To Devs - Parasite Visual Suggestion

CruorCruor Join Date: 2004-11-07 Member: 32677Members
edited February 2010 in Ideas and Suggestions
<div class="IPBDescription">If it should make it into the game that is...</div>I just had the most wicked idea about a mind blowing visual effect if pulled off correctly for the parasite ability if it is to be added to the game after all.

Instead of having the glowing ring outline we have today in NS1 and the placeholder we all saw in the gameplay video released not so long ago. Here's my take on the effect.

Imagine having a model of the human circulatory system with heart and all occupying the same space as the marine body and using the same skeleton animation joints as the main body marine. I don't know how tricky it would be but this circulatory model would then have to be rendered on a layer on top of everything else despite actually being inside the other marine model in the 3D space, thus it would shine through the marine and walls etc. and very explicetly showcase the exact size and approximate distance of the marine.

The circulatory system would be textured with a glowing perhaps orange color and would pulsate in intensity going from visable to not visable like today, but I imagine it would be tied into the animation of the heart in the circulatory model. So on each heartbeat the circulatory system would pulsate and glow the drop off to being not visible in between beats. This being the future with super buff perhaps a bit gene spliced marines rigorously trained to handle stressful situations their normal heart rate would be less than 1 beat per second maybe even 1 beat per 2 seconds or 1.5 seconds. But it would be cool that if you as an alien were in the sight of the marine their heart rate would go up slightly and thus the pinging of the circulatory system would increase. So seeing an Onos coming at you would make your heart beat like mad and the heartbeats would be very frequent. Perhaps eveing the skulks taunting could have an increasing effect on the number of pulses per second, so you parasite the marine and then chuckle to see him more clearly :D

And below is a crude concept image of how it might look, the background used is from a WIP map of SgtBarlow (hoping you won't mind me using it in this manor). Once again this is after all stricly an eye candy suggestion and thus I don't expect it nor would want it to get that high a priority, however I definently think it's worth considering. Now the model would definently not need to be this detailed just a few veins and arteries here and there.

<!--coloro:#FFA500--><span style="color:#FFA500"><!--/coloro-->*EDIT*<!--colorc--></span><!--/colorc--> Newly added animation showcasing the animation of the texture and or shaders applied to this model, courtesy of <!--coloro:#FFA500--><span style="color:#FFA500"><!--/coloro-->RobB<!--colorc--></span><!--/colorc-->

<img src="http://img246.imageshack.us/img246/6906/parasiteconcept.jpg" border="0" class="linked-image" /><img src="http://s3b.directupload.net/images/100227/7jblfvq9.gif" border="0" class="linked-image" />

and below is a link to a clinical anatomy chart of the human circulatory system:

<a href="http://img297.imageshack.us/img297/1213/exphuman055.jpg" target="_blank">Anatomy of the human circulatory system</a>

What do you guys think?

Comments

  • RanemanRaneman Join Date: 2010-01-07 Member: 69962Members
    While being dynamic would be cool, I think just the circulatory system itself would be enough.
  • RobBRobB TUBES OF THE INTERWEB Join Date: 2003-08-11 Member: 19423Members, Constellation, Reinforced - Shadow
    edited February 2010
    It's a nice idea, but I think the basic game design is already fixed therefore: No Para.




    ...at least not for skulks. Don't know if the flys get it.
  • CruorCruor Join Date: 2004-11-07 Member: 32677Members
    Still there was the matter of seeing it in the showcase video they did. Which means they've got a working parasite system even if it might not make it into the finished game.

    I know me personally would still like to see some form of parasite being used.

    And even if parasite does get scrapped from the finished game this effect could just as easily be used for the "Scent of fear" ability and the Sensory Chambers projection of nearby enemies.

    Thus the circulatory system and the heart beating would symbolize the aliens being able to sense and detect the rapid heartbeats of it's stressed out fearful enemies as well as the phermones involved.
  • PhiXXPhiXX Join Date: 2008-10-22 Member: 65274Members
  • GDWhiteGDWhite Join Date: 2009-07-17 Member: 68170Members
    <!--quoteo(post=1754590:date=Feb 22 2010, 05:22 AM:name=PhiXX)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (PhiXX @ Feb 22 2010, 05:22 AM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1754590"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->I love it :)<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
    I do too.
    This idea is unique, and 1-ups the L4D "I SEE YOU ANYWHERE IN THE MAP YOU GLOWING DUDE LOL".
  • xmainexmaine Join Date: 2009-08-10 Member: 68409Members
    Seems overly complicated and unnecessary. Personally, I like the outline of the marine idea like on this one thread i saw(too lazy to look).
  • CruorCruor Join Date: 2004-11-07 Member: 32677Members
    I would think that from an engine perspective coding something to trace the outlines of a model is perhaps more complicated than simply having a second model that is rendered on top of everything else.

