[MOD] Extended Complex Hub and Complex Node Bazaar [Updated 6/3/06]

[fud]

Damn. I really wish I:

A. Had Gmax
B. Knew how to use it.



I've got some ideas for new stations, at least designs. Always irked me that all the race's common fabs were identical. They should all be different, like the trading stations are. Each race's fabs unique to it's own styling.


Ashley, I don't plan on using your update, since I've already got a few of my own frankenstien creations in my game. I'd rather not dismantle/sell them, and start over.

As an aside, I still the the start of the path to a player HQ hanger/storage facility.

[Armegeddon]

Damn. I really wish I:

A. Had Gmax
B. Knew how to use it.



I've got some ideas for new stations, at least designs. Always irked me that all the race's common fabs were identical. They should all be different, like the trading stations are. Each race's fabs unique to it's own styling.


Ashley, I don't plan on using your update, since I've already got a few of my own frankenstien creations in my game. I'd rather not dismantle/sell them, and start over.

As an aside, I still the the start of the path to a player HQ hanger/storage facility.

Problem with giving each station it's own design based on the race is that it would practically double the size of the .cat files. Each model file is 20-30 Megs. Size of the folder containing all the extracted stations is 4 Gigs itself.

[fud]

Well, I wasn't really discussing the practical implications, just the feasibility of it.


At least different shipyards/EQ docks would be better. Imo. That's only adding 8 total models.




Question (back OT), if you dock a TL to the station, you can load/offload wares?

50000 cargo space will hold a hell of a lot of BPACs

[Saint-Ashley]

A. Had Gmax
B. Knew how to use it.

A. Gmax is free... I have...
B. I also whish I known how to use it!

Problem with giving each station it's own design based on the race is that it would practically double the size of the .cat files. Each model file is 20-30 Megs. Size of the folder containing all the extracted stations is 4 Gigs itself.

Doesnt matter about size to me! Id rather have the specialized models. The only downfall is it would most definatly require a new game. As for their size, I alerdy have 3 different installs of X3, plus nearly every mod/script written dled, (recently started to delete old files) and for me size is NO issue. As I have 8 different hard drives, with more then 1.5 TB of space (Sad thing, ~70% of it all is full)

[fud]

So there is a free/trial version? I wondered. I thought "how the hell could all these people have/afford a $700 program!"

I may do some searching now. If it's anything relative to CAD, I could prolly figure it out with some time. Been using CAD for 20 years...

Besides, I figured out how to add an asteroid to my game, surely I can model a big f**k off ship yard.

[Stevio]

turbosquid

[fud]

Awesome. Thanks. I'll grab that when I get home, then stare blankly at the monitor for 5 hours since I have no clue what I'm doing.


I can't wait.

[Armegeddon]

Well, I wasn't really discussing the practical implications, just the feasibility of it.


At least different shipyards/EQ docks would be better. Imo. That's only adding 8 total models.




Question (back OT), if you dock a TL to the station, you can load/offload wares?

50000 cargo space will hold a hell of a lot of BPACs

It'll work just as if you docked the TL to any other station.

[fud]

Ok. I was just checking, since TLs can only dock at EQ/SYs. Can't wait to try this out.

[Armegeddon]

EQ/SY are the only places TL/M1/M2 can dock at because they are the only stations that have the large docking ports.

[fud]

Cool.

[Saint-Ashley]

I'll grab that when I get home, then stare blankly at the monitor for 5 hours since I have no clue what I'm doing.

I did the exact same thing... I looked at a argon buster lets just say as I was fiddileing with it, it got perdy messed up! That kind of ended that...

TL/M1/M2 can only dock at stations that have "Huge class" docking clamps. Egosoft only gave EQ/SY these clamps. But, as Deadly and doubleshadow found out, you can make a station and give it these clamps

Edit: should have posted this earlier... But why not give all the races the new complex hub? As the X3 manual suggests you should stay with a paticular races complex pipes (I have no idea how it would matter anyway) But, it would be a pain if someone was friendly to a different single race then the one that had the complex kits.

[apricotslice]

Armageddon, can I please use the new pic for the hub in the X3 Handbook as an example of what can be done with modding ?

[Armegeddon]

I'll grab that when I get home, then stare blankly at the monitor for 5 hours since I have no clue what I'm doing.

I did the exact same thing... I looked at a argon buster lets just say as I was fiddileing with it, it got perdy messed up! That kind of ended that...

