[HeadScar]

Hi everybody,

this is my first post, happy to be here! What a game - Keep up the great work. Best Case!

Today Id like to contribute something for this amazing game! It's a mission. The thing is, Im trying to learn the Editor to create something like a flight skills test, but might be not ready to finish it on my own. In this very early stage, I think I could only serve with ideas and some object placing inside the Editor. But let's get to the point and thanks for reading ...here we go with draft V. 1 - ah and note that it's all about those fancy containers used for transportation:

Mission-Name: Get some Certificate for your flight skills
Type: Checkpoint passing and calculation based mission
Mode: Multiplayer (origin and description of my idea) + Single Player
Handycaps: Precision counts, speed also. Limited time would be to hard IMO. If you finish something first, you move on to the next quest, others might or might not follow. Last Player might be too late after 30 mins or so because mission will be over after some time.
Starting point: Viper MKVII in space

Rewards: Medal (Space Pilot / Space Pilot Ace / Native to space)

Goals/Rules:
- Scenario 1: Try to fly through 'one sized' holes with a given speed limit. First to finish gets first point.

- Scenario 2: Try to fly through 'different sized' holes with a given speed limit. First to finish gets second point.

- Scenario 3: Boost and fly towards some array of containers looking like a plane platform big scale in front of you. Now get some landing done very quickly with only a single approach. Note that you are approaching it from top and need to calculate how to not drag into the platform resulting in collision plus keep in mind to make the perfect turn manuever right before you hit the ground. Softness/Hardness of impact will be measured and counts. Sucess grants fourth point.

- Scenario 4: Do a race between single containers, each of it is somewhere on the map. Now make a U-turn at those containers. Starting from container with ID 1 to ID 10. U-turn gets counted if sucessfull (limited distance from container to perform U-turn). First to finish gets 4th point.

- Scenario 5: We go insane on it and place slowly moving/floating containers which need to be passed from the inside. So approach and enter it but leave it without collision. If you accomplish you receive one point for each container and 0 points in case of collision.

The End: Who got most points, wins. But theres some overview showing who was fastest racer and most precise pilot. Points can be earned by each player, rounds have no winners. Funny IMO is the fact that you can earn more points in Scenario 5 compared to all of the other Scenarios. So Scenario 5 might be best placed in middle of the mission, as Scenario 3 or something like that, to make it look for fun with all those points. Max points would be: 41 - 42


Begin of mission: Arrangements of containers like this (notice the hole we need to pass). Guiding system will indicate which of these manuever quests is to perform first. Container array creation/building is IMO easy with the given meshes the editor has to offer:

Scenario 1:
 ||      ||
-  -   -   -
-  -   -   -    all inner holes = same size. spiral arrengement of these container sets
 ||      ||

Scenario 2:
 | | |     
-     -     ||   
-     -    -  -
-     -    -  -  getting smaller only fitting one viper at checkpoint 10. Displaced arrengement of these container sets
 | | |      ||

Scenario 3:
|||||||||||||||
|||||||||||||||
|||||||||||||||     <    *<: Viper. No easy landing, only top approach counts. Don't forget to be fast
|||||||||||||||

Scenario 4:
      |        |           
|        |       |   |      Any direction approach possible. Distance to container and U-turn success rate counts
     |       |     |

Scenario 5:
 _     _
|_|  |_|   wait, do you Vipers think you'll all fit inside me at once. Im tight as frak, only fitting one at time.


Resources:
- Containers (a lot of 'em)
- Diaspora, the best game ever!!
- Some Vipers (might be raiders, too)
- Time and Help
- And even more containers

Download of Alpha Version for you to try out bellow.
###Update####
Requesting Ghost Mode Function, read posts below for details!

Feedback is welcome! WIP - Draft is to be advanced! Thread could be edited.

