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scotg

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Everything posted by scotg

  1. scotg
    I need a lot of help, but primarily artists right now. If possible, I want this mod to depend on other mods as little as possible - or not at all. That being said, there are certain assets that the characters use which are not part of the ARMA3 package. NATO weapons and devices are commonly seen or mentioned in GI Joe toys, accessories, and media, like AKs, M16s, vzors, DEs, 1911s, SMGs, and so on... and so on... Most of these items and others like them are already available through other mods, but unless they become official assets somehow I wouldn't want to rely on them. PM me if you are an artist interested in creating the following: Weapons - from real world and fictional from the franchise. We won't be going crazy with red and blue lasers rifles. Installations - bases, bunkers, guard stations, etc. There should be some interactive elements to nearly all buildings, like doors at the very least. Characters - GI Joe and Cobra, common soldiers and known personalities on both sides. I'm more interested in generic looks here. E.G.: any GI Joe Machine gunner can be outfitted like "Rock N Roll" or "Roadblock," two known GI Joe machine gunners. E.G. 2: The character "Grunt" should be the uniform basis for any generic GI Joe soldier (aka Greenshirts). Except for top-brass, Cobra soldiers are mostly unknown/generic, so faces can have many interchangeable looks. Even most ranking, identifiable Cobras have some sort of mask or facial obscurity. Vehicles - yes, there are many more vehicles to be made. However, not all of the cool ones are game-friendly, or fit into the rigid confines of RV. E.G.: I have a 3D GI Joe SHARC model, but how would we config a flying submarine in RV? Please note that RV is currently the most GI Joe-ready engine right now, for what I imagine the project to be. RV mod'ers are encouraged to get involved with this project if they like it, but there's no reward other than having worked on an excellent, long-overdue GI Joe game project. However, with enough people eager to embrace the vision I have for this project it can go beyond the confines of RV, so project contributors might need to be prepared to adjust or jump ship. If we do leave RV, it will be for UE4, so at least that's something to consider. This is why I want more artists; as an artist myself, I see it easier to adapt the artwork to another engine while the configs and scripting could be too problematic. For those reading along: RV = Real Virtuosity, the ArmA 3 Game Engine
  2. scotg
    @Nichols You bet! Do you have any modding experience, as well? I'm looking for skilled, interested, reliable individuals who can embrace my vision. Sent me a PM if you want to discuss possibilities. :-)
  3. scotg
    I wonder if it's a side effect of the shape of the hull in the Geometry LOD in relation to the mass distribution. I have a custom tank that can ford 3m waters, but it starts to do exactly what you're describing when it gets near that 3m mark. Its hull is sloped on the underside like a boat, and has an overhang in the front that goes a few feet before the front wheels. Due to its unusual design, it was necessary to utilize mass cubes distributed evenly over the tracks. I wonder if the unweighted geometry up front is acting like an air pocket, or if that's just absurd. If it's feasible, the Madrid and Marshal might have the same thing going on. My tank does not swim, but when it tries speed does seem to amplify the effect.
  4. scotg
    I noticed this in some BI tanks a few months ago. I wanted to bring up issues like this, but I hesitate because it's not exactly within the scope of this thread: tracked vehicle driving and handling. However, I think this could better serve as a general tank improvement thread, if they broaden the topic.
  5. scotg
    The one in the little green trunk/footlocker? I have that, but the moment I opened one video its brittle jewel case snapped where it holds the disc.
  6. scotg
    Lol @porkchop sandwiches! "Hey kid. I'm a computer. Stop all the downloadin'."
  7. scotg
    @katipo66 There are enemies. Of the two vehicle videos so far, the faction owning the tank seeks world domination, while the faction with the buggy seeks to at least prevent tyranny and protect human rights.
  8. scotg
    @Polyus I was hoping to avoid that. LOL.
  9. scotg
    That's a cool video! I have a hi-polygon model of the Viper helmet I made, for 3D printing, but I can create a game-ready version from it once I get around to character focus (or if).
  10. scotg
    I've updated the first post with a new video!
  11. scotg
    Not to throw shade, but nothing in this statement implies exploring solutions. :-\ Offhand, is there a thread covering other aspects of tanking besides driving/handling, like crew animations, turning in/out, or firing modes? Should we just post discussions or questions about these issues here?
  12. scotg
    @lex__1 That is insane! I was furious on your behalf until the launch, when I started laughing my butt off. Looks like it's headed to... Argentina?
  13. scotg
    Nah, I was talking in simple terms. The configs are not straight forward and pertain to values that seem abstract to the every day guy. I was just saying that this hypothetical tool could translate more common values into values the config file understands. Slide up for higher speed, and the MOI and springdamperrate adjust accordingly but also depending on other values. N3ed a better climbing rate? Slide that up and the tool adjusts lateral stiffness, engine power, torque... whatever else. It doesn't have to be rocket science; it just has to help prevent the user from applying unstable value combinations for basic movement functions.