That's kindof how I started out with modelling a few years ago. I wanted to make an attempt at making a new game (never got out of the planning stage) and decided to see what kind of graphics I was capable of doing. Unfortunately, I discovered that I don't have much artistic talent. I can make somewhat simple things, and modify existing things pretty well if I work at it, but can't create something new that looks really good.

Edit: should have posted this earlier... But why not give all the races the new complex hub? As the X3 manual suggests you should stay with a paticular races complex pipes (I have no idea how it would matter anyway) But, it would be a pain if someone was friendly to a different single race then the one that had the complex kits.

Originally that was what I was going to do, but someone came up with the complaint (I forget who) that not everyone might want to use the new complexes on all their stations. The major thing is that this mod becomes a "save game breaker" if uninstalled with any Modified Complex Hubs in existance due to the game being unable to compensate for the changed docking availability. Due to that I had decided to have the hub replace one of the existing race hubs because that's the only way the game will allow it to be used. Apparently those positions in Tfactories are hardcoded expressely as Construction Kits and Complex Hubs. Trying to place them anywhere else prevents them from working right.
And as for what the manual says about Hubs and Tubes...Here's a little hint: They all use the exact same model. Instead of creating 5 completely different Tfactories slots for each different one, they could have just used a single slot and put it in each shipyard. They all have very low reputation requirements, so as long as you're able to dock at the shipyard you should be able to buy them.
As far as reputation with the Extended Complex Hub: I did the same as I did for the Complex Node Bazaar. I made it Goner and the script places it in every shipyard in the game.
I try to think of every possible problem that can arise when I create something to minimize having to make patches if at all possible.

Armageddon, can I please use the new pic for the hub in the X3 Handbook as an example of what can be done with modding ?

Didn't I already tell you that images and code that I create for this game can be used by anyone for anything they desire as long as proper credit is given?

[Heretic666]

Why not create 2 versions then?

1 download changes every one of the construction kits, requiring a restart, the other only changes 1 races construction kit, so players can use it on their current save?

[Armegeddon]

Neither method would require a restart. The first option would just require ALL exisitng Complex Hubs to need to be destroyed and replaced to take advantage of the new docking facilities. The game appears ot be unable to dynamically alter them if the model changes.
The second method would require destroying and replacing only those Hubs from that specific race. Which I personally think would be the better option. Perhaps I'll release a seperate version for every race, although that means any future changes I make will require me to edit 5 different mod sets.

[Armegeddon]

I decided to not wait on the poll to finish since it already appears people want different races to lose their complex hubs. As a result of that, I've released 6 versions of the mod. There is one for each of the 5 races, which replace ONLY that races Construction Kits and Hubs with the Extended versions. There is also a version that replaces ALL the races construction kits and hubs with extended versions.
I've also included an uninstall script that can be manually run from the script editor. The script will undock all ships from any Extended Complex Hubs you own, then destroy the Hub. It will also destroy all Complex Node Bazaars that you own. After they are all destroyed, you will be given credits equal to what it cost to buy as many Extended Complex Hubs and Node Bazaars that you had.
Please note, that destroying the Hubs and Bazaars will de-complex all the stations that were in the complexes, so you will have to reconnect them. The uninstall script is unable to credit you back for non-hub construction kits as it is currently not possible to determine if a station is part of a complex.

The 6 files that I released now do not incorporate any other mods into them. They are standalone versions. Once some other mods are complete that I want to merge with (DDRS, XL fabs to name 2) I'll release compatible versions for use with them.

There are NO blank spaces in the Tfactories in these versions. They are to be used as the only mod in a game, unless the user wants to merge them himself.

[DesertEagle]

some sort of script to halt the production of a station in a complex would be great.

There is a "freeze station" economic event buried in the GOD mode random economic event generator scripts. Dunno if this is helpful to anyone. I'm slowly improving my scripting abilities.

-Much respect to all of you.

DesertEagle

[apricotslice]

some sort of script to halt the production of a station in a complex would be great.

There is a "freeze station" economic event buried in the GOD mode random economic event generator scripts. Dunno if this is helpful to anyone. I'm slowly improving my scripting abilities.

If you can figure out how to freeze god, a lot of us will thank you !

[rustybucket]

Please note, that destroying the Hubs and Bazaars will de-complex all the stations that were in the complexes, so you will have to reconnect them.

How durable is your mod? The standard in-game solution is very fragile; which doesn't make much sense to me. You would think that expensive industrial structures would have better shielding and maintenence then stand alone stations.