Excellent work (as usual) on the Arc of Death veirdo.
However, can I ask you to take a look at doomsday.out as Doomsday reports several errors in your add-on:
#801 02:03:53.567 (vrb) Processing 'Defs\jHexen\Auto\FX\FX-IceDeath.ded'...
#801 02:03:53.571 (WRN) Def_ReadProcessDED > Def_EvalFlags: Flag 'df_blend' is not defined (or used out of
context).
#801 02:03:53.571 (vrb) Processing 'Defs\jHexen\Auto\HUD\H-Arcofdeath.ded'...
#801 02:03:53.575 (WRN) Def_ReadProcessDED > Def_EvalFlags: Flag 'df_blend' is not defined (or used out of
context).
#801 02:03:53.582 (vrb) Processing 'Defs\jHexen\Auto\HUD\H-Frostshards.ded'...
#801 02:03:53.585 (WRN) Def_ReadProcessDED > Def_EvalFlags: Flag 'df_blend' is not defined (or used out of
context).
#801 02:03:53.587 (WRN) ^ : Flag 'df_blend' is not defined (or used out of context).
#801 02:03:53.589 (WRN) ^ : Flag 'df_blend' is not defined (or used out of context).
#801 02:03:53.590 (WRN) ^ : Flag 'df_blend' is not defined (or used out of context).
#801 02:03:53.590 (WRN) ^ : Flag 'df_blend' is not defined (or used out of context).
#801 02:03:53.591 (vrb) Processing 'Defs\jHexen\Auto\HUD\H-Wand.ded'...
#801 02:03:53.596 (WRN) Def_ReadProcessDED > Def_EvalFlags: Flag 'df_blend' is not defined (or used out of
context).
#801 02:03:53.607 (vrb) Processing 'Defs\jHexen\Auto\Missiles\M-Frostshards.ded'...
#801 02:03:53.611 (WRN) Def_ReadProcessDED > Def_EvalFlags: Flag 'df_rndyaw' is not defined (or used out of
context).
#801 02:03:53.611 (WRN) ^ : Flag 'df_rndpitch' is not defined (or used out of context).
#801 02:03:53.612 (vrb) Processing 'Defs\jHexen\Auto\Missiles\M-Lightning.ded'...
#801 02:03:53.618 (WRN) Def_ReadProcessDED > Def_EvalFlags: Flag 'df_blendadd' is not defined (or used out of
context).
#801 02:03:59.569 (WRN) setupModel: Failed to locate skin "Models:HUD/Frostshards/hud_frostshards.png" for
model "(basedir)\data\jhexen\models\HUD\Arcofdeath\
arcofdeath_ringsrefl.md2", ignoring.
Note: The above output is from a debug build, so the form of these warnings is a little different to what you'll see in a log from a release build.
When developing add-ons for Doomsday its always a good idea to monitor the log as usually any errors or issues will be warned about.
Thanks again for the help, Danij. Now all minor bugs are fixed. I didn't know that the engine will load with such errors. Sometimes, when I messed with script, it just dropped down with a window describing an error line.
Heya veirdo, I just checked out the newest versions.
The 3rd version just looks great, keep up your work
For the 4th weapon pickup models, I just want to address one thing. Since you made that "glow" around them as a part of the model, it looks like it is "jellied", no offense, I just don't have any better words to describe it.
I think it would look more like in the original, if there would be a sprite effect around it? Or something that looks a bit "fiery"? I don't know if it should be an animated effect or a static one like in the original sprite.
What is your opinion on this?
I know what are you talking about, but today's DDay renderer has lack of functionality to make model look like in image below
There need some features like fresnel transparency, to make non-facing camera polygons transparent and facing camera polygons opaque. Or just g-buffer based glow postfx. There also will be good to have some fresnel color effects in materials.
You make a sprite which is always shown in the center of the model and is big enough to be visible "around" the model.
Here an example what I mean (quickly made just for showing purpose to make it understandable how I mean it).
I made it blue on purpose, so it is visible.
The sprite:
And here how it could look when "inside" the model:
There you could make a fiery effect.
Negative is though that you'd had to make sure the sprite is big enough to engulf the model from every angle, it would seem more "spherical" around it and you had to use transparency, and I don't know if that is possible within a sprite or texture in a model.
Just an idea, otherwise I understand your current solution.
I think with the Blood Scourge pickups, you might need to consider a little artistic license.
Unlike the Frost Shards pickup, the 'glow' on the Blood Scourge pickup sprites don't translate too well to a model as is. I'd also say the same about the wooden shaft parts in general; when replicated as a model, their simplicity relative to the globe part really stands out.
At the very least, I'd make the glow on your Blood Scourge pickups thinner.
That said, I'm not a huge fan of your Arc of Death Pickup; the book part of the original sprite is actually a bit crude if you look at; it has nowhere near the detail of say the Frost Shards Pickup or Heretic's Tome of Power Pickup. Though it's hidden by the lighting and the speed of the sprites animation.
