[PROGRAM] Material Editor

[Observe]

I have writen a program to help facilitate external editing of X3 model body files. Such editing is sometimes required because DBOX often eliminates many important material parameters during export - resulting in degraded in-game model appearance. Traditionally, text editors such as Windows Notepad have been used for this purpose. However, using a text editor in this case can be difficult because all the material parameters are grouped next to each other in single lines. Sorting through these lines and finding what you may be interested in changing can sometimes be like searching for a needle in a haystack.

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While pershaps of little interest to the majority of modelers, the program can be obtained in this thread along with operating instructions for those to whom such capability may be useful.

[Kvalyr]

Looks useful, I'll give it a try.
Copy/pasting MAT6 entries from ES models usually suffices for my material needs, but having more control over them will be nice.
Thanks, Observe.

[I_E_Maverick]

this looks very handy. many thanks for that software as our mod team has several problems with material appearance in x3 itself.

btw, do you know anything about shader settings or those special entries like g_srcblend and stuff like that? we have many problems with opacity settings, bump maps and shine maps on black surfaces.

[Observe]

The subject of these various shader settings is quiet involved depending on what you are trying to accomplish. The best thing is to look at existing entries and play around with the parameters. Some of them are rather obvious, and most of them are standard MS DirectX shader settings which you can learn about from the MS DirectX SDK.

Definitely, if DBOX is exporting bodies with only a handful (7 or so) entries, your models will not look very good in-game, and may have invisibility issues depending on sector lighting conditions. This program at least makes it a bit easier to mess around with the settings.

[DeadlyDa]

Observe,

I had seen your program awhile back, and it looked interesting. I made a mental note at the time to go back and grab it for a trial run once I had some time to start digging into shaders.

Unfortunately, when I followed the link in your 1st post, it takes me to an interesting thread...but no download links.

Is there some place I should be looking?

[Saint-Ashley]

Is there some place I should be looking?

The first 4 words of his OP on XFP fourms is actually a link. (I will add an arrow to point it out a bit more...)

[DeadlyDa]

Ah...I see it now. The different color for the llink didn't show well on my browser

[Observe]

I'll be interested in your feedback DeadlyDa as I'm working on a new version and would like to incorporate features you might find useful. This current version is a rather rough prototype which could definitely use some improvements. I originally designed it for my own use because I got tired of sorting through and making adjustments to material definitions with a text editor.

[DeadlyDa]

Understood. I'll get back to you after I log some time with it.

Up until now, I have been using spreadsheets that I manualy populate to try and organize the info in a way the I can understand and work with.

[nielsw]

Hey, Observe, I know this post is from 2005, so its not a huge surprise that the link isn't working...

is there any way to still get a hold of your program?

I maybe way late for x3, but if I make some new ships now, they'll probably work in x4

[Observe]

Hey, Observe, I know this post is from 2005, so its not a huge surprise that the link isn't working...

is there any way to still get a hold of your program?

I maybe way late for x3, but if I make some new ships now, they'll probably work in x4

Here is the home thread for the Material Editor. Download and discussion is contained therein.

[superbun]

still no luck on the dowload link. the one in your first post dosent work, or the latest one you posted.

try setting it up on a new file-sharing site

[StarbuckAK]

could use this material editor, can i get a working link?

[Xenon_Slayer]

This topic has been inactive for a while so the best thing to do is PM the author and ask directly.

[eranimulli]

I found a source here:

http://www.x3dmod.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=14&t=12

Hope that's useful.

[death12337]

Could anyone add a new link?

[X2-Illuminatus]

Best you ask Observe via PM. He's still active in the forums.