Is there any way to make robot briefings like the originals?

[Xfing]

With the rotating robots and stuff.

[Alter-Fox]

In D2, only if you use the original robots. Technically in D1 it would be possible with custom robots if D1 supported custom robots . It does in D2X-XL! But not in any other form of D1 to my knowledge.

As for how, it's been so long since I've experimented with making briefings that I don't remember.
I do remember that if you use BriefEd it makes it very simple. And I remember that even though there's no option to get the Vertigo bots in a briefing I did manage to do it anyway, a few times, when I was playing around.

[Xfing]

I'm of course asking this question thinking of D1,5, so we would have briefings of existent robots. BTW would it be possible to add briefings for robots unseen in briefings in D1 and 2? Such as the Fusion Hulk, the Red Fatty Jr. and the Super Hulk.

[Alter-Fox]

You can't have any D1 robots showing up in D2 briefings, because although D1 just shows the robot models rotating (which is why it could theoretically show custom mechs or any robot in D1's original game -- check out, I think, the original Aurora Outpost), D2 uses animated movies for the briefing bots and there aren't any of those for the D1 bots.

[Xfing]

Sooo you mean it isn't possible to include any D1 robot in a robot briefing for a D2 mission?

What a bummer.

[Sirius]

Not currently. Is this Descent 1.5 thing a D2 mission? A mod on D1? Any code changes? Last two would make it possible to do this.

[Naphtha]

It's actually going to be a D2 Vertigo mission, from the sound of it.

I've been wondering about those briefing animations myself. I know the original animations can be inserted into other custom briefings, but I take it there's no program to create animations for custom D2 polymodels in the same format? What is the format the D2 animations are in, anyway?

[Xfing]

Not currently. Is this Descent 1.5 thing a D2 mission? A mod on D1? Any code changes? Last two would make it possible to do this.

D2 Vertigo mission with restored D1 content, tweaked descent2.ham and descent2.s11 and .s22 files and an additional .PIG palette currently worked on by Pumo. You can read more on the forum linked to in my sig.

[Sirius]

OK, yeah, that wouldn't re-open D1-style briefing animations, sadly.

[Xfing]

Actually, the D1,5 name comes from the fact that the mission will completely amalgamate D1 and D2 content... I suppose something less pretentious should be come up with as the final title

And as for the robot briefings, that's something to worry about later. Dozens of levels still to make.

[Duper]

Somewhere, I have a copy of the ole TDX2 editor. It's not up on Descent2.com anymore. The link is there, but the files are all gone.
Let me take a look and see if I can find some of those old disks.

[Krom]

If you cant find DTX2, I have a copy (along with basically the entire descent2.com download archive). I should probably send some copies of that giant 2 GB 7z file out to a few more people in the community so it is more reliably preserved, I have it on stored on three different redundant hard drives but those might be the only remaining copies of the entire original download archive left anywhere.

[Duper]

That's a great idea Krom. There were a lot of vital tools from back then and it would be a shame for them to be lost.

Ok.. I have it. oh wow.. I also have the old MVE2EXE. 0_o

Great thanks to Stefan Nilsson of Stockholm for making this program. I used it several times.

Whoever would like this, msg me with your email and I'll send it zipped to you. It's only 300+Kb.

I also have Yahoma which is also a briefing editor made by Ben Damm.

[Alter-Fox]

I've never figured out what programs you need to make credits.
And I'm going to need something for credits in a few days. Krom if you have the entire archive you must have something .

[Sirius]

http://www.descentvalhalla.com/
That seems to be about the only place with most of the tools these days. DTX included actually.

P.S. Credits is a special type of briefing file - based on the same format, just .ctb instead of .txb. It has special control codes just for the credits though... they might still be on the part of descent2.com that is still online.

[ThugsRook]

you would have to use a static image of the D1 bots in a D2 brief.
thats prolly as close as you can get.

IMO the perfect briefing would read: hit esc

[Duper]

I've never had a problem with briefings unless they unload 4 pages of solid text to read through.

A briefing should be just that... brief. LOTS of "white space" as the term is used in my field. If you have a ton of back story to relay or not even a ton, include a Text file in the form of a short story. That's what I did with COD.

and btw. Thanks Sirius!

[Xfing]

I actually loved the briefings, bot the introductory conversation in D1 and the inter-level mini-briefings. D1,5 is definitely gonna have those. D2 sorely lacked those briefings in my opinion, they provide nice ambience, and that's one of the things at which D1 beats D2.

And I do have the briefing editor, but haven't yet tried working with it.

[Alter-Fox]

...D2 sorely lacked those briefings in my opinion, they provide nice ambience, and that's one things at which D1 beats D2....

In fact I actually agree with that :gasp:.
The one thing D1's briefings didn't do though was set any sort of mood. I guess they left that to the music?

[ThugsRook]

my ESC key gets more use than my A key

typically, i rip out all the briefs from a mission. i just want to get back to playing. a nice pic of whatever planet im at is the most id like to see.

i honestly think the briefs are just there to annoy you til you hit ESC.
which is prolly what the MD in the game would like to do

[Xfing]

The briefing tune in D1 was ominous, pulse-pounding.. it was fantastic! But I can say the same thing about the D2 briefing tune. The only problem is that the animated movies left no room for it! Well, it's probably supposed to play during robot briefings, but I seem to only be able to get it to play in D2 Interactive Demo while using Rebirth.

[Xfing]

EPIC NECRO

Kp on the DXX boards says that not only is it supported, but it's always been. Thread here:
https://forum.dxx-rebirth.com/showthrea ... 44&page=19

I would really like to get a conclusive answer for this.