Alien Races?

Wydraz · #1 September 23rd, 2003, 06:25 AM

There are Neutrals, Terrans, Amonkrie and Pirates. I notice there are no alien portraits in the demo. Do we ever see their faces in the full game, or just their ships?

Captain Kwok · #2 September 23rd, 2003, 11:35 PM

It depends if they are displayed in one of the mission 'briefings'...but all of them do have a portrait. They're the same as the se4; except the Sith'rak (from Campaign 3) who have the former Xi'Chung portrait.

Wydraz · #3 September 24th, 2003, 01:08 AM

Good, then my alien portraits can be put to good use in my mod. What size are the bitmaps?

Captain Kwok · #4 September 24th, 2003, 03:04 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Wydraz:
Good, then my alien portraits can be put to good use in my mod. What size are the bitmaps?

They are 256x256 and are added to the images>portraits directory.

Ed Kolis · #5 September 24th, 2003, 03:49 AM

256x256.

(BTW, Aaron told us that the original models were unfortunately lost in a computer crash, so all the race portraits are simply smoothed rescales of the original SE4 portraits.

But take heart - that's also the reason all the ships in the game got a complete makeover! To tell you the truth, I never cared much for the old Abbidon ships, they were just too symmetrical...

)

Wydraz · #6 October 2nd, 2003, 07:41 PM

This is directed at those who've played the full game: How is communication with alien ships or planets presented in the game? Is it just the "Contact" button - after you land on a planet or station? Is the random cummunication from ships as you pass near them all there is in space, or is there a real "first contact" situation when you meet a new alien race in space and an actual dialog takes place?

Ed Kolis · #7 October 2nd, 2003, 09:41 PM

Just the contact button at bases and planets. The random radio Messages from ships are just fluff (ever had a pirate threaten to board you even though the game doesn't have boarding parties?

) and when they were put in, Aaron said they were just filler for a real communication system... which has never materialized.

So here's to hoping real communications appears in a patch!

Wydraz · #8 October 3rd, 2003, 02:05 AM

Glancing at the data files I am imagining that the sort of communications I envision can at least be simulated to a small degree using events and dialogs. Do you think this can be done by mods?