Post
by MrVulcan » Wed May 13, 2015 10:40 pm
Since the last post here, Jan 24 2014, quite a lot was done to complete balancing (cost, strength, build times, special wep complements). We're quite happy on that front.
The biggest hurdle since then is having enough time, from both Adam and myself, to work out three crucial items:
- fix sound effects problems (missing unit sounds, etc), and
- squeeze specials slots to make unit groups usable
- create wireframes for all units.
We've had the wireframes on and off on our to-do list since 2007, really. We've both felt that wireframes (or thumbnail) implementation in Armada is a critical feature that we can't simply overlook, or fill with non-functional images. So, as it stands, we need to write a script for 3dsmax to help us in automating the wireframe making process. Making the wireframes by hand (screenshot/copy and cut method is hopeless here with close to 1500 unique wireframes/thumbnail sequences required).
The good news is that the said script is somewhat functional and works well with a few test wireframe sequences. The challenge, however, is in preparing roughly 360 remaining models (3ds max files) to work properly with the script.
Currently, the script renders a sequence of images and processes them as "layers" for the wireframes. We have two processing schemes for two difference races; Federation and Romulan GUI wireframe sets. We still need to think of and implement a processing scheme for Sernaix and Borg GUI.
Everything I have listed (sound effects, script additions, wireframe processing, any bits of balancing left over) demands significant time to do properly. In the past, some things we could do by dedicating 30mins every day to modding; bit of model editing here, bit of weapon debugging there. Now however, the remaining tasks are really hard to complete in really short "modding sessions". Rest assured that we're trying to complete the mod, but we are both very human with all the associated ailments and shortcomings.
Hoping to bring better news with my next post, and soon. Cheers,
Mr. V