53 replies to this topic

[Juiced]

also someone just posted a link to the MWO facebook where they had weapon designs for the different weapons. For example the ER PPC looked different than the PPC, now weather or not you can tell in the middle of battle if its an ER or not just from the looks is something else.

[perfectblue]

Frostiken, on 02 June 2012 - 05:30 AM, said:

And you'd have to UV-wrap every single one of those and have a unique texture for every one, which would drive workload and filesize through the roof. That is not how they're going to do it.

Why do I have to explain such simple things? Read a book, people.

Partially correct, you can easily overlay existing textures already created. Unwrapping is not all that time consuming, if you know what you are doing you can unwrap a game ready asset quickly, optimized texel density and all. Once its unwrapped you take existing photoshop textures and simply overlay them on the objects new UVW coordinates, you don't need to retexture the same weapon again.

More time consuming would be having to remodel certain mechs. I am not versed on the lore, but if you can remove the AC 20 on the hunchback, you would have to go back into your 3D program of choice and edit that whole area. Unless they have a modular model component built into the game, such as with Brink. Where every weapon is build in a modular manner, and each component of the gun gets its own unwrap so you can quickly swap out different features (handle, gun barrel etc).

Frostiken, on 02 June 2012 - 05:12 AM, said:

It would only require hundreds of meshes per mech if they are absolutely retarded.

Correct.

Edited by perfectblue, 02 June 2012 - 06:20 AM.

[Oswin Aurelius]

Orion Pirate, on 02 June 2012 - 06:08 AM, said:

This has already been done... Please see my post above... Post number 15...

I realize you pointed out how the Dragon and Catapult variants clearly have different weapon systems. I was stating that I want ALL weapon appearances to look like that eventually, not anything like what MWLL has done. It takes away the individuality of the 'mech and the weapons are more notable than the chassis in most cases.

[Oswin Aurelius]

Tehbob, on 02 June 2012 - 06:11 AM, said:

also someone just posted a link to the MWO facebook where they had weapon designs for the different weapons. For example the ER PPC looked different than the PPC, now weather or not you can tell in the middle of battle if its an ER or not just from the looks is something else.

And also, most of us know, there's already a separate topic for it.

[Orion Pirate]

Oswin Aurelius, on 02 June 2012 - 06:15 AM, said:

I realize you pointed out how the Dragon and Catapult variants clearly have different weapon systems. I was stating that I want ALL weapon appearances to look like that eventually, not anything like what MWLL has done. It takes away the individuality of the 'mech and the weapons are more notable than the chassis in most cases.

They do... If they have it on the Catapult, and the Dragon, then all mechs will have it. I don't understand what you are unhappy about when the proof that what you want is already in Screen shots all over the internet.

[Karyudo ds]

Um Orion you do realize that they aren't talking about the mech variants and are talking about changing the visuals from mechlab customizing right? Totally different things.

Anyway I would agree the glue on pods in MWLL are not Battletech, the just look weird. It wouldn't need to take 100s of mesh's a mech to do it either. Some might be different materials, or possibly blended mesh's (color etc) or a mix of textures with mesh's. Though last I checked we have 5 mechs in game and we're complaining they don't look different for every weapon... Seems pretty early. Especially of Bryan mentioned they want to do it. If that's the case they already have a plan and all the back and forth trolling is meaningless.

Seems this ones answered.

[Oswin Aurelius]

Because we don't have proof. We don't even have a video of the Dragon in-game yet. We THINK that they are moving in the right direction, but as far as I can tell, a Katapult with PPCs and one with Large Lasers still has the same weapon "arms". That's why I am worried, not unhappy.

[Nev]

Oswin Aurelius, on 02 June 2012 - 05:58 AM, said:

EDIT: I can't even tell what the 'mech in the bottom picture is. Is that supposed to be a Vulture?

That's a Black Lanner.

Edited by Nev, 02 June 2012 - 06:28 AM.

[Oswin Aurelius]

Oooooooh. Looks like it got it's right arm blown off, that's what threw me off.

[Orion Pirate]

Oswin Aurelius, on 02 June 2012 - 06:26 AM, said:

Because we don't have proof. We don't even have a video of the Dragon in-game yet. We THINK that they are moving in the right direction, but as far as I can tell, a Katapult with PPCs and one with Large Lasers still has the same weapon "arms". That's why I am worried, not unhappy.

I am sorry, I don't agree with you, but the Dragon has two different Ballistic weapons (as I see) in his right arm, a basic AC and then an Ultra AC. That implies that the same variant was used, but the weapon in the hardpoint was switched out, and graphically the weapon in the arm was changed to show the new weapon. I am satisfied that MWO will do as you want.

[Oswin Aurelius]

Orion Pirate, on 02 June 2012 - 06:33 AM, said:

I am sorry, I don't agree with you, but the Dragon has two different Ballistic weapons (as I see) in his right arm, a basic AC and then an Ultra AC. That implies that the same variant was used, but the weapon in the hardpoint was switched out, and graphically the weapon in the arm was changed to show the new weapon. I am satisfied that MWO will do as you want.

