Hi,
I'm wondering if anyone has a formula that converts from the "Falloff" field in a weap to the width of the corona in pixels. The resource bible implies that it is inverse (i.e. big Falloff = small corona and visa versa). I didn't see one anywhere when I searched.
Also, does anyone know why beams are so difficult for the engine? I buy two CPLs for my souped-up pirate carrier and then when I press fire, the game slows to a crawl. :frown:

-Vaumnou

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Did you know that 63.8% of quoted statistics are made up on the spot?

Well, as for the crawling thing, it's just your computer. If you run Nova on a faster machine, it won't have so much trouble with the special effects.

I haven't had a whole lot of success figuring out any sort of easy way to accurately predict what coronas etc. do to beams. Whenever I make beams I just do a lot of experimentation until I get what I like. Maybe somebody else can help you more...

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Thanks, mrxak.

I am running Nova in 8-bit color, but I recently saw a screenshot of some beams in 16-bit and they looked completely different from the 8-bit ones. I tried to find more screenshots of those, but I didn't see any. Does anyone have a link to a page with screenshots of beams in 16-bit color? The problem is that if I design a beam to look good in 8-bit Nova, I won't have any idea how it will look in 16-bit color.

-Vaumnou

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Did you know that 63.8% of quoted statistics are made up on the spot?

They really look different? Do the sizes change?

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The sizes look about the same, but in 16-bit mode they have a nice fade-out towards the tip, and the tip is sharper, and the corona is much smoother.

(edit) Oops, I forgot to say what they look like in 8-bit mode: they have a solid color core with a 50% opacity corona, and they don't fade at the tip. (/edit)

(This message has been edited by Vaumnou (edited 04-05-2003).)

Here's a hint for you, if you want a beam that looks kinda weird, but cool: make the beam width 0, with a nice wide corona at the start, and a gradual fall-off (just make sure that it dies completely before it leaves the screen, or else it won't have the same visual effect). This provides for a beam that gradually tapers down to a sharp point. Color the beam gray, and you've got this weird sword-looking beam. Now, give it a high damage rating, and name it the Glave (6-foot-long sword of the Scottish Highlanders -- was designed to rip through English plate armor by sheer force), and you've got a weapon. Just thought I'd throw that in there.

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Suddenly, the little scoutship disappeared and then reappeared right behind the alien warfleet. The gravitic ship's captain hailed the armada. "You are going to be destroyed, but I will give you a choice as to how you want to spend eternity: big pieces, little pieces, or quarks?"
Dead silence.
"Quarks it is, then."