[MOD] Add 100k to Draw Distance

[avicenna]

This mod adds 100k to the draw distance of stations asteroids in all sectors apart from the ones where the draw distance is already in excess of 200k. It also moves out the fog clumps by a distance of 100k, effectively thinning out the pea soup nebula.

This is achieved by modifying lines 24 and 25 of the TBackgrounds file.

Download from:

http://www.filefront.com/15066847/100k- ... tance.spk/ for a false patch.

Or as mods for +10k, +30k and +100k:

http://www.filefront.com/15066871/X3TC% ... 20mods.zip


Installation: Unzip file and copy the mods folder to the X3 Terran Conflict directory.

When starting game press the select mod package button on the startup screen and then select the draw distance + 100k mod. Now start the game as normal and all the invisible stations, asteroids, etc should now become visible.[/url]

[corhen]

sounds interesting, but could you post some picks in some "Pea Soup" nebula, i want to make sure it dosn't make it too clear.

[tatakau]

deleted

[avicenna]

Screenshot of the Circle of Light after Draw Distance 100k mod applied follows:

http://gallery.filefront.com/avicenna//1106098/

I have found that the mod reduces performance is some sectors. For me turning on AQC seems to overcome this.

[Khaak_Slayer]

Surely this wrecks performance?

[fud]

WHen I made my mod, I took the fog out completely (and it's got about 100k view).

I think the fog kills performance more than draw distance.

[commandx]

Thank you, I have ran into some trouble in that sector before and its sometimes ended in a crash because of said pea soup... I couldn't see where i was going very well and ran into one of them or a rock, I'm not sure which...

[SpectralWraith]

OK. Found the log file. Here it is:

Code: Select all

[30:10:08 - 12:53:50] [STARTUP] Setting up display mode
[30:10:08 - 12:53:50] [STARTUP] Starting up Plugin Manager
[30:10:08 - 12:53:50] [STARTUP] Settings have been loaded
[30:10:08 - 12:53:50] [STARTUP] -verbose option passed, enabling full debug log
[30:10:08 - 12:53:50] [STARTUP] Setting up dialog connections
[30:10:08 - 12:53:50] [STARTUP] Initisalising progress display
[30:10:08 - 12:53:50] [STARTUP] Setting up temporary storage
[30:10:08 - 12:53:50] [STARTUP] Program started: C:/Program Files/EGOSOFT/X3 Reunion
[30:10:08 - 12:53:50] [STARTUP] Searching for other running plugin managers..
[30:10:08 - 12:53:51] [STARTUP] Checking for current language settings
[30:10:08 - 12:53:51] [STARTUP] Update language display texts, language=English
[30:10:08 - 12:53:51] [STARTUP] checking for valid directories
[30:10:08 - 12:53:51] [STARTUP] Loading package data for current directory (C:/Program Files/EGOSOFT/X3 Reunion)
[30:10:08 - 12:53:51] [STARTUP] Converting old data file into new format

Also, I can run the SPK Explorer and manually install scripts OK, and I can run the packager, just not the installer. And, yes, I have tried uninstalling and reinstalling several times. I tried that before I posted here.

[corhen]

looks good!, i like how it leaves some color around.

but do you think you could write a second one? i want to push back the fog, but not that much

could you make one with a 50K push Back? i think that would be good for us who like the mood of the game over easy use.

[avicenna]

Khaak_Slayer:

On my system performance differences between the unmodded game and increasing the draw distance is minimal in most sectors, the exception being crowded sectors like Omicron Lyrae. In these sectors enabling AQC brings the performance right back to close to normal unmodded.

FUD:

I prefer to leave some of the fog in. For me it does add a bit to the atmosphere, although it is still totally unrealistic in comparison to a real nebulae.

SpectralWraith:

I have absolutely no idea what this is about. Have you misposted?

Corhen:

I am going to play around with a minimalist version that alters the draw distance in the less than 10k sectors to 30k. This is from the viewpoint of maximising performance whilst reducing the risk of running into invisible stations problem in foggy sectors. It should be posted later today. I have discovered that the lines I am altering do not thin the fog, they only change the draw distance and fade in distance. Thus you will still have invisible stations or asteroids popping into view the mod will just give you a bit more time to avoid them.

