Hello Josh,

I know you always said texturing is not your strongest point. so I found a solution that you might like that can help keep things procedural and allow the same looking models with different textures applied through the engine.

Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KOpYUq0wsl8
all 3 videos: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCitBvR ... QX_ghNuzhw

PDF Version: https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B2XNlWY ... dVQTQ/edit

ok if you just want to skip the above source and read on I will try to explain what I can. SimCity 5 has a way to take a building or a car that shares the same model and apply different textures to it making it unique in its own way.

They use a pallet style texture map that picks a random RGB style colors and applies the colors to the model. They also use this ability to add a 3d looking glass with inside textures to make it look like a 3d room.

Now watch the videos and let me know if this is some thing you can add in your engine to allow space stations, ships and much more have unique looks.

also I hear it saves tons of memory doing it this way because you are using one texture for them all.

Hmm, I thought that the textures of ships in LT look pretty damn good. Granted they are a bit too reliant on overlapping squares and could use some more rounded, angular, and polygonal shapes, but they are pretty good. Looking at the sim city videos, Texturewise I would only really agree as to the need for multiple texture layers. Perhaps one for large areas to give a smooth/sleek appearance in places, another for smaller more patchy looks, another for damaged/exposed areas, and another for ship/station lighting/interiors.

I do fully agree with the parallax rendered interiors though, passing by pseudo-rooms with activity going on inside would be absolutely fantastic, much more appealing than just rows of light emitting pixels. Though I think such rooms would have to be specific to certain modules/units, lest you get weird mining ships that have dance halls inside them...

Hyperion wrote:Hmm, I thought that the textures of ships in LT look pretty damn good. Granted they are a bit too reliant on overlapping squares and could use some more rounded, angular, and polygonal shapes, but they are pretty good. Looking at the sim city videos, Texturewise I would only really agree as to the need for multiple texture layers. Perhaps one for large areas to give a smooth/sleek appearance in places, another for smaller more patchy looks, another for damaged/exposed areas, and another for ship/station lighting/interiors.

I do fully agree with the parallax rendered interiors though, passing by pseudo-rooms with activity going on inside would be absolutely fantastic, much more appealing than just rows of light emitting pixels. Though I think such rooms would have to be specific to certain modules/units, lest you get weird mining ships that have dance halls inside them...

+1 for tinting options for faction ships (to create a "faction identity") as well as player ships (for "shinys"). Also never noticed the parallax window effect during my (short) time playing the new Simcity, but that's an awesome thing to have.

Hyperion wrote: I do fully agree with the parallax rendered interiors though, passing by pseudo-rooms with activity going on inside would be absolutely fantastic, much more appealing than just rows of light emitting pixels. Though I think such rooms would have to be specific to certain modules/units, lest you get weird mining ships that have dance halls inside them...

I like this idea... if Graphics!Josh feels like implementing it. Seems like it'd be a lot of work, honestly... and hard to procedurally generate.

Hyperion wrote:I do fully agree with the parallax rendered interiors though, passing by pseudo-rooms with activity going on inside would be absolutely fantastic, much more appealing than just rows of light emitting pixels. Though I think such rooms would have to be specific to certain modules/units, lest you get weird mining ships that have dance halls inside them...

I doubt that you will usually get close enough to enjoy the interior of pseudo-rooms with activity going on inside .
Most of the time, I'd be happy to have the rows of light emitting pixels aka windows as size indicator (many rows = many decks = big ship).

If pseudo-rooms with activity inside are ever implemented (LT 13.0?) I think they should be an optional detail to avoid slowing down older computers.

Rabiator wrote: If pseudo-rooms with activity inside are ever implemented (LT 13.0?)

I would put my bet somewhere LT2 or 3.
accompanying walkable interiors and planets