Author Topic: Beams alternate shapes? (Read 4242 times)

Stormkeeper · **Reply #20 on:** September 09, 2009, 03:05:35 am

Groovy. Thanks, mate.

Stormkeeper · **Reply #21 on:** September 09, 2009, 07:20:21 am

So the Lightning Cannon is basically a re-textured, 2 second beam. It still fires 'straight', so to speak.

I don't think that it's possible (without changing code) to have a curving beam.

Akalabeth Angel · **Reply #22 on:** September 09, 2009, 08:18:59 am

Oh sorry hahaha. I think I got everyone confused.
When I said "arcs" of lightning I just meant have a straight-firing beam but a different shape instead of a straight line. The idea being to have a "particle cannon" weapon which are sometimes depicted as looking like lightning. So the lightning cannon will work well enough I think (modified of course), though I've yet to see it in action since none of the campaigns I've played have made use of it.

Still the research could be applicable to other mods. Might be cool to have some sort of curving direct-fire weapn.

Stormkeeper · **Reply #23 on:** September 09, 2009, 09:17:30 am

Well, as far as lightning beam goes, I have an idea how to do it. Though I'm not really succeeding in making the texture 'backgroundless'. If I can solve that, you should have your tesla beam.

JGZinv · **Reply #24 on:** September 09, 2009, 09:33:58 am

Bax and I discussed 2 or 3 ways to accomplish making a beam that changes direction mid stream,
just a matter of not having enough time between RL to work on them.

Just tossing that tidbit in there.

Aardwolf · **Reply #25 on:** September 09, 2009, 02:58:12 pm

So, something like Descent 3's "Omega Cannon" ? (not quite the same as D2's)

Wanderer · **Reply #26 on:** September 10, 2009, 10:20:07 am

Quote from: Stormkeeper on September 09, 2009, 02:54:41 am

Quote from: Wiki
Tile Factor:

* Defines the beam texture tileing factor. Second number defines the tileing type. Type 0 tiles the graphic in the beam as many times as defined by the 1st number. Type 1 uses the 1st value as the lenght of the tile.
* Syntax: Float, Integer
What does it mean by 'Type 1 uses the 1st value as the length of the tile'?

A bit late answer but still... Type one (ie. if the second value was 1, for example 25, 1) spreads the texture so that yeah texture tile is 'float' units (from the example this would be 25 units - meters?) long. On the other type there are set amount of tiles spread over the whole texture, which as beam length may vary could look rather interesting. Default beam draw uses single texture tile spread over the whole beam (by default 30 000 units long).

Stormkeeper · **Reply #27 on:** September 10, 2009, 10:43:52 am

So; type 1 just streches the beam texture, necessitating only a single texture, but type 2 repeats the tile X number of times?

Spoon · **Reply #28 on:** September 10, 2009, 12:33:25 pm

Wouldn't tiling on beams give better visual quality?

headdie · **Reply #29 on:** September 10, 2009, 02:22:20 pm

Quote from: Stormkeeper on September 08, 2009, 06:26:53 pm

He wants to make a PPC effect. Not sure if you've played MechWarrior, but a PPC has always been described in the novels as a 'white-blue blast of lightning', and the later games portray it as such.

the way the games tend to depict PPC is a cluster of 3-5 blue/white streams with a slight corkscrew and the occasional stray lightning bolt with an impact like an exploding lightning ball

Wanderer · **Reply #30 on:** September 10, 2009, 02:41:26 pm

Quote from: Stormkeeper on September 10, 2009, 10:43:52 am

So; type 1 just streches the beam texture, necessitating only a single texture, but type 2 repeats the tile X number of times?

No..

Type 0 stretches the texture to fit to the beam the number of times defined in the first number of the tile factor input, type 1 repeats the tile in specified length as many times as it is required regardless of the beam length.. There should be no other types (anything larger than 1 defaults to 0)

Stormkeeper · **Reply #31 on:** September 10, 2009, 08:21:11 pm

Quote from: headdie on September 10, 2009, 02:22:20 pm

the way the games tend to depict PPC is a cluster of 3-5 blue/white streams with a slight corkscrew and the occasional stray lightning bolt with an impact like an exploding lightning ball

The MW4 one always looked like a blast of lightning to me, and let's face it; making it look like lightning is just plain cool.

General Battuta · **Reply #32 on:** September 11, 2009, 01:16:03 am

MW3 one was best!

Akalabeth Angel · **Reply #33 on:** September 11, 2009, 02:45:35 am

I haven't played either game. Only BT games I played were #1 and #2. Oh and Crescent Hawk's series.

This isn't even for battletech. For something complete unrelated but a mod that may benefit from it. Assuming it's a mod I pursue.
Still lightning guns are cool in any genre. What I might try to eventually implement is a narrow beam with lightning guns around it. Such that the regular shot is a beam but its secondary effect is the lightning. Not that it makes any sense in space but I can't be bothered to care about such things.

NGTM-1R · **Reply #34 on:** September 11, 2009, 02:59:21 am

To be honest a directed lightning arc (laser guide beam, for example) looks exactly like retail beam textures in white. An undirected arc is probably beyond the ability of the engine because, well, lightning, angles and stuff.

Getter Robo G · **Reply #35 on:** September 19, 2009, 05:16:24 am

Stormkeeper · **Reply #36 on:** September 19, 2009, 09:55:51 am

I made a musical note cannon. Although it was by accident, and it was only the tail that made them look like notes.

JGZinv · **Reply #37 on:** September 19, 2009, 01:25:28 pm

The red lightning and musical note beams were nice.

sigtau · **Reply #38 on:** September 19, 2009, 02:12:37 pm

Red lightning would look nice as a Shivan beam.

Snail · **Reply #39 on:** September 19, 2009, 02:51:29 pm

In all honesty, they look pretty cool to me...

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Author Topic: Beams alternate shapes? (Read 4242 times)

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