A way to add tracks?

[niston]

The difference is definitely in the nif files.
It's a scale factor that is not shown by 3dsmax or whatever, but it's there.

But you can construct the mechanism for the large cartridge size and not bother with the small cartridges.
If someone loads a small cartridge, I can scale it up to regular size from script and we will use a dedicated node with proper rotation to attach it to. It will be a bit iffy (scaling must be applied before refattaching the tape), but I've done it before and it's a know-working process. Now that I looked at the shelf code again, I remember much better. 

[South8028]

1 minute ago, niston said:

The difference is definitely in the nif files.
It's a scale factor that is not shown by 3dsmax or whatever, but it's there.

But you can construct the mechanism for the large cartridge size.
If someone loads a small cartridge, I can scale it up. It will be a bit iffy, but I've done it before and it's a know-working process.

Honestly, I would completely redo these holotapes. In my opinion, and I have a low opinion of myself... unprofessionalism, absolutely amateurism and aesthetic unpretentiousness... In the end, in real life I have nothing to do with 3D modeling... But this model looks like a piece of crap.

[niston]

I technically agree with you. However, we already have vinyl records and reel2reel tapes as custom formats. And I definitely wanted something that can play the vanilla holotapes.

So, ok for you if you just make a mechanism for the larger (standard) cartridge size?
If a game size cartridge gets loaded, I can upscale it from script to standard size.

 

[South8028]

1 minute ago, niston said:

I technically agree with you. However, we already have vinyl records and reel2reel tapes as custom formats. And I definitely wanted something that can play the vanilla holotapes.

So, ok for you if you just make a mechanism for the larger (standard) cartridge size?
If a game size cartridge gets loaded, I can upscale it from script to standard size.

 

Yes, that’s how it should be done. The point I've been trying to make from the very beginning is that there are no different types of holotapes in fo4 lore. This is the same unified holotape. The size of the game's holotapes is literally a waste of Bethesda employees. Mods should fix defective things. We need to make a player for one unified holo-recording.

[niston]

I honestly am not sure why they added the smaller size mesh for games.

I think the pipboy animobj tape is the same size as the game tapes. Perhaps they intended to have the pipboy animation use the proper holotape when you insert a game? If so, they abandoned the plan: The pipboy animation uses the standard animobj prop even when you load a game holotape. A small, immersion-breaking detail.

But maybe it's just Beth being Beth.

Quote

Yes, that’s how it should be done.

Let's thus make it so.

[South8028]

3 minutes ago, niston said:

I honestly am not sure why they added the smaller size for games.

I think the pipboy animobj tape is the same size as the game tapes. Perhaps they intended to have the pipboy animation use the proper holotape when you insert a game? If so, they abandoned the plan: The pipboy animation uses the standard animobj prop even when you load a game holotape.

But maybe it's just Beth being Beth.

I'm absolutely sure there's no big meaning behind this. We see that no one at Bethesda has ever tried to engineer their world. Most likely this is a standard work confusion when everyone is in a hurry and the right hand does not know what the left is doing. Speed is the main factor in game development.

[niston]

Next discussion point I guess is nixie display on holotape deck.

What I can show on display because I have this data available:

- Display duration of current track in hh:mm:ss.nnn, where nnn is milliseconds fraction, ie 20.950 seconds = 20 seconds and 950 milliseconds.
- Display duration of entire tape (all tracks) in hh:mm:ss.nnn
- Display time elapsed for current track in hh:mm:ss.nnn
- Display time elapsed for entire tape in hh:mm:ss.nnn
- Display current track number
- Display total number of tracks

We can probably cut away the .nnn because display wont be refreshing that quick anyways.
So, 8 or 9 nixies for time and column symbols plus another 3 nixies for track number (1 to 999).
Display Mode button to cycle through the time display modes.

I like eye candy, but I like it best when it's also functional.

[South8028]

3 minutes ago, niston said:

Next discussion point I guess is nixie display on holotape deck.

What I can show on display because I have this data available:

- Display duration of current track in hh:mm:ss.nnn, where nnn is milliseconds fraction, ie 20.950 seconds = 20 seconds and 950 milliseconds.
- Display duration of entire tape (all tracks) in hh:mm:ss.nnn
- Display time elapsed for current track in hh:mm:ss.nnn
- Display time elapsed for entire tape in hh:mm:ss.nnn
- Display current track number
- Display total number of tracks

I guess it'll be nixie again or something like that? We can copy niNode's nixies in the same way and scale them.

Well, indicators are just ordinary indicators. I'll find a photo of some 70s style video player and give it a similar Wattz design so it looks similar to the rest of the equipment. Let's come up with the indicators that we need. Or we can make beautiful Dune-style mechanical panels. For example full 12 hour dials, and the hands will reflect the % of tape remaining. In general, our fantasies are unlimited. 

[niston]

Yes, nixies again
I would agree very much with making the deck look similar in style to the Wattz FM1.
We can simply reuse meshes for indicators from the tuner as well. Perhaps even the buttons could use similar style.

As for indicators, I can think of these:

- Power On 
- Play 
- Pause 
- Next Track 
- Previous Track 

Perhaps also a  "Format"  indicator, lighting up when a loaded tape does not have sound on it (such as a game tape). So player will not be confused and left without any indication when such a tape can't be played.

 

[South8028]

8 minutes ago, niston said:

Yes, nixies again
I would agree very much with making the deck look similar in style to the Wattz FM1.
We can simply reuse meshes for indicators from the tuner as well.

As for indicators, I can think of these:

- Power On 
- Play 
- Pause 
- Next Track 
- Previous Track 

 

Ok, everything is clear. I'll find a suitable real VHS and come up with a model. I animate the model directly using holotape so I can see the actual kinematic manipulations. We will then exclude this holotape and replace it with your scripted object.