Ns_veil landing strip effect
KungFuSquirrel
Basher of Muttons Join Date: 2002-01-26 Member: 103Members, NS1 Playtester, Contributor
Basher of Muttons Join Date: 2002-01-26 Member: 103Members, NS1 Playtester, Contributor
<div class="IPBDescription">I even like it. go figure.</div>Thought I'd share this with you. First, here are a pair of screens of the effect in-game (forgive the poor image quality, but that will be remedied with the explanation in the third post)
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Comments
(Doh -- forgot to mention the effect. Basically it's a runway effect, with lights 'running' down the landing strip. Very simple, but not something I've seen anywhere. So, here it is:)
(one more thing --> these screens = AWFUL. Please, if you have any interest at all, look at the example in-game. The poor image quality and lack of motion just... yeah. Eww.)
<img src="http://planethalflife.com/awmaps/veil_strip1.jpg" border="0">
<img src="http://planethalflife.com/awmaps/veil_strip2.jpg" border="0">
Here's a link to an example .bsp:
<a href="http://planethalflife.com/awmaps/ns_veil_marinestart.zip" target="_blank">Example .bsp</a>
For those of you who either want to know or can't figure out how I did this (as I'm sure some of you already have), it's relatively simple:
First, I lined up 10 point lights and 10 env_sprites on each side of the landing strip, all at equidistant intervals. I added 4 multi_managers, the first triggering the first set of lights at 0 seconds, the second set of lights and the second multimanager at 0.1 seconds, and so on with each set of lights from 0.2 seconds to 0.9 seconds. Multithreaded is checked and the MM triggers itself again after about 3-4 seconds. (Default sprite framerate is 10 frames per second, so I decided that using a similar time interval here would be advantageous.) The second multi_manager triggers the same sequence of lights/sprites, but instead of triggering another multi_manager at 0.1 like the first, it triggers the third multimanager at 0.4 seconds. The second pair of MMs (3 and 4) are identical to the first two, except the references to MMs are switched and MM3 doesn't target itself upon completion.
I would have used fewer MMs, but unfortunately there's a limit of 16 entries for each -- this became more practical in the long run. I'm sure most of you already knew or could figure this out, but I thought I'd share it anyway. Plus the effect is quite nice in-game, but not without room for improvement.
I hope all that was coherent, I'm damn tired.
The travelling lights effect is good. However, there needs to be something more on the sides of the runway. Some lights on the side that are always on, like at most normal airport runways and such. And next time you release a .bsp, make sure its not so small. I feel cheated. <!--emo&:p--><img src="http://www.natural-selection.org/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/tounge.gif" border="0" valign="absmiddle" alt=':p'><!--endemo-->
Regarding the darkness, I should clarify that this is a VERY early stage in the development of my marine spawn area. I've only managed to light that one side of it. I knew I wanted this runway effect, though, so I went ahead and implemented that before additional lighting and detailing, which is next on the list. <!--emo&:)--><img src="http://www.natural-selection.org/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif" border="0" valign="absmiddle" alt=':)'><!--endemo--> Good idea regarding the 'always on' lights, too... I see images of little poles on the side (not as often as the red lights) with a nice blue glow coming off the top... I'll also try to add a visible source for the 'running' lights on the strip, heh...
If I were you, I wouldn't have posted the screenshots. Due to the unfinished nature of the area, the shots somewhat distract from how nice the effect looks in game. The darkness actually does something to the effect... I really think it feels quite authentic and oddly life-like in the game. And I wonder if it would have the same effect with proper, brighter lighting. I know it would be unreasonable to have a marine start this dark, but I think the darkness makes it look even cooler.
Whatever. Great effect. Basic and simple, yet it turns out really nice in-game.
-Edit- I would also seriously consider turning this into a docking bay, like you mentioned, rather than an outdoors area.
You know... Thou shalt not create outdoors environments. I've been pretty tempted to do so, myself, but there will be other games...
It's kind of funny that one of the two official maps has a massive outdoors area... I've heard stories about what happened to Merks when Flayra found out about it though... not pretty. <!--emo&:p--><img src="http://www.natural-selection.org/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/tounge.gif" border="0" valign="absmiddle" alt=':p'><!--endemo-->
<!--EDIT|ken20banks|Mar. 19 2002,01:28-->
I'm sorry I'm so boring.
Ah well... great minds think alike eh?
Although could always use the Flaytona plant race map if you like...