Messages

31

Discussion / Re: Modifiable Environment

« on: July 29, 2008, 12:33:49 pm »

My 2 eurocents :-)

Well, drawing the blown objects in runtime is seems to be unsolvable prolem with Q2 engine.

But may be there is a "pseudo-destructible environment" solution? I mean: object which is broken by any means (shot, blown etc) must be replaced with ANOTHER object, another model.
Let me explain. Have you played UFO:AM, where spores-infected Earth almost freed of human species? On some bases there are lifting platforms to deliver aircrafts from underground hangars. And some times these platforms carries the planes on itselfs. I can hit a plane with any explosive weapon - from hand grenades to rocket- and plasma-grenade launchers. And plane will go thru 3 stages of being: normal state, broken plane, pile of debris. Latter may be annihilated at all, makes the platform "virgin clear"

So, why similar approach can't be used in UFO:AI? We not to re-render new model's state, we can have it pre-rendered!

32

Feature Requests / Re: Radar and Satellites

« on: July 29, 2008, 12:02:00 pm »

Nice ideas and talking, but I do not remember anyone asking about lack of satellite radar coverage in previous UFO series games. (even in times of XCom-1 and FIDONet's echo of GAME)
And do not forget that PHALANX is highly secret organization, made specially for counter-alien operations unlike "ordinal" armies are. So, open contacts with more than few members of high govt of every country may lead to disclosure of any secrecy.

33

Discussion / Re: Latest real-world weaponry

« on: July 22, 2008, 01:37:10 pm »

The AK-47 is still king of the assault rifles for a very good reason.

Agree. I was very wondered why it is not in PHALANX' armory?
Well, 47 and its later (74 and so on) modifications aren't intended for long-range deatmatch-style shooting duels, but it is highly usable for short- and mid-range combats.
I could kill an armed deserter with butt-less version of AK-74 within distance of approx 50 meters or so, just after he launched "underbarrel" grenade to our jeep. There were very unpleasing feelings after the grenade explodes near me, killing our driver and guys at rear part of vehicle. I was the only survived.
The version mentioned is often used by paratroopers and local police forces ("militia" in Russian) because of its compact size.

34

Offtopic / Re: News Story - UFOs in real life

« on: July 21, 2008, 01:36:17 pm »

If someone is accused of a crime and appears to be guilty or is caught in the act, they get shot, end of story.  No legal hassles with attorneys, courts, trials, and it was "resolved" right away.

That is why I vote for Life Sentence and object against Death Penalty.

35

Translating / Re: Russian translation

« on: July 21, 2008, 12:46:34 pm »

The code that draws the glyphs on the screen.

Well, I'm not a great coder, but I can't see why it is so difficult to implement?

Many friends of mine refused to play UFO:AI just because of lack or i18n support. I mean: no alphabets other than Latin are allowed to write name of player, or names of staff.

BTW, are there any plans to make allowed naming of aircrafts? Most of players are prefer to give the sane names for their airplanes. Well, it can wait for long. But how about simple auto-numbering of names for newly bought aircrafts? I.e. "Stiletto-5", "Saracen-12".

36

Offtopic / Re: News Story - UFOs in real life

« on: July 21, 2008, 12:37:00 pm »

Yup.  Of course, you then have to make sure that the people who get to define corruption and enforce the locking up are themselves not corrupt...

Old Latin provrb: Qui custodiet ipsos custodes? - Who will control the controllers? (not exact, but close translation)

37

Translating / Re: Russian translation

« on: July 20, 2008, 11:16:59 pm »

It's because the system for multibyte fonts is crap.

Hmm... what "system" you talkin'bout?

"You owe us an explanation!" (C) Dana Scully

38

Discussion / Re: Always lose air battles

« on: July 17, 2008, 11:01:49 pm »

In 2.3, each hangar stores exactly 1 aircraft.

It seems to be strange. As I remember, every hangar contains 2 to 4 landing beds/pads. So, 3D and 2D hangar artwork must be completely redrawn.

More, in real world it counts as unnecessary luxury to have separate hangar for every single craft.

39

Feature Requests / Re: Revise Initial Base Layout

« on: July 17, 2008, 10:21:43 pm »

Blast doors may be hard to implement - given that right now there are no doors at all.
...
The idea is a reasonable one, just not sure if it folds well into the current engine.

