Work in progress: New Republic Prison Ship from The Mandalorian

[Lazarus]

If you use a phong shader on that metal of yours, your edges wont be that sharp, make it look better. Something like

q3map_shadeangle	120
q3map_material	SolidMetal
q3map_nonplanar

You can play with the shadeangle actually, the lesser the value, the less rounded it looks, 90 would be ok  i use this a lot for terrain smoothing, but you can use it also for smoothing hard edges in say your column way

[OCD2]

17 minutes ago, Lazarus said:

If you use a phong shader on that metal of yours, your edges wont be that sharp, make it look better. Something like

q3map_shadeangle	120
q3map_material	SolidMetal
q3map_nonplanar

You can play with the shadeangle actually, the lesser the value, the less rounded it looks, 90 would be ok  i use this a lot for terrain smoothing, but you can use it also for smoothing hard edges in say your column way

I'm completely novice with shaders, how would I use that syntax?

Do I add that to all of the textures in a shader file?   

I do not have a shader on the "metal" yet it's all flat white texture.

[Lazarus]

Okay you ever worked with shaders? Its an extra file you place in your shaders folder.

Its a textfile that will spice up your textures. Some emit lights, others make things smooth, a 3rd one is an animation, etc. So you create a simple textfile and save it as a *.shader. You add that to the shaderlist.txt your own file (mine is called singleplayer.shader)

You are now set up. Now you can start writing the shader. A shader has several stages, each in which you can add certain kind of stuff.

On the left screen you see for example the panel. The panel has indeed the blend on it and a material for sound effect (you hear when stepping on it the metal sound) it contains a lightmap stage, a blending stage and another blending stage in which i add an environment map, so you have the illusion of a reflection.

If you cant write it, there is a tool that can help you, it's called Shadered2. It came with my 1.4 GTK Radiant installation (i actually work now in the 1.6, but i refuse to throw it out... you know, nostalgia... i do this for almost 20 years  )

Anyway, this tool will help you (see below) with a preview and a bunch of options how you want to set it up.

 

[OCD2]

23 minutes ago, Lazarus said:

Okay you ever worked with shaders? Its an extra file you place in your shaders folder.

Its a textfile that will spice up your textures. Some emit lights, others make things smooth, a 3rd one is an animation, etc. So you create a simple textfile and save it as a *.shader. You add that to the shaderlist.txt your own file (mine is called singleplayer.shader)

You are now set up. Now you can start writing the shader. A shader has several stages, each in which you can add certain kind of stuff.

On the left screen you see for example the panel. The panel has indeed the blend on it and a material for sound effect (you hear when stepping on it the metal sound) it contains a lightmap stage, a blending stage and another blending stage in which i add an environment map, so you have the illusion of a reflection.

If you cant write it, there is a tool that can help you, it's called Shadered2. It came with my 1.4 GTK Radiant installation (i actually work now in the 1.6, but i refuse to throw it out... you know, nostalgia... i do this for almost 20 years  )

Anyway, this tool will help you (see below) with a preview and a bunch of options how you want to set it up.

 

Thank you, I appreciate the assistance.

I think I almost have a grasp on making shaders.  I have been trying to making them from scratch, the shadered2 program might be a nice way to get used to building shaders.

Much appreciated!

[AshuraDX]

I'd suggest using a more unique name than just "singleplayer.shader" for any project. If people combine pk3 files from multiple mods you don't want your shader to be overwritten. 

Try adding a unique identifier to your shader file names, something like "fkv", based on your username, as pre-/suffix. I often use "<name>_adx.shader"

Shadered2 makes some parts of shader creation easier, but it does not support all of the parms we can use on our shaders.

[mjt]

Also ShaderEd2 does screw with the parm order that q3map2 relies on - that's something to take into account depending on what advanced features you use. It's good for previewing but not good to author shaders for production.

When using switchable and styled lights, remember that each style (also style_off) counts as one style. The bsp. will have 4 UVmaps for lightmaps. Each surface can thus far only have 4 styled / switchable lights on it. If you want to mix flickering with non flickering but still switchable it will cost a few of those. Take that into account. q3map2 does some optimization as in that it looks what surfaces are hit by what lights and only unwraps those surfaces to the extra UVmaps - which means you can use more than 4 lightstyles through your map, but never on one surface.