But your model fails to hide this; the model it'self also looks like a plain rectangle with none of the few 3d elements of the sprite raised (i.e the spine and the metal corner parts) and the entire skin actually looks like it's lower resolution than all your other models; one can clearly see pixilation on the edges of the mentioned corner parts, for instance.
I wasn't planning to add details to the models what I can't see on the original sprites. At least not for the first iteration. This requires additional design work, which is very subjective and can't please everybody. This should also fit into the style of Hexen. Also it increases development time.
In fact the Bloodscourge pickup need to be totally remodeled when I get finished HUD model. The sprite and the model does not reflect the true shape of the object. But if you Vermil already had any submission on the shaft parts, you're free to post it here, and I'll model it on the polishing phase, which I plan to do when all mage's weapons will be done. A simple sketch will be ok. Just keep in mind that every detail, which is not visible from 5-10 meters is useless for the pickups.
For the Arc of Death Pickup you're right, it have a bit smaller texture than the other models. I was planning to use about 256x256 px of texture for one world square meter to keep all objects the same detail. But for Arc of Death Pickup is about 160px square for one square meter of the world. Need to be fixed. All metal parts should be separated, so they may have a better geometry details.
i have created a little map for testing / viewing the new models without the need to visit different levels. It's not beautiful, but maybe someone find it helpful
Hi 0815Jack. Your level is very helpful to compare world models and items. I'll use it to match the model's materials and details )
There are some news on HUD Bloodscourege model. I already finished initial geometry, skin and animations. Now I'm working on attack effects.
[link truncated]
that bloodscourge is looking brilliant so far
great work on it, looks much better imo then the one currently available
yours has much more details to it and looks more closer to the original sprite. cant wait till its done
you should totally do some weapons of other classes too after this.
like most important imo is the quietus from the fighter, that one is the only weapon which nobody has made a model for at all.
and model the wraithverge from the cleric which is currently available looks pretty crappy imo, and definitely could use a rnew model too
Indeed, when I finish the mage's weapons, I'm going to start a warrior weapon models. There is a constant detail - the glove. The other weapons will change. There not much effects until quietus so I think I can progress in modeling much faster.
The bloodscourge model, I think it's about 10-16 work hours to complete the attack effects parts (read 2+ weeks), so I can share intermediate result with community [link truncated]
I' am glad that you like my test Level. The bloodscourge looks fantasic, although I notice the "wooble" effect with this model due to the old MD2-format. Hopefully there will Support of a modern format in the near future.
Can't wait to see the attack effects of the bloodscourge and your upcoming models
It seems something with your interim release seems to cause the latest unstable builds of Dday to crash with an illegal operation when you start a game as the Mage.
EDIT: Testing seems to reveal something broke between builds 857 and 867. Builds 860 and 863 didn't work on Windows at all, so I can't narrow it down any more.
I note that the sub model limit was removed in build 860 though.
I've not yet tested your updated add-on but I note you've added a large number of new State definitions to the BlockScourge. What are these for? In general there should be no need to add new State definitions. Remember that these define the behavior of the weapon not just the visual. Furthermore because the State definitions for this weapon are a part of the game any changes to those definitions in future versions of the engine will result in your mod not working.
Hi DaniJ! The reason I added new state definitions is to stretch the time of fire effect cycle from 1 sec (35 tics) to 3 sec (105 tics). I tried to achieve this result adding more time-tics to existing definitions, but it dosn't work well. The weapon bobbing effect somehow depends on "A_WeaponReady" definition tics and started to have a stepped animation.
Well, what you are doing there is changing the timings of the weapon to suit your model add-on. This is not a good idea. I appreciate why you want to do that but the DOOM engine does not separate behavior from the visual representation. It would be better to find another solution.
It seems something with your interim release seems to cause the latest unstable builds of Dday to crash with an illegal operation when you start a game as the Mage.
EDIT: Testing seems to reveal something broke between builds 857 and 867. Builds 860 and 863 didn't work on Windows at all, so I can't narrow it down any more.
I note that the sub model limit was removed in build 860 though.
I'm afraid this issue may be bigger than first thought; the JHRP also crashes Dday upon trying to display a model.
2DaniJ. Unfortunately I don't have any other working solution to expand the cycle time beyond 1 second (which is a goal). And in fact I didn't change the weapon timing but just repeat the existing cycle 3 times. This cheat is like any other cheats I used in Dengine to improve visuals: reflection mask cheat, uv-translate cheat etc.
I'm not an inventor of changing weapon states. I peeped it in your models so we're in the same boat. Anyway who cares how it works if it works well.
This is a problem because it means that save games are incompatible, multiplayer servers can't be joined, etc..., changing the weapon behavior for the sake of a visual effect is not a solution IMO.
