Wing Commander Prophecy: Secret Ops Model Update Pack

Adm_maverick said:
Once again I point you to my monkey building a reactor metaphor. I have literally 0 background in game design and have only recently started studying software design. I don't even know what broad concepts MED (or WCPPas whatever that is/was) uses to try and understand. You're basically asking someone who spent the last 30 year in the jungles of South Africa whether they Favor the Libertarian movement as demonstrated after The Florida Shooting or the Left Centrist activist groups as demonstrated by BLM activists.
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So - while MED may appear to be easier: it's more familiar to folks who mod games like FS because it has a graphical interface,it's really not. You still have to know the code and functions in order to make even the most basic of missions, and it uses C (which if you're familiar with the language it might be easier?). I agree with @Quarto that in the short - medium term it's probably best to start out using WCPascal to do mission coding - even the SO cutscenes are basically "missions" where they player is made invulnerable and the placed outside of the camera's views. The reason I say that is: while you're coding in a text window in WCPas, there are more tutorials available on community sites to help you build out a few basic missions and you can go forward from there. You could also probably unpack and review some more complex missions from WCP, UE, or Standoff as well. In my own limited experience I tend to hybridize, I'll use MED to get the coordinates on the mission grid for waypoints, action spheres, etc. but then do the actual mission coding in WCPas.

If you're serious about learning this rarefied skillset - and Lord knows there's precious few who can still do this (so I applaud you sir!) I'd suggest starting with the tutorials above. Also Lt. Overload has a site on WCP missions it might be worth pinging him.
 
DefianceIndustries said:
So - while MED may appear to be easier: it's more familiar to folks who mod games like FS because it has a graphical interface,it's really not. You still have to know the code and functions in order to make even the most basic of missions, and it uses C (which if you're familiar with the language it might be easier?). I agree with @Quarto that in the short - medium term it's probably best to start out using WCPascal to do mission coding - even the SO cutscenes are basically "missions" where they player is made invulnerable and the placed outside of the camera's views. The reason I say that is: while you're coding in a text window in WCPas, there are more tutorials available on community sites to help you build out a few basic missions and you can go forward from there. You could also probably unpack and review some more complex missions from WCP, UE, or Standoff as well. In my own limited experience I tend to hybridize, I'll use MED to get the coordinates on the mission grid for waypoints, action spheres, etc. but then do the actual mission coding in WCPas.

If you're serious about learning this rarefied skillset - and Lord knows there's precious few who can still do this (so I applaud you sir!) I'd suggest starting with the tutorials above. Also Lt. Overload has a site on WCP missions it might be worth pinging him.
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Anyone got a copy of vcl50.zip I can get? I downloaded the WCPPas... and it won't run with out the vcl50 file... which the link on the UE site is dead.

edit: semi-nevermind. I did a search in my software library and found a copy of the file.

2nd edit: Rather then thread-jack DefianceIndustries thread I'm just gonna start a new thread for mission editing. Those who have insight to the mission building process are very much invited to take a look at it and pipe up. I'll be posting my efforts, thoughts and whatever else I think is appropriate to learning WCSO mission building there.
 
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So this thread has been quiet for a bit, but that doesn't mean we haven't been busy. We're hard at work getting a new package ready as a holiday gift for loyal MUPpets. This new package addresses a number of defects identified in alpha 4.0 as well as adding some improvements to improve stability and a bunch of new graphical options that we intend to implement over the next few releases. One of the improvements we're most keen about is Iridescence. Now bug fighters will reflect different colors depending on their position from you and the angle of the light, giving the Nephilim hulls a more alien appearance as well as finally capturing that chitinous effect we see in the promotional renders! Here is a Work-in-progress shot that @Dark Sentinel is working on with the Ray Node. You can expect most of the Bug fighters to get a facelift in the next patch.

Irid1.jpg

Of course we haven't neglected new assets either - Now that we have emit mapping, we're able to really punch up the dated models (starbases especially) As Frosty himself says, "I’ve always wanted to see the Ella starbase, big enough to house the Midway between her landing bays. Supposed to be quite a sight." I'll leave it to you to decide if this qualifies...

WCP_EllaFin2.jpg WCP_EllaFin1.jpg WCP_EllaFin3.jpg WCP_EllaFin4.jpg WCP_EllaFin5.jpg WCP_EllaFin7.jpg

There will also be a few more assets to announce prior to launch. Stay tuned!
 
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This is fantastic. :)

That shot with the Midway docked at Ella Superbase reminds me on a similar one Deathsnake built for Enigma 2666:
 
I lost credit for the Iridesence feature with the latest update :P


To be fair it did look pretty awful with programmer art.
 
Great to see that the mup is going on ... and how its going on!
One thing I've noticed: If you collide (even the best pilot do it) with an astroid or some of these neph tendrills (espacially at the orka) your ship instantly explodes. As long as i remember you get pushed away (with an shield hit effect) in the vanilla prophecy. It can be frustrating if you manage to kill an whole bugfleet and want to watch the carcasses of your success but have to end the mission in an escape pod.
 
wing-beaver said:
Great to see that the mup is going on ... and how its going on!
One thing I've noticed: If you collide (even the best pilot do it) with an astroid or some of these neph tendrills (espacially at the orka) your ship instantly explodes. As long as i remember you get pushed away (with an shield hit effect) in the vanilla prophecy. It can be frustrating if you manage to kill an whole bugfleet and want to watch the carcasses of your success but have to end the mission in an escape pod.
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you shouldn't instantly explode. It should just bounce like any other collision. I'll look into it though. There is some debate about collision meshing the spines on Nephilim ships. As for the asteroids, those are as deadly as they were originally. I didn't change any of the mass calculations on them.
 
Admission time: I dislike the MUP Tigershark. I did it along time ago without the benefit of the actual mesh only loose guesses based on the renders. So while it's passable, it's not my favorite. So...what to do? Make a gen 2 Tigershark model!

TigersharkFin1.jpg


TigersharkFin2.jpg TigersharkFin5.jpg TigersharkFin6.jpg

As with the original MUP edition, it comes with two liveries, the Diamondbacks for WCP and a generic Confed scheme for it's cameo in SO. TBH when I get some more time, I'll probably do a totally unique generic confed version for SO, so it isn't just a basic decal swap. And...in-game shots just for fun.

Tshark2_IG3.jpg


Tshark2_IG1.jpg Tshark2_IG2.jpg Tshark2_IG4.jpg

Look for this and other fun enhancements coming soon!
 
Well rather than wade into the debate on proper grammar for which I evidently have no standing. ;) I decided to make good on my promise and do an alternate skin for the SO version of the Tigershark. Bet you can't guess where the inspiration on this one came from? Look for this one in a Secret Ops installation near you...

F-105_alt1.jpg

F-105_alt2.jpg F-105_alt3.jpg

altsharkingame1.jpg


altsharkingame2.jpg altsharkingame3.jpg altsharkingame4.jpg

On another note, I've begun packaging up the files for the next MUP release. I'll update everyone when we have the next package ready to go as well as the full changelog and feature updates.
 
Very cool. Love the SO version.

BTW, will the cockpit glass stay in this light grey color? That's the only thing I am not sure about. I would prefer a darker color.
 
Mmm. I have to say, especially with something like the Tigershark, I find myself thinking that by today's standards, any kind of opaque cockpit glass is problematic. A cockpit interior with a pilot would do wonders...
 
I was just about to mention that. Or at the very least use some variation of your irridecence effect as tinted glass. Fs2 use to do that and is far better than flat grey
 
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