Question: Im still some Editor Nugget, IMO can't do this on my own any time soon. And I'm bad with maths - this mission would need a lot of calculations and code. Maybe someone wants to help me with this or thinks he can master it on his own way more easy compared to me or others. If you want to participate, please feel free to leave some comment here so we can get the talking started. What do you think, you like it?



Greets
Cylon Scar

Just in Case, sorry for any unfluent english

[attachment removed and sold on the black market]

[Madrox]

There will be a single-player option?
or it will only work at multi?

[HeadScar]

Thanks for your feedback. Let me put this into two cases for explanation, please:

- The single mode could be an option. Result: The Medal would serve as players profile trophy.

- I was thinking of the competition feeling you could experience near other multiplayers who all try to be best, most precise and fast. That's the multiplayer thing, it serves fun while case 1 one serves your taste of skill perfection.

Conclusion: Both cases make sense, so thanks to your input I hereby change Mission type into: Single and Multiplayer. 

[rscaper1070]

I like this idea. Similar to the tutorial missions in I-War.

[Madrox]

Nice!
I can´t wait until i can put my hand on this mission.

question: im doing my own project right now, when you finish this mission, i can adapt it to my campaign? i´d love to have a nice piloting test on there, it would be a perfect fit for the story im developing.

obs: of course, i will give the proper credits to you. =)

[HeadScar]

Madrox, sure, take whatever you like! Feel free to use it anytime. But one thing is running on my mind since you asked me: Do you really want to let your players crash into things, massive objects, one quest after another, forced by the mission design to just collide with player because it should be as hard as possible. I mean no real Apollo Squadron Leader would put his pilot into such a stupid and dangerous situation (which would be big fun for us to play but not realistic at all I mean). Just saying. Well, you could make it a later at campaign progress mission targeting the ace/ NPC aces of your story/campaign structure.


Oh yeah I remember I-War, outstanding game! But to be honest the Idea came up with the feeling of the DIASPORA MKVII and the kinda of space spirit of my previous sessions playing WC SAGA in Glide Mode only plus that open source game called Orbiter Space Simulator (also manuevering a Colonial Viper). Only those games inspired me among almost every space game out there. But all togheter created a long time wish for some proof of my space piloting skills, and only a Freespace Mod like DIASPORA is worth this, but if other Freespace folks like this, they have full permission to integrate it into any other Mods beside DIASPORA. IMO I would like to play such mission in DIASPORA first since it's my current favorite and I think this situation will not change any soon. I repeat, permission for use outside DIASPORA granted.

Glad you guys like it. BTW more mission ideas type Combat / Strategic / Civil Manuevers / Seek and Hide / Something about some Asteroid Base - coming soon.


//edit: The only thing stopping me from creating this mission is my poor Editor skills. But I will try to build some Container arrays and set the missions look. I will post screenshots of it ASAP. Any Coders are welcome to join this - and needed to make it real.

[Madrox]

Madrox, sure, take whatever you like! Feel free to use it anytime. But one thing is running on my mind since you asked me: Do you really want to let your players crash into things, massive objects, one quest after another, forced by the mission design to just collide with player because it should be as hard as possible. I mean no real Apollo Squadron Leader would put his pilot into such a stupid and dangerous situation (which would be big fun for us to play but not realistic at all I mean). Just saying. Well, you could make it a later at campaign progress mission targeting the ace/ NPC aces of your story/campaign structure.


Oh yeah I remember I-War, outstanding game! But to be honest the Idea came up with the feeling of the DIASPORA MKVII and the kinda of space spirit of my previous sessions playing WC SAGA in Glide Mode only plus that open source game called Orbiter Space Simulator (also manuevering a Colonial Viper). Only those games inspired me among almost every space game out there. But all togheter created a long time wish for some proof of my space piloting skills, and only a Freespace Mod like DIASPORA is worth this, but if other Freespace folks like this, they have full permission to integrate it into any other Mods beside DIASPORA. IMO I would like to play such mission in DIASPORA first since it's my current favorite and I think this situation will not change any soon.

