Jump to content

Genesis Siderea - new miniset for the Seraphim


Recommended Posts

Oh, wait, now I see it, I thought he just had the bike tied to the front and had all those boxes on like a manual skid lifter that you couldn't see. Sorry :) Belly is filled with steak, lobster, and shrimp.......brain's not working at optimum power at the present moment

Link to comment
  • 2 weeks later...

> ".. eyes all over their wings.."

Something akin to the Faceless in Heroes of Might and Magic?

MMH6_Standalone_Expansion_Dungeon_Facele

 

If these kind of wings gets into the game I AM WILLING TO KILL MYSELF, THEY ARE SO AWSOME, I am a MU Fan (Webzen old game ) and the wings in that game looks awsome regardless of what people may say. Angelic type wings for me are heavenly. Please do some oversized wings .

Link to comment
  • 9 months later...

Today, the wings of this set started glitching out on me, for some reason. The parts that look like clouds turn black after a few seconds. I have no clue what's going down here, I haven't changed any files. Is anyone else having this problem?

Link to comment

Actually, Gilberticus is right. There is a slight glitch in the wings textures. I noticed it too, and tried to tell about it during the internal testing of the Item Mod. But I got the same answer that the set never looked differently, and was not able to pinpoint the issue myself, so I let it slide.

 

Now I found that the culprit is the volume texture. On most computers, when the game starts up, there is a slight delay in the loading of the volume maps and application of volume and fur effects. So you really see the base texture for a few seconds, then the volume map applies and you suddenly see black spots where there were none. Maybe on more powerful machines there is no such delay, so some people see the applied volume instantly and can never guess that the coloring might be different.

That is how the wings look without volume texture (very flat, but the point is to notice the coloring):

RnoEKdTt.jpg

 

And that's how they look after the volume map is applied (notice the black spots with straight edges in the back view):

RbVgfQJt.jpg

 

The reason for the difference in looks is trivial - Sacred's game engine does not support mip maps for volume textures, and Pesmontis saved the wings' texture with mip map generation turned on (because it should be turned on for all other kinds of item textures). So while the volume map was originally created to match the diffuse texture, the engine interprets it differently, considering the area of the image filled with scaled down mip maps as part of the main texture, and applies the result a bit strangely. If you re-save the volume map with mip map generation turned off, that's how the wings would look:

ZDaKPdpt.jpg

 

By the way, for the diffuse textures (and other textures for which the engine supports mip mapping) it does not matter if you turn the mip map generation on or off - the result looks visually the same. When you see the difference, it means that the engine does not support this function for the particular kind of texture, and therefore the save setting should be "off".

 

EDIT: I attached the re-saved volume map for those who might want to try it out. You just need to extract the DDS file from the archive, and drop it to the folder named "pak\mq\maps\heroes\seraphim\sets\genesis" inside your game installation.

n90vol.zip

Edited by Silver_fox
  • Like! 1
Link to comment

Yes, those pictures show exactly what's going on, thank you! I'm not very computer savvy, could you explain where the mip map is? This is a small thing, but I have a confession. The reason why this set was important to me was I gave it to the Seraphim that I named after my little girl that died in utero last year. I know it sounds dorky, but playing with that character takes a tiny bit of the pain away.

Link to comment

I don't have the \sets\genesis part, it ends with the seraphim file, which has skin dds files. Would you know how to fix this?

 

In this case you'll have to create the missing folders yourself. When the Items Mod was integrated into the CM Patch the Genesis files were relocated to a zip file. You can override the glitched file in question by placing the new file in a "loose" folder (aka the way I do mods). Just make a "sets" folder and a "genesis" folder inside it, and put the file in there.

 

Also, Silver Fox you blew my mind with revealing how the wings were supposed to look. I've only ever seen it as it is posted in my "showcase" picture above, no shifting or anything, so I never realized I was looking at a glitch. I remember you noting that something was wrong with them last year but I could never see what the problem was - even Pesmontis's own pics show the same "straight line" effect (which I now realize looks odd after seeing the correction).

 

At any rate thanks. :)

 

I know it sounds dorky...

If by "dorky" you mean I get a heavy feeling in my chest and stinging in my eyes, then yes...

 

GIF-Bender-cry-crying-feels-Futurama-sad

Edited by Flix
  • Like! 1
Link to comment
  • 2 years later...

I cannot socket any piece from this set at the Blacksmith. What gives ?

Just tested. No problems here. Do you have any mods installed? Are these the only items you can't socket?

