Alien Vision Mod

twiliteblue · May 2012

This is a client side mod which changes the visuals of alien vision (Dark Vision).

Download link (works for b254): [url]https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/60032446/AV_mod_b253/DarkVision.hlsl[/url] Right click and "save".

Mod previews available here: [url]http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=174440948[/url]
[spoiler][img]https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/60032446/AV_mod_b253/2013-09-02_00001.jpg[/img][/spoiler]

Green version: [url]https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/60032446/AV_mod_green/DarkVision.hlsl[/url]

preview: [url]http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=175139523[/url]

[spoiler][img]https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/60032446/AV_mod_green/2013-09-03_00002.jpg[/img][/spoiler]

Blue version: [url]https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/60032446/AV_mod_blue/DarkVision.hlsl[/url]

[spoiler][img]https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/60032446/AV_mod_blue/2013-09-02_00005.jpg[/img][/spoiler]

[b]Note: The mod in Steam Workshop does not work on all servers, but installing the mod with the following instructions will.[/b]

NEW non-Workshop Installation

===================================

1. Download the file DarkVision.hlsl.

2. Create a new mod folder in your Natural Selection 2 folder (it should be your "<Steam directory>\steamapps\common\natural selection 2" folder). Rename the new folder to something more meaningful, such as "avMod".

3. Create a new "shaders" folder inside your mod folder. Copy/move DarkVision.hlsl into this folder.

4. Create a shortcut to your NS2.exe, which you will be using to launch this mod.

5. Edit the "properties" of the shortcut, add the following after the quotation marks at end the target field: -game <mod name> (eg. -game avMod).

6. Launch the mod from the new shortcut.

twiliteblue · May 2012

Version Update:
Outlines surrounding entities and geometry edges are more blurred the closer they are to the screen's edges.

ajajattebom · May 2012

holy ######!

ArcL!ght · May 2012

+1 on holy <a href="http://www.lajkam.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/mother-of-god.jpg" target="_blank">mother of god</a>

I like the fact you can see infestation too.

Arkanti · May 2012

Here's an alternative shader, also from TwiliteBlue

<a href="http://www.2shared.com/file/nP7mCx12/AlienVision.html" target="_blank">Download Link</a>

<img src="http://i.imgur.com/1JV1k.jpg" border="0" class="linked-image" />

<img src="http://i.imgur.com/gJIxw.jpg" border="0" class="linked-image" />

Jekt · May 2012

Defiantly prefer the better distance definition to the blurry drunk effect.
I'm still using a blue version with low saturation, it could be a good idea to show off what's capable and have several versions for preview and download.

twiliteblue · May 2012

Here's a new version with moderate blur effect (based on distance from center of screen), and improved distance-based entity coloring.

<a href="http://dl.dropbox.com/u/60032446/zoomblur4/DarkVision.fx" target="_blank">http://dl.dropbox.com/u/60032446/zoomblur4/DarkVision.fx</a>

<img src="http://dl.dropbox.com/u/60032446/zoomblur4/NS2%202012-05-28%2012-02-03-82.jpg" border="0" class="linked-image" />

<img src="http://dl.dropbox.com/u/60032446/zoomblur4/NS2%202012-05-28%2012-11-09-42.jpg" border="0" class="linked-image" />

twiliteblue · May 2012

Alternate Color Scheme

<a href="http://dl.dropbox.com/u/60032446/zoomblur5/DarkVision.fx" target="_blank">http://dl.dropbox.com/u/60032446/zoomblur5/DarkVision.fx</a>

<img src="http://dl.dropbox.com/u/60032446/zoomblur5/NS2%202012-05-28%2012-48-53-28.jpg" border="0" class="linked-image" />

<img src="http://dl.dropbox.com/u/60032446/zoomblur5/NS2%202012-05-28%2012-49-43-18.jpg" border="0" class="linked-image" />

<img src="http://dl.dropbox.com/u/60032446/zoomblur5/NS2%202012-05-28%2012-49-55-39.jpg" border="0" class="linked-image" />

<img src="http://dl.dropbox.com/u/60032446/zoomblur5/NS2%202012-05-28%2014-32-08-38.jpg" border="0" class="linked-image" />

Ryne · May 2012

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Arkanti @ May 27 2012, 03:12 AM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1939254"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'>Here's an alternative shader, also from TwiliteBlue

<a href="http://www.2shared.com/file/nP7mCx12/AlienVision.html" target="_blank">Download Link</a></div>

Gotta say, this is beautiful! good work to both of you

Arkanti · May 2012

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Ryne @ May 28 2012, 01:00 PM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1939426"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'>Gotta say, this is beautiful! good work to both of you</div>

Ah I can't take any credit, all the code is twiliteblue's (of course based off Sewlek's original work). He's put a lot of hours into this! What I posted is just my favourite iteration, though I haven't tried out either of the new ones posted since and am looking forward to doing so.

