( Solved) Possible to change cockpit/bridge position using .cat (etc) files only?

[Forq]

(I just posted this is the reunion forum and deleted it, sorry, as I the problem isnt for that game)

I am sorry to trouble you all again, I have been trying in vain to change the cockpit position of a couple of ships, the agamemnon mainly as the view is horrible when piloting it.

I wondered if it is possible to move the F1 view further up and back by changing values in the files, basically by not going into modelling etc as I dont have the software. I dont mind trial and error here if there is maybe an x,y,z way of moving the camera dummy?

Thanks for your time.

Cheers.

[apricotslice]

Can only be done using modelling software.

[PSCO1]

Can only be done using modelling software

and with "components" file it's not possible ?

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ships\argon\argon_TP_S; 1;
NULL; -0.020000;0.276917;-0.607040; 0.000000;0.000000;0.000000;

x: -0.020000
y: 0.276917
z: -0.607040

but I may be wrong

[apricotslice]

The components file is the link between the model and the spec files. (I think).

Moving anything has to be done on the model as well.

[PSCO1]

I have never understood what was the difference between components file and with the scene file .. but it works with the file components
iam sure

[Forq]

Thanks for the replies! There doesnt seem to be anything specfic enough in components to designate the paranidm7s ship. I would have thought somewhere this xyz thing would be possible (looking in .cat 3 at components?).

Also stayed up half the night trying to edit it using gmax, couldnt put the camera dummy down. Then tried to swap the deimos model for the agamemnonmodel. All no dice, shame as it was my 'goal ship' to cap and I just cant stand that view!

Think I will have to learn to fly split ships! Previous attempts have had mixed results

Will keep eyes peeled if for a mod for this, as I have seen a few posts moaning about the agamemnon's cockpit position.

Cheers!

[Draesk]

Just a note, it is possible to move the cockpit view to that of a turret by editing TShips.

[Forq]

Thanks for the reply!
i tried to do that, but the cockpit is greyed out and it wont let me change anything there. I just want to move the cockpit 'up and back'.

If I could get the hang of this I would do this to a few other ships also.

I found a very old post about doing this in reunion, but any changes I make dont seem to save.

How would I go about doing this in tships if you dont mind? I am a newb but trying to learn!

[fud]

I found a very old post about doing this in reunion, but any changes I make dont seem to save.

How are you editing it? if you're using DS's editor, it should save, unless you're not editing the TShips in the highest numbered cat file.

An easy way to do testing/etc is to extract the TShips file from the 08.cat (2.1 patch) and throw the file (Tships.txt) into a "x3 terran conflict\types" subfolder.

This will assure your changes will be seen by the game.

If you're editing Tships and don't notice changes in game, you're most likely editing the wrong Tships.

[Forq]

Thanks for the reply

I have tried many things, editing different files.

Tried changing tships, using X3 editor. Here all I could do was move the cockpit seemingly into the middle of the ship model or miles away changing the ordinal input. The Tship editor in x3 editor 2 shows me the default position of the cockpit and turrets, but any change I try and make to the cockpit position is impossible until all turrets have been removed, then I cant add anything back.

I did have changes made from my tships show up in the game, such as different engine colours, sounds etc, however I dont seem to be able to move the view from the cockpits

I read something on here in one of the tutorials about changing these cockpit positions, where I was trying to edit the scene bod file, by guess work trying to move the position of the cockpit. Assuming this is even the right thing!

/bridge
P 22; B ships\props\cameradummy; C 1; N Bships\props\cameradummy_1bridge; b
{ 0x2002; 0; 16500; 113500; 0.000000; 0.000000; 0.000000; 0.000000; -1; -1; } // -1
/ { 0x2002; 0; 18701; 99192; 0.000000; 0.000000; 0.000000; 0.000000; -1; -1; } // -1

So I was changing these numbers, however this doesnt have any affect either.

Starting to think this is far beyond my powers, but thank you for the information

[PSCO1]

for exemple the TP_S argon scene file:

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P 0; B ships\argon\argon_TP_S; C 1; N Bships\argon\argon_TP_S_1b; b  // idx 0
{ 0x2002;  0; 0; 309;  0.000000; 0.000000; 0.000000; 0.000000;  -1; 1; } // 0

this is the right line to move cockpit (F1 view)
0; 0; 309; (x; y; z;...)

cameradummy is the position of the view of the turret
turretdummy is the position of the turret body
engine_fx etc etc .. is the position of the engine emiter

if it doenst work with scene file try with components.txt
TShips is not for moving cockpits positions; TShips is the specs of all ships

You can also edit your cockpit view with DBOX2 and a modelling software it's easier with the scene file !

