Billboards?

[SnoBahr]

Is there a way to make more billboard images, if they're in-theme? Maybe submit ideas for future updates?

[wjrasmussen]

5 hours ago, SnoBahr said:

Is there a way to make more billboard images, if they're in-theme? Maybe submit ideas for future updates?

Billboards could have more.  I'd like to see hints about the next update on some.  Also, say a few minute warning to special spawns and/or raids.

[Techwright]

5 hours ago, SnoBahr said:

Is there a way to make more billboard images, if they're in-theme? Maybe submit ideas for future updates?

Apologies, you lost me.  Are we talking billboards in-game, or something to do with the website, as this thread is about?  Perhaps there's a terminology for the website/forums I've not picked up on?

Edited June 25, 2023 by Techwright

[starro]

I think in-game billboards and this suggestion could move to that forum.  

 

That would be ….interesting.  

[SnoBahr]

Wow, my reading comprehension was lacking last night when I posted that. Yeah, I meant in-game billboards. Going to the appropriate forum.

My apologies 😄

[Greycat]

As far as in game billboards changing -

There *was* in game advertising for a brief while - Jeeter Clutch shoes and ... one or two other things? - that generally went over like a lead balloon. I think the behind the scenes mechanisms for that got nuked, though - if not, it might be a way to more easily update some of them. Plus I *want* to say some of the ones in game were player created, way back. So it's been done before. The main question is how easy is it to do without all the tools the live devs had.

[Techwright]

1 hour ago, Greycat said:

As far as in game billboards changing -

There *was* in game advertising for a brief while - Jeeter Clutch shoes and ... one or two other things? - that generally went over like a lead balloon. I think the behind the scenes mechanisms for that got nuked, though - if not, it might be a way to more easily update some of them. Plus I *want* to say some of the ones in game were player created, way back. So it's been done before. The main question is how easy is it to do without all the tools the live devs had.

 

Is it the same mechanism they used to change the theater posters?  'Cause those could use some cycling as well. 

And yeah @SnoBahr, I'm all for new billboards occasionally in-game.   It would be nice to see an ad for the tiki beach area they added to Talos, for example.

[AboveTheChemist]

If I remember correctly from a thread about a year or so ago, it should be possible to replace billboard textures in a similar manner to how map textures are replaced in vidiotmaps.

 

Here's the thread if anyone is interested (it starts at the linked post, and extends 6-7 posts from there to the top of page 2): https://forums.homecomingservers.com/topic/11322-how-do-you-create-texture-mods/?do=findComment&comment=436364

 

It should theoretically be possible to replace any specific billboard texture with a new texture of the user's choosing. So, for instance, replace all the Cap'n Kraken billboards with a billboard for a different (fake) restaurant. I think the movie posters could be replaced in a similar manner. These replacement textures could theoretically be bundled into a mod and installed via the City Mod Installer. They would only be visible by users of the mod, but that would allow folks to essentially opt-in for new billboard/movie poster textures.

 

There may be some unforeseen hurdles, as game world textures are not my primary area, but if anyone reads this and would be interested in collaborating on a mod that would accomplish this, I am willing to offer my expertise (mainly on the technical side) in making it happen. It might even be possible to rotate these regularly, so that the billboards/movie posters could change 3-4 times a year potentially.