Messages

16

Design / Re: Things to learn from Xenonauts?

« on: June 27, 2012, 12:24:12 pm »

A couple of us have considered something similar, but to do it properly we would need to change our alien and weapon models. As it is, the Taman, Shevaar and Ortnok all have very humanoid hand/arm/eye relationships, and all of the models for alien weapons are pretty similar to human weapons.

Calling it "uncomfortable" for human use would look like a cheap hack unless it was backed up by the appearance of the aliens and weapons in-game.

Not really. "Similar" is not the same as "identical". Even slight differences can have a hefty impact.

Hell, even human-designed chairs for humans can be so different that one kills my back and the other is comfty and cozy.

17

Design / Re: Things to learn from Xenonauts?

« on: June 26, 2012, 12:19:11 pm »

A catchy thing from Xenonauts  - alien weapons are made for alien hands, and thus the ergonomy for humans is all wrong. You soldier can pick the weapon up and use it, but has a accuracy penalty (and it also cannot be reloaded, but that's another matter)

Very realistic and gives producton even more weight, as human-compatable versions have to be produced.
All alien weapons are inherently unfit for humans to use.

18

Design / Re: Slight Changes to Existing UFOpedia Files for Realism

« on: June 17, 2012, 08:45:53 pm »

Since you're already enhancing the descriptions for more realism.. Why not go over other entires too?


Off hte top of my head:

1) sniper caliber is too large.

2) Assault rifle bullets are too big and the magazine holds too little for them to be caseless. There's no need for them to be caseless, since good-ol-fashioned bullets are cheap and effective.

3) The year is maybe far too advanced, given that the world looks very normal. 2080? Try 2030 or 2040. Certanly enough time for a global financial or ecologicla crysis to change the geo-political landscape.

4) Phalanx background. It shouldn't be the only initiative or only force fighting. That should be made clear.

19

Artwork / Re: Scout drone [50k go home]

« on: June 16, 2012, 11:59:49 am »

AHEM:

20

Discussion / Re: My UFO: Alien Invasion review

« on: June 10, 2012, 12:16:20 am »

Meh...guns.. They must have the same funcitions, and thus, any gun you design will resemble SOME other gun out there.
Best not pay it any attention, as it doesn't deserve any.

21

Discussion / Re: New autobattle

« on: June 05, 2012, 10:16:10 am »

I say that my proposal is still by far the simplest and most accurate....

22

Discussion / Re: New autobattle

« on: June 03, 2012, 09:47:11 pm »

You can loose half of your squad even now to a unlucky dice roll...
Remove the HP restoring medikit and you'll see death rates skyrocket.

23

Discussion / Re: New autobattle

« on: June 03, 2012, 12:15:06 am »

Waht about my proposal H?

24

Discussion / Re: New autobattle

« on: June 02, 2012, 01:05:57 pm »

That kinds fits with what I siad, doesn't it?

Given alien weapons are mostly plasma, close combat is what they would favor.

25

Discussion / Re: New autobattle

« on: June 01, 2012, 10:08:56 pm »

Frankly, I'd simulate the battle with both sides starting at large distance and moving closer while shooting.

2 (+-1) turns of long-range combat
2 (+-1) turns of mid-range combat
2 (+-1) turns of close-range combat

The number of each is a bit randomized...or could depends on the type of map. Large open maps could trigger more long-range turns, etc..

Next, during each turn aliens and soldiers take shots at eachother, with each soldier per side having a 25% chance to be behind cover (can't be shot at) and 25% chance to not have a LoS (can't shoot) every turn.

26

Design / Re: Alien Tank designs ideas and proposals

« on: May 31, 2012, 08:04:09 pm »

I'm a contributor, not one of the original devs. Wouldn't that be your choice?

27

Design / Re: Alien Tank designs ideas and proposals

« on: May 31, 2012, 06:43:03 pm »

And it requires all weapons to use the EXACT SAME turret regardless of how bad it would look.. Either that of you have to have different models of the same UGV, but with different turrets.

Seriously, how many weapons on a tank would even HAVE recoil? missiles? no. Lasers? No.
Is recoil really that important to have?

28

Design / Re: Alien Tank designs ideas and proposals

« on: May 31, 2012, 03:52:32 pm »

If turret+chasis are one model, how can the turret turn? UGV's would have to have forward fixed weapons.

29

Design / Re: Alien Tank designs ideas and proposals

« on: May 31, 2012, 01:26:41 pm »

I'm cunfused....

There are 3 models involved - chasis, turret and barrel.
Or 2, in which case turret+barrel are one (and thus no recoil animation).

How is turret attached to chasis? With a tag, or trough the definition file for the UGV itself (type in the coordinates)..

Or is chasis + turret one model and the barrel is a separate one?

30

Design / Re: Alien Tank designs ideas and proposals

« on: May 31, 2012, 09:41:15 am »

Ideally, you should place a tag_weapon and animate it's position for the relevant firing animations, so it looks like it is recoiling. (The actual weapon barrel could be a second model attached at the tag_weapon position, but the weapon will not be animated -- just the tag position.)

So the basic UGV chasis with a tag for the turret (which rotates independently, that tag is not animated)
On the turret itself a animated tag for recoil (for guns that have recoil), and the barrel is attached to that?

 

Unfortunately, it does not work. Not with our current implementation. I don't thikn we can spawn a particle effect on death (explosion). And we don't remove the model. We use dying animations and a final dead frame, so that the death animation should end in a destroyed state. Then you can specify this destroyed state set of frames in the .anm file.

Hm..no way to make it look good if you can't switch to a destroyed model.
For the UGV to just stop...won't look good.
It needs to blow up, have scorch marks and the like.

There may be a way to muck about by combining both into one model, but it's unwieldy.