Ship Tricks: Mini-Guides. NO 3D modeling required! (Bullwinkle) [Guide][TC][AP]

[unity100]

I do not know why you experience that, but here are some tips:

• Always Open from VFS (or use the Cat Manager tool which opens from VFS). That way, you know that you are looking at the file that the game will use.
• When you edit a file, do not save it back into its original .cat. If you do, then you will lose your edits the next time you update that .cat. Instead, create a new .cat, or save the file directly on your hard drive as suggested by several of the tutorials.

doing it through vfs worked, ty.

i wasnt able to make the game use my mods when i saved them as separate tcockpits.pck files, but i just overwrote the files in vfs and made it work.

[unity100]

im trying to make own my .cat file, but i am not able to do this through x3 editor 2. i have searched a few threads and did what they say - placed it as tships.pck in root folder, addon folder. placed it under a mods folder. saved it as .txt file - no go.

i learned that x3 editor 2 cannot create .cat files. is that true ? if it can im going to try doing my mod into a cat file and try like that.

[X2-Illuminatus]

That's not true. In X3 Editor 2 select File -> New Catalog, enter a name and your new (empty) cat/dat pair is ready.

[unity100]

That's not true. In X3 Editor 2 select File -> New Catalog, enter a name and your new (empty) cat/dat pair is ready.

i dont have any entry for 'New Catalog' under File menu in my x3 editor 2. im using version 2.0.26.0. neither do i have it in any of the menus under x3 editor 2.

[X2-Illuminatus]

Under 'Plugins' select the 'Cat Manager'. Then it should work.

[unity100]

Under 'Plugins' select the 'Cat Manager'. Then it should work.

i created a catalog with that, but it doesnt let me create a file directory like addon\types inside it. maybe for this reason the cat i tried with it did not work.

i just overwrote the pck files in original location and had the game work that way though.

[movieman1717]

I know this is a little off topic, but is there any way to alter the way factories/docks work?

I would like to have a custom split equipment dock (just because I like the looks of it) that works as a giant factory and a custom split shipyard that works like the player HQ.

Sadly, I have no idea how to start with this, neither do I have any scripting/modding experience. But I DO like to learn it

[DrBullwinkle]

I would like to have a custom split equipment dock (just because I like the looks of it) that works as a giant factory

I would think that would be very easy to do, movieman, although I have not tried it. It will be easier if you think about it the other way around: You want a factory that looks like a Split Equipment Dock.

Try changing the scene for your factory in TFactories.

a custom split shipyard that works like the player HQ.

Again, think about it the other way around: You want a PHQ that looks like a Split Shipyard. There are two player headquarters: The Commonwealth PHQ (SS_DOCK_P_HQ) and the Terran PHQ (SS_DOCK_TR_HQ). Both are defined in TDocks, and both are listed as "Yaki" docks (no, I do not know why!).

neither do I have any scripting/modding experience.

Well, that is going to be a greater barrier. Modding is, essentially, reverse-engineering, which tends to be a skill that people acquire from experience.

But I think that you can change your factory easily enough, which will give you a start on your modding carrier!
.

[dempom]

@DrBullwinkle

Thanks for writing this guide. I followed the section on adding an external TS/M6 dock as well as the section on "embiggening" internal docks.

I wanted to add an external M2/M1 dock and tried the following:

Code: Select all

P 39; B ships\props\extern_BIG_dock; N ships\props\extern_BIG_dock; b 
{ 0x2002;  300000; 0; 0;  0.000000; 0.000000; 0.000000; 0.000000;  -1; 1; } 

However, this does not seem to work. Is extern_BIG_dock not implemented?

I then stole the big dock from the ARAN and it got closer to working

Code: Select all

P 39; B 19040; C 1; N B19040_1; b 
{ 0x2002;  470000; 0; 0;  0.000000; 0.000000; 0.000000; 0.000000;  -1; 1; } 

The syntax is a little different from what you have in the guide. Not really sure what the different format means.... Using a straight copy of the first line from the Aran, M2's can be commanded to dock but they don't actually dock (even OOS).

Any suggestions on what to try next?

[DrBullwinkle]

Yeah, I have had trouble with HugeShip docks, as well.

They work if you use Docking Lockup Fix. Otherwise... they seem to be troublesome.

