The Ur-Quan Masters Discussion Forum

This one took quite awhile because my scope kept changing throughout but I decided to release it as-is.
Let us hope there aren't any bugs that warrant a bugfix release like all the past releases.

None of the graphics have been updated except for the Ur-Quan and Druuge comm screens.

Lots of additions almost too many to recount here but this release comes with a hefty changelog as well we can read an online version of the changelog
over at my website: http://megamod.serosis.net/Features

The short of it is new difficulty settings, Extended Lore which you can toggle on to enable Extended Mod's lore additions plus a few extra bits of lore, and Nomad mode which is a survival mode without the Starbase.
Game Over screens have been added specifically for the Death March, Ur-Quan surrender, losing your Flagship in battle, and suicide by Utwig bomb.

The Death March one is basic for the moment, hoping to get some full PC slide art to go along with the epilogue.

Well, here it is: https://github.com/Serosis/UQM-MegaMod/releases/tag/0.8.0.83

For the moment I can't put together a Debian package so I'm looking at other options like Flatpak but I won't be able to do anything with that until late next week.

When I started playing with a custom random seed, many planets important to the story were affected by this too (at least in the save file I kept from the 0.8.0.82 version).

Spathiwa's moon is no longer a Pellucid World.
The Pkunk homeworld is in the "gray" zone, meaning its surface temperature is well below zero.
Unzervalt became a Primordial World with class 8 weather and tectonics, and a surface temperature of 117ºC.

Looks like the locations of the homeworlds in the original game were based on what was generated with the default random seed, and that all locations important to the story need to be generated manually, because otherwise many things no longer make any sense.

That is the intended effect of custom seed.
It's not supposed to be 100% lore friendly. Important planets can and will be moved around to keep players guessing.
The only planets that stick to their vanilla counterparts are those that have spoken dialog about their location.
Otherwise, they can be anything and anywhere.

Maybe later down the line I can figure out how to make the homeworlds generate into the habitable zone but for now it's the wild west and anything goes.

That's exactly the problem I'm having. I'm fine with a homeworld changing from planet I to, say, planet IV. I'm not fine with Unzervalt changing from a Water World to a completely uninhabitable Primordial World. That's, well, a world of difference. ;) And it's really immersion-breaking. So, yes, homeworlds need to be in the habitable zone and have the correct planet type.

Also, Vela I and Vela II are both called Unzervalt now.

And also, Commander Hayes now says that all my mineral loads are "light" no matter how much I bring him. I just brought two storage bays' worth of precious and radioactive minerals, and Hayes still said it was too little.

And finally, apparently I can now view ships' ComSim databank entries from the shipyard, but when I do so, those glowing... pathways... corridors... wire-like things from the flagship to the escort ships remain on the screen, and they are superimposed over the ship's image in the databank entry.

I can look into those last three when I get back from vacation.

Quick question, did you replace all the content files and EXE because none of this is happening on a fresh installation for me except for the shipyard power lines.
Which is definitely annoying and it only does it in HD mode for me. So should be easy to find and squash when I get back.

Also what seed are you using so i can see if it's that particular seed causing the double Unzervalt.

EDIT:

Also... I may have ran into that bug where entering a star system crashes the game (more like locked it up and made it unresponsive). I thought I fixed that problem but it'll have to be something I look into extensively.

I used the "clone and download" option in the MegaMod's GitHub directory to download the new version. I just checked and no, the archive I downloaded did not include the content directory. Is there any way to download the new content files except by using the installer to uninstall and reinstall the whole game?

And as for the, well, power lines in the shipyard screen, I played with the classic low-res graphics (I don't like the style of the HD graphics personally), and the problem was still there for me.

All of the optional content can be downloaded on the main website for the MegaMod: http://megamod.serosis.net/Releases

As for the power lines I already have an idea of what's going on and I wonder if that bug is there in vanilla "0.8.0".

At any rate I'll be planning to put all the content on GitHub  for ease of use.

UPDATE:

I can't for the life of me repeat the Vela II bug you encountered

UPDATE 2:

I think, for now, I'm just going to leave these bugs as-is. I have an idea of what's causing them but I don't feel a full-on re-release is necessary since none of it is game breaking.
With the exception of locking up when entering a solar system. I have yet to get it to do that with the debugger on but I'll note it down in the release section on Github.

In my game, it says "Planet II" in the interplanetary screen, but "Unzervalt" in orbit.

And what about Commander Hayes complaining about the mineral loads being too light no matter how much you bring him? Did you perhaps raise the thresholds for the loads being deemed "medium" or "heavy" so that you need to fill your ship's entire spine with storage bays and fill them to the brim in order for your load to be deemed worthwhile?

UPDATE:
Looks like Hayes reacts to the minerals normally now.

