Solar Battles - Filling Space
by James Laker (BurNinG) · in Game Design and Creative Issues · 02/16/2008 (12:27 am) · 9 replies
Sooo... I've finally reached a point in Solar Battles where it starts to feel like a proper fun Game. Off course there's always more stuff to do. And one of those things are filling that empty space a little with Space structures, Proper Asteroirds, Spacial Gas Clouds, etc. Problem... I'm not an artist.
Now I got to work early and decided to check out some of the packs that GG offers in their store, and then I remembered Tim Aste's Building 2 pack. And I was once again amazed at how good it looks. I also realized that I could use these for Solar Battles.
Now of got a a question or two.
1) Has anyone used these in games? I know the released game list is not that big, but I might have missed it being used. Not that I mind... In fact, to me, the less people using it, the more "unique" my art is, if you know what I mean ;)
2) Has anyone made Bump/Normal textures for these? Interested in selling them :-D? Or even Interested in creating them for me. Solar Battles uses TGEA, so it pretty much a must have for me.
A Earthly battleworn building floating in space would be pretty weird :P, so there's only 10 sci-fi structures in there I can use really. I'm sure that combinations of them, or even using and mixing sections of structures will to give me a wide variaty. So if this sounds like fun and something would like to do... Contact me at burningza@gmail.com.
The other thing I could use some brainpower on, is what you think would work in Solar Battles, I'm talking Black Holes, Strange phenomenon, Comets, etc... Anything you can think of... I need some ideas since I have a "For Loop && If Then Else" brain. It would be even better if you can tell me how I can achieve it using Torque.
Lets get chattting.
James
#2
I guess an odd Building in space would be funny. If you have a Planet Destroyer Type Weapon (think Death Star) the odds are there :)
02/17/2008 (8:15 pm)
Hehe... What I meant with the buildings was that in the Pack there are Sci-Fi buildings, which I will use as Stations. The actually fit quite good. Then there are plenty of really earthlike buildings which I cant use. So those are pretty useless to me. Which brings the amount of buildings in the pack really down.I guess an odd Building in space would be funny. If you have a Planet Destroyer Type Weapon (think Death Star) the odds are there :)
#3
02/25/2009 (5:41 am)
James, you still working on Solar Battles? How's it coming? I'm considering starting my own space shooter and wanted to know how you made out? 
#4
02/25/2009 (7:16 am)
Actually, alot of my Scifi Buildings are based on Tim Astes Pack, though the geometry has either been totally ripped out, or converted to similar structures..ie, i turned one of the walls into a building structure.. looked good.. I can see it happen.
#5
In the end I didn't use any of the buildings in the packs. I'm planning on releasing it in sections. Starting with only a few maps and adding features as I go.
02/25/2009 (7:22 am)
I am still working on it. It's a long process. It's going through it 3rd iteration now - Cleaning up models and code. This year for certain :)In the end I didn't use any of the buildings in the packs. I'm planning on releasing it in sections. Starting with only a few maps and adding features as I go.
#6
02/25/2009 (5:45 pm)
dude those ships are awesome. if i may ask how did u make em 
#7
They're a bit pricey, but for the quality of your game, would probably be well worth it. Adding some glow effects, and spinning the station around would look great. Heck, why not mount some AI turrets on there as well?
You may have already done this, but do you have star dust in your game? It gives a great feeling of speed when you're flying around. Simple to create as well - just use the precipitation datablock, and set the gravity to 0.
Also, are your asteroids destructible? Cause if they're not, then well, they should be :P
02/26/2009 (1:23 pm)
3rdt.com has some nice space station, which I believe have all the normal/bump maps, and may already come in dts format.They're a bit pricey, but for the quality of your game, would probably be well worth it. Adding some glow effects, and spinning the station around would look great. Heck, why not mount some AI turrets on there as well?
You may have already done this, but do you have star dust in your game? It gives a great feeling of speed when you're flying around. Simple to create as well - just use the precipitation datablock, and set the gravity to 0.
Also, are your asteroids destructible? Cause if they're not, then well, they should be :P
#8
@J.P - Those stations are really not what I'm looking for. They recently released a Battleships pack too. But pretty expensive. I'm in the process of creating my own (to test the viability of using DIFs).
3DRT Norad Battleships!
02/26/2009 (11:47 pm)
@Chris - All the ship was bought from http://www.3drt.com. I've added 3 additional LOD's to each ship and normal maps.@J.P - Those stations are really not what I'm looking for. They recently released a Battleships pack too. But pretty expensive. I'm in the process of creating my own (to test the viability of using DIFs).
3DRT Norad Battleships!
#9
02/27/2009 (7:08 am)
are you using TGEA 1.0.3 or 1.7/1.8? your game looks great. Are you using the FGE/ AIFlyingVehicle? If so what did you do to make it work in 1.7+? I have begin to update the B5SC game to TGEA... got everything in place except the AIFlyingVehicles.... 
Torque Owner Kevin James
The buildings floating in space seemed strange to me at first, but after I thought about it seems like it'd be cool.