  14. scotg
    If only they could devote this time to creating some sort of ArmA 3 Tool for tank movement. Feed the tool a set of data, via sliders, that your tank needs to perform, and it creates the proper config values in real time*: Max Climb Slope: |-----------------------<>------------------| Engine Power: |----------------------------<>-------------| Torque: |-----------------------<>------------------| Track/Wheel Grip: |-------------------<>----------------------| Top Speed: |-----------------------<>------------------| Turn Speed: |-------------<>----------------------------| Mass: |-------------------<>----------------------| other data: |-----------------------<>------------------| other data: |-----------------------<>------------------| other data: |-----------------------<>------------------| other data: |-----------------------<>------------------| Maybe the interface has number values on each side of the slider, and a number before it representing where the slider is, much like the RVMAT tool. The range of each slider would depend on the other sliders' values, and change in real time* accordingly. I.E.: You wouldn't have a bunch of extremes like super high speed and no torque, or whatever. Below the lay-person section above, another section with actual relative config values will also have sliders that change in real time*, for specific or fine adjustment. Wheel values would be distributed evenly, but drop downs (the number depending on a given wheel number slider input) would enable developers to change individual wheel values. True/False values could be given a checkbox instead of sliders. Configs that exceed their limitations somehow can be marked with a "!" or somesuch. Then a third section would generate a list of possible side effects based on your settings, such as getting hung up on nothing for a few seconds and then suddenly spinning up into an invisible tornado. Others could be track/wheel spin, jerkiness... When you get it all how you want it, you can have it create config lines to paste into your actual config. * real time within the tool. Not to be confused with real time in-game, in case anyone was wondering. I can dream, right?
  15. scotg
    Ok, but the steering wheel animation is already working, and my mods are not confined to modern tanks. "Older" tanks that use sticks need some BI love, too. You might be stuck on 1995-2035 tanks, but some of us mod developers want to have as much detail in our classic tanks as the modern ones get. In fact, sometimes it requires more detail, and BI have made it clear they aren't forgetting mods. When doing an era mod the word "obsolete" has a different standard, and sticks are reasonable.
  16. scotg
    I've implemented the drivingstickLeft/drivingstickRight animations to my tank. Since it has detailed interior models, I'm thrilled to be able to use this! As awesome as these new animations are, there is a major flaw. As I understand it, IRL, tanks have a gas pedal similar to a car, and toe-heel gear shifter similar to a touring motorcycle (i.e.: these are foot controls). Steering with hands works because pulling on a lever applies a brake to the turning-side drive wheel, thus the tracks. It's like having two E-brakes - one for each track, and there is no pushing motion except to release the brake after pulling. In contrast, the E-brakes in game move forward when forward thrust is given, and backward when reverse thrust is given. To properly animate sticks, they should be brake-input-controlled rather than thrust-input-controlled. I don't know how problematic it might be to change all that, but it's worth pointing out. There might be some tanks that utilize the sticks for full tank control, but they are the exception to the norm. Also, even if they were the norm, then there's also the issue of partial thrust animation. Unless steering, the sticks currently go either full forward or full back. Before posting this, I tried changing some values in the animations to limit the movement of the sticks. It was half successful and half worse. Limiting the maxvalue to 0 disables the sticks from moving forward, but also disables any forward-steering animations. It also still animates when reversing without brakes. To summarize: Most tanks commonly use brakes for steering. A3 steering control animation should only be activated when the brake for the corresponding track is applied, however it is calculated.
  17. scotg
    Thanks! When you say "units" are you talking about the Cobra Troops and Officers, or all Cobra assets including vehicles? The Troops are still a work in progress. The Cobra helmets are the only unique part of them that I have modeled (1 for Troopers and 1 for Officers), otherwise they are retextures of existing ArmA content. I want them to be completely original and depend on as few things as possible. Unfortunately, organics and human form are not my strong point, so character building is taking longer. (What trips me up is all the wrinkles and folds that are 1/2 model and 1/2 texturing tricks, along with a lack of expertly knowing how the models fold and bend in this engine.) Once I do get a character asset completed, and I am trying to make it modular for easy changes, then I can start making many more. Hard surfaces like helmets and weapons are easy for me, but softer gear like pouches on harnesses have proven a challenge to me. Also, they are currently relying on other mods' weapons to make them look complete. I have my own Vz61 Skorpion model for them (black plastic grip version), but I haven't started converting it for ArmA3 use. I have yet to model any other weapons mentioned on their file cards here, or here for the officers. As for the vehicles, most of them still need some interior art to be completed and weapons that work. With the exception of the LM002, all vehicles need lower Vis LODs.
  18. scotg
    Some very kind words! I'm happy this is bringing up some great memories. I guess I'll have to figure out something else when I get around to making the JUMP jet pack. Maybe some House of Pain "Jump Around."
  19. scotg
    You know, I was gonna go with welcome to the jungle, but after seeing the jumanji trailer I lost my appetite for G&R.
