[WIP] Supplies Outpost

Started by Epifire, July 24, 2013, 05:10:11 PM

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I think the hardest thing that you're going to have to pull off, is going to be AI pathing.. (even though its multiplayer themed).

I'm glad it looks pretty!

Just another small update and a call out for some help. Posted over to GT about the question but I'm not having much luck. The question? Well I want to get glowing surfaces (such should be the top panels of this lamp) to glow and have a light source attached...



Still no actual color but that can wait till last. I'm wanting to get the same effect like this lamp off of the Kejim base...

Oh and while I'm on the subject of lighting, does anyone know where I can change the sky light and other effects with it? I swear even though I painted a darker shade over my terrain it still has this weird "fullbright" look to it. The help would be much appreciated!  :wave:
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To add lights:
Use primitives (hps, or nulls) as points in the MSH, preferably call them hp_light or something that you'll remember (with hp prefix so SWBF will recognize it). Then you can call it in the objects ODF: AttachToHardPoint    = "hp_light"
AttachODF    = "whitelight" //whitelight is an ODF in common.lvl source files, and you can modify that as needed and save it in your world ODF/ folder.

If you need multiple of the same light on one model AttachOdf   = "whitelight"
AttachToHardPoint  = "hp_light"
AttachToHardPoint  = "hp_light1"
AttachToHardPoint  = "hp_light2"
//etc

--
For the terrain lighting:
If you're trying to do all that fun stuff on a Windows7, well then good luck to you.. I'd work on an XP instead.
SKY lighting will not control the brightness of terrain, as I'm sure you already know. But you can find world and ambient lighting in world *.SKY file (in Worlds/ Folder, which I'm sure you know as well :P)

The terrain is vertex lit (It does accept lights as well though.), you'll need to go into colour in Zero Edit to change it.  Painting all of the terrain something like 128 128 128 usually works fine.

Actually learning a lot about these things through this project. Mostly model skills here but I'm starting to pick up more as I go. Trying to get some different lighting settings in there but I already have an attached light to the lamp props now.

Oh, while I'm making some adjustments I've been wondering how I can edit the default level themes out. Cause currently I have this geo sky and tatooine soundscape (or what ever it's called in this engine). The sky file seems rather revealing but at current I'm wanting to get a less atmosphere more space background kind of sky. Would be cool if I could get a cool galaxy projected but I'm crap at finding references for stuff like that.

I guess I see most the lines for the defaults now, but a better question is a good method of replacing them.
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Quote from: Epifire on December 21, 2013, 01:35:18 PM
Oh, while I'm making some adjustments I've been wondering how I can edit the default level themes out. Cause currently I have this geo sky and tatooine soundscape (or what ever it's called in this engine). The sky file seems rather revealing but at current I'm wanting to get a less atmosphere more space background kind of sky. Would be cool if I could get a cool galaxy projected but I'm crap at finding references for stuff like that.
I can try and put together so space sky 360 dome models if you want.
You can just replace the model and texture reference in the world .SKY file (dome_model something or another, you'll find it.)

Quote from: -ChristmasCommando- on December 21, 2013, 01:47:24 PM
I can try and put together so space sky 360 dome models if you want.
You can just replace the model and texture reference in the world .SKY file (dome_model something or another, you'll find it.)

That's the trick is getting the right material for it. Splashing on a nice (1024 or larger squared texture) would be awesome. My current idea is to have a well defined set of stars with maybe some colorful nebula so it kinda pops when you look at it. Then have a relatively darker map that's more defined by the lit sections where base emplacements are at.
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Actualy, no needs to make HD sky texture, to make stars. Stars, it is a sky effect, and .sky file, responsible for this.
[spoiler] Stars()
{
NumStars(8000);
RandomSeed(1);
TwinkleFactor(0.0);
TwinkleFrequency(0.0);
Color(255, 255, 255, 255);
XBOX()
{
BrightStarPercent(70.0);
AlphaMin(15);
ColorSaturation(0.5);
}
PC()
{
BrightStarPercent(90.0);
AlphaMin(15);
ColorSaturation(0.5);
}
PS2()
{
StarTexture("fx_star");
BrightStarPercent(10.0);
AlphaMin(10);
ColorSaturation(0.2);
}
}
[/spoiler]

Nebula, it is a static sky object, and can be founded, in BF2 assets.

For making darker or brighter terrain, you may use "color" button in ZE.
Beauty is, the way to perfection.

Glory to Ukraine!  :mf:

Quote from: Sereja on December 21, 2013, 05:07:11 PM
Actualy, no needs to make HD sky texture, to make stars. Stars, it is a sky effect, and .sky file, responsible for this.
[spoiler] Stars()
{
NumStars(8000);
RandomSeed(1);
TwinkleFactor(0.0);
TwinkleFrequency(0.0);
Color(255, 255, 255, 255);
XBOX()
{
BrightStarPercent(70.0);
AlphaMin(15);
ColorSaturation(0.5);
}
PC()
{
BrightStarPercent(90.0);
AlphaMin(15);
ColorSaturation(0.5);
}
PS2()
{
StarTexture("fx_star");
BrightStarPercent(10.0);
AlphaMin(10);
ColorSaturation(0.2);
}
}
[/spoiler]

Nebula, it is a static sky object, and can be founded, in BF2 assets.

