New Frames & Inventory Console Features

[Nimrod1971]

First of all thanks a lot Vice for the awesome work, just found out about the game 3 days ago and really like it

Just one little request at the moment on my wish list:
If not already mentioned before, please make the chat window movable and scalable. Cause especially with a widescreen it's annoying to have the chat window almost in the center of the Screen, partially covering the other windows (navigation, inventory...)

Keep up the great work!

[MiaZ]

First of all thanks a lot Vice for the awesome work, just found out about the game 3 days ago and really like it

Just one little request at the moment on my wish list:
If not already mentioned before, please make the chat window movable and scalable. Cause especially with a widescreen it's annoying to have the chat window almost in the center of the Screen, partially covering the other windows (navigation, inventory...)

Keep up the great work!

There is a way to move it to the left for widescreen.
I have chatttext.dat in my Hud folder ( i have a hud mod) might need to create it if you have no hud mods

"
chattext.dat =
1st value sets the red color (0-255, default 200)
2nd value sets the green color (0-255, default 200)
3rd value sets the blue color (0-255, default 200)
4th value sets the X pixel offset (usually leave at 20)
5th value sets the Y pixel offset (usually leave at 50)
6th value sets the X position (ie -7.5 for widescreen displays for 1080, smaller resolutions will probably have to reduce this number).
7th value sets the Y position (usually leave at 0)'"
"

[Marvin]

But if you could afford the crew couldn't you afford the better equipment?

The assumption would be that you need an expert to operate, modify and maintain specific pieces of equipment.

[Nimrod1971]

First of all thanks a lot Vice for the awesome work, just found out about the game 3 days ago and really like it

Just one little request at the moment on my wish list:
If not already mentioned before, please make the chat window movable and scalable. Cause especially with a widescreen it's annoying to have the chat window almost in the center of the Screen, partially covering the other windows (navigation, inventory...)

Keep up the great work!

There is a way to move it to the left for widescreen.
I have chatttext.dat in my Hud folder ( i have a hud mod) might need to create it if you have no hud mods

"
chattext.dat =
1st value sets the red color (0-255, default 200)
2nd value sets the green color (0-255, default 200)
3rd value sets the blue color (0-255, default 200)
4th value sets the X pixel offset (usually leave at 20)
5th value sets the Y pixel offset (usually leave at 50)
6th value sets the X position (ie -7.5 for widescreen displays for 1080, smaller resolutions will probably have to reduce this number).
7th value sets the Y position (usually leave at 0)'"
"

Thanks a lot, you made my day. I tried out above and it works perfectly. Still would be nice to have the chat box scalable, but I can live with it now.

[Marvin]

You can reduce it to three lines. Check the ReadMe file in the main game folder.

[PaulB]

Since you get charged the same huge amount whether you store one item or 5 in a hangar, I would like to see Vice allow at least another 5 and perhaps even 10 Hangar slots to store stuff in rather tha have to (a) buy a 2nd station license and pay twice the price or (b) build a station and still pay twice the storage cost.

I don't see that would alter the game balance in any way and would save you some money in storage cost and be a lot more convenient. It doesn't matter that the ships only have 5 potential cargo bays - that's not relevant. There are just a lot of things and different reasons for needing more Hangar storage slots that I shouldn't have to enumerate.

Paul

[Eleuth]

I know I asked earlier, but I really like to see more vegetation on the planets.
That makes it much more lifelike.

Great program.

[Major Grubert]

I like very much the idea of an appli or a widget which give in "real time" the "gamer side" of servers activity, who's online on wich servers and maybe clan stats as well why not

can be cool to see ur friends are just connecting... then u may want join quicker...

[-Pv-]

I would like to see the joystick axis assignments accept a partial configuration.

If I want to change the action on only two axis on my Saitek X-65, I have to configure ALL 8 or so assignments to actions I do not want assigned. Otherwise, if I try to only change one or two and exit, my changes are not saved.
-Pv-

[PaulB]

I know I asked earlier, but I really like to see more vegetation on the planets.
That makes it much more lifelike.

Great program.

