[DaBrain]

A rather cheap effect, but worth a try. Some people may not like it. It was just a simple idea.

Screenshots won't show it, you have to try it.

Download

You can see how it looks like in the 3d shockwave preview 1.

Instructions: Copy the ANIs into the /effects folder and enable motion debris in the launcher.

[DaBrain]

You guys really don't care for thing without screenshots, do you?

[Psychonaut]

I care, at least ;-)

Normally I´ve turned the debris off. But i like your stars-effect. It really gives a better feeling of speed. More than the vanilla debris. Don´t ask me why. Nice work, as usual.

[Axem]

It's nice, but it could be better. The effect really is just a white dot, it needs to be dressed up just a tad or something. Maybe a smoother transition to black at the edges. Just a small one though.

It'd be better if those had trails, but I don't think you can do that with the debris right now.

[Taristin]

I don't have FS installed on this laptop. I doubt it'd run.

[DaBrain]

Originally posted by Axem
It's nice, but it could be better. The effect really is just a white dot, it needs to be dressed up just a tad or something. Maybe a smoother transition to black at the edges. Just a small one though.

It'd be better if those had trails, but I don't think you can do that with the debris right now.

I tried bigger glows before (Yeah, that's kinda typical for me ).
Sadly it looked pretty flat somehow, so I went back to this less glowy version. Well, at least it takes up less memory now.

I was thinking about this:

I create a full set of frames for diffent speeds. I need the help of a coder*. The displayed frame should depend on the current speed of the ship.

*Help... yeah, maybe the wrong word. I bet the coder's job is more difficult...

FS2 really need something like that. I miss feeling the speed in FS2.

[General Kazooie]

I know what you mean with missing the speed It may be realistic not to feel the speed, though, since you can´t measure it by eye, unless flying by the hull of a capital ship.

That may actually be the main function of capital ships in FS, to provide something to fly around

[Ulala]

Cool effect.

[edit] After playing with it a lil' more, some might find it distracting. Might try making the effect more gradual (as previously suggested I think).. and is there any way to make stars look more uh.. star like? They feel/look like white dots flying by.. but then I guess that's what stars actually look like. It just kinda feels like that old "flying through space" screen saver that Windows 95 had.

[mikhael]

Originally posted by General Kazooie
I know what you mean with missing the speed It may be realistic not to feel the speed, though, since you can´t measure it by eye, unless flying by the hull of a capital ship.

That may actually be the main function of capital ships in FS, to provide something to fly around

Bah. That should be the only thing a fighter can do to a capital ship, damnit.

Seriously though, can someone make a short animation of this and post it? I've not got anything with FS installed so I can see it.

[Rott3]

Here you are, handed to you on a plate - thingy on plate

It is quite large - 4.5 MB because in lower qualities you couldn't see the effect very well.

[EtherShock]

Ulala's right, looks like the starfield screensaver.

I don't see what we need debris/some movement indicator for. I think things are fine the way they are, unless someone comes up with some really cool effect.

[Cobra]

i'll bet it IS from the screensaver.

hey, DaB, would it be possible to make the stars elongate as you hit the afterburners?

[DaBrain]

I got an animation ready, just in case a coder wants to pick up my idea.

I can't do it on my own, it needs some new code lines...



@All yeah it doesn't look much better than the screensaver, but that's good enough I think. It 'feels' wrong without it.

[mikhael]

Not liking it.

For one there's no real slew during turning. For another, it just doesn't look right. Take a look at the Tachyon, Iwar2, Wing Commander, etc implementations.

Of course, doing it properly probably requires source code hax.

[Ulala]

But when it's done right, I think it'd be a great effect. Nice work coming up with the idea and even a basic implementation DaB; I hope a coder picks it up.

[EtherShock]

Yes, it could go somewhere with further development, so don't be discouraged Brain. Nothing ventured, nothing gained.

[pyro-manic]

Interesting. It doesn't look too good like that, but it could go somewhere (I think dust/particles rather than star-like blobs). Nice idea.

[WMCoolmon]

Hmm, there is a bit of a code freeze going on atm...

Put it in mantis as a feature request, if nobody notices after 3.6.7, post a new thread about it or bump this one or something.

[DaBrain]

Alright. I'll upload what I have  and post the link in Mantis, so whoever works on this has something to test the code.

Edit: If anyone else is interested:

Download

Edit2: Hmm how do I write a feature request in Mantis?

The coders kinda don't like feature request 'bug reports'...

[MetalDestroyer]

If you need speed, why don't you just modify the ships.tbl ?
I have made some modification a few month ago, and now, i love the dogfight style.
However, I have to modify the primary weapon's speed if you want to take down your opponent.

Just replace the root.vp by this. Don't forget to rename the original one, or to back it up.
I forgot to mention, in this root.vp the missile speed is multiply by 4 except for the bomb weapon like Helios where, they have there original speed. I know its weird to do that but, if i multiply ths factor speed by 4 like the missiles, all protect mission will failed whatever you do.

IIRC, i place also the Starfield.