Topic: Installing ship models

[Enivid]

How do you install ship models that you get from sfc3files?  I take it its more than just putting it in the models folder?  

[Praxis]

Oh, definitely.

Three ways.  

Way #1: Semi-complicated.  You can give them the exact same name as an existing model (aka delete the Akira folder in the models folder, then rename the folder of the mod to Akira, and the modnameBS.bmp to AkiraBS.bmp, modnameTI.bmp to AkiraTI.bmp, modname VL.bmp to AkiraVL.bmp, modname.mod to Akira.mod, and modname.gf to Akira.gf).  You will see the new model in place of another ship.  You can still play on the dyna.

Way #2: Semi-easy.
Drop the model and its folder in the models folder.  Go to SFC3\Assets\Specs and open DefaultLoadOut.txt in Microsoft Excel, or OpenOffice (free).  Find the ship you want to change (say, replacing Akira with modname), find the column where the model's name goes, and change it from Akira to the mod you want it to be.  Close and save the file, ignoring the little popup warnings and overwriting the original.

Note that if your core files such as DefaultLoadOut and DefaultCore are different, you will not be able to play multiplayer Skirmish.  I think you can still play dyna servers as long as DefaultCore stays the same because you'll use the server's loadout.

Way #3: Complicated, but best.
Create your own line in DefaultCore.txt, following the others, and create a line in DefaultLoadOut, that matches up with the line in DefaultCore.  You can create your own ship with whatever specs you want to give it this way, and theres tutorials for doing this.  This is what the modders have to do, and this is what you have to do if you want non-stock ship weapons load out.
I'd recommend downloading CoreEdit, but it doesn't work with the new patch.

[WraithFSC]

Hi there everyone!
 I'm new to this forum and I have a question. Praxis, I copied and pasted the lines like you said in the "complicated version". The ship that I downloaded (the infamous Nemesis Sovereign) won't work. The model is in the ship models file. The lines are in the default core and default text. When I load the game, the ship is no where in sight. The file says that it should appear as a new ship that you can choose. Do you know what I could be doing wrong? Any help would be appreciated. Thanks in advance.  

[Enivid]

So basicly....just get a MOD that has the ship you want to play in it  

[WraithFSC]

Hello,
  I received a private message from someone. I accidentally deleted it. Could whoever wrote the message please resend it.
Thank you very much.    

[Pestalence]

To replace a model in the game.. find the Stock model folder that you want to replace.. rename it by putting a 1 behind it...

example..

Soverign is renamed to Soverign1

next, download the model that you want as the Soverign

Unzip the model (as most models come in zip files) to it's own directory or a temp directory making sure that only the model's files are in the directory by themselves.

rename this Directory to Soverign

next right click on this directory and select CUT then go into your Assets\Models directory and right click in an empty area and select paste

now go inside Soverign 1 model folder, then open another window and go into the Soverign Model folder.

Rename the *.MOD and the *_BRK.MOD files in the Soverign Model folder the same name as the *.MOD and *_Brk.MOD ffiles that are in the Soverign1 Model folder.. the game will now recognize your new model in game.


Now if you want to add ships and models to the game.. then that is a mod and will not work for GSA or a D3 server.. it would only work for single player unless you plan on running a modded server.

in order to do this.. go into your DefaultCore.txt and DefaultLoadout.txt files and find the same ship in each list and copy them to the end of the race that they are found in.. after editing your ship specs.. in the Default Core, you will see the patch Assets\Models\name of Model Folder\*.mod

if you have a new model you want to use for this entry, you do not need to rename the folder unless it is the same name as one of the other folders present in the game... anyhow.. just change the Assets\Models\name of folder\*.mod to be the name of the new model folder and *.MOD file..

example.. you copy the specs of the Soverign in both the Core and Loadout files.

you want the Valdore model as the Soverign with this new entry.. in the lines that you copies.. find the

assets\models\Soverign\Soverign.Mod

entry

then change it to read

Assets\Models\valdore\Valdore.Mod

now you have a new ship entry using a new model.. however doing this method of adding ships will cause a CRC checking error in GSA which will show to all players as a cheat.

the D3 servers will CRC check and not allow you access.. so doing this method is best for a single player mod unless you decide to run and host your own Dynaverse Server.. as such you would have to make the models and the Default Core and loadout files available for players to download.

hope that this helps.

 

[WraithFSC]

Thank you for the reply. I'll try it out and let you know how it works. Thanks again.  

[Praxis]

Wraith:

Check in the SFC3 folder for a file called "InvalidShips.txt".

Open it.  It should tell you what ships failed to load, and what was wrong with them.

[WraithFSC]

Hi there,
Pestalence, I have another question. If you would like to start off with the same charcters, i.e. those who you name, do you have to enter their names on the names list? I am planning to give my officers the same names that are in the Bridge Commander Game. I tried to paste the stats from the Nemesis Sovereign into the file of my custom ship, and the names completely disappeared! I want them to start off as legendary each time without having to trade crew members each time I start. I also want to keep the names as listed. Do you know how I can fix this? Thanks again for the help.  

[WraithFSC]

Thank you Praxis!
  I'll check it out! Thanks.  

