The_Particles_Within

[Lowell]

It did seem as though the yard building just dosn't fit the idea of a "core building.' The armor bit throws it off. I thought about using the building static at one time. I could make a new building but I can't convert them right now and no one has responded to help convert the ones I had.


I liked the idea of a power station for the core. The power station in the game reallly does not work though. The generator would be the only animated building for that.

I see alot of posts from people who have played. I have herd that they thought it was too short or easy. I was trying to make longer play maps, with more stuff to kill. I will rethink the lot and remake a couple of the first maps and see.

Thanks...

[thefrogger]

I think the frame rate issues may primarily be caused by large numbers of red DGs. It does seem to be non-graphic related in any case, because the frame rate is sometimes smooth and at other times just crawling. It goes in cycles, like there's some background scheduled processing (like AI) that really slows things down when it kicks in.

I looked at the frame rate display in Electrons while scrolling across the map. Most of the time it was 60+, and only in a few areas did it drop to 45. But occasionally the whole thing would crawl to <10 for a short while, and then pick back up again.

I went into the editor and cut the spawn population locks in half. I did the same with all red DG groups over 40, and removed some of the groups to further reduce the load. (Some of the groups are just out in the middle of nowhere).

On retest, the frame rate is much smoother and didn't seem to suffer the major drop outs at all. I suggest only using red DGs in tactical situations that actually warrant them, and keeping the numbers a bit lower. If you're going to have a large group someplace, perhaps make it the only large group on the map. (Such as taking out the second island with the spam on it, or just removing the DGs from it).


I need to make a correction to my earlier report in Nucleus. Apparently, there *is* a cube there that gives DG research. I just missed it the first time. (And there's plenty of research points to obtain the 3.0 level to arm them).

I also noticed that there was a gate to Protons there, which I also missed earlier. But its tower was already active, and so there wasn't any way to open the trunkport.

In Electrons, I had a hard time finding the Gluons gate. In fact, I initially started to report that it wasn't there, but going back into the level *starts* at the Gluons gate, so I was able to see where it was after that. I suggest that when the user clicks the objective, pan the camera to where the gate is.

As a general rule of thumb, if a user clicks on something titled "Explain this objective", the program ought to do something other than simply list the objective already present. (Unless you're looking for a job at Microsoft writing help text).

[Lowell]

For some reason the AI on nucleus {only} never works on my system. electrons was fine however I did notice that when I put more reds down the frame rate drops...it never went that low for me. The second island I am going to scratch. The small islands are distant, to see them you need on the nearest island.
I am rebuilding Nucleus.

Script triggers will be added on protons for the spawnpoints.

At first on electrons the spawnpoint master was global and not hidden, there was also no incubator, you had to bring the guys from protons over once the island was clear.

In the storyline the reds hacked open the protons gate. That's how they made it to nucleus. That gets changed...

Yeah, I had placed the green guys research over at the far transport island, down off to the side. I'm trying to re-think this research and points thing.

[Lowell]

Has anyone gotten the Power Plant to work or is it my Steam version again? I have searched the forum for power plant and everything in the world pops up but anything about the power station.

If I place it and make it global or not it causes the level to crash in game mode, I attached a controler to it but still the same.

[Lowell]

Also if anyone would like to help with the creation of this mod it would be welcome. All credits given and so on...

[nihilesthetics2]

Ill run a perl script for you. This is the shape convertor script, right? If so send me the model in 3DS format : mail@nihilesthetics.info

Edit : By the way, that building aint gonna look as good in game as it does in your render. Its all flat shaded vertex colours, Im afraid.

N2

[Lowell]

I have them in obj format here http://www.CrimsonSun.cc/The_Particles_Within_buildings.rar

If you need, I can pull them up in Max and resave them, but I have Max 8.

Edit//As a matter of fact I will do that anyway and post the link for the max files here too... I also have more... I will render them tonight.

Edfit-2// I changed the link for the building files. I had the wrong link...sorry. The buildings are in OBJ format, you may download the files and use them as you wish. I am having them converted now, I will repost the converted files link as well.
Thanks
Lowell

[Lowell]

I have totally rebuild Nucleus, edited and downsized Neutrons, Electorns. They all are running much faster.

