It's not much and it still needs work, but it's something I want to share with you guys.
And I'm typing this here instead of at the bottom because by the time you reach it you'll forget how it started.
Please comment on what you like, what you don't, what I could change. Of course, ideas are most welcomed.'
This is a little animation of the Thunderbolt. Although not my favorite unit in the game, it kinda got under my skin as I have been working on it for some time. (it's 29. something MB, uploaded to Megauploads)
(http://img149.imageshack.us/img149/3118/scoutsb001.th.jpg) (http://www.megaupload.com/?d=CFM3RHCU)
so just to explain things a bit:
- red - ammo lines
- blue - cooling
- green - propulsion systems
I've gone with the Gauss principle of accelerating particles, or in this case projectiles to high velocities through powerful magnets or coils, seen in a bluish color in the miniguns (the main cannon works in the same way) since it would be a waste of space, time, materials, whatever to create normal rounds that require a detonation to fire them.
Both Minis and Main "produce" their ammunition internally, the ammo lines only supply the minifactories with biometal.
The main cannon produces ammo in advance, always having a couple of missiles on standby since they take longer to create than minigun rounds.
The big block in the back is the biometal tank, from which ammo is made. It's common to the mini and main so if you're shooting one, you're depleating ammo for all weapons.
The "reactor" is where stuff happens. Biometal is sprayed and heated up through current induction (joule-lenz effect) by some large, powerful coils built in the reactor. In the heat echanger in the rear of the reactor, atmospheric gasses are drawn and heated, thus expanding their volume, then forced out through the back, for thrust. Aditional effects might be needed, still working on this part. The scouts worked on Mercury which, to my knowledge has no atmosphere so something else must have been used for thrust.
I'm also thinking of using a small part of the biometal in the tank as combustible material but not sure that would work. And it would be expensive, and units would require refueling.
The cooling lines are a heat exchanger that capture residual heat from ammo production and inject it back in the reactor, where it's needed.
The chair is a slightly modified ejection seat, seat belts to be added later. It works like a normal ejection seat, with the addition of a few small thrusters, two twins behind the pilot's head, and two-four under the chair to help the pilot gain altitude and escape the explosion of his craft and enemy fire after. The thrusters are needed since in a normal ejection seat you already are at 10 000 feat, where as in BZ units you're at ground level.
The cockpit systems are almost all digital. including level meter, viewing, communication and tactical monitors. The controls are "user friendly", simple and intuitive. Joystick for forward, back, left, right motin, pedals for left-right rotation, push-pull lever for thrust. Knobs for sensitivity and other adjustments, buttons for a multitude of tasks, I'll figure them out when I get to them.
The two arms are retractable, swinging sideways to allow the pilot to enter/exit the cockpit. In case of ejection, the automatically and instantly swing into their retracted position.
The three glowy things you see at the front are smaller thrusters that allow the scout to go backwards. The reduction in speed is obvious. For sideways movement, it relies on thrust channeling using the nozzles at the back and the thrust provided by the wing nozzles.
Near the lights, one on each side, is a radar unit. The two units are used to offer a 3D view of the battlefield, just as eyes offer a 3D view of the world by being slightly apart.
Ok, that's it for the scout. On to the other two.
1. A helmet, for the moment. Not much to say about it. It's the default ISDF helmet. Anti fogging visor and air mask that will connect to an air supply in the backpack of the suit for non-breathable atmospheres. Air filters for almost breathable atmospheres.
(http://img148.imageshack.us/img148/8673/helmet0052.th.jpg) (http://img148.imageshack.us/my.php?image=helmet0052.jpg)
2. Standard ISDF pulse rifle (redone)
Uses Gauss effect for firing projectiles. The sniper barrel is at the top, it's a bit more special. but I'm not gonna tell you how just yet.
The lower barrel is for normal projectiles. Bored (or at least that's how I think it's spelled... I mean it has a spiraling shape inside) to offer stability to the bullets.
Rounds are created inside the riffle from a biometal reserve, like an ammo cartrige.
