The large force fields: you ok with them?

07-21-2006, 01:30 PM

Or are they too restrictive? These are the massive hexagonal shaped grid force fields on the way up mostly visible when you are flying around past the huge skyscrapers. Not sure if they were discussed at length within any threads, and I figure it needs a thread. Sorry if one got started on this last week or so. So It hit me that they look a lot like the force fields in G Police (Nov 1997) seen in this screenie I took. It’s from the G Police demo so it’s a free release:

G Police demo shot –
http://www.epilgrim2005.com/g_police.jpg

Pretty striking the similarity, although it’s a coincidence. I don’t think the devs sat around saying “Well I don’t think an invisible force field in the huge open areas would be good. So we better have it visible at some point like when you get near it. No one will bother to care about some game like G Police that’s almost 9 years old. Let’s go ahead and fashion our big force fields after theirs.”

I think the true part is that they didn’t want to have the force fields invisible and us constantly bumping into them and complaining about that. More trouble than it’s worth imo. So how to make an attractive massive force field? Anyone else wish the force fields were glowing gaseous or misty looking or something like that with a cool looking effect? Instead we have the honeycomb look and I’m probably not the only one who’s not really impressed with their appearance.

And also the design issue of having them. I’m aware that if the force fields are taken out to allow roaming beyond them for some great exploration and more fighting then it will probably murder the framerate. So what can you do? Kind of a tough thing I guess.

Scream · 07-21-2006, 02:32 PM

If they took them out then they'd simply have invisible walls like just about every other game. The game area has to end somewhere, so this is a better solution than having you bumping into empty air.

As far as how they look goes, I've seen that same look for "barriers in space" used many times. Star Trek TNG used the honeycombed barrier look on several occasions. No big deal.

If I was going to get concerned about them "borrowing" something, I'd be talking about those flying things that attacked you throughout the game that looked just like the flying things in the Matrix.

Foxy · 07-21-2006, 03:35 PM

I thought the forcefields made a lot of sense. I wasn't thinking 'oh right, theres an engine limitation' when I saw them, more 'Oh, so that's how they keep the atmosphere in'.

reaperke · 07-23-2006, 06:59 PM

I second foxy on this, they never bothered me, it just seemed logical to have them but the design could indeed have been a little nicer.

07-21-2006, 01:30 PM	#1
Threadpipe Guest	The large force fields: you ok with them? Or are they too restrictive? These are the massive hexagonal shaped grid force fields on the way up mostly visible when you are flying around past the huge skyscrapers. Not sure if they were discussed at length within any threads, and I figure it needs a thread. Sorry if one got started on this last week or so. So It hit me that they look a lot like the force fields in G Police (Nov 1997) seen in this screenie I took. It’s from the G Police demo so it’s a free release: G Police demo shot – http://www.epilgrim2005.com/g_police.jpg Pretty striking the similarity, although it’s a coincidence. I don’t think the devs sat around saying “Well I don’t think an invisible force field in the huge open areas would be good. So we better have it visible at some point like when you get near it. No one will bother to care about some game like G Police that’s almost 9 years old. Let’s go ahead and fashion our big force fields after theirs.” I think the true part is that they didn’t want to have the force fields invisible and us constantly bumping into them and complaining about that. More trouble than it’s worth imo. So how to make an attractive massive force field? Anyone else wish the force fields were glowing gaseous or misty looking or something like that with a cool looking effect? Instead we have the honeycomb look and I’m probably not the only one who’s not really impressed with their appearance. And also the design issue of having them. I’m aware that if the force fields are taken out to allow roaming beyond them for some great exploration and more fighting then it will probably murder the framerate. So what can you do? Kind of a tough thing I guess.

07-21-2006, 02:32 PM	#2
Scream	Re: The large force fields: you ok with them? If they took them out then they'd simply have invisible walls like just about every other game. The game area has to end somewhere, so this is a better solution than having you bumping into empty air. As far as how they look goes, I've seen that same look for "barriers in space" used many times. Star Trek TNG used the honeycombed barrier look on several occasions. No big deal. If I was going to get concerned about them "borrowing" something, I'd be talking about those flying things that attacked you throughout the game that looked just like the flying things in the Matrix. __________________ This forum is filled with idiots now. - John Everything. Everyone. Everywhere. Ends.

07-21-2006, 03:35 PM	#3
Foxy	Re: The large force fields: you ok with them? I thought the forcefields made a lot of sense. I wasn't thinking 'oh right, theres an engine limitation' when I saw them, more 'Oh, so that's how they keep the atmosphere in'.

07-23-2006, 06:59 PM	#4
reaperke	Re: The large force fields: you ok with them? I second foxy on this, they never bothered me, it just seemed logical to have them but the design could indeed have been a little nicer.