
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The big bang was an explosion of space, not an explosion in space.
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^_^
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Too much sparkle.
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Well, considering that the Shivans have technology more advanced than the GTVA, they could have added something else into their flak shots so it looks "magical"? Slightly different effects from normal flak?
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Holy ****, it's NeoHunter!
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^_^
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Maybe something more organic, like a blood or acid splatter effect, no cloud at all, just liquid spreading.
edit: no wait.. IIt might look awful.
edit 2: for the sake of all that's right and good in the universe, corrected typo. thnks High Max.
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^_^
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Too... regular. Needs uneveness.
Also greeness.
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For what it's worth, I vote against green flak for shivans. Would look weird. Some kind of energy effect, sure, but why green?
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I don't understand the need to differentiate the flak myself. An explosion is an explosion.
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An explosion is an explosion.
But materials from wich explosion started ain't.
About my concept, i've add few things that it won't look too magician. Wait for full animation ;7
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hmm maybe ill also give a shot at a shivan flak effect... personally i would like it to be red\purple colors... well see :)
and, is this thing going to be in the mediavps? as it doesn't sound too canon...
btw the idea of colored shockwaves for each faction sounds disgusting :P
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btw the idea of colored shockwaves for each faction sounds disgusting :P
Whaa? I love that idea, I grow tired of seeing blue explotion waves everywhere.
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Maybe something like this?
*img*
SPARKLE MAGIC!
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btw the idea of colored shockwaves for each faction sounds disgusting :P
Whaa? I love that idea, I grow tired of seeing blue explotion waves everywhere.
as some people have already stated about the explosion, an explosion is just an explosion, BUT it can look different because of different substance exploding...
a shockwave is a shockwave, no other way around it :P although I do agree the current shockwave looks kind of dated, and the colores are way too bright IMO, and for that matter I already made a new shockwave for ED, looks pretty nice IMO :)
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BUT it can look different because of different substance exploding...
Yes, it can look different, but I'm saying that it can look the same; therefore, there's no good reason to change it. Contrast this to missiles, where it's impossible for Shivans to use missiles that are obviously of Terran construction, sometimes even with English labels on them.
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Here is gif with animated sparks:
(http://i104.photobucket.com/albums/m173/c914/siv_explosion.gif)
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^_^
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Nope it is just end part of explosion.
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Custom flak effects and/or explosions for each species: :yes:
Custom shockwaves for each species: :no:
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^_^
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About the earlier discussion...
What the hell? Green Shivans? I don't think I've been more opposed to anything more than this!
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About the earlier discussion...
What the hell? Green Shivans? I don't think I've been more opposed to anything more than this!
You forgot about the rainbow Lucifer with rainbow beams then. :P
Pink Shivans...yellow Shivans...purple Shivans...white Shivans...
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I think that explosion is too slow (even being just half of the total animation) and too regular... try something less "circle" shaped
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Eh... it doesn't move smoothly. I mean, not only is the animation too slow and the frames too far apart, but the stuff in the frames doesn't move right on a frame-by-frame basis.
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I'd like to point out that what you see above is an animated GIF. The concept executed in DDS/EFF would likely look much much different.
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Where exactly is Nighteye's version?
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Why all the hate for green Shivans?
I want you all to turn off glowmaps in the Launcher with the normal Media VPs loaded, and go fight a Basilisk. You'll see a lot of green on the black of that ship.
Same with the Manticore (not as much), and hell, even the SF Scorpion (moreso than the Manticore, and possibly even the Basilisk).
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/me points out this thread: http://www.hard-light.net/forums/index.php?topic=63981.msg1261415
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The original picture "decomposed."
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(http://www.descent2.com/games/freespace/pics/ogr_capital.jpg)
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Back on topic, could someone please post Nighteyes' version?
An animated .gif, some still images, or an attachment, just SOMETHING please, all this discussion is confusing as hell considering I have no idea what Nighteyes' version looks like.
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^_^
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That doesn't look very Shivan. It looks very much like normal flak, just a longer-lasting effect.
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^_^
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I like Nighteye's effect too, but the point it isn't unique or strange like most Shivan things are.
