Magical Shadows..with NO source?
No idea, but now I want Malta to get invisible black helicopters.
The truth is out there...
No, there really is an Apache flies above Atlas Park regularly. You can't get near it because it flies above the War Walls, but you can get pretty close.
Since the bad news, I have been running the game on MAX (MAX, too teh max) settings for screenies. While in AP, I noticed the shadow of a chopped flying over me..yet..nothing was in the sky. Now have I EVER seen a chopper in the air.
I know there is a blimp in ap, flyers in mercy etc..but this was a full on attack chopper shadow, I could see the blades and the shape, like an Apache. Then just now, I saw the same shadow along the ground in Bricks..again..nothing above me. Is this just some magic thing that cant be seen? |
I can tell you that I (and many others) DO In fact see choppers in the sky. They are fully rendered and look like Apaches. They fly just above the top of the "Sky box" where characters are limited to. So no you can't bump into them.
Your system may simply be incapable of rendering objects that are that far away. But it will render the shadow.
If you want to see the choppers, and you have a character with flight, fly up to about the level of the blimp or higher. See if you can see them.
You could also check your rendering detail distance in the options. I always like to run at the max of 200% because I've got a good machine that will keep the framerates up even with that. Whatever you have it set at will render objects at certain distances beyond that point with less detail or even remove them entirely.
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A-HA! I knew I took screenshots of them! Now that I look, though, they seem more like a hybrid of Apache and Comanche to me. Weird.
Ah ha! Thanks guys. I knew I wasnt seeing things.
I have my settings of Max. Literally..I cant turn ANYTHING a single notch higher, at all. But given how hige Dave is in his shots..there is no way Id see that from the ground. Unless its just some video driver issue. Either way..thanks for the info.
You can still see the whirlybird from the ground level, but if I recall the shadow is never directly under it. If you stand around Atlas Park's open areas you might see it fly past ... I want to say that it always flies in a straight line over City Hall, but I'm not certain of that. It's how I first saw it, though.
You can still see the whirlybird from the ground level, but if I recall the shadow is never directly under it. If you stand around Atlas Park's open areas you might see it fly past ... I want to say that it always flies in a straight line over City Hall, but I'm not certain of that. It's how I first saw it, though.
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Originally Posted by ShadowNate
;_; ?!?! What the heck is wrong with you, my god, I have never been so confused in my life!
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So, funny story with that helicopter. I was assigned as the everything designer for the neutral tutorial, which meant designing the zone, missions, layout, powers, etc. World design wise, I wanted to get a sense of danger in the area and that a lot of things were going on. The first thing I thought of was, wouldn't it be cool if there were helicopters and jets flying around?
I talked to one of our animators, and this was on a Friday when no producers were around (<_< >_>). He grabbed the helicopter geometry we already had and animated the blades to spin. I spent a while trying to figure out how to get the thing to patrol on a regular path. I used all the new techniques we had developed - patrol routes, unique behaviors, etc. But in the end, the helicopter patrol just wasn't smooth enough; it was jerky and would stop at each patrol point for 1/10th of a second, but that was long enough to bug me. I was banging my head against my desk trying to figure out HOW to get a smooth patrol path. Then, it hit me. Not the desk, but a realization.
The blimp in Atlas Park.
I did some archaeological digging and found out how that blimp worked, and discovered it was a simple but robust system. Soon enough, I had helicopters and jets flying around in the tutorial. And then, just to help add to the idea that things are going down, I added the helicopter into Atlas. To keep it consistent, I also added (I'm pretty sure) another one in Perez Park, since it's supposed to be flying over to Galaxy City.
It's a small thing, but it was something that I was really excited when I found out how it worked and that it could be used in a lot of different ways to help worlds feel more alive.
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But in the end, the helicopter patrol just wasn't smooth enough; it was jerky and would stop at each patrol point for 1/10th of a second, but that was long enough to bug me. I was banging my head against my desk trying to figure out HOW to get a smooth patrol path. Then, it hit me. Not the desk, but a realization.
The blimp in Atlas Park. I did some archaeological digging and found out how that blimp worked, and discovered it was a simple but robust system. Soon enough, I had helicopters and jets flying around in the tutorial. And then, just to help add to the idea that things are going down, I added the helicopter into Atlas. To keep it consistent, I also added (I'm pretty sure) another one in Perez Park, since it's supposed to be flying over to Galaxy City. It's a small thing, but it was something that I was really excited when I found out how it worked and that it could be used in a lot of different ways to help worlds feel more alive. |
So, funny story with that helicopter. I was assigned as the everything designer for the neutral tutorial, which meant designing the zone, missions, layout, powers, etc. World design wise, I wanted to get a sense of danger in the area and that a lot of things were going on. The first thing I thought of was, wouldn't it be cool if there were helicopters and jets flying around?
I talked to one of our animators, and this was on a Friday when no producers were around (<_< >_>). He grabbed the helicopter geometry we already had and animated the blades to spin. I spent a while trying to figure out how to get the thing to patrol on a regular path. I used all the new techniques we had developed - patrol routes, unique behaviors, etc. But in the end, the helicopter patrol just wasn't smooth enough; it was jerky and would stop at each patrol point for 1/10th of a second, but that was long enough to bug me. I was banging my head against my desk trying to figure out HOW to get a smooth patrol path. Then, it hit me. Not the desk, but a realization. The blimp in Atlas Park. I did some archaeological digging and found out how that blimp worked, and discovered it was a simple but robust system. Soon enough, I had helicopters and jets flying around in the tutorial. And then, just to help add to the idea that things are going down, I added the helicopter into Atlas. To keep it consistent, I also added (I'm pretty sure) another one in Perez Park, since it's supposed to be flying over to Galaxy City. It's a small thing, but it was something that I was really excited when I found out how it worked and that it could be used in a lot of different ways to help worlds feel more alive. |
Not being facetious... I can HEAR them but I can't see them. The helicopter in Atlas, no problem.
