[Lightspeed]

The wait is over. I can officially release my Planets zipfiles
Thanks to all the people who helped me along with their comments on suggestions, without you it would have taken a lot longer to get here. Thanks!

You will find all links and files on the updated Milliways site

Be sure to check out the Preview Gallery !

Direct downloads:

HIRES VERSIONS: Download here!

LOWSPEC VERSIONS: Download here!

The lowspec versions can help you if you get too much slowdown using the hires versions. Once properly implemented they willl be converted to DDS to help speed up things. The image size is limited to 800x800 on the lowspec versions.


Use this thread to:

• post screenshots (i'll add cool screenies to the preview page)
• suggest improvements
• post feedback
• talk about pointless stuff :)

Feedback needed if you want to see a version 1.1

[diamondgeezer]

Item for discussion - Lightspeed pwnz

[Lightspeed]

Thx

[Starks]

DIGITALLY MASTERED INDEED!

[Lt.Cannonfodder]

Fantastic work, Lightspeed!

[diamondgeezer]

Okay, so I got that planet that's a reworking of Mars scaled right up in a mission. Like, 6 by 6 or something. While the resolution is fantastic, it does look a little... flat. When the code monkies get around to implementing bump-mapping (hint hint) might it be possibly to make greyscale maps for planets? You know, so the little ridges and craters and whatnot look 3D. That would be the height (pun intended) of pwnage.

[nucas]

i gather these can be used in conjunction with the original campaign? must they be used with fs2_open, or would they run under the original exe?

[karajorma]

You need FS2_open cause FS2 will only use 8 bit pcx files. If FS2_open won't run for you you could always convert them but you'd lose a lot of picture quailty (They'd still be better than the originals most likely though).

[Bobboau]

you wouldn't loose that much

[karajorma]

Depends on how well you converted them. If you used bright you probably would get away with it.

[Lightspeed]

not really. They look really crappy in 8-bit

[phreak]

2500x2500? that may not work on some gfx cards (like my Radeon9k).  not to mention it saves it in texture memory as 4096x4096.

[Lightspeed]

if your card does not support it, use the Lowspec versions

Or actually get around to implementing DDS properly with alpha channel support, so I can finally fix the boxy bug and improve the performance

-edit: oh, and can some admin change the highlight to link here, instead of the old thread?

[phreak]

well the texture size needs to be powers of 2 for DDS to work.  it would be a good idea just to limit everything to 2048x2048

[Nico]

They really look cool, but sadly I think you've really overdone the atmosphere layers...

[Taristin]

Does every single planet need an atmosphere? Not every chunk of rock out there has one...

[Woolie Wool]

Colonized worlds need an atmosphere.

[RandomTiger]

Originally posted by PhReAk
2500x2500? that may not work on some gfx cards (like my Radeon9k).  not to mention it saves it in texture memory as 4096x4096.

This is an important point, 2048x2048 would be a much better size. Please read this doc I made on the subject:

http://dynamic4.gamespy.com/~freespace/fsdoc/index.php/Choosing%20dimensions

[Lightspeed]

Originally posted by Raa Tor'h
Does every single planet need an atmosphere? Not every chunk of rock out there has one...

I completely agree. Yet when you look at FS2's planets you'll see -gas giants -colonized worlds and very few -chunk of rocks

[nucas]

Originally posted by Raa Tor'h
Does every single planet need an atmosphere? Not every chunk of rock out there has one...

as the atmospere effect tends to look cool, i would say yes. i also believe this property applies to reality, and am very disappointed in our solar system.