Making new Jumpgates is pretty easy. Just make your model like any other CMP, and then assign the appropriate hardpoints to it. If you read through the INI for the Jumpgate in Solararch.ini, you will figure it out very easily. Just keep in mind that you can't put the animation instructions in- we have never really cracked the animation format used by FL.

Tradelanes are a bit more problematic. You could make one pretty easily that used similar concepts as my Docking Rings in the XML Toolkit series- basically, have an object with the appropriate hardpoints out to either side of a central object. But building new ones that are circles, with new geometry... might be a bit difficult. This is because there just aren't any available SURs that would be a good fit.

I am planning to replace the current Tradelane objects with new ones for XML Toolkit Mod 1.3, that will include new SURs. I do not know if this experiment will be successful or not yet, but I intend to try it out. Right now, the SUR Export Plugin for MS3D is still in beta. It has yet to be released to the general modding public because there are a number of (fairly serious) problems with it, and there are several things it doesn't do right just yet. When we have a 100% good SUR exporter, we will be able to build many objects that are currently out of our reach. Right now, I am about the only person who has been able to consistantly make new SURs, and I am constantly stretched by my other projects, so I cannot make new ones for other people's projects, even though I'd like to

I'm not sure about you tradelade delema, I have had similar problems and eventualy moved on to other things. As far as the movies, I have been able to kill the opening credits to allow the game to load faster. This is very cool especially if you are loading the game time and time again for testing of you mod.

Go to your freelancer folder, most likely: "C:\Program Files\Microsoft Games\Freelancer\EXE".
Open the freelancer.ini file. If it does not open then choose to open with notepad.

Change this entry:
[Startup
movie_file = movies\MGS_Logo_Final.wmv
movie_file = movies\DA_Logo_Final.wmv
movie_file = movies\FL_Intro.wmv

To this:
[Startup

Basically you are deleting the opening credits (movie files) so the game runs directly.

I don't know if this is what you are looking for but it sure has saved me lots of time in testing my mod.

what are the hardpoints for the jumpgate called? Hp/Fixed/HpJumpgate or something?

Delete the animation entry for the jumpgate in the solararch.ini, this should stop the jumpgates animation but it will also mean that every jumpgates doors are all closed.
To get the Borgs transwarp hub you should clone the race track ring as its the right shape, it also has a sur file you can use, then all you need to do is add the correct hardpoints to the clone with Hardcmp.

Rebalance 3.5 Dev. Team
rebalance.blue-ion.net

Thanks.

By the way, what are SUR files, what are they used for, and why are they so special?

Sur files are the surface files of objects in Freelancer. They control the way objects interact (contact) with other objects. When you get shot at, the "bullets" dont hit your ship .cmp file, they hit the .sur file which is a sort of basic model of the ship, wrapped around it...Hope I explained it well

Edited by - parabolix on 11/29/2005 11:55:31 AM

Thanks.

is there a way to create one yet?

Problems, ive tried adding the CMP of the Transwarp aperture to the game, replacing the jump_gatel file. Now when i go into the game, I can't see any jumpgates.
I didn't include any hardpoints, as i still can't discover whay they are called, just the model. I also did not texture it.

I created the model in wings3d (im used to using it) I the exported it to miilkshape with .obj format, and finally created the CMP.

PS: I also created a Phoenix (startrek first contact) in wings 3d, which i am having the same problems with(can't see). I didn't texture or hardpoint that either.

Maybe theres something wrong with the mat.-file
I had the same problem but since I use the mat-exporter everythings fine.

Try to add at least a HpMount. I sometimes had the problem that new stations (ships don't work without HpMount!!!!!) weren't displayed if they hadn't a HpMount.