Topic: Xmod01 an HD Space Re-texture mod

[xeryx]

"Space the Final Frontier"

Download the Beta 2 mod here http://www.nexusmods.com/startrekstarfleetcommand3/mods/972/?tab=1&navtag=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.nexusmods.com%2Fstartrekstarfleetcommand3%2Fajax%2Fmoddescription%2F%3Fid%3D972%26preview%3D&pUp=1

This is Xmod01 Beta and made by Xeryx. This is an HD space retexture mod that is compatible with SFC2 and 3

I went through all of the Space.Mod files from both games and came away with 42 useful models. The rest are junk and are not used.

High definition textures were used from NASA, ESE, and the Hubble site. These are open source and can be used freely for PRIVATE use. Thank you for the great textures! All of the textures have been resized and retouched by me to be useful in the game. They are pretty nice, and light years ahead of what is available out there currently.

You will notice that there are now black blank textures tiles included in many places. There are a couple of reasons I used them instead of HD textures and distortion is the main one, that is now fixed with Beta 2. However, In some cases, I have also chosen to keep scenes from getting too busy. Many of the textures are large to very large and do not need to be cluttered. I have included a list of the textures used for all models. Feel free to experiment if you like, but be aware that there are some models that share textures and I would suggest you leave those alone. You will also find out quickly that you can't just plop a texture down on a tile. Many tile panels distort and clip images in certain places, and it will take some experimentation to find the right texture for the right panel.

UPDATE Beta 2: I have been correcting the stock textures to lay correctly on the standard SFC2 Space.Mods.  98% of the poor texturing is reduced to a minimum. Although there is still a lot of work to do,  I am going to release the fixed models for the beta 2.

Future Beta 3: I plan on creating new space models and will also implement UHD textures when appropiate. I am also going to create a depth to the space scape if it is the last thing I ever do.

A big thank you goes out to d4vk1s, TarMinyatur,  Capt. Adam, TAnimaL and JanB at Dynaverse for making the HD mods for SFC2:EAW, SFC2:OP, SFC3 For without them, I NEVER would have revisited and kept playing this game. Those mods can be found on:Dynaverse.net http://www.dynaverse.net/forum/index.php/topic,163396632.0.html

A very special thanks for I, Mudd for creating the wonderful Planet packs that have made the game so much more enjoyable. They are here: http://www.dynaverse.net/forum/index.php/topic,163394439.0.html

Another special thank you to Wicked Zombie @ Demon Renegade Studios for those Fantastic models that are pictured in the screenshots!! If you like and want them go here
http://www.demonrenegadestudios.com/faq.html#textures

Instructions: See the Read me that's include with the Rar file.

The zMain.rar file included is the Main Texture Kit that is used for this mod, they are there for you to
use if you decide to change textures later. It is not needed for the mod to work.

You are free to include this mod with any of your mods, but all files must be included for the end user
You must also credit Xeryx and Xmod in your read me and download page.

Thank you
Xeryx

[TarMinyatur]

Glad you're enjoying the game and contributing content, Xeryx.

Don't forget the contributions of d4vk1s. He did almost all of the work to enable high def resolutions in the executable and the sprites! My role in HD was in noticing a second important function in the .exe -- that gave us momentum. Capt. Adam and TAnimaL have also hexedited the Orion Pirates executable. JanB hexedited SFC3. So there are a few of us who have chipped in to create these game enhancements for SFC. 

[xeryx]

Roger that! Thank you for the clarification! I will credit them as well!  Since I am new to the forum, I was unsure of the contributions to the project, my humblest apologies.

[d4v1ks]

Yes, it is nice to see people sharing their works.
Some people still have energy to create good looking stuff.
Just see how Darkdrone is always updating and creating new stuff.
I'm travelling, but friday will take a look into your mod.
I'm a big fan of the Adam space backgrounds too. Did you know he made specific space models for it? To avoid those particular distortions?

Cheers

[Captain Adam]

I will upload it again and get back to you. Thanks for contributing and keeping SFC alive. 


Update: uploaded and sent

[xeryx]

Thank you guys!