[homerdog]

Thanks for the mod avicenna.

Am I the only one who finds it strange that - without this mod - I can't see asteroids 10K in front of me but I can see planets and stars that are lightyears away? Weirdest fog ever.

[corhen]

yea, i knoticed that

i thought it was odd that Egosoft didnt put a foggy green background, and a light fog here, rather than the other way round

[Neofit]

Do I have to start a new game to have the fog removed? It doesn't seem to work for me.

Here is "The Hole", without the mod:

[ external image ]

Here is is with the "Draw Distance 100K" mod:

[ external image ]

Here it is with the "X3TC Draw 30K" mod:

[ external image ]

My settings:
[ external image ]

What am I doing wrong? Is there any other mod to remove fog? The Extra Search feature cannot even find this very thread .

[fud]

It's in Tbackgrounds, each line is a list of offsets\values.

I don't have it right in front of me, but in the middle of all the ";0;0;0;0;", etc, is an offset such as ;16;. This is the fogr offset.


I'm not sure of the specifics of the values, I just know this is the offset I edited to remove the fog.

The draw distance are the bigger numbers (550000;600000, etc) towards the end of the line.

You can edit it with Notepad after you extract it.

[Neofit]

It's in Tbackgrounds, each line is a list of offsets\values.

I don't have it right in front of me, but in the middle of all the ";0;0;0;0;", etc, is an offset such as ;16;. This is the fogr offset.


I'm not sure of the specifics of the values, I just know this is the offset I edited to remove the fog.

The draw distance are the bigger numbers (550000;600000, etc) towards the end of the line.

You can edit it with Notepad after you extract it.

Hehe, I have no idea what you are talking about. If Tbackgrounds is a file, I can't find it in my TC directory. The archives I have downloaded from the original post have 2 files for each of the mods to uncompress into the <TC>\mods\ directory, for instance "X3TC Draw 30k.cat" and "X3TC Draw 30k.dat" for the "X3TC Draw 30k" mod. Both are binary files, which one might edit with a hex editor but definitely not notepad.

[fud]

Right.

You'd first have to extract TBackgrounds from the main cat file in the TC folder, using Doubleshadow's editor/mod manager.


The way I did mine, I've got a TBackgrounds.txt file in x3 terran conflict\types\

The game reads from subfolders in the main as a priority, (including "mods") then the cats, starting with the highest numbered one.

[avicenna]

Neofit wrote:

Do I have to start a new game to have the fog removed? It doesn't seem to work for me.

Firstly, this mod does not remove the fog, it changes the draw distance so that you can see objects such as stations, asteroids etc through the fog up to the distance specified. I kept the fog in for aesthetic reasons, I don't mind the effect I just didn't like the invisible stations, asteroids etc.

If you want to remove the fog completely than I would suggest fud's mod.

If you look carefully at your images you can see some stations. However, a better way to determine how well it is working would be to come in through the north gate. With the mod working correctly, you should be able to clearly see the west gate, and the solar power station, trading post and another station near the trading post should be visible through the haze.

[fud]

To answer the restart question, no. This would not require a new start in any case.

[Neofit]

Thanks for the walkthrough folks. I've edited the 03.cat file, put 0 at offset 19 in the "fog*" entries (which had 16s and 10s) and it looks much better. There is still a green mist in the distance in The Hole for instance, but it already looks much better, kind of nebula-ish.

Technically, from what we know at present, nebulae are only made of a few atoms/molecules per square kilometer, it just adds up over cubic light-years. They would be totally opaque if they were as dense as clouds in our atmosphere. Feels better without the pea soup imho.

[fud]

Just as a comparison:


Unedited Back ground:

Code: Select all

0;0;0.000000;0.000000;0.000000;0;0;fogblue;1;1;1;25;50;10;5;5;0;0;0;14;0;0;0;0;3000000;4000000;100;120;120;120;0;0;0;0;0;0;0;SS_BG_10;

Edited:

Code: Select all

0;0;0.000000;0.000000;0.000000;0;0;fogblue;1;1;1;25;50;10;5;5;0;5;0;0;0;0;0;0;90000000;90000000;100;120;120;120;0;0;0;0;0;0;0;SS_BG_10;