Mix and match Shipsets |
So there I am launching fighters from my UFP carrier and I'm thinking it looks a little week...sure wish I could have a 'Battlestar' type carrier...and vipers...and weapon platforms.
As I have both shipsets downloaded (excellent work to those who developed and posted them!) looked to see if there was an easy way of exchanging one type of unit for another. Multiple bitmap transfers and game hangs later figured out I'm not as smart as I thought.
Question I have what are the files that are required for each class of ship. The ones I've been messing with are the 2 portrits (small/large) the bmp that has the skin, a bmp/jpg for the ship builder and a text file that gives some type of data (depending on the orginial mod'er the format varies).
Is there any documentation on exactly what files are required for a class of ship?
Thanks in advance...
Re: Mix and match Shipsets
Hello,
for merging stock races into one another then you right bauscho.
But if you want to merge custom shipsets, then - in addition - you must look for other graphic files (bmp, jpg) delivered with these. For example in some shipsets are files like "1.bmp" or so, which are used, too.
The best thing you can do then is starting an all-tech-game and build one of all modified ships. If then no message appears everything went ok - but often you get a message like "Can't find file: *.bmp in folder ... " or such. Then you must copy the missing file in the new shipset folder in order to let it properly work. Additionally "[Empire Name]_Unit_Combat_Texture.bmp" and/or "[Empire Name]_Vehicle_Main_Texture.bmp" should be altered, so it displays the correct ships.
In "[Empire Name]_InvConfiguration_Slots.txt" and "[Empire Name]_Ships_XFileClasses.txt" there must be some alterations, too. For example: replace the entry for a destroyer of original race A by this of race B and then rename them to your new shipset name. Don't forget to rename "B_Destroyer.x" to "A_Destroyer.x".

Re: Mix and match Shipsets
The .x files are the actual 3d models of the ships, I wouldn't recommend trying to change them. 
Re: Mix and match Shipsets
The "[Empire Name]_Destroyer.x" should only be renamed to "[Your Empire Name]_Destroyer.x". In this case the empire name is the name of your shipset.
"[Your Empire Name]_Ships_XFileClasses.txt" ... replace the original entry with the one you can find in the XFileClasses of the new ships original shipset/empire. The same must be done with/in the InvConfiguration_Slots.
These files are only text so you can use a program like Notepad. Don't use Word or so!
Re: Mix and match Shipsets
Jep, there is an idea.
You need to place a new folder in the Balance Mod -> Empires folder. Then you must copy the AI_Main.txt from your Empire folder to this folder and change the AI Scripts there (look in the readme for Balance Mod, there is a desription)




Re: Mix and match Shipsets
ho here : epire styles. There is all you need to know about shipset.