Development Blog Update - Alien view mode experiments

MaxMax Technical Director, Unknown Worlds Entertainment Join Date: 2002-03-15 Member: 318Super Administrators, Retired Developer, NS1 Playtester, Forum Moderators, NS2 Developer, Constellation, Subnautica Developer, Pistachionauts, Future Perfect Developer
Please post comments on the topic Development Blog Update - Alien view mode experiments here
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  • DJPenguinDJPenguin Useless Join Date: 2003-07-29 Member: 18538Members
    edited February 2011
    awesome. thinning the yellow outlines (at least on the teeth/jaw) would make it better imo.
  • NortonNorton Join Date: 2005-01-13 Member: 35264Members
    sooo cool! hope to see these effects implemented somehow.
  • JirikiJiriki retired ns1 player Join Date: 2003-01-04 Member: 11780Members, NS1 Playtester, Squad Five Silver
    edited February 2011
    Cool stuff. I've made fragmovies, and easily customizable shaders would be awesome. CGShader added nice bloom for HL1 engine.

    Alien flashlight could utilize some of these ideas. Like toggleable feature.

    Also I suppose siege effect and repairing or building could use that.
  • TacotaTacota Join Date: 2009-10-12 Member: 69027Members
    edited February 2011
    That is awesome. The first effect that was shown, some variation could be used that basically makes it impossible to see if there is light. So looking down a lit hallway would be like a blank color.. so you would only want it on in dark rooms.

    Or could just go with the sonar thing. It just will pulse for a moment, having a cooldown or something and using energy.

    Or maybe when its on, marine steps send out a small shockwave of that light(like ripples when throwing a rock in the water)

    Any of the ideas yall had would be great. Some great brainstorming. Can't wait to see some of those effects in game.

    Love the idea for its marine implementation.

    Scanner sweep thing would be awesome. Maybe leaving an alien highlighted for a second or two after its been swept over.

    Ahhh so much potential. Great work!
  • TheLordTheLord Join Date: 2003-05-13 Member: 16258Members
    This is pure win :)

    You should do more of these kind of vids, showing off your workstyle!
  • PlasmaPlasma Join Date: 2003-04-26 Member: 15855Members, Constellation, Squad Five Blue
    "So can you do <long complicated thing but is really cool sounding>
    Max: "Ah yeah sure, thats easy" haha

    Those effects are really fricken cool.

    The effect at 5:05 looks really nice.

    It was disorienting/eye straining for me though when it was continuously pulsing at the end, so something like 5:05 as a 'constant' thing would be nicer on the eyes.

    You could perhaps combine the two though, when you turn on the night vision do the pulse effect that looks sweet, then transition to the effect at 5:05 for example.

    --

    OHH! And!

    A marine scanner sweep should have that pulsing effect like the last few minutes of the video, but in a blue shade (for marines) when the commander does a sweep, that would be fricken sweeeeet.
  • ShushShush Join Date: 2004-03-10 Member: 27257Members
    thank you so much for updating us
  • JibrailJibrail Join Date: 2009-04-16 Member: 67200Members
    edited February 2011
    GG spark but GJ Max!
    really great stuff.






    Allright u know what I am watching it again, Max in my book you are a GOD.
  • IeptBarakatIeptBarakat The most difficult name to speak ingame. Join Date: 2009-07-10 Member: 68107Members, Constellation, NS2 Playtester, Squad Five Blue, NS2 Map Tester, Reinforced - Diamond, Reinforced - Shadow
    Maximum Radar vision.
  • DY357LXDY357LX Playing since day 1. Still can&#39;t Comm. England Join Date: 2002-10-27 Member: 1651Members, Constellation
    Superb video. (Gets the geek in me very excited when I see code being flung around like that.)

    More videos would be very nice!
  • HarimauHarimau Join Date: 2007-12-24 Member: 63250Members
    edited February 2011
    That was freaking awesome. I preferred the first few experiments most even if they were a little bit over the top, but I think the pulsing one at the end was pretty good, except that I don't like the downtime due to the old pulse fading after every pulse - if you could have a new pulse overlap the fading of the old pulse to some extent, that would be cool and make it more useful - so there's basically only a small section that doesn't get illuminated between pulses, rather than the entire view, until a new pulse. Ideally give it more of a fading out look when the pulse recedes, too; rather than make it so clear cut - so it's kinda like, updating the information.
    It'd be great if you could enable a whole bunch of these different options in-game for us to choose from, and then you could get feedback on which ones are most popular and which ones work best.
  • ChickenOfWarChickenOfWar Join Date: 2003-04-09 Member: 15352Members
    Awesome effect.