Unlike minigun and other rounds, though, the pulse gun shoots very small amounts of biometal, the only limit in a normal fight being the overheating of the minifactory and the gun barrels.
Laser sight.
The scope is a mixture of optics and electronics. The two small, red spots on the scope are nightvision/radar units.
Retractable legs for firing from the ground or cover.
(http://img207.imageshack.us/img207/8900/testrifleradrgb0003.th.jpg) (http://img207.imageshack.us/my.php?image=testrifleradrgb0003.jpg)(http://img147.imageshack.us/img147/143/testrifleradrgb0000.th.jpg) (http://img147.imageshack.us/my.php?image=testrifleradrgb0000.jpg)(http://img257.imageshack.us/img257/5089/testrifleradrgb0001.th.jpg) (http://img257.imageshack.us/my.php?image=testrifleradrgb0001.jpg)(http://img118.imageshack.us/img118/8645/testrifleradrgb0002.th.jpg) (http://img118.imageshack.us/my.php?image=testrifleradrgb0002.jpg)(http://img504.imageshack.us/img504/5250/testrifleradrgb0004.th.jpg) (http://img504.imageshack.us/my.php?image=testrifleradrgb0004.jpg)
3. And finally, a default ISDF test/crash dummy. I'll call him Steve
NoS is back, I am amazed! :-o
Nice work, very pretty!
What happened to the Tech Packs, if I might ask?
Someones been busy... :-)
Very pretty mate.
Noice, noice. Applaud++.
I like it a lot!!
Thank you x 4.
Glad you like it. Thought you would.
I was expecting more critique though, but I guess you're blown away by the awesomeness :)
@AHadley: I'm confused. What Tech Packs are you talking about? Please explain.
I'll work on them some more and show you when it's ready.
And I'm not back, I never left. But I like staying in the background, analyze and not stick my nose where it doesn't belong.
Tech packs were NoK
Quote from: NoStr0m0 on April 29, 2009, 09:12:23 PM
@AHadley: I'm confused. What Tech Packs are you talking about? Please explain.
Sorry, I have you confused with NoKomment from BZ2MD. Sorry... *cringe*
Seems NK1 posted while I was, but yeah... oops. :oops:
<Av bows in total unworthiness...> :-D
I'll tell you what struck me when watching that, is that Pandemic should have done exactly that sort of thing for each unit...
Why?
It really made it seem real to me, just what it would be like sitting in a Thunderbolt with the engine basically shoved into your back and the minis chugging away on either side of your head...
awesome...
Putting the human in perspective inside of this massive biometal killing machine makes it hit home.
Very cool...
-Av-
S'okay, don't worry about it. :)
So, I'm the one with the Lightwave and 3D detailed models.
@Avatar: Thank you, that made my day.
I'm very glad you liked it that much.
I'm happy.
Also, you make a point I just now realized. And just now imagined how it would actually "feel", since until now I've been to preoccupied with the mechanical design and reason behind it all that I haven't stopped to wonder how it would be to actually drive it around.
It's an interesting sensation, after I worked on it for so long to rediscover it completely from another perspective.
Thank you!
So when do we get to see any Scion vehicles? :D
I'd love to see a Mauler. How do Scion vehicles work anyway...?
Magic, I would hope guess. :P
Interesting idea.
I was thinking to do some scion units as well for a little animation I'm planning. Can't have ISDF fighting nothing, you know.
So what will it be?
Remember, modeling is easier than finding the reasons why they did the ships that way (*cough*reverse engineering */cough*)
So, what will it be?
Pilot Scout Sentry Warrior Lancer Mauler Titan Hauler Healer
Anything I haven't thought of?
I vote Warrior, Lancer, or Mauler.
You forgot Archer, NoS. I'd vote for the Archer or Mauler.
VSMIT.
Titan.
Ah. you're right. But I used it so rarely it slipped my mind.
So I'll let you vote for a while...
