[MOD] IEX - AP/TC Sector Visual Enhancement - IEX 1.5b (27/07/2014)

[Moonrat]

I know it's probably too late in the mod's lifespan to ask this, but is there any way to tweak this mod so that Akeela's Beacon (and only Akeela's Beacon) uses the Vanilla Background & Sun level?

It just seems so strange to me that you decided to not only make the Sunniest sector in the game so dimly lit, but moved the Suns so that the SPPs are facing the wrong direction.

It's never too late for user feedback leading to improvements...

I have a few questions...

• Are you playing TC or AP?
  Are you using vanilla IEX, XRMi, TCAP or something else?
  What other mods do you have loaded (and in which cat/dat order)?

[Aeshi]

Running AP 3.1 with XRM 1.30d with vanilla IEX and XRMI. Same Install order you said to use in the OP.

No other Cat/Dat mods being used, but script wise I have the following

-LIFE .(95b)
-STO 2.5
-Salvage Commands & NPCs 1.5
-NPC Bailing Addon

[Moonrat]

Running AP 3.1 with XRM 1.30d with vanilla IEX and XRMI. Same Install order you said to use in the OP.

Does it look like this? If not please post an image from your game's Akeela's Beacon, thanks.

[ external image ]

I've checked IEX TC/AP & XRM TC/AP and they do look like the above image and the SPP's are all facing the 'stars'.

Please also list the CAT/DAT's in numerical order in both the TC & AP directories, thanks.

[Aeshi]

After a closer look, it seems my earlier comment was a half-truth: They ARE facing stars, but those stars don't seem to be emitting any light.

Here's one of those SPPs as seen from behind. Note how the back is lit up just fine, while the front looks like this despite facing the stars.


As for my CAT/DAT order, here's how they're ordered in the "AP/addon" directory:

01-04.cat/dat = Vanilla game files
05.cat/dat = IE
06.cat/dat = IEX
07.cat/dat = XRM part 1
08.cat/dat = XRM part 2
09.cat/dat = XRMi

In the TC directory it's just the vanilla stuff. Was I supposed to install it there as well? The OP implied you only need to do that if you want the mod for TC as well, but I don't play TC any more so I didn't bother.

[Moonrat]

After a closer look, it seems my earlier comment was a half-truth: They ARE facing stars, but those stars don't seem to be emitting any light.

The backside of the SPP's are in shadow as all the sunlight is on the front...? However Akeela's Beacon is one of the sectors that I've always not been that happy about so when I make another release I'll give it a makeover and make it brighter.

In the TC directory it's just the vanilla stuff. Was I supposed to install it there as well? The OP implied you only need to do that if you want the mod for TC as well, but I don't play TC any more so I didn't bother.

Whatever works! If you were still having issues I was going suggest installing the CAT/DAT files into the TC directory as a last desperate measure...

[Aeshi]

The backside of the SPP's are in shadow as all the sunlight is on the front...?

Other way round: The side facing towards the stars is in shadow, while the side facing away from the stars is lit up.

However Akeela's Beacon is one of the sectors that I've always not been that happy about so when I make another release I'll give it a makeover and make it brighter.

Thanks, I really appreciate it.

[Moonrat]

Coming soon... ish'

• [ external image ]

[Litcube]

Whacha doin?

[Moonrat]

Whacha doin?

Apologies I probably should have dropped you a PM for the Ok, but don't panic...

I'm producing an IEX compatible cat/dat (ala XRMi) so that players can enjoy your great work whilst having IEX as a backdrop. Needless to say I am committing myself to more 'support' + keeping the LUVi AP map up-to-date with any changes you make. That recent map change for the asteroid additions was a humdinger...

The cat/dat placement is LUV/IE/IEX/LUVi and should (in theory) only have to contain (so far)...

• addon/maps/x3_universe.xml
  addon/types/Lensflares
  addon/types/TSuns
  objects/environments/nebulae/greenoutlands (vanilla)

So I won't be touching anything LUV, hope that's OK? There will of course be the usual credit and link to your OP for LUV.

[Litcube]

Oh, no problem. I think it's cool there's mods for LU.

[Moonrat]

Oh, no problem. I think it's cool there's mods for LU.

Thanks.

IEX can be a bit like Philae, it enjoys the ride on the back of something much grander...

[morbideth]

I was playing space engineers and it's crappy skybox made me long for some of the ones in this mod. I looked but I cannot figure out how to port/convert a skybox from here to there. Space engineers just uses 1 DDS file while this seems to be composed of several. I was wanting one of the skyboxes with the huge asteroids in the background. I love those and they would be quite fitting.

Any tips on how I could go about doing this?

[Moonrat]

I was playing space engineers and it's crappy skybox made me long for some of the ones in this mod. I looked but I cannot figure out how to port/convert a skybox from here to there. Space engineers just uses 1 DDS file while this seems to be composed of several. I was wanting one of the skyboxes with the huge asteroids in the background. I love those and they would be quite fitting.

Any tips on how I could go about doing this?

Probably best that you open your own thread as this one's for the IEX mod and not really for general modding questions... this link might get you started tho', but googling stuff with the words "egosoft mod" ++ is a good way to learn!

[Moonrat]

I have created an IEX compatibility patch for the latest version of Litcube's Universe... I shall endeavour to keep it up-to-date!

LUV (1.4.7)

• A small 'fake' patch is required to experience IEX with the latest version of Litcube's Universe (LUV 1.4.7), this is called LUVi and can be found here.
  
  Unpack the zip file and then order the cat/dat files as follows:
  
  For LUV (AP only) in the 'addon' folder...
  • 01-04 EGOSOFT stuff
    05-09 LUV
    10 IE
    11 IEX
    12 LUVi
  A new gamestart is recommended. Please let me know of any issues and/or any other feedback on this thread.

• [ external image ]

[Jack08]

Nice work, Moonrat! Downloading now.

For LUV (AP only) in the 'addon' folder...

• 01-04 EGOSOFT stuff
  05-09 LUV
  10 IE
  11 IEX
  12 LUVi

EMS Users please offset all cats above 9 by one, EMS consumes cat 10.

[Moonrat]

Nice work, Moonrat! Downloading now.

• 

EMS Users please offset all cats above 9 by one, EMS consumes cat 10.

I've added this to the instructions on the IEX OP.

[Joubarbe]

Hmm so I'm playing LU ; just tried IEX in Thyn's Abyss : black sector, no environment, then jump through the North portal : the game froze on the black transition screen :$

EDIT : nevermind I'm stupid, I was still running 1.4.5 !
EDIT2 : oh man this is great work, finally my planets' textures are smooth ; and the return of the fog in many sectors is very nice ! Thank you.

[Moonrat]

Hmm so I'm playing LU ; just tried IEX in Thyn's Abyss : black sector, no environment, then jump through the North portal : the game froze on the black transition screen :$

EDIT : nevermind I'm stupid, I was still running 1.4.5 !
EDIT2 : oh man this is great work, finally my planets' textures are smooth ; and the return of the fog in many sectors is very nice ! Thank you.

Is everything now Ok? The current version of LUVi is only compatible with LUV 1.4.7 and will in any case require a new game start, anything else may yield "variable" results...

[Joubarbe]

Yes it's ok ; I think that the E/I helps, more than the 1.4.7. You really need to update this everytime LU updates ?

[Moonrat]

Yes it's ok ; I think that the E/I helps, more than the 1.4.7. You really need to update this everytime LU updates ?

Only if there are "map" changes...

(If only the "banner" on the game menus is out of step then I'll probably not bother).