Fri Aug 20, 2004 3:24 am
My perspective on the 2 "unknown" systems.
I was messing around in one of the unknown sectors today flying the Ragnarok around tearing Nomands limb from limb :p
And I suddenly clicked with something about the sky effects.
When people make Easter Egg areas they tend to use the stuff they never got to do elsewhere, the Monkey head was just a funny joke on Primus, and the bots are there because theres lots of bot models, some used as bartenders, others only really appear as communications people when docking, and so they're getting their money's worth from the models.
But what I realised, is that almost all the "sky" areas in FL, use speheres painted with stars to create the sky.
However, one of the unknown areas has an endless sky that spans out across two deformed planes running top and bottom. And the other unknown has either a cylindrical or conical sky "box" - I think.
Regardless, I think it was the case that the design team knew the engine could do far more than just painted spheres for skies, and thus they used the engines full potential when making the areas.
Additionally, in the Unknown area where Planet Primus and Planet Gammu appear, try scanning the Jump Hole.
JUmp holes usually have a message telling you "This anomaly has readings cosistent with a jump hole, Agiera technologies reccomend avoiding all contact with such anomalies" or words to that effect.
However the Jumphole in in that Unknown sector seems to use a message, possibly left over from a much earlier version that is much much longer. It Initially says that the readings are consistent with a jumphole, then it goes on to explain the nature of jumpholes, how many ships have gone missing with them, how they are occasionally mapped, and that "Valhalla Research and Monument Company" recommends you avoid all contact with such anomalies... Valhalla Research and Monument? Who the heck are they? They don't feature in (The finished version) or Freelancer...
And I suddenly clicked with something about the sky effects.
When people make Easter Egg areas they tend to use the stuff they never got to do elsewhere, the Monkey head was just a funny joke on Primus, and the bots are there because theres lots of bot models, some used as bartenders, others only really appear as communications people when docking, and so they're getting their money's worth from the models.
But what I realised, is that almost all the "sky" areas in FL, use speheres painted with stars to create the sky.
However, one of the unknown areas has an endless sky that spans out across two deformed planes running top and bottom. And the other unknown has either a cylindrical or conical sky "box" - I think.
Regardless, I think it was the case that the design team knew the engine could do far more than just painted spheres for skies, and thus they used the engines full potential when making the areas.
Additionally, in the Unknown area where Planet Primus and Planet Gammu appear, try scanning the Jump Hole.
JUmp holes usually have a message telling you "This anomaly has readings cosistent with a jump hole, Agiera technologies reccomend avoiding all contact with such anomalies" or words to that effect.
However the Jumphole in in that Unknown sector seems to use a message, possibly left over from a much earlier version that is much much longer. It Initially says that the readings are consistent with a jumphole, then it goes on to explain the nature of jumpholes, how many ships have gone missing with them, how they are occasionally mapped, and that "Valhalla Research and Monument Company" recommends you avoid all contact with such anomalies... Valhalla Research and Monument? Who the heck are they? They don't feature in (The finished version) or Freelancer...