It is a start, anyways. We will see where it goes

[xeryx]

I do have a question as to how space scenes are handled in the campaign. I believe that some scenes can be assigned to the maps hexes, such as the nebula, does anyone know how the map hexes are assigned? Am I assuming with a map editor? Where would this beast be? I also know through testing that most hexes are assigned randomly via the missionmatching.gf. Any light that can be shed on this subject would be appreciated. My goal would be to update the maps, to accommodate the proper space models.

[TarMinyatur]

Edit: Artifex is broken. Can't open an .mvm file or create a new one. The definitions.txt file is present. It might work on a WindowsX P machine. It doesn't work on Windows 7, in any compatibility mode for me.

Someone might be able to hexedit the .mvm file to place nebula and other objects. I never tried that.

Edit: An hour or so of study revealed the ease of hexediting a dynaverse map. Map width and height, total hexes, then 32-bytes of data for each hex, in a series.

http://www.dynaverse.net/forum/index.php/topic,163394152.msg1123055760.html#msg1123055760

[Captain Adam]

It works on a lesser operating system. It's very buggy on anything after XP. Even on XP there's a time limit while it's open, save often bc it crashes.

[Captain Adam]

Certain hexes such as homeworld hexes are definitely specific where certain maps are used, certain planets, etc...
Other hexes will be random. Without a new map editor to take a peek and without a script editor it is very difficult to accomplish this goal.

[xeryx]

Has anyone tried it in a 95 Virtual Machine?

[Captain Adam]

It's been sooooo long. Last time I used it on an xp machine. I remember I had a good 5-10 min arrange things before the system crashed. Further attempts revealed the same bug, a couple of minutes followed by crash. Just save frequently. I never was able to obtain a copy of 95 to try but give it a shot.

[TarMinyatur]

I do have a question as to how space scenes are handled in the campaign. I believe that some scenes can be assigned to the maps hexes, such as the nebula, does anyone know how the map hexes are assigned? Am I assuming with a map editor? Where would this beast be? I also know through testing that most hexes are assigned randomly via the missionmatching.gf. Any light that can be shed on this subject would be appreciated. My goal would be to update the maps, to accommodate the proper space models.

The sprites.q3 editor can replace the images you see on the Dynaverse map. You'd have to use GIMP or something to edit the artwork. But then the Q3 Editor can update the bitmaps.

However, if you have several custom nebulae, I don't know how to require the game to display it during a mission. I think it is 100% random. Carlos worked on that experiment last year... So if you have a blue nebula in the tactical game, it won't be associated with a blue nebula on the hex map. At this point, we can hope that any nebula on the hex map will trigger all missions to include a tactical nebula when possible. 1 in 15 chance of getting the "right" one.

[d4v1ks]

I believe that some scenes can be assigned to the maps hexes, such as the nebula, does anyone know how the map hexes are assigned? Am I assuming with a map editor? Where would this beast be?

In the usual place, at   https://hotandspicyforums.com/campaign-map-editor-t27901.html

[Captain Adam]

 

[atheorhaven]

Question: Would anyone then be interested in a Windows 2000 VM?  I run my old copy of 3dsmax r3.1 in an XP VM (which is how I'm still releasing anything new), and am interested in putting together something small that I can use with .MOD work that includes some basic tools.  Think I have Windows 2000 Evaluation I can use for building a VM and if you guys can tell me what all should be included in one of these, I can create either a Virtualbox or VMWare VM (or even an old timey Virtual PC) box.  Putting it out as an Evaluation would keep me away from the M$ sue Nazis, and just replacing the VM every month (at the worst) would keep the tools running.  Size would likely be around 100-150MB or so (if I remember the W2K installation size right) for a trim VM, which is small enough to be shared through Dropbox fairly easily.  VirtualBox, VMWare Player and VirtualPC are all free and VirtualBox and VMWare Player also have Linux installers (I dual boot with Zorin which is Ubuntu-based).  If there's an interest, I'll put something together for everyone.. if there's no interest, I may still put something together for myself I can throw onto a USB key and take with me to work/friends/etc.  Don't know though if D4v1k's tools will run under something as old as Windows 2000 though?  Most of the Taldren stuff will..