[Backslash]

I figured I'd post this public in case anyone else has stuff they want to discuss.

I love the lab, it's great for testing LOD and looking at ships in a consistent manner.  However, like all good things it can be improved 

First, keyboard commands.  If nothing else, a way to quit (Escape, or something) because if a certain bug happens when I click at the top of the screen 'between' buttons, they vanish, and I can't do anything but alt+tab.  [I'm looking at the code and can't figure why this would happen, but I'm not so experienced with this GUI stuff...]

Other keyboard commands would be useful for positioning the ship, zooming would be nice too.  What would be particularly useful would be a 'jump to this angle' button.  For example, let's say Alt+num4 would jump the camera to the left side view; Alt+num8 would show the ship from the front, etc.  I think this would be very helpful.  Heh, now that I think of it, it'd be a great lazy way to make diagrams for a mod web page or something...

Ideas for later... how about customizable lighting?  At least a way to adjust the intensity of the current lighting, but a way to change the direction would be awesome.  Or even the color

[Nuke]

also perhaps the ability to toggle different maps. to help when making shine env and glow maps. also the ability to load a cube map for testing env.

[DaBrain]

If you're working on the lab, please add debris! That's the only thing really missing.

[taylor]

also perhaps the ability to toggle different maps. to help when making shine env and glow maps.

That's a damn good idea.    I hadn't even thought of that.  I've though of, and/or complained about, everything in Backslash's list, but I didn't really consider this idea before you mentioned it.

also the ability to load a cube map for testing env.

Just make an envmap, name it "cubemap", and it will use that by default.  Such a file already exists in the MediaVPs I think.  To make an envmap, you can either do it by hand, or use the -save_render_target cmdline option to have all envmaps generated by the game be saved to disk.  Then you can just copy/move the cubemap(s) it has created (as data/cache/cubemap*.dds) to data/maps/ and rename one to "cubemap.dds" to use it as the default.

[Nuke]

intresting, i didnt know you could do that.

[Tolwyn]

also the ability to load a cube map for testing env.

Just make an envmap, name it "cubemap", and it will use that by default.  Such a file already exists in the MediaVPs I think.  To make an envmap, you can either do it by hand, or use the -save_render_target cmdline option to have all envmaps generated by the game be saved to disk.  Then you can just copy/move the cubemap(s) it has created (as data/cache/cubemap*.dds) to data/maps/ and rename one to "cubemap.dds" to use it as the default.

It looks damn sexy

[gevatter Lars]

Is this lab thing the alternative view for the techroom? How do I active it? F3 dosn't seam to work.

[Backslash]

Ok, just to clarify... I don't know how to add the keyboard commands myself but once the framework is in place I can learn by example and add more.

Lars, when are you pressing F3?  I've gotten it to work with RC6 no problem, both WCSaga and FS2.  Don't have the techroom open; it should work just from the main menu.

Tolwyn, now you know why I keep going on about it   taylor's solution is great, how it works using the shine maps, instead of requiring the alpha maps.

[gevatter Lars]

Ah I allways tried it in the techroom. OK will try it from the main menu.

[Edit]
Ok it works but I pressed under rendering the trasparent button and all the menues where gone. I could swith the effect off or leave. Is that normal?

[taylor]

Ok it works but I pressed under rendering the trasparent button and all the menues where gone. I could swith the effect off or leave. Is that normal?

It's a bug on my todo list, along with one or two others in the lab.  Not normal, but a known issue.