Shouldn't be too difficult to "slap something over the openings." Easiest thing to do would be to get one of the "shield" models in the game (there are a couple from Mygeeto, one from Polis Massa, and of course the space hangar shield) and adjust the alpha texture to make it invisible. Shouldn't interfere with anything outside, and since it's invisible it won't interfere with anything inside.

Unfortunately, my skinning experience is very minimal, which would be why it's "bad" news. I've never tried dealing with alpha textures before. I only hope it won't be that difficult to figure out.

Another fine day on planet Kowalski.

Okay, I've played it a few times now... not a lot of technical comments, as despite my best efforts I just haven't figured out the mod tools yet, but here's some feedback from a player POV.

First of all, RIGHT ON for expanding the Capital Ship interiors. And a very good job of doing it, too, overall -- a little mazelike and slapdash at certain points, but those few points are easily overlooked and it's all very enjoyable.

BUGS I NOTICED:
1) Enemy Hangar Landing: I don't know if it's a glitch in the map, a glitch in my installation of the game, or what, but about half the time I got into the enemy's hangar I found myself utterly unable to land -- even after I had checked my controls-settings twice. This hasn't happened on any other space map, so it might have something to do with the mod, I don't know.

2) The Bridge: The falling-out-of-the-bridge thing that has already been mentioned. Obviously a problem, and I'm sure it's being worked on. I just think it's cool that there's a bridge at all! Though on a related note, there should probably be a way to LEAVE the bridge and get back to the hallways -- if there is one, I couldn't find it.

3) The AIs: I don't know if this is a glitch or just part of the reality of the game, but there were TONS of AIs, both allied and enemy, who spawn in -- making it almost impossible to see more than a tiny bit of the enemy hallways before being gunned down. I dunno, maybe it was just my settings, though I don't recall having the AIs set THAT high. Also, lots of the AIs seem to cluster uselessly in back rooms and such, which I suppose is less of a big deal if groups of boarders are able to get back there somewhat regularly. Dunno if this is a Spawn Point issue, or an AI Paths issue, both, or neither.

SUGGESTIONS:
I've done lots of planning-work for Capital Ship expansion, all concept of course until I figure out the arcane-seeming modding process. Anyway, I'll list a few of the elements I've thought of that I think would benefit your map, as well as things I just thought of while playing your map.

1) I would suggest making the interior hallways less of a linear loop and more of a utilitarian system of accessing the various system rooms. Instead of most rooms either being accessed only by one door or being basically just part of the linear hallway, have three or at least two doors to each room, and have most rooms connect to one or two other rooms as well.

2) I think the hallways could do with an auto-turret or two hanging from the ceiling, as in the various rooms in the normal space game. Corners or hallway intersections are good places, so you don't need as many turrets to cover the whole area. This would cut down on the need for so many defending AIs.

3) The Bridge is obviously under construction, needs an exit and something to prevent you walking out of it, but good work so far. The lift is a good idea, but if at all possible, you might try to designate it more -- maybe a sign next to the door with some Aurebesh letters and an arrow pointing up, or something like that? And of course if there was any way of actually making it LOOK like a lift, that would be great -- lights whirring downward for a moment before a door in front of you opens up to the Bridge, for example. And on the Rebel / Mon Calamari Bridge, you might consider putting a slight orange-red tint on the windows you look out to see the battle, to connect with the line we see from the outside. Dunno if that's at all possible.


That's all so far. Again, great job, I'm glad someone did it and I can't wait to see future versions!


[EDIT: Oh yeah, one idea I had was putting mobile astromech repair-droids in the hangars, to run around and repair any ships that need it -- basically just take the Jawas from Mos Eisley and put R5-D4 skins on them or something. Again, not sure this is easy or even possible, but it's an idea.]

and a good idea at that. all my posts are vanishing.

Quicktip: Your posts will continue to mysteriously "vanish" if they continue to be offtopic. Thanks- Staff

Bugs:
1) The landing height for the transports needs to be lowered, I think. Right now, that bit is unchanged from the stock versions. You'll just have to nearly scrape the rafters in order to get them to land.

