Let's come together and make a FULL Star Wars conversion!!!

[Ameer Nuub]

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A preview of our current progress can be found here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xXs6TEku ... e=youtu.be

Thufir, a co-developer of the mod, has set up a separate board so as not to clutter up this thread or forum with development posts. Anyone interested in helping or submitting ideas, please participate here:

http://www.mundusbellicus.fr/forum/foru ... cial-forum


PROJECT DESCRIPTION:

There are a few Star Wars mods here, and we are really thankful that they exist. Some even include more than just ships… but none really go all the way.

Let’s make one that does! Who’s with me!!???!!!??! (crickets)

I’m talking about a full conversion, where most or all of the ships are replaced with Star Wars ships and cockpits; most or all sector and combat music is changed; most or of all comm window video is replaced with Star Wars characters, most or all of laser, ship, computer sounds, warning and alert sounds are changed, all to authentic Star Wars versions, etc. etc.

Actually, most of the work is already completed. All the ships already exist (provided permission is granted), all the audio is done (much by me, some other existing mods have audio too). The only thing lacking are a couple basic things and then whatever possibilities anyone might want to include. Just someone knowledgable to help get it all together


The current version is Star “Wars Chronicles 2.0” and it’s based mostly on what Arachno.R put together for himself. It is a starting point from which the project will change and develop. For 2.0, it has been tweaked, added to, etc. with many additions to sound fx files, and a little different soundtrack focus than the original release.

Unlike some other approaches, I will not wait until the mod is “finished” to release it… I always hated when that was the case, for many reasons. I know you want it now, and you shall have it!!!


It can be found here:

https://skydrive.live.com/#cid=CF0DB393 ... BF17%21151

Just drop the files into your TC folder and choose "yes" to replace files. Back up your files first.

Much in the mod has come from many ship modelers, authors, other sources, other mods, and people who help put things like that together. Those include:

Arachno.R
Jorkins Shipyard
M[ART]in
DarkSaber
http://www.scifi3d.com
EvilleJedi
Dinoff
Mikska

Again, this is only the current version, and there is a lot more work, changes, and versions to come.

More changes and things left to do include:


1) The video replacement - The video files are 22 second clips, one right after the other, that the game pulls from by referencing a certain time frame within the one video file. It is packed and compressed in the a certain dat file. It can be extracted, but the process of doing so and loading editing the video changes some of the parameters, which would be fine, if you knew how to get it back in the original form and parameters... which I don't. I asked about this a while back and got several people respond, but I just didn't have the skill to make what they were saying happen. There are also several other options / tools I’ve seen that make it possible to add or change game video.

I have already made many replacement clips, such as Admiral Ackbar to replace Commander Derik, as seen here:

http://s481.photobucket.com/albums/rr17 ... cement.mp4

2) The sectors / races - most people talking about this want the addition of “Rebel” and “Imperial” sectors and races, etc. I’ve seen a Star Wars mod that added this, but I think they want that expounded upon.

I’ve done much of this already for myself. I just got finished modifying all of the SW ships that currently exist to replace most of the vanilla ships for AP... over 200 ships. Took me a very long time to change all the ship ID's and stats to replace the vanilla ships.


It was really awesome to start out by default in a modified X-wing, surrounded by Nebulon B's and Mon Calimari's, having the SW sector music playing while Derik is giving the speech as I get into position in a long formation of other X-wings at the AP Argon game start, and to hear Vader's "Get the crews to their fighters" line, instead of the "new mission" beep. Other stuff like R2D2 sounds for "incoming missile" beeps or "incoming message" alerts, movie dialog like "Red 5 standing by" when I select red group, "This is Gold leader" for Gold Group, "Red 5 I'm goin' in" for enemy sighted, etc. etc. etc. Makes when very happy when I fire up the game.

Also, I get to play the game in this, the home cockpit that I made:

http://s481.photobucket.com/albums/rr17 ... Cptest.mp4

But it's just not complete without SW characters in the comm video replacing vanilla, like the link in the above post. To see Ackbar, Mon Mothma, Chewie, Rebel / Imperial pilots instead of the vanilla in the comm windows... that is what would bring it home. Also to have new sectors and races, as well as many of the various awesome possibilities from other tools / scripts, etc. made by the community here, but incorporated in a Star Wars application… THAT would be the ultimate power in the universe!

As stated, I'm not a coder or modder, can't make or change models, and all I did was change info on ships that already existed that were made by someone else.

