[http://sourceforge.net/p/ufoai/feature-requests/472 Item 472] imported from sourceforge.net tracker on 2013-01-28 20:20:07

Now that I am experimenting & beginning to fully understand the complexity & variety possible with the great material system, I would volunteer in programming different U.F.O.s on different locations, that does not mean that the U.F.O.s themselves will change, but that each location has his own material-set for the U.F.O.s, so that almost everything can be different ;)
That means:

Different Buttons animated differently
Different Displays animated differently
Different Screens animated differently
Different Overlays
Different Environment-maps
Different fx: (Stretch, pulse, scroll, etc.)
Completely different textures pulsating with the original texture are even possible

I think this would add suspense for the player, because there would be ever changing animations for almost every battle :))))

Mattn, I would need some motivating words, please, thiz iz hell of a work around here ;)
===== Comments Ported from Sourceforge =====

====== mcr2010 (2010-03-27 09:03:34) ======

I would be very happy about a short comment from you here, Mattn ;)
Should I go on & program this or don't you like this idea ?
====== tlh2000 (2010-03-27 12:29:15) ======

i don't see what exactly you want to program here - no code changes would be needed to do something like that with the current code base already.
====== mcr2010 (2010-03-27 13:24:39) ======

example - (part of) a new material file
====== mcr2010 (2010-03-27 13:29:40) ======

I hope this .mat example helps to clarify ;)
I just want to use the great material system to give U.F.O.s a slightly different look on each level ;)
I hope, Mattn, I did not offend you with anything I wrote ?!
I just want to do my best to help you whereever I can, to push this projects forward & make it better ;)
====== tlh2000 (2010-03-27 15:21:28) ======

i still don't see the need for any code changes here
====== mcr2010 (2010-03-27 15:34:19) ======

Sorry, probably false usage of the word 'code' from my side ;)
I just meant the material definition files & the 'code' there ;)
I hope when you don't see the need for any code changes here, this also means:
Feel free to submit patches against the material files ?
;)

====== tlh2000 (2010-03-27 16:08:27) ======

of course - eyecandy is always welcome - you don't have to ask for the permission to submit patches ;)
====== mcr2010 (2010-03-27 16:24:24) ======

I am very happy to hear that. Now I feel my motivation coming back strongly ;)
Expect a BIG patch soon !
I want to make it to the monthly news ;)
====== mcr2010 (2010-03-28 17:52:13) ======

Mattn, where are my limits here ?
You know, I like to push it to the limit ;)
I already made around 1400 (!) HQ-animation-frames, which use 21MB of space (uncompressed in a folder).
I had to make so many to keep repetition @ a minimum, but I could reduce the size of most animations by factor 2 if I would have the ability to play forwards & then backwards again. I will look @ the code after I have finished this stuff ;)
Also there is room for optimization in better usage of the different blendmodes & I am sure there is some kind of automation tool which will analyze the frames & save only the differences between them, that will reduce size drastically also, but I had no time to look for that (yet)...
I also made different color-versions of many of the animations, because this will make the mappers work easy in 'programming' the material files & also made animations that are just reverse to their originals. This also would not be necessary with some code optimization... ;)
So there is room left for optimization, but I really want the first version out to people for review, so I will go on making frames & adding size before optimizing the material files & will hopefully send the patch before this month ends.
I think there is time afterwards for optimization also, but expect the filesize of the coming patch to be around 40 (!) MB. I hope your e-mail can handle this, otherwise I will send smaller packages ;)

====== tlh2000 (2010-04-11 14:01:30) ======

i tend to keep the amount of files low - because every new script file must be maintained. i could imagine an extension of the material system to define several different materials for the same texture and at load time one is chosen randomly.
====== mcr2010 (2010-04-11 16:33:36) ======

good idea, but imho this has no high priority @ the moment.
====== mcr2010 (2010-04-15 20:11:39) ======

Will close this as most of this stuff is already decided on & so this is not needed anymore...