Re: Vandron Shipset
 

Chewy your pictures look great.
I'll have to make battle scenes with my ships sometime!

Re: Vandron Shipset
 

Thats one freaky looking alien City/Weapon platform http://www.shrapnelgames.com/ubb/images/icons/icon7.gif.

I just figured out what was missing form your pics: Damaged, retreating ships and burning hulks.
The battles seem too clean, with no rubble.
Maybe some smoldering bunkers, or burnt out tanks, or a crashed fighter sticking out of a hill.

PS: How can you take over a gas giant planet with tanks?
It's probably not important enough to redo all your troop images, but just something amusing to think about.

Re: Vandron Shipset
 

Heys, cool pictures!

"How can you take over a gas giant planet with tanks?"

-I believe that they can attach together and use hovering to maneuver.(Terran_Portrait_TroopLarge)

Re: Vandron Shipset
 

Thnaks guys for the compliments http://www.shrapnelgames.com/ubb/images/icons/icon7.gif

As for the tanks on a gas giant well what da heck I don't know SJ I might as well go with the hovering thing.

And i guess the battles can be seen as the start of the battle. I'm not good enough yet to for the smoldering burned hulks. But i'll keep that in mind for the next pics http://www.shrapnelgames.com/ubb/ima...ons/icon12.gif

BTW here is the next pic. This scene shows what started the war between the "Vandron" and the "yet be named anyone have any ideas"
I guess it's called the ambush. SJ tried to get your wormhole idea in the one. http://www.shrapnelgames.com/ubb/images/icons/icon7.gif

Re: Vandron Shipset
 

Note to self: leave standing orders for shields to be raised before useing warppoints.

Nice warppoint image.

I must say, I'm stunned at the reaction time of those aliens! Opening fire before the vandron ship has travelled its own length (to emerge from the wormhole)
Either that, or there's some conspicuous warppoint opening event before ships enter.

Re: Vandron Shipset
 

yeah i guess i was thinking something like the deep space 9 wormhole where you know something is coming through before it actually appears. Also, i figure since it was an ambush the bad guys might have had some idea of when the dread was coming.

Re: Vandron Shipset
 

To use 'SE4 logic' for a sec... If you're parked over a wormhole and an enemy comes through, your fleets are mixed and at short range from the start of battle. Call the appearance of the warp point during the battle as artistic license. :-)

Just a technical note, burning hulks are hard to do since most 3D models are not built to be deformed due to battle damage. You'd have to build a second model and replace the damaged parts with new objects/meshes to simulate the damage. In DoGA L2 it's pretty hard to do, retexturing some parts will do. But, the modelling might have to resort to dozens of smaller models and parts to create fragments from a bLast.
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TAZ

Re: Vandron Shipset
 

Could you not use some sort of carve tool, subtracting a bLast shape from the ship mesh, and then retexture the exposed faces?

You'd have a bunch of meshes, but they wouldn't be too hard to create.

Re: Vandron Shipset
 

There are programs that allow for CSG (constructive solid geometry) where you can do that Moray/POV Ray or Spazz3D are examples.

The DoGA CGA series is based on a parts metaphor. Easy to use, but you have to build custom parts by creating them from small bits. The latest Version (L3) allow for the importing of DXF files so you could build a damaged part externally and bring it. You can get clever with certain textures and create transparent sections and then build an interior. This is a lot easier with L3 since you can build a damaged section or create a transparency mask to mimic battle damage.
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TAZ

As an example... http://zircher.iwarp.com/fots_3d/contest03/drifter.htm

Re: Vandron Shipset
 

After the Vandron counterattack had completely wiped out one of the enemies planets. The Vandron pull the bulk of their "purging" forces back into their own space leaving only a few cloaked ships behind for reconaissance. Meanwhile, they begin to lay a dense minefield in front of the worm hole where they were first ambushed by the enemy.

So goes the story with the latest pic. Not much action here but it moves the story along...

Re: Vandron Shipset
 

Pardon my nitpicking, bad habit...

