Hard Light Productions Forums
Hosted Projects - FS2 Required => Dimensional Eclipse => Topic started by: Droid803 on August 15, 2012, 10:08:05 pm
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Once upon a somewhere someone asked me if I would ever replace the BP ships or whatnot in DE with something else. I kind of said something along the lines of "no, not really unless someone made them for me and they have the exact same turret layout so they're drop in replacements because they don't really bother me". But I realized something - it did bother me, but for a different reason. You see, I'm still using Steve-O's original model with the fifty billion textures for the pre-refit version and it makes me want to blow out my brains every time I look at the maps folder...
So while I was thinking of a way to "fix" that - I tried baking everything onto one map, but it didn't exactly turn out nicely at all...not to mention the horrendous amount of work required to re-rig all the turrets from scratch while lagging like hell because of the texture instance data etc...
This happened.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v423/kc1991/NeoNaraWIp4.png)
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v423/kc1991/NeoNaraNaked.png)
Yeah this is exactly what it looks like.
I'm re-building the Commonwealth Tethys-class Armored Artillery Cruiser, as it's pretty much the most prominent Commonwealth vessel, and having it share a model with BP's UEFg Narayana while being in a *totally different universe* is a bit offputting, as some people have noted. This is a rebuild of it along the lines of Aesaar's Vengeance-Pattern GTCv Diomedes, designed to be a drop-in replacement while offering visual distinction. This will also allow me to make a pre-refit version somewhere down the line and phase out the horribly resource inefficient non-optimized version. I don't intend this to look "better" than the Narayana, I'm pretty sure that's just not possible. But I want it to look *different*.
An effort has been made to keep things more or less visually consistent while being a completely different model. Emphasis has been placed on a more robust, armored look. Key inspriations come from the original Narayana/Tethis (obviously, as it must have the same turret configuration to not break existing missions), and the Zann Consortium's Aggressor-class Destroyer from Star Wars: Empire at War - Forces of Corruption (http://images3.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb57524/starwars/images/8/80/Aggressor_destroyer.jpg). It's basically what would happen if the two had a bastard child, both of them being ships with the BIG GUN BIG FUN mentality.
No, I did not copy any parts from the original, I modelled this from scratch. Yes, it's rather similar. No, I don't care - it kind of has to be. "come up with something yourself dammit" - well I did - the rotators - you can tell because they have trilateral symmetry. Yes **** it everything original I make has trilateral symmetry SUE ME.
Is this an abomination I should abort immediately?
Even if you say so right now I'd probably keep working on it because I blew my "day off" on it >.>
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Well it's certainly not going to be an abomination unless you keep that colour scheme, which I'm sure you won't do. Those guns in particular look pretty awesome. As you said it does resemble the Narayana but in my opinion it looks different enough; it will certainly fit well with the Impervious, depending on how you texture it.
One thing that I'm confused about, though - those pink parts (which in the second image are moved out the way), do they cover the mint-green parts that appear to be the rotators you mentioned?
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Yeah they are an armor brace that goes around the habitation modules (because otherwise they're a huge vulnerability :P )
They rotators are sized so they can rotate freely within the brace.
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I think it looks pretty good!
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This will have the same in-game performance?
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...that's actually pretty hot. I like the tougher and more utilitarian look.
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But I realized something - it did bother me, but for a different reason. You see, I'm still using Steve-O's original model with the fifty billion textures for the pre-refit version and it makes me want to blow out my brains every time I look at the maps folder...
And why are you using it instead of Esarai's nuRayana ?
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He probably enjoys a challenge. :p
The ship looks nice, though I personally find the Krayt Aggressor Class cannon armor a little... out of place, could be a little more interesting (some holes, tubes that carry coolants in case of overheats or something could be neat to break up the blandness.) I am sure you can come up with more ideas. :nod:
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And why are you using it instead of Esarai's nuRayana ?
He's not using it instead, he's using it along with the new model. There are two versions of this ship flying around in DE.
Regarding the model, I like it. The rotators seems a bit small (I really liked the big, vertical ones), but that's about it.
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If people can't handle public assets they have bigger problems than the texture overload. :p
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But I realized something - it did bother me, but for a different reason. You see, I'm still using Steve-O's original model with the fifty billion textures for the pre-refit version and it makes me want to blow out my brains every time I look at the maps folder...
And why are you using it instead of Esarai's nuRayana ?
