Different kind of contest (like skins)?

[papercoffee]

And how do scripted skins work?
I have an Idea for a skin I want to do and it would benefit from an reaction animation.

Maybe this thread and the one linked from it is of some use? - viewtopic.php?f=13&t=5747

Animated skins. I know them but I meant scripted skins.

Uuuuuuuuh ...is it possible to script the skins that they react to the health value?
I imagine a skin showing damage for ever hit the player has taken......

[EvilGrins]

- Include Xan MkII and Warboss.

Those models didn't come out until several years after ut99 was released, but I'll think about it. Even if they are official releases for the game, I'm striving to keep this to defaults.

Though admittedly the Skaarj Hybrid is also not a default. While it did come out in 1999, as part of one of the updates, it was months after the game came out.

- Should all 4 team colors be a requirement, or should that count towards bonus points

Always a thing, thanks for reminding.

- Should include Team Chat thumbnail.

Are you referring to the Talk Texture?

If bonus points are to be awarded, perhaps it might be as well to set out how 'normal' points will be awarded - on what criteria will the skins be judged?

At this point my mention of "bonus points" isn't really based on actual points. I'm more or less referencing them along the same lines as "kudos".

Figuring a "how skins should be rated" at the moment is up in the air. I may come up with something official or I may opt for anyone use their own criteria. We'll see.

Originality: Is the skin 100% original, or did the artist use elements from pre-existing skins, photographs, or graphics and to what degree?

I'm thinking originality in either the skinner came up with the concept on their own or they created a skin from a series (most of us are geeks) that has never been skinned before.

Yes it was like a cobra and kinda slithered around. No arms or spikes that I remember.

The one I described was called "Thulsa Doom" and was loosely based off a creature design from the 1st Conan the Barbarian movie.

The one you're referring to I know. Been some debate over the years if it started out as a playable model or as a monster coverted to a model; in either event both exist.

That is like if the player is on red, the script will automatically change the texture of said skin that include the one that only work once for all (the arm for example or so that couldn't be changed for team colors).

There's a skin called "Mortal Team Work" or something like that, which sounds like what you mean, but the faces do not change with team colors... even though it does have team color faces built into it. I've even toyed around with that because I know the .int files setup that operates along the lines of team colors and sadly, even if you include it there's no impact on faces anymore than there is on arms.

It's a lols if the player's face turns sad when losing and then happy when winning? idk.

Sadly emotive response to how the game ends might be more for a modeling contest than a skinning contest.

Neat - I want to know more about this - is there a post/thread/documentation on this effect?

I once played around with the properties of a Male Soldier skin placed directly onto a map, if you get into the lighting effects there are ways to make a skin glow or strobe or pulse... but I'm not sure if that only applies to something placed on a map or if it could even be incorporated into a player skin.

It was one of these three maps · https://unreal-games.livejournal.com/73170.html

Never placed on this forum as the map I edited for it was from HE WHO MUST NOT BE NAMED but I basically put a player bot on the map with a Flash skin and I was seeing if it was possible to give the bot super speed (it was) and I mucked around with some of the display/lighting details of the skin.

[OjitroC]

Figuring a "how skins should be rated" at the moment is up in the air. I may come up with something official or I may opt for anyone use their own criteria. We'll see.

You don't think these criteria form a useable framework?

I propose the following criteria:

Technical: Is the chat thumbnail included? How well are the textures aligned? Are the details clear? If applicable, are the team colors readable?
Originality: Is the skin 100% original, or did the artist use elements from pre-existing skins, photographs, or graphics and to what degree?
Creativity: The uniqueness, cleverness, or 'cool factor' of the concept.
Design: Is the skin well thought out and well executed? Is the illustration stlye appealing/appropriate to the concept?

Bonus Points: For each team color included. For multiple faces. For animated textures. For accompanying voice pack. For original model (BIG Points for this).

[fudgonaut]

Those models didn't come out until several years after ut99 was released, but I'll think about it. Even if they are official releases for the game, I'm striving to keep this to defaults.

Though admittedly the Skaarj Hybrid is also not a default. While it did come out in 1999, as part of one of the updates, it was months after the game came out.

I am in support of all officially released player models. Xan II and Warboss would bring the number up to a nice even ten

I'm a actually not opposed to unofficial models, if it would attract more participants.

