[Mobius]

I'd like to know if the part of the code related to spacecraft deaths is hard coded. We all know how spacecraft die in FreeSpace(instant explosion, rolling explosion, etc. etc.) and it'd be very nice to edit those death types and/or create new ones to boost the game. I think they'd work fine in TCs to match their requirements(BSG deaths, WC deaths, SW deaths and so on). More in general, it could be used to add more variety.

Is it going to be possible to create unique death types using a table, pretty much like what Objecttypes.tbl did to object types? 

[Snail]

This idea sounds like it has a lot of potential.

[DaBrain]

Agreed. That would be a very nice option.

[Aardwolf]

I'd like to know a little more about this... how do you see these other 'death types' as varying from what is available now? What would there be that is customizable?

[Mobius]

I'd like to know a little more about this... how do you see these other 'death types' as varying from what is available now? What would there be that is customizable?

It's not so hard to explain. Simply watch BSG or SW and then compare spacecraft explosions seen there with the ones seen in FreeSpace. They're different.

Before doing anything we'd like to know what it can be done. That's why we need a coder to find out more.

[chief1983]

Actually I always thought that FS spaceship deaths were almost a direct copy from the X-Wing series of games, which didn't seem too far off from the movies.

[lostllama]

I like the idea. Not sure if you know of it already but there's a "recent" build that WMC made, in which destroyed ships effectively become drifting hulks.

http://www.hard-light.net/forums/index.php/topic,55622.0.html

[Mobius]

Interesting one, although the topic is about the events that preceed the creation of debris. It'd be nice to randomize ship deaths and have both motion debris and hulks.

[OT]
Are those ships.tbl values WMC added present in all standard builds?
[/OT]

[chief1983]

If capital ships left hulks the Collie still would have died facing down the NTF

[Dark RevenantX]

Well, the front half of it would be gone.  There are some BFGreens back there, though, as well as the engines, so it's all good.

[TacOne]

[OT]
Are those ships.tbl values WMC added present in all standard builds?
[/OT]

Yes, I've tested them with the 5063 build. But I didn't get whole ships to become hulks, just the pieces. I suppose you would need to modify the model files to do that.

[Dilmah G]

Well if ships Cruiser class and over became hulks and fighters still disappeared in a ball of fire that would pretty realistic IMO

BoE's would become very complicated from then on

[chief1983]

Also, you could run into new object limit problems as objects which previously were removed are now hanging around.  You'd have to be pretty careful how much total stuff you would want to use in a mission.

[Snail]

Also, you could run into new object limit problems as objects which previously were removed are now hanging around.  You'd have to be pretty careful how much total stuff you would want to use in a mission.

Maybe after a few minutes the chunks disappear discreetly...

[JGZinv]

or have the chunks break into smaller chunks like roids do... then vanish like they are evaporating.

[Dilmah G]

or have the chunks break into smaller chunks like roids do... then vanish like they are evaporating.

That's a good idea actually. If you gave them the same properties as asteroids minus the "Let's throw this at everything on Alpha 1's escort List" and the whole moving thing they'd be fine.

[redsniper]

So the hulk that survived the ship's reactor exploding (or whatever) can be vaporized by a few primary shots?

[JGZinv]

You have to start somewhere small and work up to a fully functional prototype....
really 1 shotting split off pieces to me it's a big worry if you can get the other 98% done which
sounds more like the "hard" part.

Ultimately I'd like to see the roid system both in game and in FRED separated so we could use the same
random generation tools for any object/fighter/etc, but alas I'd imagine that's a huge undertaking in and of itself.

[chief1983]

Random generation, you say?

[chief1983]

Ok, I just realized I could use something like this.  Everyone knows how Wedge took out that TIE and then flew unhindered through its debris and explosion right?  Well, the delay in FS between killing a ship and it actually blowing up is too long to allow that to happen.  So, having pretty much instant explosions is something we might actually benefit from.  Currently the chase speeds mean that as soon as you kill someone you have to break off fast to avoid flying into their rear end, which seems to have just slammed on space-brakes, so this problem isn't even just with a head-on approach.