[Psychonaut]

I´m just playing around with some moons and planets (especially the solar system ones), but i got some problems to implement them properly into the game. The problem is, that the black background (a black square) is displayed, too. I´ve defined them as $BitmapX in the stars table, otherwise the starfield shines through the planet. Normally i use tga 24bpp. I´ve seen other planet-images (from the new inferno-patch e.g.), which are looking exactly as mine, but don´t show up the black square, so i think it must have something to do with the image. Any idea? Which program is the best for playing around with this stuff, especially if i want to use dds?
Help would be nice:

[BlackDove]

Pure green = transparent in FS2. Like this.

Might want to try that.

[taylor]

Pure green = transparent in FS2. Like this.

That is for PCX files only.  Green = green for all other image types.

Having it black normally works but since that means it's filtered, all of the dark parts will blend transparently, and that's why the stars show through.  If the planet does't fade to black or anything (no night side) then you can get away with it being black.  Probably the best thing in your case is to make it a 32-bit TGA or 32-bit DDS with a full alpha channnel and let the alpha provide the transparency.

[Psychonaut]

Thx for tzhe replies. Any suggestion, what program is best to be used for dds and tga?

[MicroPsycho]

Photosphop can be used for them, dds requiring a plug-in.

[StratComm]

Or the Gimp, if photoshop lies outside your price range.  It's DDS exporter plugin is a little funky, but it's a lot better than nothing.

[Black Wolf]

Try Paint Shop Pro. You can get a free thirty day trial. With the help of certain..."illegal cracks" (Nudge nudge wink wink) you can extend that out to as long as you need it.

[BlackDove]

Nothing spells out ambiguous like "illegal cracks".

[Psychonaut]

  Thanks for your suggestions. I think i have an early version of PSP somewhere in my archives. I´ve purchased it with a print magazine long time ago. Maybe this will do the job. Hopefully it´s worth all the work, but i´ve found a nice image from saturn (i think from cassini) and tweaked it a bit. Looks quite descent in 2048x2048.

[Sandwich]

Try Paint Shop Pro. You can get a free thirty day trial. With the help of certain..."illegal cracks" (Nudge nudge wink wink) you can extend that out to as long as you need it.

Now, now. Let's not be too subtle... you don't want him to miss your meaning...

[pecenipicek]

Now, now. Let's not be too subtle... you don't want him to miss your meaning...

HLP, now with the subtlety of a sledgehammer to your face


(pun, if it exists, intended )

[Flipside]

This thread is now going to appear in 45% of all google searches

[Sandwich]

Spoiler:

Derek Smart!

Up to 88% now.

[Galemp]

Er, while we're on the subject... has HLP's policy on that stuff changed at all now that we're no longer in thrall to Gamespy?

[WMCoolmon]

There was a discussion in HL...the basic consensus by the admins was that if you want to do illegal stuff, you head to nodewar or somewhere else.

[pecenipicek]

what about advices and such?

from what i gathered from that thread, we arent allowed to post any links but we're allowed to mention it, right?

[Sandwich]

Let's put it this way. HLP frowns upon the promotion and use of warez, illegal stuff, etc. While we're not gonna go ape over the mere mention of such things, we most definitely will not allow active (links, etc) promotion such things. Pointing people to locations and resources where they can aquire illegal software (i.e. "*cough*{PIRATE_SITE_NAME_BUT_NO_LINK}*cough*") is also frowned upon. However, we're not gonna be totally anal about such things. Also, we cannot control what is said in PMs.

[Psychonaut]

...we're not gonna be totally anal about such things....

I´d always knew, that hanging around in "foreign" forums will be useful for my knowledge of the english language one day 
Tomorrow, when i have to speak to an obsessive patient i can say: "damn it...don´t be so f...ing anal"   

[Shadow0000]

Psychonaut, thanks for the f_shockwave.pof Fix in the Inferno update, yes, it worked. It's my curiosity, but, are you trying to update Sol: A History ?. I have the Hi-Res Backgrounds for almost every Solar System Planet and every Planet's Moon, remember Moons, not only Earth have one, I remember I search those Backgrounds before I started updating INF. (The real goal was Sol: A History)

I'll make a pause here, so lets go slow, I know creating Backgrounds is easier than Models, and other things..., look at it, it's basic 3D (unoptimized Model):

http://www.fileh.com/Shadow00000/Earth3D_Video.avi

Enconded using X-Vid v1.1.0 Beta 2, last version is v1.1.0 Final, at (www.xvid.org), download it at the official page. Also comes with newer versions of K-Lite Codec Pack, v2.67 is the lastest, at (http://www.free-codecs.com/download/K_Lite_Codec_Pack.htm)

(***) it has the NightLight Shine in the night face, but not glow (it should be), strange I didn't find how to that.......

Before really reading, the sure facts, forget about them, it will happen, and there is probabily not much to do about it:

A - A 3D Planet will consume more memory than a Background
B - The Coordinates are so big, that you'll probabily see the game behavior goes a little weird
C - If you can't go around it, and see the Day/Night face of the Planet, then there is no point, use a Background

Now, to the Points:

A - A planet like Earth (not Jupiter, not the Sun) have circumference around 12,400,000 m

B - If a SubSpace or LightSpeed Drive would be implemented it would be perfect, do Wing Commander use it?, I don't mean a Speed of Light, but a non-normal High-Speed, like 5000m/s or 1000m/s

C - Impleting both of this thing would finally allow the "Space's Natural Cathatrospe" to be re-created, like a really huge meteorite (more bigger than Juggernaut) going at really High-Speed (XXXXm+), while you would try to keep around and near in order to destroy it, before it makes the real Collision, not a Flag Time Elapsed against a Background. I would prefer to chase an Ice Blue Comet, with Fog and Trail (but that would be thousand of times more difficult than a SJ rock).

D - Earth Atmosphere, and other Planet Gas/Fog Atmosphere, that's impossible for me with my actual knowledge.
There should be a simulated gravitational field for every ship, something like IF Alpha 1 distance to Earth 01 less than 45000, boom Alpha 1 for proximity.......

[Psychonaut]

You´re right, i was updating some stuff for inferno (solar wars, to get it to the point). But i did it not for an official release, just for me. Creating plantes was just another attempt by me to find my place in the community and do some useful stuff. But as always, all i got was another proof for my lack of talent  .
After all: after many years i got some "talented" skills in beta-testing. Actually in know, where to put the files and which things have to be edited in the tables to make things run, like i wanted it to run  .

You did really a nice job in updating inferno. Using "real" planets seem to be an inspiring plan. I really enjoyed flying around planets in Freelancer or I-War EOC (though both games had major weaknesses, like the huge planets and the tiny ships and stations in I-War). But i really doubt, that the engine is capable of that. And planets with hard edges (instead of blury atmosphere edges) would not look that good, wouldn´t they. But maybe you find a way to surprise the community.

6 months ago, nobody have thought, that there is a way to implement 3d-shockwave. And now look, what the code wizzards and DaBrain did