So, what are you working on right now?

[Geep]

Revised, with the breakout of a new and freshly written section, "Potential for translations".

[datiswous]

On 1/21/2023 at 5:28 AM, Geep said:

As you say, a design is needed of how to support making the choice of translation language reflect the settings language

Is there a feature request for this on the bugtracker, or is this feature already planned?

[Geep]

I didn't see a feature request for this in the 2.12 Roadmap, nor specifically addressed by bug reports returned by a search for "subtitle" and addressed during 2.11 work (namely  2454, 5914, 6197, 6230).

An argument could be made to have a new main menu setting for "subtitle language", separate from "[menu] language". This would be more flexible (and more like TV CC), but arguably less convenient.

I'm unsure if this is ripe for a request now, or needs a new forum thread to mull implications of possible implementations.

[Geep]

I just posted a new bugtracker request, for the TDM 2.12 timeframe:

0006240: Create non-story "speech" English subtitle files for stock AI characters

If someone's already working on or planning this effort, I can help. Otherwise, it can be assigned to me (and help appreciated, particularly with srt and locating any available AI vocal scripts missing from the wiki).

Edited January 24 by Geep
Edit: looks like I'm the lead dog on this.

[datiswous]

On 1/21/2023 at 8:44 PM, Geep said:

Revised, with the breakout of a new and freshly written section, "Potential for translations".

I'm sorry, but I think this part ("Potential for translations") should not be included in this page. Because the wiki page is about instructions on making subtitles work in the way they are currently possible. The part "Potential for translations" adds some possible future stuff that is not really relevant for the article. It should be better posted in the forum and discussed.

You could create a new wiki page with that info and link to it under here:

Quote

As for translation, i.e., subtitles shown in other TDM-supported languages, the current system provides an important and usable building block. But further design and implementation work would be needed to allow easy switching among multiple subtitle languages, say, in response to the Settings/Video/Language choice.

(last sentence under "What the gamer sees")

[Geep]

I see your point, tho some of what's in the "Potential for translations" section is about current capabilities. But I can drop that separate section and fold the current-capabilities stuff into the "As for translations..." paragraph.

I'll start a new forum topic, too. Maybe "Subtitles - Possibilities Beyond 2.11" would be general enough.

Edit: wiki page edited, new forum threads started.

Edited January 27 by Geep

[datiswous]

On 1/12/2023 at 3:29 PM, Geep said:

A concern is whether that would make navigating to a full-text search result harder... this is already a problem with our everything-collapsed-by-default "entity database" page.

I decided to unhide the tables. I hope nobody complains.. I added a link to top page under every section so you can navigate from the index menu.

https://wiki.thedarkmod.com/index.php?title=Entity_Database

Edited February 6 by datiswous

[Geep]

4 hours ago, datiswous said:

I decided to unhide the tables. I hope nobody complains.. I added a link to top page under every section so you can navigate from the index menu.

The page still loads crisply, so on balance, I think it's better.

[JackFarmer]

Visportal control for advanced mission designers!

[JackFarmer]

...the same area as from the securtiy camera above, but this time through the eyes of an infiltrator:

 

 

If you were to build my constructions in the real world, they would pretty much either collapse immediately or explode, or worse would happen. Shot taken from HHBAM, Mission #4: "The advantages of a union membership."

Edited March 4 by JackFarmer

[Amadeus]

Stellar work as always JackFarmer! Very much looking forward to the next HH adventure

[grodenglaive]

After completing nearly every TDM mission, I'm finally working on one of my own. It won't be terribly long, but something manageable for my first fm. It starts out in a small wooded area, then ends up at a modest manor. 

Things are going pretty well so far. The environment and basic architecture are done, it just needs to be prettied up. After fixing many leaks, I also have all the Visportals working now.

Challenges: I managed to successfully export an asset from Blender and texture it for tdm. I think this is the most difficult thing I've ever done. DarkRadiant didn't like the file generated from the Blender ASE exporter I'm using. I was able to correct the output by comparing the file to one from another fm and also figured out how to get the textures in there. It took me a couple days, but at least now I know the process.

Currently adding furniture and AI.

[Amadeus]

Congrats on making the leap over to DR grodenglaive! It sounds like things are developing pretty fast for your WIP. As many others have said, just keep it small. You'll likely find that the last 10% of developing your FM takes up 90% of the time

[Epifire]

On 3/7/2023 at 7:40 AM, grodenglaive said:

After completing nearly every TDM mission, I'm finally working on one of my own. It won't be terribly long, but something manageable for my first fm. It starts out in a small wooded area, then ends up at a modest manor. 

Things are going pretty well so far. The environment and basic architecture are done, it just needs to be prettied up. After fixing many leaks, I also have all the Visportals working now.

