Arma 3 Science Fiction Map

[Variable.A 333]

First update (fixes to clutter, new locations, new folliage, Terra Nova spaceship with working flight deck and interrior:

 

pic host

[Variable.A 333]

Has this map been updated recently? I've launched it today and pretty much all grass is gone, including the red ones? :confused:

 

When you made this post the update was not made yet so I dont see what has changed for you.... First update was made 17 min ago from writing this reply. I had changed red grass p3d names maybe will help. Please let me know.

[rioD 77]

I tested it with the new update and I am unable to see grass while having OPTRE loaded. Without OPTRE the grass loads fine. I have the newest version of OPTRE (0.14)

[Valken 621]

Confirmed on what RioD said and I found the problem. The current OpTRE mod has a new map GRIDLOCK included. If the user removes that map from the addons folder, then load up Pandora, the grass shows up.

 

If you leave that map in the folder then load the red grass and crystals do not show up.

 

I have a suggestion.

 

Can you set some (not all) of the crystals to light up at night? I know ARMA will turn "on" light objects at night and its  "off" during the day. It would look immensely cool on Pandora. Same for the cotton ball type plants. I believe you can just inherit or look at the lamp objects in EDEN to get an idea how the code works.

 

Lastly, any consideration to add the purple light up flowers to any of the trees? Example would be like Orchids growing on trees:

 

 

It would nice to see some colors in the trees or in the jungle. just like the Avatar movie.

 

The bases look awesome. It needs more clutter to have that camped in look.

 

I  love playing around this map in EDEN. This, Tanoa and the Unsung jungle map are pure joy in sandbox mode.

[Variable.A 333]

Confirmed on what RioD said and I found the problem. The current OpTRE mod has a new map GRIDLOCK included. If the user removes that map from the addons folder, then load up Pandora, the grass shows up.

 

If you leave that map in the folder then load the red grass and crystals do not show up.

 

I have a suggestion.

 

Can you set some (not all) of the crystals to light up at night? I know ARMA will turn "on" light objects at night and its  "off" during the day. It would look immensely cool on Pandora. Same for the cotton ball type plants. I believe you can just inherit or look at the lamp objects in EDEN to get an idea how the code works.

 

Lastly, any consideration to add the purple light up flowers to any of the trees? Example would be like Orchids growing on trees:

 

 

It would nice to see some colors in the trees or in the jungle. just like the Avatar movie.

 

The bases look awesome. It needs more clutter to have that camped in look.

 

I  love playing around this map in EDEN. This, Tanoa and the Unsung jungle map are pure joy in sandbox mode.

 

 

Big thx for that tip m8, ill put it on steam.

[Private Evans 498]

@ Valken

 

good job :) 

 

@Variable.A

 

The new clutter configuration looks so much better now !! One request though, could you maybe edit the ground textures to fit the satmap. I always find it strange when the satmap for example is green but turns to a complete different colour when being close :)

 

thx and keep it up

[haleks 8204]

Thanks Valken, that did the trick!

 

Variable, I've one request after playing a bit through the map : the jungles felt very silent. I didn't get to hear any wind or birds nor any kind of ambiant sounds.

I don't know how complex it is to configure, but if somehow your terrain could inherit that part from Tanoa, it would add a lot to the overall feeling.

[Valken 621]

Np fellas on the fix.

 

Hope Variable and the OpTRE team can workout the classname conflicts!

 

@ Halek - I use TPWMOD to add forest ambiance. It has sounds and other small environmental enhancements. You can check it out.

 

Agree on the background sounds though. Should really add some "alien" sounds to the jungle and plants. I suspect you can use some Dino growls to make the world feel much more alive or even weird humming or frequency sounds... Those crystals make vibrate and give off some sounds on other worlds... :D

[Variable.A 333]

Sounds will be added soon.

[hcpookie 3770]

Map making is one of the most difficult things to do in the Arma universe.  Give him some time guys!

[Variable.A 333]

Ok sound was added from start but due to come config errors it was not audiable. Now it should work.  Note: random alien sounds are still worked on so they might be anoying.

Base in a cave only access from air or underwater.

 

online photo storage

[Variable.A 333]

I am having serious problems making the crystals glow like flares. Anyone who did it and could help please PM me all help will be much appreciated. 

[hcpookie 3770]

Well they aren't street lamps!  :D 

 

The way the normal street lamp objects work is that the config has a light source and that's how it is controlled.  Just like a car w/ headlight config.  Theoretically it is always emitting the lights but you only see it at night of course.

 

Now how to apply this to your map. 

 

The crystals in your map are a terrain object are they not?  Like a tree or bush?  I am not sure you can add a light source to them but in theory you could just like a street lamp.  You might need to change the class to be like a street lamp... not sure really.  AND you may need to set the model.cfg for the "object" which would require the light source to be named in the Sections part of the model.cfg just like when adding a light for a vehicle or house... it would take some testing and to be honest not sure it would work for a terrain object that is a tree or bush.

 

You could just spawn some light objects around the map to make an area glow.  Again, like a street lamp - meaning you would need to have a new crystal config for the ones that contain the light source.  These "light crystals" would be a custom shaped street lamp at its core.  Randomly place those around the map and you have the glow area but not in every. single. crystal.