[OCD2]

@mjt 

@NAB622

@Lazarus@AshuraDX 

Really appreciate the guidance.  For a nearly 20 year old game, I feel like I'm getting very quick and good  personalized help!

I do have my map shader file in place,  and named properly, with some shaders that I've been able to make work.  (And some that do not work lol)   

My shader workflow(lol) thus far : 

Look at the shader manual/example of what I wanted to make,  then try to write it out in a shader file, compile the map and see if it worked - using shadered2 will be a boon to me lol.

Currently as a mock up, I have my corridor columns set to have a glow (none are currently light emitting) - does the glow emit any light that counts towards the 4 surface light count for the uv map?    

The map lighting currently is all entity lights.  In areas where I want the level to turn red I also have red entity lights that switch on.    Probably less than ideal, but my novice solution.

Moving forward,  to not hit the uv map limit, would this be a proper solution(?):

(Removing the entity lighting) Adding light emitting stage to the light panels, which then can be remapped to the color red to simulate an alarm system. 

An additional panel should be remapped to flash/blink -  would the light emitting panels that switch on and off and also switch to red on and off already but the uvmap lightmap limit?    

Happy holidays to all of you!

 

[Lazarus]

10 hours ago, AshuraDX said:

I'd suggest using a more unique name than just "singleplayer.shader" for any project. If people combine pk3 files from multiple mods you don't want your shader to be overwritten. 

Try adding a unique identifier to your shader file names, something like "fkv", based on your username, as pre-/suffix. I often use "<name>_adx.shader"

Shadered2 makes some parts of shader creation easier, but it does not support all of the parms we can use on our shaders.

Its my only custom pk3's at the moment i got (my own). I do agree that singleplayer is not very unique and i will change it on release. And yes about the params, its true, cause nonplanar and shadeangle are not supported, i use it for preview and testing actually ( and not for production) cause it will give me an error at a line if i got something wrong.

That said, i am glad we pointed you in the right direction  keep it up

[mjt]

Shader / Arealights cannot be used to cast switchable lights in RavenSoftwares idtech3 branch. At least not with q3map2 - there's some trickery where you can bake your own light with blender and use whatever of those 4 lightmap UVs you want to. What I usually do is make light entities in q3map2 to cast the lightstyles to the surfaces and then redo the lighting in Blender.

I'll be thinking about the best way for your scenario within the limits of q3map2 and come back to it later.

[Lazarus]

Triggeable light entities for him is another trick. He could use the light connecting to a null to create spot light idea from his ceiling light.

I agree that switchable is tricky, because shadered lights are only processed within build phase and not on the fly in game. This is why dynamic lightning is a pain. 

[OCD2]

6 hours ago, Lazarus said:

Triggeable light entities for him is another trick. He could use the light connecting to a null to create spot light idea from his ceiling light.

I agree that switchable is tricky, because shadered lights are only processed within build phase and not on the fly in game. This is why dynamic lightning is a pain. 

Based on the source material, it's a two stage alarm. When the alarm is first triggered, the head level light on the column is supposed to blink/strobe.   

Then, If they step into view of "cameras", it triggers closing doors and red lighting on the twin lights on the column tops and the bottom column light.  (The strobed light always strobes after triggering)

Im using switchable entity lights now, and it works okay as a mock up.

One thought to make the alarm sequence work is to just have the glow shader of the column lights remap to change to red color, have the head level light blink l (just go from darker to lighter in an animap animation), and switch on the red entity lights.

That is if you more experienced modders think that's feasible, or If that's not feasible I would definitely appreciate being guided to a better way.

 

 

[OCD2]

Dollar store Razor Crest, coming in hot!    (And dollar store prison transport)

Little intro cinematic / intermission area:

 

https://jkhub.org/images/nkqGNqr.mp4

 

Spoiler

 

 

Area roadmap:

Optimize and fix ship approach - on first attempt I'm not able get the ship to rotate the proper direction.

Optimized "model" brushwork / improve visuals.

