Better Times

[0ldSkull]

I would agree that the peeling paint effect could stand to be toned down to fit in better with the pack. Here's a couple of quick shots (in purple, because why not), one with the effect reduced a bit, the other with it removed entirely. What do folks think?

 

[kupu]

What do folks think?

Yup! That will tile a lot better over large areas. Good stuff.

 

[0ldSkull]

I like this guy; I think he embodies the spirit of Better Times. So I've called ACME and ordered a big Box-o-BOOM.

In other news, the recent discovery of a superconductor research facility by an archaeological mission heralds a new era of electromagnetics-based machinery!

(The resource has, finally, been updated for the Rails release.)

 

[Reilly Reese]

I think this is the only texture pack still active by original creator and isnt a Schine Employee.

Shame so few texpacks are still up to date. :/

 

[Meshua_x]

Shame so few texpacks are still up to date. :/

I agree, I'd love to see more Texture Packs, And I would love to make some but I just don't have the motivation whatsoever. We have tonnes of mods and ships, but we need more TPs!!

 

[Reilly Reese]

I saw an update...

What is it!

 

[0ldSkull]

The "Updates" tab on the resource page has the description, but here it is also :

A bit of catch-up and clean-up...

• Normal hull (corrugated metal) textures have been recreated from scratch to make them less jarring and more tileable in various configurations.
• Added a texture for the Inner-Ship Remote block.
• Added the Decorative Fan texture (block available in the dev build).
• Fixed minor mistakes on a couple of textures.
• Made corrections and tweaks to a number of normal maps.

The biggest change is that I've ditched the original photo image used as the basis for the normal hull, keeping only the concept. Same idea for the overall look, but a cleaner appearance which tiles much better with fewer repeating visual anomalies.

 

[0ldSkull]

Version 2.2 is an interim update for compatibility with the recently released Shipyards game update.

• Added the new shipyard blocks. (The Module is not really done but quickly adapted from the Default textures.)
• New Build Block texture
  
• Enhanced the Rail Mass Enhancer
• Improved the Decorative Fan normal map
• A few other minor tweaks

 

[Reilly Reese]

[/url]via Imgflip Meme Maker[/IMG]

 

[0ldSkull]

I've just uploaded version 2.3. This includes the completed shipyard module textures and initial anti-jump textures.
Following Kupu's lead, there are many enhancements to normal maps. Some textures have also been imported or updated from new Default updates, and some have various tweaks to correlate with updates to the normal maps.

Emission/speculative maps have not been added yet. I did incorporate the material shine minimaps and tweak some of them to correlate with this pack.

Preview images of recent additions follow...

Build Block:

Shipyard module:

 

[plusnine]

i love the orange hazard striping!

 

[0ldSkull]

Version 3.0 has just been uploaded (may be pending approval if you don't see it yet). This is a major update introducing a new theme for all computer faces. It also adds new textures and arrangements for the latest game version (0.19488)--transporter, new gates, etc.
Emissive maps are not included; they will be added in a future update. I wanted to get the new computer faces done first to avoid having to make the emissive maps twice.

Haven't uploaded any images yet; I'll get around to updating the first post at some point...

 

[0ldSkull]

Been burning through this pretty hard and just uploaded version 3.2, earlier than I expected. Together with 3.1 a few days ago, this includes:

• Dark gray hull varieties added
• Updates to a number of textures using elements from Default
  • weapon and tool modules
  • decorative panels
  • screens on factories and various other blocks
• Adjustments to several textures in support of emissive maps
• Specular and emissive maps added for all textures

 

[0ldSkull]

Updated the first post of this thread with a more current sampling of preview images.

It's entirely possible that specular and shine values may need some additional fine tuning in future updates, or that I've missed some mistakes due to the amount of change. Please feel free to let me know here if something doesn't look quite right.

 

[Reilly Reese]

The terminator head....

A bit over the top IMO

 

[0ldSkull]

The terminator technology is extremely dangerous, and many argue that it should have been destroyed completely. However its adaptation has proven to be our most effective defense against rogue hostile forces. While sometimes erratic, its precision and sheer ruthlessness has enabled survival and exploration in areas which would otherwise have been impassable.

 

[0ldSkull]

"You've got mail cargo!"

When adding the teal lights I noticed that some (all, really) of the light blocks needed to be reworked. So I've taken the opportunity to try out an idea I had a while back to give them a different look.

 

[Sven_The_Slayer]

"You've got mail cargo!"
View attachment 19302

When adding the teal lights I noticed that some (all, really) of the light blocks needed to be reworked. So I've taken the opportunity to try out an idea I had a while back to give them a different look.

haha, tiny little shipping containers.

 

[0ldSkull]

Initiating pre-flight sequence:

• Metals... metallicized
• Materials... materialized
• Normals... normalized
• Theme... thematicized
• Speculars... speculated

BT4-dot-oh, we're going for lunch you're go for launch!

Better Times 4.0 is a general quality overhaul. (I found some inspiration in hearing that kupu was redesigning textures, though this is not on the same scale.) Many textures have been touched in one way or another; to highlight a few things:

• Armor blocks are more metallic
• Advanced armor (diamond plate) is now seamless
• New common materials like frames and panels have been recreated
• Some textures have been cleaned up or even rebuilt to:
  • Clear anomalies
  • Make the theme more coherent
  • Just make them a bit more interesting or appealing

I should say that while there are many updates across the pack, a number of them are rather subtle. If you use it, I hope you'll enjoy the ones you notice and just get a better quality experience from those you don't.

 

[jstenholt]

I'm pretty excited. It's really something special that you are still making this so many years later. Even more amazing is that I think you're the only dedicated and talented Starmaker Schine hasn't hired.