Greetings, from a fellow modder that's new to Freelancer
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Greetings,
First of all, I want to sincerely thank Timmy51m and for Tow_Sushi for directing me here from Moddb. Now, lets nail the subject.
I’ve currently took over of Continuum with my small development team of myself, a certain Dodger and Freestalker.fr. The original developers, Folgore_RM, Dave.Synk and SWAT OP8R apparently failed to deliver what they promised to the community. Folgore_RM allowed me to take over the project and delve into this wonderful game that I discovered thanks to his help. The issue is, that while I read some lore here and there, I’m still not practical with ‘how modding’ is managed in Freelancer.
I have my previous experiences with the CryENGINE (2 and 3), with UDK (from where thanks to god I learned some .lua and .lscript), the Android SDK (currently converting iOS apps), Python (from Mount & Blade’s module system editing), and well, some five or more years of experience with Bethesda’s Construction Kit.
In the last week, from when Folgore_RM gave the mod ownership and the group to me, so that I could manage it or just scrap it, I’ve tried to do my best in learning how Freelancer is managed file wise.
Thanks to Nvidia’s developer zone, I’ve managed to find information regarding Freelancer’s .cmp and .3db formats. Thanks to the Starport I’ve managed to learn that I can use .lua for the ‘Main Menu’ scenery by recoding everything in .thn.
I’m confident that nothing is too hard to do, that’s why I’m halting all my other mod projects so that I can get immersed with Freelancer and its community. I still have some problems in understanding the lore, but after that I played the campaign, everything is a lot more clear.
Anyway, lets get down to the modding aspect.
Folgore_RM and Dave.Synk, in their Google Documents specified that Freelancer has a wrong ‘ship to planet’ proportions.(Which I noticed when Marcus Walker’s LNS Ohio was hitting the Unity in front of Manhattan)
They mentioned rescalling the solar objects, such as planets, suns and moons, and leave ships, weapons and other stuff unvaried in size. However, the system size should be modified accordingly, to meet the new ‘proportions’.
That’s how I bumped into the TCM utility of TEAM RIP over at Moddb, it basically deletes every vanilla system, making it more easy for us.
So, my plan is to:
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Use the TCM utility pack and start every system from zero
(I’ve followed a tutorial here and there and it doesn’t seem too hard respect to coding with Python in Warband) -
Make a small Admin system which I can call for example ‘Developer’s Den’, where I can test around with asteroid fields, nebulas and whatnot. I can start testing everything manually as I add content.
Do you think that it is enough realistic for a newb in Freelancer? 8-)
Also, feel free to tell me about tools and extensions that could give me a hand in editing the game. I’ve been used to mod games via text, instead of using some fancy GUI tool, just me and IDLE.
Advices are always welcome.
You can find me here by the way, if somebody wants.
http://www.moddb.com/members/lordmalacathIf somebody is interested in modding Warband, CS:S, BF1942/2/2142 or The Sims 3 (no, I don’t play it - I just create clutter for the thing with Maya 5 - and you need Maya 5 for it) I can help them. Mutual cooperation, that’s what I expect from people.
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Setting up the TCM is a cinch, and making your own system is no problem, even for a newbie!
http://www.gamefaqs.com/pc/913966-freelancer/faqs/25096
Check there for a system creating tutorial by giskard, it’s quite good!
After that, all you really need is time, patience, some more time and patience, and above all, patience.
When you get your first untrackable bug you’ll see what I mean.
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If you’re just staring out I’d agree with Bob Giskards guide is excellent as it covers the basics in reasonable detail.
Try this for an overview of the file infrastructure used in FL
http://the-starport.net/freelancer/download/singlefile.php?cid=2&lid=2638
more recommended reading, encounters!
http://the-starport.net/freelancer/download/singlefile.php?cid=5&lid=2420
FL Explorer can be very useful but I believe you need to know basic modding before you use it, if you don’t it’s easy to make a real mess (been there done that! )
FL Mod studio is currently my system creation tool of choice
http://code.google.com/p/freelancermodstudio/downloads/list?can=3
It works on the activated mod (unlike FL E) and has a 3D system viewer that’s incredibly useful.
Up scaling planets and systems I believe can impact on a lot of area’s, e.g. system size beyond 400k x 400k causes the player ship to shake and objects over 250k distant lose visibility.
Large planets need higher resolution textures (and it’s a squared factor too!), large systems take ages to traverse at cruise but increasing speed I believe adversely impacts on encounter performance.
Any questions please feel free to ask.
CK256
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Well everything is pretty self intuitive.
I have one problem with this FLSpew program, which is a sort of error log prompted to you once FL crashes. (I love this stuff)I cannot get it running. I run it with admin rights and it won’t create the spew file.
I’m running on Windows 7 x64.
