My feelings on the Star Wars mod.

I vote for a cutscene, just so that the player can fully focus on it.

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A little test (goofing around actually) to make a wall 805 meters wide and 720 high.

Of course, it isn't comparable to a death star because it's made of highly detailed, brightly illuminated, single sims. Still, it may give us some very rough ideas of what to expect if we use a modular design

It takes the engine around 35 seconds to create the 350 pods and when you get within 7.5km the frame rate drops drastically to about 1/8 of the average rate. (on a ATI 9500 pro)
Based on the heavy frame rate drop, could it be possible that the engine renders the heavily detailed rear side of each pod too? (even though you aren't there to look at it from that side)?

This is the extreme! Look at those 14 "trenches"!



some more pics:

A size comparison

Here the 'sunny side' seen 2 km from the nearest edge at an angle

At 10 km a dark block, Base and jumpgate in the background at 100 km

If anyone wants it, you can have the source. For concept testing, some of the pods are docked together via dynamically created and positioned dockports and some (2/3 of them) child attached. It's coded specifically with the pod dimensions, but that could be changed rather easily.

Maybe I'll make a mod out of it. You could use it to block L-points and loot megafreighters when they ram it [}]

Edit: Forgot to mention, every single pod has a name but it looses it's "identity" when it's docked and can no longer be targeted. You can see, everything is docked to a single "core" pod.
/Edit


Iwar2 Multiplayer Fan Site

In case we want to look at a "planet" solution for the DS, I took a spin over to the Planet "Epyon" which is the one you see in the background on the multiplayer maps.

Unfortunatly the planet does have an atmosphere at a distance of about 3750 km from the planet. The heat sinks are overloaded and weapons inoperable but the ship isn't destroyed (apparently that isn't simulated in the MP Game).

I would like to have a new planet (or several choices) in the background for the starwars mod anyhow- If we can figure out how to make the .map files for MP maybe we can make one without an atmosphere and use a specially textured "planet" as the DS in MP.

Would anyone like to take on the challenge to make/edit the .map files for MP?
The originals are in resource/geog/multiplayer




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Are the MP map files any different than the SP ones?

If not, I can easily make many kinds of maps for MP. But the map files don't allow you to specify if a planet has an atmosphere or not. So it's either hard coded that they do, or you'll have to do it in Pog (if that's even possible).

I would think that moons shouldn't normally have an atmosphere, has anyone ever tried flying into a moon?

If that fails, what about making it an asteroid sim?

I still favor making it a station though, so it can be equipped with weapons, faction, etc.

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Originally posted by Second Chance

Are the MP map files any different than the SP ones?

..........

We've tested/used original .map files for MP and they work! As far as I can tell, there's no difference except: the .map files used in MP only have 3 map entities (bodies) on them. I guess, to reduce engine load on the server app. (
The .map entities are used to calculate the "arena center" but they need no explicit name. (the code just counts the no. of entities and uses the second one it finds).
The "arena center" is the place where the objects listed in the multiplayer <map_name>.ini are placed.

I still favor making it a station though, so it can be equipped with weapons, faction, etc.

sure, why not, we could make a <font size="6">big</font id="size6"> avatar for a station, and then child attach a "Trench" sim (or several) to the station at the coordinates we need (child attach doesn't require the col_hulls to touch).
Weapons would be placed per the multiplayer <map_name>.ini as separate sims so we can assign them a faction and be able to target them separatly. (you can place sims and orientate the x,y,z coordinates acurately to within less than 1 meter with the map.ini)
Note: Weapons have to be seperate sims anyhow since you can't target subsims in MP

The same concept would work with a moon or other (atmosphereless) .map entity just as well, though: We could place an inert sim inside it and set the faction of that as needed.
(I never tried to see if a moon has an atmosphere though)


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we could make a <font size="2">big</font id="size2"> avatar for a station

I thought that's what we've been talking about all this time. Making a giant station constructed of seperate sections attached to a central core. Although, I didn't mean as a station placed per the map file, but through Pog. Either way works I guess. Or was the plan to make it an inert sim? I should probably go back and re-read this post. It's sooo long. []

the .map files used in MP only have 3 map entities (bodies) on them.

No problem there.

The .map entities are used to calculate the "arena center" but they need no explicit name.

What needs no explicit name, the arena center or the entities? And what is the "arena center"? Is this what the system center is called in MP? But if it has no system center, then how can entities be placed? Every data file must begin with a system center command. This forms the root parent.

the code just counts the no. of entities and uses the second one it finds

Again, as what? The arena center? I think I must be misunderstanding something. It'll probably all become clear when I know what an "arena center" is.

Weapons have to be seperate sims anyhow since you can't target subsims in MP

Bummer. []

Anyway, once I know what an "arena center" is I'm sure it'll be no prob. [8D]

One more thing:

I never tried to see if a moon has an atmosphere though

Jumpin' Catfish![:0] I came up with something that hasn't been tried before! Yea me!

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The Ultimate Guide To Modding: I-War 2 - Edge Of Chaos (on hold during SW MP mod)
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