Found the cause for the Unzervalt bug, it was an oversight on my part.

Sometimes forgetting that arrays start at 0, not 1.

That pretty much leaves the power lines bug.

UPDATE:

And the powerline bug is fixed.

I got a few more things to do but I'll draft a bugfix release some time this week.

I think I'll wait til the next full release. I'd hate to increment the version just for a few bugs.

I've pushed out a bugfix release: https://github.com/Serosis/UQM-MegaMod/releases/tag/0.8.0.84

Changes include:

- Animated powerlines no longer draw over ship desciriptions in the Shipyard
- Only Unzervalt will be named Unzervalt
- Fixed various other planet name discrepencies
- Isolated the Android specific controls to fix gamepad controls on non-Android devices


UPDATE:

For those that use the Precursor's remixes or Volasaurus' remixes I've fixed a content error that caused black screens during the slides.
All that needs to be done is to redownload the Precursor's remix timing package and/or Volasaurus' remix package:

http://files.serosis.net/MegaMod/volasaurus-remix-pack.uqm

http://files.serosis.net/MegaMod/mm-remix-timing.uqm

Great Job!  ;D    Absolutely loving this release

how can I put the HD graphics in the megamod?
I have the hd game but copy the files into the megamod folder doesnt work
Pd: great work with this mod ;D

MegaMod has its own HD file you have to download separately if you're not using the Windows installer

You can get it here: http://files.serosis.net/MegaMod/uqm-mm-hd.uqm

Make sure you remove the old HD files before you install the MegaMod version.

Hey,

Love the features you added to the mod. I enjoyed replaying the game in Hard Mode. Especially having to traverse the universe to get all the Melnorme Technology.

I have a few suggestions though if you don't mind.
- Separate the godmode: I want to fool around with unlimited energy but I don't want to be invulnerable. Invulnerability takes the fun away.
- Available ships: If possible, could you add the Mmrnmhrm and the Androsynth to the build list? I am wondering how they will fare against the Sa-Matra :P
- Melnorme cost Hardmode: I like how you upped the price for fuel, but it would make it harder if you upped the price of new technology instead.
- Quasispace Hardmode: Would it be possible to make the natural Quasispace portal appear in 2157 or later in Hard mode. That way you cant get the portal spawner right at the start so you have no choice BUT to travel those long distances through hyperspace in the beginning. I think this really combines well with the seperated Melnorme technology to make it Harder.
- Sa-Matra battle: I know this is probably not possible but I have to ask anyways :P. Is it possible to make the Sa-Matra battle harder for Hardmode? I know the green push-balls act differently in the UQM-HD than in the original star control 2. The way the green balls act now makes it too easy to attack the shieldgenerators. And what I mean by that is, the way it is now, when you cross the border of the screen and go to the other side, the green balls move back to the Sa-Matra, but half way they go along with your direction away from the Sa-Matra. This leaves a big timewindow to do some damage. Only when you get close will they switch to attack you head on. So their action should be that when you cross the edge of the screen, they go back to the Sa-matra, circle around there untill you come close and then attack you and move linear in the way that they do.

I am no programmer, so these are just some wishes of an ignorant player. Anyways, thank you for your hard work.

I can definitely look into all of that. Some of it sounds feasible right off the bat but others will need a more in-depth look.

There's some serious attribution errors here. The project clearly needs to be labelled as a fork of UQMHD, because that's what it is.
No-one has done more work on this than Damon, and that includes you, and me.
Seriously I don't know where you got your credits.txt, but it's not based on anything in a repo.
Please re-include the UQMHD section from this one:
https://sourceforge.net/p/urquanmastershd/git-new/ci/master/tree/content/base/cutscene/credits/credits.txt

and just put your section at the top. You've earned it. But you haven't earned the right to deprive others of attribution.
I'm not listed in your remixes or programming sections, for example. Half the bugs you initially listed as fixed were fixed by me and re-ported back into the UQMHD codebase.
That's a matter of public record.

Additionally, I think putting yourself at the loading of the game, and removing all Project 6014 references from the opening is just kinda an ugly egomaniac type of move. You didn't earn it.
Other than that, I quite like what you've put together - it's good that there are updated packages for all platforms.

I was actually already planning to replace the Logo slide.

This is the logo screen I was going to switch to:
(https://raw.githubusercontent.com/Serosis/UrQuanConflict/master/sc2/content/base/ui/title.png)
To mimic the Accolade logo somewhat.

Or I would just remove it entirely so it goes straight to the splash.

Because my "Serosis Presents" screen was really bugging me exactly in the way it bugged you.

As for the credits... Whoops.

