Jumpgates

Tain · Post by **Tain** » Sat Mar 12, 2005 6:16 am

Any idea if its possible to replace the current gate graphics in VS with the appropriate version from b5? As in replace the curernt wireframe with the vortex generator, and the appropriate vortex graphic when it opens?

I know hyperspace itself as it works in b5 is most likely impossible, but proper jumpgate effects i think would go along way for immersion. There are two questions i have though, and i am unsure if they can be done in the VS engine:

1. Hyperspace enter/exit vortex color. Can the gold/blue thing be done in VS?

2. "acceleration" effect. IE is it possible to have craft entering the edge of the vortex be "sucked" in the rest of the length at increased speed?

Halleck · Post by **Halleck** » Sat Mar 12, 2005 7:54 am

1. Sure, just edit the textures in units\wormhole.

smbarbour · Post by **smbarbour** » Wed Mar 30, 2005 8:40 pm

It's been a long time since I've seen Babylon 5 so pardon me if I have it wrong.

If I recall correctly, ships jump into hyperspace, move to an exit point, then jump out of hyperspace, right? If so then all jumps could point to a giant hyperspace system containing the jumps to all of the systems. However, I think that the larger ships in B5 had the capability to jump to hyperspace without using an established gate. This I don't know about the feasibily of.

Slightly OT, I think this would be the way to implement hyperspace for a Star Control II mod.

Tain · Post by **Tain** » Wed Mar 30, 2005 9:34 pm

Actually, you just had a really good idea. A hyperspace "system" containing all the system gates. That could work very well, and would be a very good approximation of the shows version. Also as you said, most of the large capital ships did have the ability to open their own jumpoints (along with some smaller ships of the more ancient races) this would pose a problem. However even if ships could not open jump points, and had to use the gates, it would still be close enough to the series in feeling to be totally enjoyable. (though being able to open a jumpoint in a ship capable of doing so would be reallyyyy cool)

Messiah · Post by **Messiah** » Wed Mar 30, 2005 11:25 pm

Indeed. A very good Idea. And this game is Open source, right?
If so, then programming jumps into hyperspace shouldnt be impossible..?

Tain · Post by **Tain** » Thu Mar 31, 2005 7:33 am

No question as to whether its possible, it totally is. The big question is whether it is realistically feasible or not. I really hope it is, but its not something i would bet a large sum of money on. hehe.

ack2000 · Post by **ack2000** » Fri Apr 22, 2005 10:28 pm

this is still a work in progress for me. but I was able to load the model (gate) but getting the vortex to work correctly is being challenge. Also since there are no how to on modifying the jump points its a slow proccess. But I stopped my work on a few ship to resolve this!!!!!!

I will post it on this site when I am done (please note I am working in privateer remake to test all my stuff

)

to modify a jump point
unit.cvs

jump_planet add a bfxm(obj shape) to line.

in system file you have to change it
\Vegastrike\Privateer\sectors\Gemini (examle is from troy.system)

orginal
<planet name="Jump_To_War" file="jump.png" alpha="ONE ONE" radius="256" gravity="0" x="10" y="16000" day="240" destination="Gemini/War"/>

change to
<unit name="Jump_To_War" file="jump_planet" alpha="ONE ONE" radius="256" gravity="0" x="10" y="16000" day="240" destination="Gemini/War"/>

this is important detail when you change the system file to say jump_planet it use this a prefix on the targeting system.
So if you want it to say something else needs to be changed in the unit file.

etheral walker · Post by **etheral walker** » Thu Apr 28, 2005 9:19 pm

for jumpgate sI have the meshe somewhere and made a texture only animation. The only problem is how to trigger the animation only when a ship is preparing to jump, instead of playing anim in loop... For the bigger ships which can jump by themselves, I don't know how to do. Maybe adding the code of an hyperspace gat to the ship which can be triggered like a weapon, but I trully don't know how to do it.

ack2000 · Post by **ack2000** » Sun May 01, 2005 6:45 pm

I been trying to firgure how to animate mesh myself. All the help I have recieved so far has been fruitless. It just wont animate.

Also a note to the code I place above. If you dont set the unit file correctly you can shoot/blow up your jump. Didnt realize this till recently. Never shot at it before

Post by **hellcatv** » Mon May 02, 2005 6:51 am

ack e-mail your model that won't animate as a series of .xmesh files to privater *atsign gmail.com
*atsign = @
or have you posted it elsewhere--I'm sure I could figureo ut how to get it animating

ack2000 · Post by **ack2000** » Mon May 02, 2005 12:48 pm

Hellcatv I will try to get that to you this week. Do that I used keys to animate I will have to make some changes.

Deke · Post by **Deke** » Thu May 05, 2005 5:06 pm

Verging on the off topic here, but are there any plans for actual adventures in hyperspace?

TBAPb · Post by **TBAPb** » Sat Aug 27, 2005 5:49 pm

about jumpgates and other stuff, look here

search for Babylon 5 â€œI've Found Herâ€

croxis · Post by **croxis** » Wed Sep 07, 2005 8:43 am

The long canned game Into The Fire moddled hyperspace in a somewhat interesting way. Hyperspace and realspace were linked in game (iirc one could, in theory, fly in normal space to the next star system). Gravity wells (planets and such) influced hyperspace where a kilometer in hyperspace = a kilometer of movement in realspace, but the further one gets away from a realspace gravity well in hyperspace, the more distance one coveres, so out in intersteller space a kilometer traviled in hyperspace would be half a lightyear in real space. It wouldn't be easy to program, but hey, I'm just starting to learn!

Hadrian · Post by **Hadrian** » Wed Sep 07, 2005 8:53 am

ITF was not entirely cannon in the regard of how a gravity well effecst travel.

First, lets go over what hyperspace is. Hyperspace is a buffer zone between our dimensional plane and the next, in that buffer the laws of physics become blurred between both dimensions, combinging and merging. This is the basest theory, and the one JMS based B5 on.

A normal space gravity well doesnt "slow" travel directly, it does cause gravitational eddies and currents wich tug and pull at a object in hyperspace, a ship without engine power will get pulled thousands of klicks in hyperspace offcourse in a matter of seconds, hence the reason for the Tachyon beacon network ships use. In VS, as with a few games, HS is easily done, as suggested before, make a system called Hyperspace wich ships jump to, with exit points to all the known systems. Its mainly tedious work scripting wise, unless you only allow each system one jumppoint, though in B5 the primary capitol systems for the races had multiple coded beacon points in the system, allowing a ship to "close" jump the destination, mainly used for military purposes allowing the races military to quickly respond to a attack anywhere insystem.