Ok, we need to talk about highways.

This forum is the ideal place for all discussion relating to X4. You will also find additional information from developers here.

Moderator: Moderators for English X Forum

User avatar
Tamina
Moderator (Deutsch)
Moderator (Deutsch)
Posts: 4543
Joined: Sun, 26. Jan 14, 09:56

Post by Tamina » Fri, 2. Mar 18, 14:24

+1 to everything said so far.

My favourite is a combination of "accelerators" along the route (HoL DLC) and a way more subtle effect (like glowing particles or lighting effects) that get visible only when close by.

Oh and maybe another color then this vomit-yellowgreen :shock:
Blue-Cyan from the superhighways is way more fitting. Btw., superhighways are way better then the traditional gates.

Code: Select all

Und wenn ein Forenbösewicht, was Ungezogenes spricht, dann hol' ich meinen Kaktus und der sticht sticht sticht.
  /l、 
゙(゚、 。 7 
 l、゙ ~ヽ   / 
 じしf_, )ノ 

User avatar
Axeface
Posts: 2939
Joined: Fri, 18. Nov 05, 00:41
x4

Post by Axeface » Fri, 2. Mar 18, 17:09

One thing I want to add is that I really thought the HoL highways were much better and more fun than the other systems, the way it links superhighways and normal highways in an unbroken loop is much more enjoyable (the only 1 ugly highway in 1 direction is better than 2 in both directions imho). Thats not to say it should be the only way to make them though, some variety is nice.
I think superhighways are too fast also, it's like it was decided that people dont like them so they virtually removed them by making them insanely fast.

Tamina wrote:Btw., superhighways are way better then the traditional gates.
Superhighways dont and cant link systems though, they are for travel between sectors.

User avatar
Tamina
Moderator (Deutsch)
Moderator (Deutsch)
Posts: 4543
Joined: Sun, 26. Jan 14, 09:56

Post by Tamina » Fri, 2. Mar 18, 18:12

Yes, but I meant this travel effect you get, swooooshing through the planets. :D
I just wanted to say that superhighways are fine, it's just the regular ones.

Code: Select all

Und wenn ein Forenbösewicht, was Ungezogenes spricht, dann hol' ich meinen Kaktus und der sticht sticht sticht.
  /l、 
゙(゚、 。 7 
 l、゙ ~ヽ   / 
 じしf_, )ノ 

Silla
Posts: 365
Joined: Sat, 26. Mar 11, 12:20
xr

Post by Silla » Sun, 4. Mar 18, 04:02

I like the idea of just seeing like trails as someone suggested.

The logical problem of simple accelerators is that accelerators don’t explain the tunnel effect as you normally would have to enter at the accelerator gate to actually get accelerated. If at all those should be field generators of some sort.

Besides that I think it would be interesting if those field generators would need some resources too. Maybe even the gates itself...so traveling between systems would cost you some money if you want to use those gates or the highways...

Imagine you could shut down a highway system by destroying the supply route >) on the other hand it would make those gates clunky :roll:

User avatar
Miniding
Posts: 937
Joined: Fri, 14. Dec 07, 11:33
x4

Post by Miniding » Mon, 5. Mar 18, 18:12

Something like this would do the thing you want...
Those were travel "highway" in Freelancer for those who remember like me :lol:

http://the-starport.net/freelancer/news ... 527928.jpg

{oversized image replaced with link - CBJ}
Miniding
X3 Reunion - X3 Terran Conflict - X3 Albion Prelude - X Rebirth - X4 CE...

