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Preview of Legends Modding - 11/13/2011 10:21:17 PM   
lordxorn


Posts: 768
Joined: 12/6/2009
Status: offline 		I got the go ahead from Elliot to reveal some broad improvements coming from Legends for the mod community.

First of all ship images should be no larger than 300x300 pixels because the game no longer compresses them I am assuming.

The largest improvements will be more settings we can edit in the race files that will allow us to define more specific roles or particular genres like total war in Warhammer, or research areas that are not allowed so races who focus only on lasers or missiles can be modded.

Some other new features that indirectly affect us are new techs like a ship type and weapons.

More will be revealed as allowed, possibly when the new mod guide comes out in about a wekk possibly.



< Message edited by lordxorn -- 11/13/2011 10:22:06 PM >

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RE: Preview of Legends Modding - 11/13/2011 10:37:34 PM   
ASHBERY76


Posts: 2136
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Status: offline 		Can you add your own weapons and tech descriptions to the tech tree,edit resource values,edit traits naming and values?

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RE: Preview of Legends Modding - 11/13/2011 10:44:27 PM   
lordxorn


Posts: 768
Joined: 12/6/2009
Status: offline 		As far as I can tell I would say no to all of those.

I just want to add that is my opinion and not an official reply, as we don't know the full extent of how mod support has been expanded.

< Message edited by lordxorn -- 11/13/2011 10:46:08 PM >

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RE: Preview of Legends Modding - 11/13/2011 10:54:42 PM   
ASHBERY76


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From: England
Status: offline 		The poor old Stardestroyer is not going to be using turbolasers.

Really it means you are stuck in the DW setting with callista warp drives,ect and Totalwar type conversions are not going to happen,ever.Shame really.

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RE: Preview of Legends Modding - 11/13/2011 11:04:56 PM   
lordxorn


Posts: 768
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Status: offline 		Yeah I am hoping for more surprises.

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RE: Preview of Legends Modding - 11/14/2011 12:37:22 AM   
lordxorn


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quote:

ORIGINAL: ASHBERY76

Can you add your own weapons and tech descriptions to the tech tree,edit resource values,edit traits naming and values?


Ashberry maybe you can help me confirm this, but I see a file with pretty much all game text that appears to be moddable including weapons. This file is comprehensive, I don't remember seeing it in the ROTS install.

This would change my reply to your answer earlier to a yes, but within the existing weapons. Don't there is a way to add new ones.


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RE: Preview of Legends Modding - 11/14/2011 12:42:54 AM   
Igard


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Status: offline 		I'm looking forward to that mod guide.

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RE: Preview of Legends Modding - 11/14/2011 12:44:36 AM   
ASHBERY76


Posts: 2136
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Status: offline 		I see no such file in ROTS.

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RE: Preview of Legends Modding - 11/14/2011 12:49:31 AM   
lordxorn


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quote:

ORIGINAL: ASHBERY76

I see no such file in ROTS.


Ok then I can confirm that what you asked for is being granted. =)

So it is looking more and more like we will be able to integrate our mods to a fuller extent than ever before like weapons, and characters and their traits.

I am so excited! =P


< Message edited by lordxorn -- 11/14/2011 12:51:23 AM >

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RE: Preview of Legends Modding - 11/14/2011 1:45:38 AM   
Nedrear


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Status: offline 		Wrong the gametext file was inside every non English version and translates the interface texts. !IF! they are now inside all versions, that only will help you RENAME technologies already present. Nothing will be really modified!

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RE: Preview of Legends Modding - 11/14/2011 2:11:53 AM   
lordxorn


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quote:

ORIGINAL: Nedrear

Wrong the gametext file was inside every non English version and translates the interface texts. !IF! they are now inside all versions, that only will help you RENAME technologies already present. Nothing will be really modified!


Ah ok thanks for clearing that up, well it will allow modders to tailor the game to their specific mod. Like Ashberry mentioned above.

