🚀 go-pugleaf

> First off, let me say that WC (1&2) do not map textures over polygons->
> at least not for the ships. The images are simple bitmaps that were
> captured from Autodesk (where they were wireframed and phong shaded ).

You're right on the nose.  We figured out the system a few months after
they released it.

> It seems that they must capture a bunch of bitmaps for each object,
> and they just display the correct one probably according to some
> 'direction facing' vector in each data structure. I'd bet there's
> also a velocity vector. When used with the 'direction facing' vector
> that would produce stuff like the debris and asteroids which spin
> in one direction and move in another.

You're on there too.

The number of pictures seems to vary, however.  For instance, that ship 
that looks like it has fuel things on it...it jumps a lot more.

> Star Trek seems to jump a little, which is what you would expect from
> having only a fixed number of stored views, yet WC is much smoother.
> I'd like to know why. Any germ of wisdom you TP and C++ programmers
> have out there would be much appreciated!

Have you figured out the rotation code yet???  You'll die when you figure
out how simple it is...

Josh