Are you referring to the Talk Texture?

Yes - that's the one!

I'm thinking originality in either the skinner came up with the concept on their own or they created a skin from a series (most of us are geeks) that has never been skinned before.

Works for me!

You don't think these criteria form a useable framework?

In retrospect the criteria I suggested feel like an extra layer of effort, compared to using a simple like map contests.

I'd be fine with whatever, my biggest interest is getting as many people to participate as possible.

[Chamberly]

And how do scripted skins work?
I have an Idea for a skin I want to do and it would benefit from an reaction animation.

Maybe this thread and the one linked from it is of some use? - viewtopic.php?f=13&t=5747

Animated skins. I know them but I meant scripted skins.

Uuuuuuuuh ...is it possible to script the skins that they react to the health value?
I imagine a skin showing damage for ever hit the player has taken......

I could say yes those can be possible but it'll have to include a .u file imo.

In the .u file it can also include a class for HitDamageSkin to show some flesh of red (or green for those with gore low) of the player being hit depending on where of the body (legs, head, etc) by detecting the hit of location because it is shown on the bodyhit on the screen too unless it wasn't fully functional but you see it when you are in player mode and everything is on the HUD...

Does that give an idea?

[fudgonaut]

Just come across this - perhaps someone may find it useful https://www.acordero.org/projects/unrea ... kin-maker/

Yes indeed! SkinMaker is a great tool, there's a guide here. and is VERY useful for packaging up your work.

It's been 7+ years since I used SkinMaker. I opened it today just to refresh my memory and I realize that while it does not allow 3D painting, it does have a basic paint function that lets you paint on the 2D textures, and display those edits on the 3D model preview in real time.

So SkinMaker is not just a time-saving tool for packaging skins, it is a very useful skinning tool:

• The real-time paint feature can be used to test/visualize where two textures meet, for better texture alignment.
• It can be used to test/visualize how pixels behave (distort) around poly edges & vertices.
• It can be used as a sketch tool to lay out the basic broad strokes in 3D, then those textures can be opened in feature-rich programs (Photoshop, Gimp. etc) for refined editing.

People may already know this, but I thought it was worth mentioning!

[TexasGtar]

Just a FYI.
I just got Blender 2.82a to work using compatibility mode for vista and service pack 2.
Looks like there have been a ton of improvements since the last time I tried to use it.

[fudgonaut]

It's been a very long time since I've made a skin... 7 years? I can't remember how long the skinning process takes.

What's an appropriate time frame? And when do we start?

I have several ideas... I'm kind of excited to get cracking!

[EvilGrins]

I can't remember how long the skinning process takes.

What's an appropriate time frame? And when do we start?

Realistically, the way I go, it only takes me an afternoon to make a skin when I actually start doing it... but I frequently design the thing in my head for days, sometimes weeks, before I start.

I'm leaning to have the contest end before Halloween, probably start in August or September. Maybe sooner, depending on a few things I'm still setting up.

[fudgonaut]

Bummer. I doubt I'll be participating then.

[papercoffee]

Bummer. I doubt I'll be participating then.

Noooo why?

[fudgonaut]

I had it in my mnd that the contest might kick into gear in the upcoming weeks.
For a number of reasons, it's unlikely that in 3-4 months I'll still have the time & interest that I have now.
No biggie. I may noodle with some skinning on my own while I have some free cycles.

[EvilGrins]

I had it in my mnd that the contest might kick into gear in the upcoming weeks.
For a number of reasons, it's unlikely that in 3-4 months I'll still have the time & interest that I have now.
No biggie. I may noodle with some skinning on my own while I have some free cycles.

I can get it going sooner if you need, my main thing was to get it going before the Holiday Season...

[fudgonaut]

I can get it going sooner if you need, my main thing was to get it going before the Holiday Season...

This is your brainchild ⁠— the timing of the contest should be what works best for you. If I've got bandwidth when it starts, I'll try to join in.

[EvilGrins]

This is your brainchild ⁠— the timing of the contest should be what works best for you. If I've got bandwidth when it starts, I'll try to join in.

I appreciate that, but it's as much my brainchild as something fun for all of us to do. Already got feelers out to other forums and we may be getting other skinners, for whenever I do this, from those as well.

Still finalizing some things, keep a good thought.