Macross Generations Mod

[shadow3393]

Hi, I just recently started a Mod for Homeworld 2. This is my first attempt at modding HW2, so I am still in the process of learning about the game engine.

So on to the meat of the subject.

What is the mod going to be about:
Large scale fleet battles with vehicles from the Macross Universe.

Whats already done:
New Ships
VF-11 (fighter only)
VF-17 (fighter only)
VF-19 (fighter only)
Ghost X9
Monster MKII
Destroid Work/Miner
Uraga Class Stealth Carrier
Northampton Class Stealth Frigate
New Macross Class Battleship (Fully Transformable)
Vajira Carrier
Vajira Scout (small yellow one)
-Thanks to Akt_M for the VF-11, Ghost, NMC, and Monster, Star Dragon and MODELS PLEASE for the VF-19

New Hyperspace Effects*

New Weapons
Micro missiles
Reaction missiles
Point Defense weapons
The Macross Cannon*

What is going to be done (eventually):
Enemy races(Vajira, Varata, Zentrandi, Mentrandi, Original?)
More ships/ fighters
Animations
Transformation for all VFs
Proper texturing

Some pics are located at http://sites.google.com/site/macrossgenerationsmod/
also check http://macrossworld.com/mwf/index.php?showtopic=27793
for more pictures (you will need to register to view the pictures)

Right now, it is a solo project but I would appreciate anyone willing to help me out.

[Moleman]

never heqard of macross but im sure it will be interesting if you need any tips on tools and how to work them shoot me a pm ill be happy to give my two cents good luck

[CloudAge]

Nice man! there still releasing new Macross series are you incorporating any of the newer stuff? and the images look dead on! Molemans the guy if you need any tips or help! I'm greatly looking forward to seeing this progress more there have been past attempts but they haven't gone far! look around on the forums or google and you will find other macross mods! perhaps some inspiration there? and some pretty well laid out Gundam mods!

[seal833]

I love you!

[Star Dragon]

It would be a great coup if LESTAT releases the SWO: DYRL models to you, but they are mostly replaceable (ie Macross VO)

However now that you've started a thread here I hope all the viewers who followed the old project keep their eyes on this one and offer more than just encouragement.

AKT_M stepped up (kudos!), but I am sure there are many others here who can work through the same problems the old team had you might run into later on.

(Thank you for offering Moleman2009, no doubt Shadow will call on you in the future...)

This project is off to a great start, but it's vastly more ambitious!!!

Be prepared to do most of the work yourself even if it takes years (going on 5 years mainly solo myself...) for example.

Long live CULTURE!!!

[shadow3393]

Thanks for offering your help. I think I have a handle with most of the tools I have been using. The only one thats been giving me problems is the FX tool, which from research is not that great to begin with.

The major problem that I am having, is doing everything myself. I can't seem to concentrate in any one area. It is significantly slowing me down. That and texturing, I hate texturing.

Yes, I am incorporating the new shows into it, I have the yellow vajira ,untextured, made and in game. Working on getting good shots of the Vajira destroyer, so I can start modeling that.

[Star Dragon]

Minor suggestion: Go with the flow. IF you hate texturing, then just cover them with a base color and keep on modeling. If you get them created and then working in game you can always go back and finish them off right?

[shadow3393]

Thats basically what I am doing already. I always use a place holder texture that I made. Right now I am more concerned with game mechanics than making pretty textures. However at some point those textures need to be made, and at my current texturing skill level, they wont be pretty, to say the least.

[milaoshu04]

the Macross Cannon is not just a big rough beam=.=
it should carry a cylindrical damage area with the great beam~we've been studying for monthes for it and still haven't achieve this=.=
if you can achieve it PLEASE share it with us~~

[shadow3393]

I have been brainstorming how to get an AOE on the beam, but so far nothing. If I make a breakthrough I'll post how to do it on the forums.

[Apache]

Wow those look great so far, how are you going to make them transform? I always thought about a macross mod but I didn't know if any one could get them to transform.

http://www.mahq.net/mecha/macross/macross.htm

Has a list of ships by race and show. Good luck.

