New feature: Gates

[Olrox]

oh my, I think I'll have to make a new UVW map, I'll try a few things I've got in my mind for the textures. I dare to think It'll be ready within less than 6 hours, but I'm not sure because It's been long since I've last messed out with UVW mapping and unwrapping, but whatever.

[Tiuz]

unfortunately i still can be only sporadic online, but its very nice to see that there is still a lot of response for this topic.
Some quick remarks:
- An one-tile-gate is problematic using my approach, because an open gate would be totally invisible; generally there sould be always a static [x] and a removable [-] part of the gate installation.
- Easily conceivable are these forms: [X][-][-][x], [X][-][-], [X][-][-][-][x], [X][-][-][-] ...
- I'll try to implement olorox arch-bridge-design-gate in [X][-][-][x] form.
- This mod shows only some possibilities how gates could work in WZ.

Tiuz.

[Olrox]

I've finished my model and I forward that it is looking nice
however, the .3ds I export doesn't have the textures incorporated, is this normal?
It's my first attempt on maping and texturizing, I don't know if I've done anything wrong (probably, because I didn't use any tutorials )
However, I'll post the .3ds files, UVW files and PNG texture pages just to be sure Xanax gets all of my model.
It's really good to have people that can get it done around, if it wasn't for Xanax I wouldn't be able to think about getting my gate model into wz. Just because I'm so busy with all of those university researchs and classes and exams, pah... I'll really be happy when I've got the time to get everything done by myself, because then I won't bother people with my lack of knowledge about modding... :rolleyes:

But anyway, the files are attached to this post.

[Olrox]

by the way, Tiuz:
I was thinking about making the gate to allow all of the 3 tiles for passage, is it possible? Or do we need at least one tile to be occupied by the base?
That's why I've made the side pillars of the gate as sleek as proportionality allowed, but I can make adaptations as you need them.

[Tiuz]

Hi olrox,

i understand your wish for wider and symmetric in design gates. I would prefer them, too.
But using my approach, a fixed base and removebal part are much better to realize. However, i'll try to implement your pretty looking arch bridge desgin (allowing all tiles for passage is difficult, i think). Alternatively you could try to create a unsymmetric design gate with a fixed base and a two or more tiles wide pass, that doesnt look so strange as the existing one.

Tiuz.

[Olrox]

Ok, but I was wondering, do the walls stretch its edges to fit to the gate base? I mean, like they do when you but additional, higher or lower pieces of wall.
Anyway, I'll make a "[X][-][-][-][X]" model. I'll mantain the walkway over the gate, I think it makes the base feels less "incomplete", when the gates are lowered, if we have some additional structure. But hey, is it possible to make that? separate bases and free passage between them? I've got no idea, never looked at how the game processes open passage or structure sizes or whatever.
Additionaly, I think that a 3 tile wide gate door (wall, whatever) should have triple hitpoints (relative to a single tile gate), as there is more area to hit and it would allow a 3 tile passage when destroyed, and it's a single building. Or... ahhh... Well, the hitpoints of the whole gate, shack and wall, should be the same of 5 wall pieces with the best upgrades, I think. Because by destroying a single structure a large gap would be open, so it must withstand large ammounts of damage, otherwise it would be a very weak spot.

Please, let me know if it's really possible to make a single gate, 4 tiles wide, with 2 free passage tiles between the bases, so I can start my work.

Regards, Olrox

EDIT: Changed the size of the gate, I think only two tiles would be too small for passage.

[winsrp]

how come when the gate is open it would be invisible? wont it have a base map on the bottom of the tile?

[Olrox]

I was primarily thinking about making only partial baseplates, because they do allow transparency. Actually, Xanax suggested that it would look better if I made 3d detailment at the base of the structures instead of making baseplates. I must say that I never actually loved those full baseplates, because they look too... hmmm... rectangular

Anyway, I thought about making them more detailed in their shape, adding to the details I put into my textures. The effect will be interesting, I promise!

Of course, the baseplates would still show Up, and in this case I MUST make baseplate textures because the game doesn't allow geometry below the ground, and I don't want the gate to vanish in the air and give no clue about where it went, if you know what I mean. The "hole" to where the gate draws to open the passage must be shown in the baseplate. However, there won't be any geometry, and the passage will look just like a hole in the wall when the gate is opened. If there's a walkway crossing over the passage, I think that the passage would look more like a structural feature of the walls than just something apart, or some section where a part of the wall is simply missing.

[winsrp]

to be honest I didn't understood a thing about what you just put, and I read it twice, but sounds like you might have a very good mind set of how to make your idea working. Where are the screens?

[Olrox]

I'll send rendered screenshots promptly. However, for ingame screenshots, we'll have to wait for Tiuz to adapt the files. I have an impressive lack of knowledge about modding and messing with codes (I'm an artist, lol xD), otherwise I would be pleased to help with the mod in further ways.

I'll also wait for him to tell me what he thinks about the "[X][-][-][-][X]" gate layout. Also, he's probably going to test if the model I've already made works. If it doesn't work, I'll have to do another one. If it works, then I think it's better to release the mod and see what people think about it, before deciding wether to do a different gate model or not.

Actually, the idea of this mod and all the hard work are from Tiuz. I'm here only because I've got this bad habit of getting into other people's work
Therefore, my models may look good and I may spend time thinking about this mod, but credits are due to Tiuz!
And I yet again feel the need to say that the execution of that idea and the effectiveness of this innovative feature are brilliant.
Congratulations, once again, Tiuz!

[Olrox]

by the way, winsrp, (chances are low, but) do you speak portuguese?
:rolleyes:

[winsrp]

chances are in deed very low, i speak spanish, italian, english, but no portuguese, even i might understand something of what you say since i work with people from Brazil all the time...

[Olrox]

Here is the screenshot.
The textures may seem weird because I've created them from scratch, and used no other texture files.
I can make some improvements still, but not right now

[lav_coyote25]

textures look fine - as well as that gate.

[winsrp]

yeah looks good to me 2.. really good actually.