*** Star Trek Mod Discussion ***

[Captain Kwok]

ZeroAdunn: Are you aware that you can create bitmaps and use them as textures on your models? That is how I get all the little windows or numbers and things like that. It takes me very little time to throw together the rough model but a long time to make all these little images for different parts of the ship...especially when you keep on revising them...

[Captain Kwok]

Greetings.

I have made a minor update to the TNG site including updating the tech list with a few new components and details.

I've also added a status section with a brief comment and edited the General Mod info to reflect the current state of the Mod. The next update should be Saturday afternoon EST.

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ZeroAdunn: What I can do is send you some simple models and texture examples with comments on how I did them. I won't be able to do that until Saturday though.

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Mag357: How about sending me a few stellar ability type entries for obscuring asteroids and planets...?

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That's all for now.

[Taz-in-Space]

Just had a thought about the star trek universe.
I remember quite a few times that ships in the star trek universe HID using stars. Is it possible to MOD the system types file to include this automatically for generated maps? I did this via the map program for a small map and it took a while. IMO a map that had stars that you could hide in (maybe taking damage also in trade-off) would add to the experance.

[ZeroAdunn]

Actually in star trek ships could hide practicly anywhere. This is because star trek occasionally emplored reallalistic physics and realised you can not scan through a stellar body such as a star or a planet. If you were going to do this you would have to apply it to just about everything. Actually that could be kind of cool.

Kwok: yah I know. I am just not very good at applying them. Seriously, if I could get a copy of a couple of files with all their associated image files it would be a real help.

On a side note, what do you use to create the texture maps? I personally use Adobe Photoshop/Illustrator for all my needs.

[Captain Kwok]

Begin Transmission...

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I don't think it's a good idea to have all stellar objects with an obscure ability. I would prefer to have an occassional asteroid or planet with the ability making it kind of a lucky find in which to hide those invasion fleets.

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Another Thought: I feel that experience is too powerful. I was thinking of reducing the maximum levels to perhaps 10% and hopefully encourage more even battles between equally matched fleets rather than the lopsided battles that too often occur in SEIV.

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ZeroAdunn: I use Adobe Photoshop 6. It is sometimes challenging to devise a good image map for objects. I'll send you some things tomorrow with some hints that I use...keep in mind that I'm no expert. I hope it will be helpful.

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End Transmission.

[ June 07, 2002, 23:35: Message edited by: Captain Kwok ]

[Captain Kwok]

Greetings.

Unfortunately I didn't get the kind of time I needed today to do some major work as I had hoped. The site underwent a minor change with some new images but not much else.

I'm occassionally found at the #SE4 room on the gamesnet.net chat server. There is usually a few people present at any one time now.

Here is a sample component image I made. It's a Nacelle engine...I'm going to add a blue glowing strip to it and it will be finished.



BTW - How come no one has mentioned that I've been spelling NACELLE NaScelle for the Last ten years?

Edit: Image wasn't displaying.

[ June 09, 2002, 01:26: Message edited by: Captain Kwok ]

[ZeroAdunn]

Kwok: Ahhhh, photoshop 6, one step ahead, still stuck with 5.5, kinda sucks.

[Magnum357]

Hey Kwok, what do you mean by that Last message below...

"Mag357: How about sending me a few stellar ability type entries for obscuring asteroids and planets...?"

Could you tell me what you mean by this?

[Suicide Junkie]

Entries from stellarabilitytypes.txt are in the form:

code:

---

Name                      := Normal Storm

Number of Poss Abilities  := 4

Ability 1 Chance          := 250

Ability 1 Type            := Sector - Damage

Ability 1 Descr           := Turbulence causes damage to space vehicles.

Ability 1 Val 1           := 200

Ability 1 Val 2           := 1

Ability 2 Chance          := 250

Ability 2 Type            := Sector - Sight Obscuration

Ability 2 Descr           := This storm is opaque to most scanners.

Ability 2 Val 1           := 3

Ability 2 Val 2           := 0

Ability 3 Chance          := 250

Ability 3 Type            := Sector - Sensor Interference

Ability 3 Descr           := There is heavy radiation causing combat sensor interference.

Ability 3 Val 1           := -50

Ability 3 Val 2           := 0

Ability 4 Chance          := 250

Ability 4 Type            := Sector - Shield Disruption

Ability 4 Descr           := Ion radiation renders all shields useless. 

Ability 4 Val 1           := 5000

Ability 4 Val 2           := 0

---

[Captain Kwok]

Mag357:

I thought since you came up with the idea of the obscuring asteroids/planets, you could make a few entries and send them to me for the Mod.

Look at SJ's example. Use the obscuration level ability. Remember in the Mod - there are 12 (not 5 as in vanilla SE4) levels of cloak and sensors.

I suppose I could whip it up but I rather I get some help or the Mod is never going to be done.

[ June 09, 2002, 13:55: Message edited by: Captain Kwok ]