Zyxpsilon

Join Date 02/2006

+80

X-Worlds (News & Comments...)

Development, Contact, References, the whole design RIGHT here!

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FLASH NEWS BAR:

Read post #44... the last 'status' update before release of version 06-A!!

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This will be the *ONLY* thread where those interested by anything about X-Worlds will find my latest development stuff and most recent comments.

Since i feel the next version (05-D) will probably be a thorough step forward into much more features, it's time for a quick rundown over the issues at hand;

- This task is progressing smoothly and i seriously believe the whole package should provide you all with an extensive set of graphics, gameplay modifications & a huge amount of FUN.
- Promoting this mod, is obviously a good reason to use the bandwidth and you'll get what you came here for!

- So, as of today (again!)... i have decided to share the temporary "TitleBack.png' file.

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If you want to comment, observe, report, ask something about any subjects, feel free to drop a post in here & i'll try to cope with the conversation(s).
And, i'll do my very best to answer your needs while maintaining this thread during the weeks & months ahead.

In the meantime, i'm working on all of that extra stuff mentioned in the zip/readme.
Which is to say or repeat -- ENJOY!

- Zyxpsilon.

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nice looking planets not bad at all if you need any help with ships I can help or if you need better logos you can use my logo pack found in the library or I can just make you some just place a post ill answer.

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Kay, let's see.

No offense taken or given, but my current Logos are just fine as they are and i am particularly proud of the "Thematic" feeling they indirectly suggest.

But, if you're offering to create some ships i'd certainly be willing to accept under a very few small conditions;

1) Download X-Worlds (wait this Sunday or sometime during next week, or so for the afore mentioned version since it IS much more complete.)
2) Play through a few games to get a feel of the context and its variable conditions & features.
3) Thoroughly read the Help-Files and TXTs... go to Section #2, read it again, twice. Finished? Sure? Please, do refer to those comments as often as needed.

4) Since you just actually DID step number 3 above you should already have a fairly good idea about the HUGE amount of different hull types, specific shapes, assembly parts, components directly tied with fair tech/tree processing, as low jewels as possible, some of the textures involved into making the extremely exact reproductions stand out from the pack of Wolves and Sheeps running around this neighborhood.

******
5) Make me FlagShips (just THAT one type only) for each of the following races;
X-Com (SkyRanger),
Magnetic (Barracuda),
Apocalypsion (HoverBike),
Sectoid (Smallest Scout),
Aquatoid (Scout),
Anthropod (First Saucer),
Thunderbirds (One/Scott, or any other you'd care to select/prefer),
S-H-A-D-O (SkyOne or a Single-Shot-Missile/Moon Interceptor) and,
finally another for the Interceptors (Find it, i'd be curious to see which one you decide to use!!)
******

6) Work at it and once your are done or feel they are THE VERY BEST you can pull... report the various situations (progress activities are most welcomed, if you wish also) to me right here into this thread.
7) We will then arrange a sort PM chit-chat where we, together, will decide how to package and distribute YOUR works with my certification and gratitude, Credited straight into the genuine X-Worlds mod file.

8) What are you waiting for - you should have started this work already, my friend.

See ya later, i am busy with a lot of other things.

- Zyxpsilon.

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This is a sneakpeek image for the upcoming release of version 05-D which will possibly take place within the next week or so (pending approval afterwards as usual).

In order to keep track of development, you will mostly receive a sort of summary along with a few comments via such kind of images.

So...

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L-R, Top-Bottom sequencing...

a) Some examples of the Terrain queries;
-- Water, Foothills, Jungle, Prairie, Desert, Arctic (more about this one, later)
-- HabitablebyAll (!?), Mountain, Tundra, Swamp, Wasteland, Volcanic (again!?)

Tactic images, two of each for UTA plus the CyberPilot trailing... the complete pack has a total of 36! Theme ready.

c) Miscellaneous Improvement Icons, list is growing daily;

-- Starport (Hangar), AccessLift(!?), BasicFarming, BasicMarket, BasicFactory, BasicLab, an example of two surfaces and queries (Recyclotron & Hospital) from the Apocalypse era which would occur way at the end of the tech-tree.

