[MOD] Immersive environments 1.1 [09-11-2011]

[Eik Corell]

That was my first idea, too. But nope, it also appears when you look from outside the ship, infact much more so since the glass from the cockpit mod is tinted. It appears in in two sides, one of the artifacts appearing on one side, with another similar artifact in the opposite direction. That's what led me to conclude that it was a texture error!

Also, on this subject - I remember the first version having more problems like this. In Heretic's end, for example, there would be these strange "rings", like a contour of a planet that wasn't actually there. I say focus on removing those artefacts. Lighting anomalies, etc, are not that pressing.

[enenra]

Here's a screenshot of a bug in Rolk's Drift: http://img440.imageshack.us/img440/4760 ... n00004.jpg

Look carefully right above the crosshair - There are these bright streaks going out in all directions.

Eik are you sure that's not something the cockpit mod is doing? did you try turning the hud off to confirm it?

It's a typical bug that appears with backgrounds. The problem is that the backgrounds are four textures that are joined together but applied to the inside of a sphere. That means that on the top and the bottom, stretching will occur, which is why those areas have to be covered in either one solid color or be transparent. If that's not the case, those streaks appear.

[Lord Morpheus]

I found a small bug in Mists of Elysium. The background textures are overlapping at a few points and you can see straight lines in space. Sorry can't take screenshots my PC refuses to do them. But it's easy to see anyway

However I am a little bit confused about the necessary restart. I tried both a new game and an old savegame. The new backgrounds, nebulas and planet modells are working fine in the new and the old game.
The only difference I see so far is that planets remain at their positions in the old game. Are there any other problems with using an old savegame?

[connary]

I found a small bug in Mists of Elysium. The background textures are overlapping at a few points and you can see straight lines in space. Sorry can't take screenshots my PC refuses to do them. But it's easy to see anyway

However I am a little bit confused about the necessary restart. I tried both a new game and an old savegame. The new backgrounds, nebulas and planet modells are working fine in the new and the old game.
The only difference I see so far is that planets remain at their positions in the old game. Are there any other problems with using an old savegame?

I will check Elysium.

The problem its the illumination. You will get the new illumination and the reposition of sun with a new restart. I dont think that the backgrounds looks nice without changing this parameters.

[connary]

Here's a screenshot of a bug in Rolk's Drift: http://img440.imageshack.us/img440/4760 ... n00004.jpg

Look carefully right above the crosshair - There are these bright streaks going out in all directions.

Eik are you sure that's not something the cockpit mod is doing? did you try turning the hud off to confirm it?

It's a typical bug that appears with backgrounds. The problem is that the backgrounds are four textures that are joined together but applied to the inside of a sphere. That means that on the top and the bottom, stretching will occur, which is why those areas have to be covered in either one solid color or be transparent. If that's not the case, those streaks appear.

Perfectly explained¡¡

- Fixed streaks on green outlands (boron sectors)
Im also diminished the greenish of the flat color in this sectors.

[Igor.tverd]

@Connary, any news on the release time of RC2?
*eagerly waiting*

[connary]

@Connary, any news on the release time of RC2?
*eagerly waiting*

If nothing disturbs my modding time, will be released this week.

Spoiler

Show

Trying a new Maelstrom, between a real maelstrom and a magnetic aurora.
http://img600.imageshack.us/i/x3screen00143.jpg
http://yfrog.com/gox3screen00145j

Opinions needed

[enenra]

Looking interesting, connary.

I don't see any nebula in that sector though, is that just because it's WIP or do you plan to keep it this way? The nebula was kind of a "signature" of that sector, IMO. ^^

[connary]

Looking interesting, connary.

I don't see any nebula in that sector though, is that just because it's WIP or do you plan to keep it this way? The nebula was kind of a "signature" of that sector, IMO. ^^

Well, in fact the description talks about a magnetic storm.
Im trying to get the look that something spectacular its happening in this sector that blocks the sensors. We are inside this bubble with only one entrance and one exit to the deep space (one dark eye in every side). The best solution to accomplish the sensation of a interior of a bubble or tunnel is deleting the stars inside this bubble but i cant get this to work in this case.
The nebula thing its a common recourse used in other sectors. Im searching for a different event here. Perhaps its a wrong direction.

[tc3]

i think it looks great

[riky69]

It seems that you're really putting your soul in this project. Compliments im glad that in the network there are some modders that takes seriously what they are doing for the community. Thank you connary for giving your example to other modders

[e1team]

nuf said.

[enenra]

Looking interesting, connary.

I don't see any nebula in that sector though, is that just because it's WIP or do you plan to keep it this way? The nebula was kind of a "signature" of that sector, IMO. ^^

Well, in fact the description talks about a magnetic storm.
Im trying to get the look that something spectacular its happening in this sector that blocks the sensors. We are inside this bubble with only one entrance and one exit to the deep space (one dark eye in every side). The best solution to accomplish the sensation of a interior of a bubble or tunnel is deleting the stars inside this bubble but i cant get this to work in this case.
The nebula thing its a common recourse used in other sectors. Im searching for a different event here. Perhaps its a wrong direction.