[Enivid]

How do you install ship models that you get from sfc3files?  I take it its more than just putting it in the models folder?  

[Praxis]

Oh, definitely.

Three ways.  

Way #1: Semi-complicated.  You can give them the exact same name as an existing model (aka delete the Akira folder in the models folder, then rename the folder of the mod to Akira, and the modnameBS.bmp to AkiraBS.bmp, modnameTI.bmp to AkiraTI.bmp, modname VL.bmp to AkiraVL.bmp, modname.mod to Akira.mod, and modname.gf to Akira.gf).  You will see the new model in place of another ship.  You can still play on the dyna.

Way #2: Semi-easy.
Drop the model and its folder in the models folder.  Go to SFC3\Assets\Specs and open DefaultLoadOut.txt in Microsoft Excel, or OpenOffice (free).  Find the ship you want to change (say, replacing Akira with modname), find the column where the model's name goes, and change it from Akira to the mod you want it to be.  Close and save the file, ignoring the little popup warnings and overwriting the original.

Note that if your core files such as DefaultLoadOut and DefaultCore are different, you will not be able to play multiplayer Skirmish.  I think you can still play dyna servers as long as DefaultCore stays the same because you'll use the server's loadout.

Way #3: Complicated, but best.
Create your own line in DefaultCore.txt, following the others, and create a line in DefaultLoadOut, that matches up with the line in DefaultCore.  You can create your own ship with whatever specs you want to give it this way, and theres tutorials for doing this.  This is what the modders have to do, and this is what you have to do if you want non-stock ship weapons load out.
I'd recommend downloading CoreEdit, but it doesn't work with the new patch.

[WraithFSC]

Hi there everyone!
 I'm new to this forum and I have a question. Praxis, I copied and pasted the lines like you said in the "complicated version". The ship that I downloaded (the infamous Nemesis Sovereign) won't work. The model is in the ship models file. The lines are in the default core and default text. When I load the game, the ship is no where in sight. The file says that it should appear as a new ship that you can choose. Do you know what I could be doing wrong? Any help would be appreciated. Thanks in advance.  

[Enivid]

So basicly....just get a MOD that has the ship you want to play in it  

[WraithFSC]

Hello,
  I received a private message from someone. I accidentally deleted it. Could whoever wrote the message please resend it.
Thank you very much.    

[Pestalence]

To replace a model in the game.. find the Stock model folder that you want to replace.. rename it by putting a 1 behind it...

example..

Soverign is renamed to Soverign1

next, download the model that you want as the Soverign

Unzip the model (as most models come in zip files) to it's own directory or a temp directory making sure that only the model's files are in the directory by themselves.

rename this Directory to Soverign

next right click on this directory and select CUT then go into your Assets\Models directory and right click in an empty area and select paste

now go inside Soverign 1 model folder, then open another window and go into the Soverign Model folder.

Rename the *.MOD and the *_BRK.MOD files in the Soverign Model folder the same name as the *.MOD and *_Brk.MOD ffiles that are in the Soverign1 Model folder.. the game will now recognize your new model in game.


Now if you want to add ships and models to the game.. then that is a mod and will not work for GSA or a D3 server.. it would only work for single player unless you plan on running a modded server.

in order to do this.. go into your DefaultCore.txt and DefaultLoadout.txt files and find the same ship in each list and copy them to the end of the race that they are found in.. after editing your ship specs.. in the Default Core, you will see the patch Assets\Models\name of Model Folder\*.mod

if you have a new model you want to use for this entry, you do not need to rename the folder unless it is the same name as one of the other folders present in the game... anyhow.. just change the Assets\Models\name of folder\*.mod to be the name of the new model folder and *.MOD file..

example.. you copy the specs of the Soverign in both the Core and Loadout files.

you want the Valdore model as the Soverign with this new entry.. in the lines that you copies.. find the

assets\models\Soverign\Soverign.Mod

entry

then change it to read

Assets\Models\valdore\Valdore.Mod

now you have a new ship entry using a new model.. however doing this method of adding ships will cause a CRC checking error in GSA which will show to all players as a cheat.

the D3 servers will CRC check and not allow you access.. so doing this method is best for a single player mod unless you decide to run and host your own Dynaverse Server.. as such you would have to make the models and the Default Core and loadout files available for players to download.

hope that this helps.

 

[WraithFSC]

Thank you for the reply. I'll try it out and let you know how it works. Thanks again.  

[Praxis]

Wraith:

Check in the SFC3 folder for a file called "InvalidShips.txt".

Open it.  It should tell you what ships failed to load, and what was wrong with them.

[WraithFSC]

Hi there,
Pestalence, I have another question. If you would like to start off with the same charcters, i.e. those who you name, do you have to enter their names on the names list? I am planning to give my officers the same names that are in the Bridge Commander Game. I tried to paste the stats from the Nemesis Sovereign into the file of my custom ship, and the names completely disappeared! I want them to start off as legendary each time without having to trade crew members each time I start. I also want to keep the names as listed. Do you know how I can fix this? Thanks again for the help.  

[WraithFSC]

Thank you Praxis!
  I'll check it out! Thanks.