Particle's Projects

[jbl89]

11 hours ago, Fern said:

Blue Fang did the toy interactions two different ways if I remember rightly. Jay could tell you which to look at to see the two ways they did that. I think the lions rocks were one way but I am not sure which is a good example of the other.

 

I think even more.

 

1) If I remember correctly, elephant toy is an example of this. Elephant uses the toy: the elephant is actually hidden and the toy's used animation contains the elephant... Without shadows!

2) Ice raft. The animals are shown on top of the ice raft. Multiple animal species can use it. Animations for 'on top of the raft' (toy being used) are stored with the animal.

3) A combination of both is the orang utan toy. Major benefit: more colors! There's a "used" animation in the rope swing where ropes partially disappear when used; and the orang utan has specific animations for swinging the toy (the actual swinging + just the missing part of the ropes instead of the complete toy).

[(Designer)Particle]

Some progress:

 

[YoungerPrinceLothric]

I completely understand why there aren't many toy mods out there. editing the animal ai files seems like a bigger hassle than it's worth.

[(Designer)Particle]

1 hour ago, YoungerPrinceLothric said:

I completely understand why there aren't many toy mods out there. editing the animal ai files seems like a bigger hassle than it's worth.

It all depends on how you look at it.  If we're going to say that best practice is to leave the ai as it is, and instead, make addons... then what you can do is something like JBL did when he made the Asiatic Lion.  Basically you can take any animal, and make your own version of it.   That is not a hack.  That is just an addon.  You could even use the same name ID for it, so it has the same name and would show up in the menu right next to the default lion.  Then you edit your lion to have toys, or shows, or whatever.  ;0

 

What it really takes is someone who is thinking ahead... so when they come up with a project for a new animal, whether it be importing from a script or from a 3d model or just pixelating by hand... just make a list ahead of time of the toys you would want, and make sure to do the animations for those.  So normally you have to make like 15 animation sets for an animal.  Why not just make one more, and configure it as a toy?

 

Lets take that lion again, and say we're going to add a feed tank animation to it.  As JBL just said there are a few ways to do it.  Some don't even involve putting the feed tank in the animation, I guess.  Either way, this is just a little extra work that involves finding a feed tank, and inserting it into the animation that probably already exists for eating.  Then you configure the toy and include it with your animal mod.  Now back in the day when everyone was just using ape I guess this just wasn't possible.  But now we can do it no prob, just a few hours extra work.

 

On the other hand if you were to ask can I make it so all animals use a feed tank, that is a lot of work.

[YoungerPrinceLothric]

my personal animal wishlist, while I'm thinking about it (no one is obligated to make these, but I think about them a lot)

Waterbuck

African Harrier Hawk

Jagarundi cat

Friesian Horse (that bone structure is phenomenal and I'm so weak for animals with curly hair/fur)

Rocky Mountain Horse

the following three are Percherons (I'm really into draft horses lately)

 

 

[caddienoah]

I like them all. 😷

[(Designer)Particle]

On 11/4/2020 at 3:56 PM, caddienoah said:

I like them all. 😷

Me too.  Especially the horses.

 

Been working this week, and so not much progress being made.  I should be back to it soon though.

[(Designer)Particle]

hello everyone in zoo tek world.  I don't want you all to think I have disappeared.  I'm working a lot lately, and I haven't had much time to be on a computer.  But I will soon be back (around christmas time) and I'm so excited to get to work on zoo tycoon mods.  I hope you're all healthy and having a happy holidays!

[caddienoah]

Particle you are missed. Hope all is well with you.

Have you found time in your schedule to fit in any designing yet?

[Truly_happy]

I second YoungPrinceLothric on the Jagarundi cat. I've been looking for a cat that resembles a red Abyssinian. I like that weasle-like face, too.