[Forq]

Wow thanks, I actually did it!

what was throwing me was the file type

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 / Hyperion : Turrets redone by Gazz 12.12.08

P 0; B ships\patch2_ships\paranid_M7_plus; N Bships\patch2_ships\paranid_M6_plus; b
  { 0x2002;  0; 0; 0;  0.000000; 0.000000; 0.000000; 0.000000;  3333;  

Its not a hyperion but it is the right file. My first go at changing the co-ordinates was to 0:15:10. This put the cockpit almost excactly where I wanted it. However now if I change any of these numbers it goes back to the default view, and my changes are ignored.

However I am really happy with this and am sure there is a reason for the above. i did try deleting components.txt but then my game wouldnt load. I read that somewhere but dont know where looked at that many pages!

Thanks for the info on the the camera dummies etc too, good to know I was looking in the wrong places.


So a big thanks

[apricotslice]

Once you change a file, it either needs to go in a mod, or be put in the types directory (or scene file under objects) under the TC directory.

Not showing up in the game usually means the file is in the wrong place, or you made a mod and never selected it.

If you make a ship in game, save the game, then delete anything to do with ship from the game, the save game will crash.

[Forq]

Yea, what I did was extract 06.cat and change the scene file, then put it back in with the values changed from

Code: Select all

 P 0; B ships\patch2_ships\paranid_M7_plus; N Bships\patch2_ships\paranid_M6_plus; b
  { 0x2002;  0; 0; 0;  0.000000; 0.000000; 0.000000; 0.000000;  3333;  1; } // 1
  { 0x2002;  0; 0; 0;  0.000000; 0.000000; 0.000000; 0.000000;  -1;  -1; } // -1

to

Code: Select all

 P 0; B ships\patch2_ships\paranid_M7_plus; N Bships\patch2_ships\paranid_M6_plus; b
  { 0x2002;  0; 15; 10;  0.000000; 0.000000; 0.000000; 0.000000;  3333;  1; } // 1
  { 0x2002;  0; 0; 0;  0.000000; 0.000000; 0.000000; 0.000000;  -1;  -1; } // -1

So I have changed the base files, and not made a mod. I change the numbers and look at it using the xmodel viewer.

Whats weird though is if I change 0;0;0 to anything but 0;15;10 it wont stick and it goes back to default.

Not a big deal really, but strange. Still pretty pleased, and thank you to you all for your help and advice.

But it is working in game, and I can now fly the ship without the weird view.

edit: And I guess whats further strange is 0,15,10 was my first guess

[Killjaeden]

remember that you propably have to respawn your ship.

then delete anything to do with ship from the game, the save game will crash.

If you are IS yes, if you are OOS you have an unknown object/bug/missingentry or something like that iirc.

did try deleting components.txt but then my game wouldnt load

lol pretty bad idea ^^. A missing entry in a components that was there before causes savegamecrashing too. On most newer ships you don't need to edit the components to move the camera because most of them are now placed into the scene instead of the body itself (All new TC ships and iirc all patch2_ships (M3+; Hyperion))

[apricotslice]

Yea, what I did was extract 06.cat and change the scene file, then put it back in

That is unlikely to work.

Never change the original cat/dat files.

For testing, put it direct into the appropriate directory under the TC directory.

Once tested, put it into a mod or false patch.

If you put it in 06, then if the same file is used by 07 or 08, or some mod or false patch, then your changes get overwritten.

[Forq]

Yea, for testing I kept spawning new ships, then once it worked I just sent my own ship OOS and back and the cockpit changes were saved.

It did work with changing the orignal files, I guess nothing else touched that file.

I went back to the default 06.cat, and tried applying it as a mod. Now all my saves are corrupted it is saying, this persists even without the mod, or on any save I have which is strange.

Back to the mod files


Cheers

(Saves wouldnt load due to unrelated file corruption in game directory, strange! God it working now but only by using it as 06.cat.)

[Forq]

Just incase (unlikely!) anyone searches and reads this, after resinstalling the game the exact thing I did before no longer works. My current ship has the new cockpit position, but new ones spawned dont.

The changes are identical, I am out of ideas with it now.

Thanks all for the info and patience

[apricotslice]

Thats why you dont use the 96 files Installing overwrites them, so what you changed in there is gone.

Put the changed files under the tc directory or in a mod.

[Forq]

Yea thats what I did, I also saved the old 06.cat file and tried that, the changes arent there anymore, aside from on my old saved game. Cant see a single ref to what I changed anywhere else either.

P 0; B ships\patch2_ships\paranid_M7_plus; N Bships\patch2_ships\paranid_M6_plus; b
{ 0x2002; 0; 15; 10; 0.000000; 0.000000; 0.000000; 0.000000; 3333; 1; } // 1
{ 0x2002; 0; 0; 0; 0.000000; 0.000000; 0.000000; 0.000000; -1; -1; } // -1

Exact same changes as before, but this time nothing. Always thought maybe the changes were a coincidence before!

Thanks again, I think I might abandon this now, I have been doing this for days!