  • Like! 1
Link to comment

And now for something not completely different: a miniset called 'Genesis Siderea', originally meant to update an existing set.

attachicon.gif01 prototype.jpg

Image 01: prototype in DeepExploration

 

Although.. mm.. it's actually completely different from the Sopor Aethernis set, as you'll soon discover :-)

The models for the boots, the pelvis and the torso were altered, and the model for the wings is new (derived from the 'envoy-of-death-wings02'). I also thought that the helmet model of Endijian's Artifacts would fit this set better, just because it's kind of futuristic apparel, and the helmet is the ultimate stargazer headpiece ;-)

It would have been nice to create a complete set, but I never got to alter the legs, arms and shoulders, because these parts are already very nice and fitting.

 

The textures are largely based on an image of a star-forming region:

http://www.spacetelescope.org/images/heic0702a/

This is also why the set is themed with star formation, and why it's called 'Genesis Siderea'. It's going to be part of the new version of the CM Items Mod.

Big thanks (again) to Silver_fox for reviewing the bonuses. Both Flix and Silver_fox have encouraged me to make this set even better, for instance by testing the altered running animation. And Flix, thanks for the screenshots of the bonuses :-)

 

The models of this set have actually undergone a wide range of very technical changes in order to make them fit precisely together. These technical edits include the mesh normals and the normal maps, and the way the meshes are affected by the bones. Also, the textures include a few miniature decals that can only be seen up-close.

 

Vessel of Chaos

This casque serves two purposes: (1) it's good for stargazing, (2) it's good for containment of awe, the direct result of (too much) stargazing. It also looks like a fighter pilot's helmet, and for that reason I added her squadron insignia: the well-known tiger constellation.

attachicon.gifnew buyable shield 01.jpgattachicon.gifstats Vessel of Chaos.jpg

Image 02: Seraphim with one of the new buyable shields

 

attachicon.gifnew throwdrink Molotov Cocktail.jpg

Image 03: Seraphim with the new throw-potion 'Molotov Cocktail'

 

Dawn of Scheherazade

'Dawn' is of course meant as the re-appearence of (day)light.

The name of Scheherazade refers to the 'star' of the stories from "One Thousand and One Nights". She is a legendary Persian queen and she tells those stories for a reason. At dawn, she always stops storytelling with a cliffhanger, forcing the King to keep her alive for another day. So in fact this chestpiece is meant for survival in the first place, even though it looks like an arabian dancing top.

In the diffuse texture map, the pendant has received a small 'galaxy' decal.

attachicon.gifnew To Mega Therion 01.jpgattachicon.gifstats Dawn of Scheherazade.jpg

Image 04: Seraphim with the new unique staff 'To Mega Therion'

 

attachicon.gifnew Shaman's Totem (orc) staff 02.jpg

Image 05: Seraphim with the new unigue staff 'Shaman's Totem'

 

Cradle of Light

A region in space where new stars are formed: the origin of light and joy.

The normal map texture has received an explicit lycra pattern.

attachicon.gifnew Delior's Holy Staff.jpgattachicon.gifstats Cradle of Light.jpg

Image 06: Seraphim with the new unique 'Delior's Holy Staff'

 

Fusion Igniters

These are the hands that have the (spell) power to light a star. The textures of these gloves have been made quite light colored, so that the effect of the original normal map is much more enhanced.

attachicon.gifstats Fusion Igniters.jpg

 

Dark Matter Conduits

These boots draw in dark matter as they move the Seraphim from place to place.

They'll get dirty, that's for sure, and not only with dust..

Technically, these boots have caused me headaches, because of the legs inside. I've tried hard to keep the boots slender, but the animations kept spoiling things. In the normal texture map, the folds at the knees have been erased, and on the inside of the boots, the diffuse texture map has received three decals to create more 'depth'.

attachicon.gifstats Dark Matter Conduits.jpg

 

Star Meadows

The eye catcher of the set has been textured with a 'volume texture' to increase the depth of the star field. The thickness of the wings is almost entirely created this way. The volume texure was created by color separation of the original image.

attachicon.gifz front 01.jpgattachicon.gifstats Star Meadows.jpg

Image 07: new wings top view

 

attachicon.gifz side 02.jpg

Image 08: new wings side view

 

As an extra, the running animation of the Seraphim was changed slightly, in order to avoid clipping when she carries the new double laser sword:

attachicon.gifeffect of the new c_sera_skin_run_2h.jpg

Image 09: the 'new' way of carrying a two-handed sword

 

Set bonuses:

attachicon.gifstats set.jpg

 

 

Gallery

attachicon.gifbig_1012.jpg

Image 10: I guess this is actually what she's best at..