The DRG-5N is actually a separate variant that mounts an UAC5, so we don't know if it's mechlab'd or a different variant.

"DRG-5N - The 5N variant of the Dragon is a field upgrade which utilizes Star League technology. The Autocannon has been upgraded to an Ultra Autocannon/5, which allows it to fire at twice the rate as a standard autocannon. Additionally, the rear facing Medium Laser has been removed from the 'Mech."

Edited by Oswin Aurelius, 02 June 2012 - 06:37 AM.

[Orion Pirate]

Oswin Aurelius, on 02 June 2012 - 06:36 AM, said:

The DRG-5N is actually a separate variant that mounts an UAC5, so we don't know if it's mechlab'd or a different variant.

"DRG-5N - The 5N variant of the Dragon is a field upgrade which utilizes Star League technology. The Autocannon has been upgraded to an Ultra Autocannon/5, which allows it to fire at twice the rate as a standard autocannon. Additionally, the rear facing Medium Laser has been removed from the 'Mech."

Ok, you got me there... I stand corrected, and I am sorry for discussing this with you in a manner where I thought I was correct.

Edited by Orion Pirate, 02 June 2012 - 06:38 AM.

[Oswin Aurelius]

Orion Pirate, on 02 June 2012 - 06:38 AM, said:

Ok, you got me there... I stand corrected, and I am sorry for discussing this with you in a manner where I thought I was correct.

Don't worry about it, we're all one big happy civil war Inner Sphere here.

[Chunkymonkey]

Ever notice that on the ForumUserKiller variant that the AC20 looked just like the AC5 on the hunchback?

[Oswin Aurelius]

Chunkymonkey, on 02 June 2012 - 06:45 AM, said:

Ever notice that on the ForumUserKiller variant that the AC20 looked just like the AC5 on the hunchback?

Yes, which is why we were debating this. The Devs have stated since that video that they are working on improving the appearances of different weapons in the mechlab, but we haven't seen anything that can be confirmed as a player-made custom 'mech to know how far they've gotten so far.

[Kazzamo]

While it would be nice, it's in the extra fluff that I can live without area. I hear MechWarrior Tactics is doing this though.

[Suicidal Idiot]

Ummmm. actually, if we're going to be swapping around weapons, to be realistic, it's highly unlikely the weapons will look like anything BUT cookie cutter frankenmech.

I work in a race car factory, and I can tell you that it is tough to make custom stuff blend in. And why the heck would anybody take the time to build beautiful streamlined covers for custom installs on a freaking mech? The pretty covers will only get shredded in 10 seconds anyway.

If I salvage a medium pulse laser from a Kurita mech and bolt it onto my Jenner, it should look strange, misshapen, Frankenstein and Kurita red (unless I pay for a repaint). It should certainly look 'wrong' and "superglued on".

As a side project where I work, we make an accessory that is a 'Frankenstein' add on for an M2 .50 cal machine gun. It lets you mount lasers, telescopic sights, or whatever go the good old .50. It's brutally ugly, but our soldiers love them.

They don't say "Hey, you superglued an ugly high power night vision scope and IR laser to my iron sighted .50!" or complain of having a "Franken50" They say "Thank you, this will save my life!"

For those who don't kill people and break things for a living, that's a WW2 machine gun with a high tech scope and a mismatched desert cammo laser.

Rather like how my IS mechs are going to look once I get my hands on delicious clan salvage.

[Karyudo ds]

Hah, you don't install a medium laser an make it look pretty. You install it on te INSIDE of the mech though, while the exterior should be armored and thus not likely to change. I mean I know what you're saying but these are armored war machines, not racecars. I mean if your medium laser is an obvious pod on the side of your mech (like MWLL) then I'm just going to clip it off you. Plus these aren't omni's so they shouldn't look modular. Granted yes the weapons are the same from one mech to the next. Maybe that's party why they drew up designs for the components too. Still pods tacked onto the outside sounds silly. I could see shared barrels and things like that though. I expect that if a PPC is a PPC is a PPC.

On a side note, making weapon mods at work doesnt really apply here in the science of it all. We are talking 3049 here. I am pretty sure we will have more advanced ways of doing some things.

[Evil Ash]

The Katapult with ppcs instead of missle racks

[Suicidal Idiot]

Regarding transplanted weapon systems....

The turret of a Sherman tank was designed to fit a Sherman. The size, shape and hookups had all evolved together. It had a 75mm gun which was essentially anti-infantry.

Putting a Tiger turret with it's devastating 88mm Howitzer onto a Sherman tank is going to cause some problems. It would look funny, it wouldn't have 'blended', and it would have looked superglued on. The driver would probably live in constant terror of decapitation whenever his head was above the hatch.

And any Sherman commander would have given his left arm to mount one. Funny looks and all.