2) No, there are no exits yet.

3) The AI trouble is a pathing issue, as I've said. There is no path planning yet, so they cluster at the spawn area. I want the AI to patrol the ship, which is the real reason for their numbers. The plan is that you'll end up running into small groups of AI wherever you go.


Suggestions:

1) I'm really trying to keep it simple. I could make it more complex, but I'm also trying to make this somewhat user-friendly.

2) I already plan on adding a few more indoor turrets. It's part of the incomplete object placement, though I won't be adding many.

3) I've thought of using signs, but I want to be sure of the bridge layout before I do anything like that. The lift idea I'll probably pass on, since it will require much more work. With tinting the windows, I'm going to decline. It'd make it too wacky for my tastes. Since that's an issue with the exterior model, I'll more than likely end up moving everything, if it's possible to cover it up that way.

As for mobile astromechs, that's a little beyond what I want to do at the moment, though it is possible.

*nod* Sounds like you're working on most of the bugs anyone's caught...

I think you could create a less interior-hall linear map without making it more complex than it is... in fact, I think a less linear one COULD be LESS complex than the current one, or at least less of a drag to run through. For example, the stock Tantive layout is certainly not linear, but once you've played it a few times you know the layout pretty easily.

I've designed an interior map for a Star Destroyer, if you want to see it -- there's a bunch of details that could be omitted, and I don't know how viable it is in the mechanics of actually doing it, but it might provide somewhere to start on a less linear but more fleshed-out interior. You can see it here, somewhat reduced: http://URL Shorteners are disallowed on Gametoast. Use direct links only./5u3c95

I can see why you wouldn't want to tackle the mobile astromechs skinned from jawas, you've got plenty to do. I just think it's something that should be in every hangar, just a nice little touch. Though now that I think of it, I don't know if they'd be counted as a third side, and I don't know whether you can do third sides in space.

Anyway, I know I sound like I'm just criticizing, but I only bother with the things I really like. Great work so far, glad someone finally did it!

The layout I have is that way because I haven't changed the dimensions of the halls themselves, and it forced me to drop certain ideas just to make them all connect well. They could be different, or better, but I remember what it took to put these together all too well, and it's not something I wish to go through again for a while. I still have more cruisers to place, with interiors, and a possible CW era. I might try other ideas with those, but no guarantees. I really want to keep overhauling the interiors reserved for a later release version after 1.0 is done, since any changes even now will require a lot of time.

That link takes me straight to myspace. O_o

I think I could whip something up, if I really want to. There's even a working R2 unit, if I remember correctly. I just want to leave things like this out until I either start a new project or decide this one should have it. I have quite a bit on my plate as it is.

Well, it's no real trouble. I can always say no. It's not that you have bad ideas, but I don't want to overextend myself. That's how projects get dropped.

Sorry, the link above is now fixed -- was doing a bunch of different things, wasn't thinking. =)

(Some other, unfinished Capital Ship plans: http://URL Shorteners are disallowed on Gametoast. Use direct links only./632ank and http://URL Shorteners are disallowed on Gametoast. Use direct links only./5g5que)

And yeah, I can understand wanting to keep it simple, at least for now... that's probably best. =)

Ok, now I see what you mean. That's quite impressive as ideas go. However, it holds a major practical flaw. AI planning and barriers work in 2D, which means you can't change elevation and overlap any barriers or paths without creating a conflict. Anyplace where you go above or below something cannot go literally above or below without being the exact same layout as what's on the other level. Overlapping barriers will block the AI, and overlapping planning will make the AI want to go a direction they shouldn't. To sum up, you have to map in this game as if you're making levels for Doom.

well you could do that but not have any AI (I think) but it would be nice to see that and the design for the Acclamater class is wrong thats not how the interior would look

edit: lol made a mistake that design is not for the acclamator class at all, its the Venator class so ya its not entirely flawed but its still flawed in a way that ill leave up yo you to find out

edit2: well I dont really care what the actual interior of it looks like since a venator is huge so not all details can be perfect but this one is a really big one and badly done also i was looking at a cross-section of a venator and i found lucasarts actually made something right on the venator! in the right place and it looks like it should! im not going to tell you what it is since it deals with the interior plan's flaw but if you can find it you will get a pie

MercuryNoodles wrote:
> Ok, now I see what you mean.
> That's quite impressive as ideas go.