[shadow3393]

I actually just got the New Macross Class Battleship to transform, trying to work out how to make the hardpoints move with the transformation

[CloudAge]

Nice! man post up some pictures!!

[Norsehound]

I once made several concept art pieces to fill in the gaps for some of the alien fleets in the DYRL? Mod for Macross- specifically some resourcer designs (as that's all that was left really). If you'd like me to draw up some concept vehicles or somesuch, let me know.

And yes, go find Lestat or the former DYRL team. I'm sure they'd love to hear that Macross has been picked up again for HW2.

[Char Aznable]

Pretty good stuff ya got here man. Cant wait to see the fruits of this project

-Char Aznable

[shadow3393]

I have updated the mod site with the pictures of the transformation. Still having issues with the hardpoints and weapons

--edit--
Update
Transformation is now bound to defense field key. In other words, the ship can transform anytime the player wishes

[death_ab]

Nice timing for the recovery of Macross stuff.

After all Frontier just finished.

Your calling it 'generations' does that mean you'll be including things from across the series of are you going to be focusing on a particular stage?

I can work with ship files and weapons but thats about it. I once made a Beam weapon that had a large blast that had no explosion effect. Using that and creating several linked ranged blasts (I from memory its technically posible to slave weapons together using the same hardpoint if not that then multiple hardpoints at the same place) you could make a very basic 'long tubular blast' though there would be some interesting blast wave physics.

[edit] went back and read the thread rather then just getting excited and saw that you are already working on Varjia ships... I guess that answerers my question. [/edit]

[CloudAge]

yes, He is including things from across all of the series! man this is going to be sweet! im sure you can find many of fellow modders around here to help you out maybe even contact some of the other team members of the previous macross mods!

[death_ab]

Well they hang out on the forum hes dumping the pictures on so he should run into them in short order.

[mysticknight14]

That transformation is awesome, keep up the good work.

[shadow3393]

It is possible to slave weapons together, I have done it with the Cheyenne II turrets I made for missile and fighter defense. I was actually thinking applying this idea into slaving several ion cannons in a circle,thus making a aoe effect. Just haven't gotten around to actually the weapon just yet. Been busy trying to figure out how to A)Make the hardpoints move on transformations, and if not possible, B)Relocating the hardpoints to an area that will yield the best visual effect. That and trying to find good pics of the vajira destroyer to start modeling.

[sterlingx2011]

I was going to suggest doing a slave weaon with a wider radius just without any kind of effects so you cant see it fire. Looks like you got it figured out though.

Its nice to see that a Macross mod had made a comeback though. I was really looking forward to the old one. One question though. Are you thinking about putting the Vf-25 in? Or is just going to be mainly ships from Macross 7 and before?

[shadow3393]

Right now, I am trying to make an opposing force (I guess its gonna be the Vajira first), and getting the transformations up and running. Eventually I will get more valks in game.

[CloudAge]

Okay, sweet looking good! have you found anyone to help you with this massive under taking that will kick ass!

[shadow3393]

Nah, its still just me.
So if anybody wants to help, feel free to tell me what they want to do, any skill is welcome.

[shadow3393]

Update

added animations to the ghost x9 and small vajira

[Dyson]

Hi, since you can animate your models, maybe you can help the macross DYL? mod team ad maybe they could let you use some of their models. Zentradi and Meltrandi Units are awesome, so you could speed up a bit your project

Just my two cents

[Star Dragon]

Dyson (and others). MWforums is the main site of the DYRL mod and we are still awaiting responses from Lestat or other team members... I had offered to maintain the old content so it's not lost to the community, but since Shadow arrived I seriously support him instead.

The main thread for this mod is also there .

Link to old Mod: From day1 http://macrossworld.com/mwf/index.php?showtopic=11515

Link to NEW Mod (same) http://macrossworld.com/mwf/index.php?showtopic=27793

[shadow3393]

Update
Vajira Carrier is in game and animated, untextured though.
Check macrossworld forums for pictures

[Ultraxwing]

hello... has hell froze over? has a nerd got laid by a hot chick (sorry for that), has time stopped, a MACROSS ROBOTECH MOD!!@!#@! sorry my excitement is exploding!

