After a pretty major code rewrite, ELS-DN is now beginning to take shape and I think it is at a point of functionality where I can begin to show some of the stuff it can do.  As promised a few weeks ago, I do plan on getting some video footage out, although that will require some of the front-end (controls, displays, etc.) to be complete which might take a little while.
 
As posted in the gallery a few hours ago, this is the latest screenshot of the code in action:
 

 

 

What ELS-DN can currently do:

• Load vehicle configuration files
• Load pattern configuration files
• Process user-defined patterns
• Support up to 50 user-defined lights per car
• Support AI vehicles
• Simulate rotating beacon (almost fully) and LED lights (partially)
• Dynamically and automatically create environmental lights
• Flash the headlights and taillights individually (this has some problems which LMS is working on)
• Display an exact replica of the ELS display panel (uses the same exact code - Lt.Caine has been helping with this)

 

Vehicle configuration files:

 

Probably one of the best bits about ELS-DN is the vehicle configuration files.  They work by creating a folder in scripts/ELSDN called Vehicles, and then creating a new folder for each vehicle inside there.  Inside each vehicle folder is a configuration file and a patterns folder which contains three separate folders for primary, secondary and warning patterns (those of you who've used ELS will be familiar with these).

 

 

The vehicle configuration file stores everything about the vehicle itself, including up to 50 custom light definitions (meaning you can create some really hideous Christmas trees), the model which the config file is assigned to and the default patterns for it too.

 

Vehicle configuration files are designed to be easily shared, all you have to do is plop the vehicle's folder into your Vehicles folder and it's ready to go.

 

 

Pattern configuration files:

 

The pattern configuration files allow you to make your own fully customisable patterns.  A pattern is either primary, secondary or warning in type and is assigned to a specific vehicle.  This means that every vehicle has its own patterns folder with its own patterns.

 

 

Next steps:

 

Unfortunately there's a lot of work that needs to be done on the user interface, in particular the controls and adding stuff like the ability to browse through patterns, etc.  On top of that, I need to complete support for different light types (LEDs and bulbs) and then think about siren controls, which may or may not make it into the first version.  Hopefully, though, I should have some sort of video to show fairly shortly.

Looks very nice and promising! :) sexytime!! Hopefully patterns would be configuratible through the scripts config files? easy mapping of new lights :) and working damage.. and no more faildoors :)

Edited February 2, 201214 yr by Firstyminator

Looks nice.

Need any testers? If there's a working version I'd be willing to try it out on Multiplayer

Would we use any car model or would it have to be a ELS high-poly shitmobile?

Things I can think of off the top of my head:

• AI using it
  
• A way to edit positions in game, kinda like on some of the speedometer mods where you ALT+TAB, edit and save the notepad file.
  
• Multiple patterns again
  
• A way to lock certain patterns onto a model (police uses one light mode, police2 uses another light mode)
  
• Changeable colors
  

Edited February 2, 201214 yr by c13

My guess is that this mod uses light sources instead of models and textures like ELS do?

I'd be willing to give this a try if you need testers. As long as you can have more then just the lightbar lighting going on I wouldn't mind it. Are the cars going to have to be custom mapped for this or will it be any ELS car? I'd assume the first one since it uses a different method, correct?

Cool Sam... sign me up if you need any Beta testing and possibly the source code so I can take a crack at it.

Heck I'd love to help with this in someway, but idk how many people you want to test it lol. Judging from the screens, this looks promising. Would it be easier to change light colors than it currently is with ELS?

Heck I'd love to help with this in someway, but idk how many people you want to test it lol. Judging from the screens, this looks promising. Would it be easier to change light colors than it currently is with ELS?

Yes, all lights are generated with native functions, so there are no textures or anything. All you would have to do is change a value.

Alternatives for ELS are always great (Even if I rather a new version of ELS lol) but I guess it's not that easy position the lights this way :S

Btw, does that mean everybody could put the lights to any position they like? That would be great definitly!

Looks cool, gl Sam :)

Alternatives for ELS are always great (Even if I rather a new version of ELS lol) but I guess it's not that easy position the lights this way :S

Btw, does that mean everybody could put the lights to any position they like? That would be great definitly!

Yes, I hope to create some nice system where you can just position the lights anywhere you want :)

Hm. So theoretically, this could work for any car, even if it is already ELS-enabled? Or am I way off on that?

That would be awesome. how to model new lightbars then? looks nice on the screenshots. can you create square lightsources with scripting? or is it only the default round shape GTA engine operates with you use?

Hm. So theoretically, this could work for any car, even if it is already ELS-enabled? Or am I way off on that?

Absolutely any car, yes. You could even have them on the player or on buildings.

Designate a light head as California Steady Red!!!

Reference: http://www.dmv.ca.gov/pubs/vctop/d12/vc25252.htm

Edited February 3, 201214 yr by Ofc.Chad

Screens definitely looks promising.Though I had some questions in mind:

1.Don't get me as a retard,but do the grill lights work as beautifully as they do it in ELS? (Yeah,go on laugh at me,I don't care...)

2.

Yes, all lights are generated with native functions, so there are no textures or anything. All you would have to do is change a value.

Thats nice,but what about reflections?

3.

Yes, I hope to create some nice system where you can just position the lights anywhere you want :)

So should I assume you're talking about *25th December* ??

4.And I'd like to strain this question from first post,furthermore:

easy mapping of new lights :) ?

5.Um...different patterns? Or no different patterns?

I know its not fair expecting this much from a WIP beta invention mod,but I'm just asking possibilities.

Edited February 2, 201214 yr by Dhruv

Reflections are already in the script, you can see them in the screenshots. Again, to change the colour all you would have to do is edit a value. Furthermore, instead of the reflections just being generated from a point above the car, these reflections would actually be generated from where the light is.

This sounds very interesting. The only reason I don't use ELS or custom cars is because I can't find any cars that aren't high-poly......so if you can release some lcpd"illumination enabled"cars with the mod then i would be most grateful :) (or link me to some (anyone) cuz I couldnt find any on my own :l )

This project sounds amazing! I really hope it gets released. I'm so sick of my cars fixing themselves/other people using ELS to fix their cars in pursuits. You have no idea how many RP Situations I've been in where the 'baddie' takes a cop car for the sole purpose of ELS fixing the car constantly.