The problem with vegetation is that in moderate to large quanties it start to really eat up your frame rate (fps).
No point in looking pretty if moving about becomes laggy and unreliable. And the more realistic you make it look the polygons start to take a huge jump in quantity and the frame rate takes a nose dive.
Visit some heavily built worlds in Active Worlds and you will see.
It's not so easy to make decent looking vegetation using facers, sprites or whatever you want to call them.
Vice has done a pretty good job of it.
I think his water effects is most excellent.

[PaulB]

I would like to see the joystick axis assignments accept a partial configuration.

If I want to change the action on only two axis on my Saitek X-65, I have to configure ALL 8 or so assignments to actions I do not want assigned. Otherwise, if I try to only change one or two and exit, my changes are not saved.
-Pv-

I don't know anything about the Saitek but I've tried Logitech extreme 3D pro and 3 different game pads and on all of them I can assign axes (any or all) any way I like with no problems with the exception that I don't understand that some controller axes cause 3 axes on the EM axis page to move at the same time. I can't remember which 3 it is right off hand except it's not among the 1st 3. Seems like it was something like 3, 5 & 6 or 4, 6 & 7.

[-Pv-]

I managed to configure the specific axis I wanted by only clicking on those axis in the game configuration rather than going through the "Configure All" tool.

-Pv-

[Edited on 6-24-2014 by -Pv-]

[SeeJay]

I managed to configure the specific axis I wanted by only licking on those axis in the game configuration rather than going through the "Configure All" tool.

-Pv-

How do you lick an axis in game????:P

Sorry, couldn't help myself!

[Edited on 2014-6-23 by SeeJay]

[Marvin]

I like very much the idea of an appli or a widget which give in "real time" the "gamer side" of servers activity, who's online on wich servers and maybe clan stats as well why not

Something more extensive than what you get using the tilde key?

[Major Grubert]

Marvin, by app or widget i mean something outside the game... meaning you can have those informations on your desktop screen with a widget for example or on your tablet/smartphone with an appli..

i know the tilde key

which is ² on my keyboard

[-Pv-]

I managed to configure the specific axis I wanted by only licking on those axis in the game configuration rather than going through the "Configure All" tool.

-Pv-

How do you lick an axis in game????:P

Sorry, couldn't help myself!

[Edited on 2014-6-23 by SeeJay]

It's the alternate interface I use when I spill a chunk of pizza on the keyboard.

Back on topic, the gamey nature of the object scaling and ratio of ship sizes, stations and planets seem a little extreme. It's hard to imagine a biosphere on planets the size of asteroids. I suspect since SOL is modeled, the major planets and gas giants there are probably imposing, but the introductory planets I've seen so far are not very believable.
The stations seem too close and too large by comparison. I realize these are probably playability features.
-Pv-

[Marvin]

Vice has often proposed to increase the size of planets to more closely reflect the real universe. But the main (and often posted) objection is how that would affect time ... specifically how long it would take to travel planetside. Or going from a station in orbit to a city on the planet. Some of us actually like to take as long in EM as it does in Orbiter ... but many others aren't quite as patient. So compromises are made to accommodate as many players as possible.

[Nigel_Strange]

I am with the bigger planets crowd.

However, I would also favor removing burning effects for regular flight speeds, and apply only when coming in faster than, say, 5000 clicks.

I would also prefer more atmospheric effects in flight, like wind resistance, drag, gravitational acceleration, etc.

The question becomes: at what point does the physics system get so realistic that space combat becomes impossible for most people to come to grips with?

[Marvin]

The question becomes: at what point does the physics system get so realistic that space combat becomes impossible for most people to come to grips with?

I just finished reading this one story written by a guy named Piper where space combat was such that, when the two ships were in orbit, they'd fire at each other as they passed by (in opposite directions) ... then wait while each circled the planet in order to make another pass. It kind of reminded me of how I did combat in Arvoch Alliance.

[Vice]

I would also prefer more atmospheric effects in flight, like wind resistance, drag, gravitational acceleration, etc.

Are you aware that the game was recently updated to better take into account all of these effects? Resistance/drag will apply if you turn off the IDS and it's also a factor with a variable degree, depending on atmospheric density (including altitude). Your ship will slow down rather quickly if you're pretty far into an atmosphere if you disable the IDS. Then once your forward momentum drops and your ship can no longer sustain lift in forward flight, you can also stall, dropping the nose of your ship down toward the planet. Drag is a significant factor in the game, especially if you try to glide in on manual control.

