[RESEARCH] Adding/Editing Interior scenes

[Tokfan]

We all know station interiors need work on making them more unique, in my personal opinion more of a multi level expansion would not hurt either, linking to other (larger) areas as well.

Looking in the save files on an unrelated issue i noticed that ships have a variable for interior randomization seeds, this does not seem to pertain much to the actual layout of the interior on ships as much as possibly some minor difference in where boxes are placed and what can be found inside them. More to the point it got me thinking, there's probably something similar for station interiors, maybe even some setup for how the interior layout is comprised based on a preset or generated slight randomization.

It should be possible to at least toy around with these variables and see what they actually do and possibly adding on (what i suspect is:) segments to the interior scenes and making them more variable.


Similarly i was pondering if it would be possible to use some of the station interior to make more interesting ship interiors, like for instance using the interior hangar scene from station and connecting it to a possible elavator (which is shown to be possible with the lifts sometimes found in stations) and maybe having that elavator move to an actual bridge which is where your captain and defence officer can be found.

I know some of this is fairly incoherent brainstorming that may not make sense to everytone but what do you guys think?

[enenra]

Seems reasonable. Question is how station interiors are set up. If it's a definition of station type == station interior type then you won't be able to randomize much. If the whole thing has already dynamic randomization built in though one may be able to add additional components that then get included in the randomization.

Considering stations and ships are built out of modules as well (at least partially) it should be possible to assign unique interiors to each module / ship though for sure).

Of course building those interiors in a quality that fits into the game is a whole other matter.

[Tokfan]

Seems reasonable. Question is how station interiors are set up. If it's a definition of station type == station interior type then you won't be able to randomize much. If the whole thing has already dynamic randomization built in though one may be able to add additional components that then get included in the randomization.

Considering stations and ships are built out of modules as well (at least partially) it should be possible to assign unique interiors to each module / ship though for sure).

Of course building those interiors in a quality that fits into the game is a whole other matter.

My suspicion is that they are set up in predefined segments with variable details. like Segment A. = hangar, Variable details: Box locations, people standing positions, Big Spider loading mech etc. and then Segment B being the entryway.

it's likeley the seed is set when the asset is created, like when the station comes into being, it then pertains to variations like whether the interior has a loading mech, where boxes are, people locations and which segments to use. though i think you are right, it seems to draw from a library based on what "race" the station belongs to, like how the ones in DeVries always have a slightly different look and debris lying around, then the interior variates from there with some segments due to station type and some segments due to seed.

Yep i think it would be possible to create new segments to add into the library.

Well in terms of creating new ones its just a matter of following scale and position restrictions and then getting the geometry right and reusing existing textures for walls and such, maybe even use entire existing segments and walls to create something new.

It occurred to me that the fact that we have walkable interiors may be a blessing in disguise; one we figure out how the game works in terms of how the interiors are setup and creating our own, there's nothing preventing us from adding in Landable planets, in the sense that you "dock" with a planet through some intermediate point like an indestructable neutral nav beacon which then sets up a surrounding scene using atmospheric lighting much like the zone that is located in low orbit and some limited city scene (which can be done using station parts) with fine exterior views and separate buildings, it wouldn't be perfect by any stretch of the imagination but would probably be immersive enough to work (Are you listening Egosoft?)

[enenra]

Well it could still be that the definition is just ship / station module type == interior with no randomization. But that still means that there is probably an XML file somewhere that defines that station / ship interior X == interior module A connected with interior module B, etc. so that could be modified.

Regarding your "landing on planets" - Yeah, sounds deliciously hacky and feasible. It might be possible to actually insert a cutscene when you "dock" at the thing that makes you land on the planet that shows a suitable "planet landing scene" with no player control - could even be a video - to soften the transition.

Possibilities for planet landing could be:
- "docking ring" (Freelancer style)
- zoom off in the direction of the planet, fade out, fade in as ship is nearing landing platform on planet
- docking at a larger ship that then ferries the player to the planet surface (like in X2)
etc.

[Tokfan]

Well it could still be that the definition is just ship / station module type == interior with no randomization. But that still means that there is probably an XML file somewhere that defines that station / ship interior X == interior module A connected with interior module B, etc. so that could be modified.

Regarding your "landing on planets" - Yeah, sounds deliciously hacky and feasible. It might be possible to actually insert a cutscene when you "dock" at the thing that makes you land on the planet that shows a suitable "planet landing scene" with no player control - could even be a video - to soften the transition.

Possibilities for planet landing could be:
- "docking ring" (Freelancer style)
- zoom off in the direction of the planet, fade out, fade in as ship is nearing landing platform on planet
- docking at a larger ship that then ferries the player to the planet surface (like in X2)
etc.

You could be absolutley right, but if there is no randomization why have a randomization seed for interior spaces? Sure it could be it has more to do with what physical positions people stand in rather than any randomization with geometry.

Cutscene! i like that, yes that would be doable, something in-engine i think would be better than a pre-rendered cutscene considering that the Albion Skunk is likeley to get modded (out of existence?) eventually and the cutscene should still reflect that, it could be as simple as making the ship zoom off towards the planet instead of the "walking to the back door" animation playing, hell even just moving the camera to make it pass the ship might work, even if the ship is stationary.

It really could work.

I never liked the whole ferry concept from X2, it always struck me as rediculous, though in X2 we always had the planets really really far away and somewhat unapproachable, in XR they are far more tangible considering zones and the general freedom of movement in that sense, i.e. "docking ring" or beacon would be the probably most optimal choice at least for some interactable object in order to "dock" with the planet. Imagine trying to get close enough to a planet in order to "dock" with it, that would end up getting tedious and silly