Collapse of a Dynasty

[nemafakei]

Well, the Dune2 midis on the net are a bit ugly, and no I don't expect Emperor can; it'll be expecting mp3, in which case, I should put the D2k aud files in instead. But then, I'm not going to upload that!

"What changes are you making? Stats or graphics?"

Both, but I know the graphics work anyway.

[Timenn]

Well, you could always let someone else doing that.

And about the Dune2 music, you just have to find the right music files...

[nemafakei]

As many links to midi files as you have I would enjoy anyway, but I've come across two versions - the standard 9-file batch that you can find all over the place, and the ones in Dune Legacy. Oh, and there are some I've made floating about.

[stefanhendriks]

Well, the Dune2 midis on the net are a bit ugly, and no I don't expect Emperor can; it'll be expecting mp3, in which case, I should put the D2k aud files in instead. But then, I'm not going to upload that!

"What changes are you making? Stats or graphics?"

Both, but I know the graphics work anyway.

i have some dune 2 mp3 files. They are actually 'original midi files played on a true soundblaster card'. So they are the exact dune 2 music as you know it. Not the midi like versions.. one downside is that i can't send them to you until i have a good isp! :D

[Inoculator9]

How big are they though?

[nemafakei]

Is that the attk, something else - and there was another non-dune one with them - called mask or something? Or am I thinking of the wrong lot.

[JulesG]

If anyone has a quad xbf which is has a normal-sized guardstate/veterancy box, it'd be much appreciated!

I have tried reducing the square box in the xbf files that I thought to be responsible for health/veterancy etc but it didnt do anything, I also tried a couple of other frames again with no luck, so unless someone else knows how to do it we are stuck with a little quad with enormous veterancy marks!

I have been fiddling with shrinking the ATFactoryFrigate (it is to be a Smuggler building) and if I can pin down which frame applies to health I will revisit the quad...

Oh I also re-discovered this weekend that unless your building model has a HC construction version - you cant sell it. (I had forgotten this from when I tried to find a good building for the Imperials in ICW last year). This wont affect you Nema as the Gu_refinery model you have used as the basis of your light factories has a HC model (which I assume shows you at least hadnt forgotten this rule).

[Inoculator9]

Do you mean you're trying to reduce the number of tiles the Factory Frigate occupies? Or editing the xbf?

[nemafakei]

Ah, you've been thinking of using the factoryfrigate for the smugglers too. Hm. I'm slightly worried because it doesn't have a buildup anim.

[Inoculator9]

Yeah. I played around with it for a while, impossible to sell.

[Dunenewt]

Just one question...how did you make the Guild Refinery able to produce things, does it have a door opening animation or anything?

[Inoculator9]

You just need to add the proper stuff to the Rules. DukeLeto did the same thing with th ATPalace, and I can do the same thing with the ATFactoryFrigate, which doesn't in fact have any of the Rules.txt references necessary to build anything.

[JulesG]

Do you mean you're trying to reduce the number of tiles the Factory Frigate occupies? Or editing the xbf?

I edited the xbf - it is a very basic one with the shape, a second shape that overlays the shape (playing with the Quad xbf, the second shape overlay seems to be responsible for allowing a user to select the model with the mouse) a couple of points plus the "square" which is the health circle. I just shrank it down 40 clicks and then moved it down in the z-plane so that it touched the ground again.

[JulesG]

Ah, you've been thinking of using the factoryfrigate for the smugglers too. Hm. I'm slightly worried because it doesn't have a buildup anim.

Yeah. I played around with it for a while, impossible to sell.

Its all tied in together - without a HC construction model you can not sell (de-construct) the item. This is why I have decided not to use the TL-Turret in my mod.

I am thinking though that I could make it that once you have invested in a sub-house building you cant then sell them. I could then create all new sub-house buildings (rename FRCamp etc) and exclude the HC model - I loose the build-up animation but could then use models like the FactoryFrigates (shrunk down of course!)

[JulesG]

Just one question...how did you make the Guild Refinery able to produce things, does it have a door opening animation or anything?