Recently I've aligned them to what McMartin did for the upcoming v0.8.0 but you're right that I left a bunch out.
Not on purpose. I'm not a total dick.  
Hell, before I had contributors I completely ignored the credits.txt

And if you're talking about this:
(https://i.imgur.com/HpIgxC6b.png)

That slide is not going back in.
The current goal of the MegaMod is to make HD look as Vanilla as possible given the current UI constraints.
So anything that deviates from Vanilla look and feel is getting tossed and replaced as part of the ongoing progress, when possible.

But I'll definitely get on the credits and make sure the vanilla HD-mod set is put in.

EDIT:

While fixing up the HD-Mod credits to fit the new v0.8.0 style I noticed Kwayne was never attributed for his art contributions.
So I'll just add him in.

UPDATE:

Credit and Logo changes are in.

ADDENDUM:

For the record I mean to revert some of the visual changes I've made as well.
Like for the Splash and Main Menu.
Currently in process of recreating the Splash in HD and I've already completed the Vanilla main menu in HD.

EPILOGUE:

Next time you have a problem with something I'm doing, make a Github issue (https://github.com/Serosis/UQM-MegaMod/issues) about it. 
I'm just one guy doing this as a hobby with the help of some friends, I don't need anybody's drama.

I'm always listening and I always respond in kind. I have no idea what made you think you could fucking talk to me that way.
In the future, speak to me as an adult and I will do the same for you.

I think I did speak to you as an adult, and I think (initially) you responded in kind.
I didn't mean for you to beat yourself up about it, that's for sure, it was just like "hey... come on".
Having been on the receiving end of being called out for lack of attribution in another project, I can see how you'd take it that way, even if I didn't mean it that way.

At any rate, I think we're on the same page, and you didn't mean any harm. For sure, I'm happy to submit stuff through the github thing in future.
The project 6014 thing was just for me, an acknowledgement of where most of the HD work came out of, but I have no problem with your reasoning on that front, and the new logo looks nice-

Anyway, to make up for it, here's a list of things I like/am neutral about:

For:
* Better star rendering, closer to original
* The original drawing scans for the opening/exit credits - in some places I like the redraws more, but as a whole, they work better and are more detailed. Where did they come from?
* Proper install packages for all platforms & downloading options ala UQM vanilla - kewl
* Ongoing bugfixes/development


Neutral:
* Personally prefered the HD URQUAN MASTERS logo, but I get that you're going more toward vanilla.
* Ditto Menu screen.
* Your redraws of the main game interface I think are better for newcomers, they look more modern - I like the HD originals because of nostalgia, predominantly. Both are good.
* Feel somewhat queasy about the inclusion of cheats? But I guess by modern standards some things in the game are kinda harsh, like the time limit.


Minor against:
* Quite liked the faint blue nebula background in sol from HD, which I kept in hdremix but dulled down significantly. Made the initial system a bit less 'dry'. Maybe a custom "milky way" background for sol might be cool? But faint. I haven't played through enough of new ver to see how the new nebulae look - my main change to HD was reducing their saturation/opacity so they were less eye-burny.

I only really started get offended at the tail end of it because it took a minute to sink in.
But as long as we're on the same page then the slate is clean.

The original drawings by George Barr came from an article on Ars Technica:
https://arstechnica.com/gaming/2018/12/video-how-star-control-ii-was-almost-a-much-more-boring-game/

While the finished Vindicator on Unzervalt was from P&F's blog over on https://dogarandkazon.com before the whole lot of their blog was purged in the settlement.
I've emailed Paul about the possible release of more of the original drawings but I haven't heard a peep since the settlement.

The cheats are actually the backbone of the MegaMod.
If you can remember I was building Windows binaries using other people's code for the Ship Spins, Time Dilation, and De-Cleansing mods
I slowly started to combine them via CLI and slowly after that into full blown menu options.
From there I went hog wild. Taking all kinds of ideas into consideration.
And, honestly, I find the cheat menu is better at debugging than a single debug key.
I should just call it that. Debug Menu.

I never really liked the original HD-Mod interface. It was always a bit too clip-art for my taste.
And it wasn't until relatively recently that I learned I could do something about it.  
I know I've alienated quite a few over that decision but I'm steadfast in my resolve.

As far as the Nebulae behind Sol. I felt it was better to have no nebula than a fake one.
Like you I'm thinking about overlaying the Milky Way arm as we see it from Earth.
But I need to find the right image that doesn't conflict with UQM's art style.

And your change to reduce the brightness of the Nebulae is what inspired me to redo them entirely.
As I felt the originals were too blotchy, and more importantly, they were background layers.
Seeing stars being drawn over them bugged the heck out of me.

As for the Menu screen I just recently pushed my "redesign".
Which basically amounted to masking out the original 3DO version and then recreating the UQM UI but using a font close to the 3DO version.
(https://raw.githubusercontent.com/Serosis/UQM-MegaMod-Content/master/base/ui/newgame-000.png)
(For the HD version I upscaled the background using xBRZ)

And like I said before I'm recreating Erol Otus' UQM Splash but it's going to have a more Kohr-Ah twist to it to keep it in line with my favorite genocidal maniacs.

