creating a black screen as default viewpoint

[neilreed]

Hello everyone,

I am creating a voice intiated artwork using the ofp engine for personal use, but iam stuck , i have created a mission
where when i am a civillian  on desert isalnd, and when i speak into a micraphione via pilfius voice ativated keystrokes, a command the view switches to different camera angles showing pictures, sound and text i have inserted into the game via
billboards. and then returns back to me the civillian poiunt of view.
what i want is the civillians point of view to be completeley black , until it switches to the camera positions , and black when it switches back.
so in effect the normal view is black until i speak the command , i want the effect to be instant .

i thought it might be possible to do tjhis via scripts , but iam a graphic designer not a scripter, i also thought it might be possible to make the screen black via changing the crosshairs to a black screen with photoshop , but think there must be an easier option
any ideas would be greatley appreaciated.
kind regards
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[Mandoble]

You may put there a M113, destroy it (set its damage to maximum). When you want the screen black, put the camera quite close to a side of the M113 and pointing at the M113. That will result in immediate black screeen.

[neilreed]

ah... so simple and yet so perfect ,  this is exactly what i was looking for , no scripts , just cams , i will try it out
but i have a feeling that when the camera returns to the civillian his head has moved postion slightly so it eventually is looking at the sky ,
i will test this
thank you , Mandoble

EDIT : that didnt work , as i thought  , the civillians head kept changing position , when the camera returned ,
but solved it with the black in command i placed black in 99999 or so in the init line  of the civ , and again after every camera destroy  so it was black at the start only changed to show the art , and returned to black after the art is shown . thanks for the help  though
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