These maps have undergone major changes and for the better. I want to thank everyone for their input. I have to redo the scripts and default text. Research is all different.

Has anyone used the guide grid much? I was woundering if the brushes can be "slowed down" some, you just lightly touch the mouse and wham. It is hard to get it just right sometimes, it would be nice if it operated slower, thus giving a tad more control.

[xander]

Has anyone used the guide grid much? I was woundering if the brushes can be "slowed down" some, you just lightly touch the mouse and wham. It is hard to get it just right sometimes, it would be nice if it operated slower, thus giving a tad more control.

There really is no way that I know of to slow down the grid guide. However, I have found that if you have a lot of land tiles, it tends to go a bit slower. Perhaps it is tied to framerates. Either way, just be careful with it, and you should be fine. Look at TGF's Gladiator level in Stricken Souls -- grid guide all the way.

Also, I suppose, you could try using Nihil's .raw to Darwinia landscape converter. Though I would suggest toning down the grid size a bit :)

xander

[Lowell]

I'll check out the site again. I make stunning landscapes with my other softwares, couple samples...
http://www.crimsonsun.cc/screenshot7.jpg

http://www.crimsonsun.cc/23_Caustics.jpg

[nihilesthetics2]

Nice. What did you use to create that ?

N2

[The GoldFish]

RE me, Grid Guide in the editor is not friendly towards specific flat structures and such, like Gladiator's doomspiral, because of the tapering off effect as the radius increases - I want a set of brushes that affect all areas in their influence equally!

Because of that, all of my grid guiding is usually done on a per square basis. It usually takes a very long time...

As to the rate at which they rise and fall, I dunno, I never really had any issues making things (mostly) level... and I doubt my FPS is lackluster with my insane CPU...

[Lowell]

I'm use to having a "force" slider so I can adjust the amount of up / down / average, it just takes a tad longer without.
It would be cool but not really needed, just need a light touch.

I use several, world construction set, Bryce, world builder, vue, lightwave, max, poser, daz, maya "student version," soft image, rhino, for buildings even auto cad, solid edge 3D Cad, LightWave just came out with their own Cad, just downloaded it for free... I also am on the Beta team for testing the new LightWave version 9; it's a whole new build. So I have 9 now and am starting to play with some models I have, I also get the new Sasquatch "it makes life-like hair, fur" on models in LightWave.

I have been studying 3D art for five years now, I am about to sell my business in Atlanta and move to Orlando Florida and attend the Dave School at Universal Pictures. http://www.daveschool.com Three girls...the last one is graduating this year {I hope} the second oldest gets married in the summer, the grandson is half grown. Maybe in this next year. The big wet dream, become a 3D special effects artist for Film. All the future stuff you see on the newest films. As a matter of fact I am studying "Particles" in LightWave {pun the mod I am doing is called Particles} particles produce everything to the rain in Matrix, to Lightning. In the last three Mummy movies and the scorpion king, lightwave was used to make everything.

I still have a bunch to learn and just not enough time, sometimes I stay up till 5:30 am sleep for a couple hours and try it again if I have a couple days without appointments I work solid till I drop

[Lowell]

The link for the building files was incorrect, the correct link to the OBJ files is here...
http://www.CrimsonSun.cc/The_Particles_Within_buildings.rar

The files should be converted soon and I will post the converted files. They may not look as good without the textures but with lighting on your maps they should take on a bunch of different colors. Use them as you wish, I will make some more.

[Lowell]

The building conversion went well. A few things needed fixed as to placement on the map. Some needed rotated and or moved up to ground level. I did find that you can have multiple colors on these objects, each surface can have a color number assigned to it. The heading for shape file colors starts out with "colors:1" change it to say "colors:3" then add two more colors to the number sceme. Go down the list "until you hit triangles then stop" and assign a color number to each surface.

One or two things still need tweeked, but they are ready for use. Notice the control towers embedded into the objects..."buildingOnline"


Now for the next set...