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Originally posted by blackhole:
**Yeh, it does... If you make an object with the right shape etc you can use the explosion tweening thing (on the menu with the funny twisty thing icon) it does a patch explosion...
**
I think he meant smokey-particle explosions, not making models explode... If that's what you mean?
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Originally posted by MadFax7:
**I think he meant smokey-particle explosions, not making models explode... If that's what you mean?
**
Correct.
I've done some neat fire to smoke trails, but i found that single light explosions using turbulence was more realistic. Until it turns to smoke, then it gets hard.
I'd show you, but i'd have to get a site to post animations and images on (or leave my comp on 24/7).
But the ships should break apart too. The explosions are neat in EV except the ships just vanish. Large ones like the Unrelenting and Raven should break up, not explode, so the explode deformer would help there, but it's more polygon animation.
I'm assuming you can do custom explosions. I have to wait for the PC version of EVN before I can really start.
By the way, what is the output that EVN plugs like for images? Resolution, colors, file type, size? I can't find that anywhere.
(Dang. I can't even spell "like.")
(This message has been edited by Artanis (edited 09-02-2002).)
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Originally posted by Artanis:
But the ships should break apart too. The explosions are neat in EV except the ships just vanish. Large ones like the Unrelenting and Raven should break up, not explode, so the explode deformer would help there, but it's more polygon animation.
I'm assuming you can do custom explosions.
You can have up to 64 explosion types.
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Originally posted by Artanis:
I have to wait for the PC version of EVN before I can really start.
Actually, you're going to have to run ResEdit and NovaTools and the like under an emulator, so you might as well go ahead and download an emulator, ResEdit and NovaTools, and start now. 
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Originally posted by Artanis:
By the way, what is the output that EVN plugs like for images? Resolution, colors, file type, size? I can't find that anywhere.
•Resolution/Size: It's common practice to render individual sprites (i.e. one frame of the ship turning.) as a multiple of 2. Size is entirely up to you, but don't make it too big or small.
• Colors: 16 bit, AKA thousands of colors. Search the (url="http://"http://www.ambrosiasw.com/games/ev/gallery")Image Gallery(/url) for "Lasik", after you read the post(s), you'll see why. (I also recomend rendering them at 32 bits, then changing the depth later.)
•File Type: Render them as something that's uncompressed, and has perfect image quality. (also, a .mov file would preferable, if it's available. Do not use anything with "peg" on the end.) The reason for not using compression, is that you'll be adding a mask later, and compression well **** it up.
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Originally posted by MadFax7:
**•Resolution/Size: It's common practice to render individual sprites (i.e. one frame of the ship turning.) as a multiple of 2. Size is entirely up to you, but don't make it too big or small.
• Colors: 16 bit, AKA thousands of colors. Search the Image Gallery for "Lasik", after you read the post(s), you'll see why. (I also recomend rendering them at 32 bits, then changing the depth later.)
•File Type: Render them as something that's uncompressed, and has perfect image quality. (also, a .mov file would preferable, if it's available. Do not use anything with "peg" on the end.) The reason for not using compression, is that you'll be adding a mask later, and compression well **** it up.
**
Thanks for answering so quickly.
I won't be able to test the plugins. :frown:
I think I can render at 24-bit, whats that, millions? Then it jumps down 256 colors (maybe that's just paint.) I'll need to move them to photoshop for real manipulation. Is 24-bit any good? I understand the "peg" thing. .mov is not available without messing Windows media player up. I have .avi (big, small, medium), .tiff, .targa, .bmp, .pict, .iff, PSD and Quicktime VR/Panorama. AVI is a movie file, Quicktime are 3d view and not suitable. All rest are obviously single frames. I can't view the Picts outside of Cinema 4D. 
Rendering: Perfect? like anti-aliasing? completely focused?
Background? Greenscreen effect? Move to Photoshop and turn green transparent?
Read bible. Thats complicated! I think I'll just make ships and a system for myself.
I'm new to this. (obvious) The closest thing I've done is campaigns in StarEdit for starcraft.
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Like many answers, it unlocked more questions.
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Originally posted by Artanis:
I won't be able to test the plugins.:frown:
Granted, but you might as well start figuring out the emulator, since you're going to be using it... If you have the time...
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Originally posted by Artanis:
I think I can render at 24-bit, whats that, millions? Then it jumps down 256 colors (maybe that's just paint.) I'll need to move them to photoshop for real manipulation. Is 24-bit any good? I understand the "peg" thing. .mov is not available without messing Windows media player up. I have .avi (big, small, medium), .tiff, .targa, .bmp, .pict, .iff, PSD and Quicktime VR/Panorama. AVI is a movie file, Quicktime are 3d view and not suitable. All rest are obviously single frames. I can't view the Picts outside of Cinema 4D.