I am using the optimized one >.>
I'm using a kitbash of Steve-O's original as the re-refit version (read: No artillery guns version), and rather than re-kitbash the optimized version thus requiring me to edit the textures and UVs anyway I figured it'd take about as much time to make a new model from scratch, seeing as then I'd be able to work with an untriangulated mesh, and start the texture from scratch and thus have a "source" file and not have to play around trying to get things to look right from an existing flattened texture (which is annoying). The main issue is that I can't remove an AO bake from the existing texture so that there won't be phantom shadows, which means I have to texture from scratch anyway, which means I might as well make a model from scratch and get something a bit more unique because texturing is the -=PAIN IN THE ASS=- part.
Regarding the model, I like it. The rotators seems a bit small (I really liked the big, vertical ones), but that's about it.
The rotators are small for two reasons:
1) So that it fits inside the armor brace without having to make the brace wtfhuge
2) so that AI fighters won't get mangled by it
He probably enjoys a challenge. :p
The ship looks nice, though I personally find the Krayt Aggressor Class cannon armor a little... out of place, could be a little more interesting (some holes, tubes that carry coolants in case of overheats or something could be neat to break up the blandness.) I am sure you can come up with more ideas. :nod:
Hm...I'll see if I can make the armor a bit less flat an bland, but I think that will probably come from the texture more than anything else.
This will have the same in-game performance?
It must have by necessity.
I'm not going to massively edit every mission with it in it to make sure they're still balanced.
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This model is sweeet
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I love Agressor-inspired one as much as I loved original Agressor. Nice work
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Just UVmapping it now so have a comparison shot
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v423/kc1991/NeoNaraCompare.png)
UVmapping is at about 70%
AndrewofDoom will be texturing it to make sure its somewhat consistent with the FT FF Impervious' style (as he textured that one as well). Unless he bails out on me in which case he'll never hear the end of it. *nag mode engaged*
After that I'll be working on the pre-refit version, the Tethys-class Command Carrier (this might have the big rotators back, and the armor plating stripped off, and the big guns replaced with launch catapults)
Should I make the over-armor destructible? Might not look strange though.
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Y u no p3d.
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p3d when I get home okay? I'm at work and this was a render from last night right after I merged everything for UVmapping. XD
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Should I make the over-armor destructible? Might not look strange though.
Partially. I was thinking something along the lines of pre-modelled holes that could be blown open. The piece is too big to be destructible as a whole.
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http://p3d.in/pqj2y
p3d of it, missing a bunch of turrets but sue me too lazy to put them back I don't need them for UVing.
**** why is it have to be obj
max obj exporter is derp and rotated it like a moron
so rotate it yourself LoLolAOlOloloL!!11!!1oneoneone1!
also seems to hate my two ****ing booleans
i hate obj
in comparison the dae looks fine, so ****ing obj. or max obj exporter.
one is ****. i donno which and i don't care
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looks quite good :yes:
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Well, I've shipped it off to AndrewofDoom to texture while I work on debris and -destroyed subobjects.
Next update should come from him...(or from me when it's done if he doesn't post any WIPs).
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I definitely like what I'm seeing so far.
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So,
the king of all lolicons Droid803 has handed the new Tethys for me to texture. I've been working on and off on it for a while. Here's what I have so far. (http://p3d.in/Bi5sW) You may want to note that most of the middle to the rear of the ship isn't really complete.
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so... is there a way to activate the texture view? I'm kinda lost here.
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If you're probably having the problem I am, go to the shader selection on the middle left of the screen and select Shadeless underneath it.
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Ahh, now I see.
The texture looks well on track. I like the selection of colors there, nice blue/grey combo.
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I see textures on both the top and the shadeless section. However, the textures look much better shadeless because the shaded one is too shiny and too metallic. I'm gonna assume the shaded one is not gonna be in-game.
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That renderer is completely different from the one FSO uses (not to mention not very good overall).
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The Shaded version has all the smoothgroups missing or something, I guess it borked during conversion.
meanwhile, I've been working on the pre-refit version that doesn't have the heavy armor or artillery-type weapons (and is a carrier-type ship), figured to go a bit more closely with the original for this.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v423/kc1991/neoOLDnarwiPb.png)
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Will it have working bay doors? Also, what's inside the frontal armor?
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Nothing, just a flat deck as a launch catapult, pretty much.
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This one might actually make a good pre-refit Narayana for the BP universe, ironically.
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You'd probably have to change the engine block and rotators to the original Nara's though since the refit was to change it from "heavy" Frigate to "Artillery" Frigate.
