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Topics - LaughingWolf

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1
Praise / Thanks Raz!
« on: April 10, 2020, 01:57:42 am »
I know a lot of people like to talk [bleep] but I just felt that a thankyou for working on this server issue through the downtime was something that needed to be done. Everyone wants to bemoan your existence until you are needed. (Isn't that just life tho?)

Just popping on to say Thanks for getting the server back up. Because realistically, it was entirely in your power and your right to opt out and shut it all down. Not enough thanks goes to the server master for what he -does- do, but boy do we like to complain about what he doesn't do (myself occasionally included there too, sorry, lol). But I thought it was worth the effort of saying thankyou.

Also thanks to those of you who were able to be the ones to inform the general gamer populace what was going on.
I have no idea why changing the exe file helps but I'm glad it does.

I think I repeated myself a bunch in there but whatever, i'm tired. xD   G'mornite and Thanks again to all y'all.

2
Game Suggestions & Ideas / Guess I'll add a list of my own. Updated 11/16/19
« on: September 19, 2019, 02:24:29 am »
A few ideas as I come up with them, mostly:

Interface/Layout/General in-game ideas:
- Simplest is probably just changing the snow from the ornate flakes to a fuzzy dot. This way you have the flexibility make it 'ash" from fires/apocalypse instead of only for snow, and would be slightly more realistic imo.

- Fast travel within a map. Using minimap, like in map-maker, it zooms the character, not just the camera to a point on the map. Also the ability to add 'bookmarks' in traveling. For example, Red dots would be 'standard' fast-travel points of the Portal locations; blue would be the 'bookmarked' ones.
>> Edit: Just so there isn't any accidental warping in the minimap, maybe have an icon to enable/disable fast-travel in the main GUI; when you click the minimap icon, it could ask you Fast-Travel? Yes/No, click what is appropriate for use.

- Sitting or laying down should only be reversed if you hit the control to turn it off/stand back up.  E and Q key commands would be voided/null. This would eliminate accidental E/Q-keys most of the time.

- Map selection from Lonely Cave. This really should be the hub of everything FH. I think the Rules, Age requirements and everything should remain posted there. However having access to all default maps from the get-go would eliminate the lag that comes from people piling up by the portal of one map that everyone has to go through to get to the rest of the game. It'll boost exploration and use of other maps for idlers, too. It'll also help with maps that you presently have to go 3-4 portals from LC to get to.

- An option to show/hide items and/or effects for lag issues. Also helpful when there's a swarm of annoying effect-happy clones around and you don't feel like lagging every time you pan your camera in that direction.

- View distance should be more clear about what it does. Or more obvious in general. From what I can tell there is almost zero difference between 1 & 0.

- Icon or name-color change to indicate typing; to indicate staff; to indicate staff within groups

- A checkbox for AFK which would change users' name-color. Also, this could be triggered when someone tabs-out of the game, like an Auto-AFK.

-Seasonal map changes; the only issue being having to make maps for 3 seasons. [i figure summer/spring can be the same, with/without rain effects].. optionally holiday add-ons in those, but ik not everyone celebrates all holidays so that's probably not gonna happen.

Character-Building:
- Make animated gif's an acceptable preset image type. It would save frame-by-frame animators a bazillion hours of coding.

- Multi-layered markings. 3-layers of markings max.

- Preset folder count is created/deleted by character count. If you have 2 characters to choose, you have 2 folders. If you have 15 characters, 15 folders,etc. When you delete a character, you could get a pop-up that asks you which preset folder to delete, or opt not to do so.

- A way to organize characters on your list, not just the seemingly-random way it does it now. Order by when-added, name, last-used etc.

- Add in particle-effects and glow-effects for characters. Ash-fall, ice/fire-steps, things like that.

- Changeable/selectable textures for non-preset characters. Fluffy/unfurred/short-furred/scraggly fur, etc.

- More models to choose from. Particularly the canines. Bully-breed, lapdog, sight-hound type heads/body/tail choices. For feline it would mostly be domestic cat/cheetah/lion body/head type (should cover most).

- More non-canine/feline models: Perhaps selectable in tab1; choosing predator or prey, then choose/customize which one to make it easier.

- The ability to add/share custom models made by users. For example, user 1 makes a dragon rp, and makes (or finds) a couple models to use with it, adds it to their game, and is able to share with others, like an item pack.

- Body-styles change by age of character. For example, a pup/kitten/cub would have different proportions than a 'teen/yearling' pup/kitten/cub, and obviously that is different from adult. In Character maker, this could be changed with a drop-down with those 3 options and they can customize from there. This way Cubs/kittens/pups don't look like adults but tiny. Lol

- Figuring out a way to have various marking/item packs NOT overwrite eachother (or show different items). For example if user1 has a special marking pack, and user2 doesn't, it just shows as marshmallow for user2 rather than some other marking that happens to be in the same spot on user2's list (if that makes sense). For items it would just simply not appear (duh).