The one thing that made the world feel more alive for me was adding birds to the Rogue Isles. That was definitely an "Oh, cool!" moment the first time I saw it.
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There are jets in the tutorial?
Not being facetious... I can HEAR them but I can't see them. The helicopter in Atlas, no problem. The one thing that made the world feel more alive for me was adding birds to the Rogue Isles. That was definitely an "Oh, cool!" moment the first time I saw it. |
I was so happy to see they were actual in-game models that I then used them at the start of my Issue 22 trailer flying past Statesman's aircraft carrier in the Missing Man formation.
Again, it's all about the details.
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To keep it consistent, I also added (I'm pretty sure) another one in Perez Park, since it's supposed to be flying over to Galaxy City.
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And it couldn't have dropped a round or two of napalm on the place while it was there?!
hehe!
I do love the addition of things like this. It's all in the details, and NOW I AM GOING TO CRY AGAIN darn you.
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I only discovered the Atlas 'copter recently as well. I was flying up to the blimp for fun, and I heard it - it's loud! Took me a while of turning this way and that, but I finally saw it, and thought it was pretty cool.
I chased it, that chopper is fast. Unfortunately it beat me to the war wall and flew off.
Frankie says it best.
Very cool story, Dr. Aeon. Thank you.
Indeed, an awesome story!
I agree that it would have been great to have civilian air traffic up there. Aside from the military or Longbow choppers (I'm guessing Longbow?) it would have been cool to see news station and PPD helicopters flying around ("... lookin' out over that Golden Gate Bridge on another gorgeous sunny Saturday and I'm seeing that bumper-to-bumper traffic ...").
So, funny story with that helicopter. I was assigned as the everything designer for the neutral tutorial, which meant designing the zone, missions, layout, powers, etc. World design wise, I wanted to get a sense of danger in the area and that a lot of things were going on. The first thing I thought of was, wouldn't it be cool if there were helicopters and jets flying around?
I talked to one of our animators, and this was on a Friday when no producers were around (<_< >_>). He grabbed the helicopter geometry we already had and animated the blades to spin. I spent a while trying to figure out how to get the thing to patrol on a regular path. I used all the new techniques we had developed - patrol routes, unique behaviors, etc. But in the end, the helicopter patrol just wasn't smooth enough; it was jerky and would stop at each patrol point for 1/10th of a second, but that was long enough to bug me. I was banging my head against my desk trying to figure out HOW to get a smooth patrol path. Then, it hit me. Not the desk, but a realization. The blimp in Atlas Park. I did some archaeological digging and found out how that blimp worked, and discovered it was a simple but robust system. Soon enough, I had helicopters and jets flying around in the tutorial. And then, just to help add to the idea that things are going down, I added the helicopter into Atlas. To keep it consistent, I also added (I'm pretty sure) another one in Perez Park, since it's supposed to be flying over to Galaxy City. It's a small thing, but it was something that I was really excited when I found out how it worked and that it could be used in a lot of different ways to help worlds feel more alive. |
One of the odd always wish I could have things was being able to stand on the blimp and ride it around. I think that was my first disappointment in CoH when I finally got a character that could fly and tried to land on the blimp only to slide off. lol...
I've always looked up longingly to the blimp thinking one day.
No idea, but now I want Malta to get invisible black helicopters.
The truth is out there... |
Broad daylight too. On a main road. What a poor attempt to remain inconspicuous.....
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Was thinking about this more..how high are the Warwalls and teh chopper? At least 100 feet? More? In direct sun, would the shadow of a chopper even BE visible on the ground? And if so..only if the sun was right above..and the shadow would be sooo diffused.
Not saying it still doesnt look cool and all..but..
I spotted the helicopter shadow during the big protest last week, but no one in my team believed me. Now I have proof that I am not insane - well, maybe not definitive proof, but it's a start...
The funny thing about the black chopper is that the shadow travels perpendicular to its movement in the air.
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Awesome story.
One of the odd always wish I could have things was being able to stand on the blimp and ride it around. I think that was my first disappointment in CoH when I finally got a character that could fly and tried to land on the blimp only to slide off. lol... I've always looked up longingly to the blimp thinking one day. |
I spotted the helicopter shadows immediately after they came out, but it took me a few months to realise what they were. They scroll by so fast and I typically have my camera pointing ahead rather than down, so I couldn't tell what the shadow was of. After a few times, I assumed these were just groups of Longbow Eagles flying by, since one time I saw the shadow, I saw a group of them flying about.
I think I actually spotted a helicopter directly before I put it together that this was a helicopter shadow I was seeing. I mean, I THOUGHT it was a helicopter shadow, but talked myself out of it since... Helicopters don't fly over Atlas Park, right? Cool addition, definitely.
And no, I don't believe the shadow of an object flying so high would be visible on the ground, especially not sharply defined. But City of Heroes has no shadow distance falloff. Or rather, it has shadow falloff based on distance FROM YOU, but not distance between the shadow-casting object and the object the shadow is cast on.
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Since the bad news, I have been running the game on MAX (MAX, too teh max) settings for screenies. While in AP, I noticed the shadow of a chopped flying over me..yet..nothing was in the sky. Now have I EVER seen a chopper in the air.
I know there is a blime in ap, flyers in mercy etc..but this was a full on attack chopper shadow, I could see the blades and the shape, like an Apache.
Then just now, I saw the same shadow along the ground in Bricks..again..nothing above me.
Is this just some magic thing that cant be seen?