Also, different metal salts produce different colored flames, as shown by that video, so there can be a differece in appearance in something as simple as a flak burst. The availability of a certain metal over another. Maybe Shivans have access to copper-rich (for green) or strontium-rich (for red) salts for their explosives or something, where as T/V only have access to the standard fare?
Color you can always justify like that.
Now if the Shivans have energy flak (not going to try to think of how - it's SCIENCE!), then that would explain something that doesn't even remotely look like an explosion.
Also: Rule of Cool.
EDIT: Yeah. Color, regardless if they're both energy flak or both not energy flak.
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Ohhhh, that. I saw that a while ago, and commented on the youtube video that the smoke lingered too long and that it didn't have the rapidly-expanding-ball-of-shrapnel look.
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^_^
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Wow that second one does kinda have that Shivan feel to it... at least that's my opinion
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Indeed. Would have to be redone completely in order to be usable, though.
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Yay! Something like the second one there would be great. All this is hardly worth the trouble (and possible bugs) if the effect isn't different enough.
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I'd like to express, again, my concern about this. The Vishnan flak effect in Blue Planet, while cool, is not particularly menacing when you're being shot by it. It lacks the visceral oomph and flaming sense of danger of the regular flak. This effect looks rather similar, a cousin in the 'pixie flak' field.
If the sound effect is kept the same I think that would probably help, though.
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Why all the hate for green Shivans?
Red is still predominant as a color. The green is very faint on most ships except the Asmodeus. Seriously, green flak everywhere would look horrid coming from a Shivan ship. Just my opinion.
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And another concept of explosion, this time waved orb:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r4MOAb8Q_1E
Original looks much better, specialy end part.
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looks like fireworks, maybe a little more flame or color would help.
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A bit more flame and some more motion to particles:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u8q9Wj1_Tqs
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^_^
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I like it but it still doesn't feel threatening, you might have to add more motion and make the animation a little longer to achieve this, still I think you might be on the right track.
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^_^
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(http://www.scientificamerican.com/media/inline/14CA5506-CD07-B603-B283EAA4DA8C9C11_1.jpg)
This one please.
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Ooo, that gave me an idea.
It sort of resembles this one attack animation in a 2d fighting game (Touhou 12.3, to be specific), used by the vampire chick. Of course, that's irrelevant...
Anywho, it's like a bunch of simultaneous bloody-red slices through space.
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^_^
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This would be a complete deviation from what we're talking about, but what about:
(http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3106/2296083143_3e018e32b0.jpg?v=0)
Except with bits of purple and red, and it kind of sparks in and fades out?
Also, c914, I think a way you could make the explosion look less friendly is to speed up the expansion phase a lot, so it's like an airbag going Foomph and fading out slowly after that. Otherwise, it looks like you have some odd effect blooming peacefully in front of you that is ripping you to pieces.
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SPARKLE MAGIC!
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^_^
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It's a beautiful subspace energy fire cracker.
Oh my, that's very nice... OH GOD! MY EYES! THE GOGGLES, THEY DO NOTHING!!!
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Blue subspacey sparkley explotion thingy anyone?
(http://www.majhost.com/gallery/Retsof/Freespace/sflak.gif)
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I'd like to express, again, my concern about this. The Vishnan flak effect in Blue Planet, while cool, is not particularly menacing when you're being shot by it. It lacks the visceral oomph and flaming sense of danger of the regular flak. This effect looks rather similar, a cousin in the 'pixie flak' field.
If the sound effect is kept the same I think that would probably help, though.
I'll add:
This effect needs to be an angrier, more chemical/harsh version of regular flak, not something out of Star Trek. If Battlestar Galactica taught us anything, it's that people aren't scared of lasers and pew pew and Subspace Inversion Cataclysm Flak, they're scared of stuff with punch.
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Blue subspacey sparkley explotion thingy anyone?
(http://www.majhost.com/gallery/Retsof/Freespace/sflak.gif)
Not Shivan or eyecandy enough.
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^_^
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Blue subspacey sparkley explotion thingy anyone?
(http://www.majhost.com/gallery/Retsof/Freespace/sflak.gif)
Not Shivan or eyecandy enough.
Meh, someone will probly find a use for it.
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I think this effect would work very well for ancients/vishnans.
Maybe something for the rework of Blue Planet AoA and BP 3 (assuming Vishnans will be part of BP 3)?
