[bfobar]

I was thinking that if it was possible to make a glowmap for a ship automatically flicker off and on once or twice when it is damaged to the point of having the lightning animations around the hull, it would look really cool. I have no idea how hard that would be to code, but its an idea I had the other night.

[Nuke]

probibly could be done with scripting at some point. would also be an alternative to ineffieteint animated glowmaps.

[bfobar]

I imagine it would be something like adding a function call for a function that says something like whenever you have the display(ligntning animation, shipname), add flicker(ship name).
with flicker(ship name) = turn off [ship name] glowmap, wait 100ms, turn on [shipname] glowmap

yup. I need to learn to code.

[phatosealpha]

Wasn't this exactly the kind of thing that's in the long range plans with the material system?  Bob showed us something similiar with the shivan glowmaps that animated.

[Nuke]

hey bob, how is that system coming along?

[Black Wolf]

It wouldn't look that great I think... every light/glow on the ship going off at the same instant?]

[bfobar]

It wouldn't look that great I think... every light/glow on the ship going off at the same instant?]

I was thinking it would look like widespread power failures occuring throughout the ship and would add to the suspense on escort missions and such. Flickering sections would look better, but I don't know how hard that stuff would be to code and wanted to make a reasonable suggestion.

[Cobra]

i think that will be implemented when the impact decals are fully implemented.

[TrashMan]

I asked for something liek that a loooooong time ago.

You can do it wit hscripting tough...

some thing like:
<
If hits-left
- your capship
-20

turn off glowmap

chain this to an event that turns the glowmap on, set the delay to something very small.

when the capships hull goes below 20% the lights will turn on and off (once). You can fiddle a bit and put a repeat value so it does it several times..

[Nuke]

i figure you could do better with some random intensity distortion effect.

[bfobar]

i figure you could do better with some random intensity distortion effect.

Ooh that would look good. I think if it could be scripted to coincide with the hull lightning it would look extra neat.

[Col. Fishguts]

Hmm ?!? I thought that this exact beahavior was already implemented ?

I have to check again, but I swear I saw glowmaps flicker on/off prior to destruction of a capship, but that may have been well timed bug.

[Nuke]

it was implemented as a test of the materials system, sorta the same way shadows was done. pretty much just experimental build to test a potential feature. id like to see bob around more often he always implemented the coolest looking features (and probibly also the most bugs)

[Col. Fishguts]

No, I meant I saw that in a normal CVS build.

[Nuke]

i think they can be if sexped like that. randomly disable and re-enable the glowmaps when the hitpoints get low.

[WMCoolmon]

This sounds like an excellent use for that pesky $Show Damage: tag.

[IPAndrews]

I second this. I think it's a great idea. It is a piece of cake to do it using SEXPs of course but if it's easy to add into the gane engine then it'd be a great addition.

[Goober5000]

This sounds like an excellent use for that pesky $Show Damage: tag.

Show damage should control the retail feature it was designed for, IMHO.  If we add a new feature we should add a new flag.

[WMCoolmon]

It very intentionally does nothing in retail, though.

[Goober5000]

I'm guessing they just forgot to tie that code to anything.  Sort of like how "order-issued" (or whatever that sexp was) was prototyped and even used in FS1 but never actually implemented.