Glad you guys like it. BTW more mission ideas type Combat / Strategic / Civil Manuevers / Seek and Hide / Something about some Asteroid Base - coming soon.

Of course when i said  "adapt" its exacly what it means, adapt the mechanics and universe this mission is in. =D

[HeadScar]

Makes me even happier if you call it a universe. Yeah, ripp it apart or do whatever it takes to make it fit in your campaign.
//edit: Now I will trust your orders again, Sir. You didn't really wanted me to boost towards that mess up of heavy containers!

I did a reading on your thread recently. Looking forward to hear more about your project! 

[Madrox]

Makes me even happier if you call it a universe. Yeah, ripp it apart or do whatever it takes to make it fit in your campaign.
//edit: Now I will trust your orders again, Sir. You didn't really wanted me to boost towards that mess up of heavy containers!

I did a reading on your thread recently. Looking forward to hear more about your project!

I didn´t really get what you mean with "Now I will trust your orders again, Sir. You didn't really wanted me to boost towards that mess up of heavy containers! "


but thank you anyway!
=)

[HeadScar]

Never mind, I was just saying that such a mission briefing or such a mission would be suicide. Not to think about the costs, all the ships will have heavy damage or will be a waste debris after such a mission. I think you agree that your campaign should not bring players into such a situation (a scenario making your game just a game, not something you wanna digg in and play seriously).

See, with my mission, the Multiplayer mode must be big fun, even the single player, but nothing serious, just having fun.   

//edit: Crap, slow progress with Editor, trying to clone an container.

[Madrox]

Never mind, I was just saying that such a mission briefing or such a mission would be suicide. Not to think about the costs, all the ships will have heavy damage or will be a waste debris after such a mission. I think you agree that your campaign should not bring players into such a situation (a scenario making your game just a game, not something you wanna digg in and play seriously).

See, with my mission, the Multiplayer mode must be big fun, even the single player, but nothing serious, just having fun.   

//edit: Crap, slow progress with Editor, trying to clone an container.

Ah...still, its a nice idea, it would be nice if i could make some adaptations to turn in on some test of pilots in training, of course, the scale and resources used would be much less, because of the situation the fleet is in (exiled and on a lost war against a superior enemy), so it would be much basic stuff, because the pilots of the fleet must have abilities is most tasks because exacly of shortage of pilots and resources, so they are suposed to perform both military and civilian tasks.

And i made this right now, thanks for giving me this idea. xD
I will update the thread to take this in consideration.

[karajorma]

Bear in mind that the Colonials do have simulators. It was just Galactica that didn't have them.

[HeadScar]

I see, so the mission could be called 'Advanced Space Piloting Skills Simulation'. I like that idea, making the mission not real, only a simulation. Thanks for the input karajorma. 

On the other side, guys, I could use some help on this. Having problems getting to know how to do things with the Editor. Right now im reading FRED2's help topics to create something with it. //edit: Often  getting error that the Container thing ain't a ship, so I can't do this and that with it...!

//edit: Update: Now I know little more, starting with creation of container arrengements/arrays, placing containers around the map. Will do some basic calculations to set objects with proper coordinates. Containers set objects must be without distance to each other, exactly aligned plus rotated to different angles.

[z64555]

Would love to see a couple of AI to go through, such as the instructor. Might even have a "ghost" mode that mimics your previous run through.

Nude nudge. 

[HeadScar]

Hm, saw the AI crash couple times but I'm still impressed how Ace they are. I think they do well aiming at me and shooting me to pieces. It's pretty hard to fly with Diaspora, everyone, AI or Player crash a lot, Ace or Nugget IMO. I managed today to get the perfect button assignments for my X-Box controller, looks like I will not crash that easy again.

