What did you do in Empyrion today?

Discussion in 'General Discussion' started by Slam Jones, Oct 17, 2015.

  1. Kassonnade

    Kassonnade Rear Admiral

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    We can color entities but not "texture" them. This works just like when coloring a fridge : it keeps its overall appearance/ "textures" but some faces change color. But we can use decals (at 1mm from a surface) to change this to whatever we want!

    If we don't use Structural Integrity (on player structures), of course.

    Edit : now that you mention this "problem" I have another idea. What if, instead of making "walls around objects", we could make "objects around walls" to some extent ?

    Let me make a quick test and I'll show you what I mean.

    .
     
    #22981
    Last edited: Jan 2, 2021
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  2. Track Driver

    Track Driver Rear Admiral

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    Just as a fridge, or a more complex entity like a constructor, has 4 or more completely different faces, couldn't the toilet stall have blank faces on the outer walls and tiled faces for the inner walls. This, I think, would be a satisfactory compromise. I can envision only one instance where the current arrangement has purpose and that would require a very large bathroom as found in malls or stadiums.

    Is there a tutorial for decals? While it doesn't do what I had hoped, it may have some value to me after all.
     
    #22982
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  3. Kassonnade

    Kassonnade Rear Admiral

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    Like I wrote, we can "color" entities but not "texture" them, but sure we can make them have "blank walls" for coloring. But not "texturing", apart from using the trick I mentioned with decals.

    In this picture, I made all the "building blocks" that we can use as walls/ parts of walls. They are all the green blocks on the perimeter of the big grid floor ( 1 block type per floor square ). In the middle, I made red "walls" that could serve for entities, with the device/ appliance on one side (toilet, sink, counter, etc). In the bottom right corner, I took a screenshot of the player in front of a 1-block high wall with a 8x8 tiling texture, to show size. You will notice that the player can pass in a 3/8 wide by 6/8 high corridor (make it 7 high just to be safe for colliders).

    walls.png

    If you look at the "U-shaped" wall (green block) at the very top of the image, it looks like a small room, and has a 6/8 of a block's free space between walls. The center red wall has 7/8 of a block's free space around it, which means that two red parallel walls with one device each facing each other would be larger than the U-shaped block's free space, and this would leave a 3.5/8 block's space on the out side as either a corridor, a walk space, or part of another adjacent room.

    Try playing with these shapes with cardboard and fake "toilet" and "shower" shapes next to them or in any of the other shapes, and see what would be the best "fit" for many contexts.Use a 8x8 grid for 1 block space, and all walls have 1/8 of a block's thickness, like they are in game in fact (except the half-block).

    I could try making one, but I need time. There are basic instructions on the feddback thread, and it's not very difficult either to setup or to work with. It's easier to work in a "blank" scenario with the core of a blueprint in the middle, at 0,0,0, to make placing decals easier, then save the blueprint with decals on when finished to use it somewhere else. Since decals require images and a settings file, they can only be used in scenarios, but that is also explained on the feedback thread.

    .
     
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  4. jepbindawernoch

    jepbindawernoch Commander

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    ---eng---
    Jep, at some point I'll test these decals too. At the moment it's getting too much for me.
    I'm out of breath again. I showed my checkpoints to a Steam friend. He found it strange. He liked the small HV sandbags for the one-man gun, but the big ones didn't go down well. Now I don't know if I should continue there. There should be three different control points. N-S, E-W and NW-SE orientations.
    ---de---
    Jep, irgend wann werde ich diese Abziehbilder auch mal antesten. Momentan wird mir das sonst zu viel.
    Bei mir ist die Luft wieder raus. Ich hab meine Checkpoints einem Steam-Freund gezeigt. Er fand sie seltsam. Die kleinen HV-Sandsäcke für das Ein-Mann-Geschütz gefielen ihm, aber die großen kamen nicht gut an. Jetzt weiß ich nicht, ob ich da weiter machen soll. Es sollten drei verschiedene Kontrollpunkte werden. N-S, O-W und NW-SO -Ausrichtung.

    20210103010454_1.jpg

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    ---eng---
    I then continued tinkering with my shield buster Lance. It's a pure shield breaker. 6 laser guns, 10 laser turret, and a rocket turret against drones.

