Planned Better weapon effects.

    jayman38

    Precentor-Primus, pro-tempore
    Joined
    Jul 13, 2014
    Messages
    2,518
    Reaction score
    787
    • Purchased!
    • Thinking Positive
    • Legacy Citizen 4
    A translucently-textured low-poly cylinder should do the trick, but if we can't do that, 3 or 4 rotated rectangles should simulate the effect well enough (better than a single rectangle that we have now).

    By rotated rectangles, I'm referring to the way that paint cans and light sticks are rendered as 2 rectangles, rotated at 90 degrees to each other, to create an X-pattern pseudo-3D representation of an object.

    I think the X-pattern is a throw-back to the way Minecraft would "render" 3D effects like grass. A 3D cylinder would be better for lights, cans, and beams. There is probably already a dynamic 3D cylinder available to the game: reuse thruster plumes with a different texture.
     
    • Like
    Reactions: alij331

    BJammin

    Part-Time Eldritch Abomination
    Joined
    Mar 22, 2014
    Messages
    106
    Reaction score
    144
    • Community Content - Bronze 2
    • Legacy Citizen 10
    Can we get this in the next update, or something? This is a feature I (and obviously several others) would absolutely love to see in the near future (and since Crusade's already got a working version, I imagine implementation by Schine shouldn't be a difficult task...)
     
    • Like
    Reactions: alij331

    kiddan

    Cobalt-Blooded Bullet Mirror
    Joined
    May 12, 2014
    Messages
    1,131
    Reaction score
    358
    • Top Forum Contributor
    • Legacy Citizen 4
    • Purchased!
    We need this so bad and have needed it so long! Heck, it could probably be Bloom Effect-compatible.
     
    • Like
    Reactions: alij331

    kupu

    Colouring in guy.
    Joined
    Jul 4, 2013
    Messages
    1,405
    Reaction score
    1,560
    • Schine
    • Likeable Gold
    • Arrrty Gold
    I imagine implementation by Schine shouldn't be a difficult task...)
    No, it wouldn't be difficult.

    We need this so bad and have needed it so long!
    True.

    I think it is time to summon the texture:schema: kupu
    *poof*

    I mean how could anyone say no to this?
    Uh oh... :)
    Well, nobody could say no to objectively better weapon effects. So why didn't we just do this ourselves last week, or a year ago... or do it tomorrow?

    We're almost stuck in a limbo. We've been planning to implement particles and newer weapon effects that require new code that would render such improvements redundant. It's always a tricky call as a small team to balance not only work vs yield, but knowing whether the small improvements would need rewriting in the future and be rendered a waste of resources.

    I'll bring this up with the team. Perhaps it's time to reevaluate such short term improvements.
     
    • Like
    Reactions: alij331 and BJammin

    Lecic

    Convicted Lancake Abuser
    Joined
    Apr 14, 2013
    Messages
    5,115
    Reaction score
    1,229
    • Thinking Positive Gold
    • Purchased!
    • Legacy Citizen 11
    I just think it's unfair to post these screenshots with Reshade one. They should be made with vanilla shaders, as to not mislead people into how sick these beams would be.

    I definitely want them, but have more truthful advertising in your OP, Crus. :P
     
    • Like
    Reactions: alij331

    Ithirahad

    Arana'Aethi
    Joined
    Nov 14, 2013
    Messages
    4,150
    Reaction score
    1,330
    • Purchased!
    • Top Forum Contributor
    • Legacy Citizen 8
    I just think it's unfair to post these screenshots with Reshade one. They should be made with vanilla shaders, as to not mislead people into how sick these beams would be.

    I definitely want them, but have more truthful advertising in your OP, Crus. :p
    Yeh; that's what I've been saying constantly. Especially seeing as the reshade-less beams look freakin' badass anyway.
     
    • Like
    Reactions: alij331
    Joined
    Feb 22, 2015
    Messages
    869
    Reaction score
    179
    • Purchased!
    • Legacy Citizen
    It looks really nice, but
    kupu said:
    short term improvements
    are a waste of time in my book since
    kupu said:
    that would render such improvements redundant.
    Anyway, since
    Crusade said:
    It's a custom mesh replacing the simplebeam model
    this sounds like a basic and easy change. It should probably be uploaded to the mod forum.
     