- Being able to scale the entire head up or down within reason. Some animals have a small head-to-body ratio and vice versa.

Off-game ideas
- Pre-registration. For when fh registration is closed, basically acts as a waiting list. Prioritising new players via IP, over duplicate accounts. When registration is open, it will auto-enroll players that have pre-registered.  [With Registration currently unlimited, this isn't necessary]

 [cont'd on next post bc it won't let me save]

3
Game Discussion / Behind the Scenes: Eastern Pass -- IMAGE HEAVY
« on: November 11, 2018, 06:24:03 am »
Since I was constantly taking screen shots, I figure I'd show the progress/process of Eastern Pass.

This, is how EP started life: A very square set of leveled cliffs. Sorry, I don't still  have the original heightmap. lol -- but this is the naked map. I made a grid texture so i can finesse maps as I see fit.


Before even editing the heightmap, I started working on this. I had it in my head, that it would be the new pride-rock; or at least a throwback or somewhere for the TLKers to finally be able to roleplay once more.


For Dens, i wanted it to look as realistic as possible; this was a sizing test. I had forgotten that defaultLion was not a large character, so I had to edit the vast majority of dens after they were placed so that large characters would fit inside. There are a couple intentionally small or low-roofed areas made specifically for small characters/creatures like foxes etc.


Section finished. You can see this one in the final map, it may be clustered a little differently though.


Working on some of the crevasse dens, I wanted most of them to look like they'd fallen from the top level into the dens you see below.. as I said, naturalistic.


Early pride-rock. Testing scale. I think it was only minorly changed since this shot in the early days.


What I call mini-SB. It was designed to be a tribute of sorts to Stone Bridge, even as to be shaped like it, but far smaller. It spans between the two high rises on the map in the 'tlk zone'.

(reference pic of SB for those who weren't around at its height of popularity)


TLK zone starting to come together. I had decided to make it one large den up top with a few chambers, so it harkened back to the one on the original Bonfire, but with my spin on it.


.. when you accidentally click the wrong texture but it weirdly works.. lol

.. and what it is supposed to look like:


The lower portion of the TLK zone before I added the lake/waterhole. I felt it was missing something despite having one of the many 'elder' acacias..


The original version of the portal to Kiwimbi Beach. It was decided that it was a little too hidden (behind the falls, but you could see it as you got closer, as per FH graphics-fails with the falls)


You'll notice I don't have the bottom most layer as a 'road' yet.. I'm still playing with textures on the hills here, deciding how i'll divvy it up. It hadn't been decided whether to separate the bottom layer just yet to make it stand out as a path.There are also several versions of this 'ramp' area up to TLK zone, which you'll see later.


A work-in-progress of the original version of the portal to Bonfire Islands. It proved too difficult to get up there easily or quickly, so it was redone into what you see in the map now.



This was an idea I had early on; a "human den" .. something shifters could use. The collision (when chars run into stuff) issues it had proved problematic and the idea was eventually scrapped in lieu of the twin falls that are now at that corner.


Shots of the entry point from TG again. As you can see it still had grass, I hadn't, at the time, planned for it to be an obvious road. In my head it was fairly obvious that the lowest section was how you got anywhere. I think the texture/grass delete ended up being a good call.


I had the thought of adding signage, but the staff thought if we added signage in one map we might have to do it for all the maps, so they were removed for continuity's sake.


Another shot of the 'final' "Human den" that was not to be. lol


Originally, behind the 'human den' i had added a garden type area as if it had overgrown over time. The problem is that all these flowers, are lag-magnets because they're multiple objects overlayed, so instead of 1 object of 3 flowers you have 6 objects that are simply grouped (the stalk and the flower were separate). This caused massive problems with lag. To reduce lag, I removed the garden and all instances of these flowers.

The reason for all that lag.. a lot of objects in a group:


A lot of you guys seem to like what i've dubbed the 'particle trail', or alien abduction (because it sits by the ruins). This was version 1.


Collision Testing of the 'human den'


Creating the particle trail in its current form.. moving all those rings was a PAIN. lol


The back yard of the 'human den'.. steps steps and more steps. Some of them remained in the final version of the map.


Bottom level texture tests.. there were about 8 different ones I screenshotted for the choice making/approval.. here's one of them. lol



Originally this little lake was empty. I felt it needed something so I added a bit of something..
You'll notice that the top is yellow grass. Originally I had that as sort of an african plains area, but at the last minute, it was changed to the current green grass. i like it better that way, now that it's live.

