The Ur-Quan Masters Discussion Forum

The Ur-Quan Masters Re-Release => General UQM Discussion => Topic started by: metamorphosis on January 19, 2005, 11:02:36 am



Title: Hi there - I'd like to help
Post by: metamorphosis on January 19, 2005, 11:02:36 am
Hiya-
I have some experience both programming and remixing music - primarily I'd like to help get the beginning and end-sequences going either by mixing the music or programming-
can I help?
BTW theres a bug in the latest cvs - if you press space bar during the 'outtakes', the game freezes, essentially- haven't checked to see whether it's in .3 alpha- *MODDED*: think this was just a random computer *magic fluctuation*, on my pc.
Thanks,
Matt


Title: Re: Hi there - I'd like to help
Post by: 0xDEC0DE on January 19, 2005, 05:46:51 pm
They've been keeping the fact somewhat quiet, but the current CVS version already has a fully working intro sequence, but still no end sequence yet (although I expect that to be done "Real Soon Now™" seeing as they just hammered out all the bugs with the intro).  So I'd expect them to need very little in the way of help there, specifically.

But more help is usually better than less help, so see here (http://sc2.sourceforge.net/info.php#faq) under "I want to help!" for a list of available resources and practices.  If you're wanting to get your feet wet as soon as possible, head over to the project's Bugzilla page (http://uqm.stack.nl/cgi-bin/bugs/index.cgi), pick a bug that needs fixing, and submit a patch for it.  Just take note that the coredev team on this project has set a rather high standard for submitted code, so be on your best behaviour, and don't take it personally if they bitch-slap your patch and make you write it again.  :)


Title: Re: Hi there - I'd like to help
Post by: Matthew Bentley on January 20, 2005, 01:44:15 am
Quote
They've been keeping the fact somewhat quiet, but the current CVS version already has a fully working intro sequence, but still no end sequence yet (although I expect that to be done "Real Soon Now™" seeing as they just hammered out all the bugs with the intro).  So I'd expect them to need very little in the way of help there, specifically.


Thanks for that - but tried the latest CVS and couldn't find any intro sequence there.

Cheers for the advice in getting involved-
matt


Title: Re: Hi there - I'd like to help
Post by: Novus on January 20, 2005, 11:38:23 am
Just compile and run the latest CVS version and wait for the title screen to fade out (i.e. do not press a key to get to the main menu). The intro should start.

The slides and other data used by the intro are in the content directory. Some of the files have been added 2 days ago, so you need to use content from CVS, too. Using an old content ZIP with a CVS executable won't work.


Title: Re: Hi there - I'd like to help
Post by: metamorphosis on January 20, 2005, 03:07:04 pm
Ah I see :)
Was missing the content, would be smarter to have it come on at the start of every 'new game' instead of during the title screen because gamers tend to instinctively (or at least, I do), just hit a key to get rid of screens like that.
Anyone agree with me?


Title: Re: Hi there - I'd like to help
Post by: Novus on January 20, 2005, 03:29:02 pm
Quote
Was missing the content, would be smarter to have it come on at the start of every 'new game' instead of during the title screen because gamers tend to instinctively (or at least, I do), just hit a key to get rid of screens like that.
Anyone agree with me?

Good idea. It may also be a good idea to make it harder to interrupt the intro accidentally; for example, require the player to hit [ESC] to skip the intro instead of any old key.


Title: Re: Hi there - I'd like to help
Post by: Halleck on January 21, 2005, 02:08:11 pm
Quote
Ah I see :)
Was missing the content, would be smarter to have it come on at the start of every 'new game' instead of during the title screen because gamers tend to instinctively (or at least, I do), just hit a key to get rid of screens like that.
Anyone agree with me?

I do. Right now it goes from the UQM Title screen to the SC2 intro, and then back to the UQM menu, right? I think it would conform to the straight-port doctrine better if we moved it as you suggested, so we see UQM Title Screen->Uqm Menu->(Beginning of original content)SC2 Intro->Game.
This would probably also lessen the eventuality of people skipping it- I'd think that most PC gamers excpect to see an intro when they hit "New Game".


Title: Re: Hi there - I'd like to help
Post by: 0xDEC0DE on January 21, 2005, 04:57:58 pm
There's just one small flaw in your argument:  the original PC version of SC2, as well as the 3DO version, played the intro before showing any sort of menu.  So the behaviour is 100% correct with respect to the original source material.