Thanks! =)


> However, it holds a major practical flaw.
> AI planning and barriers work in 2D, which
> means you can't change elevation and
> overlap any barriers or paths

Ah! Well, yes, that would be a problem. As I said, I'm not familiar with the technical details of modding space maps. =/
I suspected that the layered thing would be difficult, if it was even possible, but ah well.



> To sum up, you have to map in this game
> as if you're making levels for Doom.

Not sure exactly what you mean, since I've never played Doom, but I think I get the drift -- the 3D/layered thing doesn't work in this game in this way. Alas.



Shockwave88 wrote:
> the design for the Acclamater class is wrong
> thats not how the interior would look
> edit: lol made a mistake... its the Venator class
> so ya its not entirely flawed but its still flawed in a way
> edit2: well I dont really care what the actual interior
> of it looks like since a venator is huge so not all details
> can be perfect

Yeah, I wasn't at all trying to make something that matched the actual interior of a Venator or Acclamator -- as you say, that would be a huge and rather unreachable project. So I only spent a little time looking for actual cross-sections, and when I didn't find any I just made something up that I would find enjoyable to play in.



> but this one is a really big one and badly done

Not sure what you mean -- that the image I made was badly done? Or that my idea was a bad one? Or something else entirely? I didn't make the image to be fancy or pretty, just to convey the idea for an expanded Capital Ship interior. *shrug*



Well anyway, MercuryNoodles, some of my ideas could still be usable I think if you wanted them... the Life Support could just take the place of that hallway instead of being underneath it, and the Bridge could just be on the same level as the rest. *shrug* Just a thought, an example of what I was talking about.

Just what you've got now is going to be awesome once the bugs are ironed out! =)

venator interior looks great, i think one of the 607th has pics of the unfinished invisible hand interior, but i'm not sure which one, you could in theory use that along side jackTHorn's if you got permission.

oops sorry i meant to say the flaw was lucasarts flaw. anyways the flaw is that the "hangars" on the venator class arent hangars at all they are the docking ports the real hangars are on the top of the ship

k im new to this and all but i played ur map - loved it btw- and have some pointers besides the regular stuff... its hard to destroy the ship because of the low ammo, the low effect on stuff, and i couldn't find any other gonks or med dtoids. Also the bridge seems kind of useless...

The low ammo really is not that low. It's actually very close to stock, if I made any changes at all. In fact, I think the ammo counts are a bit high in some cases.

What weapons are you using that have a "low effect"? I've made some weapons purposely anti-infantry in their focus, so they wouldn't have the firepower to blow away systems without exhausting your ammo.

The droids I plan to have in the next version.

Well, the bridge is supposed to be more of a point of interest. If I ever get around to trying to create an assassination mode, then it might have a greater significance, but this all depends on how well I learn scripting.

well i was using the dude w/ the cannon and stuff and i could only get the auto defense and part of the shield and then was running around lookin for a gonk droid.

I see. The Dark Trooper isn't exactly meant to be the most effective against systems. The only reason it has as much firepower as it does is because I needed to make the T-21 different from the other weapons.

Um i think it was the marine... but ya it's still a really good map! Just a suggestion but what if you put like a hero in the bridge with a bunch of other guys and if you kill them then you get points?

Oh, ok. Yeah, I made it so that the marines couldn't get more than a system or two in one run.

What you just suggested I plan to do later, though I won't be using "heroes". I still have at least one more class to add, but the implementation isn't fully planned out yet. At the very least, I should have a ship captain for both sides.

Definitely... oh and one more thing: on the imperial star destroyer bridge, when i jumped down where all those guys are working and stuff, i couldn't jump back up.