On a topical remark, ship's looking well.
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This one might actually make a good pre-refit Narayana for the BP universe, ironically.
That'd be an interesting twist.
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How'd I miss this? That thing brilliant. It still feels like a Narayana, but you've put your own twist on it and it just plain works. Well done.
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How'd I miss this? That thing brilliant. It still feels like a Narayana, but you've put your own twist on it and it just plain works. Well done.
Shameful creature! How can you not see this? I mean this is right below the BP board!
This one might actually make a good pre-refit Narayana for the BP universe, ironically.
It sure won't be textured to fit in with what the UEF has though.
Though, I think I'm pretty much done now (http://p3d.in/apxsI) with the block 2.
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The blue adds a really nice touch to it. :p
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Why did you put windows on armor plates I don't even.
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Because the aggressor destroyer had them (The cannons were built into a "block" of the hull) on this new model it looks strange because there's no "Hull" for the crew quarters to be, and gives the impression that the crew must be made of dwarfs or those guns are multi-kilometers in length. :p
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Shameful creature! How can you not see this? I mean this is right below the BP board!
I know. I don't know what to say. *hangs head in shame*
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This one might actually make a good pre-refit Narayana for the BP universe, ironically.
Actually, I'm thinking it looks more like a GTVA-ified version of the Narayana design. Heavier Armor, less bits sticking out, that kind of stuff.
Must. Stop. Making up Canon....
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I was speaking about this one (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v423/kc1991/neoOLDnarwiPb.png), not this one (http://p3d.in/pqj2y)
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meanwhile, I've been working on the pre-refit version that doesn't have the heavy armor or artillery-type weapons (and is a carrier-type ship), figured to go a bit more closely with the original for this.
Ooer...what a looker.
(Incidentally, I was floating around an idea for a carrier variant Narayana a couple of years ago but I didn't progress beyond removing the artillery gun submodels and adding new bay paths)
Oh! Here's an idea. Having smaller mass drivers at the tips of the forward hull segments, Karuna-style. That way you still get the signature forward firepower as well as have room for the launch bay.
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I was speaking about this one (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v423/kc1991/neoOLDnarwiPb.png), not this one (http://p3d.in/pqj2y)
Oh, right. Derp. In that particular case though, I kinda dislike the new engine section there. Not that it's bad or anything, or that it doesn't fit for the other models posted here, I just think that in terms of fluff, why would they have to replace the entire engine section as well as the front hull?
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Alright are we talking BP or Ashen Wings now. I be confus.
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Oh! Here's an idea. Having smaller mass drivers at the tips of the forward hull segments, Karuna-style. That way you still get the signature forward firepower as well as have room for the launch bay.
Droid likes the 'staggered' gun layout of this ship, actually. So not sure if he'd want to go for what LAGGYSHIP's* full gun layout was with full MD railguns blasting at the front and stub wings.
*Block-One Tethys
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So the new Tethys is now in game wheeeeeeeee. (Okay that's the block 3 being shown in the screenshot but it's close enough).
(https://dl.dropbox.com/u/17350885/frees2-20120823-005304.png)
Oi! time for you to get to work Destiny. :p
Oh! Here's an idea. Having smaller mass drivers at the tips of the forward hull segments, Karuna-style. That way you still get the signature forward firepower as well as have room for the launch bay.
(http://i13.photobucket.com/albums/a263/Royous/FreeSpace/OhWhatsThis.png)
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(http://i1210.photobucket.com/albums/cc415/dariusbei/love.gif)
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Get a load of this sexy beast (http://p3d.in/IFWer/shadeless) boys!
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that is pretty awesome
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Oi! time for you to get to work Destiny. :p
I will fool around then
(http://i728.photobucket.com/albums/ww286/TSADestiny/TricolorTethys.png)
(http://i728.photobucket.com/albums/ww286/TSADestiny/Zuikaku.png)
Super-splat anime anyone?
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I still hold the argument that the front section must have dwarfs living in the armor :p
Or Shivan wannabe robots :nervous:
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Hmm, those windows on the armor skirt do look somewhat out of place.
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Okay, not the best render but it gets the message across
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v423/kc1991/suzecom.jpg)
Red box is human-sized (it's actually bigger than the average human at 2 meters tall)
I wouldn't want to be standing near those windows during a firefight, but doesn't need to be a midget to fit in a corridor in there.
The armor is pretty thick.
Also the front end looks really bland without something glowy there.
