Screenshots Release Thread

While waiting for more WONDERFUL models, some FRED news...

Just wanted to report something I saw in the HLP source code update project...

21: Autodock
If a players (or any other) fighter/bomber is within docking distance (300m?) of a capital ship then the ship is moved automatically to dock with the ship. This assumes that the players craft can be moved "remotely" so to speak... but it's high time we could dock with something other than subspace!
Goober's working on this.

It can be achieved by activating the sexp player-use-ai and then giving the player's ship docking orders. (Be sure to turn off player-use-ai when done.)

Is it true, or is it TRUE? Carrier landings. No more hyperspace docking...

And of course I would like to dispel once and for all the MYTH that you can't have multiple jump point missions (fight, go to next jump point, fight on go to next jumpoint etc) on Fs2. Fred just thinks you are playing a mini-campaign within a campaign. Derelict campaign mission 2 or 3 is made that way. I am in the process of exploring that in FRED, to see just how it is done. I think I know, but have to be sure.
 
Also...

43: Squad Specific Image Maps
If a squadron.tbl references ship image maps other than default then these maps are used instead of the default maps. This could be good to enhance the concept that a SOC squadron of Erinyes might get a custom paint job on their fighters to indicate they were special ops - but the original vanilla paint job of Erinyes could still fly in the same mission without having to worry about changing models around and so on. I really like this idea myself if it's at all possible to do, it allows a lot more immersion without the user having to fiddle around with files and such. Just place all the maps and tables where they should go and you're away.
Can be done with FRED2_Open's texture replacement code.

It can also (and more easily) be specified using the custom wing squadron logo option.

Thank you Goober5000 for all the hard work Soon the time will come to put this all in practice.

http://dynamic4.gamespy.com/~freespace/forums/showthread.php?postid=350023#post350023

If you want to know more...
 
Lynx said:
I've decided to bend to the will of the mob :p I'll add some blue parts to make it look more colorful.

The model, by the way, is an Eder. After our super-sexy female agent drugged Eder, my special WCS model aquiring green beret squad stormed his house and took his most beautiful 3d models while inflicting the maximum posssible damage. :D

I would use current texture for the pirate Sabre... I am pretty sure that outlaws don't use Confed paintjob :D
 
Here's our Rapier II. In some parts, the texture coordinates are rather..ummh "adventurous" to say at best, noteable at the small front wings for example, and for some reason the light casting on this model is a bit strange. seems the vertex based lighting in FS does funny things with the model. I'll maybe try to fix these issues sometime later, but right now, I don't feel like reconverting the model and fiddle around with it. Well, enough of my babbling. Here is it :)
 

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Funny, what you consider imperfect (and some others would also) would be beyond our wildest dreams but one year ago.

How things change.

Rap 2 is good. Minor Lightning problems I can deal with! Honest!
 
Lynx: odd... I had always imagined the RapierII.5 to be a little, well, smoother and flatter. IIRC the ingame animations showed it as very smooth and curvy (that punk Tolwyn still has me flying my Ferret... not that I mind that much :)), and if I can figure out how to screencap the animations from mission start I'll post to show you what Im talking about. This looks like a nice balance between the WC1 variant and the WC2 variant, though, and the metallic texture sheen is EXCELLENT IMO. Is there any chance you can bring back the "Bad Mutha" look of the heavy guns? These look decidedly fragile.

Andropolos: as for the autodock, is this an activatable option or something that happens whenever possible if there arent any enemies around?
 
Well, sounds like things are progressing steadily. I hope everything can be worked out ok.

The Rapier looks cool, my favorite WC2 ship in all it's glory and splendor, but Chernikov is right, the guns look rather flimsy.
 
Yeah, you're right. The proportions of the model are a bit off, the fins on the engines are too big, and the guns look a bit odd. It's not one of ours, it's from the XWA TC which died long ago. The other models from there are good, but this one is just mediocre. If I have time, I'll make a new one before the release.

@Andropolos: funny, I've never heard about autodock beeing implemented; there was talking about it, but...It's already posible to land on carriers, with or without it.
 
Lynx said:
Yeah, you're right. The proportions of the model are a bit off, the fins on the engines are too big, and the guns look a bit odd. It's not one of ours, it's from the XWA TC which died long ago. The other models from there are good, but this one is just mediocre.
Yes, that's one of my old models from the XWA WCTC days :p
It's probably the least accurate of them all, along with the Crossbow.

For all you wannabe modellers out there: compare this Rapier with the one on Standoff's site and you'll have an idea of just how much someone can improve in 3 or 4 years :cool:
 
Lynx: *drool* The englines still need a little tweaking but thats damn near perfect otherwise. :) Is that something you just whipped up or has it been around a while - Eder's base model for the Rapier, perhaps?
 
Yeah, all hail to the master Eder. :D

I had a look on his older Rapier II cause the WC2 bitmaps are too small, the one in Standoff is a bit different. Yes, the intakes need some tweaking, but it is nearly ready. ;)
 
"You can't say enough good things about EDER! :D

You CAN make a "training mission" with Fred that will have flashing Green letters on the objectives box...

Training missions can be made to use ANY combination you want and you can use a FRED command to see if a combination of keys has been pressed. (after a set of objective SEXPs was achieved)...

"Press Ctrl+D to dock with the Cruiser etc..." which in turn can activate the sexp player-use-ai and then giving the player's ship docking orders.

Mess with FRED. There is so much to do with it."

--- from that point on you can either use a (pre-laid) landing sequence (I am not sure whether OPENFRED supports .avi or .divx) and see the player off at the designated landing ship.

--- I am pretty sure there is another way to it, but have not tested yet so I can't really say more than I have already said.

Once I get my computer back from the shop (it is getting upgraded) will let you know for sure.
 
Lynx said:
I had a look on his older Rapier II cause the WC2 bitmaps are too small, the one in Standoff is a bit different. Yes, the intakes need some tweaking, but it is nearly ready. ;)

Hey Lynx, FWIW, those two things between the intakes, along with the raised section behind them, weren't in WC2's model (Capn Johnny posted a shot of it here a while ago.... and those were actually just plating lines drawn on the textures which I mis-interpreted as being actual geometry)

I'm attaching the best Rapier II reference material you'll ever find... used by yours truly to model Standoff's Rapier. Judging from these, your model seems pretty accurate, except for the cockpit being too boxy and the intakes which are missing an extra "frame" thingie in the bottom (they don't just connect to the wings like that).

Also, notice that the front winglets in Standoff's Rapier attach to the hull more smoothly than in the original Rapier... that's the only point in which I actually wanted to make it different from WC2, cause I think my way looks much better. :p

I think the only scene I missed (you might wanna try to get a screenshot of it for even better reference) is the one from the eject sequence (I'm guessing it's a different picture than the one from the launch sequence, since I know it is for the Sabre at least).
 

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