Cabrelbeuk
Posts: 782
Joined: Fri, 26. Apr 13, 23:54
x4

Post by Cabrelbeuk » Tue, 6. Mar 18, 03:16

Highways are ugly indeed, looking like a gif.
I guess some intermediate 'portal' like trails with some light/particules effect around would do the tricks. No need to have one every 200m.
I would see a 2-stylish trail : one main portal-like you would encounter one every 5 ones, the others divided in 4 separated part on cardinal points, smaller with maybe less effect.
AMD R7 2700X 3.7GHz - GTX 1070 Ti 8Go Asus cerberus - 16Go RAM 3200MHz - Asus Prime X470-Pro - LG 32" 4K 60Hz - SSD Samsung Evo850 512 GB - HDD Toshiba 2 To 7200 Tr/min - Onkyo HTS-7800 Dolby Atmos 5.1.2

User avatar
spankahontis
Posts: 3242
Joined: Tue, 2. Nov 10, 21:47
x4

Post by spankahontis » Tue, 6. Mar 18, 22:19

Axeface wrote:One thing I want to add is that I really thought the HoL highways were much better and more fun than the other systems, the way it links superhighways and normal highways in an unbroken loop is much more enjoyable (the only 1 ugly highway in 1 direction is better than 2 in both directions imho). Thats not to say it should be the only way to make them though, some variety is nice.
I think superhighways are too fast also, it's like it was decided that people dont like them so they virtually removed them by making them insanely fast.

Tamina wrote:Btw., superhighways are way better then the traditional gates.
Superhighways dont and cant link systems though, they are for travel between sectors.

If they applied a similar Sector to Sector travel scheme but enhanced it to make it look like it is travelling faster and allot further, a smooth transition between the System you're leaving to the System you're entering, it would be allot cooler than just entering a new system; don't get me wrong, I like that they've made things seamless and gotten rid of the loading screens, but it does mean waiting for all the objects in the system you enter to load up like they do in Rebirth.

I find it immersion breaking, Rebirth failed for me on that when doing away with load screens. It was the best intention of Egosoft to give us what we want but in doing so has created a new problem.. So to travel a System to System Wormhole in a way that's like travelling a Superhighway would give your PC time to generate all the objects while giving you a seamless experience of feeling like you're travelling through a Wormhole.
Ragna-Tech.. Forging a Better Tomorrow!

My most annoying Bugs list 6.0 Beta 4 + [All DLC]
--------------------------------
Nvidium Worshop Animation Enlarge Broken :(
Building Modules causes low frame rate :o
Massive Framerate drops freezing game! :doh:
Save Corrupted Fixed the Crash! :-D

User avatar
Miniding
Posts: 937
Joined: Fri, 14. Dec 07, 11:33
x4

Post by Miniding » Wed, 7. Mar 18, 18:59

Miniding wrote:
http://the-starport.net/freelancer/news ... 527928.jpg

{oversized image replaced with link - CBJ}
Sorry CBJ, didn't know how to reduce it and keep it online quickly. Thanks for the link.

Anyway I agree Ego needs to do Something about Higways, as they seem to float without reasons...

Already said many times by lots of people... I hope they have a good idea to deal with it... Maybe they already have...

Without new video/twitch, we have no clue... Only hope
:lol:
Miniding
X3 Reunion - X3 Terran Conflict - X3 Albion Prelude - X Rebirth - X4 CE...

Skeeter
Posts: 3665
Joined: Thu, 9. Jan 03, 19:47
x3

Post by Skeeter » Thu, 8. Mar 18, 15:15

I have been thinking about highways in x games and thought tubes in space is a bad idea but the core idea isnt that bad. Instead of tubes can egosoft maybe just use actual ships to form the traffic lines in space, it would look more natural that a tube. Using low poly if at a distant and use mass traffic ships to do the lines, like u see near the big city stations, i feel that would put us at ease alot more. Bit like fifth element with all the flying cars perhaps but in space.
[ external image ]
7600x cpu 5.4ghz 32gb DDR5 5600mhz 6700XT 32" 1440p mon

User avatar
Miniding
Posts: 937
Joined: Fri, 14. Dec 07, 11:33
x4

Post by Miniding » Thu, 8. Mar 18, 18:28

I barrely see the mass traffic when a bit far from stations... more or less I see them only when "on the road-line" of it...