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RE: Preview of Legends Modding - 11/14/2011 4:45:01 AM   
Malevolence


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Status: offline 		That file is for i18n.



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RE: Preview of Legends Modding - 11/14/2011 5:37:46 AM   
tjhkkr


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quote:

ORIGINAL: lordxorn
First of all ship images should be no larger than 300x300 pixels because the game no longer compresses them I am assuming.


That is good news for me! I have been moving everything to 200 x 200...

quote:

ORIGINAL: lordxorn
The largest improvements will be more settings we can edit in the race files that will allow us to define more specific roles or particular genres like total war in Warhammer, or research areas that are not allowed so races who focus only on lasers or missiles can be modded.


That is also cool. That means certain races will have some real technology advantages...

And it still sounds like we are getting a lot of neat stuff with this...

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RE: Preview of Legends Modding - 11/14/2011 8:49:58 AM   
Data


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Status: offline 		Wow, Elliot was not joking around with extending the modding capabilities. And an updated manual on this, nicee.

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RE: Preview of Legends Modding - 11/14/2011 12:00:45 PM   
WoodMan


Posts: 1345
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From: Ol' Blighty
Status: offline 		Just a quick note, 300x300 pixels for a ship is a recommendation, a guide not a rule.  The larger your file the longer it will take to load, for example Eliott has said a 500x500 will take 3 times as long as a 300x300.

Some (not much) of the new ship artwork in Legends is infact larger than 300x300 and as far as I'm aware there aren't performance issues.  So if you already made a mod for RotS with larger images don't worry about having to rescale hundreds of images (which means redrawing the running lights and engines on them all) unless you made the ship images very large, like 500x500. 


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RE: Preview of Legends Modding - 11/14/2011 3:12:34 PM   
Nedrear


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quote:

ORIGINAL: WoodMan

Eliott has said a 500x500 will take 3 times as long as a 300x300.


My math does too. 500x500 = 250000 and 300x300 = 90000. Therfore the first one got NEARLY three times as much pixel. Consequently it is three times work to show it.


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RE: Preview of Legends Modding - 11/14/2011 3:26:43 PM   
tjhkkr


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quote:

ORIGINAL: WoodMan
Some (not much) of the new ship artwork in Legends is infact larger than 300x300 and as far as I'm aware there aren't performance issues. So if you already made a mod for RotS with larger images don't worry about having to rescale hundreds of images (which means redrawing the running lights and engines on them all) unless you made the ship images very large, like 500x500.


There is a re-size tool in GiMP... I have never had to resize engine exhaust or lights. It works pretty well with it all... But with Star Trek ships, I do not monkey with engine exhausts...
BUT CLEARLY, you are the master of this... so I may be wrong...

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RE: Preview of Legends Modding - 11/14/2011 3:32:08 PM   
Shark7


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Status: offline 		How large should race/character images be though?

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RE: Preview of Legends Modding - 11/14/2011 3:38:32 PM   
Haree78


Posts: 1269
Joined: 5/18/2010
Status: offline 		Things you need to prepare for updating those mods:

Artwork for characters! As many as you can find, same size as race images.

Artwork for Carriers!

Your own flag shapes.

A fully realised mod is going to be a lot more immersive in your universe of choice!

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RE: Preview of Legends Modding - 11/14/2011 5:07:25 PM   
Nedrear


Posts: 702
Joined: 10/29/2011
Status: offline 		I got a good potential of ships in black and white through the ship mods of Kathaniell and Co. So my "Juned Trade Federation" submod should be able to go up to date concerning my AAR in the Legends Timeline and will get an enemy overhaul in birth rate... Insektoids need to be more dangerous! I only have to find some personality pictures. Wonder where to look or if someone will offer "free use" material as a modpack. I am not sure about the flag shapes though. If possible I would like to get another one. The current symbol is alright for the Federation, but could be better.

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RE: Preview of Legends Modding - 11/14/2011 5:12:37 PM   
AminMaalouf

 

Posts: 176
Joined: 1/6/2007
Status: offline
quote:

ORIGINAL: Haree78

Things you need to prepare for updating those mods:

Artwork for characters! As many as you can find, same size as race images.