Simplest approach: blast door is the suddenly appearing wall, which have less hitpoints than other, main walls.

In terms of the game, it may be just a kind of elevating platform (why we have only one broken elevator in "Bunker" mission?), very narrow platform. It may occupy (in fact) entire square ("enforced walls one square in thickness, around every single sector"), but be drawn as a fraction of square.
As I remember, vertically moving platforms were already implemented in ancient DOOM-2.

As to control interface, it may be a specific square inside command center. Then the defense tactics could look like: aftfer emergency closure of BDs, all but one defenders reaching their emergency positions and prepare. One remaining soldier (self-claimed "base commander") receives a reports of another ones and enters the "special square" for simultaneous opening of BDs when defenders are ready.

40

Feature Requests / Re: Revise Initial Base Layout

« on: July 17, 2008, 08:50:57 am »

there should be some sort of 'Security Station' facility ala X-Com Apocalypse, which is specifically built and equipped to be a proper chokepoint with pillbox slots, fortified walls and automatic turrets.

I told the same for some time ago. Such security stations played important role in defending my bases in UFO:Apoc.

Also there should be blast doors, dividing the base to separate parts or sectors. But we must expect similar facilities (SS & BD) at alien sites - bases and large UFOs, should their assault be implemented. And I do not love to expose myself to the fire of self-guided MGs or mini-rocket launchers in real world

41

Sounds and Music / Re: Contribution from Russian hard-rock

« on: July 16, 2008, 12:59:30 pm »

downloading doesn't work.

Hmm... what exactly happening? The host stores the file with hex-note name of "GUADYF%21320.ogg" while the real name is "GUADYF!320.ogg"

And the FreeDownloadManager gets it with ease. Also Mozilla Seamonkey/win starts d/l without problems. My friend living in Vladivostok (1000km east of me) also could get it.
Girl from Moscow (Russia, about 7000km west of me) also could get it.
Log of download, please?

42

Sounds and Music / Re: Contribution from Russian hard-rock

« on: July 16, 2008, 12:17:44 pm »

Get it!

The file is here

Hope, it will be included into 0music.pk3 soon

43

Sounds and Music / Re: Contribution from Russian hard-rock

« on: July 16, 2008, 05:05:06 am »

If it's 11MB in size, be aware that not all email services can take an attachment that size.

Because I'm an e-mail server admin in our organization, I do know this problem very well. My server have limit of 15Mib per message.

But there are at least 2 workarounds:

1. multi-volume archives offered by most of modern archives (Hello, mr. Robert Jung! Your famous ARJ was the first archiver with volumes support AFAIK.) Each volume may occupy separate message.

2. Multipart messages. I do not know if Mozilla Thunderbird (I use @home) supports such RFC, but TheBat! e-mail client we using @work does this just perfectly.

my website hosting offers creating folders where others can have FTP upload permissions, for just about any size

Would PHALANX HQ consider it is as reliable base, I can upload that file to your site.

Or... hmm... I have GooglePages account and even small web/wap site with weather infos for different cities ono my interest. They offer 100Mib for storing pages and files. So, it is not a problem to U/L the file somehere.

Also I have sourceforge login (created specially for voting for UFO:AI), but I don't know if it gives me permission to upload something into project's file storage.

Google mail account?  I'm pretty sure those can take 20MB attachments, if memory serves.

Test subject: Destructavator
Test objective: Memory functioning
Test results: PASSED w/o reading errors.

(sorry, could not resist such comment  )

Yes, at the beginning (when the maildrop size was lesser than 2Gib) maximal message size was 10Mib, but later it grew upto 20Mib.

44

Sounds and Music / Re: Contribution from Russian hard-rock

« on: July 15, 2008, 10:58:50 pm »

Well, we achieved final agreement with Andrey regarding OGGtags.
Within 10-12 hours the resulting OGG will be uploaded.

BTW, where should I upload it? I think, the RS is not suitable place to deliver project's parts.

45

Sounds and Music / Re: Contribution from Russian hard-rock

« on: July 15, 2008, 12:35:39 pm »

keep it at 320kbps

OK. Approx 11 Mib.