I opened it with N++ and I found out that I can modify the path, what should I change it to?
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I can change some weapons characteristics to make the game experience more various. The coefficients of damage modifier in weaponmoddb.ini are not really different as Gisteron said me. We have to change damage modifiers to make weapons types unique.
Here where we can begin in term of weaponry.
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Freestalker.fr, since your profile is private on Moddb, add me as a friend, or add me over Skype.
claudioandrus2008 -
How can I add a friend in ModDB?
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Go on my profile and scroll down till you see my friends, near the Friends section you’ll see a (become friends). Click that, or add me over Skype.
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hey there,
just because I read the comments at http://www.moddb.com/mods/freelancer-continuum/news/deficit-omne-quod-nasciture-but-this-wont-pass-away here is a piece of advice:
You are currently walking through a mine field. SWAT_OP-R8R is the owner of lancersreactor.org (where the Continuum mod “officially belongs to” according to SWAT_OP-R8R)
For a piece of history, check this out: http://the-starport.net/freelancer/forum/viewtopic.php?topic_id=4191&forum=23In any way, Im glad we have another passionate modder in the FL community so take whatever you need and I hope we can help you on your journey. You are also invited to make use of our forge website http://forge.the-starport.net
I hope you dont get sucked into the TLR.org/SWAT vs TSP drama war. You dont have to stick to either side - you are always welcome here
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SWAT_OP-R8R being his usual friendly and welcoming self I see. Don’t worry about him, he usually takes issue with just about everything and everyone.
You should be able to find plenty of info and helpful people around the starport. Might take you a while to figure out what’s what and who’s who, but we’re all friendly enough here. Just ask if you can’t find what you’re looking for.
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Well, I already know him well enough (and I had enough), despite the fact that he added me less than 72 or so hours ago.
Conversation log
The issue arose when he informed me that he requested the Moddb staff, at my back (when he knew that I was managing the page) the definitive cancellation of several resources contained in the mod’s page.He specifies various times, without admitting that he’s wrong, that he holds the ‘rights’ over all the Continuum material, just because he hosted them at this lancersreactor.org. There is quite a difference from creating something to uploading it somewhere.
Just to make an example, this is part of the material that I’m referring to. Concept images, precious concepts that can help me a lot since I do not know the style of the various factions in the game.
The author who made that concept is a certain Pintoro, that I found over at DeviantArt thanks to an URL that the previous leader of Continuum sent me. I sent him a message to specify, in a signed internet document that the work that he made was for Continuum, and not for something else. I’m currently awaiting his reply. The uploader was of course, David.Synk, which is part of SWAT’s team, working on a new project. DS, in particular, uploaded several images on the page that he’s author of, author of some unfinished models made in Google Sketch Up, and not how SWAT said, that he’s author of those concepts as well.
I’ve lost how much time? I’ve lost almost 40 minutes over this matter just to receive another wiseass reply with the fact that he’s contacting the staff over at Moddb nevertheless.
I said that he can have the models that DS made, since I do not care about some models that I can easily remake with the concepts provided by freestalker.fr and
He wants that page stripped of everything actually useful to this project, to be brief.
I’m not the old team, I could be quite an ass as well if I wanted, but luckly, patience got the best out from me yesterday. When someone comes at me and demands me to something that I do not want to do, I doubt that I’ll act friendly on the second occasion.
Regarding the conflict between the two websites, I’ll just say that I dislike when people try to throw a monkey wrench in the works.
By the way, I thank you Vodka. And thanks Timmy for sending me over here. Also, excuse me if I forgot some typos here and there.
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I hate this debate because SWAT is being limited to just OP, which it not is! For sure he is the major developer and admin. But its actually a community - and i am part of it as well.
Imo disrespect for each other comes from boths sides, something like north and south korea never will announce they love each other
So please can we bury the SWAT/TSP/LR topics?
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Excuse me Huor, I didn’t know that you were related to SWAT.
SWAT is the team, and OPR8R is the nickname of OP.
Got it.And no, I’m not accusing a whole team because of the misfits of only one person.
Sorry for the misunderstanding.
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I don’t think anybody has anything against SWAT in general.
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Seriously, don’t get involved in an argument or debate with OP, it will just go on, and on, and on…. and you will get absolutely no where. The guy can’t be reasoned with. All I can say is, whatever you decide to do, carry on and do it, pay no attention to him.
It’s just a game and a mod when all is said and done. If you look at OP’s mod you’ll notice it’s full of models from games like X3 and Spaceforce. Nobody cares! We just want to mod and play the game
Whatever history and bad blood exists between people in freelancer, it doesn’t involve you or me, so ignore it. Look forward to seeing your work in the future if you decide to have a go, and I hope you enjoy modding the game!
