Minor things I would like to see

[Riz]

Well first off, I would love to see the rest of the ship decals become unlocked. There are about 150 of them available in the game files, but no where near that many in game now.

I would also love to see the hair styles become cross racially available, I suspect that would probably not be that difficult to do, but I could be wrong on that.

In the avatar editing kiosk's on stations, I would love to see the ability to change height/weight, face style. Make em expensive, but possible.

More tattoos for avatars. Since these are basic black ad while images, I believe we could find a ton of them available to use that would work. Just another minor credit sink.

And this one would probably not be something many would think worth it, but some of the mens hair styles would look perfect for some female character concepts, and vice versa. Any chance of that happening?

[Tienbau]

hair styles choices are locked into the specific race/gender in the client. So eg say I have hair style 1, for terran female it's the ponytail, for jenquai female the same value is the 'hairpins' doo. Shame it's done that way rather then specific numbers for each style, which would make what you're after pretty easy.

I guess someone could hack the client but it's pretty horrible staring at Ollydbg's tiny font diagnostics for hours on end - usually we only do client code mods only if there's actually a pressing need since it's such a nasty thing to have to do. There's no reason it couldn't be done, and if you're saying it's easy I volunteer YOU! to find where it's done in the client. You can download Ollydbg for free and it's pretty good really. Once you've found how to poke the new styles I can write some assembly-code hooks to change the styles from Net7Proxy.

Editing height in consoles would be nice but does it make sense?. I suppose they did it in Gattaca but it looked pretty painful - although they might be able to do that sort of thing in 2250. Or maybe the chars are wearing high heels or elevator shoes? Editing weight would definitely be fun.

New tattoos have been done, just a matter of finding an artist/cribbing them off the net. There's quite a lot of Second Life tattoo art we might be able to use.

I don't know about unlocking the extra decals - no reason why not, just have to see what's stopping them being added.

[Riz]

[quote name='Tienbau' timestamp='1306907234' post='41483']
hair styles choices are locked into the specific race/gender in the client. So eg say I have hair style 1, for terran female it's the ponytail, for jenquai female the same value is the 'hairpins' doo. Shame it's done that way rather then specific numbers for each style, which would make what you're after pretty easy.

I guess someone could hack the client but it's pretty horrible staring at Ollydbg's tiny font diagnostics for hours on end - usually we only do client code mods only if there's actually a pressing need since it's such a nasty thing to have to do. There's no reason it couldn't be done, and if you're saying it's easy I volunteer YOU! to find where it's done in the client. You can download Ollydbg for free and it's pretty good really. Once you've found how to poke the new styles I can write some assembly-code hooks to change the styles from Net7Proxy.[/quote]
Actually I was saying should be easy, but I could be wrong. Either way, I still give a try if I can figure that Ollydbg part out. I would love to help advance the project.

[quote name='Tienbau' timestamp='1306907234' post='41483']
Editing height in consoles would be nice but does it make sense?. I suppose they did it in Gattaca but it looked pretty painful - although they might be able to do that sort of thing in 2250. Or maybe the chars are wearing high heels or elevator shoes? Editing weight would definitely be fun. [/quote]
Mostly I was wanting the weight, and face types. The height could make sense if someone is true role playing and starting out as a not-fully grown character.

[quote name='Tienbau' timestamp='1306907234' post='41483']
New tattoos have been done, just a matter of finding an artist/cribbing them off the net. There's quite a lot of Second Life tattoo art we might be able to use.[/quote]
Tell me the format, and size requirements you guys want, and I could have 100 of em to you by the time of the July patch.

[quote name='Tienbau' timestamp='1306907234' post='41483']
I don't know about unlocking the extra decals - no reason why not, just have to see what's stopping them being added.[/quote]
This I think wold be a nice touch.

[Tienbau]

One of the old devs added the Misfits' Skull thing as a tattoo and documented how they did it, but I think it was on the pre December '09 forum that was lost. Not sure if anyone still has the info, but I'm pretty sure he did it by adding new data in the mixfile_art files.

From what I can tell the tattoo art is in .tga format files, but not sure about the resolution. It shouldn't be difficult to merge new ones into the mixfiles.

WRT changing the avatar hairstyles with the help of Ollydbg ... it is seriously not a pleasant experience. Unless you are reasonably proficient at assembly code have a good knowledge of how compilers & linkers put together programs and a little bit of patience it probably isn't worth trying. Still having said that if I were doing it, I would start in the ini files, look for the strings the tattoos use like 'TattooTexture' and 'TattooTextureNum', find where these strings are used in the client, and trace the asm code through from there.