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You could put a nameplate there...
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Hey, great idea. A fancy nameplate would look much better than windows in there. While there's enough space inside for a human, keep in mind that there are better ways to use internal space in an armor plate.
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Humans are a renewable source of bullet sponges. Just ask the Soviet Union or the Imperium of Man.
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So my other theory abour the ship being gigantic was the right one, heh.
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Okay, not the best render but it gets the message across
/snip/
Red box is human-sized (it's actually bigger than the average human at 2 meters tall)
I wouldn't want to be standing near those windows during a firefight, but doesn't need to be a midget to fit in a corridor in there.
The armor is pretty thick.
Also the front end looks really bland without something glowy there.
It is just big enough for rooms or compartments with their ceilings as the windows... so maybe the red shirts can have their quarters there. :drevil:
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Ah, now I see. The redshirts themselves are the armor.
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You could put a nameplate there...
The nameplate is on the lower armor plate. Double nameplate would look really dumb :P
And moving the nameplate would make the bottom piece even more bland than the top one.
So my other theory abour the ship being gigantic was the right one, heh.
Ship is the same size the Narayana is. (it's ~1.8km long), so yes it is pretty big.
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You could put a nameplate there...
The nameplate is on the lower armor plate. Double nameplate would look really dumb :P
And moving the nameplate would make the bottom piece even more bland than the top one.
How about a second nameplate type texture for a quote, UEF logo, ships logo, or something like that?
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You could just put 'em all into a single nameplate, you know.
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You could put a nameplate there...
The nameplate is on the lower armor plate. Double nameplate would look really dumb :P
And moving the nameplate would make the bottom piece even more bland than the top one.
How about a second nameplate type texture for a quote, UEF logo, ships logo, or something like that?
This is a warship not an advertisement :P
(plus I like having some sort of glowmap-based thing there, even if it were to change I'd still keep it being some glowy doohicky like on the Narayana (who the hell knows what those things are).
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What's wrong with a glowing emblem?
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Only the Frames should have 'em.
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Leave that glow as it is now. It looks good and without it, it would lost it's Agressor feel... And of course - Rule of Cool.
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And all done. (http://p3d.in/Jd1NL)
What other terrible things is Droid going to toss at me next? =P
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Do the bay doors work?
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And all done. (http://p3d.in/Jd1NL)
What other terrible things is Droid going to toss at me next? =P
:eek: That is incredibly sexy. I love the clean texture.
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(http://imghumour.com/assets/Uploads/Seal-of-approval.jpg)
Very high level of coolness.
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Do the bay doors work?
Yes. They would be rather silly if they didn't. XD
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Neat :yes:
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Given that the Narayana's original doors (on the original model) barley let a Kent in, I expected them to stay closed.
Nice model, such a shame they all are colored like redshirts :P , gleeful work.
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Oh that is all kinds of sexy
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(http://i728.photobucket.com/albums/ww286/TSADestiny/Carrier2.png)
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Do want!
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Testing out the nameplate on the Block 1
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v423/kc1991/Imperator.jpg)
Expect a release soon, after we conclude a few more tests to see what is broken and what isn't etc...
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Hnnnng. Any plans to replace the Karuna?
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I'm afraid to overwork poor AndrewofDoom here.
Plus the Karuna has an optimized model, so it's fairly low-priority to get to. The reason the Tethys was high priority was because the pre-refit version used a whopping 40+ textures (it would literally cut the FPS on my old machine when it warped in by half), and I might as well replace both for consistency while I was at it.
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Fair enough, just thought that the new style of the Tethys makes the Karuna look slightly out of place now is all.
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(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v423/kc1991/BLACKEPHYRA.jpg)
Fiddling around with the textures for the SpecOps version, notably trying to get proper looking black armor without being invisible. Also shows off the new nameplate, because I figured why not.
The shinemap might need a bit of tweaking still but it's getting there...
Not entirely certain about the white/grey paint striping - there needs to be something but I'm not sure white is the right thing (definitely needs to be something on the light side though, for contrast).
In the perfect world I'd like to get all three ships based off the same hull for a package release but poor AndrewofDoom is a bit overworked :P
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Very much looking forward to this update. Just started DE and it's a blast to play. :D
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Thanks for bumping the four month old development thread for something that's already been released.
(seriously think before you necro)
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To be fair I haven't released the patch for DE which includes these yet!
Been kind of bogged down since university started up again!
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Real life comes first, but there are folks who are definitely interested in that patch. :D