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New dev blog: Re-inventing trails

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j0rg
Moneytron
#161 - 2011-11-26 19:55:33 UTC
will trails be useful tactically though ? will they allow you to more easily see the direction your enemy is flying, if he's orbiting you etc ?
CanonMP180
#162 - 2011-11-26 19:55:42 UTC
Loving the new engine trails. Good job on them :)

Awesome though they are, they could be improved upon as noted by several people in this thread. As this is such a prominent feature (potentially used by almost all players) it certainly deserves some more time spent on it to get it perfect.

The major improvement that I feel should be made is to find a solution to the engine exhaust issue (as described in Loardriver's excellent post one page back, +1 to that guy). Engine trails will make eve video's on youtube etc... look much more exciting, and as such potentially bring more people to the game.

Show your support!  Dislike button for the EvE forums proposal
Aphoxema G
Khushakor Clan
#163 - 2011-11-26 19:56:08 UTC
I appreciate the pictures. Even though I use 3D Studio Max to make stuff for IMVU, I have no idea how the hell a spline or raytracing really works. If this post had been nothing but "Here's how things looked before, and here's how they look now" I would have been equally amazed.
Arboc Digambara
Kador Research and Production Inc
#164 - 2011-11-26 20:35:06 UTC
Those trials are awesome. Keep it up m8!
Oberine Noriepa
#165 - 2011-11-26 21:14:07 UTC
Loardriver wrote:
Need little more work: remove box-effect, then camera from ship; maybe little fix engine exhaust or remove start-render point litte back (not critial as box-effect), and then camera too far - trails become noise-effect


Anyway trails are awesome !!!oneoneoneone

So let CCP Mankiller completes all his ideas.

I agree with everything in this post.

∃
bornaa
GRiD.
#166 - 2011-11-26 21:29:41 UTC  |  Edited by: bornaa
@ CCP Mankiller

I see that you like challenges and you know how to deal with it and do in awesome right way...
Can you help them to re-do (re-invent) missiles??? QuestionOopsBig smile
Please???
[Yes, I'm an Amateur](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hRa-69uBmIw&feature=relmfu)
Maul555
Xen Investments
#167 - 2011-11-26 21:54:22 UTC
Double Awesome Mad Props yo... someone get this man a raise!
Alphon Dorn
The Jaded
#168 - 2011-11-26 22:53:57 UTC
Oberine Noriepa wrote:
Loardriver wrote:
Need little more work: remove box-effect, then camera from ship; maybe little fix engine exhaust or remove start-render point litte back (not critial as box-effect), and then camera too far - trails become noise-effect


Anyway trails are awesome !!!oneoneoneone

So let CCP Mankiller completes all his ideas.

I agree with everything in this post.



A friendly bump to this idea;
1) Give him time to complete this, it's awesome as-is and the potential for more awesomeness is there.
2) Loardriver's points are spot on.

3) A passing thought, would it be worth giving missiles tiny redone engine trails? I suppose that'd wait until missiles are redone, but might be worth mentioning.
Timov M
Centauri Prime Mining and Trading
#169 - 2011-11-27 00:31:41 UTC
My first post just to say how much I liked the devpost and the explanation of how it works! More like this pleease!
Inquisitor Cerberuso
Imperial Academy
Amarr Empire
#170 - 2011-11-27 01:24:25 UTC  |  Edited by: Inquisitor Cerberuso
Awesome work CCP Mankiller! I've already been in SISI to try out your work. Here's some results;

http://i126.photobucket.com/albums/p98/iMess/eve/sisi/20111115022200.jpg

http://i126.photobucket.com/albums/p98/iMess/eve/sisi/20111115020726.jpg

http://s126.photobucket.com/albums/p98/iMess/eve/sisi/20111115020412.jpg Freighter just coming out of warp

http://s126.photobucket.com/albums/p98/iMess/eve/sisi/20111115015418.jpg

Also worth noting that drones have engine trails too!

Would like to see some tweaking :)
Lobster Bisque
PuddinCorp
#171 - 2011-11-27 01:50:07 UTC
These are great. Good work! Cool
Elistea
BLUE Regiment.
#172 - 2011-11-27 08:19:55 UTC
Yay shiny! Great work!

One thing cought my eye tho.

"At first this sounds a little bit crazy, but when you look at the math it’s not that difficult" --> and mountain of incomprehensible equasions after that.

Srsly 2+2=4 "is not that difficult." Smile

Still great technical specification.
Rip Minner
ARMITAGE Logistics Salvage and Industries
#173 - 2011-11-27 08:32:47 UTC
God Yes Thx U! I been so missing trails for as long as you guys pulled them out.

Thx U for puting them back!

Bear

Is it a rock point a lazer at it and profit. Is it a ship point a lazer at it and profit. I dont see any problems here.
Aineko Macx
#174 - 2011-11-27 17:18:49 UTC
I noticed a minor graphical issue when doing tight turns, like when doing a 180 to warp back where you came from: The smoothness of the curve is broken, looking a bit angular for a few moments. Looks like too few control points are placed for the spline. I'm assuming the points are placed after regular time intervals. Maybe this should be changed to "create new control point after the time interval OR after a certain amount of movement vector angle change, whichever comes first".

iveeCore 3.0: The PHP engine for industrial activities and CREST library
Celebris Nexterra
The Scope
Gallente Federation
#175 - 2011-11-27 19:39:32 UTC
If you can get trails to the degree of visual perfection I see on the Crucible login screen, I will be most satisfied.
Majmuna
The Scope
Gallente Federation
#176 - 2011-11-27 20:02:17 UTC
Oh... no.... Shocked
Well, if there is anything that I dislike more in a zero-gravity space than positioning everything according to a single flat plane (how stupid is that?), it is definitely the engine trails in vacuum.

I know EVE is just a game. I know. But, could it PLEASE as well be at least a little bit of a simulation?

I am really disappointed.

And I hope it will be possible to turn this abomination off.

Ugh
Jon Hellguard
X-COM
#177 - 2011-11-27 22:10:31 UTC
great devblog, that's exactly what i expect -> how and why. really nice backgroundinfo - hope to read one of your blogs soon again.
Patri Andari
Thukker Tribe Antiquities Importer
#178 - 2011-11-27 22:59:16 UTC
Nice work!

Any idea how this might effect the ole mwd/cloak trick?

"Go for the uncloak! Follow the TRAILS!"


heh

Be careful what you think, for your thoughts become your words. Be careful what you say, for your words become your actions. Be careful what you do, for your actions become your character. And character is everything. - author unknown
Alastar Frost
The Scope
Gallente Federation
#179 - 2011-11-27 23:23:17 UTC
The engine trails look great for frigs and especially for interceptors on sisi. They look very weak for larger ships like battlecruisers and battleships.

Maybe they should be brigther and have some effects (like dense and bright on the inside and a faster less bright animation of moving particle rings on the outside). They just dont give the feel of the power needed to move the mass of a battleship as they are. With the trails, frigate engines feel much more powerfull than the engines of bigger ships.

Changing effects and coloring when you turn on an ab or mwd would also be nice. Something that makes you feel the thrust and power you are unleashing.

This said, I look forward seeing the engine trails on tranquility and i hope for improvements for ab/mwd effects and bs trails.
Rose Makanen
Doomheim
#180 - 2011-11-28 00:11:56 UTC
Nice work,

to improve the trails i would suggest adding a dispersion effect. Indeed the trail is like a fluid it should spread in all directions over time.