The Ghost Mode would be awesome, some kind of Replay to be proud of and enough time to run fraps capturing (I could beat myself, never did it, saw so much games and situations lol). The Mimics would be even better, transparent ghosts like car racegames have. Yeah, that makes the whole thing way better, the entire mission purpose! Theres nothing better than driving faster as your own shadow!

Status Quo:
It starts to look good. As soon as the basic Container arrengements are done I'm gonna upload the mission here. You might wanna do a pre-run on it, putting your flight skills to a test. But don't expect any 'Mission Design', no code, no setup - just some Containers and space

BTW: My suggestion for the setting would be this:
- New Caprica styled location (such white clouds in space) ...far away, not disturbing manuevers.
- New Caprica style Planet, blue and green and stuff
- A BS like Theseus as starting point (of course from the launch tubes)
- Decorative Container Sculptures to play with
- The U-turn Quest would be some 'Star Sculpture', good looking by adding 75/-45/-145/145 degree Containers to Scenario 4

Any requests for the setting? I mean I'm also thinking of some Huge Astoroid/Planetoid as more raw setting, would not be such a paradise as New Caprica!?

Will keep you up to date...

[z64555]

Maybe have a couple of shooting courses that forces you to glide through one or more apertures, like, a raider or junker crate that's outside the path... or possibly in between two paths (like a faster main path and a slower path that gets closer to the target).

Loving the ideas so far. Have you managed to FRED anything yet?

[HeadScar]

Yeah great idea, I bet that would be cool, even as some standalone 'battle' version, it's very own mission type. What you think? How about shooting at standing missiles, or how about some 'hit the sleeping bullet', while passing all the Containers. Big fun! I will provide any help for this, maybe someday I will be good good eneough with Fredding.

I have something I like to add to the missions Scenarios. I was flying around alone with my Viper since I was the only player, had some best case manuevers against insane NPCs and finally faced the planet in front of me to do something like the following - I suggest this for Scenario 6 or let's call it warm up Scenario '0':

- Face planet, point to it's border and now rotate yourself over and over while trying to aim border of celestial body as precise as possible. 'Manuevers' are allowed, simply steering left/right... no points. Combos of at least two aimed rotations. Time limit. What counts is that you fly some smooth sweeps between border to border, using every of your available steering methods (possible keys). Background music could be classical stuff.   

Will update first Post of Thread ASAP, still playing with blocks.


BTW: Sorry for bringing up the Rising Star, I only wanted to IMO give it it's priority based to it's simple shape. I never had something mad in mind, I can't say how important this game is to me, I play it as much as I can, well, I wish I could play more. In fact I got it on my mind because I was thinking of some missions based on saving something really special and 'exotic'. Just saying, the Colonial One is also nice, but I did not want to flame for more ships. Would be awesome but no stress, do what you can do, just like me.

[HeadScar]

Here we go with the Alpha Version of this Mission. This is a proof of concept.

You can download it below. Read Mission Briefing and have fun. This is just some testing on things, the Level design is still in some very early stage.
If you fail and hit something or you think this Alpha Mission is crap make sure you saw how much fun it is to shoot those Containers.

Feedback is welcome.   


BTW: Mission File has to located in the Diaspora/Data/Missions Folder. This is a single player Mission. Ingame go to 'Tech Data'/Mission Simulator and select 'Single Player'. Now you see a Mission called 'test    mission'.

//edit: More to come: Major changes to current setup. Arrengements of angeled Container formations. Longer Courses (more checkpoints), better adjustment of 'holes'. First Checkpoints. Some Gimmicks and and and. And some Scenarios 7-9.

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[z64555]

It's a start! need a couple more dozen of those apertures, and you'll have the start of a proper course. 

Two things you might want to get out of the way fast though:

1. Get a skybox. Being in a black void is not particularly healthy for some people's sanity. 

2. Make a briefing. This is often overlooked, but you should be able to write up some simple jib jab to say something along the lines of "This is a training simulation to grade your maneuvering ability."