Cockpits Redux

[Tolwyn]

For this week’s update, we would like to give you a sneak preview of the Longbow cockpit. Although cockpits weren’t included in the prologue campaign, they will be available in the upcoming full release. We have tried to stay as faithful as possible to the original cockpit designs, as seen in Wing Commander 3. In fact, some upcoming code changes in the SCP engine will allow us to do a few things with cockpits that we didn’t think were possible until now… but you’ll have to wait until later to hear more about that. Check out the Longbow cockpit (created by our newest member limdaelp) below:

[Howard Day]

Nice job. How are these going to be displayed in the game? Are they full 3d objects, or something more along the lines of the original sprites?

[Bandit LOAF]

One of the (few) sad things about Armada/III/IV (and actually Privateer, which switched engines) is that they dropped the '3D cockpit' mode -- one of the original bragging points of the RealSpace engine.

[gevatter Lars]

The current development is going toward 3D objects.

[BrynS]

Nice work, limdaelp!

All the fine detail seems to be there and it's really crisp like the WC3 cockpits. Are you guys hoping/planning to put in the "hand-on-stick" flightstick/yoke animations seen in WC1-3 or is that not possible to do at the moment?

[Vinman]

Originally Posted by Bandit LOAF

One of the (few) sad things about Armada/III/IV (and actually Privateer, which switched engines) is that they dropped the '3D cockpit' mode -- one of the original bragging points of the RealSpace engine.

That would have been neat, but I don't know if they would have aged well.

[gevatter Lars]

As far as I know there won't be a visible flightstick...on the other hand till not so long ago we didn't know that we will have the cockpits the way we have them now.
But when I should guess that feature will have a quite low priority for the coders.

[Haliwali]

Nobody likes a tease, I want these now!

[Houkiboshi]

Nice Tolwyn... You guys sure have a taste for big pics...

They look amazing...

I was checking the Saga Web page and was wandering why you stopped updating some parts...

I mean, in the Downloads section you could place the prologue, the "fan" missions, the WC IV "demo" etc...

Also in the "media" section doesn't have the latest screenshots you guys have posted...

Anyways, so far it looks great!

I’ll be looking forward to a new release from you guys

[Haliwali]

While we're on that the progress sevtion could use an update.

[gevatter Lars]

Yah that is Tolwyns construction site but I think he has exams currently and in his spare time he is working on some missions and bughunting.

[Haliwali]

My deepest sympathy.

[Tolwyn]

Originally Posted by Howard Day

Nice job. How are these going to be displayed in the game? Are they full 3d objects, or something more along the lines of the original sprites?

Cockpits will be in 3d: this means lightning effects will be applied. Right now we are working on two things:

1. integration of cockpits without model modifications. The cockpit model will be loaded separately, it will not be part of a fighter mesh. As an added bonus: no modifications to existing models will be required.
2. HUD elements will be moved around. The final result should look like in WC3. For example: the comm screen will be overlayed over the target view, some gauges (which did not exist in WC3/4) will have to go.

Originally Posted by BrynS

Are you guys hoping/planning to put in the "hand-on-stick" flightstick/yoke animations seen in WC1-3 or is that not possible to do at the moment?

Currently not possible and, unfortunately, it is unlikely to change.

Originally Posted by Houkiboshi

I mean, in the Downloads section you could place the prologue, the "fan" missions, the WC IV "demo" etc...

Also in the "media" section doesn't have the latest screenshots you guys have posted...

Good point! Although: the wc4 demo IS in the downloads section.

Originally Posted by Haliwali

While we're on that the progress sevtion could use an update.

It is very difficult to estimate real status of the game. Certainly, a lot of progress has been made since the Prologue release, but at the same time we have to go back to already finished missions/sounds/models/... and add a detail here and there, depending on recent engine enchancements. We'll update the status section in a bit.

Originally Posted by gevatter Lars

Yah that is Tolwyns construction site but I think he has exams currently and in his spare time he is working on some missions and bughunting.

