Help: Space Star Map Files

[Burntstrobe]

Hello Community,

I am trying to locate the XML or other files of code that determine which W_stars_nebula00.dds files are used with each planet. I have learned that there are 12 of these star nebula files, and I would like to learn how they're use is determined, so that I may have control over which planet uses which file.

I also wish to personally test the limit of how many of these W_stars_nebula00.dds files the game can handle. As of now, the game runs with 12, but I want to see if the game can work with 15, 20, 30, and up to however many causes the game to crash.


Any help on this matter is much appreciated, thank you.

[Mobius13]

Well you'd need to add new star and nebula backgrounds through the map editor, however you an add them by hex editing an existing skydome with a new texture

[Burntstrobe]

I have been able to edit all the existing 12 W_stars_nebula00.dds files with photoshop and have come up with the below images. I can easily make more of these files and just rename them with increasing numbers, such as _nebula13.dds, _nebula14.dds, etc, but how do I get the game to recognize the new files and use them?

Here are some pics of modified files already, I have been taking hubble telescope images, and replacing the original nebulas with the photos, creating alpha layers, and then saving them to the texture folder. The game runs them perfectly, but how do you get the game to recognize more files that go beyod 12, and how do you get to determin which planet uses which file?

[codeuser]

Determined through the map. Space skydomes are defined in the XML for secondary space skydomes. There shouldn't be a limit to how many space skydomes you have.

[Burntstrobe]

Do you know which xml file?

[the_Farseer]

Originally Posted by Burntstrobe

Do you know which xml file?

These are the two files you will need for starfields and nebulae:

Spaceprimaryskydomes.XML

and

Spacesecondaryskydomes.XML

However, these two files do NOT control which texture is being used. The textures are assigned to an individual .ALO model and must be assigned via a HEX editor or by making a new model. The xml files then reference the ALO models to be used as a skydome. If you do not currently have a HEX editing program, I recomend (and use) this one: cygnus hex editor (just google it). Using the hex editor requires no knowledge of code, just a lot of patience as you scroll through it to find a referenced texture to change... If you need help understanding the process, I can help as I have made custom skydomes before and know the process fairly well.

[Mobius13]

Originally Posted by the_Farseer

Using the hex editor requires no knowledge of code, just a lot of patience as you scroll through it to find a referenced texture to change... If you need help understanding the process, I can help as I have made custom skydomes before and know the process fairly well.

Or you could use the search function

But he's right, hex editing is the only way to go

[the_Farseer]

Originally Posted by Mobius13

Or you could use the search function

But he's right, hex editing is the only way to go

I guess you can use the search function is you wanted too... Personally, I enjoy scrolling through millions of lines of # signs and ? and the ever present ............... It's good times.

[CCWAR]

Hex editor can serve some times for know about the files but edit a file with a hex editor..........puffff it is not great, the best is make your own 100% skydomes.

[the_Farseer]

Originally Posted by CCWAR

Hex editor can serve some times for know about the files but edit a file with a hex editor..........puffff it is not great, the best is make your own 100% skydomes.

Yes, but the HEX editor is free 3DSMax is not...