  20. scotg
    Thanks! I agree that the music seems to help attract more people. It's fun to drive, but not so fun when watching someone else drive without music. Fighting is yet to be determined, as I haven't configured the weapon yet. I wouldn't consider it a run-&-gun vehicle, though. It's more of a "get to a good firing spot and let loose, then scram" kind of vehicle. The weapon is a 10-round, 70mm launcher as per the original toy specs, but it doesn't say what it launches. So, I am going to have to design custom huge 70mm grenades for it. I've got the ammo and ammo case dimensions, but it just comes down to what does a grenade look like for this? Also, there will be a targeting gun on the dash, which the passenger will hold like a sidearm or rifle. It will have a screen and will hopefully have a target-lock or optional fire at will system. I hope that's the right terminology.
  21. scotg
    Hi again, everyone! I've got a couple of tanks whose turbines are visible through the grates, as well as a buggy with cooling fans exposed on top of its engine. Because they are visible, it would look much better if they were rotating when the engines are on. I don't think assigning it a radar animation would be good. I'm not concerned with variable RPMs, either; it just has to look convincing enough. That being said, for the turbines it would make sense if they were visibly gaining momentum at the beginning, but they can maintain a constant speed once they've reached it. Any ideas?
  22. scotg
    So which source will work that way? Direct, hour/minute?
  23. scotg
    I'm not having any luck. Before your suggestion, I tried to implement my theory in the previous post, which was to just make an rpm-activated loop. There's no movement whatsoever. I can check my model.cfg again to see if everything is properly named, but I'm certain it is. Oh wait, I'd need to set up something in the config as well, wouldn't I?
  24. scotg
    All good news! I'll have to add that line for the driver! I still have concerns re. the steering of half-tracks. I don't think that traditionally they had the ability to turn in place, or neutral steer as it were. The tracks simply kept the heavier weight of the vehicles from sinking into soft ground, while the vehicle more or less performed and was controlled as a truck would have been. It seems like enabling steered wheels on tankx would just make it steer in place like a full tank while the front wheels pivot. I hope I'm wrong; I hope it attempts to drive more like a truck. You're right; I don't know how hard or easy it would be. I just wonder if there is a work around that fakes it with visually acceptable results. The flex-band tracks method is a work-around to having 50-150 individual links following a shape-changing line in a loop. Functional individual links are in other modern games, so that wouldn't be an unreasonable request. It's one of those things that can be overlooked, though, because in this game if you're watching the tracks too much then you aren't really gonna do well in the game. So then, regardless of my lack of knowledge on the matter, it is okay to try helping think outside the box. I'm sorry if I seem pushy; I can maybe see that after re-reading. Hey man, I get excited about all these improvements and hypothetical talk, but I also get a little annoyed that I'm only just now getting excited about these things. When people like something a lot, they can get critical. It stems from a passion, and that's a good thing. Also, please excuse the tags if they are still there when I submit. I couldn't edit them out of the quoted sections for some reason.
  25. scotg
    I didn't know it was there in DEV, but anyway can I implement what they've done in DEV into standard mode? It seems like the simulation for non-standard tracks is already there, or could be there with a few minor tweaks. For half-tracks it would work fine if I could figure out how to make the visual effect of texture panning work in carx as they do for tankx. I'm not even sure if it's isolated to tankx, but that's the only way I've seen the tracks move. I can already make the model attach to the dampers, but the texture is static. As far as the track effectiveness, that's just a matter of wheel config. For quad-track vehicles it simply means coding the visual effect to work on steerable wheels and not dependent on the motion of the non-steerable tracks (i.e.: four independent animations). Here's how I'd see a viable work-around going: - Allow for more than 4 wheels to steer, if it isn't already possible. - allow the track texture animation and more than two tracks to apply to carx, as I mentioned above. - mod-er gives all steered wheels on each side the same steering axis. If having axes take up the same location is a problem, then maybe try stacking each wheel's axis in line vertically so that they can turn without wonkiness. - If having too many wheels trying to keep the vehicle in position is a problem, then perhaps fake it. Keep the original four (or up to eight as per APCs) wheels doing all the work, while the other "wheels" just slide and bounce and turn. Adjust the wheel config for better grip and such. In a nutshell, it would require possibly minor visual effects tweaks on BI's part, and some creative config parameters on the moddeler/mod-er/configurer's part. I agree that there have been several issues with tank simulation already, and that the preferred trade-off is to have more common tank issues fixed. However, I feel like it should have been mostly fixed with the gigantic patch called ArmA3, so that we can start to tackle more interesting vehicle creations that attempt to add variety to this world when these updates come. Not that we have to buy the DLC to benefit from the improvements of existing tanks (and the configs that enable them), but it should be raising the bar - not just now approaching it. Compounded that the anticipated release for the DLC and the "improvements" it brings is still far off into next year, I'd say we are settling for mediocrity. I want to get excited about something cool and unexpected - something extraordinary. The Jets DLC was a mixed bag of coolness (mostly in model assets) and disappointment. The best example of both these in swoop is the throttle system, which makes standard flying more realistic (a plus) but also makes VTOL flying a nerve-wracking chore (a minus). Here's another thing I just remembered for the tanks, and again maybe it's already do-able, but when I tried doing this in the traditional sense I got wonky results: tank movement for analog controls could be nice. I don't know how this would work with WASD, but for dual-stick gamepads it would be amazing! Each stick could control a track individually.
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