But what I do have is solid perseverance... I could contribute video and sound work, but mostly just be a "workhorse" for any bulk tasks that need to be done. If some coding and scripting expert has the know-how to get things done, but not the time or interest to do the "process" of it all, I could perform a very large part of the “grunt work” and any file processing if I was just told what to do.

Any of the big talent out there interested???

“Help me Obi Wan Kenobi. You’re my only hope…”

[Blackjanek]

I really really really love your idea, but sadly, I'm a total n00b when it comes to X3 modding xD

[bluenog143]

...I'm a total n00b when it comes to X3 modding xD

Me too!

[Killjaeden]

and combat music is changed

I don't think it's legal to include original SW music, unfortunately. With a mod you would basically offer it for download. Not sure about the movie snippets. As awesome as the idea sounds, you can't cast legal issues asside because of that.

Awesome homecockpit btw. do the buttons work or do you still need a keyboard for that?^^

[Observe]

Seems to me I remember someone (don't remember who off-hand) receiving a cease and desist letter from Lucas Films when they caught wind of efforts toward a X3 Star Wars mod. That being the case, I suspect similar legal threats may be forthcoming with any further attempts.

[bluenog143]

The others are right, though. Lucasarts/lucasfilm/whatever has a reputation of taking legal action even if it's just a mod or free thing.

[Ameer Nuub]

and combat music is changed

I don't think it's legal to include original SW music, unfortunately. With a mod you would basically offer it for download. Not sure about the movie snippets. As awesome as the idea sounds, you can't cast legal issues asside because of that.

Awesome homecockpit btw. do the buttons work or do you still need a keyboard for that?^^

Hey Killjaeden,

Please don't take any of this as disrespect or attitude or anything like that at all... not meant anywhere close to such...

... but the truth is that 95% of such things are naive, out of breath B.S. Of course you can't make money off of these things in any way, but the quickest google search for Star Wars mods will turn up in the several hundred, many with music, characters, ships, video, etc. As stated, one of the ones already available here for X3 Star Wars includes some music.

I respect the right of any forum, website, or community to just have a blanket policy of having nothing to do with it for there not to be even any chance of dealing with anything, but again, how many mods are freely available for how many games out there?

Yes I'm sure there will be the inevitable "nah uh, nah uh, here is a link to an example where this or that happened, where it says you can't do x or y" etc. etc. I'm not talking about any exceptions, etc., I'm just very politely talking about what's we can all see is usually the case that's available and happening in the real world.

I ran a business for eleven years manufacturing products, and the president regularly named products with names that were copyrighted. I didn't like him doing that etc. but he called the shots. This was a situation that WAS for profit, a fairly big name in the industry, not at all under the radar, etc. etc. and nothing ever happened other than a very rare exception when a cease and desist was sent. We said we would comply, we changed the name, and that was that. Literally. I'm not sure what people are thinking when they think of such processes; that you go to jail, or pay some kind of fine, or what, but really, it's pretty much as simple as that... if the forum, site, or Lucas says cut it out, then you do, and that's that.

Some of the tons of mods out there have actually written and got consent, and no one is saying NOT to do that with this one... just putting forth an idea!!!

So begins the onslaught of responses that I'm a puppy murderer who couldn't be more evilly wrong, etc...

[Ameer Nuub]

Awesome homecockpit btw. do the buttons work or do you still need a keyboard for that?^^

The buttons and MFD’s are all integrated into the system, and assigned keystrokes, macros, special functions, etc. The MFD screens are all Ipods, but at the moment are just extensions of the desktop. I’d really like to find an applet or some way for them to display in-game stats and info like I see on all the modern keyboards and joysticks that people here are writing programs for.

[Ameer Nuub]

The others are right, though. Lucasarts/lucasfilm/whatever has a reputation of taking legal action even if it's just a mod or free thing.

Yep, there have been cases of LA sending cease and desists… again, though, the only point I’m making is this: it’s also an absolute fact that there been cases where kids have been snatched, abducted, killed, etc. Many (especially in our current times) breathlessly relay this fact at every opportunity and react by never letting their kids play in the front yard or go anywhere without being handcuffed to their parents. Others let their kids play until the street lights come on, then it’s time to come home for dinner… pretty much the same as it always has been…. You know what I’m saying?

I’m just talking about not automatically refusing to even think about something because “I don’t know, I’ve heard stories”. I'm not saying that's what you or anyone here is doing, but just in general. I mean, somebody had to do something for there to be so many Star Wars mods out there for so many games!

