TFL BigBANGtheory

Reply to Any chance of a patch before Christmas? in Beta Feedback Sins Forums

Let the developers focus on the retail release + release patch please, the dice have been cast now.

Reply to graphics wish for final version in Beta Feedback Sins Forums

[quote]I`d like to see already excellent graphics swollen up with higher poly-count versions that require Pixar-level animators to generate, so that despite no visible difference at anything but artificially close-up ranges I can write a promotional statement about the game declaring the insane number of polys present in each entity. [/quote] Something like this.... (20,000 polygons give or take a few hundred) [img]http://img155.imageshack.us/img155/8564/b5oase5tq6.jpg[/img]

Reply to Mesh Editor in Sins Modding Sins Forums

I knocked the original mesh down to around 15-16K polygons and it went in fine this time, clearly there is a limit with either the Mesh Editor and/or game engine for models somewhere around the 20K mark. That is a pretty high poly limit in my book, the Kol Destroyer for example isn't anything like that high.

Reply to Babylon 5 Mod Ideas in Sins Modding Sins Forums

Its just a bunch of dudes bouncing idea's with some demo footage & mod work atm so please speak up if you have something to contribute. FYI : I have posted some additional video material on a thread Im running on the TFL clan forum: [link="http://tflclan.myfreeforum.org/about1769.html"]WWW Link[/link]

Reply to Mesh Editor: Suggestions in Sins Modding Sins Forums

Again not so much a priority more of a wish list: 1) Import the .mesh and then export to .obj/.3ds would be nice. 2) Viewing the application of effects and game file on the mesh (without having to go in game). 3) Direct Export/Save of the Mesh into the game without having to move files about. 4) Try and work out what the padding data in the Mesh is really replacing? I think you should get some idea off the DEVs as to what the official tools will provide so that your

Reply to Mesh Editor in Sins Modding Sins Forums

Well done dude. As a matter of interest to you all in my effort to push the SoaSE game engine with meshes I tried to import a model with near on 30,000 vertices yesterday. The mesh file size was nearly 9MB but unfortunately the game crashed 90% into the level loading screen. My guess is that the mesh was simply too complex, though it is possible the model was too large in volume I'll try once more using the mesh editor feature to scale down.

Reply to Sins Pre-Orders Now Available at Retail in Sins News Sins Forums

Thats what Stardock is for.... UK availablity is fine you just can't own the CD/DVD. As a matter of interest what other versions are being planned besides 'the standard'?

Reply to Lets make some new abilities! in Sins Modding Sins Forums

I would like to see a pure and simple stealth ability which takes cloaked ships off the radar but leaves you with faint graphical artifacts when viewing their movement. Not unlike the Spy paranoia that infests Team Fortress 2. What is really important though is ships do not have a 100% cloak, you just have to look real hard into the darkness of space.....

Reply to noob questions be charitable its Xmas in Sins Modding Sins Forums

Planet textures appear to move, and some asteroids do rotate so there is definately hope. Personally I'm not that fussed about the turret issue I think you do spend 99% of the time viewing ships from a distance where you wouldn't notice them anyway. Unless of course a mod changed the whole scale of the game where the ships became a more dominant feature as in say the Homeworld look & feel. New question... 6) At what point does a mod venture into copyright infringement?

Reply to Babylon 5 Mod Ideas in Sins Modding Sins Forums

In order of preference : Proffesional Development Team (B5 game design from the ground up) Proffesional Development Team (B5 expansion) Established Mod Community/Team (B5 mod) Fan based Team (B5 mod) Individual Fan (B5 mod) A few concerns I have at this stage with the SoaSE game engine are: 1) How are animated models (i.e. 'spinning sections') going to work e.g. B5 station & EA Omega class Destroyer? 2) Can we get animated textures working e.g. Vorlon &

Reply to noob questions be charitable its Xmas in Sins Modding Sins Forums

Thanks Kryo that really helped me piece things together and make some progress. I'll answer the other two question for the benefit of other novice modders: 2) The mesh file contains the file names of the DDS textures (which the game expects to find in the \textures folder) in the following order -CL (colour), -DA (data), -NM (bumpmap). You can use a TXT editor to see this on existing meshs and troubleshoot new ones. 4) Details I imagine are under NDA, common sense simp

Reply to Babylon 5 Mod Ideas in Sins Modding Sins Forums

Yeah I probably picked a shite free file serving host, I wasn't paying too much attention sorry about that they were hot off the press last night and it was getting late ;p I'll try to find a better solution and talk to our TFL clan Web admin for advice. Spartan you are welcome to host the files I assume you downloaded them and therefore now have them.

