[MOD] Pimp the X3 universe! Hubble telescope backgrounds, version 1.3

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x3_gotcha
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[MOD] Pimp the X3 universe! Hubble telescope backgrounds, version 1.3

Post by x3_gotcha »

This mod combines Hubble telecope images with the original nebula backgrounds to add some beauty and colour to the universe.
I have tried to retain the atmosphere in each sector and make the backgrounds not obtrusive or distracting.
I have replaced 23 backgrounds in DXT3 format, which are used in 111 sectors.
The hubblebg13.cat and hubblebg13.dat files will be placed in your game directory.
Rename then to the highest number of cat and dat files + 1.

8)
New version: 1.3: added two more backgrounds

version 1.2: replaced two more backgrounds
version 1.1: replaced some backgrounds and checked all sectors to make
sure that none of the new nebula and galaxy images obscure planets in the foreground.

I f you don't like them just delete them again.
Comments are welcome, if you want changes not te sector name you are in.

Thanks to spacefueladdict for help.

download version 1.2 here: here (15.0 Mb)

For those who want to know, I have replaced
bluedistance SS_BG_1; bluenexus SS_BG_2; bluewell SS_BG_3; brennanstriumph SS_BG_4; burninghorizon SS_BG_5; cyancorner SS_BG_6; darkhorizon SS_BG_7; deepblue SS_BG_8; deepred SS_BG_9; greeneye SS_BG_19; greenoutlands SS_BG_20; greenspot SS_BG_21; greenvoid SS_BG_22; midnightblue SS_BG_23; oppositered SS_BG_24; purpleoutlands SS_BG_25; redborderland SS_BG_26; reddawn SS_BG_27; redfire SS_BG_28; rednexus SS_BG_29; redreef SS_BG_30; redsplit SS_BG_31;

Enjoy
X3_Gotcha

Some examples: left new - right old

Brennans Triump
[ external image ][ external image ]

New Income
[ external image ][ external image ]

Argon Prime
[ external image ][ external image ]

Nathan's Voyage
[ external image ][ external image ]

Menelaus' Frontier
[ external image ][ external image ]

Cloud Base South West
[ external image ][ external image ]
Last edited by x3_gotcha on Tue, 3. Mar 09, 23:39, edited 16 times in total.
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pelador
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Post by pelador »

Very pretty!

I noticed on the sixth one the nebula seems to be in front of the planet(oid) which may not be universally sensible?

Last one didn't show.
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x3_gotcha
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Post by x3_gotcha »

true, I have shifted the nebula a bit and now it should be fine.
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LV
Sith Lord
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Post by LV »

Nice but TBH i don't think they are that far from the excellent vanilla backgrounds in X

No intention to urinate on your bonfire here, I'd be interested if any 3D artwork would be better than reality hubble backgrounds
LV's TC Scripts
Readme's For All My Scripts


I felt a great disturbance in the forum, Like millions of voices cried out in terror, then were silenced

si tacuisses, philosophus mansisses
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Jar B
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Post by Jar B »

LV wrote:No intention to urinate on your bonfire here, I'd be interested if any 3D artwork would be better than reality hubble backgrounds
Hmm, what about this one? Sector Size & Backgrounds Mod V1.0
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Marodeur
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Post by Marodeur »

Nice, but not everyone wants altered sector sizes, station/gate positons, radar ranges, etc. :)
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x3_gotcha
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Post by x3_gotcha »

Yogi_K wrote:
LV wrote:No intention to urinate on your bonfire here, I'd be interested if any 3D artwork would be better than reality hubble backgrounds
Hmm, what about this one? Sector Size & Backgrounds Mod V1.0
yep thats what got me to try in the first place. spacefueladdict gave me some pointers. But I don't want the altered sized universe, just thegraphics. and 3D graphics would be nice, the stations are very nice in detail but very boring in texture. But that's a different mod!
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x3_gotcha
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Post by x3_gotcha »

Changed the link, it pointed toan old install file. This one uses cat and dat packages instead of loose dds files.
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djwakt
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Post by djwakt »

I love the idea of using real world Hubble images.
So much so that I would like to add some of my own. Could you give me any tips on extracting/uncompressing the backgrounds within the .dat file?
Also what format are you saving the backgrounds as initially? JPG? PNG? TIFF? Or some other format.
I'm still a newbie at modding X3. Cheers.
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x3_gotcha
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Post by x3_gotcha »

download the modmanager from this site: www.doubleshadow.wz.cz.
unpack the dat/cat files with it. If you unpack the original images in 01.cat and 01.dat they will be in a subdirectory dds where you unpacked them, starting with "nebula_". all files get the extntion txt but you can simply rename them to dds. You can also unpack my image files. they are in dds DX3 format and I made them wth adobe photoshop (and I use the freeware xnview a lot, great tool, www.xnview.com). The game wants dds format images.

Each backgronud cnsists of for quadrants, so for images nabula_name_01 to nebula_name_04. There are other types with moving gass clouds, these are a bit different.
You can make a subdir 'dds' under your game directory and store dds images you are working on in there, you do not have to create a dat/cat file set.
I used DX3 format but maybe DX1 will do ass well, not sure. DX3 is twice as big and I think more bits are used per cell (and there is an alpha layer which is not used for backgrounds)

hope this will get you started
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djwakt
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Post by djwakt »

Thanks for the advice. Will try it out and see how I go.
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Dungeoncrawler
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Post by Dungeoncrawler »

Couldn't get them to work :(
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x3_gotcha
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Post by x3_gotcha »

try the new version 1.1? or pm me with what is going wrong...
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spacefueladdict
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Post by spacefueladdict »

Just downloaded the new version, and will give it a spin later today.

What alterations have you made? :)
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gandy|UKCS|
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Post by gandy|UKCS| »

This one would be great to add..

http://www.eso.org/gallery/d/83184-2/phot-07a-09.jpg

its nickname is Gods Eye :)
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x3_gotcha
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Post by x3_gotcha »

added some screenshot

spacefueladdict: almost all are brushed up. a new one for Argon Prime

gandy: nice, I'll see what I can do
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spacefueladdict
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Post by spacefueladdict »

x3_gotcha wrote:added some screenshot

spacefueladdict: almost all are brushed up. a new one for Argon Prime

gandy: nice, I'll see what I can do
OOOOHHH YEESSSSS! now that's sweet, :thumb_up:

in the older version the 'Bluedistance' background seemed to have an odd tile in the image, it just didn't look right, has this been sorted? :)
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x3_gotcha
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Post by x3_gotcha »

yep the wrong tile is gone

like this? :D
(new brennans' triumph)

[ external image ]
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spacefueladdict
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Post by spacefueladdict »

x3_gotcha wrote:yep the wrong tile is gone

like this? :D
(new brennans' triumph)

[ external image ]
Thats great!. that pic is sweeeeet! :D
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x3_gotcha
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Post by x3_gotcha »

added two more backgrounds ... version 1.2
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