The default sphere is too blocky, try loading ball3.suf from the L3 sample directory, It's twenty times smoother than the basic sphere. I can see one planet in view, but not two. Space is too big for that to happen. Perhaps a planet and a moon... Similarly, I love the coloration of the suns, but they are too large. Figure one should be thumbnail sized and the other one a bit smaller. It's interesting that the warp point blocks part of the sun. Perhaps using a transparency mask would make for a more warp-like effect where the two overlap.

This is just more of a random thought thing. Would mines 'tumble' out or would they be launched more like depth charges in a V pattern? The idea of tumbling autonomous anti-matter bombs out the hatch sounds a little frightning. :-)
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TAZ

Re: Vandron Shipset
 

ok i'll try to use the smoother sphere next time. And the ransparant wormhole is a good idea. As for the size and spacing i was just trying to spruce up a somewhat bland pic. And the mines are being "placed" outside the ships with a wide arc tractor beam. At least thats what i thought that beam was anyway http://www.shrapnelgames.com/ubb/images/icons/icon7.gif

Re: Vandron Shipset
 

Fair enough. :-) As to sprucing up scenes, try using NASA stock photos of nebuli and other such space 'terrain'. You can also download programs like Universe and Starbits to make your own space back drops.
Both are shareware: Universe ( http://www.diardsoftware.com/ ) has more features, but is more expensive. I happen to like Starbits because it's cheaper (only $10) and the demo is fully functional. I used Starbits to make the vortex in this image...
http://zircher.iwarp.com/fots_3d/images/emergence.htm
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TAZ

I got problems connecting to EMM's home page so try this link for Starbits... http://www.softpile.com/Multimedia/I...867_index.html

Re: Vandron Shipset
 

ok so how do i import backgrounds that i make with these programs?

Re: Vandron Shipset
 

If there isn't an explicit background feature, use a gigantic box with the NASA image as a texture.

Re: Vandron Shipset
 

AI Update:

I hope to be able to post an improved set of AI files tonight or tomorrow morning. They're not finished yet, but I think that they are much improved.

Re: Vandron Shipset
 

C27: ok so how do i import backgrounds that i make with these programs?

It depends on which Version of DoGA CGA you're using. I have an essay on hacking backgrounds in L2. For L3, it's as easy or as hard as you want to make it. :-)

Clicking Display > Rendering Properties will bring up the Renedering Properties dialog box. The frame on the right controls the background, the four choices are none, select a solid color, select a spherical background, or select a custom image to use as a back drop. Drops are fixed and 3D backgrounds pan with camera motion/placement. [This is also why some backgrounds show a planet, but you don't see it because the camera is facing the wrong direction.]

Using a back drop is pretty easy. Create a background or pull one off the web and save the image to disk. Fire up L3 and go to the Render Properties dialog. Click on option four and browse from there to where the image is located. Render as normal. For stills, this is 99% of what you need to know for custom backgrounds.

If you want to make spherical backgrounds, you'll to learn how to merge six images into a single panoramic picture and proper distort it. Fortunately, there's a tool to do that for you. Of course, it's in Japanese so you may want my Version which includes an English cheat sheet. To use a panoramic picture in L3. Load it as you would a back drop, but check the "Map to BG sphere" check box.
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TAZ

Re: Vandron Shipset
 

thanks zircher i'll have to try that http://www.shrapnelgames.com/ubb/images/icons/icon7.gif

Re: Vandron Shipset
 

Here is the latest AI. It is much closer to releaseable. Give it a shot and see what you think.

Re: Vandron Shipset
 

great job alpha. I have all the big boys in and guess whos in first after 60 turns http://www.shrapnelgames.com/ubb/images/icons/icon7.gif http://www.shrapnelgames.com/ubb/images/icons/icon7.gif http://www.shrapnelgames.com/ubb/images/icons/icon7.gif

Re: Vandron Shipset
 

Cool. I'm still working a few bugs out, and I haven't seen how they research all the way up to the big ships yet, but I think we are getting there.

Any progress on a design name file? I have a few ideas that I can start putting together, but any names you can come up with would be great.

