[MOD] Darker, Grittier Comms Videos 1.0

[dawnrunner]

See additional details in second post. Sample screens included below.

For: TC and AP

Instructions:
Replace existing 00001.dat file located in folder “X3 Terran Conflict\mov” with new 00001.dat file (611 MB) downloaded from the link below.
IMPORTANT: As always, backup original 00001.dat file before overwriting!

Download link:
https://www.dropbox.com/s/0ixw6byj6l8t7 ... 1.dat?dl=0

Description: Replacement video file that contains all comms screen videos. Character portions have been modified to make them darker and grittier to better fit in with the overall aesthetic of the game. Level of distortion was carefully chosen to best obscure the Disney princess/anime eyes given to many models. All original animation has been retained.

Note: additional adjustments have been made to the file in an attempt to address certain transition issues that sporadically appear between videos. While the video.txt file lists all of the video definitions, it would appear that the game doesn’t always appropriately respect them. AP appears to handle them the best, while minor errors appear frequently in TC. To best address these variances, I’ve placed frames of static between each video segment, so if there is an issue with timing, at worst a frame of static should flicker-in between loops – and not the face of a completely different character. Given that the static frame aligns with the darker, gritter theme of these videos, it seemed like an appropriate trade-off.

Please let me know if you experience any issues with the file or have any other feedback, good or bad!

[dawnrunner]

Original first thread post:

My personal belief is that there are two types of X3 players when it comes to the comms video character portrayals: those who are able to ignore them, and those that can't stand them. Sadly, I've found myself in the latter camp, and after all these years have finally taken it upon myself to do something about it - and maybe fix a few other things along the way.

In this quest I know that I am not alone. Initially I had planned on approaching this project in a similar fashion to member dertien and his "No More Muppets for X3TC" mod, but after starting my image search, I decided against using images sourced from outside of X3, and instead focused my efforts on applying filters to the existing videos in a way that made them darker, gritter, and at least to my taste, more in line with the aesthetic of the game.

While this doesn't do away with the Muppets altogether, you could say my goal was to make things less Sesame Street and more Dark Crystal.

[Completed] I'm trying to fix a number of other timing issues along the way. There are many points where the video frames don't exactly align with the parameters as defined in the videos.text file. Sometimes it seems like it might be due to a milisecond/30fps rounding error, but other times it seems like it's just due to things being... wrong - leading to blips and flashes from adjacent videos especially during looping sections. Fixing, or at least placing a bandaid over those issues is time consuming considering the fact that I also plan on fixing the problems for all of the jobs/wares videos also included in the file. For most players, this is probably something that is easily overlooked, but after digging around in the files, it bothered me enough to tackle it.

Concerning the sample images: admittedly, the stills may seem like I went too lo-fi, but remember - these retain all of the original animation. When moving, at least to my taste, this level of grit is what made for the optimal level of clarity, while decreasing the cutesy to acceptable/nonexistent levels. By it's nature, the mod will work with TC and AP, and I hope to complete a Reunion variant shortly thereafter.