If the client's customisation terminals won't let us change the avatar's height and weight it would be fun to add a Dietitian NPC who asks you obvious questions based on your char's lifestyle to control the 'weight' aspect and maybe a 'body sculptor' NPC who can sell your avatar sessions on the gene-rack to change your height, where you pay for changes in small increments up or down.

I think a few devs have played with the hidden decals, not sure if any of those are still here but I'll check out the files they left and see if anything can be salvaged.

[Kyp [LDEV]]

There are two main sets, the problem is if you use the secondary set they overwrite the first set and its server wide. I'm not so sure about adding new ones, but it should be possible given that we can add new models, its really all in understanding how the inis work.

[Tienbau]

good news with the decals - after a few mins of poking around I was able to switch on the new set. I'll double check that no-one's existing decals will change, and that you can see the new ones in game if you choose them.

If it's all good and no-one has any objections I'll put them in with the forthcomming content update.

EDIT: yes, it all works, old decals stay the same and the new ones are showing up perfectly too. I'll push this with the content sync.

[Riz]

[quote name='Tienbau' timestamp='1306965738' post='41505']From what I can tell the tattoo art is in .tga format files, but not sure about the resolution. It shouldn't be difficult to merge new ones into the mixfiles.[/quote]
I will work on getting a batch of these together that should meet many different players tastes. I will also avoid getting anything too "risque". Of course some of what I grab may be too over the top, and if so I am sure you DEV's will pull those out, and I will not cry over it either.

[quote name='Tienbau' timestamp='1306965738' post='41505']WRT changing the avatar hairstyles with the help of Ollydbg ... it is seriously not a pleasant experience. Unless you are reasonably proficient at assembly code have a good knowledge of how compilers & linkers put together programs and a little bit of patience it probably isn't worth trying. Still having said that if I were doing it, I would start in the ini files, look for the strings the tattoos use like 'TattooTexture' and 'TattooTextureNum', find where these strings are used in the client, and trace the asm code through from there.[/quote]
With this statement, I suspect it will be VERY over my head then. Sadly I am a site coder, and a graphics geek, but assembly, and such is a bit out of my realm.

[quote name='Tienbau' timestamp='1306965738' post='41505']If the client's customisation terminals won't let us change the avatar's height and weight it would be fun to add a Dietitian NPC who asks you obvious questions based on your char's lifestyle to control the 'weight' aspect and maybe a 'body sculptor' NPC who can sell your avatar sessions on the gene-rack to change your height, where you pay for changes in small increments up or down.[/quote]
I like these two NPC ideas, great thought, and a perfect way to implement those changes. Going off that thought then, we would need a plastic surgeon to help with the face type, head shape mods.

[quote name='Tienbau' timestamp='1306967492' post='41508']
good news with the decals - after a few mins of poking around I was able to switch on the new set. I'll double check that no-one's existing decals will change, and that you can see the new ones in game if you choose them.

If it's all good and no-one has any objections I'll put them in with the forthcomming content update.

EDIT: yes, it all works, old decals stay the same and the new ones are showing up perfectly too. I'll push this with the content sync.
[/quote]
Sounds good to me dude. I say go for it! Edited June 1, 2011 by Riz

[Kyp [LDEV]]

Oh what'd you do to get them to work, that's what the person working on it said, I never looked into it personally.

[Tienbau]

[quote name='Kyp' timestamp='1306974220' post='41512']
Oh what'd you do to get them to work, that's what the person working on it said, I never looked into it personally.
[/quote]

all I did was look at what the last person did, copy their data into the existing .ini file with the default decals and just sequentially numbered the entries to come after the existing decals ie:

[Decal0000]
File=Dec0000.tga
Colorizeable=FALSE

[Decal0001]
File=Dec0001.tga
Colorizeable=FALSE

[Decal0002]
File=Dec0004.tga
Colorizeable=FALSE

...

# last of the default decals
[Decal0084]
File=Dec0007.tga
Colorizeable=FALSE

# new decals here
[Decal0085]
File=Dec0002.tga
Colorizeable=FALSE

[Decal0086]
File=Dec0003.tga
Colorizeable=FALSE

[Decal0087]
File=Dec0005.tga
Colorizeable=FALSE

...

Rocket science it ain't. The client automatically picks up the new decals, and saves the ID's correctly. I wonder what 'colorizable' (euk ) decals would do? Maybe they change colour with their background so you could get 'bulletholes' or the like.

[Elana[IS]]

Colorizable should mean you'd be able to tint them with the color picker, like you can with clothing and accessories. The only way that might be problematic is if the client doesn't bring up the color picking panel like it should, but honestly, I can't imagine why it wouldn't work just fine.