Dghelneshi · May 2012

I think all of these versions suffer from insane amounts of contrast (both brightness and color contrast), which can cause severe eye strain. The first alternate version Arkanti posted is better regarding the brightness contrast, though I personally don't like the colors that much.

Arkanti · May 2012

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Dghelneshi @ May 29 2012, 12:13 AM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1939495"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'>I think all of these versions suffer from insane amounts of contrast (both brightness and color contrast), which can cause severe eye strain. The first alternate version Arkanti posted is better regarding the brightness contrast, though I personally don't like the colors that much.</div>

Have you tried it in game? The one I posted actually changes the way it looks depending on lighting quite a bit (in response to the colours, not eyestrain).

Sewlek · May 2012

nice pictures, i tried most of the versions here and was using some myself.

did you try to do something else than cell shading? i think cell shading is limiting a bit and it seems that all versions are basically the same but with adjusted colors (i know they are all different and I have read the code)

Ryne · May 2012

Hey guys, I made my own version by tweaking the one Arkanti posted. Basically it removes all darkness, and just highlights the bodies.

Here is an example:

<img src="http://i.imgur.com/WVwJm.jpg" border="0" class="linked-image" />

Download link: <a href="http://www.2shared.com/file/KT_U2VD9/AlienVision.html" target="_blank">http://www.2shared.com/file/KT_U2VD9/AlienVision.html</a>

Smasher · May 2012

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Ryne @ May 28 2012, 05:28 PM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1939584"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'>..</div>
I like that one! Awesome :)

Kurrine · May 2012

<span style="color:#9ACD32">Haha, very nice, somehow get them slightly transparent and you've basically got the old alien flashlight.</span>

twiliteblue · May 2012

Here's a neo version:

<a href="http://dl.dropbox.com/u/60032446/neo/DarkVision.fx" target="_blank">http://dl.dropbox.com/u/60032446/neo/DarkVision.fx</a>

<img src="http://dl.dropbox.com/u/60032446/neo/NS2%202012-05-29%2014-25-44-37.jpg" border="0" class="linked-image" />

<img src="http://dl.dropbox.com/u/60032446/neo/NS2%202012-05-29%2014-26-40-30.jpg" border="0" class="linked-image" />

<img src="http://dl.dropbox.com/u/60032446/neo/NS2%202012-05-29%2014-28-30-90.jpg" border="0" class="linked-image" />

DarkOmen · May 2012

Since everyone's been jumping on this bandwagor, I might as well submit my entry... here it is!

<center><object width="450" height="356"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/_S3BiAKGSYg"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/_S3BiAKGSYg" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="450" height="356"></embed></object></center>
<div class='codetop'>CODE</div><div class='codemain'>struct VS_INPUT
{
    float3 ssPosition   : POSITION;
    float2 texCoord     : TEXCOORD0;
    float4 color        : COLOR0;
};

struct VS_OUTPUT
{
    float4 ssPosition    : POSITION;
    float2 texCoord     : TEXCOORD0;
    float4 color        : COLOR0;
};

struct PS_INPUT
{
    float2 texCoord     : TEXCOORD0;
    float4 color        : COLOR0;
};

texture     baseTexture;
texture        depthTexture;
float        time;
float        startTime;
float        amount;

sampler baseTextureSampler = sampler_state
    {
        texture       = (baseTexture);
        AddressU      = Wrap;
        AddressV      = Wrap;
        MinFilter     = Linear;
        MagFilter     = Linear;
        MipFilter     = Linear;
        SRGBTexture   = False;
    };

sampler depthTextureSampler = sampler_state
    {
        texture       = (depthTexture);
        AddressU      = Clamp;
        AddressV      = Clamp;
        MinFilter     = Linear;
        MagFilter     = Linear;
        MipFilter     = None;
        SRGBTexture   = False;
    };

/*float random( vec2 p )
{
  // We need irrationals for pseudo randomness.
  // Most (all?) known transcendental numbers will (generally) work.
  const vec2 r = vec2(
    23.1406926327792690,  // e^pi (Gelfond's constant)
     2.6651441426902251); // 2^sqrt(2) (Gelfondâ€“Schneider constant)
  return fract( cos( mod( 123456789., 1e-7 + 256. * dot(p,r) ) ) );
}*/

/**
* Vertex shader.
*/
VS_OUTPUT SFXBasicVS(VS_INPUT input)
{

    VS_OUTPUT output;

    output.ssPosition = float4(input.ssPosition, 1);
    output.texCoord   = input.texCoord;
    output.color      = input.color;

    return output;

