Graphics modding - understanding a scene-file

[DeadlyDa]

I've seen the odd post here and there suggesting someone might be trying to decrypt the hex .bob file format. Anyone here know if there has been any progress made?

[Halconnen]

Did anyone ever try to create a M1 with more than one docking point? Did it work?

I'm asking because all off the M1s ingame need (IMHO) by far to much time to get all ships docked/undocked. Of what use are 150 Fighters, when you can only launch 3 of them until your ship is destroyed?

[Skyroguen]

For anyone who is interested, here is the final version of the Teladi Eagle and the new Teladi Firebird class M2

http://www.egosoft.com/x2/forum/viewtopic.php?t=62821

[razorhead]

Ok, nice job everyone
I'm still trying to find how to import the files to 3ds max6 can anyone help me?

[ShadowX]

/back laser
P 10; B 981; C 3;
{ 0x2002; 0; -800; -4020; 0.500000; 0.000000; 1.000000; 0.000000; -1; -1; } // 0

I saw that this has been covered already, however, there is alternate solution if you only need turret with 1 gun:

I assume that this is the first turret and ship has 2 main guns

P 10; B 91; C 2;
{ 0x2002; 0; -800; -4020; 0.500000; 0.000000; 1.000000; 0.000000; -1; -1; } // 0

Body 91 is the body used for nova and tp/ts turrets... what makes it interesting is that it actually has cockpit and weapon in one body.

In this case viewpoint in TShips would be:
...2;1;91;10;...

and gun definition:

...3;1;91;10;89;0;...

so path is identical in both cases and you don't need that extra position in your scene file. I haven't figured out why there must be 89;0; at the end of definition but it didn't work any other way - perhaps it has something to do with the ability to have both gun and cockpit in the same.

[dPM_HeMan]

Body 91 is the body used for nova and tp/ts turrets... what makes it interesting is that it actually has cockpit and weapon in one body.

yes, thx, this is actually the way i made it

Code: Select all

/back laser 
P 4; B 91; C 2; N 91_2b;
    { 0x2003;  0; 450; -2150;  0.500000; 1.000000; 0.000000; 0.000000;  -1;  -1; } // 0
P 5; B 91; C 2; N 91_2b;
    { 0x2003;  0; 350; -2150;  0.500000; 0.000000; 1.000000; 0.000000;  -1;  -1; } // 0

Here is an image of the new ship: Goner Metatron
[ external image ]

[DeadlyDa]

OK...quick clarification on rotation of parts.

Back on the first page, is a description of how to place parts (pitch, yaw, roll).

I am trying to place a docking port in a difficult location, and after a couple of frustrating hours, realized I didn't understand part placement as well as I had thought.

Assuming a starting part definition line that looks like...

P 99; B 00079; { 2; 0; 0;0; 0.0000; 0.0000; 0.0000; 0.0000; -1; -1; } // 0 /- outer dock

How do I reverse it, and angle it downward about 10 degrees? I started with P/Y/R values of 1.000; 0.0278; 0.5000; 0.0000;... and thought that would enable 360 degrees of rotation, and result in 10.008 pitch, 180 yaw (turn it backward), and 0 roll. That is not what happened.

EDIT: Well, I've another play with it, and just realized that saying "this is not what happened" is not particularly helpful. Let me be more specific...the yaw works (the part turns 180 degrees), but neither pitch nor roll (when I try it) seem to do anything.

Any thoughts?

thanx...

[Firedancer]

yes, please explain the rotating stuff a bit more... I'm all frustrated on it.

I've tried turning a wing 180 degrees both around it's x and y axis.... I changed those values one by one but nothing happened... then I changed two at a time and suddenly it spun in all directions... after a lot of trial and error I got it right... but now that it's working I'm still not sure how I did it hehe.... I still gotta play more with it, but maybe it's just me doing something stupid, but I find it pretty confusing! Is there some rules as to that some parts can only be rotated in certain ways???

[StarTrekMarc]

hi,

can anyone post this in the german s&m forum in german, please.

thx

- STM -

@earthpilot
du sprichst doch auch deutsch oder?

[dPM_HeMan]

does anyone know how to create the charactaristic front light every ship as, i tried nearly every bob file and it is not part of the cockpit either

[Earthpilot]

@ StarTrekMarc[USF]
[german]
Klaro , kein Problem.
Nur werde ich mal ganz genau den Thread nochmal durchlesen , um alles gleich richtig zu posten.
[/german]


razorhead, did you say IMPORT?

that is what many would like to do.
But I don't think EGO will bring out an Importer.

However, that bodyfiles in v remind me somewhat of the truespace fomat, but i am not exactly sure.

Somebody with more insight to truespace shall please check that.

[StarTrekMarc]

@Earthpilot
[german]
Danke,
freu mich schon meine eigenen Schiffe zu basteln
[/german]

[c.witcombe]

Is there a way of rotating .BOD files during the creation process within MAX I have tried to use the Normal Keyframe route in MAX max but once exported to X2 nothing happened.

