Jump Ring : functional, but not yet 100 aesthetical

Sun Dec 03, 2006 3:17 pm by Moonhead

I created a Jump Ring, which essentially is a track ring defined as a jump gate. I added / modified some of the HardPoints in the .3db model.

It works nice: it just hangs there in space, and when you dock with it, the light circles pop up, and the player jumps to his destination.

But: the ship does not turn with its nose towards the light circles... If you happen to be at an angle to the jump ring when you dock, the circles pop up, and after a second of 2, the player ship just enters the jump tunnel...

Does anybody has any idea how to improve this? It's just a cosmetic thing, but nonethelessl it would be cool if worked perfect.

Thank you for suggestions!

--------------------------------------------------------------
PS some details:

Here are the jump nodes I added to the .3db model:

HpDockMountA
---Position
<pre>0.000000
0.000000
600.000000 </pre>
---Orientation
<pre>-1.000000
0.000000
0.000000
0.000000
1.000000
0.000000
0.000000
0.000000
-1.000000 </pre>

HpDockPointA01
---Position
<pre>0.000000
0.000000
400.000000 </pre>
---Orientation
<pre>-1.000000
0.000000
0.000000
0.000000
1.000000
0.000000
0.000000
0.000000
-1.000000 </pre>

HpDockPointA02
---Position
<pre>0.000000
0.000000
-400.000000 </pre>
---Orientation
<pre>-1.000000
0.000000
0.000000
0.000000
1.000000
0.000000
0.000000
0.000000
-1.000000 </pre>

HpFX1
---Position
<pre>0.000000
0.000000
0.000000 </pre>
---Orientation
<pre>1.000000
0.000000
0.000000
0.000000
-1.000000
0.000000
0.000000
0.000000
-1.000000 </pre>

HpOrient
---Position
<pre>0.000000
0.000000
-300.000000
</pre>
---Orientation
<pre>-1.000000
0.000000
0.000000
0.000000
1.000000
0.000000
0.000000
0.000000
-1.000000 </pre>

And this is the SolarArch.ini entry:

[Solar
nickname = jumpring
ids_name = 60200
ids_info = 60200
type = JUMP_HOLE
DA_archetype = solar\dockable\jump_ring.3db
material_library = solar\Solar_mat_misc02.mat
material_library = fx\envmapbasic.mat
envmap_material = envmapbasic
mass = 10000.000000
loadout = jump_ring
jump_out_hp = HpFX1 <----originally I used HpOrient here; both produce same result
docking_sphere = jump, HpDockMountA, 150
solar_radius = 600
shape_name = NAV_jumphole
hit_pts = 999999961690316250000000000000000000.000000

The loadout is just a clone from the track ring's, and only contains lights.

Edited by - moonhead on 12/3/2006 3:27:05 PM

Sun Dec 03, 2006 3:55 pm by blackhole

SCREENIE!

Mon Dec 04, 2006 7:34 am by Rankor

From what I'm reading here, check your "dockmount" orientation,
and your dockpoint orientation & order.

dockpoint02-> dockpoint01-> dockmount->

fx is of course where the ring and "dockmount" is.

You have to make sure your dockpoints and mount are oriented toward the ring center. In this case, make sure the "z" axis is pointed toward your object.

Edited by - Rankor on 12/4/2006 7:42:09 AM

Mon Dec 04, 2006 7:39 am by Moonhead

It prolly doesn't look that spectacular... just the dock-to-jumphole-effect attached to a track ring (click to enlarge):

What I want is, that the ships turns towards the ring when the player docks. As it is now, it's more like it is turning to the side when docking...

P.S. I enlarge the ring with FLModelTool

Edited by - moonhead on 12/4/2006 7:42:56 AM

Mon Dec 04, 2006 7:50 am by Moonhead

@ Rankor:

Thanks for your reply!

So, dockpoint02 comes before dockpoint01? Now you mention it, it does bring back a vague memory of something I read about these things some time ago.

I shall try it, as I now have set it up from the idea that dockpoint 2 is where the player comes out after a jump: I put it behind the ring while dockpoint01 is before. So If the order you suggest is right, the way I set it up must really confuse the game!

The rotation values are kind of a mystery to me... Which one is the Z axis, and what value means "point at ring"?

====================================================================

Update: well I improved good enough to be satisfied. The glowing rings are now just before the ring, which I enlarged again. I did some editing in JumpEffects.ini and Gate_Tunnel.ini to fine-tune the thing.

Edited by - moonhead on 12/4/2006 12:55:21 PM

Mon Dec 04, 2006 4:09 pm by blackhole

For calculating rotational values you could try this, i recently made it for calculating 3D tradelanes/patrol paths, but it'd work for something like this too.

Well, it *should*, but never take anything for granted

Ok if you are going to use it with those coordinates, you need to adapt it for those relative values. Basically, take the absolute position of the jumpring, then subtract/add the amount that the dockpoint specifies. Put in those two values, and poof!

Edited by - blackhole on 12/4/2006 4:11:54 PM

Mon Dec 04, 2006 4:38 pm by Cold_Void

lol or you could download the new version of hardcmp that displays axis-arrows on hardpoints

(you want the Z axis to face towards your dockmount, Moonhead)

Mon Dec 04, 2006 4:57 pm by blackhole

Yow, do _NOT_ use my program! Seems to still have a few bugs that slipped by me. Unfortunatly, a "few" bugs means the difference between a working FL and a very dead FL.

Mon Dec 04, 2006 8:19 pm by Rankor

Moonhead,
If you look at your hardpoints in the cmp editor, and zoom into them, you'll find them "flagged" with x, y, and z "arrows". The z is the one which determines the way it's pointed. y determines what the hard point "pitch" is and x determines which way it's rolled.
Say for instance, you open up the cmp for the alien jump gate..(it's pretty simple and easier to evaluate) . Notice how the hard points are set on it, especially the fx, dockmount and dockpoints. (nevermind the lights for now)

When you get a chance to play with it, you'll figure out what I mean.
But yeah, from what you just said there about dockpoints 02 and 01....the game was a little confused. (Don't feel bad...I've done worse.)

@ Blackhole:
I know you'll get it sorted out.

Edited by - Rankor on 12/4/2006 8:29:16 PM

Tue Dec 05, 2006 12:49 am by blackhole

In my opinion, freelancer gets confused entirely too easiely

Tue Dec 05, 2006 7:21 am by Moonhead

I'm looking at the nomad_gate now. Good suggestion Rankor! Silly of me not to think of it, as it much more approaches the "jump ring" concept than either the jump gate or jump hole.

I'm using HardCMP for the 1st time now... Looks promising, but I'm not really accustomed to it. Never too late to get into it though... (I took a short excusrion into Milkshape some months back, until it stopped working -never finished my megastaion

- so I'm not totally unfamiliar with wireframes).

Not tonight though, a friend dropped her chinese hairless dog at my place, and it's sitting on my lap now, determined to stick its nose into my mouth for some reason... (this dog is not entirely off-topic on this forum, as this pic will prove... It could either be a commodity, or pilot some advanced alien spacecraft)

EDIT ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Blackhole wrote

In my opinion, freelancer gets confused entirely too easiely

hear hear!

Edited by - moonhead on 12/5/2006 7:23:26 AM

Tue Dec 05, 2006 7:40 am by Rankor

Well....
I don't think that puppy will ever have a flea problem. LOL
Kind of cute actually.

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