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I think I might have mentioned in the "Space Anoat" topic that there were a number of things I wanted to try, but never got to, for space maps in the prior version of the mod - things I was unable to try since I was only using stock space templates. Space Anoat was part of making up for those things, Space Mon Calamari is the other part.

Space Mon Calamari only has one mode, like Space Anoat. Its mode is simply "Space," and while it's a basic name, it's called that because it really has a whole mix of different things. At its heart it is a conquest battle, and victory is determined by eliminating your opponents' reinforcements. There are a number of CPs on either capital ship that can be taken control of or lost.

It's also kind've a team dogfight battle, though. It inherits a lot from the team dogfight of the earlier version of the mod, including its space heroes. The difference this time, though, is that since I was actually making the map (and not just the dome textures), I could implement real random heroes - something I couldn't before.

Truthfully it's also a space assault battle, too. While the major ship systems (and frigates) aren't any real objective, destroying them will net your team a reinforcement boost.

You see why it's just "space?" Not easily shoehorned into one type of mode.

Of course one of the big drawbacks to any space conquest map is going to be movement from ship to ship. We all know that AI can't land in hangars to save their lives.

Except for when they can, of course.


There are lots of other neat things I added just for this. Because Rising Son is set later than the earlier Dark Times, I did update the space vehicles. It wasn't just a sweeping change, though - in this map (just like the land maps), it'll be random whether you play pre- or post-Battle of Yavin. Here's what's new:
-All vehicle cockpits updated (no more immersion-breaking edges of the models!)
-Imperial Navy Trooper replaces Evo Trooper for post-BY time period
-Rebel pilot carries DL-18 blaster instead of Arc caster
-TIE Interceptor replaces TIE Vanguard for post-BY time period (Weapons: Laser Cannon/Linked Lasers)
-Y-Wing is "classic" model for post-BY time period
-A-Wing replaces Z-95 for post-BY time period
-in-GCW Y-Wing uses regular blaster cannon (instead of charge-to-ion cannon blaster), but its secondary weapon is an Ion Pulse warhead when dumbfired and a Proton Torpedo when locked-on
-Expanded interiors to capital ships (to facilitate conquest play)
-Nebulon-B frigate (with hangars) for each team
This the last major addition I have planned for the mod, I have a few other minor additions to make (extra modes) and then I'll be ready to move into a beta test (incidentally, asking to be part of that test here is a surefire way to make sure you are not part of it).

Maveritchell strikes again. Another cool "space" map you got there. I like the extended interiors and being able to launch from the Nebulon-B Frigate.

this looks awesome. keep up the excellent work!!

OK, color me impressed.

It's a shame Pandemic has disbanded, we should have contacted them and let them know that we have a top notch expansion pack for their game...

So after about five years the AI finally figured out how to land, eh?

Also, if you're going with ammo in the starfighters again, you might want to put the vehicle repair droids in the capital ships so we can actually get the ammo back when flying into a hanger. This was something missing in the DT1 space maps but not in Space Endor. Not sure if you intended this or not.

Fusion wrote:Also, if you're going with ammo in the starfighters again, you might want to put the vehicle repair droids in the capital ships so we can actually get the ammo back when flying into a hanger. This was something missing in the DT1 space maps but not in Space Endor. Not sure if you intended this or not.

There were ammo droids for vehicles on Mav's Endor? I always thought my ammo was refilled by magic or something.

Would it be correct to assume that these new fighters will also make an appearance in the original Dark Times space maps?

Fusion wrote:This was something missing in the DT1 space maps but not in Space Endor. Not sure if you intended this or not.

It was unintended (in that it was not what I wanted) but not unnoticed. The original Dark Times maps were stock space maps; I didn't (and couldn't) do any effective editing to them without adding on an actual map.

Nihillo wrote:Would it be correct to assume that these new fighters will also make an appearance in the original Dark Times space maps?

It would be incorrect to assume that; making effective random fighters on those maps would be very unwieldy as they are stock space maps (I told you this was a big limiting factor! ). Shuffling random vehicles is a more intensive process than units (which are easy as they are entirely script-based).

Excellent work, Mav, easily tops the first DT.

AI that can land in capital ships? Mav, I think you've just turned water into wine.