Errr, 24-bits? interesting - I wasn't aware that was an output for files. 32-bits = millions, 24-bits = true monitor depth. (i.e. most files are 32-bit, but only get displayed at 24-bits by the monitor.) Regardless, it should be fine.
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Originally posted by Artanis:
Rendering: Perfect? like anti-aliasing? completely focused?
I was referring to compression. A .jpeg, for example, well have little "blocks" and probably mess up the mask.
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Originally posted by Artanis:
Background? Greenscreen effect? Move to Photoshop and turn green transparent?
Render the background as black. The mask, a black and white image that determines what part of the ship is "masked", is a seperate picture. For example, if your mask is all white, you'll see a black square around the ship when you fly over a planet. If it's all black, you well see nothing. Get it?
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Originally posted by Artanis:
Read bible. Thats complicated! I think I'll just make ships and a system for myself.
Just read what you need, a bit at a time, whenever you need to. (I prefer this version of the bible, because it's easy to find stuff.)
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Originally posted by Artanis:
**I understand multiple of 2. But at what point is the image big?
2, 4, 6, 8, 16, 32, 64, 128, 256, 512, 1024, 2048?**
I would try and keep it under 256x256 or so.
(edit)Fixed UBB and added last thing(/edit)
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Originally posted by MadFax7:
Granted, but you might as well start figuring out the emulator, since you're going to be using it... If you have the time...
Learning should be easier than finding. I keep getting "PC for Mac" returns on my searches. And if I do find one, what version will resedit run on? Any, just os X?
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Errr, 24-bits? interesting - I wasn't aware that was an output for files. 32-bits = millions, 24-bits = true monitor depth. (i.e. most files are 32-bit, but only get displayed at 24-bits by the monitor.) Regardless, it should be fine.
PC's never really seem to tell you what amount ov colors the -bit things give. In Paint Save As the .bmp choices are monochrome, 16 colors, 256 colors, and 24-bit.
File type?
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I was referring to compression. A .jpeg, for example, well have little "blocks" and probably mess up the mask.
yeah. I noticed that about jpegs.
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Render the background as black. The mask, a black and white image that determines what part of the ship is "masked", is a seperate picture. For example, if your mask is all white, you'll see a black square around the ship when you fly over a planet. If it's all black, you well see nothing. Get it?
I understand. I figured out how to get the mask.
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I would try and keep it under 256x256 or so.
Ok. I suppose a ship that barely fits in the screen would be bad then?
Thanks for your help! If I have any more questions I'll make a new topic!
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You can't accelerate to lightspeed. But no one ever said anything about hitching a ride on something already moving faster than light...
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Originally posted by Artanis:
Learning should be easier than finding. I keep getting "PC for Mac" returns on my searches. And if I do find one, what version will resedit run on?
I know nothing about emulators - try asking on Just Tech.
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Originally posted by Artanis:
**PC's never really seem to tell you what amount ov colors the -bit things give. In Paint Save As the .bmp choices are monochrome, 16 colors, 256 colors, and 24-bit.
File type?**
.PICT if possible - if not, you're screwed... Or at least your patience is.
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Originally posted by Artanis:
Ok. I suppose a ship that barely fits in the screen would be bad then?
Only for people with small monitors and/or crummy hardware.
Nova can go up to pretty much anything in terms of sprite sizes, but that doesn't mean you should. I would recomend keeping most ship sprite sizes under that, if not well under it. But it's okay to have a few ships (for example, a Super Star Destroyer) bigger then that - they can even be pretty common, just as long as there aren't more then 1 or 2 to a system.
ATMOS has put many ships in Nova larger then 256x256, but ships that have the most numbers (a shuttle, or a starbridge, for example.) are small - inbetween 32 and 128.
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Thanks again
I can render .pict
But emulators are causing a serious problem. I finally found one, unfortunatly it requires a "mac rom" that can only be legally used if the version it came from is owned by the same person.(much summarized)(actually, most, if not all, emulators require a ROM to run) Great...
I was actually thinking (before reading the EVN bible) about making a to-scale StarWars plugin. Complete with the Death Star(planetary and ship version for end of Imp string) and mission strings: Jedi, Rebel, Imperial, smuggler, crime lord ect.
Maybe I'll just post my models and ideas and someone else can do the programming...
