Starstreaks ( aka Partical Streaks )

[sgtwalt]

Is there any script or mod to get rid of the star steaks you get while moving? They are very annoying and take away the feeling of the vastness of space.

[Doc Quixotic]

Wouldn't it also take away the sensation of any movement at all?

[sgtwalt]

I can deal with that myself. I would much rather have it slightly more realistic visually speaking than have these fake streaks going by. Could possibly increase framerates as well.
Or could do a significant reduction in the number of them I have now ( Seemes at least a few hundred ). Maybe a dozen or so to keep the movement sensation you speak of, or maybe 2 versions. One with none and one with a reduction?

[spacefueladdict]

Is there any script or mod to get rid of the star steaks you get while moving? They are very annoying and take away the feeling of the vastness of space.

This can only be altered in the T/backgrounds file if you are wanting it completely removed from every sector then you will have to change the specific value in each line of code for each background. (about 80).

fogparanid;1;1;1;25;25;25;25;25;25;0;0;16;0;0;0;0;11500000;12500000;100;120;120;120;0;0;0;0;0;0;0;SS_BG_17;

The higlighted value is what you need to change, It can be set between 0-100 and will change the amount of 'stardust' you will see passing your ships as you fly through sector.

[Lord Dakier]

Never knew that was changable. Does it effect frames through?

[spacefueladdict]

Never knew that was changable. Does it effect frames through?

No effect on frames as far as i can see, it's set at max on all backgrounds.

I altered them in the mod that i'm doing, seemed to me if it was varied it would make it a little more realistic rather than having it constant throughout each sector.

[s9ilent]

I think his actually refering to the dust particles
(But I can't help you out there either)

I'd assume its in tparticles??? but I have no idea

[spacefueladdict]

I think his actually refering to the dust particles
(But I can't help you out there either)

I'd assume its in tparticles??? but I have no idea

It is the dust partical, there are shown in the editor as 'Stardust intensity' and are i t/backgrounds, the colour of said particles can be altered too:

fogparanid;1;1;1;25;25;25;25;25;25;0;0;16;0;0;0;0;11500000;12500000;100;120;120;120;0;0;0;0;0;0;0;SS_BG_17;

[jlehtone]

No effect on frames as far as i can see, it's set at max on all backgrounds.

The game probably issues the same set of drawing commands with all densities and the actual particle generation occurs within GPU. Either the density does not really change number of primitives, or the operation is very light compared to everything else that is done. Just a guess.

[spacefueladdict]

No effect on frames as far as i can see, it's set at max on all backgrounds.

The game probably issues the same set of drawing commands with all densities and the actual particle generation occurs within GPU. Either the density does not really change number of primitives, or the operation is very light compared to everything else that is done. Just a guess.

I would imagine that the operation is very light, i have backgrounds with its value set to Zero, then others where it's at max and there is no obvious difference in framerates.

[Saracen]

Thanks sgtwalt, I came here to ask the same thing and you've saved me the hassle. Yeah, they've very annoying. It'll be great to finally be rid of them. Thanks for the reply spacefueladdict, much appreciated.

Wouldn't it also take away the sensation of any movement at all?

The surrounding ships, stations, asteroids etc take care of that

[Locksley]

Wonderful! This has been bugging me as well - thought it was hardcoded

Thank you!

[sgtwalt]

Thank you space, I appreciate that info.

One last question though. Where is that file and how do you open it?
Keep in mind that I have a Steam installed version and I see no backgrounds file in the T folder and the is no T/Background file to be found anywhere on my PC.

List of files in this direstory
" I:\Program Files\Steam\SteamApps\common\x3 terran conflict\t "
are as follows.

PCK Files:
0002-L049.pck
0002-L033.pck
0002.pck
0002-L048.pck
0002-L007.pck
0002-L039.pck

XML Documents:
4224-L044.xml
4224-L007.xml
3443-L039.xml
3443-L044.xml
1000-L044.xml
9999-L044.xml

[spacefueladdict]

Thank you space, I appreciate that info.

One last question though. Where is that file and how do you open it?
Keep in mind that I have a Steam installed version and I see no backgrounds file in the T folder and the is no T/Background file to be found anywhere on my PC.

List of files in this direstory
" I:\Program Files\Steam\SteamApps\common\x3 terran conflict\t "
are as follows.

PCK Files:
0002-L049.pck
0002-L033.pck
0002.pck
0002-L048.pck
0002-L007.pck
0002-L039.pck

XML Documents:
4224-L044.xml
4224-L007.xml
3443-L039.xml
3443-L044.xml
1000-L044.xml
9999-L044.xml

You wont find it in the t-files they are for all the text in the game, you will find it in Cat/Dat 03 in the main Dir.

You will need Doubleshadows X3 Mod manager to access this,

Link:http://www.doubleshadow.wz.cz/

Thre are also runtime libraries that you will need to D/load which are available on the same page, and you will need a good xml editor. to extract the file from the cat, right click on T/backgrounds and choose extract then choose a empty file to put it in.

When your done with editing it, you will need to put it back into your game, i would suggest creating a new cat to avoid messing up the standard game files.

Go into the mod manager, click on 'new' give the file a name, i would set its destination to the same file you put the t-file in.

Once you have done that open your new Cat, click 'Add' and serch for the t-file you edited. when you have selected the file a box will appear, in this you will need to type: types then click 'Ok'.

Now you will need to put this cat into the main Game dir, remember to numberr it to the highest number, so if the highest is 07, number it to 08.

hope this is some help.

[aquemnun]

Thanks, I would also like to remove these streaks. reminds me of an old windows screensaver

On a more serious point i ont think i would take away the sense of movement or scale. M2's are over 2km long, the teladi phoenix is 4! (IIRC). Plus with the vastness of space, and the huge stations that surround you, even in a supertuned ship you would appear to be moving very slowly, if you take into consideration that most sectors are about 50km from gate to gate. To sum it up I would prefer to take away that sense of speed as it makes everything look bigger and slower(if you see what i mean)

[spacefueladdict]

Thanks, I would also like to remove these streaks. reminds me of an old windows screensaver

On a more serious point i ont think i would take away the sense of movement or scale. M2's are over 2km long, the teladi phoenix is 4! (IIRC). Plus with the vastness of space, and the huge stations that surround you, even in a supertuned ship you would appear to be moving very slowly, if you take into consideration that most sectors are about 50km from gate to gate. To sum it up I would prefer to take away that sense of speed as it makes everything look bigger and slower(if you see what i mean)

I found that reducing its value to between 25-40 made ot look much better while maintaining a sense of movement. but as i posted earlier i have just done random values to each b-ground just to make thing a little different.

[aquemnun]

indeed i like that idea, more streaks in cloudy boron sectors and less in the more clear sectors like split fire and argon prime.

[spacefueladdict]

indeed i like that idea, more streaks in cloudy boron sectors and less in the more clear sectors like split fire and argon prime.

And i also suggest that for the background called 'Void' set the value to '0', thats the only one that should have a '0', and it works well cos it's used in Loomankstrats legacy which is a sector in a 'Void'

[aquemnun]

indeed.

[sgtwalt]

Thank you spacefueladdict .
Got it done and it is indeed 80 different areas that need to be changed from 100 to 0 or what ever number you choose.
I also did see a slight increase in frame rates as my system is a little old and currently no budget to upgrade at this moment.
Its 4 years old but still going strong, but part of my southbridge seems to have halfway died about 1 year ago. Which caused 1 of the IDE slots ( Slot 2 ) along with the 2 lowest PCI slots to cease functioning. Keeping my fingers crossed.