Author Topic: custom content in Zathras  (Read 20454 times)

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Offline boewolf

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custom content in Zathras
Is it possible or even advisable to try and make some custom content that is compatible with Zathras?  If so what is the best way to go about adding such content? 

 

Offline FUBAR-BDHR

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Re: custom content in Zathras
Yes it's not only possible but we encourage it.  First thing is to get familiar with the rules:  http://www.hard-light.net/forums/index.php?topic=56303.0 while Zathras may bend those on occasion it's a good idea to follow them for anything not just Zathras. 

As for how to go about adding it well you can't.  We do that.  Best bet is to post about what you are working on or what you have and we will review it.  If it's something that improves the game and doesn't break backward compatibility it may go into Zathras.  Remember not everything can go in we do have to pick and choose at times.  Even if it doesn't you can still post it for people to use in their campaigns. 

Moving to public development for further discussion. 
No-one ever listens to Zathras. Quite mad, they say. It is good that Zathras does not mind. He's even grown to like it. Oh yes. -Zathras

 

Offline boewolf

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Re: custom content in Zathras
Well in short I intent to try and make shadow variants of the Nova, Midwinter, Warlock, the G.O.D.  Basically a shadow EA fleet.  I am intending to let my imagination run a little in the what if line and try my had at getting the EA to take over the universe in the name of the Shadows.  Make everyone the slaves, and become the Shadows favored underlings.

So I'm looking at a few re skins and new tables.  Possible campaign down the line.

 

Offline Vidmaster

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Re: custom content in Zathras
looking forward to it.

This also provides a example for some basic Zathras policy:
1.) Let's say you replace the textures and the tables for the EA ships with new ones. In that case, your stuff will not be added to Zathras, since it would break backwards compatibility with every other campaign using EA ships, that's almost every campaign  :lol:. However, nothing prevents you from for example placing your new replacement files in a seperate mod, which uses Zathras via the multi-mod feature.
2.) If you decide to go another way, making new tables (copy and paste  ;7 ) and not replacing but only adding stuff, adding something like that to Zathras can be discussed and is almost certain if there is already some great content using it. It's a case by case decision, no promises but Zathras was released to give the development into the hands of the community, not to lock them out, so no worries.
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Offline boewolf

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Re: custom content in Zathras
Option 2.  Gotta put a stop to Mr Sharadin.  He will probably die a horrid death.  He would be too threatening to the shadows galactic domination.  So there would probably be some Shadow tech EA vs normal EA under Sharadin's command.

 

Offline -Norbert-

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Re: custom content in Zathras
You forget that the Shadows tried to turn Sheridan over to their side. And since he is, what they call a nexus, that might be the key event were your timeline split form the official one.
Or you could make a Dark Distorted Mirror mod. That'd be awsome if you can come up with nice models for the darkstars and citatel.

 

Offline boewolf

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Re: custom content in Zathras
After looking at what is available in the EA fleet, The Icarus with a few modifications would probably make a good looking darkstar (whitestar equivalent).  Would that satisfy?

 

Offline -Norbert-

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Re: custom content in Zathras
Just in case you don't know that story I liked to, the Darkstar is a kind of successor to the Whitestar. Bigger, badder and including a telepath that is completely grown into the ship and is part of a network of similarly enslaved telepath all over the galaxy.
So I think the Icarus wouldn't work too well, because it is simply too small and not organic looking in it's shape.

 

Offline FUBAR-BDHR

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Re: custom content in Zathras
Well we have a Nova shadow hybrid already.  It should be going into Zathras at some point (aka as soon as I have time to finish it). 

As for the others reskins  Vid's pretty much hit the nail on the head.  If you can keep it to textures that is best.  There are a limited number of ship slots so table entries for such things we don't hand out lightly.  Now that doesn't mean that if you do a really good new model we won't accept it. 

There is also a third option that has been used.  The original 2008 Xmas pack included both tables and textures for the recolored civis.  The textures made it into Zathras and can be used by texture replacement but the table entries themselves didn't. 

Oh and there will be beams for that Nova added to Zathras as well so other EA ships can use those. 
No-one ever listens to Zathras. Quite mad, they say. It is good that Zathras does not mind. He's even grown to like it. Oh yes. -Zathras

 

Offline boewolf

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Re: custom content in Zathras
From what I have been reading in other threads, for all intensive purposes of mission making and what not, any new content I use in the short term can all just sit in the normal TBP root data folder for the time being?  And later make it compatible with Zathras?

 

Offline Dragon

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Re: custom content in Zathras
It should work that way, though you may also put it into "data" folder of Zathras.
This may be a better solution.

 

Offline Vidmaster

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Re: custom content in Zathras
Worrying about Zathras and stuff is necessary when you start thinking about releasing it to the public  :lol: for development purposes, it's not of our concern what you do to your TBP installation. Still, there is the smart way of doing it and the not-so-smart-making-a-quick-game-impossible-way.
Me thinking FUBAR explained it well  :yes: Not everything needs a table  :lol:
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Offline FUBAR-BDHR

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Re: custom content in Zathras
The best thing to do is make a mod folder and use a mod.ini with Zathras listed as a secondary.  That way even if it doesn't make Zathras you are already set up for releasing it yourself. 
No-one ever listens to Zathras. Quite mad, they say. It is good that Zathras does not mind. He's even grown to like it. Oh yes. -Zathras

 

Offline karajorma

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Re: custom content in Zathras
It should work that way, though you may also put it into "data" folder of Zathras.
This may be a better solution.

If you do that though it might interfere with other mods and campaigns for TBP. Following FUBAR's advice allows you to develop your own campaigns easily while not preventing you from playing other peoples. :)
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Offline Revan

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Re: custom content in Zathras
Well we have a Nova shadow hybrid already.  It should be going into Zathras at some point (aka as soon as I have time to finish it).
Does it have Shadow-"Legs"? If not. What does it have, that it wont have, when you modify the ship via Fred?

My personally Opinon:
TBP has enogh Earth Ships. There is no need for more. Icarus excluded, because it was in the show. Therefore I would see it rather if the focus would lie now on extraterrestial ships. Therefore it would be me rather if (pure) Alien ships are in the focus. 

 

Offline FUBAR-BDHR

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Re: custom content in Zathras
It just has redone textures and new weapons.  There were some pics of it around here somewhere. 
No-one ever listens to Zathras. Quite mad, they say. It is good that Zathras does not mind. He's even grown to like it. Oh yes. -Zathras

 

Offline Revan

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Re: custom content in Zathras
New weapons mean Submodels? Turrets? Or only a TPM?

 

Offline FUBAR-BDHR

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Re: custom content in Zathras
New weapons as in new weapons.  Same turrets but they fire a new beam type using 3.6.11 code features. 

Might as well pull up the old pics:







Most of those were work in progress and I don't think a decision was ever made about nameplate style.  The one in FRED + a nameplate is probably closest to what it is. 
No-one ever listens to Zathras. Quite mad, they say. It is good that Zathras does not mind. He's even grown to like it. Oh yes. -Zathras

 

Offline boewolf

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Re: custom content in Zathras
After noticing how the shadow stuff was going to be applied directly in Fred about the only thing I need to do is make an equivalent to the whitestar.  I'll post something on that when I have something to show.

 

Offline boewolf

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Re: custom content in Zathras
Reading somewhere around here, do side mounted multi part turrets work in TBP?