 

attachicon.gifnew Sylvanwood longbow 01.jpg

Image 11: Seraphim with the new 'Sylvanwood Longbow'

It was wonderful re-reading your writing and descriptions again, the difficulties you overcame while modelling... all these details that evade us as players but give great value as delicious extras when reading and appreciating. It's particularly satisfying to me as just a few weeks ago I'd decided to put up some posts on the SacredWiki page in FaceBook, and the first image I'd shown to show case was this very set which I used as the page's back page which got great feedback and likes.

https://www.facebook.com/sacredwiki/?hc_ref=ARRIceA-VsJhii_V3XMUDSeSWcOf6vWUBh_unUGmvJ5WVLnlQ_dps-ZrZ7GkejXomPI&fref=nf

 

bravo on the stellar work Pesmontis

 

:hugs:

 

gogo

Link to comment

Wauwie! Thanks Gogo!

Yeah, I also re-read that post, and I thought I used to put quite some effort in things like this. But then at the time it was all quite new to me.

We're currently investigating a new tool for getting models in 3DSmax, and it might well be that creating new clothing / armor sets becomes easier.

  • Like! 1
Link to comment

One of my favorite things to read is past posts of the big content writers here re mods and builds. Sacred series is my favorite, and re-reading all the effort, trials and jubilalations that players have gone through is thrilling. Never ceases to put a smile on my face, its like a community that is always here and exctied

:heart:

 

gogo

Link to comment

One of my favorite things to read is past posts of the big content writers here re mods and builds. Sacred series is my favorite, and re-reading all the effort, trials and jubilalations that players have gone through is thrilling. Never ceases to put a smile on my face, its like a community that is always here and exctied

:heart:

 

gogo

 

I feel the same way. I spent all last night reading all the bug reports from years past. Many of them will soon be fixed. People got so worked up and passionate about the various issues the game had/has. I wish I could time travel and show the upcoming results. Well, better late than never. :)

  • Like! 1
Link to comment

 

One of my favorite things to read is past posts of the big content writers here re mods and builds. Sacred series is my favorite, and re-reading all the effort, trials and jubilalations that players have gone through is thrilling. Never ceases to put a smile on my face, its like a community that is always here and exctied

:heart:

 

gogo

 

I feel the same way. I spent all last night reading all the bug reports from years past. Many of them will soon be fixed. People got so worked up and passionate about the various issues the game had/has. I wish I could time travel and show the upcoming results. Well, better late than never. :)

I just love what you wrote. This is why you're so good at this Flix, and why the mod has been so successful. Many would get nettled by having feedback that was rough or just negative in nature...but you almost manage to keep your cool, stay professional and transform ALL feedback into gains that you leverage into your mod.

hence a very brilliant mod and tremendous good will you've generated

:gogo:

 

gogo

  • Like! 1
Link to comment

I just love what you wrote. This is why you're so good at this Flix, and why the mod has been so successful. Many would get nettled by having feedback that was rough or just negative in nature...but you always manage to keep your cool, stay professional and transform ALL feedback into gains that you leverage into your mod.

 

 

hence a very brilliant mod and tremendous good will you've generated

:gogo:

 

gogo

 

Thanks! And keep your eyes peeled then, cause I mean not just mod stuff but also the old, old, old, bug reports. Like from when the game first came out. Foundational stuff. Wishlists from 2008 being fulfilled. Stuff that's long been accepted as "just the way Sacred 2 is." It's going to be turned on its head. There's a sort of handing over of the reins of the CM Patch going on now. Hopefully CM 1.60 (dare I call it "2.0"?) will showcase some really tangible improvements to the experience of Sacred 2.

  • Like! 1
Link to comment

 

I just love what you wrote. This is why you're so good at this Flix, and why the mod has been so successful. Many would get nettled by having feedback that was rough or just negative in nature...but you always manage to keep your cool, stay professional and transform ALL feedback into gains that you leverage into your mod.

 

 

hence a very brilliant mod and tremendous good will you've generated

:gogo:

 

gogo

 

Thanks! And keep your eyes peeled then, cause I mean not just mod stuff but also the old, old, old, bug reports. Like from when the game first came out. Foundational stuff. Wishlists from 2008 being fulfilled. Stuff that's long been accepted as "just the way Sacred 2 is." It's going to be turned on its head. There's a sort of handing over of the reins of the CM Patch going on now. Hopefully CM 1.60 (dare I call it "2.0"?) will showcase some really tangible improvements to the experience of Sacred 2.

Wow Flix...this is getting really interesting. Can't wait to see what you guys are working on behind the scenes. Any chance we'll get a little info on how you've managed to make these changes?

Link to comment

Any chance we'll get a little info on how you've managed to make these changes?

Decompiled source code. ;) "Hard-coded bug" is not the limitation it once was.

  • Like! 1
Link to comment

 

Any chance we'll get a little info on how you've managed to make these changes?

Decompiled source code. ;) "Hard-coded bug" is not the limitation it once was.

:starwars: @ hard coded bug...

 

:)

 

gogo

Link to comment

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
×
×
  • Create New...
Please Sign In or Sign Up