Would like to make a poll (don't know how... as of yet)
If anyone wants to make one, please do. It's easier just to click a radio button and a vote button, than to reply to a post.
And the winner unit gets done, obviously.
Maybe if you edit the first post you'll be able to add one.
VSMIT.
Polls are disabled on the forums, I think I remember CmptrWz talking about that somewhere...
Ok, so the poll is reply based. Now stick to the topic and vote.
Which scion unit should I do?
Pilot Scout Sentry Warrior Lancer Archer Mauler Titan Hauler Healer
| | | || |
Warrior, or sabre would be awesome. It looks great, I love on how the back thrusters looked, It was awesome, And the way that the pilot was detialed perfectly
I vote Avatar's Flying Mauler:
(http://www.bzcomplex.com/gallery/albums/batchadds/BZ2Pictures/Avatar/ohboy.jpg)
+1 for flying mauler because it's so awesome.
Flying mauler! not seen that before. definately voting for that.
Really want that thing now... i have so many evil plans for it.
Indeed, it looks... interesting.
Pilot Scout Sentry Warrior Lancer Archer Mauler Flying Mauler Titan Hauler Healer
| | | || || |
Avatar will be pleased.
VSMIT.
Just got to wait for somebody to program the engine to allow it now :lol:
What was the problem that prevented the flying mauler from working, anyway?
VSMIT.
I think it was that it's a walker, and walkers can't morph since they have turret centering instead.
It could work as a hovercraft...
SAV seems to suit. could have animated wings if you choose carefully... it looks kind cool, almost zombified and dead...
I don't know, I can imagine a rather graceful landing for that thing.
yeh...
Preliminary results point the Mauler as the next unit.
It would be fitting, since I started the ISDF side with the Attila LM.
This week is very full for me so I'll let this running until next weekend, although I think I know who the winner will be.
forget that... Battlezone II The Movie!
just downloaded the avi
good grief man that is incredible! i LOVE things like this. and like Avatar says... it really puts these bio-metal machines into perspective...
What do you maen "just"? What have you been doing from the beginning of this thread?
Anyway...
I hate to be the one to do this but:
The "Battlezone 2 - The movie" idea has been flung around before but the sad reality of it is this: to make a movie, even a short one, you need a lot of work done and a lot of dedication. Trust me, I've tried making several short movies on my own and I'm still working on them, after several years because, the workload is huge, time is finite and I have to juggle between school, homework, and Lightwave and also, it's really hard to work and work and work without knowing if something will come of it. Motivation is difficult to maintain, even with yourself, not to mention 30 other people you don't know or, take our case, haven't even see. I quit more times than I can count only to come back after a while, but that's not productive.
For a purely 3D movie, you need to model, texure and light everything, every piece of paper on a street, every rock in the background. Normal movies have it easy, they just scout for locations and shoot there, after God did all the real work.
Also, a good script is a must, even more so than in conventional films, because a good script can hide some flaws in the 3D movie just like actors would hide it in conventional.
A director is just as important, because, and I take myself as example. I have a few ideas about how stuff works, but there have been many times when I did a render and something just felt off, only to be told by a friend of mine who knows his stuff that the camera was centered badly and the motion should have been on the diagonal because it's a depressing moment and so on and son forth.
And the list goes on.
I would love to be able to participate in such a great endeavor, not only because BZ 2 is the game first I had on my first ever PC and it's been close to my heart ever since, but because it would be such a great achievement to actually finish it.
I have kinda started something, with the detailed units, but as you can see from the frequency of my new posts, it's hard work.
BUT
and there's always a but. if you really want to try something new, make a model. Of anything in the game. And I mean anything. Since the game is set on far away and unique worlds, almost nothing can be taken from stock models.
Don't know how to model, make a backplate or a texture for something. By backplate I mean a range of mountains with a beautiful sky or the dense tropical jungles of Mire or the hellish molten world of Rend.
Sketches are always welcomed and appreciated. Indoors/outdoors/machine/characters/anything, you name it.
