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which begs the question: does dirt/dust stick to biometal? or is it absorbed? if not, how can it be painted/colored/tinted?

aside: Dick Hallorann: "Some places are like people: some shine and some don't. "

which begs the question: does dirt/dust stick to biometal? or is it absorbed? if not, how can it be painted/colored/tinted?

Undoubtedly Biometal can color itself, what has puzzled analysts for years, is the question of intent. Is Biometal fashion conscious?
It has often been observed not only producing complex patterns and colors for no apparent reason but also doing pointless things like growing rivets when there is no obvious reason for doing so...Opinions remain divided, some have theorised that the core biometal matrix at the heart of a recycler (despite the suppression controls) can become unstable and develop an ego which causes that unit to subtly alter its core design parameters. Other, more alarmist types, claim that the suppression controls simply tamed the Fury, and that we are all unknowingly riding around inside dangerously incomprehensible Alien beings.
Commanders should remember that it is their duty to ensure that their recyclers are routinely serviced.

bigbadbogie wrote:It's less shiny when not rendered - such as actually in BZ2.

The issue I have with wear and tear is that these are supposed to be units and buildings which have just been created - and created out of a type of material which experiences equal damage distribution. Logically, there should be no visible wear and tear. It's like buying a new car with scratches all over it. It just seems wrong...

Except the game can't do wear over time, so you have to make a good average.

Minor surface detail irregularities are within accepted safety parameters, any out of spec structural deformities, such as rivets, flared fins, indicators, excessive non-spec chrome, air intakes, exhaust pipes and irregular suspension deformations should be reported immediately.

Also, remember that units are constantly serviced and replenished. That should also fix any wear and tear during a unit's life. A unit's life is also generally at most a few hours. Is that really enough time for it to experience wear and tear?

It would be pretty neat if there was a way to swap unit textures based on damage states (without swapping out the unit via DLL).

The basic fact of it is that things that look perfect look wrong.

I don't believe that. Like I said, these aren't built conventionally - by a construction team and over a period of weeks or months. They aren't put into active service for years. They don't have time to experience wear and tear. They are basically 3D printed, and in a matter of seconds. They are made of a material which equally distributes damage across the entire craft.

This is BZ canon. How can they even experience wear and tear on a particular section but not another?

Surely, according to the story and building method, they must look perfect.

Idk N1, when i bought my computer case, it was perfect, not a scratch on it. And it certainly didnt look wrong

bigbadbogie wrote:Also, remember that units are constantly serviced and replenished. That should also fix any wear and tear during a unit's life. A unit's life is also generally at most a few hours. Is that really enough time for it to experience wear and tear?

that is a very astute observation. given the molecular nature of biometal, it is probably that it acts like teflon - or even the new green skillets advertised on tv - and resists damage and adhesion, explaining why it takes so much ordnance to kill a unit.

hmmm, perhaps the green rebel scions were a precursor to those slippery green skillets ? ...or maybe they *are* green rebel scions, just waiting their time...

Commanders should perform an immediate Recycler shutdown if any of the following non spec deformities appear in any unit.
Claws.
Fangs.
Non-spec optical/radiation sensors.
Unknown weapons/devices
Extra engines or legs.
Bucket seats.
Fluffy dice (metallic)

General BlackDragon wrote:Idk N1, when i bought my computer case, it was perfect, not a scratch on it. And it certainly didnt look wrong

Was it also brushed metal?

Whatever the case is.
BBB, your shiny ****'s ugly.

i thought i spotted what looked like an antennae in the enlisted mens' mess near those green pans while replacing a biometal feedback diode there last summer, but when i looked again, it was gone...

Nielk1 wrote:Whatever the case is.
BBB, your shiny ****'s ugly.

I think it's pretty. I like the shininess. Maybe I'll try to replicate that effect in the game. Currently, it looks drab and grey in-game. I'll shine it up if I can.

yup, raw biometal is shiny; the loose on the ground tells you that. heck, an option was even added to reduce the shininess in our cockpits, it's so shiny.

Nielk1 wrote:Except the game can't do wear over time, so you have to make a good average.

Not directly, but it could be simulated via dll. You could just swap ships for other ships that give a vibe they've seen combat, or you could swap ships for a different design later on in a match. Far from perfect solutions ofcourse, but for a SP-mission where the visual aspect is important it could be done, sort of.