Challenges: I managed to successfully export an asset from Blender and texture it for tdm. I think this is the most difficult thing I've ever done. DarkRadiant didn't like the file generated from the Blender ASE exporter I'm using. I was able to correct the output by comparing the file to one from another fm and also figured out how to get the textures in there. It took me a couple days, but at least now I know the process.

Currently adding furniture and AI.

You'll be happy to know then that we just added OBJ as a supported model format! I've not branched out from using LWO myself yet but that helps make modeling in TDM, a lot more accessible. Congrats though on starting your first FM!

[datiswous]

On 3/9/2023 at 4:39 AM, Epifire said:

OBJ

But how do you import them in DR? Without DR support this feature is currently useless, or am I wrong?

[Epifire]

10 hours ago, datiswous said:

But how do you import them in DR? Without DR support this feature is currently useless, or am I wrong?

I hadn't tested the importer yet but looking at it now, it indeed looks to just be the FBX converter that Greebo integrated. @greeboCorrect me if I'm wrong but I don't think the Dark Radiant model converter supports OBJ yet? Because yeah, datiswous brings up a pretty good point as I don't think DR can handle OBJ files directly right now. 

@datiswous In this case I'd recommend the FBX to LWO batch converter for heavy use. I wouldn't expect anyone to really know about it, as I don't think we've really talked about this anywhere yet. I'd intended to write an article on the wiki to document how to set it up, but that kinda fell by the wayside since Greebo directly incorporated it into DR.

In the FBX to LWO batch method, you just export your models to a mirrored folder structure. It's hierarchy is identical to the folder paths that your final models are contained in, within the target FM's model directory. So all you have to do is export to your FBX folder, run the batch file and it automatically replaces the meshes in the output directory.

Big thanks to Greebo on the converter system! I originally had reached out to him over the idea a while ago and he made it into a full fledged feature. I can't tell you how much time this saves when working almost entirely with models in a level. If anyone would like to see the setup on that, lemme know and I'll try to get a wiki page made to document the process.

[Frost_Salamander]

8 hours ago, Epifire said:

 In this case I'd recommend the FBX to LWO batch converter for heavy use. I wouldn't expect anyone to really know about it, as I don't think we've really talked about this anywhere yet. I'd intended to write an article on the wiki to document how to set it up, but that kinda fell by the wayside since Greebo directly incorporated it into DR.

 

I've been using the FBX to LWO converter on my current project.  I only noticed it because it was in Greebo's Github account and I happened to need it at the time.  It's pretty straightforward to use: https://github.com/codereader/FbxToLwo

I didn't know it was integrated into DR . I guess that's the File -> Import/Convert Model option? 

 

[Epifire]

On 3/11/2023 at 5:43 AM, Frost_Salamander said:

I've been using the FBX to LWO converter on my current project.  I only noticed it because it was in Greebo's Github account and I happened to need it at the time.  It's pretty straightforward to use: https://github.com/codereader/FbxToLwo

I didn't know it was integrated into DR . I guess that's the File -> Import/Convert Model option? 

 

Yep, that'd be the one! I had some issues with minor syntax errors, when setting it up; which is why I'd still opt to write a short guide about it. The one click, do-all option is really nice. I've only had one issue (only tested with Maya) that has UV borders being rendered as hard edged in the final product. I worked around it by doing one final export with Lightwave, as it seems to be a smoothing issue. Other than that, it's worked flawlessly for me.

[MirceaKitsune]

Don't mind me: Just abusing our steampunk assets to create cyberpunk city hubs. I'm sure certain people can tell what this one was inspired by... hey not even Hell's Kitchen is as interesting as my design

[MirceaKitsune]

High rise hotel for Asian / Arabic city hub. Still in early stage with only this building done following two days of messing with stuff, it will be a heavily themed city. The elevator works great now and can be taken to any floor, though most only have the hallway and can't be entered for sanity's sake.

 

[AluminumHaste]

On 3/18/2023 at 9:25 PM, MirceaKitsune said:

Don't mind me: Just abusing our steampunk assets to create cyberpunk city hubs. I'm sure certain people can tell what this one was inspired by... hey not even Hell's Kitchen is as interesting as my design

Looking awesome, but watch out for those glass panes. I set them to sort nearest, which should layer them properly, but it is also the most demanding on the renderer. AFAIK

[MirceaKitsune]

12 minutes ago, AluminumHaste said:

Looking awesome, but watch out for those glass panes. I set them to sort nearest, which should layer them properly, but it is also the most demanding on the renderer. AFAIK

Thanks, that is good to know. Only issue I noticed with deforming glass is any other glass material seen through it will be invisible which can look ugly. Performance wise it's still good, volumetric lights remain the biggest hit so far though that's also manageable. I have a pretty crazy visportal setup which can look scary due to the quantity used but is actually working quite well.