16
Fractal Softworks Forum
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Starsector 0.97a is out! (02/02/24); New blog post: Save/Load UI, Autosave, Intel Map Markers, and More (04/10/24)
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17
Discussions / Star Citizen: Super Hornet F7C-M with LTI for sale. SOLD
« on: May 21, 2014, 07:18:04 PM »
I apologize if this might be against the forum rules, if it is my bad and moderators please delete this thread.
If interested please contact me via PM or Skype.
SOLD
If interested please contact me via PM or Skype.
SOLD
Spoiler
[close]
19
Modding / Advanced Starsector graphics modding
« on: January 25, 2014, 03:42:59 PM »
I know Open GL shader calls are being used to add new UI elements (LazyWizards Combat Radar), and I believe its possible to use similar techniques to do other things. I know that the downside to this is that will draw over anything, like UI elements and menus but the possibilities are endless for creating amazing looking graphics effects. The uses that occur to me right now is stuff like distorting the screen for shockwaves for high yield warheads and ship deaths.
Super deluxe explosion™
But the real prize to me is making ship systems completely over the top as a visual spectacle. For example Exigency Corporation's Repulsor field ship system. Right now it creates this swirling vortex of particles to represent its effective area, this gets the job done but what if so much more is possible? It did occur to me to make an animated sprite sequence, this would be a substantial upgrade certainly. But the real prize would be an insane swirling vortex that actually distorts what is already present on the screen. Somewhat like a gravitational lens but an entirely more chaotic and violent visual spectacle.
Repulsor shenanigans™
Anyways maybe this is all a pipe dream, if it isn't perhaps someone more knowledgeable on this subject could chime in
Super deluxe explosion™
Spoiler
[close]
But the real prize to me is making ship systems completely over the top as a visual spectacle. For example Exigency Corporation's Repulsor field ship system. Right now it creates this swirling vortex of particles to represent its effective area, this gets the job done but what if so much more is possible? It did occur to me to make an animated sprite sequence, this would be a substantial upgrade certainly. But the real prize would be an insane swirling vortex that actually distorts what is already present on the screen. Somewhat like a gravitational lens but an entirely more chaotic and violent visual spectacle.
Repulsor shenanigans™
Spoiler
Current Repulsor graphics*
Desired graphics*
In case you wondering that .gif is from the game Zigfrak.
Desired graphics*
In case you wondering that .gif is from the game Zigfrak.
[close]
Anyways maybe this is all a pipe dream, if it isn't perhaps someone more knowledgeable on this subject could chime in
20
Suggestions / Weapon shows damage option
« on: January 22, 2014, 05:00:21 PM »
Just thought it would be handy to have an option in the .WPN file to show damage on it or not. This is mostly intended for decorative weapons that are so handy for making animated ship parts and things, but having them always look pristine is a bit annoying.
"weaponshowsdamage":"true",
"weaponshowsdamage":"true",
21
Modding / Vertical launch missiles in Starsector?
« on: January 18, 2014, 08:21:10 PM »
I suspect it can be faked with a weapon firing animation somehow.
Now if it can be made this badass?
Challenge accepted, Exigency needs some new toys...
If someone thinks of a better way to do it, then please let me know
Now if it can be made this badass?
Challenge accepted, Exigency needs some new toys...
If someone thinks of a better way to do it, then please let me know
22
Modding / Starsector scale / silhouette chart, almost every ship around!
