utf editor opens/reads/edits them all (which im sure has been posted quite a few times !!!!)

the sph you could be right (no idea)
txm -- textures
mat -- materials

Free Spirit wrote: "utf editor opens/reads/edits them all"

Thanks, I'll start to investigate it. Actually I expected some kind of 3d editor, but thsi prog seems to do it al with just data.

Free Spirit wrote: "(which im sure has been posted quite a few times !!!!)"

I bet. It seems to be inevitable that the same questions keep being asked. The FLSDK site does a great job compiling muuch info, but there still a lot to be added. Many thanks to you for answering this one

It also seems that many (annoying) questions are asked, because people seem to have a wrong idea of how things work. Like me, in this case, thinking that I would need some 3d editor.

When I feel I have learned enough, I'll hope to write (or rather compile) some Q & A about modding. Pointing the ignorant in the right direction, is the best way to keep this forum clean. So, again, thank you for directing me on this one.


"We are a way of the Cosmos to know itself"

-- Carl Sagan

I removed my question, because I feel it would be another stupid one

I'll try to create a palent with a diameter of 7500. If I'll succeed, I'll post how to do it.


Edited by - hans olo on 31-05-2003 17:56:43

You could try these programs
The ribbons-data utility GUI of version 2.8
sgce.cbse.uab.edu/ribbons/help/auxprogs.html

INDEX of TX, TXM & TXQ.dwg FILES
www.grovegear.com/styles/TX.html

An intro to matlab
www.imsc.res.in/~arun/matlab/mmatmex.html

theres more but this should get you started

May thanks, BakedPotato. I'll check them out asap.

Well, creating a planet with another diamter is easy. Although I doubt if anybody cares, I promised to write how I did it. Well, this is it:

Suppose you would like to maka a green gas giant with a diameter of 9000.


1a. Copy the file DATA\SOLAR\PLANETS\planet_gasgrncld.txm to your mod folder, and change the filename into planet_newlargegasgiant.txm


1b. Copy the folder DATA\SOLAR\PLANETS\PLANET_GASGRNCLD and its contents to your mod folder.

Change the folder name into

DATA\SOLAR\PLANETS\PLANET_NEWLARGEGASGIANT

and the file planet_gasgrncld.mat into planet_newlargegasgiant.mat

(NB On my comp, the extension .mat doesn't show up, and if I doubleclisk the fil, Microsoft Acces will show up. it's only a guess, but I think Microsoft Acces coindidetally uses files with the same extension; it doens't appear to be a valid editor for Freelancer's .mat-files. This might also be the cause that the extension doens't show up. So there might be an extensionless file planet_gasgrncld which you change into planet_newlargegasgiant .)

Change the file planet_gasgrncld_5000.sph into planet_newlargegasgiant_9000.sph . You can delete the file planet_gasgrncld_3000.sph


2. Open planet_newlargegasgiant_9000.sph with the UTF editor. You see a closed folder tree; open it. You see a branche Sphere , open that too. You now see 9 leaves; the 8th is called Radius . Select it.

To the right you see the Interpret data as... settings box; set it to float aray and press edit.

Now you\ll see an editable data window with the lines

5000.000000
0.000000

Change the 5000.000000 into 9000.000000.Press update , and then Save file... . Save it as planet_newlargegasgiant_9000.sph


3. Add these lines to Solararch .ini :

<pre><font size=1 face=Courier>[Solar
nickname = planet_newlargegasgiant_9000
ids_name = 60203
ids_info = 60204
type = PLANET
DA_archetype = solar\planets\planet_copernicus\planet_newlargegasgiant_9000.sph
material_library = solar\planets\planet_newlargegasgiant.txm
material_library = solar\planets\detailmaps\detailmap_ocean.txm
material_library = solar\planets\atmosphere.txm
material_library = solar\planets\planet_copernicus\planet_newlargegasgiant.mat
mass = 1000000
solar_radius = 9000
shape_name = NNM_SM_MEDIUM_FOREST_MOON </font></pre>

and you'll have a new solar object to refer to in the starsystem files, e.g.:

<pre><font size=1 face=Courier>[Object
nickname = Cr02_Copernicus
ids_name = 458773
pos = -65000, 0, 50000
archetype = planet_newlargegasgiant_9000
ids_info = 458773
visit = 1
atmosphere_range = 9500
spin = 0, 0.1, 0
burn_color = 0, 255, 63 </font></pre>

Now, I guess you can do this less elaborate by just adding a file DATA\SOLAR\PLANETS\PLANET_GASGRNCLD\planet_gasgrncld_5000.sph , just change the "5000" in the filename to "9000" and edit the Radius as in step 2, then proceed with step 3 (mind the filenames!), but I thought it would be wiser to create a separate set of planet files, so that I can try changing more parameters without screwing up all green gas giants.



"We are a way of the Cosmos to know itself"

-- Carl Sagan


Edited by - hans olo on 31-05-2003 20:33:05