The premises: The rendering code should be changed to check for four optional tags on an entity. These four tags would be saved as floats and would represent red green blue and alpha/transparency. If any of these tags are found, they should be used in place of the default values. This would allow for the hue of entity textures to be manipulated by changing nbt tags.
Potential uses: This feature could be used along side spawners and command blocks to provide visual variation between a normal mob, and a special mob. For example, in a challenge map, an area could have "wrath skeletons" which would use melee rather than ranged combat. With this feature, those skeletons could also be rendered red rather than white, allowing for those mob variations to feel more distinguished. This could also be used in conjunction with a server minigame. For example, a mini game where there is a new boss, in each stage of the fight, the boss could be depicted in a new color, or the boss could have minions which would be altered. The alpha/transparency value can also be used to make certain mobs appear more ghostly.
Restrictions: This idea is purely proposing that the feature be restricted to nbt. I don't feel it would be a good idea to allow players to dye entities using the in game dyes. It would be cool if some color variations would appear naturally within the world, however there are certain issues involved with that. I don't have any preference or suggestions in relation to that.
Feasibility: This would actually be extremely easy to implement, and if implemented correctly would have virtually no impact on the performance of the game. The following is about to get a bit technical, so if you're not interested in java development, I would advise reading the next section. Within the rendering code, the color for the image is set using 1.0f for RGBA (Red, Blue, Green, Alpha/Transparency), this sets the image to white, or rather no alteration to the color. This code can easily be adapted to read a value from an entities NBT rather than using the default value of 1.0f. For those who are familiar with Java, all floats use 4 bytes of memory, regardless on the size of the float. The main difference with performance would be a simple nbt check, which depending on how it is implemented, is negligible, especially with taking the changes made to entities in 1.8 into account.
Examples: I have worked with the Epoxide group to create a mod which explores this concept, the mod is called Colorful Mobs and is available for 1.7.10 and soon 1.6.4 and 1.8. Here are some screenshot examples generated using that mod.
I support! This would be amazing to people who make maps!
I imagine making different elemental enemies in different sections of the map that have corresponding colors to their element. That would be pretty cool
I see nothing wrong with this idea, and no way to add on to it: it is a basic concept and you described it pretty well. This would by great for map makers and would be nice to see it added before 1.9 as it is a map making feature, and that is what 1.8 is about. SUPPORT
The premises: The rendering code should be changed to check for four optional tags on an entity. These four tags would be saved as floats and would represent red green blue and alpha/transparency. If any of these tags are found, they should be used in place of the default values. This would allow for the hue of entity textures to be manipulated by changing nbt tags.
Potential uses: This feature could be used along side spawners and command blocks to provide visual variation between a normal mob, and a special mob. For example, in a challenge map, an area could have "wrath skeletons" which would use melee rather than ranged combat. With this feature, those skeletons could also be rendered red rather than white, allowing for those mob variations to feel more distinguished. This could also be used in conjunction with a server minigame. For example, a mini game where there is a new boss, in each stage of the fight, the boss could be depicted in a new color, or the boss could have minions which would be altered. The alpha/transparency value can also be used to make certain mobs appear more ghostly.
Restrictions: This idea is purely proposing that the feature be restricted to nbt. I don't feel it would be a good idea to allow players to dye entities using the in game dyes. It would be cool if some color variations would appear naturally within the world, however there are certain issues involved with that. I don't have any preference or suggestions in relation to that.
Feasibility: This would actually be extremely easy to implement, and if implemented correctly would have virtually no impact on the performance of the game. The following is about to get a bit technical, so if you're not interested in java development, I would advise reading the next section. Within the rendering code, the color for the image is set using 1.0f for RGBA (Red, Blue, Green, Alpha/Transparency), this sets the image to white, or rather no alteration to the color. This code can easily be adapted to read a value from an entities NBT rather than using the default value of 1.0f. For those who are familiar with Java, all floats use 4 bytes of memory, regardless on the size of the float. The main difference with performance would be a simple nbt check, which depending on how it is implemented, is negligible, especially with taking the changes made to entities in 1.8 into account.
Examples: I have worked with the Epoxide group to create a mod which explores this concept, the mod is called Colorful Mobs and is available for 1.7.10 and soon 1.6.4 and 1.8. Here are some screenshot examples generated using that mod.
Farewell everyone o/
Great idea!
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I support! This would be amazing to people who make maps!
I imagine making different elemental enemies in different sections of the map that have corresponding colors to their element. That would be pretty cool
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I see nothing wrong with this idea, and no way to add on to it: it is a basic concept and you described it pretty well. This would by great for map makers and would be nice to see it added before 1.9 as it is a map making feature, and that is what 1.8 is about. SUPPORT