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Zalpha
05-01-2010, 10:39 PM
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SC3 Modding Team
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Hi I am a South African graphic design student (24 white male) in my 2nd year of study. I recently (like 4 days ago) got SW3 and after playing many hours love the game but feel it lacks so much.

I then opened the files and saw how easy it is to mod. I am surprised that not many mods exist for this great game, but after such bad reviews I understand why.

So after finding this place (the only place it seems on the net to talk about SW3) and reading all the post in the modding section I realised that this is place to mod the game as a community.

I want to setup an open modding team (anyone can join), we list our goals and plans and what we want to add into the game and keep adding as we go along. We should use this site and forums to keep it open and attract new modders into the ranks as well as get fresh ideas and feed back from mod users.

I have graphic design skills, I created custom UI colours screens (blue/black-gray/red and white user interfaces) simple modding - just changing textures colours. I also changed Lastocka portrait images as I didn't like the red tint and background.

My 1st mod idea was to retexture the game better and more detailed, custom coloured ships, tons of new character portraits (some of who would just use other characters class scripts), new space backgrounds and so on...

My 2nd which others here are covering is adding new ships, sectors (I want to add a multi map system - a level above and below the current map), as well as many other ideas I have. I planned to create custom UI and adding a tabbing function, like next to the ship button will be squad members (instead of next to the ship) and the map system would have level 1/2/3 etc.

Post here if you want to join and what you wanna add/do, I will edit this post and try keep it updated daily.

Let’s try create one massive mod, rather than hundreds of smaller mods.

I will upload my mods that I have created so long until we get one big mod going together. I will upload my mods when I get a chance and am happy with with my changes I have made.

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I just found found the wish list and will start adding onto the to-do-list/wish list.

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1. More more more, more ships, equipment, motherships and missions.

2. Random but rewarding stuff to do. Maydays, station defence etc.

3. Territory control? Maybe clearing a system (or systems) and being able to set it to your choosen faction. Owning a station and being able to upgrade it in various ways to provide a regular income / bonus missions, researchable ships & equipment.

4. Some real trading in commodities. Should be a viable way of making money

5. Hidden goodies. Make exploring worthwhile with out of the way stations offering rare ships & equipment, or good stuff a bit cheaper.

6. Bring back the bridge crew! Didn't really make a lot of sense the mothership flying itself

7. Being able to own some corvettes for the really heavy missions would be cool (butcher / walrus etc).

8. Being able to continue playing after the end of the main storyline. Would make sense if exploration was worthwhile.

9. More really epic battles, you know the ones I mean


^ I am going to stop there (gota go to sleep) and will continue and arrange the list tomorow. XD

Goblin Wizard
05-02-2010, 01:45 AM
Hmm... you are so enthusiastic and everything looks great...
I don't want to discourage you but I hope you realize that It's a project for... years. I'm not joking. Scripting all of these without map/quest editor (like devs have) will be tons of work. Some guys from Russia started a project like yours about 2 years ago. They are still working on it.
Generally, if you want to think about project like this you should find someone who is really good with LUA.

Nanaki
05-02-2010, 02:32 AM
Funny thing is, a long time ago I used to know some people who were masters of Lua. However, back than I never really cared for the language (and was busy with other stuff).

I will contribute whatever I can, but I am taking a bit of a break from modding at the moment before I pull out all the hair from my head in fustration.

Zalpha
05-02-2010, 09:11 AM
Well thanks for the rely guys; yeah I am enthusiastic, maybe way to much...
I don’t mind if it takes years, I will do what I can (while I can) and take each step of the way.

I plan to break it up into small doable parts and mod bit by bit...
To start off with I will take what everyone has created so far and add it into a collection of everyone’s work, in one big mod package.

My skills are basically retexturing, not scripting (I was hoping you guys would sort that part out). I know a little bit of scripting and it seems straightforward enough when going through the script language (I understand what their editing/creating). Although I have yet to edit it and see what happens. I have been following you guys in the forum and making notes as to what to-do and what-not-to-do based on yours and others experiences of where you went wrong and what you have learned.

Okay for now let work on what both you currently working on... and finishing it as a mod package.

I plan to create new custom portraits and UI colours for people to choose form (just pasting over existing character portraits & the UI). I want to create some male and female portraits that you can choose to overwrite, say you want to make the main guy a chick – then just over ride his portrait, or change someone else you don’t like with the portraits that I will provide.

I was previously modding for fallout 3 and have doing so for over 2 years now, time isn’t an issue for me...

Goblin Wizard
05-02-2010, 10:08 AM
One more thing. The game engine is rather old. It hasn't changed much since SW1 (2004). AFAIK there is no way to add bump map, specularity, displacement or other view enhancing textures. Only one base texture - that's all. After you'll get deeper into modding SW you'll probably find other limitations.

BTW If you want to change/add ships I have a plugin for 3dsmax that allow direct import/export IMD files (without using IMD_Editor). Let me know if you are interested.

Of course, I can help with all my knowledge so don't hesitate to ask.

Zalpha
05-02-2010, 10:28 AM
Yeah I would be interested, thanks! XD

Florio
05-03-2010, 11:39 PM
iam a programmer i can read some lua and change some parameters, so i may help you...
and look after some documentation..

ive got an idea about a new system, a tracer, who would be able to trace down ship it have been launched on, a kind of hybrid between system and missile

it can be leveled easily (i got some idea on it) and would be cool during certain kind of mission.

To your own idea, i think some are "easily" feseable as increasing ships during a battle or getting a no-end.

Trade could be implemented by copying from older SW that did that things.

The harder would be the change of system owner, it would require to have huge table of what should be disposed for faction (and on what context) though i think it shall be unlocked when the story line have ended.

I would more be to extend the story from the InoCo SAM ending, so huge battle would make sense and territory expand too, even if temporary. (i don't know if u visited like X-203 or one near, it is so full of beserk)

I will pm you tomorow iam a bit tired at now.. good night!

Jerry
05-24-2010, 04:42 PM
Hi! I just registered!
project still going?
I would like to help. but i know nothing about modding..
Iam a j2me programmer...
anyway..i hope you can made it eventually``