None of the xbf models have a door opening animation (that I am aware of), the unit appears where-ever you have set the "DeployTile" settings (first group x, y appear and the second group x, y move to). If this means it goes through a wall (or a blacked-out wall made to look like a door) it will do.

Even items like the factories just have a hollow area in which the unit appears and then moves forward to the deploytile final postion. If that final deploytile position is still within the building area as defined in the rules (bbbb codes) then the unit "sticks".

In most models in Skirmish the deploytile seems to be offset by 1 extra tile icon compared to campaign mode (which is the seetings defined in the rules file as standard). Thus in campaign a unit nicely goes through a "doorway" (blacked-out wall texture) but in skirmish comes out through the side of the the "door"

If you do not use the deploytile function then the unit magically appears at (0,0) ie at the edge of the defined building area.

[JulesG]

:(

I have been unable to alter the quad. I can shrink the model, parts of the model, alter the size and position of the health circle and stop the user from being able to select it with the mouse (you have to band-box it) but I could not find where the frame control for the veterancy is kept. Probably explains why the EBFD team left it as it was, ie it is not a straight forward fix.

[Dunenewt]

Ah ok.  I know about the palace (there's the FromPalace line) but I only thought it was possible with certain XBF's

[nemafakei]

Currently working on the AI to encourage it to use siege tanks more often (and in a coherent manner). I've fixed the icon problem: the siege tank's house was set to "Harkonnne" - so it blocked everyone else's icon spaces (At and Or are subsequent).

I've now added and changed some scripts to get it to use the Siege and Missile tanks a bit more, though it does have a penchant for combat tanks and quads (Mongoose/Laser/Assault and Mino/Kobra/Inkvine classes respectively).

I've also editied the AI build order to ensure it builds both factories before the Outpost (which is now a requirement for subhouses).

I've changed the difficulty settings so the AI is a little more challenging (by changing restrictions like number of scripts it can execute at a given time).

I've started some work on the subhouses.

[nemafakei]

My current working checklist. Axcise abbreviations; these notes were intended for myself.

Additions/Conversions:

- O/A Heavy Troopers

- Edit Ix house

- UG: Projector, but drop infiltrator (come on, it's no-tech)

- Dev/Dev/Sonic 

- Mercenary side, in place of Tleilaxu

- Mercenary camp (model: modified HK hangar?)

- Mortar (model: Kindjal, leave texture alone)

- UG: Extra house units (saboteur, flame tank, repair)

- Smuggler side, in place of Guild

- Smuggler Frigate

  - FIND/MAKE CONSTRUCTION ANIM

- APC (faster and tougher than ATAPC)

- UG: Adv. Carryall

- Attack Ornis

- Fighter Ornis

Appearances:

- Icons - ALL units and structures

- Dialogue

- Siege Tanks

- Heavy Troopers

- Mercenaries

- Smugglers

- Sounds

- Heavy Infantry

Final balancing:

- Check all costs and buildtimes

- Weapon and Armour tweaking

- Adjusting bullet speeds too keep up with fast units

- Final Strings editing

[Inoculator9]

Well, if all else fails, there are going to be some damn fine icons coming out of this :D

[nemafakei]

(By the way, the above checklist is things I haven't done...)

Smugglers now complete (apart from icon). Mercenaries almost complete (including a rather nice icon), but I need to retexture the building. Ix almost complete.

Ah, I've also forgotten to add: I need to do the turrets. That may take a while.

Looks like I'm going to have to remove the Heavy Trooper, due to constant crashes.

[Inoculator9]

Any chance we could see this rather nice icon?

[nemafakei]

Oh, go on then.[attachment archived by Gobalopper]

[Inoculator9]

Looks purdy Nema :)

[JulesG]

:)

Great logo Nema!

By the way I have discarded using Smugglers and the FactoryFrigate in my mod, I have decided to use an upgraded Fremen/Smuggler side with FR buildings and the Imperials are to be replaced by the Landraad Army using new textures (old unit models).

Did you say that you wanted a new turret xbf? I have a new one (based on the HK Flame turret) which has a larger turret (with the !FIRE disabled inside the xbf rather than by textures - allows the use of the flameturret simultaneously) with the back canister removed so that it can be used as plasma, rocket etc.

You could then re-texture as you liked.