Artwork for Carriers!

Your own flag shapes.

A fully realised mod is going to be a lot more immersive in your universe of choice!

Is this an annoucement, that we are going to see your Galactica Mod for Legends? Damn, these are the best days since the moo3 discussions.


< Message edited by AminMaalouf -- 11/14/2011 5:19:57 PM >

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RE: Preview of Legends Modding - 11/14/2011 5:24:31 PM   
Haree78


Posts: 1269
Joined: 5/18/2010
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quote:

ORIGINAL: AminMaalouf

Is this an annoucement, that we are going to see your Galactica Mod for Legends? Damn, these are the best days since the moo3 discussions.



I have the advantage of having a head start in updating my mod yes, expect a Legends release when it is time :)

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RE: Preview of Legends Modding - 11/14/2011 5:38:11 PM   
AminMaalouf

 

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Status: offline 		Cool, thanks.

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RE: Preview of Legends Modding - 11/14/2011 5:39:07 PM   
lordxorn


Posts: 768
Joined: 12/6/2009
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quote:

ORIGINAL: Nedrear


quote:

ORIGINAL: WoodMan

Eliott has said a 500x500 will take 3 times as long as a 300x300.


My math does too. 500x500 = 250000 and 300x300 = 90000. Therfore the first one got NEARLY three times as much pixel. Consequently it is three times work to show it.



I think as modders we should offer a standard package of different RES ships, so those with differing pc specs can enjoy the game in all it's glory. So like a 300px version verse a 500px version for those with current pcs.


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RE: Preview of Legends Modding - 11/14/2011 6:31:11 PM   
Haree78


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Status: offline 		That is pointless because the game scales 500 pixels down to 300 to display, all you are doing by going above 300 pixels is giving your PC extra effort scaling.

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RE: Preview of Legends Modding - 11/14/2011 7:46:55 PM   
tjhkkr


Posts: 2428
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Status: offline 		Does anyone know?
Does it have to recalculate for a smaller image than 300 x 300 as well... if so, I gain nothing by the smaller images?

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RE: Preview of Legends Modding - 11/14/2011 10:56:05 PM   
ehsumrell1


Posts: 2529
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quote:

ORIGINAL: tjhkkr

Does anyone know?
Does it have to recalculate for a smaller image than 300 x 300 as well... if so, I gain nothing by the smaller images?


From my understanding guys, Elliot has a new, different graphics loading scheme in Legends
compared to ROTS (Erik, please chide in with better detail if you have time). From what
I've experienced, if build objects are larger than the 300 x 300 image, on the game
screen they still show fine, but they originally start fuzzy for about 2 to 5 seconds
then they show clearly. This new method does enhance clarity and resolution greatly
though. Hopefully one of the devs will respond to this more clearly than I can.

But that is why the need for the reduction to 300 x 300 for images IMHO.

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RE: Preview of Legends Modding - 11/15/2011 12:10:33 AM   
Haree78


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Status: offline 		The reduction to 300x300 isn't new, Distant Worlds always scaled to a maximum of it.

The new loading mechanism you are talking about is to manage memory better and allow for mods that use a lot more images.

As for anything to gain by going smaller than 300x300, I'm not sure, it certainly wont stop scaling but whether the scaling algorithm works quicker with enlarging compared to reduction I'm not sure. Will it save memory? Also not sure because I imagine the game holds the scaled image in memory, not the original so I would guess a smaller original wouldn't affect memory much if any.

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RE: Preview of Legends Modding - 11/15/2011 3:05:44 AM   
tjhkkr


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Status: offline 		Thank you for your answer!!!

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RE: Preview of Legends Modding - 11/15/2011 4:52:59 AM   
Igard


Posts: 2282
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From: Scotland
Status: offline 		Thankyou for the info, lordxorn and Haree.

Sounds like I've got alot of work to do....


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