[shadow3393]

Vajira Carrier, retooled and reanimated. Still untextured

pics can be seen at
http://sites.google.com/site/macross...onsmod/updates

[Mantaray]

nicely animated! i cant help but think of optimus prime... its a terrible affliction i know ^^

[shadow3393]

What about Optimus prime? I don't follow what you mean.

[shadow3393]

Update
Red Vajira is in process of being modeled

Once I have the Vajira race and appropriate research, for UNS and Vajira, set up, I might start doing balancing tests. I will be looking for people to help me out with these tests. So if anybody is interested, please look into the .ship and .wepn documentation(Simple variable editing). I expect the testers to be able make balancing modifications on their own.

[starboykb]

keep going mate! I hope next year I can able to play your mod. love transformation!

[shadow3393]

Update
Red Vajira model is completed
Check Macrossworld forums for pictures

[Holybeast]

i have a profile in your site but i cant seem to look or download the pictures can you help me out?


Im holybeast

[shadow3393]

i have a profile in your site but i cant seem to look or download the pictures can you help me out?

I am not sure what you mean by that. If you are refering to the macrossworld forums, you have to register to view the pictures.

Update
Red Vajira is in game. I uploaded pictures to macrossworld and later to the google site.

[shadow3393]

Update
Vajira is now their own race

Check Macrossworld forums for a test combat video

[death_ab]

Ohh. Nice.

Just something i noted in the G-SEED mod. You can Link Weapon fire allowances as well as animations to the defence field activation command. Might make some of the transformations more manageable.

Probably best used only for hero units though.

Not exactly sure how it works. Check the Menerva for the unit that actually does it.

[shadow3393]

I am not sure what you mean by link weapon fire allowances (slave weapons?), do you mind elaborating what you mean by that.

I already have the New Macross Class battleship transformation linked to the defense field command. I might make a combat video for the UNS in the near future..

[death_ab]

The ship has a weapon that only fires while the defense field is activated.
By limiting the time on the field it creates a weapon that has to be manually activated.

From the above I can see you already though of using it to control transformations.

[shadow3393]

The ship has a weapon that only fires while the defense field is activated.

Interesting, by any chance you have the code line that defines that function, I can't seem to find it in any of my searches through the forums or the relic documentation.

[shadow3393]

Update
Success!!!!, Major breakthrough on the transformation front, I got the Macross Cannon to "switch" firing positions, when in different modes, and it works for multiple units. Crap load of scripting code though, and pretty sure its not very efficient code (lots of nested if statements inside of nested if statements) but it works.

I think I can apply this to getting Valks to transform the way I want them to.

[death_ab]

Still havent worked out how the SEED guys do it,


I get a feeling they just rotate the actual gun hardpoint though. By forcing it vertical or something like that (Only the actual hardpoint you mind) you could make it so the gun never sees a target (Unless some very unusual combat takes place)


Another unit uses the defence field to 'summon' some other units though. they only last as long as the bar remains.

[shadow3393]

I already figured out how to get the thing to work. Thanks for your help though

[shadow3393]

Update
Transformations for the NMC are now working perfectly .
Now, you can select different weapon settings for the NMC, Passive Mode - Cruiser, No Macross Cannon, Normal Mode - Cruiser, Macross Cannon, and Aggressive Mode - Storm Attacker, Macross Cannon. I am probably gonna put stat differences for each mode at later.
Still need to test code out on multi unit squads.
Also need to re-tweek the NMC's weapons though, too many missiles launch at the same time, major frame rate drop

[shadow3393]

Update
Very big update
Got in touch with the old mod team.
About half of the zentrandi ships are in game
Pics are on the macrossworld forums, and the google site.

[Ultraxwing]

I so can't wait till download ya know. but i won't have time for it now, damn stupid tests wasting my time GRRRRRRRR

[shadow3393]

Update
A whole bunch of the UN Spacy units are in game
check the macrossworld forums for pics