But I do find the loading/intro sequence for the game to be a little "crowded" anymore.  What I might do in my fork, in order to make the game more closely resemble the PC version, is replace Mr. Otus' fancy loader screen graphic with the "...presents" graphic, and alter the intro sequence so that it all flows together like the PC version.  Who knows, the official version might follow suit if it looks good enough.


Title: Re: Hi there - I'd like to help
Post by: Novus on January 22, 2005, 12:39:14 am
Quote
There's just one small flaw in your argument:  the original PC version of SC2, as well as the 3DO version, played the intro before showing any sort of menu.  So the behaviour is 100% correct with respect to the original source material.

True, but the main menu isn't what it used to be, as it now includes a setup menu. The 3DO version didn't need any configuration, and the PC version had a separate setup program. Now, this means that in both PC and 3DO versions, the intro comes after the configuration process, meaning that the intro should be after the menu in UQM for consistency with SC2. ;D


Title: Re: Hi there - I'd like to help
Post by: Defender on January 22, 2005, 04:25:53 am
hey guys, where do i download the new content, or just the movies at? i checked the content on this site, but its the same size as the one im currently using. i assumed its the same one. thanks for the point in the right direction.

~DEFIANT


Title: Re: Hi there - I'd like to help
Post by: 0xDEC0DE on January 22, 2005, 04:49:41 am
Here's an add-on pack that should do the trick:

http://www.submedia.net/~nic/uqm/uqm-intro-ending.zip

DO NOT UNZIP IT!  Place the file in your content/packages folder and start the game normally; the intro/endings should play automatically when appropriate.


Title: Re: Hi there - I'd like to help
Post by: metamorphosis on January 22, 2005, 06:41:54 am
Quote
Here's an add-on pack that should do the trick:

http://www.submedia.net/~nic/uqm/uqm-intro-ending.zip

DO NOT UNZIP IT!  Place the file in your content/packages folder and start the game normally; the intro/endings should play automatically when appropriate.


I see opening, I don't see closing (ditto with download the individual files and placing in the content/slides/ending directory...) sequence.
I'm using the CVS from 19-01-2005. Should it be working?
m@


Title: Re: Hi there - I'd like to help
Post by: Defender on January 22, 2005, 09:28:16 am
many thanks! ;D excellent work! simply amazing!

might i inquire about the 3d0 intro and ending? are they still havening trouble getting it to work? i hope those intros will make as well. it just wouldnt be complete with out them. thanks again. talk at yall later...

~DEFIANT


metamorphosis:
i believe only the intro has been added so far. correct me if im wrong. im new to the intro ending thing myself. so far all ive seen is the intro, which plays right after the title screen. some of the others here might be able to help you better, as im not to fluent in geek :P


Title: Re: Hi there - I'd like to help
Post by: 0xDEC0DE on January 22, 2005, 09:53:37 am
To see the ending slides, you'll need a CVS snapshot build from 21-Jan-2005 or later.  The later, the better.


Title: Re: Hi there - I'd like to help
Post by: Novus on January 22, 2005, 01:05:05 pm
Quote
might i inquire about the 3d0 intro and ending? are they still havening trouble getting it to work?

Apparently, the 3DO intro and ending work fine, but nobody here seems to have the right to distribute the movie files. Oddly, I can find MPEGs of the intro and ending at PoNaF (which surely is just as legal/illegal) but not the original DUKs (which UQM uses).


Title: Re: Hi there - I'd like to help
Post by: metamorphosis on January 25, 2005, 04:02:08 pm
Quote

Apparently, the 3DO intro and ending work fine, but nobody here seems to have the right to distribute the movie files. Oddly, I can find MPEGs of the intro and ending at PoNaF (which surely is just as legal/illegal) but not the original DUKs (which UQM uses).


Is the quality of image in the mpegs (grainy, blocky) the end-quality in the DUKs? I was pretty darn impressed by the mpegs, despite their blockiness - despite their age, they hold extremely well.


Title: Re: Hi there - I'd like to help
Post by: meep-eep on January 25, 2005, 05:32:59 pm
See here (http://uqm.stack.nl/wiki/index.php?title=The_Ur-Quan_Masters_Technical_FAQ#How_do_I_use_the_3DO_intro_and_victory_movies_in_the_game.3F) for information on playing the .duk files in UQM.