-- And, for those familiar with the X-Com series, the colony 'circle-like' default has been replaced by the flashy slick Combat-Targeting-Cue combined with Psi/Molecular control hovering above two soldiers ready to jump in SkyRangers or Tritons.

And, planets.

- Zyxpsilon.

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Alright, to all X-Com fans out there (and, i know there is plenty - still possibly more than a few 100,000's & counting!) - this is IT, baby.

Finally, it's done. Well, at least a lot of it.

I'll be honest with you all... huge amount of work went into this version. A new packaging structure has been created to allow for a better "distribution method". As a result, Planets & Movies are now in their own zips which you will find near the main D/L slot of X-Worlds in the library.

So, the usual summary first --

****

...For downloaders of any previous version(s), here is what's new exactly...

1- UFOD/TFTD/APOC/SideKick Majors & Minors are almost complete. Very small details still to do.
2- More Bonus reference files to "help-out", somehow.
3- Quickly said; approximately (Let's see 13x3x5... never mind, some randomized value/s) 39 to 64 to 82 to 127 +!?!+ different planets, some strange rings and plenty of new moons all over the galaxies. That is what i call a [customplanets.xml] filled up with relatively higher memory demands.

4- My_Invasion Tactics - Go get the cash and buy yourselves out of there.
5- Introducing... some of the Trade_Movies "preview" as stills framework, temporary but there!
6- Just a few Planetary improvement buildings - squared, very similar to the style of X-Com/Bases.

****

All of which thoroughly tested.

And secondly, here's the essential about what i'm planning to do next --

A) Finishing the Icons/Queries for all surface buildings. That will include a dedicated set for APOC.

Properly Bik'ing all the stills you'll find in the current sneak-peek XW-Movies file.
C) Designing and noding one or two X-Com Tech-Tree(s) and integrating some special elements about extra-Terrain types allocation processing (possibly with TA features only, though).

D) And, of course... the by-now famously pending but serious task--S about fleet(s) of multiple (the list is enormous) genuine Ships found in the X-Com Games.

Enjoy.

- Zyxpsilon.

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What next?

Well, i am presently designing/coding a little proggy/tool in VBX05. It would be an alternative to the already excellent GalactoPedia (v1.61/Dec'06) by Christoph Nahr.

Now, i won't pretend being better at it than anyone else. Still, i have some ideas that i wish to share with everybody here. Namely;

- You won't find any descriptive texts within this tech-tree_S (both for DA & TA, eventually) exploration utility for a simple reason: efficiency and all that verbose can already be found within gameplay.
- The intention is to make items and navigation highly visual only and context driven.
- Plenty of extra-features (which add or expand beyond what Christoph made) will be added as i develop this further; examples... Parties, Races dataset, Starting Techs, Fleets references and so on.
- Lists after lists (parsable and self-referencing) and many Shortcuts (via the left-side panel icons and accessible in other areas, btw) to the essential.
- The usual statistics about costs, nodes, abilities, values & percentages - ETC.

Here's the latest snapshot of a quick interface which is by no means entirely finished. I will re-load through editing a new image once i do make some progress in the weeks ahead.
Beside having to complete the X-Worlds assets too - including a new project about all X-Com/Aliens ships & Fleets!

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Image Hosted by ImageShack.us

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Let's see what i can pull out of the magic bag!

Until then...

*First Edit: Today.

*Second Edit: As of April 5th... this is where it stand right now; most of the principal work on the interface is done. Just a few incode routines still remain.

- Zyxpsilon.

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Bump... just to stick a recent tag for the above new edit.

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Simply said; Version 05-E is ready for action!

Kay - let's call this version: "A celebration party for Twilight of The Arnor *loooooong overdue* release date"... and an ever-growing trip down memory lane for those already familiar with all things X-Com!

****

Here's the new stuff...

