Smivs' OXPs and Oolite v1.80/1.82

[Smivs]

Now that's a good idea! I'd forgotten about all the new roles available, but as both varieties have the same spec they would probably not be viewed as specialised. Unless assassins are particularly fond of purple of course.

In general my current thinking is to convert the ship OXPs as they are for now (including the Clippers which I wasn't sure about at first), then take a more detailed look at them later with a view to releasing an updated version then.

[Cody]

Unless assassins are particularly fond of purple of course.

They are! I know this because they pursue Mercurial Amethyst relentlessly.

[Smivs]

<chuckles>

[Smivs]

I've just spotted a typo in the shipdata for the Contractor OXZ. The normal_map is not being recognized and this is throwing log errors. This OXZ will be fully updated very soon anyway, so I'll leave it for now and fix the typo in the new release.
To fix your own copy, open the shipdata.plist, go to the Materials section and change the normal_map file extension from .pmg to .png

[Smivs]

Update:-
Contractor has now been fully converted to use the Oolite v1.80 features, so the OXZ has been re-issued (as v1.4). Of the other ship OXPs already done, YellOo Cabs was updated for the original conversion, and Teretrurus didn't really need any changes, so they are both OK for now pending routine updates/bug-fixes, neither of which are expected. Technical details like using shipdata templates can wait for any re-issues.
The converted Ambience and Equipment OXPs are also good as they are, so barring problems will stay as they are now.
And of course my first full OXZ release, Better Buoys has been added to the mix.
My next priority will be to look at the Combat HUD which simply needs MFDs added, so that should happen in the next couple of days, then I plan to look at Star Jelly and Giant Space Pizza, both of which will need a bit of a tweak in terms of how they are spawned - I should use the new populator mechanism for these, so hopefully that won't take too long.
Also pencilled in for priority attention is Clippers, which will (for now at least) continue to use the 'classic' models. This OXP therefore needs a shipdata re-organisation and a bit of a look at the roles used for NPCs etc. Again this should not take long.
Longer-term, my thoughts about the shipset are now forming, and I'll give you an idea about that when I know for sure what is going to happen with it. It will certainly live on one way or another (or maybe two ways ).

[Smivs]

Combat HUD now updated with MFDs and a new 'Red Alert' feature.

[Smivs]

BattleDamage is now available as an OXZ. This is v1.1, the 'universal' one. The SmivsShipset version has not been converted.

[Smivs]

Star-jelly has now been updated and released as an OXZ. They will be less common in this version, and the bug/feature where Miners were attacking them has been fixed as well.

In other news, I am considering not converting/updating Wonderworm. It was always meant as a bit of a joke, an exercise in excess just to show how stupid things can get when restraint is defenestrated, and considering the current debate on Balance in OXZs I wonder whether it should have a place in the Managed AddOns at all. My thoughts are that it should not, although it will live on as an OXP if anybody really does want it for any reason.

Regarding the shipset, my thoughts are now focussing and I expect to make a decision and announcement very soon.

[Gimi]

OXPs that will not be converted:-
Jellybaby Dispenser
This one has had its day, I'm afraid, and will not be converted.
Please let me have your thoughts.
Thanks,
Smivs

I firmly believe that the tribute to arguably the biggest derailment of a thread in the history of this forum should remain alive. I still chuckle and think of this forum whenever I see Jellybabies in the shops.
I do see that an OXZ version is available on the wiki, bit it doesn't seem to be available in game.

Plz

[Smivs]

Oh, Gimi, stop sowing seeds of doubt in my mind!
I have to be honest and confess to a great affection for this as well, and it won't disappear as it will live on as an OXP, as will all the non-converted OXPs. The wiki page will stay in place (which doesn't mention an OXZ by the way - where did you see that?) as will any listings in the OXP table etc, and the OXP download will remain active.
I just feel that it was one of those things that was for a certain moment in time, a moment which has now passed.

[Diziet Sma]

tribute to arguably the biggest derailment of a thread in the history of this forum

Linky?

[Gimi]

tribute to arguably the biggest derailment of a thread in the history of this forum

Linky?

<Surfaces after extensive forum diving>

Here you go.

And then it spreads out to several other threads. A search for Jellybabies on the forum is needed to get a good overview.

[Smivs]

<Smivs doesn't believe his thread is being Jellybabied!>

[Gimi]

<Smivs doesn't believe his thread is being Jellybabied again!>

Fixed that for you.

[Smivs]

Clippers has now been converted and is available as OXZ via the Expansions Manager.

In other news, I think I have decided what to do with Smivs'Shipset.
Converting shipsets is one of the most daunting aspects of the move to OXZs, for two reasons. Firstly, the change of default models means that they would need to be started from scratch if the new models were to form the basis of them, and secondly because of the changes to the suggested format of the shipdata, ie the ship variaties are based on templates. Just re-packaging an existing OXP would sort of work, but not very well in other words.
Smivs'Shipset was always destined to continue to use the old default models - I like them - and as they have been incorporated into the OXP for some time (to deal with this eventuality) the model side is not a problem. While being a fair bit of work, the shipdata reorganisation is manageable. All good news so far.
However, with the new default models, I still believe that replacement shipsets will have a fairly limited appeal. However, addition sets could still play a large part in Oolite as people do like a mix of ships and 'looks'. Variety is the spice of life, after all.
So I have decided to go with an idea I've mentioned here a couple of times already, a 'Classic Gold' addition shipset. This will be heavily based on the existing shipset in that it will use the old default models with the engine sub-ents I added. The textures will be re-worked and will keep the best elements of the current ones while paying more of an homage to the original default textures. It is quite hard to explain, so I will try to do one ship ASAP to give you an idea of where this is going.
As well as high-resolution 2048x2048px graphics, I also intend to give the ships normal and specular maps so thay will look even better on shader-capable computers. This will not affect their appearance on non-shader computers - they will be designed to look as good as possible on both.
Some of the special features of the current shipset will go. The visible damage has always been a good idea ahead of its time. It worked very well technically, but not as well as I'd like in terms of 'realism'. Maybe in a future version of Oolite where NPCs have fore and aft shields that can be read and used, and with even more sophisticated materials manipulation available it could be made really good, but for now I think it can go. Also, the default explosions are now much improved, so the 'dramatic explosions' are no longer necessary.
The feature where the ship goes derelict if the pilot ejects is very good already, and will stay as a feature. (Incidently this approach has already been adopted for Clippers OXZ.)
I am also very concious that many users of my current shipset like it because it is quite bright and the ships are perhaps easier to see than the default ones, and that this is particularly true for small screen sizes. Also the low-def version has always been popular among players with older or less powerful computers. The 'Classic Gold' (CG) set may not be so good for these users, so I will also produce a 'Smivs'Shipset Light'. This may be released as a 'replace' set only and will be pared down to the minimum, with much more basic texturing and smaller files (512x512px textures with emissions but no normal or specular mapping). The textures will follow the same styling as the CG set but with reduced detail. I plan to prepare 'base' textures at 2048x2048px as a starting point for the CG set textures, and these can be scaled down for use in the 'Light' shipset. This should save me a lot of duplication, and ensure that both sets look similar as much as possible.

Needless to say this is a huge job, and won't happen overnight, but hopefully they will be worth the wait.