R.E.A.R.M. - "Rearmament Expansion And Redesign Mod" is an unofficial Homeworld 2 expansion and it adds number of new interesting and various units.
Destroyer Update 5
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Description
I'm uploading a video as well, but it takes much more time than I thought (I'm waiting for hours).
Second picture is almost the same, except the defense field module is activated on the other ship.
1680 x 1050 px. Unedited screenshot.
Don't tell me you really managed to make animated Subsystems? I thought it was impossible??? Does this mean we can expect the Missile Subsystem to be animated, too(finally n_n) This would be awesome.
Still great work you do, even if I don't write so often anymore, I still lurk here frequently.
kepp up the good work.
Given I've had no luck animating subsystems beyond animating the joint on the main model it's attached to I'd be very interested in how you got this to work.
I just recognized something while comparing it to the unanimated version: It seems that while the .. thing...let's call it Shieldarm is opened just fine, there still is a second shield arm in its disabled position. But well let's wait for the Video.
Yes exactly, I couldn't avoid that, but it's still better than nothing.
In the video description, which I made before the pictures but uploaded just now, I said it's not the subsystem animation. It's the simpiest trick ever and it's exactly what I was talking about when I said I want to show it to you.
You're modder, but I'll explain it to everyone, so it will be much longer than you need:
The animation is in the ship, the "shield arm" is resting in the middle of the destroyer. Since the Defense Field module activates the defense field ability, you can't run the animation without the module. But when you do have the module, you press the T key and the shield arm pops up from inside of the middle of the ship to the exact same place of the module shield arm and opens. After it closes again it returns back to the middle of the ship.
I've planned this method when I was thinking about the missile silo animation, so I'm pretty sure it will work with weapons as well.
It's so simple trick that I thought you would already know.
Ah I remember when you explained that, but can't you make the Animation in two steps?
Stage 1: Ship without module: Shieldarm rests inside the Ship
Stage 2: Module is build this triggers animation 1...the Shieldarm moves to it's resting position and stays there.
Stage 3: You activate the Shield...the Arm unfolds.
Stage 4: You deacitvate it and it moves back to the resting Position
Stage 5: The Module is demolished...the Shieldarm moves back to its resting place inside the ship.
Yes, I had this on my mind as well, but this is beyond my skills. I don't know if I can use the subsystem death as a trigger for the animation and even if it was possible, I couldn't do it myself.
The solution Pouk is using is by far the best (and only) one you will ever manage do do.
The issue is that ship states (i.e. field on, field off etc.) are limited to the ship. In fact, subsystems don't even report if they exist or not - thus you can only animate the main ship. You can't even determine if the subsystem is there in the first place.
This is why the shield arm is techincally not part of the subsystem at all. I'd probably have come across this sooner or later but tbh it hadn't occured to me. Anyways - great work ;)
and the "door" opending is animated with a dummy object inside the destroyer, like I suggested some undates earlier?
or wasn't that possible?
it doesnt work with subs that are larger than what fits inside the ship model tho, right?
Right.
Actually no.
?? Modules larger than the ship itself can be hidden inside the ship? How?
Very easily, you animate them. The same way I animated this thing, one frame inside the ship, other frame in place. Except you would slice it to smaller pieces which you would assemble instead of just move out.
Ah, collapse the larger "module" like an accordian, makes sense.
But there are Subsysthems which have permament effects, like for example the Fircontrol tower coudnt such an effect trigger the required animation step? For example the Shield module gets the Tower effect in a very weak form (for example 0, if that's possible) and the start of this effect triggers the animation.
That wouldn't work because the fire control tower wouldn't recognize any difference between the def field being on or off.
What he meant was to change the trigger to something measurable. You can't detect the subsystem lost, but he suggested to detect the change in the effect the subsystem has. And the point was not to detect if the defense field is on or off, but to detect the subsystem presence to get the defense arm into place before it can move.
I personally think it's way too complicated to actually work, but I'm just guessing.
Exacly what I wanted to say.
I really apreciate the fact that you take the time to discuss and talk with all of us, this is really one of the things that make your mod so great, apart from the fact that you do an awesome job of course. Just thougt you really deserve some compliment from time to time.
I enjoy it, so it's hardly a big sacrifice, but really thanks.
Didn't have time to post earlier but this is very awesome Pouk, you keep excelling!
A week late comment is always refreshing. :)
I'm serious, it's so surprising because I just don't expect anything now.
Well you deserve it I think; it's pretty impressive how you seem to take each new concept to a level that is so unexpected.
I would have been pretty happy with the fin, glad you made something at all, then you go and figure out a way to work-around HW2's engine limitations to 'fake' an animation and it looks great.