Re: Vandron Shipset
 

what kind of names were you thinking? SJ suggested that we do a dictionary search for "HOLY" and use that.

Re: Vandron Shipset
 

I figured maybe some religious terms mixed with some mineral and walking terms, just for a little variety. I'll put together a list for the next Version.

Re: Vandron Shipset
 

sounds good. http://www.shrapnelgames.com/ubb/images/icons/icon7.gif

After playing the game for 200 turns here's what i noticed

- still don't build enough ships although do build better variety of ships now
- don't spread population very well
- don't get intel fast enough or enough of it
- everything else looks great
- finished 2nd behind vaxin http://www.shrapnelgames.com/ubb/ima...ons/icon12.gif

Re: Vandron Shipset
 

After the main fleet returned to secure space, a few covert battalions remained to scout and destroy oppurtune targets. Upon the discovery of an enemy space station, one of the cloaked battalions relayed a message back to a front line military base requesting two unmanned dummy escorts. After receiving the dummy ships they preceeded to attack the heavily armed base. This pic depicts the opening moments of the battle.

Re: Vandron Shipset
 

a full batallion operating under cloak is awfully impressive. like all the other images, i think this one is great. however, i notice that a couple of stars appear in the foreground (in front of the ships)

Re: Vandron Shipset
 

hmmm.... yeah it does appear like that now that I look more closely at it Puke. I think its because of the transparancy effect I used for the cloaked ships. Oh well http://www.shrapnelgames.com/ubb/images/icons/icon7.gif

Re: Vandron Shipset
 

Alpha have you given any thought to the possibility of changing the culture type?

Re: Vandron Shipset
 

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by chewy027:
Alpha have you given any thought to the possibility of changing the culture type? <HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Yeah, I'm trying a Version with a worker culture. So far it's looking pretty good. I also came up with a fairly extensive design name file. I'll try to get something posted in the next day or two.

Re: Vandron Shipset
 

great!! http://www.shrapnelgames.com/ubb/images/icons/icon7.gif I figured the warrior culture wasn't very advantageous for what we are designing. Workers sound good.

Re: Vandron Shipset
 

I noticed that there seems to be a problem with the race portraits in the ship set. The pop_mini seems to be sized as the pop_portrait should be, and the pop_portrait seems to be missing. (Assuming I have the correct Version.) You might want to check and make sure those are set properly.

Re: Vandron Shipset
 

yeah andres lescano sp? caught that a while back i fixed it a while ago, but don't download the latest Version yet cause i am redoing some of the minis and angles on some of the bases and carrier. I'll post that when its done as the latest Version http://www.shrapnelgames.com/ubb/images/icons/icon7.gif

Re: Vandron Shipset
 

for a peek at the fleet without having to download them head on over to USY and check out the under construction section. As i stated in the Last post though, i'm updating some of the pics and most all of the minis

and if anyone has any more thoughts or suggestions i'm all ears http://www.shrapnelgames.com/ubb/images/icons/icon7.gif

[This message has been edited by chewy027 (edited 16 October 2001).]

Re: Vandron Shipset
 

After the annihilation of their third most populated world, and the discovery and destruction of their main research base by the Vandron, the Hevordah amass a retaliatory fleet of their own. They never thought the Vandron would have the means to inflict that much damage on them, but now the Hevordah feel it is time for payback. One dreadnaught is not enough.....

Sorry to triple post here but i just finished this pic and I think its great. I did the background myself ("starbits" thanks zircher) and as you can see have the makings for the next fleet. I'm real interested to see what you think. http://www.shrapnelgames.com/ubb/images/icons/icon7.gif

Re: Vandron Shipset
 

Heh, the Hevordah seem a little peeved. BTW, glad to help. :-)
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TAZ

Re: Vandron Shipset
 

well i posted the vandron v1.6 in the mods section. It has a beta AI and an emp file for 5k i redid some stuff in the shipset as well. In all my games that i've play tested them they've always been in the top three after 200 or so turns. So check em out. http://www.shrapnelgames.com/ubb/images/icons/icon7.gif

Re: Vandron Shipset
 

Aaacccckkk! I was too slow. http://www.shrapnelgames.com/ubb/images/icons/shock.gif

Here is an updated AI that is working quite well up through BC size ships, at least. It includes .emp files for 2K, 3K and 5K, and a design names file.