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I just read the log (I didn’t want to initially) and I have to say I’m terribly sorry this is pretty much the first contact you’ve had with the FL community. This is one of the worst chat logs I’ve ever seen.
I hope you manage to make something out of Continuum.
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Yeah, good luck to you and your project, Malacath.
I said to Folgore back when he started the project that being so closely tied to TLR would just end up causing trouble in the long run, sad to see I was correct in that.
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I agree, and I regret that I even lost time.
Also, I need to quote this, since it made my day yesterday.
[07/05/2012 17:09:04] SWAT_OP-R8R: posting logs at TSP?… well now i know that my decision was the right one
Regarding modding now, I wanted to ask some questions:
How is animation handled in Continuum? After that I roamed around Fort Bush in New York during the campaign for a while, I need to say that I’m impressed with the design, especially with that ‘cleaner’ revolving underneath the docking section. From what I noticed there are two prevalent animations in Freelancer, one revolving at 90° degrees (the cleaner thing) and one revolving at 0° degrees (the antenna on the peak of the tower). Is there any horizontal animation that goes from left to right? (And yeah, it is probably handled by code)
Next thing,
My plan is to mash-up the concept of Continuum (regarding architecture) and that of Freelancer. And that’s why I have to make the following questions:Can I cover two objects with a .sur? Like two different parts of a station that are detached? (Splitting the hit-detection bubble in two pieces, to be brief)
People told me that the most difficult part is re-animating the docking bays (the hatches), is that true? I don’t mind if it is hard or not, I just want to know if it’s worthwhile doing it. (For the sake of aesthetics, I want to do it)
Particles, or what seem like it, like the smoke coming out from Pueblo Station in the system of Colorado, could that be added as well? If yes, please direct me towards a tutorial on the site.
Last and final, my first attempts in 3DS Max to reproduce the style of FL with Con’s concepts failed miserably, as I got up to 16.000 polys for a simple fighter. I made three attempts and scrapped everything to the trash can from rage. (Reading in here, I should stay on lower values) So, what’s your suggestion?
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IMHO to add just something that seems to be forgotten:
1st:
The pretty first contact with the FL community? I mean it included 3 persons at all. Folgore, Malacath and OP -> that for sure is pretty not the community. Because if you speak from community then you point again in the SWAT direction, what i would be happy with to be left out of this story. Thanks!2nd:
Next thing about posting private chat logs. Well its not the fine kind, and normally private means private and not public. Its disclosed to the people involved and not for others. Dont want to be so fussy - but that is my POV. But that actually isnt that much important anymore in times of facebook and internet and unfortunate it doesnt seem to interest anyone anymore. Everything has to be public for everyone at anytime (long story and i dont want to extent it).3rd:
And finally i dont see why we have to break into any argument about what has been between the 3 persons involved. Its really not any of our problems. Is it? But that would reflect on my 2nd point - in times of facebook and internet everyone has to make a comment on everything. Not knowing each detail is irrelevant. Mainly we can keep posting.Instead just to welcome him here - old times have to be revealed again and again. For what actually? To underline someones statement?
shakeshead
Nevertheless i wish you much luck with Continuum! Keep us informed about the progress!
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I talked with FRM, and I’ve decided that I’ll change the name of the project, since I don’t want issues with ‘who owns what and when’.
Regarding the posting of the conversation log, it is a long story. I tried to reason with OP for over 40 minutes, he didn’t try to reason at all though. So I put the whole thing here, so that he could see that his opinion was not shared at all, being wrong.
Posting private logs in a public area is a ‘special bomb thing’ of my behaviour when I’m particularly annoyed by someone. Why would you rage for something like this? If your mind is clean, then you don’t need to worry about nothing. If you acted like an arrogant self-proclaimed demigod, then I would be ashamed as well if my conversation was made public among other people.
Since he replied to me on Skype, I guess that he was butthurt. My objective was thus reached. Objective of proving him that he was wrong. More opinions on the matter from more people, since I didn’t know where to look or what to do.
The thing that annoyed me the most is that he contacted the staff over at Moddb while he hadn’t even informed me. And no, OP, Folgore_RM (and by the way Malacath is me) aren’t the only ones that I met from the Freelancer MC.
I’ve met a lot of friendly people, that gave me a lot of help.
Like Timmy, Bob, even you Huor (since I learned the difference between OP and SWAT), Sushi (for explaining me the absence of normal mapping support in FL - DX8?), FriendlyFire (for the moral boost in trying to do something), Freestalker.fr (which I will consult regarding the name change) and SA_Dodger (for helping me out with the lore).For TL;DRs
He should have vented out with the right people.And thanks, Huor.
I owe my excuses to you, since I feel a bit ashamed by the fact that I accused you as well when I called out SWAT instead of OP.