« on: January 16, 2014, 11:48:39 PM »
So I was bumbling around on the internet and happened across tank recognition guides that help you recognize vehicles only on their silhouette. And it occurred to me that this could be interesting applied to Starsector. But not to recognize the ships themselves, but to compare relative scale (real life vehicles included), and only seeing the silhouette of the vessel and not all of it in its entirety is kind of interesting way of looking at the ships in a whole new manner. If focuses your eye on just the shape of it, so it was decided to scramble the whole thing so you cannot just look at a row and be like "There is all the Black Rock Drive Yards ships!" There also might be a few silly things hidden amongst the vessels also 
WARNING REALLY GIANT PICTURE INSIDE SPOILER
WARNING REALLY GIANT PICTURE INSIDE SPOILER
Spoiler
[close]
24
Suggestions / Would Starsector benefit from this technology? (Sprite Lamp)
« on: December 01, 2013, 08:03:47 PM »
http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/finnmorgan/sprite-lamp-dynamic-lighting-for-2d-art?ref=live
This looks really quite interesting, please discuss
This looks really quite interesting, please discuss
25
Suggestions / Improving the aesthetics and game mechanics of Starsector
« on: November 26, 2013, 08:31:19 PM »
After playing Starsector for a long time, and now beginning my own modding adventure I have had some thoughts occur to me about improving the game.
While it by far has the best looking top down 2d space combat I have ever seen, there is always room for improving the aesthetics. One area that could offer substantial improvement for a minimal amount of effort is explosions. Right now they are hardcoded, you have the fiery explosion ones, and you have the glow effect variant also. The only real variables being the size, duration, color, particle spew, and with some scripting there is a little more flexibility with particles but it is not really enough in my opinion. What I am proposing to greatly enhance the explosions is the ability to make them out of animated sprites, this would make possible some really nice looking effects with no limits. When you score a hit with torpedo, or a ship wreck explodes it should feel really satisfying.
Epic explosions < As old as that game is, its still the king of stylized space explosions in my opinion.
Another aspect of improving the aesthetics of combat is ship deaths. The burnt out hulks glowing red hot looks really nice, but more dynamics offered for different situations would help a lot. Like occasional secondary explosions from the magazines and exotic fuels cooking off in the hulk. There would also be a random small chance 15% maybe after a ship is hulked that the secondary explosions would intensify and the hulk would be destroyed in an epic explosion that is a combination of the video of Nexus up above and FreeSpace 2 style breaking up with the debris flying off in every direction. Or if you continue to shoot the hulk the end result is the same.
Ship breaking up < Just imagine a combination of the two videos in a simplified 2d expression, would that not be glorious?
Now for some changes to game mechanics to increase the complexity of the combat and campaign layers. The first idea actually ties into ship deaths among other things, its essentially EMP scrambling your sensors from the ship deaths and torpedoes / high yield warheads. Right now there is the blinding white out effect, I would keep that but add a line of sight sensor scrambling effect. It would create a special kind of fog of war that would last for a couple of seconds but works off line of site relative to your ships and the explosion (that is projected behind the event). So the closer you are the wider the cone of sensor scrambling would be, and with multiple ships at different angles to the explosion there might not be any obscuring at all. It would also cause missiles to lose their lock temporarily if they are targeting something in the obscured zone. This effect could be visualized on the mini map, but not the normal camera where you would only see the white out that already exists.
EMP represented on tactical map < Visual example of the line of sight the sensor scrambling.
The only thing that occurs to me right now for the campaign map besides already planned features, is random events. And by that I mean things that make sense, like if you are inside an asteroid belt there could be an ambush from pirates (maybe stealthy defensive platforms) that you are more likely to encounter as you near their station. All of these things I talked about in this thread so far should be possible to put in the vanilla game, and would enhance it with full modding support for all the variables some amazing things could be created from them. But to be honest I'm not sure if the line of sight EMP would be fast for computers to calculate, it might be quite expensive. Please discuss guys, and add any of your own ideas
While it by far has the best looking top down 2d space combat I have ever seen, there is always room for improving the aesthetics. One area that could offer substantial improvement for a minimal amount of effort is explosions. Right now they are hardcoded, you have the fiery explosion ones, and you have the glow effect variant also. The only real variables being the size, duration, color, particle spew, and with some scripting there is a little more flexibility with particles but it is not really enough in my opinion. What I am proposing to greatly enhance the explosions is the ability to make them out of animated sprites, this would make possible some really nice looking effects with no limits. When you score a hit with torpedo, or a ship wreck explodes it should feel really satisfying.
Epic explosions < As old as that game is, its still the king of stylized space explosions in my opinion.
