Ambience: Images of local population

[Keeper]

One thing that the Amiga version of Elite introduced was an image of one of the local population of a planet, so if it said "Fat white felines" there was an image of a fat white feline (big bulgy eyes and wicked teeth as I remember it). That might be a nice little add-on for the F7 screen.

I don't know if it's possible to have a second image display on top of an existing background screen, though. One possible workaround, perhaps, is simply to make a "3D" object, but really 2D -- a simple rectangle -- and render that, perhaps just left of and slightly overlapping the spinning planet. (Then of course eventually modelers could go nuts and make real 3D models of the various body types...)

I'm not sure how feasible that is, but it would be a neat little addition to the ambience, I think.

[another_commander]

It is feasible through OXPing. Here is a screenie, done as proof of concept some versions of the game ago. If the inhabitants' description contains the word "insect", then the insect image is overlaid. It doesn't work for localized versions of course, but it did serve as demonstration that images of local life forms can be utilized on the System Info screen.

[GGShinobi]

Cool! I'd like that!!

[Keeper]

Yeah! Just need an artist to do all the different body styles. Colors can be adjusted via specular mapping if you apply the images to a simple rectangle as a "3D" model, so you may not need all that many different images, I reckon.

[cim]

Yeah! Just need an artist to do all the different body styles. Colors can be adjusted via specular mapping if you apply the images to a simple rectangle as a "3D" model, so you may not need all that many different images, I reckon.

Depends how much detail you want to go into. Species List

[Smivs]

Depends how much detail you want to go into. Species List

So are we supposed to be scared of these?

Fierce Harmless Bony Lobsters.
Fierce Harmless Bug-Eyed Lobsters.
Fierce Harmless Fat Birds.
Fierce Harmless Fat Felines.
Fierce Harmless Fat Insects.
Fierce Harmless Frogs.
Fierce Harmless Furry Felines.
Fierce Harmless Furry Humanoids.
Fierce Harmless Horned Lobsters.
Fierce Harmless Lizards.
Fierce Harmless Rodents.
Fierce Harmless Slimy Frogs.
Fierce Harmless Slimy Lizards.

[Eric Walch]

So are we supposed to be scared of these?

Fierce Harmless Fat Insects.
Fierce Harmless Frogs.

Maybe the frog is harmless to us, humanoids, but I think that the Fat Insects have another opinion about it......

[Smivs]

Or maybe the frog should be worried...

[Rorschachhamster]

So are we supposed to be scared of these?

Fierce Harmless Fat Insects.
Fierce Harmless Frogs.

Maybe the frog is harmless to us, humanoids, but I think that the Fat Insects have another opinion about it......

Maybe they are only fierce if you cross them, but are generally good natured? Harmless unless provoked?

But, regarding the pictures, look here. A solution like this could maybe work for species pictures as well...

[cim]

So are we supposed to be scared of these?

Fierce Harmless Bony Lobsters.

Well, it's only a planetary average. Personally I think "the majority of the planetary inhabitants have killed fewer than 8 ships" might still merit "Fierce" overall...

[PhantorGorth]

You can be fierce and harmless. That is what the saying "His bark is worse than his bite" was invented for.

[Lestradae]

So, any takers for the oxp?

[ZygoUgo]

I'm willing to submit ideas and sketches to start with, scripting I'm still struggling with.
I would suggest that..
Harmless = kind eyes
Fierce = gaping toothy/sharp mouth

I think the combination would work with the right sense of humour.

EDIT: Is any one taking this on from the scripting side? Is it worth waiting for the next CC-Library? I think it was said that would only work in flight, I'm guessing otherwise would involve begging for a change to trunk...?
Answers on a postcard please!

[GGShinobi]

I would suggest that..
Harmless = kind eyes
Feirce = gaping toothy/sharp mouth

I think the combination would work with the right sense of humour.

this sounds like it's gonna be big fun to look at!

[pagroove]

http://wiki.alioth.net/index.php/File:XBN.jpg

I made this one some years ago.
Now for all races.
It really is a massive project if you want to include all races. I did some birds not so long ago. Some are reasonable but they look drawn.
I really hope someone takes this mammoth task someday and make this dream come true.