[dempom]

I'm using the Docking Lockup Fix but its still not working. Maybe I installed it incorrectly? For AP, which scripts folder should it go in?

[Yinepuhotep]

Is there some way to convert Tships.pck into a text file so I can follow along in this guide?

[DrBullwinkle]

Just drag and drop from the X3Editor to Windows Explorer. I probably do it in some of the videos.

[Mav/]

A short question: In strings like

Code: Select all

{ 0x2002;  300000; 0; 0;  0.000000; 0.000000; 0.000000; 0.000000;  -1; 1; } 

, the 2nd to 4th value rather obviously are the xyz-coords and three of the following should be rotations (seemingly from 0.0 to 1.0, or maybe from -1.0 to 1.0) .
Now the question : Which ones are the rotation, and what are the remaining three ?
(1st value seems always the same more or less, so I'm not really concerned about it right now)


.
Else than that - great tutorial , big THANKS from me.
.

The syntax is a little different from what you have in the guide.

Hm, comparing the two, I'd say the difference is (judging from my recent turret-editing tries) that the 2nd seems to be linked to a (the main?) cockpitview in some way via the 'C 1'-part - though why a dock should be so, I have no idea...

[DrBullwinkle]

If I knew the full syntax then I would have included it in the guide.

You can figure out the rotations pretty easily by just trying them.

I don't know what dempom was talking about regarding syntax, because both of his examples had exactly the same syntax.

I am glad that you liked the tutorial.

[Black_hole_suN]

Hi!! you sir wrote a very nice guide..

I have a couple of questions:
- what props/dummies/scene/whatever file would I use if I want to add an external docking slot for m8's use only?

- how to make "extern_M6_dock" or any m6 specific docking to act like a TM one that will speed launch the ships?

- unrelated to ships- how to make CFA and FBL fragment actually hit anything?? they just pass through anything then explode spectacularly

[DrBullwinkle]

Thanks.

1) Good question! The docs that I have do not mention M8's, and I have never tried. The only idea I have is to change the docking class to M8. (Where it otherwise says FIGHTER or TRANSPORT or M6 or whatever).

You should be able to test it quickly. Try changing:
ships\props\extern_M6_dock;ANIMATEDF_DOCKPORT_M6|ANIMATEDF_DOCKPORT_UDFWD;0;

to

ships\props\extern_M8_dock;ANIMATEDF_DOCKPORT_M8|ANIMATEDF_DOCKPORT_UDFWD;0;


2) Look at (or copy) the docks used in a TM scene. For example, "extern_M4_dock".


3) AFAIK, Cluster Flak Array (CFA), Fragmentation Bomb Launcer (FBL), and Starburst Shockwave Cannon (SSC) work like normal bullets. The graphical effect is just for show.


Note that, if you add a new dock, then you will have to increment the counter in Dummies:

SDTYPE_ANIMATED;20;

[Black_hole_suN]

Thanks!! will test these when I get back home tonight...

[Black_hole_suN]

Hi! I'm back..

Thanks for your tips. At first I was baffled at what should I do but after opening Dummies file, I quickly realize what are you talking about..

- so basically I just extract "extern_M6_dock" to the proper directory.. then change its name to

"extern_M8_dock".

after that add an entry to the Dummies file

ships\props\extern_m8_dock;ANIMATEDF_DOCKPORT_M8|ANIMATEDF_DOCKPORT_UDFWD;0;

- for a TM-style undocking I just change

ships\props\extern_m8_dock;ANIMATEDF_DOCKPORT_M8|ANIMATEDF_DOCKPORT_UDFWD;0;

to

ships\props\extern_m8_dock;ANIMATEDF_DOCKPORT_M8|ANIMATEDF_DOCKPORT_FWDPUSH;0;

also I increase "SDTYPE_ANIMATED;XX;" for every entry that I added to the Dummies file...


I still have alot of things to ask but I feel like I could do it all myself since X3 Editor 2 is actually a very noob-friendly..

[DrBullwinkle]

Approximately that, yes. (Except that you extract the Dummies file, not an individual dock).

Try it; that is the only way to find out whether it works. Remember to spawn a new ship to test (or use Super Script Killer (SSK) to clone an existing ship).

Yes, X3Editor2 is very easy to use.