Another aspect of improving the aesthetics of combat is ship deaths. The burnt out hulks glowing red hot looks really nice, but more dynamics offered for different situations would help a lot. Like occasional secondary explosions from the magazines and exotic fuels cooking off in the hulk. There would also be a random small chance 15% maybe after a ship is hulked that the secondary explosions would intensify and the hulk would be destroyed in an epic explosion that is a combination of the video of Nexus up above and FreeSpace 2 style breaking up with the debris flying off in every direction. Or if you continue to shoot the hulk the end result is the same.
Ship breaking up < Just imagine a combination of the two videos in a simplified 2d expression, would that not be glorious?
Now for some changes to game mechanics to increase the complexity of the combat and campaign layers. The first idea actually ties into ship deaths among other things, its essentially EMP scrambling your sensors from the ship deaths and torpedoes / high yield warheads. Right now there is the blinding white out effect, I would keep that but add a line of sight sensor scrambling effect. It would create a special kind of fog of war that would last for a couple of seconds but works off line of site relative to your ships and the explosion (that is projected behind the event). So the closer you are the wider the cone of sensor scrambling would be, and with multiple ships at different angles to the explosion there might not be any obscuring at all. It would also cause missiles to lose their lock temporarily if they are targeting something in the obscured zone. This effect could be visualized on the mini map, but not the normal camera where you would only see the white out that already exists.
EMP represented on tactical map < Visual example of the line of sight the sensor scrambling.
The only thing that occurs to me right now for the campaign map besides already planned features, is random events. And by that I mean things that make sense, like if you are inside an asteroid belt there could be an ambush from pirates (maybe stealthy defensive platforms) that you are more likely to encounter as you near their station. All of these things I talked about in this thread so far should be possible to put in the vanilla game, and would enhance it with full modding support for all the variables some amazing things could be created from them. But to be honest I'm not sure if the line of sight EMP would be fast for computers to calculate, it might be quite expensive. Please discuss guys, and add any of your own ideas
26
Mods / The Infernal Machine - Vanilla Factions Expansion Pack
« on: November 09, 2013, 11:13:04 PM »
The Infernal Machine
Have you ever wished that there were more vanilla ships to fill in missing fleet roles, or for the Pirates to have hardware with some real punch and unique traits to keep the player on their toes? Well that is why this mod exists, but currently it is not available as a stand-alone but most of the content is included in the Ship/Weapon Pack and Underworld mods.
Featured Ships
Featured Weapons (Built-In)
Contributors
HELMUT, Shellster, Tartiflette, Dark.Revenant, GenBOOM, and Soren
27
Bug Reports & Support / Ghost fighter
« on: October 09, 2013, 03:14:52 AM »
Just playing one of my single battle missions, and this happened.
Spoiler
[close]
28
Bug Reports & Support / Fighter wings leaving the battlefield.
« on: September 29, 2013, 10:07:46 PM »
^ Pretty much that, thus leaving the battle unresolvable.
Look at right side of screenshot*
Look at right side of screenshot*
Spoiler
[close]
29
Bug Reports & Support / Issues with retreating in single battle missions.
« on: September 27, 2013, 10:01:12 PM »
Many vanilla single battle missions crash if you order a full retreat, including the random battle mission and my own modified versions of that mission.
http://www.mediafire.com/view/c0ik63qi9k99sdw/starsector.log
Another quirk I've observed is if you retreat fighter wings and you still have carriers left on the battlefield, the carrier will rebuild and launch them.
http://www.mediafire.com/view/c0ik63qi9k99sdw/starsector.log
Another quirk I've observed is if you retreat fighter wings and you still have carriers left on the battlefield, the carrier will rebuild and launch them.
30
Bug Reports & Support / Enemy firing at non existent fighter wing.
« on: September 22, 2013, 07:55:46 PM »
I was playing a random battle mission working on my faction (only mod installed besides LazyLib), and when my fleet was crushed the enemy AI continued to fire at the last location of a dead fighter wing. Both of these screenshots were taken from the same pause break.
Spoiler
[close]