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Interesting Mod Tidbit from Seaward

LordDrow

LordDrow

Pirate Geek Extraordinaire
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Storm Modder
Storm Modeller
Okay, interesting bit I found on the Seaward forums... Apparently there is a gent there that has created some custom models for PotC and AoP. What makes these models special though is the stern windows are actually transparent on the sea views, and the really cool part is the captains cabin can be destroyed during sea combat. Doesn't its really just cosmetic from what I've figured out, but everyone on the Russian mod forums is raving about the window transparency and how much nicer it makes the ships to be able to see through the windows and into the captains cabin on some of the ships.

Apparently they are clamoring for this gent to make new models for every ship in the game right now.

Thought I'd bring that up here and direct everyone to the forum link ---> <a href="http://translate.google.com/translate?u=http%3A%2F%2Flegend.seaward.ru%2Fforum%2Findex.php%3Fact%3Didx&sl=ru&tl=en&hl=en&ie=UTF-8" target="_blank">English translated version of the russian Ship Pack thread</a>

Hope everyone finds this bit of info and mod as interesting as I do!

Cap'n Drow
 
im more interested in the ships which you can enter the cabin in the sea mode, like the Bermuda Sloop "Sting Ray", it was the ship i liked the most so far, but it wasnt a good ship at all for me, so i had to leave it and take a better one. But what would be better than a ship which you can enter the cabin and the windows are transparent aswell? <img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/biggrin.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":D" border="0" alt="biggrin.gif" />
 
That's all nice and dandy, but, should we choose to emulate that, we are talking about replacing <b>all</b> ship models ingame (well, except for my<i>Black Pearl</i> <img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/biggrin.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":D" border="0" alt="biggrin.gif" /> ). That would be, what, another 2Gb of data?
 
Don't think it'd be THAT much, but yes, we would need to do updated models of every ship. Model size shouldn't really change much, and from the sounds of it the major change in the skin is the alpha channel. Again, it shouldn't make a huge difference on file size, unless the skinner decides to go super-high res that is...

Cap'n Drow
 
Interesting stuff, I wonder how he does the damage? I was thinking it could be done by created a damaged model of the ship model and switching it out in the program, I'm curious to know how he did it. How did he enable alphas in the textures?
 
the sides of the ships are handled as masts (those fall of if you hit them) so if you hit that model, it is blown clean of.
 
I don't like it. It's anouther useless and irritating addition. Yes, transparent windows are alright, but blowing the cabin off? <img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/mybad.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":facepalm" border="0" alt="mybad.gif" />
 
well, as long as it's in sufficiently little bits, it's okay with me. a whole wall suddenly falling off is a different matter.
 
I'm more interested in the transparency than the damage. Though damage if well done could be interesting. I'll admith though, a leaky hull and missing masts is pretty damaged in my book. **grins**

Cap'n Drow
 
I'm just curious how he did it, aside from the lowres textures I'm fine with the ships in game. The one thing I don't like is the masts plopping off completely, even less the rigging that sometimes stays after they go <img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/dry.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid="<_<" border="0" alt="dry.gif" />

Sitting in the captains cabin and being able to look out at the real active sea would be cool, but I don't know that it isn't outside what the engine can do.
 
<!--quoteo(post=273899:date=Aug 17 2008, 07:01 PM:name=Dr. Maturin)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Dr. Maturin @ Aug 17 2008, 07:01 PM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=273899"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->I'm just curious how he did it, aside from the lowres textures I'm fine with the ships in game. The one thing I don't like is the masts plopping off completely, even less the rigging that sometimes stays after they go <img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/dry.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid="<_<" border="0" alt="dry.gif" /><!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Then you get the guys climbing up in the air <img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/mybad.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":facepalm" border="0" alt="mybad.gif" />

I'm playing with a sloop and a schooner now, when the one mast on the sloop is shot off the rigging stays.

I don't worry about it. It's a game, it runs well, so a thing like that is "Whatever" <img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/wink.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=";)" border="0" alt="wink.gif" />
 
Shit happens all the time, mates....but sometimes i love to see my super crewmembers climbing the thin air or walking through walls and on thin air aswell.
 
Like <b>Thomas</b> said, bits that are supposed to fall off are coded as masts. I think that one of ships in Build Mod already has such feature - it has destructable lantern and steering wheel.

Now, the way our Russian friend did it was to create detailed hole, and detailed "plug" covering such hole until blown off. However, now that I think about it, I suppose one could totally simulate detailed hole edges with transparency maps <img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/smile.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":)" border="0" alt="smile.gif" />

Nevertheless, we are talking about potentially replacing all the models ingame...
 
<!--quoteo(post=274040:date=Aug 18 2008, 05:47 PM:name=Kazeite)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Kazeite @ Aug 18 2008, 05:47 PM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=274040"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->Nevertheless, we are talking about potentially replacing all the models ingame...<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->

It wouldnt be a problem if we had more modders....but i think this idea is worth the try
 
Ah I see then Mr. Kazeite. The idea of damage isn't so interesting to me, you could then only have a maximum of 3 different damage models for the different masts and would soon get tired of it. Also an enemy would bring down your foremast with chain and your cabin would explode! <img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/laugh.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid="xD:" border="0" alt="laugh.gif" />

But how did he get transparency for the windows? I was looking through /Modules/Techniques/ files and saw somethings involving alpha blending for various aspects of the renderer that may do it, but I haven't checked it out yet.
 
err... wouldn't we be getting a floating mizzen or something if the cabin gets shot off?
 
<!--quoteo(post=274110:date=Aug 19 2008, 07:53 AM:name=Morgan Terror)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Morgan Terror @ Aug 19 2008, 07:53 AM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=274110"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->err... wouldn't we be getting a floating mizzen or something if the cabin gets shot off?<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->

not necessarily....the mizzen may stand still even if the cabin is destroyed....except of course if you are talking about the whole bow getting sunk or if the deck falls into the cabin, which would take the mizzen down aswell....
 
Dude, "Mr. Kazeite" is my father. You can call me just "Kazeite" <img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/smile.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":)" border="0" alt="smile.gif" /> (Been wanting to use that line for, like, forever <img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/biggrin.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":D" border="0" alt="biggrin.gif" /> )

The transparency was done by saving texture (.tga file) with transparency mask. That's very simple and basic technique.
 
I see, I had tried saving sky textures with a transparency mask to no avail. It seems the engine doesn't load the alpha channel in sky textures, but it must do so with ship textures then.
 
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