Reply to Babylon 5 Mod Ideas in Sins Modding Sins Forums

Some hi-res videos for your viewing pleasure. Shadow Vessel Phase Jump:[link="http://www.sharebigfile.com/en/file/2304/B5SoaSE-ShadowPhaseJump-wmv.html"]WWW Link[/link] Vasari Home Factories vs. Shadow Vessel:[link="http://www.sharebigfile.com/en/file/2305/Sins-of-a-Solar-Empire-2007-12-15-23-03-26-06-1-wmv.html"]WWW Link[/link] Pirate Frigate & Cruiser Battle:[link="http://www.sharebigfile.com/en/file/2307/B5SoaSE-FrigateBattle-wmv.html"]WWW Link[/link]

Reply to Babylon 5 Mod Ideas in Sins Modding Sins Forums

[img]http://img217.imageshack.us/img217/7881/b5oase3xy8.jpg[/img] Getting there :d Time for a decent video....

Reply to Mesh Editor in Sins Modding Sins Forums

Finally making progress with my bloom nightmares, what I discovered is that the Mesh Editor cannot import DDS textures despite giving you the option to do so. What I noticed is that with DDS textures the file names do not get added to the mesh (as viewed with a TXT editor) where as other formats e.g. TGA do. Once the file names have been added to the mesh (using the editor) I'm guessing I can replace/overwrite the 'Mesh Editor created DDS files' with any DDS file I choose. Not

Reply to Erm... texture/model help please in Sins Modding Sins Forums

Ok I am armed with the Nvidia plugin for DDS so I should be able to edit the alpha channel finally. What I am not clear on is how textures go from the original model (which contains a material with imported textures) -> Code Herder Mesh Editor -> SoaSE game directory. In order for the mesh to appear in game you replace an original SoaSE ship, I assume therefore the new 3 DDS textures must replace the corresponding original 3 DDS which textured the original model. So gi

Reply to And so it begins... (Model Importing) in Sins Modding Sins Forums

Will it not scale using Code Herders Mesh Editor? I for example scale the B5 Shadow Vessel to 1.5 in X, Y & Z as its too small at its default.

Reply to Earth and other Sol system things in Sins Modding Sins Forums

[img]http://img405.imageshack.us/img405/5885/mars2nd1212mf1.jpg[/img] I took this photo of Mars last night from my garden in UK, you can use it as a texture if you like :HOT:

noob questions be charitable its Xmas in Sins Modding Sins Forums

Context: All questions are related to SoaSE modding... 1) How do the DDS 'skins'/textures get created and mapped onto a 3D surface/mesh given when you view the DDS in Paint Shop Pro it appears as 2D? I have seen there is a plugin for 3DSmax for DDS... 2) How does a mesh file in SoaSE know which DDS textures to apply? 3) When models are exported out of 3DStudioMax e.g. as a .3DS or .OBJ are the textures as defined in the material's editor saved along with it, or do they

Reply to Erm... texture/model help please in Sins Modding Sins Forums

From what I have read online you need to use DXT3 or DXT5 for 'textures with an alpha channel'. You mentioned in another thread the Mesh Editor currently uses DXT1. Is that the cause of the problem, and if so are other people creating a DXT3/5 manually themselves?

Reply to Erm... texture/model help please in Sins Modding Sins Forums

[quote]Mmmm quick question did you use the dds generated by my program.[/quote] I did yes. I'm a bit stumpted probably more to do with my inexperience than anything else (:( This is what I'm doing... 1) Export mesh from 3DSmax to either .obj or .3ds, now I assume what is exported is just the mesh not the textures as well? 2) Load exported .obj or .3ds into CodeHerder Mesh Viewer, model appears as a dull grey object with no texture or lighting effects. 3)

Reply to Babylon 5 Mod Ideas in Sins Modding Sins Forums

Any kind of mods to Beta4 are pure experiments and learning exercises, its not that the game may change it absolutely will change over the next few months. So regarding a B5 mod to SoaSE what we need to do is form a working group of people prepared to actually make the mod whilst chatting to people who want to play the mod. A few weeks ago I knew squat, a few days ago I imported a reasonably hi-res B5 model into SoaSE. So if you want to learn how then now is a good time to do s

Reply to Babylon 5 Mod Ideas in Sins Modding Sins Forums

The ships tend to collide a bit when grouped together as well, I see that happen prior to phase jump quite often. It might have something to do with the fact I've replaced the TEC Scout Frig with the Shadow Capital Ship. This was because I wanted to quickly spawn the ships for the test and have them move at a fast speed. Joblist: 1) Remove bloom 2) Add texture, preferably animated texture 3) Use a TEC Capship as a replacement model instead of a frigate 4) Modify wea

Reply to Babylon 5 Mod Ideas in Sins Modding Sins Forums

Can you explain what you mean Ron?

Reply to Babylon 5 Mod Ideas in Sins Modding Sins Forums

[quote]Get rid of the glow and drop shadow it and it would rock something fierce.[/quote] I haven't learnt how to do that yet I'm a bit new to this. Anyway a short video clip as promised with 20 Shadow vessels in sector, I'll do a better one once I've sorted out the unwanted alpha channel bloom effect and got a better texture going. [link="http://www.sharebigfile.com/en/file/1796/shadowwar-1-wmv.html "]WWW Link[/link]