[RESEARCH] Visual: Tsuns X2 Recall

[AdmiralTigerclaw]

The following data is submitted for mod teams to devour.
*Play's Harlock's Passage

Current X3 Tsuns file.

Code: Select all

47;1;
-1;0;0;0;0;-1;0;0;0;65536;0;0;0;0;0;-100000;0;0;SS_SUN_1;

Modified X3 Tsuns file, callback of X2 suns.

Code: Select all

47;23;
-1;0;0;0;0;-1;0;0;0;65536;0;0;0;0;0;-100000;0;0;SS_SUN_1;
-1;0;0;0;0;-1;0;0;1;65536;0;0;0;0;0;-100000;0;0;SS_SUN_2;
-1;0;0;0;0;-1;0;0;2;65536;0;0;0;0;0;-100000;0;0;SS_SUN_3;
-1;0;0;0;0;-1;0;0;3;65536;0;0;0;0;0;-100000;0;0;SS_SUN_4;
-1;0;0;0;0;-1;0;0;4;65536;0;0;0;0;0;-100000;0;0;SS_SUN_5;
-1;0;0;0;0;-1;0;0;5;65536;0;0;0;0;0;-100000;0;0;SS_SUN_6;
-1;0;0;0;0;-1;0;0;6;65536;0;0;0;0;0;-100000;0;0;SS_SUN_7;
-1;0;0;0;0;-1;0;0;7;65536;0;0;0;0;0;-100000;0;0;SS_SUN_8;
-1;0;0;0;0;-1;0;0;8;65536;0;0;0;0;0;-100000;0;0;SS_SUN_9;
-1;0;0;0;0;-1;0;0;9;65536;0;0;0;0;0;-100000;0;0;SS_SUN_10;
-1;0;0;0;0;-1;0;0;10;65536;0;0;0;0;0;-100000;0;0;SS_SUN_11;
-1;0;0;0;0;-1;0;0;11;65536;0;0;0;0;0;-100000;0;0;SS_SUN_12;
-1;0;0;0;0;-1;0;0;12;65536;0;0;0;0;0;-100000;0;0;SS_SUN_13;
-1;0;0;0;0;-1;0;0;13;65536;0;0;0;0;0;-100000;0;0;SS_SUN_14;
-1;0;0;0;0;-1;0;0;14;65536;0;0;0;0;0;-100000;0;0;SS_SUN_15;
-1;0;0;0;0;-1;0;0;15;65536;0;0;0;0;0;-100000;0;0;SS_SUN_16;
-1;0;0;0;0;-1;0;0;16;65536;0;0;0;0;0;-100000;0;0;SS_SUN_17;
-1;0;0;0;0;-1;0;0;17;65536;0;0;0;0;0;-100000;0;0;SS_SUN_18;
-1;0;0;0;0;-1;0;0;18;65536;0;0;0;0;0;-100000;0;0;SS_SUN_19;
-1;0;0;0;0;-1;0;0;19;65536;0;0;0;0;0;-100000;0;0;SS_SUN_20;
-1;0;0;0;0;-1;0;0;20;65536;0;0;0;0;0;-100000;0;0;SS_SUN_21;
-1;0;0;0;0;-1;0;0;21;65536;0;0;0;0;0;-100000;0;0;SS_SUN_22;
-1;0;0;0;0;-1;0;0;22;65536;0;0;0;0;0;-100000;0;0;SS_SUN_23;

RESULTS: X2's many suns.
[ external image ]

[Galaxy613]

Flipping sweet! It's about time. And yes, it IS legal if you don't have X2 because the sun graphics from X2 are still in X3!

[AdmiralTigerclaw]

X3 actually has all of X2's junk files left in it, nobody cleaned it up. The old background textures in the Tex-True file, all sorts of things.

[NumNuts]

Please excuse my ignorance Admiral......

If I replace my current ..types\TSuns.pck with your replacement above, does that change the suns in default X3 sectors? or simply make them available to use and further modifications have to be made to the SUN entities in each independent sector from a galaxy editor to make them appear?

Thanks for any info....

[AdmiralTigerclaw]

It makes them available to use in the Gal-Editor.

See, since only the number zero entry exists, only it can be called and used. If you try to call sun 4 without making a modification, the program will search for the value, find null, and terminate to windows without delay. (AKA: CTD) Thus you must first mod the suns, then mod the galaxy.

[NumNuts]

Thankyou Admiral,

Could you advise me on the best/easiest way to MOD the Universe Maps?

at the momemt I'm looking at the 2.0.01 Maps with DoubleShadows? desktop galaxy editor, of course they only contain sectors that have been modified, but can you tell me if the desktop Gal-Editor is a safe way to go opposed to the in-game galaxy editor??

For example, if I open the 2.0.01 patch and look at "XMission22.pck" with DS's editor, I see the Sun info as follows;
Type | Sun
Subtype |
Color | RGB 8C A0 FF
X | 1298.460 km
Y | 245.248 km
Z | 957.213 km

Is the Subtype property the one I need to modify to a new value.....I see a pull down list but nothing is written in it, however there are 23 slots to choose from......

If that is the way you could do it, could you suggest the best way to combine your changes from the several '.pck' maps??
Backup originals then modify them directly from the .cat/.dat's in the X3 Reunion folder??

Sorry to be a pain, I just want to screw up as little as possible.
Thanks for any info.

[Harlock776]

Um... did I die or something lol??? Or are you just trying to get me to hurry up and start messin with X3 hehe:-) You know, someone gave me X3 as a gift while I was hanging out with them at the local fry's store a few weeks ago but I haven't installed it yet because I was waiting to see if the latest patch would ever come out and also I'm still tryin to finish up v3.0 of me X2 mod lol.

So there is only one color for suns in X3? I've noticed that if you apply a color to a texture in x2 it takes longer to load no matter if it's bod or bob. I wonder if the different colored suns were slowing things down in X2 as well? If so then what if that couldn't be helped in X3 and so it was simply left out to help with performance? I first discovered this color slowdown issue when messing with the sovereign ship that esueaks uploaded for X2 many years back.

[AdmiralTigerclaw]

Let me make this clear as mud here...


The External GAL Editor is good for working.

However, when editing your sectors for planets, sun, and background, I suggest doing it from the IN GAME editor, because from there, you can see immediately what it will look like.

What you will do:

Hit numberpad-enter.

Scroll to the debug tab.
Scroll down to add sun.
Add sun subtype zero.
Position it at space zero, zero, zero. (It will end up wherever to avoid collisions.)



After that, you hit youer period ( . ) key.
Scroll over to ALL (between stations and ships.)

Scroll down to 'sun'

You then use the numberpad keys including the plus ( + ) and minus ( - ) keys to position your sun.

You then hit p to access the sun object parameters. You can then adjust the sun subtype parameters by hitting plus or minus to scroll (Beware, scrolls lightning fast) through the available types.)

Note, before continuing, I suggest you turn the editor's nova to face the sun, and then pitch down so you would have the light reflecting off it.

You then scroll down from the subtypes to the R G and B values.
Each value goes from 0 to 255. Use the + - keys to roll up or down each value. A particular color of light comes from a stronger set of a particular color.

For example: A bright white light with a soft blue hue to it, like a reflection of earth. (This is general, not exact.)

r: 230
g: 230
b: 255



If you want to dim it, you keep the ratio of the colors and drop it back maybe to the 100 range instead of 200.


See, you do this so you can look at it and determine right then and there if it's going to look nice.

[ external image ]

[NumNuts]

Thanks a billion for your time Admiral, that helps a lot!
Cheers.