Author Topic: Tinkering again  (Read 926 times)

Offline USRanger

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Tinkering again
« on: November 05, 2013, 11:58:38 PM »
Some of you know that I like to experiment with different aspects of the game.  This time I tried a new muzzle flash.

Original:


Custom:



Original:


Custom:



Also messing around with new fire, smoke, tracers & flak bursts.
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Offline USRanger

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Re: Tinkering again
« Reply #1 on: November 06, 2013, 12:14:19 AM »
Going back and working on a new plane explosion I did months ago.  I want to make it smaller and add more opacity so you can't see through it for a couple seconds.:



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Offline JOACH1M

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Re: Tinkering again
« Reply #2 on: November 06, 2013, 12:39:59 AM »
Looks great as ways. Frustrates me that we can't use you flames and smoke ingame. aswell as these new edits. They make the game look so much better.

Sadly we have people in the Stone Age with their pcs that can't handle it :/
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Offline BaldEagl

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Re: Tinkering again
« Reply #3 on: November 06, 2013, 01:43:53 AM »
I know that if I wanted to be politically correct I should encourage you and applaude your work but I personally find the original muzzel flash more appealing and while there are elements of the expolsion I like I think the idea of opacity would be better served at the fringes of the expolsion.

That said I've never experienced either of these in real life so only have my imagination to guide me but my guess is that whomever developed the images used in-game today tried several variations before settling on what we have.  Before everyone jumps in wanting to see a change I'd pause for a moment to consider the person that developed what we have today and the message that you're sending them.

I do applaude you for the effort and ability to work with these images but for me change just for the sake of change isn't a worthwile endevor unless it adds proven realism to the game.

I don't think any of this has anything to do with computing power so that's a non-issue.  There's going to be an effect no matter what so your computer's going to gave to deal with it.

Just my two cents.  No offense meant.
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Offline wpeters

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Re: Tinkering again
« Reply #4 on: November 06, 2013, 08:12:53 AM »
Looks like the fuel leak exploded. +1
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Offline jeffdn

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Re: Tinkering again
« Reply #5 on: November 06, 2013, 08:57:41 AM »
That said I've never experienced either of these in real life so only have my imagination to guide me but my guess is that whomever developed the images used in-game today tried several variations before settling on what we have.  Before everyone jumps in wanting to see a change I'd pause for a moment to consider the person that developed what we have today and the message that you're sending them.

I don't think he's necessarily sending them a message so much as demonstrating the possibilities for updated effects in the game that use minimal requirements. They appear to still just be sprites, albeit more graphically advanced ones.

Offline USRanger

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Re: Tinkering again
« Reply #6 on: November 06, 2013, 03:54:01 PM »
I don't think he's necessarily sending them a message so much as demonstrating the possibilities for updated effects in the game that use minimal requirements. They appear to still just be sprites, albeit more graphically advanced ones.

Correct.  The files are not hidden, you just have to know where to find them.  HT himself has even helped me when I was messing with the smoke.  I do this just because I am a customization junkie.  Sure, some of these things can be found in some AvA terrains, but I don't plan on sending them to HTC with a "mine is better than yours" letter.  Of course, if they ever asked for my files I would gladly send them to them & give up full rights to them.  The file sizes I use for my "custom" stuff is the exact same size they use in-game.  It's actually just .bmps(images) I'm changing when I do anything.  I don't actually change the game at all.  Changing the muzzle flash, fire, etc. is no different than changing a terrain tile.  Thanks for the comments guys.  I understand both sides. :salute
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Offline EskimoJoe

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Re: Tinkering again
« Reply #7 on: November 06, 2013, 10:20:00 PM »
I've always admired your work, Ranger.
Put a +1 on your geekness atribute  :aok

Offline scott66

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Re: Tinkering again
« Reply #8 on: November 06, 2013, 10:55:26 PM »
+1 looks cool :aok
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Offline USRanger

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Re: Tinkering again
« Reply #9 on: November 06, 2013, 11:19:43 PM »
I just wanted to add one last thing.  HTC has never told me to stop playing with the FX.  When I changed the fire, explosions & smoke early this year, it was HT himself that started a PM conversation with me, helping me out with how the ground smoke system works.  No one ever said players could ONLY add terrains to the game.  If HTC happened to see anything I do and think it would be good for the game, they could gladly have it.  Seeing it in-game (besides the AvA) would be thanks enough for me.  That being said, when I do this stuff, I do it for enjoyment.  I have never submitted anything that I thought mine was better than the default. :salute
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Offline BaldEagl

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Re: Tinkering again
« Reply #10 on: November 06, 2013, 11:50:46 PM »
I just wanted to add one last thing.  HTC has never told me to stop playing with the FX.  When I changed the fire, explosions & smoke early this year, it was HT himself that started a PM conversation with me, helping me out with how the ground smoke system works.  No one ever said players could ONLY add terrains to the game.  If HTC happened to see anything I do and think it would be good for the game, they could gladly have it.  Seeing it in-game (besides the AvA) would be thanks enough for me.  That being said, when I do this stuff, I do it for enjoyment.  I have never submitted anything that I thought mine was better than the default. :salute

I didn't mean to put you on the defensive by any means so please don't take my comments wrong.  I was simply stating my own personal opinion.  Maybe where I went wrong was my cautionary warning but in all the years I've been here the tendancy of the players has been to encourage every graphics change, good or bad (not saying your's are bad), when an environment of open, constructive criticizm might better serve the community.  As an example:

After posting last night I was thinking about your explosion graphic and my capturing screenshots after scenarios.  As I do so and slow-mo through explosions they generally start with a hit sprite folllowed by an orange expolsion surrounded by black smoke then transition to a bright yellow expolsion with white smoke then an all white explosion that dissipates.  As I said there's things I like about what you posted but wonder where it fits in this sequence or if the entire thing is completely different.  For my part (and my part only) it would be hard to agree to a change without better understanding the entire sequence of graphic changes and then seeing what that looks like in real time in the game.  The current sequence happens so fast in the game that I doubt most even realize how much went into that one effect.
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Offline USRanger

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Re: Tinkering again
« Reply #11 on: November 07, 2013, 12:16:08 PM »
Not on the defensive at all Bud.  I totally understood what you were saying. :cheers:
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Offline USRanger

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Re: Tinkering again
« Reply #12 on: November 08, 2013, 03:19:55 PM »
Too much? :confused:



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Online Bizman

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Re: Tinkering again
« Reply #13 on: November 08, 2013, 03:43:26 PM »
Too much? :confused:




ET, why don't you just go home?  :lol

Offline 715

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Re: Tinkering again
« Reply #14 on: November 08, 2013, 04:58:28 PM »
Is the muzzle flash color tied to the tracer color or can they be separate?  Muzzle flashes should be yellowish=orangish, of course, but tracers could be several different colors.