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- Oct 27, 2013
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Several suggestions have cropped up about "viewing screens" that link to a camera or something and render an outside view on the surface of blocks. I think I've finally thought up a way to do this without absolutely murdering players' frame rate.
Well, this is a little difficult to describe so I hope this comes out clear. You know how some transparencies in games bug out and show only the skybox behind them? Something similar could be done to allow a "window" from deep inside of a ship. However, showing the skybox alone is only a cosmetic feature. I have something else in mind: a block that renders everything behind it EXCEPT the ship it is placed on and things docked to it.
The primary purpose of this is to allow a clearer outside view from a bridge with an otherwise obscured view, such as one built around the core. This could also be helpful to provide a nice starry background for luxury quarters or anything else that warrants a skybox.
I'm not sure how difficult this would be. It requires a lot of messing around with transparency code to make the right things appear/disappear through the pseudo-screen block. If it is possible to optimize a true camera-linked view screen to the point that it will not impact frame rate, then a screen like that (which has been suggested before) would be a better choice for the game, providing a Star Trek-like viewing screen. In that case, my idea would be better suited as a cosmetic feature.
Well, this is a little difficult to describe so I hope this comes out clear. You know how some transparencies in games bug out and show only the skybox behind them? Something similar could be done to allow a "window" from deep inside of a ship. However, showing the skybox alone is only a cosmetic feature. I have something else in mind: a block that renders everything behind it EXCEPT the ship it is placed on and things docked to it.
The primary purpose of this is to allow a clearer outside view from a bridge with an otherwise obscured view, such as one built around the core. This could also be helpful to provide a nice starry background for luxury quarters or anything else that warrants a skybox.
I'm not sure how difficult this would be. It requires a lot of messing around with transparency code to make the right things appear/disappear through the pseudo-screen block. If it is possible to optimize a true camera-linked view screen to the point that it will not impact frame rate, then a screen like that (which has been suggested before) would be a better choice for the game, providing a Star Trek-like viewing screen. In that case, my idea would be better suited as a cosmetic feature.