A few versions of that 'ramp' up to the TLK zone. It was going to be a parkour thing, but, again, collisions issues could get you stuck or bounced too much.

.. accidental heightmap overwrite:

.. another version:


This is the original idea for what is now that hill with a giant elder acacia on top. Again, collisions proved to be a butt, and in the end it didn't really suit the map.


The semi-hidden den at the top of the map. You'll find this if you're wandering at the bottom left corner. This was still a work in progress. I was having difficulty making it look more natural.


Adding in an 'easy way' to get to Bonfire, still didn't work as well as planned. You could still get bounced a little, and the camera never cooperated.


Compared to an early version of what you see now:


This is what turned into the "ceremonial rings' that you see now. I wanted it to look.. tribal in a way, and was playing with ideas. This one being that a pack/clan/tribe/pride leader, when elected, would add their stone to the design, adding to the story of their lineage. I'm glad it didn't end up that way, it was a meh idea, and fairly ugly tbh. lol



The rock-evator creation. These are designed not only for a bit of flare when rping, but they're elevators. You can ride them up to the next level instead of going all the way around to do so. Created with waterboxes, so no jumping required.

.."o no! i r ded nao after having falled off the cliff"


Safari BMW is safari-ing


Briefly discussed was the use of Simba from TLK to mark the TLK zone, and become a bit of an easter egg. But, since it's kind of copyrighted, it couldn't be used. You'll have to find the other easter eggs instead.

.. one of said easter eggs, lion tracks, if you can find it. You won't if you're running.

.. another, this time wolf tracks.

.. woops. A tad big. (down side to map making, you don't have much scale until you test. lol)

.. much better:


This was going to be another easter egg, hiding under mini-SB. It was deemed too 'official' looking, so it was yanked.


This was an early version of the top of the Ceremonial Rings. I inspired myself in doing this, because these ones were just a tad wonky with sizing and collision (sigh)

Test one with the celtic knot, wood:

Final version, inlayed stone:


.. accidentally flooded the map. oops. As you can see, its still early-ish in the build:


.. checkpoint, still have that altar thing over there, but its defintely shaping up. A texture test for opinions..



Giant jace squishes all teh smolz.. a view from the top of the particle trail.


The spiral steps that i call the bird bath. I made it with the winged ones in mind. Figured they might want a spot to land and clean their wings. ;) Before it was dressed up:


This waterfall i had to remake a couple times. Somehow my heightmap reverted to an early version at some point and i had to rebuild this section. The waterfall now flows into the level below what you see here.


Decision making on whether the upper lakes should remain edgeless or to block them off with land. It was decided land was better.




Back to the human den again.. adding fiar.. and smoke.. and a few details; this was right before it was decided it should be removed, which again, was for the better.




Another, shall we say, Easter egg. Be careful for this one. This sign I got to keep. lol


An overlook of 'The Rise' back when it was still yellow/dry grass..


This is what replaced the human den..


Version 1 of the lake/waterhole by the TLK zone, this also had to be redone due to the heightmap mishap.


The final entry, as you see it now:


The other things added that you may or may not have noticed were some rattlesnakes, fish, and butterflies scattered around the area.

4
Game Suggestions & Ideas / Just some Ideas..
« on: October 22, 2018, 01:05:54 am »
Like the title says; for now I'm starting with map making.. i don't think there's anything here you need to change code for.

Weather effect ideas:
- Change the snow to instead be more like a blurry dot, so it can double as ash.
- For the sand-storm, copy the snow effect but make it amber in color instead of the image it currently is.
- Add a falling-leaf effect, can work like snow, and would be great in a heavily wooded map.
- Flame/spark falling effect (like snow, but sparks of fire), doesn't have to be an animated image if it's drawn right. It'd be cool for some.. hellish or volcanic maps to have occasional fire-fall.
- A dense-fog would be awesome, but I don't think it's possible with the game engine as it sits.

[ugh. I had so many more, but am currently sleep deprived; will probably edit this at some point when I remember. lol]

5
Finished Maps / LaughingWolf's Oceanside Cinema [Freebie!]
« on: August 31, 2017, 07:40:21 pm »
I wanted an a-typical, outdoorsy type of cinema experience, so I went with an atmosphere that is more like a drive-in movie mixed with the beach. 

The in-game map name is "Movies at the Beach", and is a freebie to anyone who wants to use it. It is perpetually dusk, the only changes to the sky are the stars occasionally appearing. It's got 3 screens with similar layouts for each one, like a drive-in theater does, and plenty of floaties to watch from.
Use it for your groups movie night, or just the FH hosted ones; your call, enjoy!