    And it wouldn't really make as much sense from a biologically perspective seing just an outline, not that seeing someone's circulatory system does either but it would definently feel more gritty and organic and like a 6th sense of the aliens for them to detect the parasites or epinephrine being pumped through the marines body.

    Only extra workload this effect would mean is to model the circulatory system model, but at the rate their modelers are churning out environment models I doubt that would be much of a problem. The model wouldn't be very complicated, A heart with a couple of branching 5-6 sided cylinders going out from it.
  • GDWhiteGDWhite Join Date: 2009-07-17 Member: 68170Members
    If only the main arteries were visible, I'd love it.
    I'd like to see a developer's opinion on it- is it plausible?
    And yeah, aesthetics after gameplayblurblahbleeh
  • CruorCruor Join Date: 2004-11-07 Member: 32677Members
    Updated OP with a crude concept of how it might look. What do you guys think?
  • TweadleTweadle Join Date: 2005-02-03 Member: 39686Members, NS2 Map Tester
    have to concede that it looks good
  • KalabalanaKalabalana Join Date: 2003-11-14 Member: 22859Members
    Actually, this is an awesome idea, couple the circulatory system with an elliptical pulse originating from the heart, and we have ourselves one damn polished parasite visual!
  • RobBRobB TUBES OF THE INTERWEB Join Date: 2003-08-11 Member: 19423Members, Constellation, Reinforced - Shadow
    can i have the source to this? i want to try something.
  • Voyager IVoyager I Join Date: 2009-11-02 Member: 69222Members
    It seems cool, but It would probably be a major resource hog. Mapping out all those blood vessels would work out to a ton of polys.

    Maybe for NS3 on the computers we have 10 years from now.
  • CruorCruor Join Date: 2004-11-07 Member: 32677Members
    <!--quoteo(post=1755274:date=Feb 25 2010, 10:22 PM:name=RobB)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (RobB @ Feb 25 2010, 10:22 PM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1755274"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->can i have the source to this? i want to try something.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->

    Sure thing, here you go <a href="http://uploadpsd.com/file/92789.psd" target="_blank">NS2-ParasiteConcept.psd</a>


    <!--quoteo(post=1755275:date=Feb 25 2010, 10:28 PM:name=Voyager I)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Voyager I @ Feb 25 2010, 10:28 PM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1755275"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->It seems cool, but It would probably be a major resource hog. Mapping out all those blood vessels would work out to a ton of polys.

    Maybe for NS3 on the computers we have 10 years from now.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->

    You'd only have to model the heart and the major arteries as well as a couple of the branching smaller ones, I doubt that would amount to that many polygons not much more than some of the more detailed world props and certainly much less than every other player model. And if it is felt some of the smaller veins etc. should be in for added visual goodness, then they could simply be put on the texture on losened big polygons that would behave more like sprites.
  • RobBRobB TUBES OF THE INTERWEB Join Date: 2003-08-11 Member: 19423Members, Constellation, Reinforced - Shadow
    I cant access PSD files. I dont have gimp, and I am to broke for photoshop.
    You either have to save each layer indipendently or grab paint.net for me (PDN).
  • CruorCruor Join Date: 2004-11-07 Member: 32677Members
    Ok, I hope PDN takes *.png format :D

    Here's an imageshack gallery containing all layers in transparency png format.

    <a href="http://img4.imageshack.us/g/layer0background.png/" target="_blank">NS2 Parasite Concept Gallery (Layers)</a>
  • MuYeahMuYeah Join Date: 2006-12-26 Member: 59261Members
    edited February 2010
    It looks sweet. Parasite isn't in the game but if Scent of Fear or something similar is then this would be awesome. Like the guy above me said: give it a radial pulse outwards from the heart and it'd be awesome.
  • Squeal_Like_A_PigSqueal_Like_A_Pig Janitor Join Date: 2002-01-25 Member: 66Members, Super Administrators, NS1 Playtester, NS2 Developer, Reinforced - Supporter, WC 2013 - Silver, Subnautica Developer
    Nice job with the mockup. That's a neat idea and looks really cool.

    --Cory
  • CruorCruor Join Date: 2004-11-07 Member: 32677Members
    Cool thanks, great to hear an opinion by none other that the UWE art director :D
  • yourbonesakinyourbonesakin Join Date: 2005-08-06 Member: 57682Members
    Perhaps the circulatory system could be made glowing? That way marines have a disadvantage in the dark. Parasite would serve multiple purposes that way. Or perhaps the parasite visual effect would just not be affected with light (always stay at the same brightness, regardless of how lit-up the marines are).

    If this gets added in, it would definitely add a "unique" visual thing to NS2. Unique things in the days of bland shooters are very good, making it actually useful is even better.
  • RobBRobB TUBES OF THE INTERWEB Join Date: 2003-08-11 Member: 19423Members, Constellation, Reinforced - Shadow
    edited February 2010
    That animation should've run faster, but I don't know why it doesnt do. Stupid animake.