    An Idea: Perhaps the marine scanner sweep could affect a single ENTIRE room. When the commander drops the sweep the marines on the ground see ONE of those big waves envelope the room. Make the wave a techy cyan or deep blue color. A slight haze is left over the whole room that slowly fades away AND any cloaked or otherwise aliens in the room are then detected and glow blue for a short period of time, breaking their stealth and making them easier to see. The glowing blue could be the scanner detecting the aliens and the nanites in the suit assisting the user to find the xenos.

    The very essence of a scanner sweep!



    I dont know if the waves should be used for the alien night vision. Unless it's treated as ACTUAL sonar and the marines/structures only light up and quickly fade to normal right after the wave hits, but the waves are sent out perhaps... every second?

    Otherwise the neat 'cel-shading' outline could be used for a nice looking night vision.
  • StinkyStinky Join Date: 2007-12-16 Member: 63182Members
    Gonna have to put on some Hendrix whenever I play as aliens, now.
  • twilitebluetwiliteblue bug stalker Join Date: 2003-02-04 Member: 13116Members, NS2 Playtester, Squad Five Blue
    edited February 2011
    I never thought I'd watch coding videos in HD. O_O

    I hope the viewmodels outlines will be more subtle, so they won't be too distracting.

    Will marine outlines show through alien viewmodels (eg teeth)? Also, will players show up in different colours to structures?
  • rada660rada660 Join Date: 2010-01-28 Member: 70342Members
    well i could suggest a better "sonar like" effect, i seen that its more liek a box going forward then when its pass its return like there was no box then its retyurn ( and etc, sorry if im not understandable, im trying my best >.> ) how about make its slow but one after the one ( forgot the term ) and on each "big line" the picture you actually see update ( maybe make its faster or something ) liek a real sonar :P wonder if you can see what im trying to say :o
  • QuovatisQuovatis Team Inversion Join Date: 2010-01-26 Member: 70321Members, NS2 Playtester, Squad Five Blue
    Wow, great stuff. That's awesome how you can change it so quickly in real time and play around with it. You have some talented folks!
  • TyphonTyphon Join Date: 2002-11-01 Member: 1899Members
    edited February 2011
    100% pure awesome.

    I like the very first effect for alien vision. I don't think of it as being sonar-based, but rather an amalgam of high sensitivity vision with heat sensitivity too.

    I like the last effect, but blue, for scanner sweep. Pulse goes out, highlights edges/removes shadows, then when the sweep expires the second pulse goes out, removing the effect. Or possibly it pulses out repeatedly, but have the effect decay to nothing on its own (but its refreshed by the next wave), don't have the even numbered waves remove the effect.
  • IeptBarakatIeptBarakat The most difficult name to speak ingame. Join Date: 2009-07-10 Member: 68107Members, Constellation, NS2 Playtester, Squad Five Blue, NS2 Map Tester, Reinforced - Diamond, Reinforced - Shadow
    edited February 2011
    <!--quoteo(post=1831246:date=Feb 10 2011, 10:07 PM:name=ChickenOfWar)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (ChickenOfWar @ Feb 10 2011, 10:07 PM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1831246"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->Awesome effect.

    An Idea: Perhaps the marine scanner sweep could affect a single ENTIRE room. When the commander drops the sweep the marines on the ground see ONE of those big waves envelope the room. Make the wave a techy cyan or deep blue color. A slight haze is left over the whole room that slowly fades away AND any cloaked or otherwise aliens in the room are then detected and glow blue for a short period of time, breaking their stealth and making them easier to see. The glowing blue could be the scanner detecting the aliens and the nanites in the suit assisting the user to find the xenos.

    The very essence of a scanner sweep!



    I dont know if the waves should be used for the alien night vision. Unless it's treated as ACTUAL sonar and the marines/structures only light up and quickly fade to normal right after the wave hits, but the waves are sent out perhaps... every second?

    Otherwise the neat 'cel-shading' outline could be used for a nice looking night vision.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->


    That Idea sounds awesome. I really hope they consider this.

    Also the range should just be the normal scanner sweep range.

