Topic: I hope a clever person can answer this.....

[DestinyCalling]

Ok, so I'm vegetating in ripe boredom on a sunday and I started to ponder scaling issues...

there have been a few posts about this recently as not all models are made to the same scale.  Having recently patched my SFC2 up to 2.0.3.6(UK, you see) I had a look at the model.siz file which apparently evens things up....

To be honest all it did was shrink all my starbases, so anyway I started to try and figure out where Taldren came up with figures in the file and I cant for the life of me try and match up a ship dimension with the figures at hand......  I mean, is it relative to length, height, width (unlikely) or heaven forbid, volume (how you would work that out I dont know).

What I'm trying to do is create a file with all the correct sizes present from all available sources for my single player campaign, but the big problem is that if I add a new ship that isn't listed in the file it looks all wrong.....

Can any bright spark out there help....

BTW.... sorry to see pataflafla call it a day, he's help me out in the past

plus

How do I get a promotion round here.......????  

[DonKarnage]

the promotion is gain from hom many message you make (reply or new message) the more you make the more (exp you gain) to get a new rank.

[CptSavage]

Sorry for the OT post....did He quit? Paflalad? I can't spell his name.  

[DestinyCalling]

Yeah, he bumps again....

SOMEBODY HAS TO KNOW..... DOESN'T ANYONE FROM TALDREN READ THESE...!!!!!!!!  

[ancientangel]

I don't know if I can help but I will give it a try. Since I have yet to re-mod anything with this new Model Size info, my knownledge is going to be limited for the time being.

Best thing to do is cross reference a Star Base to an Frigate and check the Size values. There is most likely not a set way to determine what the proper size is. Odds are if Star Bases are size, for example: 1 which in larges the original .mod by an X-value. The best thing would be find out what Taldren has ship sizes for. Like SB=1, BB & DN =2, BC & CA=3 etc...
Punch that number in and test it out. Resize the model in a 3D program until its the correct size.

This is the only round about way I know for the time being. I will find out shortly how this stuff works. Since I will be working with ship sizes that vary from 20meters to 5,000meters. Lets see how the AI and game engine deals with those big ships.

[DestinyCalling]

The only trouble with that is, is that Taldren have purposely reduced the size of some of the larger ships/starbases. Apparently it evens things out when it comes to playing on line (which I never do).

The reason for messing about with the file is that I dont have a suitable 3D package with which to resize stuff.

I mean, the numbers HAVE to relate to something.  I'm assuming they didn't just pluck them out of thin air !!  

[morebs]

Quote:
The only trouble with that is, is that Taldren have purposely reduced the size of some of the larger ships/starbases. Apparently it evens things out when it comes to playing on line (which I never do).

The reason for messing about with the file is that I dont have a suitable 3D package with which to resize stuff.

I mean, the numbers HAVE to relate to something.  I'm assuming they didn't just pluck them out of thin air !!    

even if you did resize it using 3d software. The game would resize it again anyway.  Just back up the file and try using different values to see if the ship gets bigger or smaller.

I wish I could help more- but I am a troll- thereful not allowed to help according to the troll oath I took.  

[Qob'nuH]

The mod.siz file is very uesful for re-sizing custom models. There was a great thread on the old forums about what the numbers related to ,but I honestly don't remember the details. I looked at fed bb,dn,ca etc. and decided what % larger or smaller I wanted and punched in that number. Then start a skirmish with the custom model and the stock model closest tio the desired size. Compare and adjust...whole numbers first, then decimal. After a few key ships you get a sense for how much to add/subtract to your particular taste. For me stock Fed bb=17.94, so Galaxy=20.00,warbird=25.50,etc.
I had quite a few great models that looked ridiculous in game because of size, now I can use them all.
A couple of things to remember:
your custom model sub-folder must be in the models folder with the .siz file
use all capitals to add new ship's geometry to the .siz file

 

[DestinyCalling]

By "larger all smaller" do you mean longer and shorter??

Put it this way, everyone knows that a refit connie is 305m long, excelsior class 467m long, miranda/reliant 246m long.... etc etc....

so going from this, if I make the fca.mod file ref 3.05 and the fbcr.mod file 4.67 and the fcl.mod file 2.46 (or some multiple of), If I then add a Chandley class frigate (ought to be a light cruiser at least) which according to FASA is 320m long... I should add it in at 3.20....????

Of course I could just try it instead of writing about it......

The whole upshot of this is that you get a correct sense of proportion........

Anyone care to feedback..?  

[Qob'nuH]

I suppose longer and shorter would apply, but I tend to think of the total volume of the ship since all aspects are increased or decreased.  Going back through some old papers I found  part of that old thread I printed out. It was a post by Pestalence that was extremely informative. In it he says the scale appears to be 1=32 to 50 meters. I don't think Taldren was  concerned about  any spatial relationships except those  within the game though. I feel the best way is to use the stock models as a guide.
(fbcr)fdn=10.17 ,fca=8.47 ,  fcl=5.43 ,fdd=5.30 , fff=4.26    Chandley should fall in the 5-5.50 range for a light cruiser I guess.
It's like cooking without a recipe , go with your taste.