Hard Light Productions Forums
Hosted Projects - Standalone => The Babylon Project => Public Development => Topic started by: emi_100 on November 01, 2011, 04:52:24 pm
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This main topic will be for updates of the implementation of a new lens flare effect just like in the serie.
This is LightWave (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LightWave_3D)'s lens flare, used on the B5's CGI, and an ingame scene.
B5's CGI==>(http://29.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lmb4lggCXV1qf2rwdo1_500.png) - Ingame==>(http://img513.imageshack.us/img513/5617/screen0072.jpg)
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Ok. Problems here.
I have the Lightwave's lens flare textures. There are 16, TBP only use 7. So I modify the stars.tbl because i want to add more textures for the effect (corona00*.dds) but got the next error when lauch the game.
stars.tbl(line 259:
Error: Missing required token: [$FlareGlow1:]. Found [$FlareTexture7: corona007] instead.
Any advice?
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Yeah nobody can help you unless we see the tbl in question.
Have you made sure it conforms to this (http://www.hard-light.net/wiki/index.php/Stars.tbl) spec?
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It's attached.
I modify the "SunWhite".
[attachment deleted by a basterd]
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IIRC, you're limited to 6 textures and 10 glows. That's why it looks for a glow or the end of the file after reading "$Flaretexture6:". This isn't mentioned on the wiki, but the limitation existed when I was making lens flares, and I'm pretty sure it still does now.
If someone else can confirm this I'll mention it on the relevant bits of the stars.tbl page.
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ohh..
So there is no way I can add more textures?
is it imposible? is a Freespace 2 engine limitation?
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Yes, that's what "limitation" means.
There are 2 ways around this. One slightly decreases quality, and the other is an ugly hack.
1) You could optimize your lens flare. Get rid of the glows that are almost unnoticeable and leave the obvious ones until you have 10 glows and 10 textures. Then, use the same texture for glows that look similar enough to be indistinguishable. You'll need to get down to 10 glows and 6 textures but it should look OK.
2) This is a horrible suggestion and FREDders will hate you for it but you could use two separate stars. Get rid of three of the textures- I know you can do that- so you have 12 textures and 15 glows. Take the first 6 textures and (anywhere between 5 and 10) glows and leave them on the SunWhite that you have already. Then take the remaining textures and glows, and put them on a new invisible star entry (by invisible, I mean use a blank texture and no glare). The result should be identical to the effect you have now, except that it works. FREDders would have to place the two stars in the same location which makes this nonintuitive and less than ideal.
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Thanks for all the info and the sarcasm :)
Here are some results. It's not finish of course.
(http://img42.imageshack.us/img42/5931/screen0067.th.jpg) (http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/42/screen0067.jpg/)
(the image have some noise fx add)
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Here are updates. I think it's final.
(http://img696.imageshack.us/img696/7613/screen0071.th.jpg) (http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/696/screen0071.jpg/)
(http://img9.imageshack.us/img9/2816/screen0070.th.jpg) (http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/9/screen0070.jpg/)
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Main post update with comparison between B5's CGI and in game fx.
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Now for the real question. What the heck do we do with it. There are at least 3 possibilities:
-First is a direct replacement via Zathras. Not too sure this is a good idea as existing missions may want the no-flare version.
-Second is an additional entry in stars.tbl that can just be selected by the Fredder. This would require any released missions where the designer wants to use it to update those missions.
-Third is to stick it in with the high poly stuff as new content.
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I think that a direct replacement (perhaps along with the new sun bitmap) should be the way to go. I don't know why would anyone use the no-flare version, nor do I recall missions in which it could be a problem.
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I vote second option Fub.
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I second option two
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Some more pics
(http://img4.imageshack.us/img4/9936/screen0089e.th.jpg) (http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/4/screen0089e.jpg/)
(http://img585.imageshack.us/img585/8828/screen0087.th.jpg) (http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/585/screen0087.jpg/)
(http://img829.imageshack.us/img829/5214/screen0075.th.jpg) (http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/829/screen0075.jpg/)
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Just an other screen..
(https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-7Ph_6MtZiJA/T4rCbZQT-cI/AAAAAAAAAFE/Bdsr9FvWdoM/s1024/screen0036.jpg)
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Spot on! :yes:
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Nice job. Seems the Babylon 5 model also has changed. :yes:
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Spot on!
Nice job
Thanks guys.
Seems the Babylon 5 model also has changed
Yes, it's from Homeworld 2 mod. I'm working on glow maps, results are promising. Now we can name it "a shining beacon in space". Screens soon.
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Seems the Babylon 5 model also has changed
Yes, it's from Homeworld 2 mod. I'm working on glow maps, results are promising. Now we can name it "a shining beacon in space". Screens soon.
Just a question : did you asked Cnl_Pepper or the team before using the B5 model ?
Edit : seems that you had permission from Pepper :)
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That new lens flare really adds a Babylon 5ish theme to any mission.