[Realspace MODS] "STARS" - "XRSGE" - "REM" - various

[Folker]

That's great news, I can't wait to play the game again once I'm done with the modded version of REM. I'll also make a few tweaks to the music mod, which I think needs to be more consistent, especially in the Albion, Maelstrom, Khaak, and other sectors.

I just have a quick question: once version 900 of XRSGE is stable, do you plan to create a sort of high speed supercruse with a zone and a direction to create “highways” that are different from the game's, allowing us to avoid performance issues, as we discussed last time?

[Realspace]

Well, testing supercruise is exactly the first thing to do tomorrow...could finally manage to uplaod the file, in a few minutes.
The pathway method, despite very nice, requires a lot of map editing and crossover of functions which, to say it all, starts to make me very tired.
Yes I can add conditions for the AI not to use it close to stations/gates etc.
Supercruise seems to work very well in my test, I had no lag, but atm it requires REM to work at best. REM indeed remove the travel speed cap (there is, but incredibly high) so allows player and AI ships to accelerate once and remain on course.
I think XRSGE is very stable now, there were some god engine's issues due to stations requiring the mining modules, it seems all very clear now.
Did you test the new REM 9 ? Also see REM B module, for balancing weapons. Ships are slow but have huge inertia.
I let the weapon fx blank for your changes, only increased speed, all other values removed.
Also when updating music, take a look at XRSGE music folder, choose if possible a weight that allows both tracks to be used or can do a version that "covers" the existing ones using a very high weight and a version that mixes with.

Ok, so it finally uploaded! I copy paste here the previous post so nobody misses it:
_____________________________________________________________________

Here it is, XRSGE 900



https://www.nexusmods.com/x4foundations/mods/1140

MAIN VERSION for latest game's version 9
DO NOT use this with previous versions of the game
Mod is save-compatible but changes to economy and other changes suggest it is better to start a new game.

Main features of XRSGE 900:
- adaptation to game V9's dynamic resources
- totally remake of background cosmetics: a new starfield and 26 new deep space elements (added in STARS mod)
- totally redone SUPERCRUISE that copes at best with latest REM 9
- totally remake of internal space in most sectors with the aim to increase the density, so a lot of superhighways have been removed.
- removed ALL mining stations and ships, they are added in a separated optional module, as they are provided by the author SprIder.

!!!!!!!!! Latest STARS for V9 is required !!!!!!!!!!!
https://www.nexusmods.com/x4foundations/mods/507
_____________________________________________________________________

You'll notice how distances have increased in this version. Distances are required only if you travel inside a sector, gates are not distant from each other (as before).
But now you can use the Supercruise and in combination with REM 9 set a course, activate autopilot, instruct it to use the supercruise (it won't do it automatically) and the ship will keep going with high momentum towards destination.
Please test it and report. I have not added another function I was working on, i.e. the supercruise changing into a true warp after a very high speed has been reached (with fade-out effects). As in other space games. This could be used for very long distances (say 50.000 km) and with autopilot only, if target is very far. But maybe it is not necessary to add it.

[ziplock815]

Hi Realspace
Much thanks for the update!
Wanted to ask if it's normal that I have a veeeery long time loading the main menu? - I've waited for a while, maybe 15 minutes and I only have a main menu picture with X4 logo and music playing, but no main menu itself.

[Realspace]

Sure it is caused by xrsge? I see in a steam discussion that many people have this bug, who had not previously updated to beta 9 so had to download a 7gb file. Try making a file verification check.
The only issue I see sofar is very long loading of a new game, can't figure the cause, maybe the massive areas for spawning resources...I get zero errors.

[ziplock815]

Fixed, thank you. Verification after disabling all mods helped.