No worries, sounds like we both came off as a bit aggressive.
I'm not worried about anything I wrote as neutral/against, just sharing my subjective impressions.
If you want any comparitive upscales using Waifu2x (neural net using CUDA) I've got my machine set up for that, usually you get better generative detail from the neural net, while xBRZ does better edge detection. I've done a lot of upscaling with waifu2x, it never fails to impress.
Probably 'cheat' is more informative for newcomers than 'debug' - but either is good.

I think when I was talking about the UQMHD main interface I meant the borders etc, rather than the menu pics - I haven't really compared.



Fair enough - I just worked with what was there, it didn't really bug me asides from the brightness and the lack of star systems without nebulae, at the time - hadn't thought about the stars being in front/behind. I mean - that does happen, right? You get stars in front of nebulae.





Do you mean the opening title screen before the menu? Or the opening cutscene splash?
BTW I was wondering why you didn't go with the redraw version for the title screen - using damon's wallpaper (https://soulstudios.co.nz/uqm/kohr_ah_wallpaper_by_dczanik-d48yqtw.jpg) version you could easily edit something higher-detail together for yourself:
(https://soulstudios.co.nz/uqm/kohr_ah_wallpaper_by_dczanik-d48yqtw.jpg)

I completely forgot about Waifu2x
I also tried Gigapixel AI but it puts out too much garbage with this particular image.

And I did use Damon's Kohr-Ah for the splash screen, but not the wallpaper version, the in-game version:
(https://raw.githubusercontent.com/Serosis/UQM-MegaMod-Content/d75682041bb495d968bd934f1df679444b6b50bc/base/ui/hd/title.png)

Or is that what you're calling the logo?

What I'm going to do with it now is basically the same as Erol Otus':
(https://sourceforge.net/p/sc2/uqm/ci/master/tree/sc2/content/base/ui/title.png?format=raw)
But with even more Kohr-Ah and less speed blur.
And correct ships. Kinda bugs me seeing a Chmmr and Chenjesu ship in the same fleet.

I decided to go full remaster with the title screens.

(https://raw.githubusercontent.com/Serosis/UQM-MegaMod-Content/master/base/ui/title.png)
(https://raw.githubusercontent.com/Serosis/UQM-MegaMod-Content/master/base/ui/hd/title.png)

And a debranded one:

(https://raw.githubusercontent.com/Serosis/UQM-MegaMod-Content/master/base/ui/hd/title.debrand.png)

Sorry for late reply - no I think we're on the same page about what the logo is.
Looks good - not sure if the vertical blur adds anything to it, but def looks better with the extra details from the wallpaper ver.
Cool! L:)

Why are there gun modules in the middle of the ship?

The blur is there because it's in Erol's title screen as well.


Asked myself the same thing when I was staring at Erol's original design. 
I mimicked everything I could including the things that don't make sense.

Quote from the PoNaF forum:

Thanks for looking out, I'll answer over there.

Wish I could edit the initial post in this thread.


You can grab the release on the Github release page here: https://github.com/Serosis/UQM-MegaMod/releases/tag/0.8.0.85

Screenshots and comparisons can be found in the gallery: http://megamod.serosis.net/Gallery

Enjoy!

Congratulations!!   Great Job! ;D

As to this being your largest, idk, that release where you, one person, incorporated the HD mod, and brought the whole thing kicking and screaming up to 0.8.0 was a pretty freaking huge. ;D

Haha. That was pretty difficult. I actually attempted that twice before I got it right.

Though Ala-lala dragging the MegaMod into SDL2 was a sight to behold as well. 
I was fully prepared to take a couple weeks and do that myself and he popped up with a pull request with it all completed.

So really this release wouldn't be possible without McMartin's work on updating to SDL2 and Ala-lala's extensive work to port it over.
Then there's Kruzenshtern's work to squash the rest of the bugs left over.

Next up is molding the UI in HD to fit what a 4x scaled version should look like.

I'm curious, what do you mean by this?  I see on your github you are very much well on your way.  Care to share any details?  ;D

Why certainly!

Here's a series of comparison shots from Core, HD-mod, and the MegaMod: https://imgur.com/a/MUVmGoi

Things are still unfinished but they're starting to look darn good.

That's really cool!  Great job!

Much appreciated!

All I technically have left to do is recolor the top-view ship modules for both the outfit and status area, make a new set of ship icons for the status and ship portraits area, scale down a set of captain animations, and fiddle with the new fonts some more.
Plus a ton of fiddling to make sure everything fits on screen as best as possible given the files I have to work with.