 

We may still be limited to a certain number of light sources in a map before things start to behave badly.  I suspect there is still an upper limit to the number of light sources that can render all at once on a map.  Never have investigated so that may not be true, just speculation on my part.

[djotacon 190]

20:26:56 Warning Message: Cannot open object a3\vegetation_f_exp\clutter\grass\c_forest_biglleaves.p3d

20:26:56 Warning Message: Cannot load texture namjunglelarge\data\grass_co.paa.
 

20:26:57 bimpas no longer expected on terrain - reexport pandora\pandora.wrp

 

I found this warnings over and over again when I try to load the map, theres a fix ?
 

[hcpookie 3770]

What version of Arma are you running?

[Variable.A 333]

20:26:56 Warning Message: Cannot open object a3\vegetation_f_exp\clutter\grass\c_forest_biglleaves.p3d

20:26:56 Warning Message: Cannot load texture namjunglelarge\data\grass_co.paa.

 

20:26:57 bimpas no longer expected on terrain - reexport pandora\pandora.wrp

 

I found this warnings over and over again when I try to load the map, theres a fix ?

 

 

 

Did you sub on workshop or some other source ?

[Variable.A 333]

Well they aren't street lamps!  :D

 

The way the normal street lamp objects work is that the config has a light source and that's how it is controlled.  Just like a car w/ headlight config.  Theoretically it is always emitting the lights but you only see it at night of course.

 

Now how to apply this to your map. 

 

The crystals in your map are a terrain object are they not?  Like a tree or bush?  I am not sure you can add a light source to them but in theory you could just like a street lamp.  You might need to change the class to be like a street lamp... not sure really.  AND you may need to set the model.cfg for the "object" which would require the light source to be named in the Sections part of the model.cfg just like when adding a light for a vehicle or house... it would take some testing and to be honest not sure it would work for a terrain object that is a tree or bush.

 

You could just spawn some light objects around the map to make an area glow.  Again, like a street lamp - meaning you would need to have a new crystal config for the ones that contain the light source.  These "light crystals" would be a custom shaped street lamp at its core.  Randomly place those around the map and you have the glow area but not in every. single. crystal.

 

We may still be limited to a certain number of light sources in a map before things start to behave badly.  I suspect there is still an upper limit to the number of light sources that can render all at once on a map.  Never have investigated so that may not be true, just speculation on my part.

 

Lol really not what I expect ;)  I want to make the object itself glow. Its done via object setup and config setup for that object. I need to figure out the script. I know Poolpunk did it with his plp_beachobjects for the lanterns ineed to get to him

[Valken 621]

Hi Variable,

 

Maybe you can look at the chemlights / glowsticks configs to see how that lights up. I believe that would be more believable than street lamp brightness but you can have a some BIG crystals that light up more than little ones later. Crystals do naturally GROW over time.

 

Also, don't make all of them glow the same color. Variation would give off better ambiance.

[djotacon 190]

Did you sub on workshop or some other source ?

 

Worshop, but sadly the fps of the map are very low to be playable - and fun - to me and I remove the map.

 

I want to say thank you for your effort and support, but to me the fps are critical in my own vision as mission content creator and this kind of maps are out my interest.

[Variable.A 333]

photoupload

[rioD 77]

Looking awesome! One question though as I am always seeing OPTRE content being used in your pictures, are you planning to use the OPTRE City Blocks to create a city? Personally I think it would really fit your setting but of course that is totally up to you  :)

[hcpookie 3770]

That would create a mod dependency.

[bad benson 1733]

to make object self illuminate you simple crank up the emmisive value on the material (rvmat) as far as i remember.

 

i have one suggestion about the clutter in general. just my personal opinion. i feel like the crystals are overused. i'd rather like to see them used more context sensitive like in selective barren areas instead of mixed in with all the grass.

 

maybe have larger objects liek them like this and have the clutter around them.

 

https://ae01.alicdn.com/kf/HTB1FeUuKVXXXXX9XVXXq6xXFXXXQ/fantasy-landscape-art-font-b-artwork-b-font-nature-scenery-mysterious-font-b-crystal-b-font.jpg

 

you already have these specific areas so what you are doing isn't too far off from what i mean. i don't strictly mean like seperating the map into totally different bioms (although that would be cool too) but rather having more patches of crytals instead of having them spread out very evenly.

 

it might also overall be a good idea to try not to use solid objects using the clutter engine. that stuff is not going to work with AI the same way as hand placed objects i think. i mean in terms of blockign AIs view. not sure if they changed that.

 

also. i noticed the crystals swinging in th wind. if i haven't missed you fixing that, check out this. https://community.bistudio.com/wiki/Named_Properties#class

 

look for bushsoft and bushhard

[Variable.A 333]

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[hcpookie 3770]

Yeah I didn't think to adjust the RVMAT, but that would make a consistent glow for each crystal.  I like that idea of a "cluster" as it would make the lighting more specific.  All sorts of cool ideas :)   Of course advice is "free" until you decide to take it LOL

 

Good idea for the space elevator.  I really like it.  Would be cool to be used for a satellite platform or "base" way up high.  I don't know map work that well but it would certainly be interesting! 

 

Looking forward to seeing what else you think up.  Liking those big geodesic dome "covers" too.  I'm really just liking everything on the map!  :)