    ---de---
    Ich hab dann an meinem Schildbrecher Lanze weiter gebastelt. Es ist ein reiner Schildbrecher. 6 Lasergeschütze, 10 Laser-Türme und gegen Drohnen ein Raketenturm.

    20210103012924_1.jpg

    20210103013502_1.jpg

    ---eng---
    At the front, there are "blast doors" to protect the window. It's not a little spectacular inside. Most of it is machinery.
    ---de---
    Vorne hat es noch "Blast-Doors" vor dem Fenster. Innen drin ist es kein wenig spektakulär. Es ist fast alles Maschinenraum.

    20210103014049_1.jpg


    ---eng---
    In any case, almost all components should be a block away from the outer shell and other devices. I can only hope that there will be no destructive cascades going through my ship should something be hit and explode.
    ---de---
    Auf jeden Fall sollten fast alle Bauteile einen Block von der Außenhülle und von anderen Geräten entfernt sein. Ich kann nur hoffen, dass so keine zerstörerischen Kaskaden durch mein Schiff fahren, sollte etwas getroffen werden und explodieren.
    20210103014628_1.jpg
     

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  5. Noob42

    Noob42 Lieutenant

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    Soon. A new space base ... this one will be mobile. Also shooting to make it cpu & weight reforged compatible RF CREATE_2021-01-02_17-41-21.png
     
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  6. Track Driver

    Track Driver Rear Admiral

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    Part 1: I think we are in accord here.

    Part 2: You need not rush on my account. My feeling is that for now, it is much to complicated for my purposes. Hopefully, the tech will improve to make it as easy as LCD projectors are now (and they still need some work). That's when I will consider using them. But thank you for considering it and by all means, if the mood moves you, go for it. ;)
    Those are the biggest damn sandbags I have ever seen.:eek:
     
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  7. PYROHYDRA

    PYROHYDRA Lieutenant

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    While playing today I was just trying to think of a way of improving the economy. I enjoy getting rich, but its too easy and actually unrealistic when you can keep flooding the store with the same item over and over until you have more money then you will ever be able to spend in a day or two of playing.

    The prices of items I think seem pretty good in the game actually. I think instead of changing prices for game balance it would be better if prices on items would slowly decrease if we keep selling hundreds and thousands of the same item. If its possible in this game and go back up over time.

    Then there would be a reason to sell other items, instead of there always being just one or two items everybody keeps selling over and over.

    I think Mount&Blade 2 Bannerlord Does a really good job at a realistic economy. Even just remotely close to that would add alot to the economy of the game.

    There also needs to be more to spend money on. And very expensive items added. Everybody on the official server spammed rifles a day or two and now has more money then they will ever spend hope the can improve this area.
     
    #22987
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  8. Fractalite

    Fractalite Rear Admiral

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    Very clever sandbags. You should post some of those to the workshop if you have not already.
     
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  9. jepbindawernoch

    jepbindawernoch Commander

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    ---de---
    Danke, ich hab mal einen Kontrollpunkt schnell zu ende gebaut. Ich hoffe ich war hier nicht zu voreilig. o:
    Die HV-Sandsäcke usw. hab ich nun veröffentlicht.

    ---eng---
    Thanks, I built a checkpoint quickly to the end. I hope I wasn't too hasty here. O:
    I have now published the HV sandbags etc.

    My workshop:
    https://steamcommunity.com/profiles/76561198007633496/myworkshopfiles/?appid=383120
     
    #22989
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  10. Track Driver

    Track Driver Rear Admiral

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    I just visited your workshop, viewed about half of it. I especially liked the first 4 or 5 pages that had a certain theme that included ships and bases. Also the Beiboot and Schnellboot. Very nice.
     
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  11. IndigoWyrd

    IndigoWyrd Rear Admiral

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    [​IMG]

    I found this damaged Dart, made some repairs, restored it, took it up into space to have a little look around, saw a space station, spotted a Zirax shipyard, decided to head back down, when I started taking fire....