[Realspace]

Very well...I want a comment on the new backgrounds

[ziplock815]

Still fighting with the game launching - my old save stucks at 99%...
The new game works fine - new starfields are...interesting. I've checked only Black hole sun yet, will check other sectors...in a couple of years after my game finally loads
whoa...it's just finished loading. Majiiiic

btw, maybe you could make a submod for returning the asteroid to the HQ - it looks rather weird when Boso talks about this asteroid while it doesn't exist

Grand Exchange looks FANTASTIC and Mists of Elysium is just awesome
Eager to see other sectors

I'd also recommend to remove deep space elements (at least some of them that don't fit the Sol system sky - huge galaxies and nebulae) from the Sol sectors and return it to the classic "only-milki-way-in-the-backround" look - it will be more realistic and make a nice contrast with the Commonwealth sectors, like in X3

[Realspace]

Milky way is always throublesome to me and takes me a lot of time, I am never satisfied with the result. I tried applying a lot of different images for the milky way, all resulting into a texture wall lacking depth.
Problem with deep space elements is that they should not look so big anyway, the images we see are taken by telescopes with a big zoom magnitude, so they should be very small (I added them in v800, if you looked well, the deep space elements were there, minuscule...but had to remove those because the new zoom (googles) feature makes them pixelated when zoomed.
Solar system could be enhanced with a brighter milky way but, as told, it looks as an image rather than a star's bloom. The milky way model should have specific shaders to increase bloom and brightness (actually all backgrounds elements should have better shaders). I could see by re-using some Rebirth model. Rebirth's shaders are much more vibrant (even too much) but for some elements their shaders are better, more "bloomy".
I will take some time to rework it in the future..

[Realspace]

IMPORTANT

I made an error when packing STARS so even if you play XRSGE you still have the invasive new stars added by v9 of the game. Same if you play vanilla.
Please add the patch (add file subst_02.cat/dat) to your STARS folder.
Updates TAB: https://www.nexusmods.com/x4foundations ... ?tab=files

I suppose you were playing with a very weird cosmos out there, vanilla big stars melted with my new backgrounds..
To be clear, the starfield should look as in the loading screen picture of XRSGE 900 (no big white stars). Apply the patch

this is the "right" look of Argon Prime:
https://staticdelivery.nexusmods.com/mo ... 132652.png

[Realspace]

I've released a patch for XRSGE 9 version 9.0.1

https://www.nexusmods.com/x4foundations ... ?tab=files

There are significant changes to the supercruise.
Also I added some custom shaders for planets (brighter haze and stronger light reflection)

Version 9.0.1
- added script to partially replenish the cargo of X3 stations
-reworked supercruise for more effects when autopilot fails due to vicinity
- added a check when player crosses gates to stop the super speed
- modified game's shaders for planets (atmosphere and stars).
- NEW function for supercruise: when high velocity is reached and the target is very far (min +22.000km) and the autopilot is set, some seconds after the player engages the supercruise a computer interface appears that ask "Speed Up to Destination?".
If accepted the ship will continue to fly while a fade-out effect kicks-in, then the travel will continue but much closer to destination.
Interface also allows to stop or abort the supercruise.
Version 9.0.1a
- fixes the muffled sound after warp

Supercruise now works as in other games, can both accelerate to insane speed and keep momentum (if using REM 9) but can also accelerate into a sector-jump that does not look as jump, more as a shortcut

____________________________________________

Please update also to latest REM Overhaul
https://www.nexusmods.com/x4foundations ... ?tab=files
It contains the main script for checking if the ship crosses a gate at insane speed (XRSGE checks only if the supercruise is active)

[ziplock815]

Something weird is happening in Brennan's Triumph 2 - my ships keep dying for no reason - seems like the most part of the sector is covered by some hazardous clouds that eat shields and hull

Speaking about new starfields - I think I liked the old version a bit more, maybe it's because that there're too many blue stars with not sufficient "classic" white stars. Anyway it will be great if it's possible to mix the old version with mostly classic white stars(would look more appropriate in dark sectors like Empire's Edge 4) with the new one with blue stars (are too intrusive in dark sectors, but look great in "nebulae" sectors like Grand Exchange/Argon Prime - btw it looks very cool). What do you think? (Btw the coolest version of STARS in my opinion was the one that can bee seen on loading screens) BUT the new version looks much better when using video googles, feels like a real space (Realspace ) Especially I love how additional stars appear after zooming in.
New deep space elements are just awesome - now I can stare at the sky for hours
btwdid you do something with moons illumination? I mean some moons in Argon Prime (for example) reflect more light than the others. Or is it vanilla feature? In any way, it's interesting how the light reflection dapends on the moon's albedo, very nice