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It's only green if it is oxidized (rusted) like the reasons that the statue of liberty is green and insects having green copper-based blood. It would look strange with that color. It makes no sense to ever change the color of flak. How about grey for Shivans though?
If it is energy based flak, it would make sense if the cannons were using some micron-sized pellets of matter/anti-matter, and when they hit each other after being fired out, you get explosions.
If someone wants to get really creative and create an all new FS weapon, how about making a strange matter cannon. Using strange quarks combined into a mass that if fired, will alter the shape of any ship it touches into some type of goo and then explode. Like melting plastic with flames on it. It wouldn't be possible to make that effect with the FSO engine though.
This is incorrect. The color a metal is when it is oxidized is the same color as the flame it gives off during combustion. I knew AP Chem would help me somewhere. Who thought it would be on a virtual forum about a non-existent universe....lol
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Red-orange, or possibly orange-red booms please!
Shivan boom should be at least vaguely similar to other Shivan weaponry.
The hard-sparked red-orange boom style quoted by Droid803 and suggested by High Max gets my vote.
Needs work to turn it into an actual explosion though.
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The semi-recent addition of purple to the shivan color scheme (by the mediavps weapon upgrades) actually isn't that bad...
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Red-orange, or possibly orange-red booms please!
Shivan boom should be at least vaguely similar to other Shivan weaponry.
The hard-sparked red-orange boom style quoted by Droid803 and suggested by High Max gets my vote.
Needs work to turn it into an actual explosion though.
<Thaeris endorses this message. :yes:>
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Maybe you can use some variation of this: http://www.mediafire.com/?eelikymtahz
It will of course have to be enhanced to mediavps quality, but would make a good starting point (it's from old BSG TOS mod by Raptor).
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Maybe you can use some variation of this: http://www.mediafire.com/?eelikymtahz
It will of course have to be enhanced to mediavps quality, but would make a good starting point (it's from old BSG TOS mod by Raptor).
:wtf:
Someone made a BSG TOS mod for FS way back when? When did that happen?
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Link to original release thread should be here: http://www.hard-light.net/forums/index.php?topic=61425.msg1212828#msg1212828
Working download link should be later in the same thread.
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This is really off-topic, but it would be really nice if someone would/could compile a listing of incomplete mods and TCs for the Wiki. I searched for Imperial Alliance therein and found nothing whatsoever... This might be a good request to bring up in the Wiki Project board.
Anyhoo, don't mind me... :nervous:
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Imperial Alliance is a separate branch of the FreeSpace 2 engine which was never part of the SCP. It was a Star Wars game using the FS2 engine.
In theory, the SCP plans to merge it into FS2_Open eventually.
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I really like the green flak effect from something my old notes tell me was called "Boomers Flak Pack", for the Shivans... add some EMP, and you're set :) .
Once I get my old backups sorted and achtung gets FSMods to have working uploads again, I could upload that pack as I think it's quite useful. (no need for achtung to hurry, it's pretty likely that I'll need more time than he... :nervous: )
The contents of the pack were a red, a green and a blue flak effect.
I dunno if that "Boomer" is still active, but I certainly have to thank him for improving my FS experience a good deal :cool: :yes: .
And as for why I took the green version instead of the red one:
1) In FS1 cutscenes, Lucy isn't all red.
2) Wasn't there some green in the original maps for the FS1 Shivan fighters??
3) A bit more colour diversity looks a good deal cooler :) . (though rainbow-effects would certainly be overdoing it)
4) I like it that that way the flak is discernible from all those Shivan laser blobs flying around.
P.S.: Sorry for necromancing :shaking: . I hope that info was at least partially worth it :nervous: .
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Alright, I'd like to revisit this topic because getting a shivan flak effect for next mediavps would be great.
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Having just read the topic.
A new effect for them out be great, however, arriving at a conclusion seems difficult at this moment.
The effects contains in this thread all have great potential, I like the energy concept. But they do look a little pixie-y... so turning down the colour to one or two at most, shrinking the size and setting off groups of them as if it was firing, instead of looking at one blown up version. Could be more beneficial.
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Maybe Nighteyes could try making such an effect.
Also, I was thinking about something like a Cordi Flak from WoD, just recolored.