Idea not bad but hard to do without a lot more traffic than now and the performances are at risk with such a mass traffic IMO...
Miniding
X3 Reunion - X3 Terran Conflict - X3 Albion Prelude - X Rebirth - X4 CE...

fisher 2000
Posts: 185
Joined: Sat, 20. Jun 09, 16:13
x3ap

Post by fisher 2000 » Thu, 8. Mar 18, 22:38

How about having the highways designed so that the actual effect is a couple of ships zooming past, The more dense the sector, the more traffic = more ships for the effect. For the entrance points could be the same as the slip-roads we have in real life. Have some form of entrance gate or beacon to join the highways at certain points. Exits could be the same as rebirth.

Skeeter
Posts: 3665
Joined: Thu, 9. Jan 03, 19:47
x3

Post by Skeeter » Fri, 9. Mar 18, 00:12

So turn the tubes streaming effect into a ships effect so it looks like ships moving along but it's just a 2d texture of a variety of ships moving along. Would save on polys, if it can look good at long and close range then cool I guess as long as around ships are transparent so u only see virtual ships move no streaming effects around em. When u enter from side how do they match with what's inside. Spawn ships traveling before you enter?
[ external image ]
7600x cpu 5.4ghz 32gb DDR5 5600mhz 6700XT 32" 1440p mon

adeine
Posts: 1090
Joined: Thu, 31. Aug 17, 17:34
x4

Post by adeine » Fri, 9. Mar 18, 05:35

Have to disagree with the fake ships idea. There's no way it won't lead to completely immersion-breaking, ridiculous scenarios.

All ships in the universe should be real, with a purpose to exist.

Zetoss
Posts: 395
Joined: Tue, 18. Dec 07, 00:17
x4

Post by Zetoss » Fri, 9. Mar 18, 15:08

While you'd be unlikely to find someone who thinks dogs rear ends are beautiful dogs wouldn't work without them, they'd actually die. Bit like the highways, even if they're not all that attractive doing away with them in any way is not an option and I'd argue even changing how they work is a bad idea for so many reasons I can't be bothered listing them.

I vote for making them actually look like the thing they are: a type of force field that manipulates space. No actual texture but instead have them slightly distort and smudge light passing through, preferrably not in a static fashion but with a flowing effect in the direction of travel. Keep the tube texture as an alternate graphics option for people playing on grandmas laptop. This assumes Vulcan is able to only smudge things actually behind the effect, if you've seen something standing in front of a decorative aquarium in a station in XR you'll know what I mean.

Nanook
Moderator (English)
Moderator (English)
Posts: 27829
Joined: Thu, 15. May 03, 20:57
x4

Post by Nanook » Fri, 9. Mar 18, 20:46

Zetoss wrote:While you'd be unlikely to find someone who thinks dogs rear ends are beautiful dogs wouldn't work without them, they'd actually die. Bit like the highways, even if they're not all that attractive doing away with them in any way is not an option and I'd argue even changing how they work is a bad idea for so many reasons I can't be bothered listing them....
Dogs don't have an alternative to their rear ends. :P But there are alternatives, and good ones, to highways. Didn't need them in all the games prior to Rebirth, so I don't know how you can say not using them isn't an option.
Have a great idea for the current or a future game? You can post it in the [L3+] Ideas forum.

X4 is a journey, not a destination. Have fun on your travels.