    Edit: Oh wait, the already talked about it. heh
  • garvanigarvani Join Date: 2009-09-02 Member: 68678Members
    edited February 2011
    Loving the nature of this video! the whole on the fly editing of code and seeing what happens when you change X.. Spark engine ftw thats for sure! You should do more of these videos, youve really spoilt us in the last week or so with all the video updates, now your going to have to pull through and continue on :)

    IMO, Aliens should have the first effect as a spotlight ability (continiuous infa-red highlighting effect) .. The last pulsating effect should indeed be a scanner sweep, basically like ChickenOfWar outlined with the added effect that the aliens in the room should also see the pulse when a commander drops a sweep in the room.. will be a big "oh %$#^" moment for any aliens hanging around!
  • ShushShush Join Date: 2004-03-10 Member: 27257Members
    The pulsating effect would suit xenos aswell, just make it more gritty and maybe add some FX. Really original effect which should be utilized!
  • lunsluns Join Date: 2010-12-05 Member: 75502Members
    edited February 2011
    loved the video guys, really amazing stuff.

    here are some comments about alien vision:

    1. Don't make it to much visual appealing, simple is always better
    2.don't make anything flicker! during combat it would suck seeing the whole room or part of it move!


    the best vision i've seen in this video starts in 1:20 - you see marines, objects and the environment looks creepy.
    I only hated the skulks mouth was highlighted, seeing that constantly on your screen during combat will get annoying quickly.

    what was the final alien vision selected? and will it be turned on pushing F for flashlight as it should be?
  • RuntehRunteh Join Date: 2010-06-26 Member: 72163Members, Reinforced - Shadow
    That was awesome. I agree with the post above. The last one was the clearest, but the 2nd overlapping pulse should refresh the 1st one not erase it.

    Some coding gods of genius in that room. Loved how casual Matt was in the description of planes.

    More videos like this would be brilliant, the community feeds off it and you can get quick dirty feedback.

    Awesome stuff, going back to have another watch.
  • Mr. EpicMr. Epic Join Date: 2003-08-01 Member: 18660Members, Constellation
    Fantastic eye-candy. I can't recall any other game that has anything close should this be used for dynamic events like the scanner sweep. A blue tinged scanner sweep effect, one that matches the color of the marine interface and looks like the planar lasers from aliens (so as it sweeps there is a slight texture going on), would be absolutely awesome.

    These sorts of videos are a great way to get people interested and keep them excited, keep these up!
  • SatanLovesYOuSatanLovesYOu Join Date: 2004-05-03 Member: 28410Members, Reinforced - Shadow
    I think making way points work with this system would be great. Give them a line on the floors surface like (I can't believe I'm gonna suggest this but) like the Dead Space 1 navigation.
  • PsiWarpPsiWarp Gifted Gorge Richmond, B.C., Canada Join Date: 2010-08-28 Member: 73810Members
    Aw man! That echolocation looks sweet, but as stated above, the 2nd version with the infared is overall easier for the eyes.

    For me, it'll be wonderful if the vision mode is a combination of pulse + infared (pulse at intervals to refresh the infared)
  • FehaFeha Join Date: 2006-11-16 Member: 58633Members
    The stuff was really cool and awesome, but...

    I did not really like the idea of the pulsing stuff being the alien flashlight, I prefered the continous one.

    Also, if marines get a motion scanner, it could do ripples when something moves, like some other guy said. Basiclly, anything moving gets highlighted and causes the sonar effect to ripple out (fades out really quickly), making the object and its surrounding area visible.
  • HarimauHarimau Join Date: 2007-12-24 Member: 63250Members
    edited February 2011
    <!--quoteo(post=1831259:date=Feb 11 2011, 11:18 AM:name=luns)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (luns @ Feb 11 2011, 11:18 AM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1831259"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->as it should be<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
    Book of Luns 2:11
    King James Version
  • CrispixCrispix Join Date: 2007-01-10 Member: 59543Members, Constellation, Reinforced - Supporter, Reinforced - Silver, Reinforced - Gold, Reinforced - Diamond, Reinforced - Shadow
    Dayyyyum.

    Awesome stuff Max.
  • ZenoZeno Join Date: 2007-09-05 Member: 62183Members
    Awesome!
    After all we've seen during the week i thought it can't get any better. But UW once again proofs it's awesomeness.

    I think the radar styled view is too distracting and not very biological. If the aliens use sonar or some similar way to see in the dark then the pictures they see should be snapshots frequently followed by each other. Imagine walking in a completely dark room illuminated by stroboscopes(maybe you've seen this in a disco already). You see single pictures as you move without the updates in between them. Speaking of the just for fun release,... i think UW MUST do this ;)
    I really like the effect at 5:05, although it looks like the room is being lit by light reflected from water.
    The effect at the beginning/predator on acid is probably the best for the gameplay (doesn't look so cool though).

    That said, why not actually make a "just for fun"/test release where we can try some effects by pressing buttons? The Wolfire guys do that in every alpha.
  • RuntehRunteh Join Date: 2010-06-26 Member: 72163Members, Reinforced - Shadow
    Maybe the sweep could be for the scanner (as suggested) and some sort of visor upgrade that highlights vents, aliens, and gives other info somehow?
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