I had this idea and posted it on the official Bioware Scripting forum in an existing thread about flying. I thought I would repost it here as well. I did not categorize it under scripting here because it involves more than scripting.
Here it is:
"Ok, I haven't fully tested this yet. However, I have been working on this idea for some years (since NWN1). I "think" I may have a solution for some types of controlled flight. The problem is, I am neither an accomplised modeler nor scripter and I think the solution will require both. I am a thinker though, so here goes:
First. IF you can use a 3d model as a visual effect, then model your bird/dragon/aircraft/spaceship and import it as a visual effect.
Second. Create a "creature" model that is a very thin and simple invisible body with a "head" that is a simple planar model (square/triangular/doesn't matter) that has a hook point for "hair" (I think I read somewhere that this is how they do ponytails and other long flowing hair effects?). Make the creature non-collidable and import it into game. I think the best effect would be had if the model is a very short body so that the visual effect appears to be on the ground before being manipulated (this should allow your flyer to land).
Third. "hook" your visual effect/flyer to the "head". Not sure how this is done, but I assume that you select your visual effect as the "hair" for your creature. (as a technicality, I don't know if this has to be done in 3ds/etc before importing the creature, or if this is simply done in a creature 2da file, but I suspect the latter and I am sure all you experts know which it is).
Fourth. Manipulate the "height" of the visual effect with a script that "scales" the creature along the z axis. Flying elevation is then adjusted up or down via the script and possible player input if the player were the flyer and a script can also read some sort of keyboard input for up and down.
I know that in the toolset I can manipulate the scale of an orglash or other air elemental and it does not distort the visual effect portion's size or shape, but if you do the same for a creature that isn't made up of a visual effect, you end up stretching the creature to the point of being unrecognizable. For the air elementals/orglash's though, the height adjusts.
A couple of problems to overcome, but I think are doable:
1) each increment in scaling when I scale it manually using GF's useability tools (I think that is what I was using) makes a progressivly larger jump in height (is this because the scaling is a fixed percentage basis and as it gets taller each increment, the next percentage scaling necessarily becomes a larger amount?) which causes movement up to be less smooth, in fact it isn't smooth at all. However, if you can script the scaling so that it scales in smaller increments to start and then lowers the percent of scaling for each increment, then with a little playing around you might be able to make the scaling cause the effect to scale up in height in a smooth and more fluid manner.
2) You'll have to figure out how to "animate" your visual effect if you don't want it to look too fake, some of that may be able to be done in the visual effects editor instead of 3ds (and the problems importing the animations that would entail), but I dunno, as I stated I am neither a modeler nor a scripter, just a thinker.
3) As the conversation above discusses, you'll have to figure out if you will still just live with the walkmesh issues on your area, or if you will force it to all walkmesh and block for non-flyers through some triggers and scripts and blocking models, etc.
Let me know if you guys think this general concept is doable and if any of you are able to get it to work, I would request a small credit for the concept and hopefully a you'll post it up for the community to see how to use it and do it.
I'll be really interested to see any input on this idea and if my explanation isn't clear enough ask me for clarification on the idea."
I just hope that someone gives it some practice and if it works, post it. If it doesn't, let me know and let me know where the breakdown was or what the problem was. I will try this myself eventually, I just have to learn some things about scripting and vfx and importing models.
You can edit your idea. Use the "Manage submissions" link in the left menu, section "My profile".
And I suggest that you put the actual link to the forum's thread.
As for your idea, it was clear and seems pretty clever to me. Although in practice there are always lots of issues that we'd never have thought of. :o)
Number 3 of the problems to overcome section refers to a "conversation above". You won't find that conversation here, it is not a reference to anything within my idea. It IS a reference to the original Bioware Scripting Forum thread from which this text is quoted.
After this got posted and I reread it, I realized it could cause some confusion, but rather than asking to edit it, I am providing this explanation. See the original thread "Idea for Flying Implementation" by nicethugbert in the Bioware Scripting forum if you want to read the reference.
You must be Logged In to post comments in this section.
10 - A Masterpiece, Genuinely Groundbreaking 9 - Outstanding, a Must Have 8 - Excellent, Recommended to Anyone 7 - Very Good, Deserves a Look 6 - Good, Qualified Recommendation 5 - Fair, Solid yet Unremarkable 4 - Some Merit, Requires Improvements 3 - Poor Execution, Potential Unrealized 2 - Very Little Appeal 1 - Not Recommended to Anyone
Site
at 2009-10-09 20:15:42