[Realspace]

The whole redoing of starfield was due to the googles, devs had to do it too.
Even if XRSGE had skyboxes as big as million kms (while vanilla is max 400.000km) when you zoomed after v9 the background looked as a blurred texture wall.
So the old skybox had to be redone. In so doing I tested several versions...problem with the stars is the shaders. They always look as a painting rather then true bulbs of light. So I also tested adding hundreds of lens flares (those used for the suns) I have made, small as far stars. They look gorgeous, real bright stars.....problem is they shine through objects the old X feature...
So I had to keep using new vanilla flares (which btw have no material to be found nowhere), with the only option to change their base texture (not the effects or lightness). Tested various versions and came up with smaller/bluish as the only unintrusive loook. Also they are too close (in some sectors you can see them moving when using shw). Devs insist in making the skybox very small, they have their reason for that but to me they are too small in vanilla too, in vanilla earth or nopileous sector you can see the borders coming close.
So using blue stars has a not intrusive result to the eye, while I also wanted to increase the "star noise" to a better realism while having them not to be intrusive. So in xrsge only I added another "bluish" skybox that mixes with the far backgrounds while also creating a "noise effect" if not zoomed. If you make them white they look as pixels not lights, for the above reasons.
That said, I also use other custom skyboxes that have made with red/white stars, sometimes I add them in top sometimes I use them instead of the bluish ones (in red nebula sectors f.i.) so yes we have a palette of options I can improve with the right feedbacks.
I already removed the bluish ones from "red" sectors but I may have missed some sectors where the background is black but a reddish layer is applied (I see these effects only by starting the game and checking every sector not in the custom universe I use to edit the clusters).
In general thou the bluish stars look fine in dark neutral sectors, not so much in reddish/dark ones.
Anyway, happy to have feedbacks on specific sectors.

About moons..those are the Rebirth moons indeed, they have shaders causing a stronger halo/albedo/hdr whatever...since I increased the contrast in every sector by manipulating the light (then reshade on top makes the magic) the Rebirth planets sometimes shine too much. Have you downloaded latest xrsge patch? There I add my custom shaders and also dimmed a bit the ones used by Rebirth's moons while on contrary increasing the hdr of X4 planets.

Will look in brennans 2, it probably has the planet atmosphere region I put around every planet in a wrong position.

[Realspace]

Something weird is happening in Brennan's Triumph 2 - my ships keep dying for no reason - seems like the most part of the sector is covered by some hazardous clouds that eat shields and hull

I can't find anything, no damage zone in the files except planet atmosphere which is in correct place, jumped there, jumped to various positions...nothing.
Only thing I could think of is, if you are continuing an old save, some old damage region...but checked also in the backup of the old xrsge and nothing, regions have not changed.
Do you use some other mod adding things to the sectors?

[ziplock815]

Nah, if I remember right I only use Crystal rarities, Orange mouse cursor , alternate look for all male starts, crystal rarities, head hunter mod, station advertisement replacer, bailing extension, money drops and maybe some other cosmetic mods

Something weird is happening in Brennan's Triumph 2 - my ships keep dying for no reason - seems like the most part of the sector is covered by some hazardous clouds that eat shields and hull

I can't find anything, no damage zone in the files except planet atmosphere which is in correct place, jumped there, jumped to various positions...nothing.
Only thing I could think of is, if you are continuing an old save, some old damage region...but checked also in the backup of the old xrsge and nothing, regions have not changed.
Do you use some other mod adding things to the sectors?