Improved and new custom textures and shaders.

Space "weather" effect to simulate moving through space.

 

Bucket list of additions to the area:

Exiting hyperspace effect for the razor crest as it spawns into the map, banks and lands.

Custom skybox with scripted visual events like xwing fly-by, and passing space anomalies.

Custom winning "cutscenes" for the end of map, one for each team.

[mjt]

Seems like you need a lesson in utilizing ROFF files for your splinepaths for cameras and models instead of path_corners or ref_tags via script.

I would love to help you out with lighting but it's hard to find time to write it up for you - if you can find a timeslot for a screenshare session where I can fully explain stuff and also have the ability to correct misunderstandings straight away, I'd appreciate that

If not it'll have to wait a bit longer.

[OCD2]

21 minutes ago, mjt said:

Seems like you need a lesson in utilizing ROFF files for your splinepaths for cameras and models instead of path_corners or ref_tags via script.

I would love to help you out with lighting but it's hard to find time to write it up for you - if you can find a timeslot for a screenshare session where I can fully explain stuff and also have the ability to correct misunderstandings straight away, I'd appreciate that

If not it'll have to wait a bit longer.

I have no idea what those are, so yes you are correct I could stand to learn ROFF and splinepaths. Lol

I would really like to learn - Whatever works best for your schedule.  I'll try to see when I can have uninterrupted time, and let you know so we can set up. 

Thanks, I really appreciate the offer.

[OCD2]

Quick fix this morning of the ship fly-in script, and a quick look around the prison transport.

https://jkhub.org/images/pmf7scK.mp4

 

[AshuraDX]

that's quite choppy @fullkevlar

can you send me a .map file with the ref_tags you used to move the model?

I just need their coordinates actually and the starting coordinates of the object you're moving

[OCD2]

6 hours ago, AshuraDX said:

that's quite choppy @fullkevlar

can you send me a .map file with the ref_tags you used to move the model?

I just need their coordinates actually and the starting coordinates of the object you're moving

Yes of course, its baby modders first movie lol.     

I've not made any scripted movies before, this is just a springboard point.

Info's sent.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Made a modified scripting for a smoother landing.

https://jkhub.org/images/dQqkKz6.mp4

 

Incremental change to rotation:

Lighting change, additions and changes to prison transport and a quick razor crest cockpit.

[Lazarus]

So wait, is this a single player thing? Or is it MP?  (nvr mind, you awnsered it up there)

And i would pan the camera a bit, moving it arround the target... I did something simular with a tie fighter scene flying over. You can move the camera focussed on one point. Also, you can smooth those rotations even more.. you rotate it 2 times (first 90 and then another 90, pull those together for a longer smooth turn... 

[OCD2]

On 12/30/2020 at 11:30 AM, Lazarus said:

So wait, is this a single player thing? Or is it MP?  (nvr mind, you awnsered it up there)

And i would pan the camera a bit, moving it arround the target... I did something simular with a tie fighter scene flying over. You can move the camera focussed on one point. Also, you can smooth those rotations even more.. you rotate it 2 times (first 90 and then another 90, pull those together for a longer smooth turn... 

This initial mod is planned to be multiplayer.   (Then tentatively I'll reuse my assets for a single player mod.)

My idea for this "room" is that it is a lobby the player can free roam around and look at the ship(s) and different scripts and effects, while waiting to start (or end) a match. (if they want, or they can spectate players).

Can you really control the camera in MP intermission?  My understanding is the player remains in control.  The "camera" in the "scene" I'm building is the player intermission entity.    

 

[mjt]

 

Spoiler

https://youtu.be/H9Ui33t-u9Q

 

Check out how smooth the TIE moves in the beginning!? That's what you get with ROFF - also in MP it's smooth enough. You can ROFF certain entities and the cinematic camera should be ROFFable by script as well. However I'm not sure if in MP the camera can be captured globally as it would in SP. Maybe you only have the info_player_intermission POV that you have to work with. Not a problem if this is just about showing a scene as you could use a misc_skyportal with your ships as func_statics and move those instead of the fixed intermission POV.

