Avalon Class Textures and FO in general

posted on May 1st, 2004, 8:42 pm

Its about time I posted I think.

Okay. The design of this ship is fine. However, Optec. What possessed you to use low quality textures, yet again?? Hasn't anyone on this team got the idea to use better, higher quality textures?? Its not as if people aren't having to download a new file with each beta (a poor idea and waste of peoples time). Ever heard of an update?? Its not to difficult to do. Also what of those who don't want to use your own installer?? Is there going to be support for a standard armada 2 installation?? If not, why?? (and please, no palming people of as happened when this question was asked previously).

Oh and a note. Carriers are generally seen as much larger than other classes of vessels (note from Wing Commander). I would be interested in how the team is likely to attempt a reintegration of the fighters if they are used as a seperate entity from the mothership (something which is hardcoded via the seperation/reintegration special), or is there something going on.........

[DOCa Cola]

posted on May 1st, 2004, 9:31 pm

Last edited by DOCa Cola on May 1st, 2004, 9:35 pm, edited 1 time in total.

hi map, i would be happy to see you in our chat, so maybe we could discuss this directly (irc chat link on main page)
[edit]i thought about it and think that because your post has many interesting aspects to discuss to move it to an extra thread[/edit]

DOCa Cola

[Anonymous]

posted on May 1st, 2004, 9:51 pm

Last edited by Anonymous on May 1st, 2004, 9:52 pm, edited 1 time in total.

I think FO is great how it is

[DOCa Cola]

posted on May 1st, 2004, 9:51 pm

Last edited by DOCa Cola on May 1st, 2004, 10:21 pm, edited 1 time in total.

I will talk about the installer and leave the question about the models and textures to optec.

Its not as if people aren't having to download a new file with each beta (a poor idea and waste of peoples time). Ever heard of an update?? Its not to difficult to do. Also what of those who don't want to use your own installer?? Is there going to be support for a standard armada 2 installation?? If not, why?? (and please, no palming people of as happened when this question was asked previously).

Yea, the question about updates. The thing is, we thought fleet operations as a multiplayer mod and to reach the highest level of compatibility the betas until today are provided as full packages only. of course i heard of updates. i also considered this. but the probability of incompatibilities especially in fleet operations is high as some files are dynamicly switched during the game and an upgrade may not be able to update the file then.
The other thing is that too many files were changed. you remember version 1.0 and v 1.1 right?
There were actually the smallest differences between those two versions. but and that was mainly my mistake because i didn't knew there was an 1.0 and 1.1 patched version which adressed the files wrong so only 50% of all players had the right files copied in their fleet operations directory so it was impossible to upgrade.
Why was there never an 1.1 to 2.0 update

Now the question why i decided to use an extra installer for fleet operations and not the build in one and then an extra one. My idea was to create an installer which could provide best compatibility (some ppl may not have much experience with mods so they may have an incompatible version or buggy version after they have installed a mod with the armada 2 build in installer + an extra mod installer).
The other idea with a complete own installer which self copies required files of the cd was to provide a very easy and especially fast installation (no 2 setups which require your input 2 times). The only people who are suffering from this solution are those who haven't bought armada 2 actually but get a ripped version off somewhere from a p2p network.

[Optec]

posted on May 1st, 2004, 9:59 pm

Last edited by Optec on May 1st, 2004, 10:01 pm, edited 1 time in total.

We use 512x512 textures which is enough. Of course we considered to use 1024x1024 textures, but this would slowdown the game to much exspecially on slower systems. We already do have enough special effects which need system resources. Some vessels and stations use 256x256 textures in Beta1 & Beta2 and they will be replaced with the next Betas. All new vessels and stations use 512x512 textures, as you may have noticed. The textures for the 3d preview on the site are compressed of course.

Same to the models. Some models from the first modelling stage of Fleet Operations are not as good as the new ones. Of course we will replace these models, step by step (for example the Newton Class will get a new model in Beta3 and the Borg got new models in Beta2), but we can't do everything at once

As said before the fighters don't act as a selectable independent instance, therefore there is no need for an integration. They start automatically and return to the carrier automatically. You just have to attack a target like you always do.

posted on May 1st, 2004, 10:22 pm

fleet ops is the best and always will be

posted on May 2nd, 2004, 3:55 am

Hear hear!

posted on May 2nd, 2004, 5:38 am

Thankyou for the reply Doca. Optec. If your models use 512*512 textures why do the images that are posted look like the textures are lower quality?? I've recently finished an intrepid model for my own project and compared to your own the textures on mine (used from an SFC3 source) which are 512*512 are of finer detail.

I understand the need for as much compatibility as possible but have you considered the possibility of some sort of news letter which people who want the mod MUST subscribe to:

1) It'll give you the same, or possibly better control over who's playing with the mod.
2) Players who use this method will definately be up to date and the compatibility issues will be fine.

Okay, so on the remarks of update downloads only, this is easier than you think. If your able to "work around" the main armada exectuable then perhaps theres a way to work around creating a "dynamic" update. The utility package I use allows for updates of all kinds including internet installation so perhaps you migh tbe able to come up with something the same.

[Optec]

posted on May 2nd, 2004, 10:11 am

Last edited by Optec on May 2nd, 2004, 10:56 am, edited 1 time in total.

Major A Payne. Yep, the Intrepid Class is one of the old vessels from Beta1, which will be redone in a future beta. You should have a closer look at the new models of beta2 (for example the romulan vessels or stations) and the new vessels of beta3 which are posted here (for example the avalon or the luspet). You can see more Beta3 Vessels on the screenshots which have been posted. The 3d models you can access with each unit preview don't have 1mb tga files of course.

I have added 2 screenshots which show the ingame detail of a few discussed vessels for you:
An Avalon Class starship
A Newton Class Starship repairing a Monsoon Class destroyer
As you can see we updated the models for the Monsoon and the Newton Class. More upgrades will be coming in future Betas, but it all needs time

Greetings,
Optec

posted on May 2nd, 2004, 12:14 pm

Hmmmm, well I'll reserve any further judgement until a much later beta is released (might be time to call in on another review).

posted on May 2nd, 2004, 5:22 pm

Although I do enjoy this mod I too must agree with MAP. I don't understand why there isn't a standard installer used for this mod? The rest of us modders would like to be able to peek inside this mod without having to install it to a different directory.

I have looked around some of the SW files and have found classlables that I have never seen or used before. Do you guys have some special listing of the classlables somewhere? I can't even find them in Westworlds Big Book of Modding.

Very interesting work none the less. Keep up the good work.


KaBoom out.

posted on May 2nd, 2004, 5:28 pm

The Avalon class in that screenshot is bloody awesome!

posted on May 2nd, 2004, 6:31 pm

nope, i don't know of a list for classables. Just try playing arround witht the engine

Greetings,
Optec