[Realspace]

Today I tested 2 game's starts. First one with vanilla defaults for the resource areas (300km) vs XRSGE's 5000km.
- game start reduced from 8 to 4.30 min
Then tested the start by removing entirely my map's definitions (sectors remain but map's resources are removed, so only vanilla res)
- game start reduced to 1.30 min
Other things possibly causing some slower starting is the animations that should all be re-imported. I did for a lot of planets, still the game finds some "error" (does not cause the animation not to work).
So I guess we just have to check how the late game is, because fortunately SAVES are quick to do and reload.

Btw...messing with character's macros, I created this...
He even has glasses pulled down on the nose

[Realspace]

NEW PATCH(ES) for STARS

https://www.nexusmods.com/x4foundations ... ?tab=files

From version 9.0.1b I've added 6 options to change how big stars look.

Every patch contains the file SUBST_02.cat/dat. You can choose to install one of 5 versions or not to install it altogether.
If Subst_02 is not installed (or removed), stars will look as in vanilla (while planets and nebulae are changed).
STARS_PATCH_V1 is the stars as intended by this mod, which works at best with PHOTO EFFECTS in the game's settings and with my custom Reshade settings.
STARS_PATCH_V5 totally removes the new big stars added in v9 (while keep the background stars)
Other versions, read the description.

_______________________________________

For XRSGE players, using the (extreme) STARS_PATCH_V5 is a doable option because in XRSGE I add some additional backgrounds and big stars (galaxies) as also the deep space images.
Any other option is valid thou, no option will break XRSGE.

I may decide to entirely remove these stars in a future XRSGE update (not masking as black as in option 5, removing them from clusters) but only after I found some valid solution to have big stars that are not blurred when zooming in.

You may play XRSGE with STARS_PATCH_V5 that removes vanilla big stars and report if my added backgrounds suffice, I think they do. I will probably start by removing the new vanilla stars from big sectors having superhighways, because you can see them moving

Edit: ok I did it...

_______________________________________

I've updated XRSGE to 9.0.2

https://www.nexusmods.com/x4foundations/mods/1140

- fixes Bala Jii Joy excess of light reflection
- adds custom player face models to XRSGE scenarios
- reworked ALL CLUSTERS to reduce the number of big stars added by v9 and set them at bigger distance to avoid the vanilla issue of too close backgrounds. This allows players to chose the version of big stars in STARS mod they prefer.

Now you can choose any version of the above STARS Update for the the color of the big stars without altering the general look, they are only used as big stars in xrsge not diffuse.stars

[ziplock815]

Thanks for the update!
Quick question: do younhave plans to add classic milky way look for terran clusters? And rebirth ships to rem - it was one of the reasons I installed it for the first place.

[Realspace]

I removed a deep space element that looks alien in milky way, leaved the others that melt well...
Adding Rebirth ships is out of question now because egosoft changed the meshes and they'd cause ctd if I add them back.
One should open all models in Blender and re-export them, redoing shaders... I don't think I will unless some other author will release a package for all, as in the past.

I will with time add some more custom ships taken from X4 models (to avoid issues) with new roles. Also will include compatibility with modder's ships, first of all Lc4Hunter's ships.

[ziplock815]

I tried v5 and v3, didn't notice a lot of diffrence, but found v3 more comfortable, less intrusive stars, wil check the others... (Edit: I saw the difference - some sectors have no bluish stars at all and look dark and immersive while some others have different colors of stars and other immersive deep space stuff in the background - very cool! Big thanks for your work - that what I was waiting for a long time and my dream's finally come true)

Btw speaking about Sol space - maybe you could make yet another small patch for STARS, that'd remove all galaxies and other deep space stuff from sol sectors?

Edit: I also tested shw flight with and without autopilot - ship just teleports momentarily to the end of shw. Is it intended to be so? No more immersive flight between planets?

P.S. i have to say your work with star fields is something incredible - I can really stare at sky for hours... (sounds kind of weird actually )

[Realspace]

Edit: I also tested shw flight with and without autopilot - ship just teleports momentarily to the end of shw. Is it intended to be so? No more immersive flight between planets?

Nope that's not to happen, can you explain what happens? I still did not play once. I did not change shw's scripts/effects. I added a new script for when player enter gates or leave but excluded shw from conditions, maybe that condition is not working..