    [​IMG]

    Lost my fuel tank and both rear thrusters. Was dead in space, but momentum kept me going towards the planet, where I hit the atmosphere, lost the hostile, and fell, particularly slowly, all the way to the ground, right next to my base, not but 20 steps from my greenhouse. Began manufacturing some replacement and upgrade parts, so I can scavenge what I need to construct a Capital Vessel to get off this rock and gather what I really need to build what I really want - a stellar fortress to serve as my primary headquarters. Time will tell.
     
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  12. zertali

    zertali Captain

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    RS TALON MK2 is almost ready for service ...

    - Rear HV/SV dock and rear access door added, as are the crew quarters and cargo / ammo area.

    upload_2021-1-6_22-42-38.png

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    #22992
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  13. Germanicus

    Germanicus Rear Admiral

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    #22993
    Last edited: Jan 7, 2021
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  14. jepbindawernoch

    jepbindawernoch Commander

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    ---eng---
    thanks
    Anything with a 12 or 01 at the beginning should work. The other things are partly broken (no longer airtight, CPU and weight problems; blocks that look permeable but are not can block engines).
    ---de---
    Danke
    Alles mit einer 12 oder einer 01 am Anfang sollte funktionieren. Die anderen Sachen sind teilweise kaputt (nicht mehr Luftdicht, CPU- und Gewichts-Probleme; Klötze, die durchlässig aussehen es aber nicht sind, können Triebwerke blockieren).

    ---eng---
    I have most of the new bases and POIs in my construction universe for testing. I've now added starting points on Aureus and in Aureus Orbit. What is published in my workshop should work (for testing). Everything else is still being tested by me.
    https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1889402409
    ---de---
    Die Meisten neuen Basen und POIs hab ich in meinem Bau-Universum, zum Testen. Ich hab da nun Startpunkte auf Aureus und im Aureus Orbit hinzugefügt. Was in meinem Workshop veröffentlicht ist, sollte funktionieren. Alles andere wird von mir noch getestet.

    ---eng---
    Fought yesterday with the new PC and today again trying it out in Empyrion.
    I still haven't figured out how to get the patrol ship flying around. My drone base / SV base has gotten higher. The patrol ship is now colliding with it.
    ---de---
    Gestern mit dem neuen PC gekämpft und heute wieder in Empyrion am rumprobieren.
    Ich hab es noch nicht raus, wie ich wo das Patrouillen-Schiff rum fliegen lassen kann. Meine Drohnenbasis/SV-Basis ist höher geworden. Das Patrouillen-Schiff kollidiert nun damit.

    20210107211509_1.jpg
     

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  15. Track Driver

    Track Driver Rear Admiral

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    I took a break front Project Eagle and, on a whim, started a new Tutorial game to see what it was like and to see if any of the things I don't quite understand are explained. I finally found out what the symbol of the little guy with a bunch of hula-hoops around him symbolized...
    Gravity!

    As a more or less veteran player, I find the tutorial problematic in that I know enough to be dangerous. I find it difficult to not by-pass the sequence of tasks since in certain instances, I already know what I want to do.

    Still, I found it absorbing until my first drone attack. I had run out of resources before I could develop sufficient defenses and was getting my ass kicked. So, I cheated, enabled itemmenu, gave myself a debug rocket launcher and returned the favor. This is why I don't play with others.

    The real reason I'm here is to say I don't like the tutorial. It's not that the tutorial bad. I don't like it because I have to READ EVERYTHING!

    All my previous games provide verbal instructions along with written. I realize that those other games are from larger studios with greater resources. Nevertheless, I find them more immersive and easier (for me) to follow.

    One thing I noticed was that the instruction would appear and remain till I clicked on them. Seems to me this same principal could be applied to in-game messages, either activating a free-mouse cursor or using ESC to cancel the message.
     
    #22995
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  16. zertali

    zertali Captain

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    #22996
  17. Track Driver

    Track Driver Rear Admiral

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    A handsome ship, and one that illustrates the need (or at least the desirability) for SV/HV furniture and a modified food processor. I know some will argue that it would eliminate the need for Bases or CVs. That's nonsense. It merely provides alternatives for the builder and the player. jmo
     
    #22997
    Last edited: Jan 10, 2021
  18. zertali

    zertali Captain

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    Thanks.

    I also hate how they try to artificially limit the gameplay to force you into using X instead of what you really want to use. Kinda defeats the purpose of a sandbox game IMO. I especially hate how some weapons / tools only work in space or atmosphere, but not both, or how weapons on docked ships are non-functional. It is BS.

