*NEW* Shader Overlays

[Rita Sandria]

So I've spent sometime these past few weeks experimenting with RPmod and it came to my attention that we're extremely limited with our selection of shader overlays.

When considering this, I had an idea which I'm sure has crossed the mind of many beforehand. I've always wanted some basic solid colors with different levels of transparency to help give maps a total new look (like turning some from day to night in conjunction with remapping the skies)

So far I've only gone about making a black color with 7 levels of transparency. I tested it on Galaxy myself and was satisfied with the result.



Above is a comparative screenshot, the left showing one of the mild transparent black overlay options agaisnt a screenshot free of any overlays.

I'm not overly Photoshop-savvy. I just conjured up these new overlays quite quickly for testing purposes. So if anyone wants to take a look for themselves you can.

DOWNLOAD LINK: http://rpmod.jediholo.net/gameasset/dow ... i-overlays

COMMANDS
List of the commands from darkest to lightest

• /rpshader overlay add gfx/coloroverlay/blackoverlay1
  /rpshader overlay add gfx/coloroverlay/blackoverlay2
  /rpshader overlay add gfx/coloroverlay/blackoverlay3
  /rpshader overlay add gfx/coloroverlay/blackoverlay4
  /rpshader overlay add gfx/coloroverlay/blackoverlay5
  /rpshader overlay add gfx/coloroverlay/blackoverlay6
  /rpshader overlay add gfx/coloroverlay/blackoverlay7

The problem with this idea however is it covers everything, including lightsabers, so our lightsabers will not have their usual vibrant glow when these overlays are being used (but it's not that bad).
Despite that I think this should be an option available for admins big on nailing the envisioned atmosphere they were hoping for a mission/outing/event.

In the future, if no-one else volunteers and JEDI accepts the idea, I will go about making a few different colors. Different colors can act as atmospheric lighting for different places. There wouldn't be a need for all known colors as you can layer several shader overlays to try get the desired result, with transparency options still being available. Meaning combining blue and yellow can allow several variants of green, etc.

Let me know what you all think about this.

[Oberon]

This doesn't exactly belong in the RPmod suggestion thread...

That said, you don't need to have different levels of opacity. You can layer them on by stacking rpshader overlays. For example:

Code: Select all

/rpshader overlay add gfx/coloroverlay/blackoverlay1;rpshader overlay add gfx/coloroverlay/blackoverlay1

Should approximate a blackoverlay2. And more and more up to the desired level of opacity.

But like you said it's not exactly effective at achieving a "lower brightness" environment for a number of reasons. The use of overlays for ambient purposes sort of falls apart when the color just follows your view around regardless of what you're looking at. The only really effective to achieve "night time" way is combining a lower r_gamma with r_fastsky 1 and diligent RP, of course.

[Rita Sandria]

I guess your right, this should probably be moved to the OOC section. Although it could possibly be incorporated with RPmod itself, it's more of it's own project for our RP.

As for your point on stacking. I agree, and I feel a bit silly for not seeing it before especially since I was stacking these effects myself when testing it out. Seven is definitely excessive. But we do need variety because if you want a dark result quickly, you don't want to be filling up your console with the same commands, especially since when I personally consider this pack's potential, I see a lot of rpsounds being laced with it.

ADDITION

But like you said it's not exactly effective at achieving a "lower brightness" environment for a number of reasons. The use of overlays for ambient purposes sort of falls apart when the color just follows your view around regardless of what you're looking at. The only really effective to achieve "night time" way is combining a lower r_gamma with r_fastsky 1 and diligent RP, of course.

The benefits to this other than r_gamma and r_fastsky is that it allows the admin to control the lighting, so if there is a certain RP that involves lights going on and off, we don't need OOC messages prompting everyone to input certain commands.

Also it allows more fine tuning of the lighting, while r_gamma only gives you one real option. Other than the problem I mentioned with the lightsabers, overall I found these overlays to be quite effective.

[Des Anaro]

I'm really not qualified to enter this discussion when it comes to debating shaders and how they can be applied, but I will say that I THINK the idea has some merit.
It can be used in certain RP-situations, as Rita already suggested, despite its affect on lightsabers.
As for the mechanics and all that, I can't comment.

[Oberon]

that it allows the admin to control the lighting,

Well, like we both said it's not really lighting at all that we're controlling, sadly. Just the player's degree of blindness.

[Rita Sandria]

*shrug* I thought it could look alright, and would be nice to share with everyone

[Oberon]

Oh I agree, make no mistake. It certainly has it's applications. I've had the same idea to do a opacity shader shadowing thing like this in the past but never really got around to it because either I was too lazy or I was just dissuaded by the fact that it doesn't really look legit :/ Oh well, it's JKA, there's only so much you can do. Nice work.

[Amoné Fayden]

I think it was a great idea Rita.

Thanks for taking the time to look into it. We could always use new ways to surprise people in RP.

The only downside is that in order for people to see these, everyone needs to have the file and not everyone downloads Non-RPmod files.
If there was a way to include overlays like these in the next RPmod release via "RPMod-Client-Effects.pk3" or something, that'd be good!

Good work Rita.

[Alehk Thol]

I think this is incredibly useful, Rita! JEDI has always operated on the policy of work with whatever you can find. Hopefully (as Amoné already said) this can be included as a part of mandatory download in future. It would provide Knights with more options for hosting role-play, I like it!

[Oberon]

Could be useful for a sight affecting happening (Force, physical, or otherwise) or maybe even some sort of a vision sequence. Sucks that a shader like this isn't base. It would be easy enough to include it within a mission assets pk3, though.

Edit: Would be interesting to get together and make a pk3 of extraneous sounds, music, particle efx, and shaders for the express purpose of missions.

[Soh Raun]

This is a good idea, and there is potential to take it even further... I strongly suggest that you look at the possibilities offered by shaders, particularly the "blendfunc" keyword (see this doc or search "q3 blendfunc" on Google).

I'm not an expert, but you should be able to create shaders that add color without making the view opaque, and shaders that remove certain colors from the view...

You may find examples in the BaseJKA assets (like the binoculars overlay), or below the shader used for the alert/alarm rpeffect:

Code: Select all

gfx/2d/alert
{
	nomipmaps
	cull	twosided
    {
        map $whiteimage
        blendFunc GL_SRC_ALPHA GL_ONE
        rgbGen const ( 0.500000 0.000000 0.000000 )
        alphaGen wave sin 0.2 0.5 0 0.7
    }
}

Have fun

[Oberon]

Hmmm... I wonder how much a very slightly apparent (like 95% transparent) color shader would affect the mood of certain RPs. There's a lot to be said about color in art and color correction in film, etc. May be something to experiment with.

[Rita Sandria]

Thanks for the input Soh. I'm not sure how difficult messing with custom overlays will be but I'm willing to give it a go just out of interest. I think this doc will help.

If anyone else knows more about overlays then I'd love their help!

[Motoko]

I could probably whip up some insane effects using Corel Painter....

[Esth Me'sku]

I guess I am missing it, haha. What would adding in brighter details do to improve gameplay? I am kind of lost.