[Elana[IS]]

I should add, though, that the reason most of them are not set as colorizable, is simply because many of them have a number of colors in them already, and the tinting will be applied as an overlay on the top layer of the image when it's projected onto the ship. In that way, tinting them, or making them tintable will probably make some of them quite ugly.

They can always be individually set, though, so that only the ones that take tinting well will be colorizable, while the rest will not be. Adding in more decals, then, becomes a choice of "do we want to be able to color this one to our taste, or do we want it to be a set pallette?"

[Riz]

I have hit a minor impasse, I have some tattoo designs that I suspect are ready to go. But I cannot test them out, as I do nto know how to actually edit the mixfile itself. I can extract from it, but to change one so I can test the tattoo client side I am a bit lost. Is there a program someone can point me to, that will let me open a mixfile, and replace a piece inside of it, and then save the changed file?

[Kyp [LDEV]]

The means is by creating a new sequentially numbered mixfile that is above and beyond existing ones, the exact details are around here somewhere, if I stumble upon them I'll post them for you.

[Riz]

[quote name='Kyp' timestamp='1307062951' post='41564']
The means is by creating a new sequentially numbered mixfile that is above and beyond existing ones, the exact details are around here somewhere, if I stumble upon them I'll post them for you.
[/quote]

Actually no need. I found the directions to do a custom client side decal, and followed those, viola! They not only work, but these are going to be some nice looking tattoos for people. Not going to give any more than that away at this time.

[Tienbau]

yay!

but you'll need to fill us in on what you've done and let us see the new tats for us to be able to patch them into the client.

[Riz]

Oh don't worry Tienbau, I will be sending them along to you when I have the batch ready. I said I could do 100 by the July content patch, and I expect to blow that number away. Day 2 of work, and I am already up to 54. Although I will admit that some of them are mirror images of each other. Unlike the original tat's I know not all players will want them on the same side of the face/head.

I have been experimenting with colors onto tats too. And when I send them in, they will be stuff people will enjoy (I hope), and there will be some there the girls will love too. I know my wife is digging on the tribal style hearts and butterflies.

[Tienbau]

This sounds great. Can't wait to see them and yeah, some colourful alternative tats for the girls would be good.

Does the avatar customisation booth allow you to change and mess around with tattoos?

[Riz]

[quote name='Tienbau' timestamp='1307078600' post='41581']
This sounds great. Can't wait to see them and yeah, some colourful alternative tats for the girls would be good.

Does the avatar customisation booth allow you to change and mess around with tattoos?
[/quote]

It allows the changing, resizing, and repositioning, but that is it. Guys will get some color too when I am done. hehe.

[Riz]

OK, bit of an update and a sneak peek too. I have got a good chunk of new tat's almost ready. Just some clean up to do. No color ones, YET, but they are coming. I am attaching screenshots of a couple I am quite happy with. I took these with the Starship and Character creator, yes I figured out how to temporarily add the tats to it too.

Also if you want to see all the samples I have right now, you can find em at [url="http://s45.photobucket.com/albums/f54/cygni61/tattoos/"]my photobucket account[/url]. Don't forget, if there is anything specific you do want to see, you have to tell me or I will not know.

[Hexersup[IS]]

[quote name='Riz' timestamp='1307235757' post='41697']
OK, bit of an update and a sneak peek too. I have got a good chunk of new tat's almost ready. Just some clean up to do. No color ones, YET, but they are coming. I am attaching screenshots of a couple I am quite happy with. I took these with the Starship and Character creator, yes I figured out how to temporarily add the tats to it too.

Also if you want to see all the samples I have right now, you can find em at [url="http://s45.photobucket.com/albums/f54/cygni61/tattoos/"]my photobucket account[/url]. Don't forget, if there is anything specific you do want to see, you have to tell me or I will not know.
[/quote]

They look nice yes, good work

greets
Hexergirl

[Tienbau]

yep there are some great new tattoos in there, really brings the available tattoos up to date, so to speak. We'll try to get these in during the coming week.

[Raizer Mackham]

My only suggestion is the Mike Tyson facial tattoo. It has had a bit of resurgence with the Hangover films.

[Riz]

I can work on that too Raizer.

[Tienbau]

[quote name='Raizer Mackham' timestamp='1307258544' post='41706']
My only suggestion is the Mike Tyson facial tattoo. It has had a bit of resurgence with the Hangover films.
[/quote]

just as long as we don't get sued !!!

[Elana[IS]]

..or punched? Hahaha