Posted: Tue Nov 23, 2010 10:59 pm Post subject:
Parallel Wars Returns.
Subject description: But this time a bit different.
I almost thought I'll never show up here again so hello to those of you who remember me.
I was working on a TC mod for Generals a while back and thought I'd finnish instead of giving up, so here goes...
The main details and story are still being thought of so heres the plan so far.
If you remember I posted a mod a real long time ago with a fantasy WW2 theme to it called Parallel wars. This is just a more futuristic version of it.
I am still unsure how crazy I want to make it without losing some integrity.
The plan is to have a realistic but also slightly fantasy style gameplay and story. Something like if you mixed Sudden strike with Warhammer.
So for now all my brain can come up with is:
A resource called mattergon crystals (name I thought of just now) It's similar to tiberium but grows underground. The whole thing was started by the Ion accelerator in Sweden, opened a gate between our world and a parallel one which has been devasted by a misterious force. Thus stuff from there starts interacting with stuf from earth. I am unsure of what the stuff is though.
Oh and this:
Our world has been stuffed up a little by wars and so on too. This is about 50 years from now.
There are three sides:
The Global federation: Made up of mainly europe and whats left of africa.
The Aliance: Made up of the americas.
The Neo Soviets: They are not commies but adopted a little from them. Made up of whats left of china, india, middle east and russia.
Oh and 2/3rds of the Neo Soviet millitary force vannished into thin air as the last war almost drew to a stalemate. This event happend just as the ion accelerator was started. More on that later...
The resource I mentioned came from the other parallel planet. It was brought through by the federation, and spread far and wide after a few years. It is yet unknown how it had spread.
ANYHOO! Here are pics of the progress I made so far.Nothing is 100% done so take it easy on my stuff.
buggies.png
Description:
Some NS buggies hauling ass.
Filesize:
147.5 KB
Viewed:
18469 Time(s)
eapcs.png
Description:
Some Fedartion Apc's waiting around.
Filesize:
394.39 KB
Viewed:
18469 Time(s)
eurotestscrn.png
Description:
Some stuff being worked on.
Filesize:
668.16 KB
Viewed:
18469 Time(s)
hummers1.png
Description:
Some alliance hummers/medium scouts going for a evening cruise.
Keep going, good models, but work on the textures.
For example I think that APC has a decent texture, but the hummers almost look like they are made out of concrete because of the dull constant gray. One more thing, I don't see remap (Or in generals you call it HOUSECOLOR iirc) :p
Still I recognize how you stated it is "wip", so I'm not quite sure if you already plan to make these changes. At any rate good luck with the mod and don't stop. QUICK_EDIT
Keep going, good models, but work on the textures.
For example I think that APC has a decent texture, but the hummers almost look like they are made out of concrete because of the dull constant gray. One more thing, I don't see remap (Or in generals you call it HOUSECOLOR iirc) :p
Still I recognize how you stated it is "wip", so I'm not quite sure if you already plan to make these changes. At any rate good luck with the mod and don't stop.
You are right about the hummers...I won't add remap, as it takes too long. However I will add house colours directly drawn onto the texture. It's mainly a single player mod so multiplayer will max out at 3 players for now I guess.
All models will be a bit better looking than the apc's. Thats the plan at least. QUICK_EDIT
Well, I haven't quite modded generals, but they at least do have specular maps or that property recognized in materials? I think if anything else shinyness sets gray concrete from gray metal. Experiment, I guess. QUICK_EDIT
Ah I have an idea. I'll make all the units with flat colour, but not like that other mod. Will have visible details but just slightly cartoony. I'll post something later, to see the difference. QUICK_EDIT
Its just a question of how many units you want on screen at a time, so far as I can tell. In my own work I've gone a bit over the guidelines, but because I don't intend too many units to be on the map at a time it isn't a problem for me.
I'd suggest just thinking on what you want to do gameplay-wise, because that'll be a factor in deciding how many polys you can stand - IC seems to do OK with a million units at a time, but that seems to be the aim... QUICK_EDIT
Joined: 18 Jun 2005 Location: Dordrecht, the Netherlands
Posted: Thu Nov 25, 2010 7:41 am Post subject:
L()KI wrote:
Dutchygamer wrote:
My only concern is the high-polyness of the models.
Yeah about that, how bad is that? If they are a bit more higher poly than the usual ones?
Well, for starters you can reduce the amount of sides on vehicle wheels to 6 (or 8 ), as noone will look that close to models to see the detail.
But as Orac said, if your aim is to not have many models at the screen at a time, then it can stay as it is. Do you want large battles, then I suggest you reduce the polycount.
Iirc I posted some guidelines for polycounts for Gens somewhere... QUICK_EDIT
I do want big battles I love em big. I could always join faces and cut down on stuff after making them so it shouldn't be a big deal right. Like I always cut out the bottoms or hidden facets of buildings. I should be able to get away with slightly higher poly models right only slightly more than the generals ones.
Whats the average poly count on Gen units anyway?
Ok so does it depend on CPU power right how smoothly it will run with higher poly models?
1. Some more work. Mainly a Alliance medium battle tank. WIP I am strugling to get the contrast up so you can see more of the texture.
2. The hummer was retextured more flat colours like the rest. Does it look less concrete like now?
3. Also I remade some of the houses and added a few extra civilian stuff. To make stuff more realistic.
Your right I should reduce the wheel poly count. Noone will look at them too close. The gap of polys between units with wheels and other units is way way too high.