EraOfDesann wrote:AI that can land in capital ships? Mav, I think you've just turned water into wine.

off-topic: Can I have some?

Next thing you know the AI will recognize height.

Darth_Squoobus wrote:Next thing you know the AI will recognize height.

Great update. Will there be any guns on the gunship you "fly" to another ship?

hey What are you doing there??
a new mod or a new game??

I like space and i love space with ships you can fight on, too.

the 1st perspective in space is (if i was allowed to i would add a hudret more from this smilies it's really great)

Have i seen it right you can get out of the ship while it is landing???

it would be great too if you can get out of it with ropes for example on maps like Bespin or a very big kamino map

This alone is enough to download the ENTIRE mod, and the rest of it is just as amazing. Nice work, Mav, can't wait to play .

mswf wrote:Great update. Will there be any guns on the gunship you "fly" to another ship?

It's not any different than the transport from the original Dark Times. I sat in the Sentinel shuttle because it has the empty passenger slots that I can use to pan around the shuttle while it's flying. If you're fishing for whether it's a "real" ship, it is. I'm not hoodwinking you in the video - that's the AI really flying it and then landing it.

Maveritchell wrote:

mswf wrote:Great update. Will there be any guns on the gunship you "fly" to another ship?

It's not any different than the transport from the original Dark Times. I sat in the Sentinel shuttle because it has the empty passenger slots that I can use to pan around the shuttle while it's flying. If you're fishing for whether it's a "real" ship, it is. I'm not hoodwinking you in the video - that's the AI really flying it and then landing it.

I'm sorry, because it's been quite a while since I played a space battle in SWBFII, I thought that the pilot seat slot was on the top, not the bottom. I had actually assumed that you used splines that the pilot randomly follows, not the thing that I realize now that I realized I was wrong about those passenger seats.

Very cool Mav. At first I thought it was an animated flyer but now I can see that it's the real deal. Will the fighters also be able to land?

sim-al2 wrote:Very cool Mav. At first I thought it was an animated flyer but now I can see that it's the real deal. Will the fighters also be able to land?

I didn't tell them too; didn't see much of a reason for it. It'd just crowd up the hangars.

I tested a number of configurations, but the transports land pretty consistently and quickly (without needing to have anyone else land) - since there's almost always an enemy transport in the hangar, there are almost always enemy troops on board the capital ships.

Maveritchell wrote:

sim-al2 wrote:Very cool Mav. At first I thought it was an animated flyer but now I can see that it's the real deal. Will the fighters also be able to land?

I didn't tell them too; didn't see much of a reason for it. It'd just crowd up the hangars.

I tested a number of configurations, but the transports land pretty consistently and quickly (without needing to have anyone else land) - since there's almost always an enemy transport in the hangar, there are almost always enemy troops on board the capital ships.

I know you probably don't want to give your "secrets" away, but is it something like a hintnode combined with flyer splines?

StarkillerMarek wrote:

Maveritchell wrote:

sim-al2 wrote:Very cool Mav. At first I thought it was an animated flyer but now I can see that it's the real deal. Will the fighters also be able to land?

I didn't tell them too; didn't see much of a reason for it. It'd just crowd up the hangars.

I tested a number of configurations, but the transports land pretty consistently and quickly (without needing to have anyone else land) - since there's almost always an enemy transport in the hangar, there are almost always enemy troops on board the capital ships.

I know you probably don't want to give your "secrets" away, but is it something like a hintnode combined with flyer splines?

Don't hold your breath; if he told us we'd all start copying it and "space" maps would lose their intrinsic value.

StarkillerMarek wrote:I know you probably don't want to give your "secrets" away, but is it something like a hintnode combined with flyer splines?

I always use flyer splines in a space map, and anytime one want flyers to come even remotely close to a set behavior, he should as well. So yes, I use flyer splines. Hintnodes don't do anything related to flyers, though.

The rest of getting it to work is scripted behavior, like most any other "change" in the way the game plays.

Darth_Squoobus wrote:Don't hold your breath; if he told us we'd all start copying it and "space" maps would lose their intrinsic value.

I don't mind telling anyone the basics of how I do things, that's half the fun of figuring it out. Like I said above, most any significant change I make is through Luacode, though.