    I have been hoping that the devs would add more blocks (of all types) for SV/HV. Starting with just offering the blocks that are available for CV/BA, like the heavy windows and various deco blocks. Also been hoping for forcefield blocks based on the heavy window shapes (for CV/BA/SV/HV), wheels, hinges, pistons, rails, and many more items. Here we are in 2021, and nothing actually interesting (to me) has been added. Instead, the devs have limited and tried to control the flow of the gameplay through artificial limitations. While I still like EGS, I find that the building / engineering is too limited. As such, just a couple days ago I picked up Space Engineers and Starship EVO. Going to be playing with those a bit. Hoping they are less limiting.
     
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  19. Kassonnade

    Kassonnade Rear Admiral

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    I have been busy...

    NewGame_16_2021-01-08_23-07-09.png
    Still having some little "airtightness" problems, but that's related to colliders not aligning with the model and voxel grid. I think I tried a thousand times to get it right, and each time there's a tiny offset (seen with the debug menu, "show airtight blocks"). But at least these "domes" collide with bullets/ players, so they could be used on planets for sure.

    Another cool feature is that since I used "mesh colliders" it makes it possible to place blocks even if in the same "voxel space" as the dome parts (see the trees ?).

    It's actually 3 parts that I made like "blocks" :

    NewGame_16_2021-01-08_23-05-56.png

    I also made some other things, mostly to get some kind of error-proof "workflow" from Blender to Unity to Empyrion. Works fine up to now.

    Here, a 1 x 2 x 1 "device" (no usage yet...) that was just a test to see if colliders worked while allowing the player "inside" the volume. This is the same size as, for example, the T2 fuel or O2 tanks :

    NewGame_16_2021-01-08_23-13-21.png

    This one uses emissive textures and some panel textures from the game (made from "straightened" screenshots) with a little "bumpiness" added. All these "objects" are in fact 1 device, and texturing that to be usable in the game was a bit challenging.

    Here, another set of "items"...

    NewGame_16_2021-01-08_23-14-32.png

    The big boxes are my test cube I use to check if any new "object" works in game. I made the trees from scratch in Blender and they're not very high-poly, still have to work on the leaves to lower the number of sheets/ visibility.

    .
     
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  20. Kassonnade

    Kassonnade Rear Admiral

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    Well these things take time, I can tell you. :D

    Here I showed big things, but in fact what is causing me the most trouble is the "small" stuff that enhance immersion, like very detailed textures and clutter on desks, misaligned props to make the scene look more "alive", rust and dirt in corners, etc. I used flat textures made from images for my "boiler" device, for the trees where I used a "model" to make the leaves' texture image (and normal map), now I'm working on this kind of stuff :

    panels.png

    Those are just simple keypads, switches and stuff that I will use to make "real" consoles/ control panels, then render them in high resolution to be used as nicer textures on much lower-resolution objects, with a more realistic look than simply mapping flat textures on a model. I have also to make pipes and wires/ connectors with "organic" shapes and positions to simulate their flexible nature, while trying to keep low polygon count.

    I'm also playing with the idea that "devices" could also be like this :

    2x2Device.png

    There's a spot where I will put an emissive "screen" in the corner, but at that point I realized I needed better textures and "props" to make "fakes" so that's why I'm making knobs and buttons now. That little "room" is just equivalent to the lower 2x2 blocks of a large constructor, and I'm still not fixed about the top block's "shape".

    So... @Track Driver , I'm open to ideas about what could be cool and I will see what I can do. :)

    Edit : almost forgot about this... "device"...

    NewGame_15_2021-01-07_00-56-24.png

    It's very practical to have a "scaled" model in Blender to see object's sizes relative to the player, so I had to strip a human rig to get it in the game, take a screenshot, adjust in Blender, re-make the model in Unity, compare in game, etc. Now I have a proper "player" dummy object when I make rooms/ blocks/ devices/ furniture in Blender. That skinny guy can even serve to make other properly scaled-down humanoids (the "player" is only 0.75 meters tall in "real" measurements).

    .
     
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    Last edited: Jan 9, 2021
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