[Lightspeed]

Thanks to the great work of the SCP coding team, I could finally complete and improve my planets.

New stuff in v2.0:

• Transparency (looks better than ever - fade it on backgrounds like you want)
• Graphical glitches removed
• Improved atmosphere layers & lighting
• Memory Optimizations*

Some screenshots (please check the full preview gallery on Milliways):





* - Memory Usage (TGA):

v1.0 (all planets in memory): 344 MB
v2.0 (all planets in memory): 68 MB

That's an optimization of 80%.

* - Memory Usage (DDS):

v2.0 (all planets in memory): 22,6 MB

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Version 2.0 is available both in memory-efficient DDS and high-quality TGA versions.

However, I do NOT reccomend ANYONE to use the DDS versions if the TGA versions work without too big FPS drops. The DDS versions have horrible compression artifacts and colour edges which will negate all the smooth 32-bit eye candy. If the v1.0 TGA did not work for you, i still advise you to try v2.0 in TGA mode first (see the memory optimizations) and only resort to DDS if there's no other possibility. If anyone can get decent DDS conversions (I have no idea if DDS can do better or not) - please do so and post here

Now... Links:

TGA Build (reccommended): TGA_Planets_FS2_v2.0.zip

DDS Build (ONLY if TGA is killing you): DDS_Planets_FS2_v2.0.zip

Also, i'd like you to check out the full preview gallery: PREVIEWS!
(All screenshots were taken using the TGA versions.)

Feel free to link to the images in posts here. Also, i'd love to see some screenshots of v2.0 in-game

[Zarax]

Awesome!

[diamondgeezer]

All hail Lightspeed

[Darkage]

****ing awsome dude!

[Taristin]

Now if you could only do something about those rancid nebulas in the background...

[Lightspeed]

You know... I probably will

Just a matter of time.

[Fineus]

He's right, the nebuli do need reworking, but for the time being those planets are excellent, and I'm certainly greatful for the performance increase! Well done

[Antares]

Not to get off-topic, but do you have any updates planned for your Bobbau-based thruster hybrids?

[Lightspeed]

Probably not, untill the SCP can fix a bug with the thrusters - which is what keeps me from doing it.

[TopAce]

Originally posted by Kalfireth
He's right, the nebuli do need reworking, ....

Not unconditionally. You can only see them blurry if you scale them to at least 5x5.

[Fineus]

But... well just look at them. The resolution could definitely be increased - I know they're gaseous but they lack detail. This is my idea of a decent nebula, the shot was taken in anchient pre-code FS2 but you get the idea.

[Fractux]

Once again, I need to wire my jaw shut.

Props Lightspeed!

[RandomTiger]

What are you using to make your DDS Lightspeed?
Have you tryed all the different supported formats?

At the end of the day it is a compressed format and that 80% memory saving has to come from somewhere I guess.

[Lightspeed]

the 80% memory saving is when you compare v1.0 TGA vs v2.0 TGA.

The DDS tool i use is the nVidia Photoshop plugin, I have tried the different formats, and i'm using DXT 5.

[GT-Keravnos]

I knew something like this would eventually happen so I can only point to my sig.

(great show, L!)

[RandomTiger]

Originally posted by Lightspeed
the 80% memory saving is when you compare v1.0 TGA vs v2.0 TGA.

Yer? What did you do, make them smaller?

The DDS tool i use is the nVidia Photoshop plugin, I have tried the different formats, and i'm using DXT 5.

You might want to try using the texture tool that comes with the DX SDK, its easy to use and the results seem to fairly good.

[TopAce]

Originally posted by Kalfireth
But... well just look at them. The resolution could definitely be increased - I know they're gaseous but they lack detail. This is my idea of a decent nebula, the shot was taken in anchient pre-code FS2 but you get the idea.

OK, OK, so you want hi-res nebulae just so you could increase their scaling and make the whole screen covered by nebula?

[Fineus]

Ah, no.. I want them because the detail would be increased - same with Lightspeeds planets. Sure they'll look nicer at a larger size - but they'll also look better when smaller. Look at games like I-War2, they have better background nebulas. They look better. Size doesnt enter it.

[TopAce]

I put a finger on it.(If it is a wrong expression, sorry )
I understand it now. Otherwise can I grab that nebula palette from somewhere?

[Rictor]

I actually prefer a different "style" of backgroun nebula, like the ones used in Eve Online. To me, they look purdier than the FS2 ones. I think it has something to do with the fact that FS2's nebula's are usually

1)Multicolored instead of sticking with a signle colour
2)Highly localized, meaning there re patches of nebulas with mostly black background
3)Highy contrasty and highly texturized

The thing with Eve's stlye of nebula, is that the entire background is covered with this very soft, pastel colour. So you never really have any black onscreen. I know it not realistic, but it just looks better IMHO. I don't even know if something like that is possible with thr FS2 engine.

Oh and, great work Lightspeed. You continue to release one improvement after improvement. It really shows with the lightmaps and the weapons effects and with this. Keep up the awesome work.