    Ithirahad

    Arana'Aethi
    Joined
    Nov 14, 2013
    Messages
    4,150
    Reaction score
    1,330
    • Purchased!
    • Top Forum Contributor
    • Legacy Citizen 8
    this sounds like a basic and easy change. It should probably be uploaded to the mod forum.
    There are bugs with it, though, that could only be fixed by Schema. Which would be a great opportunity to make the vanilla beams look better. Which would be a good thing to do right about now.
     

    kupu

    Colouring in guy.
    Joined
    Jul 4, 2013
    Messages
    1,405
    Reaction score
    1,560
    • Schine
    • Likeable Gold
    • Arrrty Gold
    There are bugs with it, though, that could only be fixed by Schema. Which would be a great opportunity to make the vanilla beams look better. Which would be a good thing to do right about now.
    I think i agree. Let's be very real here, we've been promising particles for a long time.

    The particle system was shown close to two years ago. I won't bore anyone with excuses or reasons because i doubt players particularly care about the myriad of complications during development. Bottom line is they are not here.

    After a quick chat with the team we agreed that the benefit of such a short term improvement in this area would far outweigh the workload required for this particular task. We will try and come up with a more effective place holder. It seems the community at large have always requested two things: Larger and bolder.

    Small disclaimer, nothing more than a alteration of assets will happen here. Don't expect scaling beam systems or additional features.
     

    nightrune

    Wizard/Developer/Project Manager
    Joined
    May 11, 2015
    Messages
    1,324
    Reaction score
    577
    • Schine
    • Top Forum Contributor
    • Thinking Positive
    I think i agree. Let's be very real here, we've been promising particles for a long time.

    The particle system was shown close to two years ago. I won't bore anyone with excuses or reasons because i doubt players particularly care about the myriad of complications during development. Bottom line is they are not here.

    After a quick chat with the team we agreed that the benefit of such a short term improvement in this area would far outweigh the workload required for this particular task. We will try and come up with a more effective place holder. It seems the community at large have always requested two things: Larger and bolder.

    Small disclaimer, nothing more than a alteration of assets will happen here. Don't expect scaling beam systems or additional features.
    Thanks for the very real answer here!
     

    Ithirahad

    Arana'Aethi
    Joined
    Nov 14, 2013
    Messages
    4,150
    Reaction score
    1,330
    • Purchased!
    • Top Forum Contributor
    • Legacy Citizen 8
    I think i agree. Let's be very real here, we've been promising particles for a long time.

    The particle system was shown close to two years ago. I won't bore anyone with excuses or reasons because i doubt players particularly care about the myriad of complications during development. Bottom line is they are not here.

    After a quick chat with the team we agreed that the benefit of such a short term improvement in this area would far outweigh the workload required for this particular task. We will try and come up with a more effective place holder. It seems the community at large have always requested two things: Larger and bolder.

    Small disclaimer, nothing more than a alteration of assets will happen here. Don't expect scaling beam systems or additional features.
    Wooo! It's about time.
     
    • Like
    Reactions: alij331

    PLIX

    Thats XCOM baby!
    Joined
    May 17, 2016
    Messages
    113
    Reaction score
    38
    No, it wouldn't be difficult.



    True.



    *poof*



    Uh oh... :)
    Well, nobody could say no to objectively better weapon effects. So why didn't we just do this ourselves last week, or a year ago... or do it tomorrow?

    We're almost stuck in a limbo. We've been planning to implement particles and newer weapon effects that require new code that would render such improvements redundant. It's always a tricky call as a small team to balance not only work vs yield, but knowing whether the small improvements would need rewriting in the future and be rendered a waste of resources.

    I'll bring this up with the team. Perhaps it's time to reevaluate such short term improvements.
    i thought you were a large team to have made such a big and awesome game which is capital ship friendly
     
    • Like
    Reactions: alij331