Is there a certain way to achieve this in MAX or do you need to edit the rotation directly in the .BOD as a text File.

Also

I have added one of my ships to an Argon Shipyard and Wharf using DoubleShadow's X2Editor's Galaxy Editor. when I placed the .CAT and .DAT files in the X2 Directory, I could not see the new map.

Can someone explain how this is done

1 Add a new MAP to X2
2 Be able to use the MAP


Thanx

Carl

[DeadlyDa]

Check Burianek's suggestions in his reply to your earlier post in the "Custom Map" thread first, since that is often is the problem.

If your sure that all the type files are OK, and you can add your ships via scripting, then it is probably something in the map you are developing.

Does your new map have a unique name...or are you trying to replace the original?

If it is a new map, with a new name, simply put it in the /map directory, and when you start X2, start a custom game using your map.

If you have taken the original X2 map, modified it, and now want to use it to start a regular game (with plot), you will need to include a /map directory in your custom cat/dat files that has the new x2_universe.xml file. The "x2_universe" map in the highest numberd cat/dat file takes precedence.

Hope this helps...I have shipyards all over the X2 universe loaded up with my ships, so I know it works fine.

You should also be careful when using DS's X2 Editor to create/modify the universe, as you can easily add objects and upgrades to factories, docks, and ships that cause the map not to load. If you continue to have problems, try using the Ego-supplied galaxy editor to add your ships to a clean map...and go very slow, with lots of saves. The Egosoft editor, while a bit clunky, will generally protect you from building maps with inconsistancies or bugs. It also lets you validate your gates. Once you figure out where the problem is, you can go back to DS's X2 Editor and finish things up. (Ya gotta love that cut & paste!)

I almost always validate any new universe maps that I create in the DS X2 Editor with the Egosoft editor before any serious gameplay.

Good luck...

[c.witcombe]

To create Rotating parts in MAX

Rotate your ship part in the usual Manner within MAX do the other stuff like Reset Transform add XFORM modifier from the Utilities pane then......

Use the Motion Pane, Select Trajectories you get 3 Options Start time = 0, End time = 100(if your Animation is 100 frames), set 'Samples = 34' select the Rotation from the Collapse Transform Section hit Collapse. all Created keys are Beziear curves open a 'new track View' from 'Graphics Editors' Select all the Keys by dragging the mouse and click the \ line (Set Tangents to Linear) from the Top tool bar.

export that part as a Scene file, copy the whole of that part into the Scene file for the Ship (Make sure you export the part, you already know that I'm sure, but just in case.)

And with a little luck you get a smooth rotation of that part ingame.

My apologies if this is too long

c.witcombe

[Commander Jamieson]

does anyone know how to create the charactaristic front light every ship as, i tried nearly every bob file and it is not part of the cockpit either

I think this is done with a parameter like reflection or refraction or possibly shine or such when creating the 3D model.

Or use head lights like I did here:

[ external image ]

I simply removed a particular flood light from one of the stations, lenghtening its beam and down scaling its size.

Cheers

[TSM]

thats well cool i did wonder as i recently was flying in a Nova scanning roids and it was in a dark sector Nova light up roid like it had 2 headlamps! but my modded m3's do not have this feature so now i know how you did it I shall take a look lol

[Amon RAy (RAider.EG)]

HI)...


yes, for headligths - using parts of factories - one of the ways...but I think - there is the way in which Egosoft designers make a headligths...
(it must be a body from \v...there is so much garbage - maybe, you skip it?...)

I want to know - how its working in rigth way...do you?

[DeadlyDa]

I want to know - how its working in rigth way...do you?

Well...looking at the 04170.bob file (the Nova, which has headlights), the only thing it could be is one or more of the 566 particle generators. There are 22 of 'em, and I don't think they are all for the attitude jets

Seriously, other than the 566 particle generators, all the parts are what you would expect for the Nova...940, 915, 906, 909x2, 106x2, 91, 4 nav lights (port & starboard), and 4 blue engine trails (770).

I looked at the 915 part, just in case it had "built in" headlights, but other than the standard "cockit" object, there was nothing clever imbeded in the bod file.

If I get some time this weekend, I'll put the 566 parts into a spreadsheet, and convert the bit masks to binary so I can check it against the GFX doc supplied by Egosoft. Maybe I can find out how to do headlights that way.

[Amon RAy (RAider.EG)]

Yes, I think - 566 body - is the answer ...(if this headligths is really - special bods)

just by naming it can be using as trail jets 566_1xxx and as trusters jets - (566_2xxx - front jet - for example)

maybe there is some naming for it - that will transform this body to headligth?...

in other side: aybe, it is working in the way that Commander sad?... somewhere in other files from \types.


another question, I have ...

my custom bodys - dont have a shadows. not critical, but......by editing a TSadows and TShadowswithlimits - I dont have any changes - still no shadows.

is somebody know - how to enforce game to calculate and show shadows for custom bodys?