Maybe try using the nebula planes for some kind of electricity effect? Or a magnetic aurora borealis-like one?
See here for inspiration: http://www.google.ch/images?um=1&hl=en& ... +&gs_rfai=

Also, I remember the old local nebulas in X2 using an interesting effect where the textures of the nebula planes in the sector were animated, resulting in some kind of flashes. That made for a nice effect there, maybe you can try recreating that. Of course, that'd be quite an advanced thing and is probably not as easy as it sounds if you haven't looked into X's texture animation system yet (I haven't so I won't be able to be of much help there. ^^)
Basically, that effect was achieved by switching the nebula plane texture with a white blurry blob one - mostly done in the interval nebula, short flash, nebula, short flash, nebula, long flash, long nebula, repeat. (I hope I explained that understandable. )

[e1team]

Ahh... Just died in my Suicidal Squid game. Good the new version will, hopefully, be out soon. Time to start anew!

[connary]

Looking interesting, connary.

I don't see any nebula in that sector though, is that just because it's WIP or do you plan to keep it this way? The nebula was kind of a "signature" of that sector, IMO. ^^

Well, in fact the description talks about a magnetic storm.
Im trying to get the look that something spectacular its happening in this sector that blocks the sensors. We are inside this bubble with only one entrance and one exit to the deep space (one dark eye in every side). The best solution to accomplish the sensation of a interior of a bubble or tunnel is deleting the stars inside this bubble but i cant get this to work in this case.
The nebula thing its a common recourse used in other sectors. Im searching for a different event here. Perhaps its a wrong direction.

Maybe try using the nebula planes for some kind of electricity effect? Or a magnetic aurora borealis-like one?
See here for inspiration: http://www.google.ch/images?um=1&hl=en& ... +&gs_rfai=

Also, I remember the old local nebulas in X2 using an interesting effect where the textures of the nebula planes in the sector were animated, resulting in some kind of flashes. That made for a nice effect there, maybe you can try recreating that. Of course, that'd be quite an advanced thing and is probably not as easy as it sounds if you haven't looked into X's texture animation system yet (I haven't so I won't be able to be of much help there. ^^)
Basically, that effect was achieved by switching the nebula plane texture with a white blurry blob one - mostly done in the interval nebula, short flash, nebula, short flash, nebula, long flash, long nebula, repeat. (I hope I explained that understandable. )

Spoiler

Show

Oh yeah¡ this was in the works, some kind of magnetic clouds connecting the two bubble sides:
http://yfrog.com/86x3screen00146j
http://yfrog.com/n5x3screen00147j
Hummm, this engine isnt very modder friendly. Trying to investigate how things work kill the fun for me. Your explanation was utter cryptic, lol.

- Fixed The Hole to the correct background and sensor distance, 0 to 2'5 km.

Thanks for your nice words riky69, basically im getting a lot of fun with this and not so much fun with new released games.

[Clock_Work]

Is this going to add modified to my game? It looks really sweet and I would love to use it!

Edit: To answer my own question, yes it does! Idk i would've expected something so purely cosmetic not to add the modified tag... oh well

[enenra]

@connary

Yeah, sorry bout that. I haven't got much of a clue about the animation system so you'll have to ask someone with more knowledge about it.

Screens are looking cool.

[TrixX]

Spoiler

Show

Oh yeah¡ this was in the works, some kind of magnetic clouds connecting the two bubble sides:
http://yfrog.com/86x3screen00146j
http://yfrog.com/n5x3screen00147j
Hummm, this engine isnt very modder friendly. Trying to investigate how things work kill the fun for me. Your explanation was utter cryptic, lol.

I think you'd have to make an animated tga of the cloud you want to create with the times set in the tga. Could be interesting...

[enenra]

Spoiler

Show

Oh yeah¡ this was in the works, some kind of magnetic clouds connecting the two bubble sides:
http://yfrog.com/86x3screen00146j
http://yfrog.com/n5x3screen00147j
Hummm, this engine isnt very modder friendly. Trying to investigate how things work kill the fun for me. Your explanation was utter cryptic, lol.

I think you'd have to make an animated tga of the cloud you want to create with the times set in the tga. Could be interesting...

Errh, nope, not at all.

Firstly, you should only use dds textures - those are usually smaller and have less performance impact than tga textures. Secondly the texture animation system in X works completely different:

You have to create a texture for each frame and then define the animation in the Animations.txt and possibly in some other places. As I said - I don't have much experience on that part.

[Requiemfang]

Yeah TGA files eat up memory like a kid in a candy store.... DDS is much better to use, for animated files and textures alike