[Dinoff]

i will only say you must have permission from the model owner and say that permission has been given to avoid any doubts. beyond that good luck

[bluenog143]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PGwEuBkB ... re=related

What do you know, it's that Star Wars mod for Call of Duty 4 Modern Warfare. Gee, I wonder how they did it.

[Ameer Nuub]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PGwEuBkB ... re=related

What do you know, it's that Star Wars mod for Call of Duty 4 Modern Warfare. Gee, I wonder how they did it.

I sense a disturbance in the force... as if... someone was being rude and sarcastic when they had not been previously attacked....

If that's the case... sorry friend, I'm too dense to get the point you are making... after all, I am Ameer Nuub.

If not...

I didn't know about the one you linked to, but it looks awesome! These are some of my personal favorites:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KOw8JHNv49w

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HVe_eX57pCE

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=InJ6VTWDsOM

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IcRaXIVTbqY

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HBRXibJ8ThA

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oDOfl0Hip80

There is also this one, but we all know the X3 version would be so much better...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CAXiRBJZ_VU


There are tons of others out there... basically just add the words "Star Wars Mod" to a search of your favorite game, and it probably already exists.


.

[Litcube]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PGwEuBkB ... re=related

What do you know, it's that Star Wars mod for Call of Duty 4 Modern Warfare. Gee, I wonder how they did it.

I sense a disturbance in the force... as if... someone was being rude and sarcastic when they had not been previously attacked.... .

I think he's on your side!

[Ameer Nuub]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PGwEuBkB ... re=related

What do you know, it's that Star Wars mod for Call of Duty 4 Modern Warfare. Gee, I wonder how they did it.

I sense a disturbance in the force... as if... someone was being rude and sarcastic when they had not been previously attacked.... .

I think he's on your side!

I hope so... we need all the help we can get!

Though phrases like "What do you know / golly gee" are usually used sarcastically, and that... leads to the Dark side.

[bluenog143]

I was actually refering to the legal aspects. Like how did they do the mod without getting busted by Lucas? Either they got permission or Lucas doesn't know about it.

[DutchCourage86]

Can't we just ask Lucas for permission? Who knows, they might want a share in it or something. Egosoft can lend a helping hand and offer it as a paid expansion pack. I think many would pay for an open-world(space) Star Wars game.

[bluenog143]

It's worth a try to ask for permission. I think it could be a really neat thing, if they let us.

[LV]

since when do you all make the decisions on here over legalities !

afaic if the models are from free mesh sites or made by users and there is no clear copyright infringement (music being the case in point for example) i cannot see an issue with putting free models together as a mod (we already have most of the ship hosted in bits and bats)

that said if someone did make one and mr lucus or one of his minions said no then i would instigate the grip.

I do not forsee that being an issue

[Ameer Nuub]

I was actually refering to the legal aspects. Like how did they do the mod without getting busted by Lucas? Either they got permission or Lucas doesn't know about it.

I think it’s pretty much what I was saying… the only thing I can do is speak from my own experience dealing with intellectual property in the situation I described. That obviously isn’t an expert opinion, but it’s not talking off the top of the head, either.

Lucas and Lucasarts are love/hated for many legitimate reasons but on the copyright front, it is true that it is a complicated situation. Again, from my dealings with it I know that if a company makes no attempts to defend their copyright, they lose legal claim to it; hence the random rare “shut down” of a mod or project by LA. However, a company also knows that letting their product be a big craze that people build upon (as long as they don’t profit from it) is just good for business; hence all the rest of the mods, projects, etc. that have been very visible and available for years. This is why so many games include the tools to mod their stuff. LA goes so far as to do all the things like offer official sound files and clips to play with, include fan-made materials on their official Blu-ray releases, etc. etc. (yes I know the details behind all that, but the point is still valid). The ones that achieved specific personal permission and approval say it loud and clear on their website, etc. because such a thing is like big brownie points, but the rest just get by with the regular “not for profit, not affiliated with LA, blah blah” disclaimer and they get left alone, aside from the random “bust” to fulfill their legal obligation. Trust me, there's no way LA has just "overlooked" or doesn't know about all of these mods, projects, etc. that have been out for so long.

That was my only point… if they were to shut it down, then so be it… but let’s not shut ourselves down before it’s even started because of nothing more than abstract conjecture.

[Ameer Nuub]

that said if someone did make one and mr lucus or one of his minions said no then i would instigate the grip.

HAHAHAHAHA!!!


Awesome.....



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