The only place in the old jDRP where the states are changed is for the optional chaingun wind down effect in the 1.1 alpha which is disabled by default.
Comments
Arc Of Death Lightnings added.
keep up the amazing work
However, can I ask you to take a look at doomsday.out as Doomsday reports several errors in your add-on: Note: The above output is from a debug build, so the form of these warnings is a little different to what you'll see in a log from a release build.
When developing add-ons for Doomsday its always a good idea to monitor the log as usually any errors or issues will be warned about.
The 3rd version just looks great, keep up your work
For the 4th weapon pickup models, I just want to address one thing. Since you made that "glow" around them as a part of the model, it looks like it is "jellied", no offense, I just don't have any better words to describe it.
I think it would look more like in the original, if there would be a sprite effect around it? Or something that looks a bit "fiery"? I don't know if it should be an animated effect or a static one like in the original sprite.
What is your opinion on this?
There need some features like fresnel transparency, to make non-facing camera polygons transparent and facing camera polygons opaque. Or just g-buffer based glow postfx. There also will be good to have some fresnel color effects in materials.
And how about a "trick"?
You make a sprite which is always shown in the center of the model and is big enough to be visible "around" the model.
Here an example what I mean (quickly made just for showing purpose to make it understandable how I mean it).
I made it blue on purpose, so it is visible.
The sprite:
And here how it could look when "inside" the model:
There you could make a fiery effect.
Negative is though that you'd had to make sure the sprite is big enough to engulf the model from every angle, it would seem more "spherical" around it and you had to use transparency, and I don't know if that is possible within a sprite or texture in a model.
Just an idea, otherwise I understand your current solution.
Unlike the Frost Shards pickup, the 'glow' on the Blood Scourge pickup sprites don't translate too well to a model as is. I'd also say the same about the wooden shaft parts in general; when replicated as a model, their simplicity relative to the globe part really stands out.
At the very least, I'd make the glow on your Blood Scourge pickups thinner.
That said, I'm not a huge fan of your Arc of Death Pickup; the book part of the original sprite is actually a bit crude if you look at; it has nowhere near the detail of say the Frost Shards Pickup or Heretic's Tome of Power Pickup. Though it's hidden by the lighting and the speed of the sprites animation.
But your model fails to hide this; the model it'self also looks like a plain rectangle with none of the few 3d elements of the sprite raised (i.e the spine and the metal corner parts) and the entire skin actually looks like it's lower resolution than all your other models; one can clearly see pixilation on the edges of the mentioned corner parts, for instance.
i didnt even activate the addon, even tried removing it and even tried removing the doomsday settings manually but my doomsday still is silent O.o
EDIT: nvm got it fixed. no clue who what where happened and what exactly i did to get it back, but my sound in doomsday is back now
In fact the Bloodscourge pickup need to be totally remodeled when I get finished HUD model. The sprite and the model does not reflect the true shape of the object. But if you Vermil already had any submission on the shaft parts, you're free to post it here, and I'll model it on the polishing phase, which I plan to do when all mage's weapons will be done. A simple sketch will be ok. Just keep in mind that every detail, which is not visible from 5-10 meters is useless for the pickups.
For the Arc of Death Pickup you're right, it have a bit smaller texture than the other models. I was planning to use about 256x256 px of texture for one world square meter to keep all objects the same detail. But for Arc of Death Pickup is about 160px square for one square meter of the world. Need to be fixed. All metal parts should be separated, so they may have a better geometry details.
i have created a little map for testing / viewing the new models without the need to visit different levels. It's not beautiful, but maybe someone find it helpful
There are some news on HUD Bloodscourege model. I already finished initial geometry, skin and animations. Now I'm working on attack effects.
[link truncated]
great work on it, looks much better imo then the one currently available
yours has much more details to it and looks more closer to the original sprite. cant wait till its done
you should totally do some weapons of other classes too after this.
like most important imo is the quietus from the fighter, that one is the only weapon which nobody has made a model for at all.
and model the wraithverge from the cleric which is currently available looks pretty crappy imo, and definitely could use a rnew model too
The bloodscourge model, I think it's about 10-16 work hours to complete the attack effects parts (read 2+ weeks), so I can share intermediate result with community [link truncated]
I' am glad that you like my test Level. The bloodscourge looks fantasic, although I notice the "wooble" effect with this model due to the old MD2-format. Hopefully there will Support of a modern format in the near future.
Can't wait to see the attack effects of the bloodscourge and your upcoming models
EDIT: Testing seems to reveal something broke between builds 857 and 867. Builds 860 and 863 didn't work on Windows at all, so I can't narrow it down any more.
I note that the sub model limit was removed in build 860 though.
I'm not an inventor of changing weapon states. I peeped it in your models
The only place in the old jDRP where the states are changed is for the optional chaingun wind down effect in the 1.1 alpha which is disabled by default.