The Ur-Quan Masters Discussion Forum

The Ur-Quan Masters Re-Release => General UQM Discussion => Topic started by: Dixie Flatline on August 27, 2008, 05:09:56 pm



Title: UQM Redux
Post by: Dixie Flatline on August 27, 2008, 05:09:56 pm


(http://i37.tinypic.com/2h6vlhf.jpg)
In my queue of new graphics is:
Deep Child Mycon Podship with Battlecomm screen.
Black Spathi Squadron
Thraddash Torch Overhaul. I really dislike the design.
Supox  Blade detailing
Skiff recoloring and detailing

http://www.mediafire.com/?hzngyyvgo7x  <- Current version
http://i34.tinypic.com/288nmag.jpg
http://i37.tinypic.com/2yvrz4l.jpg

Installation: Backup your old uqm-0.6.0-content.uqm file and replace it with this one. Enjoy.


Old Post:Hey,Im new here,and I did a little tweaking before I ran off to work,but I found that the content.uqm package is just in a renamed rar file,and all the graphics for ships and sounds are there. What I intend to do is do a graphical and maybe some audio remix of UQM. Im going to try to use the graphics from the "Graphics Enhancement Thread",and import those into UQM.

Mainly,because I think the VUX Intruder in battle needs one hell of a make over.  ;D

The installation of said mod should just be a simple "Make backup of old content folder, and place new one and rename it to the old one."


Title: Re: UQM Redux
Post by: Eco-Mono on August 27, 2008, 05:46:12 pm
Something you should know (and was mentioned in the Remix thread): the current code will not support higher-res graphics, because the game actually uses pixel position to place stuff on-screen. So, you may have to modify the code itself (rather than just the content file) in order to get the new ship images to work. 

But don't let me discourage you. If you're still up to it, I know a lot of people who've been waiting a long time for something like this. :)


Title: Re: UQM Redux
Post by: Dixie Flatline on August 27, 2008, 05:53:31 pm
Hm,yeah,I just realized that when I tried a test run of the mod with only the scout modified. I'll try modifiying the basic images,so the resolutions are the same,but say,with more colors and more like the comm screens,and I'll work from there. With some audio tools I should be able to make the sounds better too.I'll use the original sounds and modify from there.


Title: Re: UQM Redux
Post by: meep-eep on August 27, 2008, 06:34:13 pm
It's actually a renamed .zip file, not .rar.


Title: Re: UQM Redux
Post by: Amiga_Nut on August 27, 2008, 07:16:42 pm
Something else to think about is the fact that the ships rotation and zoom are done through several frames, and not by sprite rotation. Also, if you look at the rotation animation, you will see that the ships are drawn in such a way that the highlight always comes from the same direction. Even if it were possible to modify the UQM code to use sprite rotation. The realism of the original design would be diminished. There is nothing stopping you from redoing the original graphics. However you may be surprised by the tiny resolution you'd be working with. I'm not sure if you could easily change that. I think the technical aspect of such a modification would be prohibitive.


Title: Re: UQM Redux
Post by: Dixie Flatline on August 28, 2008, 04:56:16 am
The sprites are all different frames. Basically, for each scale from the battlefield they'res about  10-12 frames, the farthest making the scout resolution a meager 3x5 pixels. For now,Im just going to redo the ships sprites colors and the battlefield comm screens,and then I'll see if I can modify the code to take higher resolutions. Hell,if I succeed in making the code for higher res, we may have the SC2 sequel engine.


Title: Re: UQM Redux
Post by: Dixie Flatline on August 28, 2008, 06:17:20 am
Christ,I cant even add more colors to the basic sprites, they all have to be in the 16 color format or they go all wacky. I had completely redone the Scout and battlecom screen to look like the conversing comm screen, but now it shows up looking a lot like the Drones main attack,and the battlecom screen looks like Tanaka has been on acid.


Title: Re: UQM Redux
Post by: countchocula86 on August 28, 2008, 06:37:37 am
Sadly improving the graphics always seems to take a lot more work then people anticipate


Title: Re: UQM Redux
Post by: Dixie Flatline on August 28, 2008, 05:10:43 pm
Whelp,time to go source diving and hope I can find what is going on

EDIT: Ive actually figured out one problem,my painting program has been saving the sprite .png's in 8bit, and If I save them to 32bit they seem to work a lot better,all colors right but Im currently testing transparency

EDIT 2: Transparency works. Proceeding with more graphics.

Current Shofixti configuration to look more like the Comm screen.

http://i34.tinypic.com/288nmag.jpg (http://i34.tinypic.com/288nmag.jpg)


Title: Re: UQM Redux
Post by: lakota.james on August 31, 2008, 05:35:48 am
This looks pretty cool.  I hope you find time to redo all of them.  Although if you did figure out how to change the resolutions,  I would be so happy I would pee myself. :P


Title: Re: UQM Redux
Post by: Dixie Flatline on September 01, 2008, 07:14:22 am
Got the Yehat Terminator in total Warbird colors and I have and upclose view of my slightly changed Vux intruder ( sprite was pretty bland,so I editted a few pixels to make it look more detailed)
http://i37.tinypic.com/2yvrz4l.jpg (http://i37.tinypic.com/2yvrz4l.jpg)

In my queue of new graphics is:
Deep Child Mycon Podship with Battlecomm screen.
Black Spathi Squadron
Thraddash Torch Overhaul. I really dislike the design.
Supox  Blade detailing
Skiff recoloring and detailing

http://www.mediafire.com/?hzngyyvgo7x (http://www.mediafire.com/?hzngyyvgo7x)  <- Current version

Installation: Backup your old uqm-0.6.0-content.uqm file and replace it with this one. Enjoy.


Title: Re: UQM Redux
Post by: meep-eep on September 01, 2008, 12:31:40 pm
You don't have to supply the entire content. You can just put the changed files together in one package, give the package a name which comes alphabetically after uqm-0.6.0-content, and stick it in the same dir. Better yet: put it in an add-on dir so it can easilly be disabled. See also here (http://wiki.uqm.stack.nl/The_Ur-Quan_Masters_Technical_FAQ#How_do_I_use_add-on_packages.3F).