[bizzybody]

My A-SymMx series ships have been .pof-ed (no textures though) by a kindly fellow, now how can I add shields to them?

[aldo_14]

Pre or post-conversion?

[bizzybody]

Post conversion.

[Trivial Psychic]

Both ModView and PCS will let you import shield meshes from other pofs, and ModView will allow you to edit a shield grid's dimensions, but it won't let you move individual points around to conform to your ship's shape.  It will only allow total stretching of the shield mesh, along the 3 axes.

[FlareBaffled]

As a side issue to this, and following a number of problems I experienced with the Max plugin exporting shields that crash the game... how do you add in a shield mesh if you don't have truespace to make the shape? The Max converter works a treat for everything else! Seems daft to download a version of Truespace ( an old one at that ) and learn a whole new set of modelling tools and rules just for a shield mesh.

Is there a simple way round this for me? Or do I have to make do with a generix 'oval' kind of shield from a stock POF and play around with the sizes?

[bizzybody]

Should shields be snug fitting or more 'loose', only roughly the shape of the model?

What makes the top view HUD ship and shield icons?

[Turey]

Should shields be snug fitting or more 'loose', only roughly the shape of the model?

Loose. Go shoot at a Herc II from close up some time.

What makes the top view HUD ship and shield icons?

They can be auto generated.

[JGZinv]

Could you explain how they are generated then?
We could use these in our mod at this time.

[Trivial Psychic]

ATM, all you have is the "surface shields" table flag, which tells the ship that it is to assume that there is a shield that is skin-tight to the ship in question.  In fact, this was created initially because there were instances of shots going right through a shield mesh and damaging the hull anyway, so this feature would ensure that the fighter is protected as long as there is shield strength, or as long as a piercing weapon isn't used on it.

Now, for auto-generation, I believe that it will play the shield impact sound, but the code to generate a shield impact visual effect is not present.  Bobbeau once indicated that it could be done with decals, but it hasn't been implemented yet.  I had hoped that it would be rendered a bit off from the hull, to give the impression that there's a slight gap between the shield and ship hull, but the explanation given indicated that this wouldn't be possible.

[Turey]

ATM, all you have is the "surface shields" table flag, which tells the ship that it is to assume that there is a shield that is skin-tight to the ship in question.  In fact, this was created initially because there were instances of shots going right through a shield mesh and damaging the hull anyway, so this feature would ensure that the fighter is protected as long as there is shield strength, or as long as a piercing weapon isn't used on it.

Now, for auto-generation, I believe that it will play the shield impact sound, but the code to generate a shield impact visual effect is not present.  Bobbeau once indicated that it could be done with decals, but it hasn't been implemented yet.  I had hoped that it would be rendered a bit off from the hull, to give the impression that there's a slight gap between the shield and ship hull, but the explanation given indicated that this wouldn't be possible.

Actually, he was talking about the shield icons. These can be auto-generated by adding "generate icon" to the flags line of the ship in question.

[Trivial Psychic]

Oops.

[asyikarea51]

ATM, all you have is the "surface shields" table flag, which tells the ship that it is to assume that there is a shield that is skin-tight to the ship in question.  In fact, this was created initially because there were instances of shots going right through a shield mesh and damaging the hull anyway, so this feature would ensure that the fighter is protected as long as there is shield strength, or as long as a piercing weapon isn't used on it.

This is actually one of the reasons why I don't want to use the "surface shields" flag (I want shots to skip the shields and damage the hull anyway from time to time - supposed realism?), but there's a fighter that I'm using which has the shield mesh issue, so I don't have a choice.

At least the flag is there, which allows for a quick hotfix since I can't model for nuts.