}

float4 SFXDarkVisionPS(PS_INPUT input) : COLOR0
{

    // This is an exponent which is used to make the pulse front move faster when it gets
    // farther away from the viewer so that the effect doesn't take too long to complete.
    const float frontMovementPower     = 3.0;
    const float frontSpeed            = 10.0;
    const float pulseWidth            = 20.0;

    float2 texCoord = input.texCoord;

    float2 depth1    = tex2D(depthTextureSampler, input.texCoord).rg;
    float4 inputPixel = tex2D(baseTextureSampler, input.texCoord);

    const float macro_offset = 0.95;
    const float offset = 0.0025;

    float  depth2 = tex2D(depthTextureSampler, input.texCoord * float2( macro_offset, macro_offset) - float2( -((1-macro_offset)/2), -((1-macro_offset)/2))).r;
    float  depth3 = depth2 - tex2D(depthTextureSampler, input.texCoord * float2( 0.9, 0.9) - float2( -((1-0.9)/2), -((1-0.9)/2))).r;
    float  depth4 = depth3 - tex2D(depthTextureSampler, input.texCoord * float2( 0.8, 0.8) - float2( -((1-0.8)/2), -((1-0.8)/2))).r;
    float  depth5 = depth4 - tex2D(depthTextureSampler, input.texCoord * float2( 0.7, 0.7) - float2( -((1-0.7)/2), -((1-0.7)/2))).r;

    float4 edgeColor;

    if (depth1.g != 1)
    {
        // Normal Surfaces
        edgeColor = float4(0.18, 0.2, 0.1, 0) * 0.00125;
    }
    else
    {
        // Highlights
        edgeColor = float4(1, 0.08, 0, 0) * inputPixel.r;
    }

    float edge =          abs(depth2 - depth1.r) /
                 abs(depth3 - depth1.r) *
                 abs(depth4 - depth1.r) +
                 abs(depth5 - depth1.r);

    // Compute a pulse "front" that sweeps out from the viewer when the effect is activated.

    float x     = (input.texCoord.x - 0.5) * 2;
    float wave  = cos(10 * x) + sin(15 * x);

    float front = pow( (time - startTime) * frontSpeed, frontMovementPower) + wave;
    float pulse = saturate((front - depth1.r) / pulseWidth);

    if (pulse > 0)
    {
        float4 fog = float4(0.05, 0.08, 0.05, 0);
        float  fogDensity = 0.0005;
        float fogAmount = 1- saturate(exp(-depth1.r * fogDensity));
        return lerp( inputPixel, edgeColor * (edge / pulse + depth1.r) + fog * fogAmount, amount ) * edge / 6;
    }
    else
    {
        return inputPixel;
    }

}

technique SFXDarkVision
{
    pass p0
    {
        ZEnable             = False;
        ZWriteEnable        = False;
        VertexShader        = compile vs_2_0 SFXBasicVS();
        PixelShader         = compile ps_2_0 SFXDarkVisionPS();
        CullMode            = None;
    }
}</div>

Flayra · May 2012

Nice work Twiliteblue!

We'd like to include your version in the next version of NS2. One thing though: could you have the orange ents fade to blackness sooner? Ie, when the level goes to black, can you have the live entities be black also? This way it wouldn't be so easy to pick out a marine at a distance (which we believe is necessary to ensure the vision mode is a trade-off and isn't always on).

On a side note, I think it's so awesome that so many of you can and do create your own shaders. It's exciting to think about what the collective NS2 mod scene will do.

rantology · May 2012

so if it's supposed to be a trade-off... does this mean the vision will no longer be mod-able? What's to stop people from simply continuing to use these modded versions with no trade-off? I suppose this question strays into the realm of anti-cheat stuff, but I am curious. Same thing goes for the reskins, now that those are appearing.. (though I don't know if you can play on live servers with those atm, but I am guessing you can?), why not use bright, lime-green skulk skins?

a bit off topic I guess, sorry twilightblue..

Vladimir Van Vodka · May 2012

The new vision mods are great and differentiating more so far, It looks really good, but it doesn't look organic. Is there any way to make it look and feel more organic?

What I mean is that up to now, every single version still looks like some sort of tweaked thermal vision...

<img src="http://fallout3.nexusmods.com/mods/images/14371-1-1283172573.jpg" border="0" class="linked-image" />

If you can see what I mean.

Asraniel · May 2012

My guess is, that will be handled as soon as client side consistency checks are in place.