Zetoss
Posts: 395
Joined: Tue, 18. Dec 07, 00:17
x4

Post by Zetoss » Sat, 10. Mar 18, 00:23

Nanook wrote:
Zetoss wrote:While you'd be unlikely to find someone who thinks dogs rear ends are beautiful dogs wouldn't work without them, they'd actually die. Bit like the highways, even if they're not all that attractive doing away with them in any way is not an option and I'd argue even changing how they work is a bad idea for so many reasons I can't be bothered listing them....
Dogs don't have an alternative to their rear ends. :P But there are alternatives, and good ones, to highways. Didn't need them in all the games prior to Rebirth, so I don't know how you can say not using them isn't an option.
Just like my comparison is sort of entertainingly wrong yours isn't right either really. Their purposes have been stated numerous times, just because a multiple decades old engine couldn't be adjusted to allow them doesn't mean the previous games didn't suffer because of the lack, the whole universe back then had to be sorted and divided into cramped little boxes to allow travel between gates because there was no good way to get around fast. Saying we were totally fine without highways is like saying people survived fine without health care thousands of years ago and lived to a ripe old age of 36, it sort of seems to have a point at first glance but it's really a bad argument.

The second purpose the highway serves is to bring ships together so the player can more than once in a blue moon see a whole lot of them at the same time which makes the universe feel enormously much more alive, instead of just randomly spotting occasional ships in the distance going in random directions. With the introduction of the alternative to boosters we would be more mobile than ever but also even less likely to enjoy the sight of ships around us out there. I don't know about you but I really like seeing other ships around and if I want a moment of loneliness I can just go 200km away from the pack and sit in empty space like a loner, also just because the highways will exist in a few places doesn't mean you can't simply Not Use Them if you hate being around other ships that much. :P

MPX10L
Posts: 294
Joined: Sat, 1. Dec 07, 18:51
x4

Post by MPX10L » Sat, 10. Mar 18, 10:01

+1
Love the idea of highways, but not the visuals.
From what I've read so far I would like something like this:

- more accelerator rings (maybe even exclusive entry at those rings)
- no more low-poly stretched'n'mushy texture tubes. Instead, use a very subtle distortion effect like the one for the windows.
- a nice shiny shader accompanying active rings
- long engine trails and/or shockwave effects to visualize presence and direction

I don't need a hud representation. The map is 0 to 1 button presses away.

Buzz2005
Posts: 2184
Joined: Sat, 26. Feb 05, 01:47
x4

Post by Buzz2005 » Sat, 10. Mar 18, 12:20

can I just suggest no sharp turns and cuts
I mean the highways are ugly anyways but why the sharp turns and cuts? Thats even more immersion branking for me
And there is plenty of space to strech them :D

gbjbaanb
Posts: 667
Joined: Sat, 25. Dec 10, 23:07
x3tc

Post by gbjbaanb » Sun, 11. Mar 18, 16:31

adeine wrote:Have to disagree with the fake ships idea. There's no way it won't lead to completely immersion-breaking, ridiculous scenarios.

All ships in the universe should be real, with a purpose to exist.
So just like X3 where the heavily used trade routes were populated with ships going somewhere. There's no reason X4 trade lanes can;t be the same. And I would vote to get rid of the stupid tube texture in favour of just having ships zipping along.

Fenhris
Posts: 343
Joined: Wed, 1. Jan 14, 11:58
x4

Post by Fenhris » Sun, 11. Mar 18, 17:16

Disclaimer: This may not be completely in sync with Science. But I am thinking, we just want things to sorta look real'ish and just function gamewise?

I allways found it plain wrong that this energy field could twist and turn on its own (think others adressed it in this thread too), so thinking no twist or turn without some kind of structure. For super highways too in my opinion.

Zones that have highways, should have structures like the ones seen in X3 (the ones in the Albion sectors under construction) build around the highways. If the highway changes direction within the zone, the structures would have bends to bend the energy field. The structures would be where the highways are visible in the zone, where masstraffic, small freighters etc. would enter and leave the highways. The highways them selves are invisible (possibly with some of the effects other more capable people described in many other posts here).
This would leave the empty zones actually looking empty except the ships that may woosh through at high speed.

You should still be able to enter the highway from an empty zone, but may find it hard to find it if you dont have the approiate HUD upgrade.

Fenhris.

Post Reply

Return to “X4: Foundations”