Kupu's thread

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    Re: slabs

    Slab versions of blocks compress the texture, this is why not all blocks will get slabs. If they texture looks bad compressed they won't have a slab version.
    You may want to check out FSM #18, there is more information in those threads regarding the various limitations of slabs.
    I would really like to see slabbed mesh/grill/scaffolds as well. Since I plan to use it for catwalks the compressed sides would not be a bad thing, it would look like some sort of support for the mesh.

    Dunno about the other stuff.
     

    kupu

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    Kupu dosen't wants to have 2 blocks with too similar textures for giving more options or something like that.

    So here's what i suggest :

    We give the circuits the current charged circuits look with the animation (because it's always better than not animated; gives it some life);
    We give to the charged circuits a new texture that's intricate (for complex electronics), with (much) more visible animation and blinks (for the charged thing), in the style of currents circuits and motherboards, and tiling with them for the possibility of assembling cool stuff.
    For the light part well either they can all emit or none do and we use conveniently placed light rods.
    Yea, this is a good suggestion really. The charged / non charged circuits are very similar. You're right, i hate having too many similar blocks under different names. :)

    The hardeners (standard and advanced) are broken when placed. They render as brown paint.
    Ok, I'll check and fix this.

    The scrap and composite scrap use an ID without being placeable which is a waste when they have the potential for being blocks with cool scrap metal bits / crystal composite shards textures (for abandonned stations?).
    Hm, something we can consider i think. Good suggestion. Rusty scrap metal perhaps...

    Then by the way why aren't ore and crystals placeable? may not be a Kupu thing.
    Non refined ore and crystals? I can't remember the original reason. It's easy enough for us to fix this if the team wants to make the change. I'll make a note and discuss it.

    i was shocked by the lack of slabs of the aforementioned circuits. And of evrything else really (mesh, grills, scaffolding, ingots, crystals, stones (at least the polished ones), ...). Anything having wedges should have slabs. It's critical for building anything detailled with them.
    [/rant]
    Yea. This has been a very common bit of feedback. I'll try my best to break down how they are placed in game and the reasons we are not yet able to make any block a slab for visual reasons.

    The slab is a full block, but squashed. This means the textures on the side of the block are still a full square, then squashed to 1/2, 1/4 or 1/8th of the size.
    With Cargo blocks we purposely designed textures to counter act this squashing effect. It works great, but remember that cargo blocks don't rotate.
    When a block is rotated in Starmade, the textures do not always stick to the same face, so the "squashed" textures will flip onto the un-squashed face, making everything look terrible.

    Why don't you just let the slab squash the texture for mesh / grill / scaffolding?

    I considered it, for sure. But it's not pretty and i'd really like to provide these options when rotational problems are fixed and looking correct.

    Thanks for the suggestions!
     

    nightrune

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    Hm, something we can consider i think. Good suggestion. Rusty scrap metal perhaps...
    I could +1 Rusty metal. Would be a cool effect on the scavs and other older ships you find!
     

    kiddan

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    Non refined ore and crystals? I can't remember the original reason. It's easy enough for us to fix this if the team wants to make the change. I'll make a note and discuss it.
    I think it's because ores used to be their own block but then they were changed to be an add-on for stone, to prevent people from using build-blocks to just harvest all the ores from planets in that terrible way. In the end, don't ingots and stone types serve the new purpose of place-able ores?
     

    Blaza612

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    Dear Mr. Tom.

    It has come to my attention, that crystals be looking shit, because of one simple oversight. This came up before, but we got caught up in our bickering to actually get a final answer.

    Would it at all be possible to remove the buttonization effect that can be seen on crystals? It hardly makes them look better as singular blocks, and they look terrible when grouped, with in straight lines, walls or even fancy patterns, because of that effect.
     

    Nauvran

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    Dear Mr. Tom.

    It has come to my attention, that crystals be looking shit, because of one simple oversight. This came up before, but we got caught up in our bickering to actually get a final answer.

    Would it at all be possible to remove the buttonization effect that can be seen on crystals? It hardly makes them look better as singular blocks, and they look terrible when grouped, with in straight lines, walls or even fancy patterns, because of that effect.
    I don't think that calling his work shit will get him to fix it up for you.
     

    kupu

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    Dear Mr. Tom.

    It has come to my attention, that crystals be looking shit, because of one simple oversight. This came up before, but we got caught up in our bickering to actually get a final answer.

    Would it at all be possible to remove the buttonization effect that can be seen on crystals? It hardly makes them look better as singular blocks, and they look terrible when grouped, with in straight lines, walls or even fancy patterns, because of that effect.
    Yep. The texture looks poor for it's use in the new block types that have opened up for them in recent months and with their eventual use as a mass placed light source.

    A blocks use changes over time or wedge versions are added at a later date. As previously said in the thread, when a blocks use or application changes you can expect the visuals to change with it (eventually). Crystals, along with many other blocks will be reworked in the coming month.


    I don't think that calling his work shit will get him to fix it up for you.
    Nah, that's not really the case. I don't mind the candid feedback, this is why the thread exists. I just care about the manner in which it is delivered so all of us can continue without hiccup.
     

    Blaza612

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    I don't think that calling his work shit will get him to fix it up for you.
    Nauv pls

    because of one simple oversight
    :p

    Crystals, along with many other blocks will be reworked in the coming month.
    \o/

    On a side note, are you at liberty/can you be bothered to disclose roughly on how they'll be reworked? :p


    I just care about the manner in which it is delivered so all of us can continue without hiccup.
    This. Me saying shit =/= me being ass automatically. Depends on the context that it's delivered with it, as well as the manner/attitude presented with it. If those all align with being an asshole, then the subject is an asshole. :p
     

    kupu

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    On a side note, are you at liberty/can you be bothered to disclose roughly on how they'll be reworked? :p
    I would tell you, it's not super secret or anything... but two things are currently holding me back.