    <b><i>img removed. its ugly</i></b>

    Anyway, I think that jumping around, sprinting or having low health should increase the pace of the pulse through reducing the break between the beats, signaling that the marine is spend one or the other way.

    IMO this is how scent of fear should've worked.
  • CruorCruor Join Date: 2004-11-07 Member: 32677Members
    <!--quoteo(post=1755690:date=Feb 26 2010, 11:41 PM:name=yourbonesakin)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (yourbonesakin @ Feb 26 2010, 11:41 PM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1755690"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->Perhaps the circulatory system could be made glowing? That way marines have a disadvantage in the dark. Parasite would serve multiple purposes that way. Or perhaps the parasite visual effect would just not be affected with light (always stay at the same brightness, regardless of how lit-up the marines are).

    If this gets added in, it would definitely add a "unique" visual thing to NS2. Unique things in the days of bland shooters are very good, making it actually useful is even better.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->

    That was the general idea, that it would behave very much like the sprites for parasite and scent of fear in NS1, in that it's allways on top of everything and at the same luminosity no matter the ambient lighting.

    And RobB excellent work on the animation, exactly what I was going for in the descriptions. Was just to lazy to make it for the mockup concept :D props. If you don't mind I'll add it to the first OP.
  • spellman23spellman23 NS1 Theorycraft Expert Join Date: 2007-05-17 Member: 60920Members
  • RobBRobB TUBES OF THE INTERWEB Join Date: 2003-08-11 Member: 19423Members, Constellation, Reinforced - Shadow
    It looks better in my animation tool.
  • RobBRobB TUBES OF THE INTERWEB Join Date: 2003-08-11 Member: 19423Members, Constellation, Reinforced - Shadow
    I guess this one is better, even if still not perfect.
    <img src="http://s11b.directupload.net/images/100228/vekcjjsd.gif" border="0" class="linked-image" />
  • spawnof2000spawnof2000 Join Date: 2007-09-01 Member: 62111Members
    i dont think that you should pulse it based on a marines heartbeat cause during times of action the heart can beat at something around 180 beats per minute that would be something like 3 times per second which is just too often
  • CruorCruor Join Date: 2004-11-07 Member: 32677Members
    @spawnof2000: Well that could easily be explained away by these being marines in the future who could have been mentally conditioned to withstand greater stress and control of their fears. Greater heart & lung capacity through applied genetics, any number of implants to regulate adrenaline etc.

    And then there is of course the nanites, the one thing that can explain away anything in the NS universe :D

    Anyways I'd imagine like I mentioned in OP that the parasited marine would be emitting a pulse every 2 or maybe 1.5 seconds, suggesting a resting pulse of 30-45 seconds, kick ass marines. But upon entering the infested areas of the map this might rise to a pulse every 1.2-1.5 seconds dynamically suggesting the Marine is a bit more alert when entering this intimidating environment. Further upon being in the visual range of an alien the pulsing would go up even more suggesting a marine operating on adrenaline.

    The same would apply to if this effect were applied to Scent of Fear instead which is perhaps the more obvious use if parasite does not make it in the game. But seeing as in NS1 players were allways visable when Scent of Fear was applied and not like the parasite being viewed at an intervall. So for Scent of fear I would think that the pulse of every heartbeat would light up the model like a beacon. Then in between beats it would dim down but still be visable to some degree at all times within the range of the sense.
  • RobBRobB TUBES OF THE INTERWEB Join Date: 2003-08-11 Member: 19423Members, Constellation, Reinforced - Shadow
    edited February 2010
    A resting pulse of 30 suggests a massive blood pressure. talk about to much mc donalds, imo ;)

    Anyway, you shouldnt use the cardiac system as my animations are plain wrong (you'd have to trace each vessel from the heart away, then back to the heart if done right).

    I'd suggest random nerve impulses or something like that, that'd even work when uwe chooses to follow my experimental lore, cybernetic remote dolls or at least implants to the max, i.e. an rotary pump to silence the pulse.

    Hey... that could work as a counter, expanding the techtree for marines and increase survivability of field personal (you'd have to respawn to have that pump inserted, tho) - they would still be visible, but without pulse the pressure is generally lower and thus the glow is fainter.
  • CruorCruor Join Date: 2004-11-07 Member: 32677Members
    Well yes your animation isn't quite right, the pulse going outwards is great but I would imagine the rest of the circulatory system would remain visible and fade away not retreat back like it does in your animation. So each pulse would strengthen the glow for a short period only for the entire model to fade away until next pulse.

    And a low resting pulse doesn't necessarily suggest a high blood pressure. A higher lung capacity and perhaps a genetically enhanced red blood cell count would enable the heart to beat less to get enough oxygen to the body after all.
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