Link for download: CLICK ME

If that didn't work, click here, to go to the dA page, and click the dA download link on the right.: CLICK ME

6
Game Help / Heightmap Issue - Yes, that one. lol [SOLVED. TY]
« on: October 21, 2016, 11:20:20 pm »
Edit: [Problem solved!]

Yes, as predicted I'm sure, "My heightmap is locking (freezing) FH when I try to load it." The difference, I suppose is, that I have not had this issue before in map making. I have several maps and heightmaps of varying degrees of detail. This one.. refuses to cooperate. lol

Anyway; this is the map, with all the layers on. [Yes, I have flattened it before saving, but still No Dice; much to my frustration.]


I have removed layers by layers, until this is what was left. This is almost no detail, so I do not understand why it won't let me load it.


Any Ideas?
Name: PillarTerrain.png 
Mode: Greyscale
Size: 513x513  (I have also tried 512x512. No dice]
Editing Program: Photoshop CS6


There is no reason I can think of, that it can load this, but not the one above.. I'm stumped. Pls halp. lol



edit: I have now also added some absolute black just to make sure that it wasn't just freaking out about not having a base, but alas. Nothing.

7
Finished Maps / Massai - Another Freebie!
« on: December 04, 2015, 08:19:09 pm »
Another freebie by yours-truly; just don't go 'round saying you made it & we're cool. It was inspired by the Massai-Mara, but I used gold-chocobo's elk and hares instead of wildebeest. I fell in love with the various poses, so there you have it. Also, there's a hidden map in there too. Enjoy!

[DOWNLOAD LINK]

Preview (it's a bit big, but at least you can see the details - open in new tab for full res')

8
Work In Progress Maps & Map Discussion / My Height Map collection.
« on: August 15, 2015, 06:03:32 pm »
Any of the height maps I post here, you guys are welcome to use for your own.

Precipice Point -- Designed as a massive map, pushing the limits at 75,000 x 1,000; never finished it because my computer is a butt.


Darkwood Valley -- designed somewhat as a swamp. Pretty good on a large scale too. Tested at 15,000 x 900


Islands of the Sentinel; Again, pretty decent size test here too, 15,000 x 500


Achron Island -- This one was my first height map, pretty decent variable terrain. IDR the dimensions, sorry!


Eldershade Forest -- You can see this map in action in my sig' at free maps link. It's one of my earlier works, so it's pretty simple.


This is the Island of Kauai -- yes, the real one. I didn't make this map, http://gallery.jegas.com/?id=150 is where I found it, I simply tested it.
 At 75,000 x 1500, it works, and is beautiful, at least empty anyway.  At much more reasonable sizes it is too bumpy to be of much good.


Twin Peaks. One of my more popular maps, as far as requests go.


The Pillars. This one I'm still working on as a map, but here is the heightmap regardless.


Massai Plains. This is a map that I had originally intended to be African-based but I couldn't stand the then-available animals, so I used goldChocobo's articulated elk, and it turned into a high-plains map.


Wolf Island. This one is designed for up to 3 packs/prides/whatevers' to share.


(as you can see, i prefer islands, because I don't like a map that cuts off suddenly. lol)

9
I have no need to make this map; but I decided to when given the challenge "cliffs are near impossible to make in MapMaker," lol. So, I am making one with not only cliffs, but a Canyon and a large river.

I may make it public once I'm done building, though it will probably be pretty laggy for old-ish computers. It's got a width of 75000, and height of 1000, and an ocean height of the default 50.

I have yet to start putting objects in this map, and the grid is to let me see the more subtle variances in the terrain. Here are a few pics so far, one is a Gif, because I can't do a panoramic since the grid doesn't line up well at all.

Putting things to scale. I circled the lion, in case you can't see clearly in the gif:


Animated 360:



I'll try and update this often, and typically not with animated gifs. lol

10
Finished Maps / Vassia and Eldershade -- Two Free Maps
« on: June 30, 2015, 09:02:41 pm »
I only made the height maps and added the awesome models that the people here have made. So that is all I will claim as mine. Please don't claim them as your own.  Click the pictures to download. LMK what you think; comments and criticisms are welcome.


Vassia Description:
Not a large map, but big enough for a pack or two friendly ones. There are 3 densites , 2 on the main island and 1 on one of the smaller ones. There is also an outcast den on its own little sandy plot of land.

Mostly standard Firs are used, with some animated firs in there, and animated grass. There are fish, dolphins and sharks around the islands too, along with a few turtles and the like.



Eldershade Description:
It has fish that are posed as if you're eating and/or holding them, some fresh elk kills and a few hares too. Also a waterfall and a huge snake-style-sculpture you can climb that leads up to it (I tested it, so its possible; though I don't remember if I've turned off flying or not.) There are at least 2 major den-sites, 3-4 if you count the rather large isolated ones.

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