Two new tanks discriptions on the pic. Also on the other pics you can see the lower poly wheels and a civilan building.
Oh and an alliance APC WIP.
wpa.png
Description:
Federation Medium tank. like most(not all) of the federations units it is best suited for ambushing and sniping lighter classed units. Also can go face to face with some similar classed units.
Filesize:
9.64 KB
Viewed:
18132 Time(s)
Wpz.png
Description:
Neo soviet light tank. It's armour is average and has less upgrades when compared to rival units. However its weapon is vicious a twin semi auto (dont know what mm yet) cannon. Very effective vs light vehicles like hummers and certain types of infantry. A
Filesize:
9.38 KB
Viewed:
18132 Time(s)
wpa2.png
Description:
The alliance heavy APC. Very versatile and those squares are where the addons/upgrades are supposed to go.
'Couger' Fast Attack vehicle
'Charlie Horse' Armored Personel Carrier
'Contender' Medium Tank
'Champion' Heavy Tank
'Conquerer' Something
'Cardinal' Something
'Chief, Centaur, Centurion, Cannibal, Carria, Carnage, Cameleon, Crusader, Convict' something _________________ Please, read the signature rules of the forum. QUICK_EDIT
So some type of kanine animal for the hummer. Hmmm
Wait wait. I have an idea, since this is a parallel war. The names should be reminisant of actual real life units. Like the Empire tanks should be
Heavy: M1A12 Obama (lol) main battle tank
Medium: M2A15 Regan medium tank
Hummer: Well instead of hummer we could just say H5 Jackal scout.
APC: Don't know but to the same affect as above?
Perhaps there should be a thread with names of units, that all mods could go to. _________________ Please, read the signature rules of the forum. QUICK_EDIT
You can also check the names from the game "Total Annihilation".
I think for both normal units and units from mods they always had a name from an animal or something else. QUICK_EDIT
You could try adding depth to those textures. By shadowing some places. Like the place around the tank turret. It will smooth things down. Also you could try to make some parts stand out a bit.
I'll try to tell what I can, but I have only paint here, so:
1) You could add shadows under the standing out 3d details. (Smooth)
2) On a big surfaces you could add hardly seen shadow. (Depth)
3) You could add metallic plates and stuff, with highlighted edges. (Depth)
4) You could add some cammo. (Depth)
5) Add some old letters. (Realism)
6) You could add some old skratches and marks on the texture surface. (Noise)
Also dont use smoothing groups in your 3d models no where, except places where there should be round edges.
Also, the colour, yeah, it is too brown, like wood. Make it lighter and with less saturation.
Cool, I undestood everything. I don't mean to be rude or nothing but I kinda knew everything you said actually and I tried some of them on my first few units (I never posted them).
However It reminded me that I can still do more. I am trying to get a cartoony look to my units and its hard to get it looking good without looking realistic. There are highlighted edges on some of the units already but I am not sure if I should keep them. I don't want them realistic only the buildings.
Oh and I will add letters and stuff too...
Thats also why the outlines are so heavy. Oh and I'll only put dirt on the wheels or tracks to add to the style.
Oh and all the models have cleared normals. Not smoothed at all, well I try make sure atleast. QUICK_EDIT
Oh if you are trying to make them look cartoony. Just give your units out of the size proportions. Like giant wheels and stuff. Make them look silly and colourful. _________________ Lost Relic[mod] Lost Relic[game] QUICK_EDIT
Oh sorry for double post but I have a test cameo I was working on.
What do you think is it a good style?... The type of weapons the unit has will be shown on the side as you can see. This is just a mock cameo and I still have to create a library of icons for all the different types of weapons too.
Elite units will be in camo... Each side will get a set of elite units which sometimes use chassis of the regular units like this Elite Federation Medium tank.
What do you rate of the camo? Both of the units in the pic are still WIP. I am busy improving the textures on the previous units so these will get even better hopefully.
Joined: 18 Jun 2005 Location: Dordrecht, the Netherlands
Posted: Thu Dec 23, 2010 4:33 pm Post subject:
The first thing I thought of was a cow-tank Brown and white don't really make a good camo texture. That, and the white areas are too small imho. QUICK_EDIT
Posted: Fri Dec 24, 2010 8:14 am Post subject:
pwr
make the yellow more sand color for desert style maps. _________________ I am authorized to send out the TMP Studio, PM ME IF YOU WANT IT And check this out, these were sent to me for help with terrain and zdata help along with TMP Studio/Builder
The last shots really do have that cartoony look you are looking for, it looks good! Though I'd make the camo slightly darker colours than the original paint scheme. _________________ QUICK_EDIT
They look fine. I really like that buggy. Could you send it's unwrap image? I just want to have some fun with it? _________________ Lost Relic[mod] Lost Relic[game] QUICK_EDIT
I use like 8 different unwrapped files for the buggy. I don't know how to do the other method where you only use one. It's more acurate to work on the detail this way for me though.
If you really want I could send you the top and side? I have to sleep now though. QUICK_EDIT
Well. Ok. If you have a need, I can later tell you, how to combine all to one unwrap file. _________________ Lost Relic[mod] Lost Relic[game] QUICK_EDIT
You cannot post new topics in this forum You cannot reply to topics in this forum You cannot edit your posts in this forum You cannot delete your posts in this forum You cannot vote in polls in this forum You cannot attach files in this forum You can download files in this forum