Unfortunately that's the current deal. I've just passed my first exam (in medieninformatik), 4 are still to go.

[Houkiboshi]

Originally Posted by Tolwyn

Good point! Although: the wc4 demo IS in the downloads section.

Hehe... Sorry, my bad


BTW, I like the "Random Quote" and "Random Image" thing... Nice detail

[BrynS]

Originally Posted by Tolwyn

Currently not possible and, unfortunately, it is unlikely to change.

Ok, no problem. I can't wait to see it all come together in motion!

You mention re(moving) FS2 HUD components, where appropriate, to fit the WC3 cockpits -- will you guys then "lockdown" the configurable HUD options in the game (like colour, opacity, etc)? I wouldn't mind either way, but perhaps it might be better if this was set and not user configurable, so that each cockpit was consistent with it's WC3 layout?

One other slightly different query: would you guys be able to release a set of default key bindings in the main campaign that replicate or are as close to the WC3 key bindings as possible, instead of the FS2 defaults?

[gevatter Lars]

As it stands now and to my knowledge, the HUD layout is set in a file for each fighter. So you can surely search for the file and edit it but players won't have to option to play around with the layout.
Opacity and color will most likely stay editable...how would I miss my blue layout ^_^
I am not sure if, with this new addition it will also be possible to also lock this stuff.

For the keybinding I think there is also a file but I am not sure. I got so used to it over time and changed the one or two keys I need.

[Tolwyn]

Originally Posted by BrynS

You mention re(moving) FS2 HUD components, where appropriate, to fit the WC3 cockpits -- will you guys then "lockdown" the configurable HUD options in the game (like colour, opacity, etc)? I wouldn't mind either way, but perhaps it might be better if this was set and not user configurable, so that each cockpit was consistent with it's WC3 layout?

The basic layout will be defined for each fighter in a tbl file (called hud_gauges.tbl). Furthermore, we plan to lock the hud configuration options in the options screen. The thing is: since the cockpit will feature textured screens most of the gauges will be, most likely, transparent.

One other slightly different query: would you guys be able to release a set of default key bindings in the main campaign that replicate or are as close to the WC3 key bindings as possible, instead of the FS2 defaults?

I hope so. The thing is: while FS2 controls are hardly more complex than in Wing Commander the sheer amount of available keys is very confusing to a casual player. SCP has plans for making key bindings modable, right now the only way would be to edit the source directly.

I believe, that the key binding feature is staged for the 3.6.11 installment of SCP. However, it may take another year till it comes out. For instance, 3.6.10 was supposed to be out a month ago, but it was delayed due to a number of annoying bugs. (This is partially the reason why the multiplayer patch is taking so long).

[Oggy]

Super work, I am liking the look of that Longbow cockpit, can't wait to "get in it" in game

Will the turrets have a cockpit too? or would that be a step too far?

[frostytheplebe]

Dude, those look awesome, I agree with Loaf about some of the later WC games. I was always hoping to see new cockpits that had lights flashing in-flight buttons lighting up, then dying down, just different tech details.
But yours looks absolutely awesome.

[Tolwyn]

Originally Posted by Oggy

Will the turrets have a cockpit too? or would that be a step too far?

Unlikely. Currently turrets are controlled by the ai and it is doing a very good job.

[NinjaLA]

what cockpits.. all I see is a screen full of depressingly dark.

[Dyret]

Originally Posted by NinjaLA

what cockpits.. all I see is a screen full of depressingly dark.

WC3's cockpits were pretty dark, too.

[Kevin Caccamo]

Originally Posted by Tolwyn

Check out the Longbow cockpit (created by our newest member limdaelp)

*cough* limdaepl *cough*

[ChrisReid]

Originally Posted by Dyret

WC3's cockpits were pretty dark, too.

Depends on the cockpit. Longbow was somewhat dark in WC3, but the others not really. Either way, I'd use brighter images to show off my new model.