New "glowing" lasers

[sedenion]

Hi,

As I quickly explained in the other topic, the updated "HD" lasers did not satisified me, for a very simple reason: Despite the well realised high resolution texture, they are barely visible in game, which even become a problem for aiming. The fact is that Lasers don't need high resolution texture, they are moving way to fast to let the time to appreciates details and it is were it is better to use the 3D engine's filtering. In addition, the current high res textures are too dark and thin, so becomes a simple thin colored line in game: a wasting.

For these reasons, I recreated models and textures for common lasers, with paradoxically simpler and smaller textures, but to produce a glowing effect and make lasers very visible and flashy during game. The attached screeshot will not tell you much about how it appear in the game.. you'll have to test it. I did not see new laser was available in the new 1.6 upgrade pack, I let this here for who want to test.

Download Links:

Replacement models for XWA Standard Lasers : http://s000.tinyupload.com/?file_id=370 ... 5527660499
Replacement models for XWAUCP S-M-L Lasers : http://s000.tinyupload.com/?file_id=074 ... 1338948108

Lasers_STD.jpg

[Legion]

Neat. I don't have XWA installed right now (just done fresh Windows reinstall) so can't test myself, but would be interested to see any in-game footage of this.

[sedenion]

I made a short video of 1080p in-game (40 MB) to show the result... The video is slightly darker than in-game.

Link to video: https://ufile.io/omwog

[Mark_Farlander]

Your lasers definitely look shining and glowing, but the red and green lasers coming with the XWACP v1.6 look more "old science fiction" style.
I think it comes to personal taste in the end, but I would like to have the option to choose which ones to install in a future release.
We also have the Battlefront II style energy weapons.

[Bman]

Very nice. I've actually been working on this for past 3 months trying to get that feathered-transparent glow with new HD laser textures, which affects a project I'm doing for Weapons Slot thread. You got this down pat. Great job.

[Phoenix Leader]

Just played an A-Wing vs TIE Interceptors skirmish with these new laser opts installed.
They are awesome! Wonderful update!

[rogue518]

I agree... Phoenix Leader.....

Sincerely, Rogue518

[sedenion]

Very nice. I've actually been working on this for past 3 months trying to get that feathered-transparent glow with new HD laser textures, which affects a project I'm doing for Weapons Slot thread. You got this down pat. Great job.

The main secret was to re-create the sprite 3D model, wider but not longer than the original to allow texture amplitude and gradient in height. On the original model, and even in the upgraded version, the 3D model is too thin, leaving no space for a large gradient.

I agree... Phoenix Leader.....

If you like it, I create a pack including remplacement for the upgraded DSI and CRS lasers, with low medium and long range lasers models, based on the same principle.

I personally hesitate about the Ion lasers hue, may be too "dark". Tell me what you think.

[Darksaber]

No offense, my lasers may not be "Glowy" enough, but to be honest I know which I personally prefer lol

laserds.jpg

lasersed.jpg

[capitanguinea]

Err.. sorry, I would not be the nerd guy of the bunch... But if blaster and "laser" in Star Wars are coloured visible light, they are because they in effect aree little packs of ionized gas fired against the target. In the void that make a distinct glow without diffusion, a line of coloured light (or a coloured dart). By the way a correct laser would not be visible at all, and I believe all you should know it, until it hit the target, and than the scattering of the surface is a very pyrotecnich explosion.

[Darksaber]

Thanks for the science lesson, but this is fantasy not reality! You can not hear sound in a space/vacuum yet we hear the lasers and explosions!

Err.... sorry to burst you bubble but it's all make believe lol

[capitanguinea]

LOL ^^

[sedenion]

No offense, my lasers may not be "Glowy" enough, but to be honest I know which I personally prefer lol

you took a screen of the 16 milisecond frame when lasers just spawn, when they are the closest to the camera. In addition, the green lasers are more bright than the red ones (this can be adjusted), and finaly the spacecraft you choosed is one where the lasers spawn very close to the camera and together, accentuating this "gross" effect... What is an advantage in the X-Wing becom a problem here...

Maybe I can adjust this, first by dimming the green lasers, and second by finding a balanced lasers size...

[Vince T]

I just picture watching a scientiffically correct Scifi movie .. no blazing blaster bolts, no sound in vacuum ... seems kinda dull to me

Sorry for trailing off-topic, back to you, Bob!

[ual002]

I like the distance visibility but up close they look pretty "Chunky". Just my 2 cents.

[Darksaber]

you took a screen of the 16 milisecond frame when lasers just spawn, when they are the closest to the camera. In addition, the green lasers are more bright than the red ones (this can be adjusted), and finaly the spacecraft you choosed is one where the lasers spawn very close to the camera and together, accentuating this "gross" effect... What is an advantage in the X-Wing becom a problem here...

Maybe I can adjust this, first by dimming the green lasers, and second by finding a balanced lasers size...