For making darker or brighter terrain, you may use "color" button in ZE.

Well I'm thinking of getting something new/less static but I'll have to test things and see. Oh getting some different light shafts working as I guess they are implemented to the light entity...



Took like 25 times of munging and tweaking hard points and values to get it looking decent. I still need to have the actual light panels illuminated though so they have an apparent source.
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Excellent modifications, good luck on getting a more animated sky.. Not sure how that would work.

Been trying for a while to get this new sky dome to work but no such luck yet. Was wondering if someone else could get it to work, or tell me why this isn't.

Btw if these files are correct (and they show fine in MSH viewer) then it's probably my sky file lines. SO if anyone happens to get this to work shoot your settings my way so I can see what you did. Most the stuff I'm just guessing on since I don't mess around in these files too often.
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December 21, 2013, 07:14:02 PM #56 Last Edit: December 21, 2013, 07:18:32 PM by -ChristmasCommando-
It works fine, heres my sky file for reference:
SkyInfo()
{
    ObjectVisibility(40.000000, 80.000000, 1600.000000);
    FogColor(252, 252, 252);
    FogRange(0.000000, 3000.000000);
    NearSceneRange(50.0, 220.0, 60.0, 300.0);
    FarSceneRange(450.000000, 1000.0);
    AmbientColor(120, 101, 76);
    TopDirectionalAmbientColor(120, 101, 76);
    BottomDirectionalAmbientColor(126, 70, 35);
    CharacterAmbientColor(209,156,73);
    VehicleAmbientColor(189, 136, 53);
    Enable(1559);
    FogRamp(3);
}

SunInfo()
{
    Angle(140.000005, -10.000011);
    Color(120, 120, 120);
    Texture("");
    Degree(90.000011);
    BackAngle(180.000022, 0.000000);
    BackColor(128, 128, 128);
    BackDegree(0.000000);
}


DomeInfo()
{
    Texture("space_sky.tga");
    Angle(190.000005);
    Ambient(128.000038, 128.000038, 128.000038);
    Filter(1);
    Threshold(150);
    Intensity(50);

    Softness(1);
    SoftnessParam(60);

    PC()
    {
        TerrainBumpTexture("geo1_bump", 1.0);
    }



    DomeModel()
    {
        Geometry("Space_Sky_Dome");
    }

    DomeModel()
    {
        Geometry("geo_sky_arena");
        Offset(-20.0);
        MovementScale(0.995);
    }
    DomeModel()
    {
        Geometry("geo_sky_spire");
        Offset(-20.0);
        MovementScale(0.995);
    }
    DomeModel()
    {
        Geometry("geo_sky_dome_rim");
        Offset(10.0);
        MovementScale(0.995);
    }

    LowResTerrain()
    {
        Texture("geo1");
        PatchResolution(7);
        FogNear(300.0);
        FogFar(700.0);
        FogColor(142,82,38, 128);
        DetailTexture("geo1_far_detail");
        DetailTextureScale(0.25);
    }
}

Only two things changed was Texture name reference, and dome model reference (with no MSH extension, some times that screws it up.. Not sure why.)

I would post screen shots, but apparently SWBF doesn't save them when in the default Win7 file path.. I always play from my flash drive..

I just keep getting it coming up all black sky on mine and I swear I did the same things you did. It's modeled in Windows 7 but it's implemented, munged, and ran on my other XP machine.
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December 21, 2013, 07:22:35 PM #58 Last Edit: December 21, 2013, 07:25:24 PM by -ChristmasCommando-
That is quite strange..

OH, I know. You put your dome and texture in the /World1/ folder right? It needs to not be in the /MSh/ Folder, and in the World1/ folder instead for some reason..
Its weird, because all files lead to the munged folder anyways.. (If anyone got my Nemo reference there, I commend you.)

Example:
DataID\Worlds\Dawn\World1\texture.tga
DataID\Worlds\Dawn\World1\model.MSH

December 21, 2013, 07:31:10 PM #59 Last Edit: December 22, 2013, 12:13:00 AM by Epifire
Oh well I copied your sky info directly and it ran fine. I would like to bump up the detail 2x as much but I also wanna get rid of the rest of the geo props still present with the rest of the dome.

I went directly to the Hubble Telescope database but I can't find anything large enough. This doesn't wrap around the dome since it's a squared texture. Where as the original is like a 256x1000 so it can wrap around it's sides. So my goal is to find either a panoramic space shot (that tiles it's horizon correctly) or find a 2048 squared shot in the same theme like what it has now. Preferably with less purple and moar blue.

Wish you people had an Xfire or something, cause it'd make this whole process a lot easier.  :P

:EDIT
After much debate (and still not a fully finished Sky file yet) I think this nebula sky dome is acceptable as long as I can promote the lifeless feel to the rest of the environment through cold colors...



It is a 2048 squared texture projected onto the existing dome mesh SWBF uses (I think that's as high as I can use?). I'm looking for creative means of replacing other Sky elements, such as other detail meshes and decor thrown in. As I'm now aware of, by removing most of the unneeded "geo junk" in mine, I also completely disabled my sky-dome previously. So while I progress I'll be looking for creative ways to replace assets currently being ran in it. Any ideas/crits are more than welcome, and thanks for the extended advice and support that's helped me get this far guys.
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