[TrashMan]

Currently, the show_subtitles command can only show very shot messages. This is excellent for credits, but not for longer messages.

I propose a new SEXP show_normal_msg

+ show_normal_msg
 - Cutscnene Message 1      <-------- name of message
 - <none>                             <-------- sender name
 - top                                    <-------- to display on top or bottom
 - 5000                                 <--------- time to display in miliseconds

What it does is that it shows the mssage you typed in like every normal chat message you do in a mission (with or without an head ani)
Sender name can be blank and it that caase it will only display the message. If you put in as a sender name a ship that is in the scene, ti will not be marked by brackets ( the sexp doesn't check anyting regarding the sender name, so you can type in anything)
the display can be on the top or the bottom, in that black spaces you get during a cutscene

Now this is neat, since you can display a monologue on the top while the custcene plays, while at the same time you can have credits running on the bottom using subtitles

[Colonol Dekker]

I dunno, the show-subtitle gives you ample control as shown in the excellent JADD series......

[IPAndrews]

Meanwhile render the text using any font or size you like to a pcx or jpg and display that.

[CP5670]

The subtitles are rather useless anyway. Unless something has changed in the last month, they don't scale properly with the rest of the HUD and look microscopic in higher resolutions. The training message system works a lot better.

As for sending normal messages, you can't do that at the moment without some serious hacks, as the message text doesn't show up when the camera is active, but it should be possible in the next available build. (thanks to my bugging the coders about it )

[Colonol Dekker]

Meanwhile render the text using any font or size you like to a pcx or jpg and display that.

gREEN VALUE OF 255 = I take it green 255 = transparency in the images too, Are there any special parameters? In fact is there a guide to its usage at all?

[TrashMan]

I thought of a few more usefulls SEXP's.

set_camera_speed

Sets the speed at which the camera moved towards the point it faces. Default is 10 m/s. Setting the speed to 0 will stop the camera again.


set_camera_orbit_object
+ name of object around which to orbit
+ X coordinate of the camera
+ Y coordinate of the camera
+ Z coordinate of hte camera
+ orbiting speed
+ orbiting axis
+ closing speed (optional)

This sets the camera to face a certain object and then it rotates around it (radius = distance to object) on the specified axis at a given speed. CLosing speed is thje speed with which the radius decreases, so the orbit gets smaller and smaller. Default 0


set_camera_orbit_point

Same thing, but insted of object you set the coordinates of a point around which to orbit.


set_credits_text

This sets what message will be displayed and then scrolled up like credits at the end of a movie.

[Dark Hunter]

All excellent suggestions.

I think this is another good one:

camera-follow-object

Makes camera follow an object around, similiar to "Viewing from target" option already available.

*Disclaimer:
Dark Hunter does not claim credit for this SEXP idea. He saw it somewhere else but thinks it would fit in this thread very well.

[Turey]

All excellent suggestions.

I think this is another good one:

camera-follow-object

Makes camera follow an object around, similiar to "Viewing from target" option already available.

*Disclaimer:
Dark Hunter does not claim credit for this SEXP idea. He saw it somewhere else but thinks it would fit in this thread very well.

I posted that idea recently, so you probably saw it there. However, it had probably been suggested before I thought of it.


I'd change out the relatively limited-use camera follow object for the following more useful sexp:


set-camera-relative-to
   Positions the camera relative to an object. Takes 4 arguments...
   1:   Object to place relative to
   2:   Relative X distance (meters)
   3:   Relative Y distance (meters)
   4:   Relative Z distance (meters)




this would allow you to place the camera anywhere relative to the object, and it's position will update based on the object's rotation and movement.


I actually got a Camera-follow-object to work, but it required a couple of events and was really really jerky.

EDIT:

here's the events for those interested. chain start attack to the event that will be true when you want to start following.

[karajorma]

Post your mission ifd possible. I suspect I can improve on that but I want to see the effect you were aiming for first.

[TrashMan]

Holy S**! That kind of a workaround it totaly unneeded.

A  camera_follow_ship SEXP would really be usefull

You can even increase it's usefulness by adding more optional setting to it..

1:   Object to follow
2:   Relative X distance (meters)
3:   Relative Y distance (meters)
4:   Relative Z distance (meters)
5:   banking factor (the camera would bank slightly when making turns to follow the object)
6:   slide factor (the camera would slide a bit like a car that enters a curve)

Both of these setting can give the effect of looking trough a fighters POV, even make it look like a dogfight.

[Wanderer]

I think axem made a script to get some of these additional camera options... Cant remember if he finished it though

[TrashMan]

I jsut remebered a notehr usefull SEXP..


is_key_pressed_any


As far as I noticed you don't have to option for any key under is_key_pressed...

[Colonol Dekker]

What exe are these in?
PLUs

Meanwhile render the text using any font or size you like to a pcx or jpg and display that.

gREEN VALUE OF 255 = I take it green 255 = transparency in the images too, Are there any special parameters? In fact is there a guide to its usage at all?