Gravity also applies, particularly if your ship isn't generating enough lift to offset the pull of gravity, as well as having an accelerative effect on your ship (if you turn off the IDS so it no longer tries to compenstate for the gravity offset). If you're in space and are close enough to a planet, gravity will pull you in at an accelerating rate, at least until you start to hit the upper atmosphere, which will generate drag and eventually slow you down.

Granted, these effects are simulated with a reasonable level of player control and gameplay considerations. So perhaps you're referring to something significantly more difficult to manage (maybe with less computer assistance?).

If I do another Evochron game, greatly increased planet sizes are on the list and I've already developed a new game engine to accommodate them. I'm also considering past dicussions/debates on the topic, not the least of which includes this thread from last year: http://www.starwraith.com/forum/viewtop ... #pid160867

[_-Caleb-_]

An Distress Calls Concept:

The Distress Call Open a new Hud Panel, lot of times we can't see the DC with the tons of text in the message box (Game messages and Multiplayer chat Messages)

The new panel show info about the distress call, in this case, medical distress call, and the player have some seconds for accept or the DC is auto rejected.
[img=1280x800]http://www.cadetesdelespacio.es/Imagene ... ncias1.jpg[/img]

If the player accept the DC, the panel is opened all the DC time, with the info, the countdown and the Sector Coords.
[img=1280x800]http://www.cadetesdelespacio.es/Imagene ... ncias2.jpg[/img]


If the player complete the DC, other panel is opened, for select the bounty. (In this concept, 1X Excalibur, Some Credits or a license into this system (In the next station where the player dock)) But i've thought in others like "pay the next 20 hangar taxes", "Contract reward increased X% in the system", "Free beer barrels "), etc.
[img=1280x800]http://www.cadetesdelespacio.es/Imagene ... ncias3.jpg[/img]

If the player Fail the DC, another panel is opened with a Penalty, in this concept, the 40% of the credit bounty.
[img=1280x800]http://cadetesdelespacio.es/Imagenes/emergencias4.jpg[/img]

Well, with this mode the player can choice, accept or not, if the pilot accept a DC have all the info, in all moment in the HUD.

If complete the DC, the pilot can choice the bounty, secret to this moment (The pilot need acept for help, call type or closeness... not for the bounty ).

If a pilot accept a DC and fail, this action have some impact in the pilot's credits. (Maybe many people died in Olympus waiting for the pilot )

The pilot can't save if accept a DC (Like the contracts) or cancel the DC (One DC is a responsibility ).

What do you think about this, guys?

Regards!

[Edited on 25-6-2014 by _-Caleb-_]

[-Pv-]

Some of this planet debate can be positively or negatively influenced by design. Fewer of the planetoids, thinning or removing their atmosphere will make these objects accessible in similar ways they are now. Instead of being able to get gasses, water and bios from all of them, the small thin planets can be host to richer minerals or have them in concentrations that have to be discovered, ice in craters, caves, etc. Those who want the full meal deal will be drawn to the larger planets where ship design can play a bigger roll such as heat shields of various kinds and effectiveness. I'm not asking for an Orbiter game (I enjoy Orbiter a great deal) but now days, the general population knows a great deal more of what to expect from space than we did 30 years ago.

I'm learning to enjoy the game a lot. The larger planets I find more satisfying. Once we get out of the atmosphere, it's go, go , go.

...
I like the distress call idea above a lot with a transparent background.
-Pv-

[Edited on 6-25-2014 by -Pv-]

[_-Caleb-_]

I like the distress call idea above a lot with a transparent background.

Thanks, is just a little concept, and the concept artist need more coofee atm but basically this is the idea.

[-Pv-]

Marvin had some great ideas for game benefits to added planet sizes. Not ALL planets need to be increased to Sol sizes. Another possible game bonus is multiple stations/cities on the larger planets which also makes them and the cities more accessible. Keeping most at current and maybe featuring systems with one or more larger planets. This could give something for everyone.

Gas giants may be unworkable. Even with the most outlandish technology, they are not landable anyway. I've not been to Sol yet to see what's going on there.

-Pv-

[Marvin]

Caleb, is your slightly larger radar sphere done deliberately? If not, you should probably use the included gauges.txt file so that the sphere fits.