I would consider this AI a valid release AI, albeit a 1.0 Version, so I'm sure it will need updates after we get feedback.

Edit: I guess including the file would be a good idea. http://www.shrapnelgames.com/ubb/ima...ons/icon12.gif

[This message has been edited by Alpha Kodiak (edited 18 October 2001).]

Re: Vandron Shipset
 

must have posted right after me. No prob i updated the download in the races directory to include the new AI. So try it out and tell us what you think. http://www.shrapnelgames.com/ubb/ima...ons/icon12.gif

Re: Vandron Shipset
 

anyone play against them yet? How do they stand up? I been in a game with em now for about 500 turns and there pretty tough.

Re: Vandron Shipset
 

Alpha any more progress with the AI? I have the speech just about finished, but i'll wait for the latest AI to update them. http://www.shrapnelgames.com/ubb/images/icons/icon7.gif

Re: Vandron Shipset
 

I spent my alotment of free time the Last week or so getting the Rage and Vaxin up to 1.49 standards for the TDM Modpack. I got a few tweaks in on the Vandron during that time, but now I can get the Vandron, Angelican Regency and the SEOR AIs updated and hopefully ready for release in another week or so.

Fortunately, I copied all of my SEIV development to my laptop Last week, because the motherboard on my desktop died over the weekend. http://www.shrapnelgames.com/ubb/images/icons/icon8.gif

Re: Vandron Shipset
 

lucky you backed everything up http://www.shrapnelgames.com/ubb/images/icons/icon7.gif ok i'll just wait then, thanks

Re: Vandron Shipset
 

Vandron AI update:

The AI is working very well now. I want to adjust a couple of things based on what came out of the discussion on the Rage and the Vaxin for the TDM Modpack. I should have something to post in the next day or so (work permitting http://www.shrapnelgames.com/ubb/ima...s/rolleyes.gif ).

The Hevordah AI has been on the back burner since the 1.49 patch, but I hope to get back on it soon. If I recall correctly, it was pretty far along.

Re: Vandron Shipset
 

excellent. i am just about done with the hevordah shipset. and the vandron speech file, yeah i know, but i've been busy lately. BTW do you want to include the vandron in the new cd burn alpha?

Re: Vandron Shipset
 

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by chewy027:
excellent. i am just about done with the hevordah shipset. and the vandron speech file, yeah i know, but i've been busy lately. BTW do you want to include the vandron in the new cd burn alpha?<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Have to ask the TDM guys what they think. I don't know if they want to add another race this late in the process, but I think the Vandron would do well if it was added.

Tampa, Daynarr, Mephisto, what do you guys think? I can have the final AI done by tomorrow night. Do you want to add the Vandron to the Modpack?

Re: Vandron Shipset
 

Ok, here is Version 2.0 of the Vandron AI. So far, its looking pretty good. Let me know what you think.

Re: Vandron Shipset
 

great have to start a new game now http://www.shrapnelgames.com/ubb/images/icons/icon7.gif

Re: Vandron Shipset
 

well alpha they're woopin up on everyboby including me http://www.shrapnelgames.com/ubb/images/icons/icon7.gif !! I guess i'll post this as the first official release Version in the mods section. Should I put it in the definitive mods section for the new burn or are you gonna tweak them some more. Great Job !!

Re: Vandron Shipset
 

I think well call this Version complete. Go ahead and post them in the Definitive Mod thread. Make sure there is a readme file with basic install instructions and so forth, as I didn't put one together for the Vandron. (Just thought about that now, and can't do anything about it at work. http://www.shrapnelgames.com/ubb/ima...s/rolleyes.gif )

Next up for me (once I finish polishing the Angelican Regency and the SEOR - both almost done) is to get back to the Hevordah.