I know some of you know your military so, how about drawing/describing a small dogfigt between say, an ISDF Thunderbolt and a Scion Scout or a Warrior, to raise the stakes.
And even it we don't succeed, the work we don now will be there for others or even ourselves to resume when we're older.
So? Anyone want to try?
not saying it wouldnt be a challenge, nor is it realistic. but it is amazing!
Hmm, come to think of it, I was thinking about working on some kickass intro movies for the unnamed SRV campaign eventually down the line.
I have a copy of Vue 6 over here, on a somewhat powerful computer (even then rendering times are a pain, though).
Interested? I'll bring the setting and lighting if you bring the models! :)
I know about render times, trust me.
And I would love to see what you can do.
Just tell me what models you need.
I presume Vue can handle Lightwave .lwo models, right?
Pretty sure.
Just like to point out...
Any time the Flying Mauler picture shows up on the internet they seem to know about it... makes them VERY restless in their pen and, quite frankly, it gives me the willies when they're restless.
:-D
@The BZ2 Movie.
Do it one piece at a time. Do it with what's already there. Do it inside the game engine.
1. Someone write a story. Nothing huge, elaborate, or too crazy, just a good solid story using the BZ2 universe. Start small, with say just a quick Search and Rescue mission or Base Attack, something like that.
2. Someone turn it into a script. There are plenty of examples on the internet but you want to specify the setting, characters, dialog and what actions take place for each scene in the movie. This should probably be done with whoever is going to direct the action, who will also possibly be the cameraman.
3. Cast the characters. For this sort of thing it'd be just voice-over submissions basically, but it might be a good idea to get together online ingame and see if the actor is MP-warpy/jittery also.
4. Set up a game session and then go through the scenes, one at a time, 'filming' them ingame in online sessions. Custom maps and Recycler variants might be needed, as well as a 'camera' vehicle along the lines of the "Observer Scout" posted about elsewhere. This can be the 'camera', and the person operating it will need the ability to capture the audio/video shot during each scene.
5. Take the raw footage and cut it into a movie, then release it to the Community. Even a four minute Search and Rescue mission might get people excited, after which you'll have more actors and helpers to make the next chapter, or just a longer version, or whatever comes next...
-Av-
So a "Tales From The Battlezone" of sorts. :-P
Sure... take it one small bite at a time and it'll be easier to chew. A small core group could record and edit the footage, using the Community and MP games to provide the action. Each movie released would fan the fire, and if all the pieces fit together into a larger movie it'd make a great serial...
It might even be interesting to set up a skeleton storyline that evolves based on what happens in 'real' games. As long as everyone realizes the true intent is to make a movie it'd be a cool way to do it. Define a couple of sides (ISDF vs SCION, EDF vs CERBERI) make a few custom maps in a setting (DARK PLANET, FACILITY) define a goal (RETRIEVE CRASHED DROPSHIP, CAPTURE RELIC) and then just see who wins...
-Av-
Some guy wanted to do that, didnt work.
I vote for archer, those things rock.
Ok, so with a low-low final score of 3 votes, the winner is: the Mauler/Flying Mauler
It trully is a unique machine so I had a feeling it will win. I'm going to do the "normal" Mauler first because they have a common base structure, then I'll modify, add and delete to create the Flying variant.
It will take some time, since real life tends to get in the way of fantasy, but it will get done. Hopefully, better than the Thunderbolt even.
Wish me luck!
I'll post more when I have more.
was wondering, see instead of trying to hatch a full blown movie or even a short movie, why doesnt someone attempt to re work the intro in a higher resolution with high poly models and new effects? you have the audio and a script you just need to rework the modeling and render it, if that gets pulled off ok then think about something like a movie...just my two bobs worth
I read boobs... ^_^
Actually, I was thinking of doing a new intro to BZ2. And that's all I can say.
is that a thinking of doing or actually doing.... wouldnt want someone to start a new intro if its already in the pipe line!
It would be more a trailer than an intro, so no, I'd have to say it's not an intro. You can relax now.