Ryne · May 2012

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Asraniel @ May 29 2012, 12:04 PM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1939820"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'>My guess is, that will be handled as soon as client side consistency checks are in place.</div>
But then half the reason to make a game moddable goes out the window. (Half in my mind being customization and the other half large scale mods like Insight)

goblin · May 2012

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Ryne @ May 29 2012, 04:33 PM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1939824"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'>But then half the reason to make a game moddable goes out the window. (Half in my mind being customization and the other half large scale mods like Insight)</div>

almost sure it will be a server flag to turn the consistency on/off, so there will be pure ns2 servers with consistency on and moddable servers

Asraniel · May 2012

I also think that the devs will be able to specifiy which files are checked for consistency. So its not necessarely a all or nothing scenario.

Ryne · May 2012

Forgot to mention, on my mod the alien vision comes up near instantly rather than pulsing out. I did this in a hacky way by just increasing the pulse to be near instant....might spend time later to make it more legit.

Pistachio · May 2012

This is some really nice work. Thank you for sharing, twiliteblue.

twiliteblue · May 2012

Thanks for the encouragement everybody!

Charlie, I hope you like my new "deep sea" alien vision. :)

Download: <a href="http://dl.dropbox.com/u/60032446/deepsea/DarkVision.fx" target="_blank">http://dl.dropbox.com/u/60032446/deepsea/DarkVision.fx</a>

<img src="http://dl.dropbox.com/u/60032446/deepsea/NS2%202012-05-30%2012-55-12-02.jpg" border="0" class="linked-image" />

<img src="http://dl.dropbox.com/u/60032446/deepsea/NS2%202012-05-30%2013-12-00-61.jpg" border="0" class="linked-image" />

<img src="http://dl.dropbox.com/u/60032446/deepsea/NS2%202012-05-30%2013-12-04-12.jpg" border="0" class="linked-image" />

<img src="http://dl.dropbox.com/u/60032446/deepsea/NS2%202012-05-30%2013-12-40-02.jpg" border="0" class="linked-image" />

<img src="http://dl.dropbox.com/u/60032446/deepsea/NS2%202012-05-30%2013-17-15-63.jpg" border="0" class="linked-image" />

I have made Marines less conspicuous at long range in this version, but not completely camouflaged.

Having tried playing with a version of alien vision that made live entities fade out completely at long (20-40) range, I found that it wasn't very pleasant. Since Marines can already snipe aliens from long range with little fear of retaliation, and blend into the blue-gray environments quite well, I do think aliens need a little help spotting marines at long range.

Ryne · May 2012

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (twiliteblue @ May 29 2012, 07:12 PM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1939933"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'>Thanks for the encouragement everybody!

Charlie, I hope you like my new "deep sea" alien vision. :)</div>

Nice, again!

It would be cool if this got implemented with color sliders for background and "body"(marines, structures, etc) colors. Then people could customize them in game with ease!

Yuuki · May 2012

Here is my version, I hope there is enough trade off !

<img src="http://media.desura.com/images/members/1/288/287053/black-1.2.jpg" border="0" class="linked-image" />

(sorry...but your last version really looks like that on my screen)

Fluid Core · May 2012

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (twiliteblue @ May 30 2012, 05:12 AM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1939933"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'>Thanks for the encouragement everybody!

I have made Marines less conspicuous at long range in this version, but not completely camouflaged.

Having tried playing with a version of alien vision that made live entities fade out completely at long (20-40) range, I found that it wasn't very pleasant. Since Marines can already snipe aliens from long range with little fear of retaliation, and blend into the blue-gray environments quite well, I do think aliens need a little help spotting marines at long range.</div>

Personally, I liked the colour in this one the best.

<img src="http://dl.dropbox.com/u/60032446/NS2%202012-05-26%2014-03-29-21.jpg" border="0" class="linked-image" />

The blurry effects make it feel really alien and organic I think. Is it possible to instead of fading to black, make them blur based on distance? That way you could still see that there's marines there, but it'll be an "orange blob" and make it hard to make out an entity from another if they are far away? That way it could rightly make them stand out clearly from the background in close quarters to make it easier to track marines, while still being able to spot them at a distance but not being able to scout with it that well. You could even have the colours of an entity approach the same one at a distance to make players and structures blend together, but have different ones when they are closer to make them stand out, such as red for structures and yellow for marines, both blurring to orange at a distance. For Kharaa the colour scheme could be blue for structures and green for lifeforms when close :)

It would be nice if you could pick up the state of lighting and infestation in the room with alien vision on. It's something I miss in the live version (another reason I use the mod too). I think having the vision giving a clear advantage in darkness and close quarters while being less useful at a range is a better design then having it remove vital information.

Alien Vision Mod

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