How to make a starsphers ? Please Help Me!
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You need UTF editor to access existing starsphere structures
UTF editor link
http://the-starport.net/freelancer/download/singlefile.php?cid=2&lid=23
Check out this thread from several weeks ago
http://the-starport.net/freelancer/forum/viewtopic.php?topic_id=3085&forum=27
My experience with starspheres is limited to replacing the TGA images in the texture library Mip1 to Mip8 with correctly sized TGA images (256x256 down to 1x1)
Different system back grounds can be generated by removing some of the 3db objects, I got some reasonable results but it’s a lot of work and unless you want something specific I think the existing starsphere files do the job.
CK256
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You can create new ones in Milkshape. Create meshes, give them a space texture. The 0 0 0 coordintes are the viewpoint of the player.
To get it ingame you need to export it via the 3db exporter or cmp exporter and use the mat exporters option to write the textures in the 3db or cmp file.
Then you have to give the game the name and the path of the sphere. You can do this in the petaldb.ini. -
Skotty. wrote:
You can create new ones in Milkshape. Create meshes, give them a space texture. The 0 0 0 coordintes are the viewpoint of the player.
To get it ingame you need to export it via the 3db exporter or cmp exporter and use the mat exporters option to write the textures in the 3db or cmp file.
Then you have to give the game the name and the path of the sphere. You can do this in the petaldb.ini.Thats how I do it. I like to view what I make to avoid mistakes.
About the petaldb.ini, not nescesary! You dont need to get in all this mess with INI files if you don’t know how its done. This is actually one of the files the game has and doesn’t read them to get information. Its a configuration file the programmers left for modders like us. -
You are wrong.
In this file a lot of models are defined.
How would the game know the name of the starspheres if it wouldn’t read this file? There is no other file where they are defined!
In this file there are also other models, like the room-models for bases and backgrounds of planets. -
Custom starsphere/cubes
Create a sphere, box, cylinder etc. in Milkshape
Reverse vertices winding so it’s inside out
Texture it properly, the cube will require 6 textures unless you use the same for all sides
A cube map needs to be made as a dds cube texture, put all 6 textures in it (dxtex.exe can be used for this)
Export the cmp and include the materials in it (1 model, 2 exports)
Load the cmp into one of the newer utf editors, this is because you need the drag and drop feature
Grab the VMeshPart node and reattach it to the .3db node that it is a child of (fixes problem of the texture not showing)
Delete any other child nodes of the .3db node, don’t delete the VMeshRef or VMeshPart nodes (VMeshRef is a child of VMeshPart)
Save it
Load up a system ini into your favorite text editor
Reference it in the ‘nebula =’ line, example below[Background]
nebulae = solar\starsphere\starsphere_bp01.cmpNOTE : It does NOT have to be included in any other file, not even the petaldb.ini file
PS - any shape can be used but go easy on the texture size, especially if you use cube mapsThat is the complete method of making a custom starmap
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LancerSolurus wrote:
Custom starsphere/cubesCreate a sphere, box, cylinder etc. in Milkshape…
Cube? Box? I’m not sure about it… I saw cube starsphere somewhere, it looks like you are locked inside an endless box that you can’t exit. Not good for clastrofobian people…
My suggestion: either sphere or cylinder. Not box, because it will look ugly. -
Actually you won’t be able to tell it’s a cube if its done right. I use them extensively in my game engine as well as sphere maps. One reason to use cube maps is the increase in texture definition, sphere maps tend to be blurry.
For exporting, the standard way used for ships…
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LS is right; you can use virtually any shape you want. So long as the mapping/projection is done properly, it’d be impossible to tell the difference.
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I pulled up an existing Srarsphere in HardCMP and added two Hp’s one at the sphere centre and one at 100 units, the 100 unit location is just outside the “surface” of the sphere.
I’ve tried this for two Starspheres and both are around 200 units in diameter, makes you wonder how you fit a 4000 unit planet inside! (TARDIS tech perhaps LOL).
I think the texture is mapped onto a curved spherical surface so the diameter probably isn’t that critical, and as mentioned earlier it doesn’t have to be spherical.
When I played around with them I just used existing Starspheres and changed the Mip images, they’re all based on spheres (except ew06 is a funnel) with cut-outs for additional imaqe panels.
I did find getting the texture correct quite difficult as a poor choice would result in a tiling effect (see the attached image) I think a less distinct texture works better and any specific images would be added to the windows/plaques using UTF. -
Your’re welcome
have you seen this thread?
i hadnt, reading it now, thanks again 
