[AE][MOD] Highres Shields 1.1

Distribute and discuss mods that are functional. Moderator - Grognak
Russian Rockman
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Re: [AE][MOD] Highres Shields 1.1

Postby Russian Rockman » Tue May 27, 2014 3:43 pm

Tweevle wrote:
Russian Rockman wrote:That actually doesn't look too bad! I think it completely resolves any possible perspective problems. The outline is a bit "too" thick owned bright on that mock-up, I think but if you were to make it maybe double thickness like the ones splette showed us examples of I think that is perfect.


Yeah, it was just a very quick test - obviously it'd need to be tweaked further to make it just right.


Of course in that example it is a Zoltan Shield. If the line looked like that only when using the Zoltan Shield that is actually pretty cool! Blue is less noticeable.

Also, I second a hexagonal 3-D looking bubble. Sorry splette, 8-) I don't want to make you think we don't like your triangle pattern! I love it, but we are also very curious to see how a 3-D hex bubble would look. ;)
splette
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Re: [AE][MOD] Highres Shields 1.1

Postby splette » Tue May 27, 2014 4:38 pm

Yes yes, I love hexagons, too. But the program doesn't have an option to create hexagonal spheres (aka soccerballs). However, today I found a workaround that lets me create these kind of spheres. Ironically, these have to be perfectly spherical. I need to stretch them to get the eliptical shapes of the various shields. But I think the skewing isn't too noticable due to the 3D effect.

Here is a first draft. The hexagons are too large and the lines too thin. But it should give some idea.
Image

More later...

Btw does anyone of you have problems with the forum, too, or is it just me? It loads awfully slow (I have to wait about 20 sec until any page opens) and half the time I get "Service Temporarily Unavailable - The server is temporarily unable to service your request due to maintenance downtime or capacity problems. Please try again later." error messages.
Russian Rockman
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Re: [AE][MOD] Highres Shields 1.1

Postby Russian Rockman » Tue May 27, 2014 5:48 pm

Great job splette! That indeed does look very cool. And with that brighter "border" you have around the edge of the bubble I don't really have a problem picturing the ship inside the bubble. I think you should make the base hex size (before stretching) the size of the kestrel's hexes. And the line size should probably the same as in vanilla if it looks alright.

If you could give the triangle shield that border too I think that will fix the perspective problem. Can't wait to see the finished hexagon shields. ;)

Oh and by the way the forum isn't letting me do anything either.
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Estel
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Re: [AE][MOD] Highres Shields 1.1

Postby Estel » Sat May 31, 2014 2:43 am

Russian Rockman wrote:That actually doesn't look too bad! I think it completely resolves any possible perspective problems. The outline is a bit "too" thick owned bright on that mock-up, I think but if you were to make it maybe double thickness like the ones splette showed us examples of I think that is perfect.


Hah, I think it's a matter of prefferences - I, for one, always perceived the ship as being "inside" the bubble, not as camera "cutting" them in half. While the lighteer edges, indeed, make it look like we're seeing half of [strike]egg[/strike] shield, it also looks like our ship is inside some kind of glass eggshell, not a forcefield shield. Can't really get used to look at it - maybe, because I always imagined shield as field with deepth, (that is, a "bubble" of forces or whatever, that ends on outer surface of shield), not consisting of only thin, outer layer.

Anyway, thank you for high-ress classical version, using it now. I'm also looking forward to how your 3D version develops. Personally, I think that it looks much better with more trianlges and thicker line, so throw another vote to that "basket" ;) Actually, I think it would look best with (almost) as thick lines as on original hexadons, and as many triangles (that is, even smaller ones). Other proposed tricks - like more transparent internal section - could help as well.

/Estel

// Edit

Was just aboiut to write that Tveelve's idea of making 3D hexagonal shields is even better, when I noticed that I've missed 3th page of this thread. :? Gah. I think that the hexagonal shield already looks tons better than triangle one, but please, maxe hexagons comparably small to the original ones. Also, why the hell your program doesn't allow to create hexagonal spheres? Tried using some other, prefferably FOSS 3D moddeling software?

BTW - unrelared, but might be interesting - considering that, incidentally, the original hexagons are exactly the same on the background of the enemy's ship view (which is a screen output from ship' computer, not unlike many of those in space sims), it is possible, that 2D pattern on shield is effect done on purpose - the actual shields might be invisible, and the hexagon layer is just a sprite, that our computer puts, just show where sensors are detecing forcefield.

Despite noticing it ages ago, I like the "visible" shields concept more, so I tuned my perception to see them as "real" things around ship, though.
Snow Job
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Re: [AE][MOD] Highres Shields 1.1

Postby Snow Job » Fri Jul 25, 2014 2:51 am

Just wanted to chime in and say that this shield mod looks really nice.
el Rago
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Re: [AE][MOD] Highres Shields 1.1

Postby el Rago » Fri Jul 25, 2014 12:56 pm

hi

I just d/led this and tried. It is very nice. Great job
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Sleeper Service
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Re: [AE][MOD] Highres Shields 1.1

Postby Sleeper Service » Wed Jul 30, 2014 10:31 am

Hey Splette are you still working on this? Just wanted to say that I'd love to see those thick-bordered shieldsyou posted a draft for get made as a whole set. I absolutely love that design.
Russian Rockman
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Re: [AE][MOD] Highres Shields 1.1

Postby Russian Rockman » Wed Jul 30, 2014 3:52 pm

Sleeper Service wrote:Hey Splette are you still working on this? Just wanted to say that I'd love to see those thick-bordered shieldsyou posted a draft for get made as a whole set. I absolutely love that design.


+1 :D
splette
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Re: [AE][MOD] Highres Shields 1.1

Postby splette » Fri Aug 01, 2014 12:43 am

Hey there,
thanks for the interest. Yes sorry, I got distracted with other stuff as usual but still plan to finish what I started. I had run into some problems with the transparency. On dark backgrounds it looked perfect but on light background (like when you use the 'Better Backgrounds' mod) it looked bad. I need to find a way to fix that.
Going on vacation this weekend, so I'll try to finish this after I am back - hopefully by the end of August.

Stay tuned
AnAnarchist
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Joined: Wed Oct 29, 2014 8:06 pm

Re: [AE][MOD] Highres Shields 1.1

Postby AnAnarchist » Wed Oct 29, 2014 8:09 pm

Hi there,

Just wondering if anyone knows whether this mod is compatible with Captains Edition? I've tried putting this at the top of my load order but doesn't seem to work.