In BehaveED:

//(BHVD) camera ( /*@CAMERA_COMMANDS*/ PATH, "folder_inside_scripts_folder/roff_filename_without_extension" );

 

[OCD2]

1 hour ago, mjt said:

 

  Hide contents

https://youtu.be/H9Ui33t-u9Q

 

Check out how smooth the TIE moves in the beginning!? That's what you get with ROFF - also in MP it's smooth enough. You can ROFF certain entities and the cinematic camera should be ROFFable by script as well. However I'm not sure if in MP the camera can be captured globally as it would in SP. Maybe you only have the info_player_intermission POV that you have to work with. Not a problem if this is just about showing a scene as you could use a misc_skyportal with your ships as func_statics and move those instead of the fixed intermission POV.

In BehaveED:

//(BHVD) camera ( /*@CAMERA_COMMANDS*/ PATH, "folder_inside_scripts_folder/roff_filename_without_extension" );

 

Ive looked into ROFF a little, but could not find many resources that explained the process.

My understanding is that you need a 3d modelling program to make the pathing, and then export it as an ROFF file, which then gets scripted to produce the animation.

I have not delved into 3d modelling yet.   I plan to learn on blender -  I have a brand new graphics tablet sitting in my desk for better texturing and etc.     Im hoping to eventually become fairly adept over time,  and share things with the community.   

Im willing to work on ROFF pathing if its not to intensive to learn for an absolute beginner whos never touched a modelling program.    I'll download and work through the steps to make them in blender if need.

Is there any tutorial on the process, and is there a working exporter? 

[OCD2]

2 hours ago, mjt said:

 

  Reveal hidden contents

https://youtu.be/H9Ui33t-u9Q

 

Check out how smooth the TIE moves in the beginning!? That's what you get with ROFF - also in MP it's smooth enough. You can ROFF certain entities and the cinematic camera should be ROFFable by script as well. However I'm not sure if in MP the camera can be captured globally as it would in SP. Maybe you only have the info_player_intermission POV that you have to work with. Not a problem if this is just about showing a scene as you could use a misc_skyportal with your ships as func_statics and move those instead of the fixed intermission POV.

In BehaveED:

//(BHVD) camera ( /*@CAMERA_COMMANDS*/ PATH, "folder_inside_scripts_folder/roff_filename_without_extension" );

 

How would I incorporate misc skyportal?      For adding things that fly by on the skybox?

[OCD2]

One last shape up for the day.   

Razor Crest given some shape.

 

[AshuraDX]

@fullkevlar The base animation for the roff, already have it ingame but I sadly ran out of time to record a video of it right now. (After I spent hours looking for the cause of a problem that ended up being a typo in a ref_tags targetname.... don't mod when you've been awake for more than 20 hours peeps.)

But here's a pk3 file for you (and everyone else interested) to try ingame and dissect, to see how it was done. Just load the map and press the use button (you spawn inside a trigger_multiple). The animation can be repeated as often as you'd like, there's a 10 second wait on the trigger to keep it from breaking.

> click me <

devmap razorcrest_roff

you should be able to just replace your spawnscript with mine and make it work in your map - as long as you didn't change the positions of the origin brush or the docking port.

[OCD2]

1 hour ago, AshuraDX said:

@fullkevlar The base animation for the roff, already have it ingame but I sadly ran out of time to record a video of it right now. (After I spent hours looking for the cause of a problem that ended up being a typo in a ref_tags targetname.... don't mod when you've been awake for more than 20 hours peeps.)

But here's a pk3 file for you (and everyone else interested) to try ingame and dissect, to see how it was done. Just load the map and press the use button (you spawn inside a trigger_multiple). The animation can be repeated as often as you'd like, there's a 10 second wait on the trigger to keep it from breaking.

> click me <

devmap razorcrest_roff

you should be able to just replace your spawnscript with mine and make it work in your map - as long as you didn't change the positions of the origin brush or the docking port.

Nice, thank you!

Any chance you could point me towards a walkthrough on how to make my own Roff?       

Or is it already in or able to be worked out by looking at the file?   I'm not at my computer, and also haven't slept - had a pipe burst last night, and I'm still dealing with the aftermath.    Happy New Year?