    1) The "many blocks" being redesigned are currently conceptual. I'm (as of the last 2 - 3 weeks) piecing together at least 10 to nail down some new things i'm trying. Both in style and techniques. I try to only confirm when it's definitely going to make the final cut, just to be safe.

    2) I honestly have no idea what the new crystals will look like. If i was to guess? Probably something similar to the ice crystal, where they can tile like terrain or be wedged without the troubles you highlighted.
     
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    Reilly Reese

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    I would tell you, it's not super secret or anything... but two things are currently holding me back.

    1) The "many blocks" being redesigned are currently conceptual. I'm (as of the last 2 - 3 weeks) piecing together at least 10 to nail down some new things i'm trying. Both in style and techniques. I try to only confirm when it's definitely going to make the final cut, just to be safe.

    2) I honestly have no idea what the new crystals will look like. If i was to guess? Probably something similar to the ice crystal, where they can tile like terrain or be wedged without the troubles you highlighted.
    Always wondered why they were so different from their inherent parent.
     

    Blaza612

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    Kupu, would it be at all possible to ad mid-maps to crystal ore blocks? As in, make them glow in the dark like certain systems do?
     

    kupu

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    Kupu, would it be at all possible to ad mid-maps to crystal ore blocks? As in, make them glow in the dark like certain systems do?
    I've always thought this would look great too, but i'll have to check with Schema on this one.

    Currently the answer is no. Our ores and damage graphics are stored in the overlays.png texture file. The emissive (glowly texture) are stored within the normal maps. We currently don't have normal maps for the overlays as it would require adding another full texture sheet to be loaded for (currently) no effect.

    I'll see if we can get this effect with a more efficient worked around rather than having to load yet another 4k atlas sheet into memory (for the sake of 20 or so textures :D ).
     
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    Would it be possible to get overlays (ores, shards damage) to have a normal/emissive map? I feel it's allow more detail on cracks from damage, and having shards 'glow' slightly to help identifying in caves/dark areas, as well as having a normal for correct lighting behaviour.

    Also 'flat' texture blocks. Think the X blocks rotated to + and one axis removed to -
    Would allow for a fencing/guardrails, hanging wires, etc
     
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    therimmer96

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    Would it be possible to get overlays (ores, shards damage) to have a normal/emissive map? I feel it's allow more detail on cracks from damage, and having shards 'glow' slightly to help identifying in caves/dark areas, as well as having a normal for correct lighting behaviour.

    Also 'flat' texture blocks. Think the X blocks rotated to + and one axis removed to -
    Would allow for a fencing/guardrails, hanging wires, etc
    StarMade News - StarMade v0.19498 Slabs & New Blocks

    ;)
     

    therimmer96

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    Not what i want lol. I want a single flat plane texture in the center of a block space.
    I know, it was a joke before someone else said it seriously :P

    You want sprites minus the turning to face you, however, fences would probably be better as slabs as they'd look like they have actual thickness and sit on the edge of the block. And for cables, pls kupu, put make the logic pipe have textures and look like cables <3
     
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    I know, it was a joke before someone else said it seriously :p

    You want sprites minus the turning to face you, however, fences would probably be better as slabs as they'd look like they have actual thickness and sit on the edge of the block. And for cables, pls kupu, put make the logic pipe have textures and look like cables <3
    talking about cable, how about a tow cable?
    Recognized by Council - hanging cable cubes
     

    Exozen

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    Do you think we could get a new beacon sprite texture? It seems rather low quality compared to the other stuff now days. Also, the Beacon Light Rod and Beacon Charged circuit don't even have a sprite, IDK if that's your territory, or even intentional.



    -With regards, a fan of Beacons
     
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    kupu

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    Do you think we could get a new beacon sprite texture? It seems rather low quality compared to the other stuff now days. Also, the Beacon Light Rod and Beacon Charged circuit don't even have a sprite, IDK if that's your territory, or even intentional.



    -With regards, a fan of Beacons
    Dear Fan of Beacons.

    All of us here at Schine share your enthusiasm for beacons, as such it is with great pleasure that i can inform you that we look to improve upon the current beacon texture. You are correct, it is about time we made our beacon pole a bit more... beacony. I'll add it to our minor feature fix list. Thank you for the reminder!

    Sincerely, Kupu.
     

    jontyfreack

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    as I might have brought up before, I do believe a dark red hull colour set would be highly beneficial for the building community.
    I say this as more variety in the darker colours will extend the build styles. many a time I have tried to make something steam punky, but I have failed as the red I needed was too bright for one purpose I needed it for. however the current red is amazing for making brightly coloured flags and ships.

    so I propose just like what happened with grey, to make the middle man between red and black. a dark red hull colour.
    red advanced is not dark enough at all, brown is brown, we need a colour between red and black.

    if we can do this starmade-screenshot-0280.png
    then we should be able to blend between red and brown.

    I cant keep putting inactive red lights to act as a stand in for dark red.*

    *I will be using dark red for a blood effect over dark grey hull, but I guess it will look cool to make some replicas of ships that have dark red markings



    -with much praise and sacrifices to the cat god, a cookie monster dreadnaught, who just so happens to like dark red