Yes using the Tie Fighter were I knew the lasers spawned close to the craft was my whole point, you see this glaring each time you fire, I did another experiment using the box standard lasers from XWA, not mine this is the results

The Tie Fighter, with Original XWA Lasers about the same result as my lasers

flightscreen19.jpg

The Assault Gunboat with your Ions, ohh nasty lol

flightscreen20.jpg

The Assault Gunboat with Original XWA Ion Lasers

flightscreen21.jpg

Awing with your Lasers, red doesn't seem too bad, but still glaring

flightscreen23.jpg

Awing with Original XWA Lasers

flightscreen22.jpg

I'm not getting at you, if you perfer your lasers like this that's fine with me

[sedenion]

Yes using the Tie Fighter were I knew the lasers spawned close to the craft was my whole point, you see this glaring each time you fire, I did another experiment using the box standard lasers from XWA, not mine this is the results

I well understand your point, and I agree with you... I will see if I can improve this.

[Darksaber]

ok

[Driftwood]

Could this be resolved using lod meshes showing the bigger glow at farther distances and normal ish glow lasers at closer distances?

[sedenion]

Could this be resolved using lod meshes showing the bigger glow at farther distances and normal ish glow lasers at closer distances?

Maybe, but I don't know how LOD is managed in XWA or how to "create" it using tools we have...

[Bman]

Interesting idea Driftwood. Great job DS, too. I''ve not had a lot of time to install all this good stuff yet. Also, your textures are/were 1024 x 64, and Sedenion's seems to be the 512 x 256 or something like that which makes it look larger a/t/m. If it's re-scaled, how about adding his textures as an additional FG to the existing .opts or vice-versa for at least for TFTC ?

[sedenion]

Interesting idea Driftwood. Great job DS, too. I''ve not had a lot of time to install all this good stuff yet. Also, your textures are/were 1024 x 64, and Sedenion's seems to be the 512 x 256 or something like that which makes it look larger a/t/m. If it's re-scaled, how about adding his textures as an additional FG to the existing .opts or vice-versa for at least for TFTC ?

The 3D model I use is wider, that is what is really important here... The texture resolution did not change much thing, exept that the 3D engine will or will not use mipmaps or magnification filtering. for my lasers I use 256x128 and 128*128 textures, wich is sufficient for the kind of seeked effect. What is more a problem here is the 8 bits versus 32 bits color depth, which kill the gradient.

[Bman]

I see, well you can actually play with full 32-bit colored textured maps. Backup your files in your Flightmodels folder first. Then In Jeremy's XWAOptEditor, click the Tools drop-down menu, select "Convert all .opt files to 32-bit textures". It's a quick batch mode process. Done. Then you can always replace a HD texture (RGBA) inside his editor with another .png file on the fly. You can even use ReShade project files with this as a bonus (see other threads). I'll never go back to 8-bit color format, personally.

Below is one of my new textures (for TFTC) I've made from scratch, using an outer glow and long-shadow effect to get the "feathering out" look. It's 1024 x 64. I cannot get the glow on fringes to look quite like yours, but it's close and sort of abruptly hard-stops at the edge of the Mesh plane which I"m trying to avoid, (texture is little to large.)

Edit, got it.

RebelLaser2.png

.

[sedenion]

Below is one of my new textures (for TFTC) I've made from scratch, using an outer glow and long-shadow effect to get the "feathering out" look. It's 1024 x 64. I cannot get the glow on fringes to look quite like yours, but it's close and sort of abruptly hard-stops at the edge of the Mesh plane which I"m trying to avoid, (texture is little to large.) Would you or anyone else be interested in editing this?

I am not sur what you are asking for. To be able to create a large glow effect, you have to modify the 3D model / sprite, to make it wider. Once your 3D model is wide enough, you change the core / glow ratio into your texture, to make a larger gradient surounding the core.

[sedenion]

So, I did some adjustments. You will find the new download link in the first topic.

The main source of the "glare" at close range was the position of the back cross-section polygon, which were... at back, so, very close to the camera when laser just spawns. I moved this sprite at front position , wich dim greatly (but don't suppress) this "glare" effect at close range for spacecrafts like A-Wing, Y-Wing and Tie-Fighter. This simple modification improve the "gross" effect noticed by Dark Saber while keeping the high visibility at long range from back and front view (which is the case of lasers you fired).

I also adjusted the brightness/opacity of the green lasers, which were too bright/dense, they are now more balanced. Finally, I adjusted the Ion lasers colors and brighness/opacity to harmonize with the red and green lasers.

Still the main problem: Due to the 3D engine limitations, the "gradient" still not very beautifull at close range. However, I don't know if it is due to the 8bits texture, or the magnification filter which is too rudimentary (performing what is called a "Nearest" instead of "Linear" interpolation). When I create an Opt with 32 bits texture, textures appear all black in the game... Do I need to patch the exe or is it an XwaOptEditor problem ?