1- Considering all of the 39 main Races very_very mostly DONE! Fiddled a bit with personalities data in many cases. Fixed up the Minors a little further.
2- The Surveyor XL ship & the weakest Zyxon race; as bonus... just for fun.

3- Added the UFOD_TFTD Geoscapes and some tricky Earths in XW-Planets_zip.
4- True bik pseudo-movies (relatively final) for all Happy/Angry/Neutral/(Small) status!
5- An entirely new set of surface buildings Icons & Queries replacing every defaults.
6- A "temporary" Tech-Tree with a number of completely new paths & conditions.
7- Title screen, new Victory screen, Intro_Movie clip & other miscellaneous items.

****

Verified for gameplay stability issues, thoroughly tested in other important areas & aaaalllllllmost feature complete.

Over the next few weeks (or days, months!) i will be working on the following --

A) Finishing the rest of the Icons/Queries.

Filling up the remaining slots of the tech tree while having to edit a HUGE number of GC_defaults to reflect the already changed buildings & corresponding preqs.
C) 3 New Majors and a whole bunch of U_T_A dependant Minors.
D) GTeChnos, quite possibly some Beta status phase for DA/TA combo.
E) Twilight compatible races & items which will most probably have to be zipped in a separate file.

F-inally) Duh, you should certainly know by now -- Fleets & Ships (And, what's with the all new I-Mod Wiki available to everyone - this may come MUCH sooner than never!)

Keep playing and have tons of fun.

(Pending the usual delay for approval - of course!)

- Zyxpsilon.

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hey Zyxpsilon you shold really host your mod at I-mod like me and Dsep as you know you'll get gigs of space to work with.It Would be a big help to you if you did.

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Yep, i've been thinking about packaging the whole set into a single but simple coherent zip and I-Mod may just be the proper place to upload whenever i'm ready.
I would possibly need to wait a little more to wrap things up in a neat version (the completely finished group of Icons_Queries, being just one area!).

Which reminds me of somethin';

- As i was checking up the Movies set further this morning, i found that some of the APOC files (maybe for some of the other races H_N_A's also, btw) lacked a bit of contrast to my taste; i'll have to fix that too.

Consider that i certainly will contact I-Mod when & then.
In the meantime... Thanks, foxthree.

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Wow, this mod looks really nice, all the screenshots are really cool, and i love the concept. But, ill be honest man, i just gave up after about an hour of trying to get it working.

You seem to have created a really cool project. But, with everything that needs to be changed in you read_important messages, its just so much work, that by the time someone gets it working, the excitement seems like it will already have passed you know? I mean, at first theres not even a mention that things like this need to be done, so i start up and just expect it to at least nearly work. Then, i read the readme a few times (i couldn't figure out exactly what you meant the first read through, the important part was placed after a lot of oddly chained together sentences, then i wasnt totally sure what was meant by 'corresponding folders' corresponding to what? was my first thought, it seemed like you had moved on to a new topic in the readme) after it didn't work as i expected, before i figured out that i needed to go searching through all the directories for read_important files scattered throughout. And, i'm still not entirely positive what they're asking me to do, i'm sure that if i was a modder it would make probably more sense, but i'm not, i just wanna play the game, and its very unclear what exactly you want us to do there. I get the changing 'Mes Documents' to 'My Documents', but after that it seems to start devolving into something i just don't quite understand.

But, anyways, im totally lost, im sure its a great project, but ive got a headace now and i feel like a stupid schoolkid again :/. Has anyone else tried this mod? Should i keep trying? Am i just an idiot? Is it still too early in development to be enjoyable when it is working?

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Ok, i'll try to be helpful here by responding with as much precise details as i can - but, be warned first;

1- I'm from Quebec (French born) and at times, my English may seem weird. I simply DO my best.
2- I learned the hard way how to design reasonably stable stuff for this game (It all works flawlessly on my PC, btw). I had to go through tons of Forum messages to realize what GC specific modding involves. Grasping the files structure, determining what is valid, coping with hundreds of different opinions and tricks, sifting through the true elements from OTHER failing features, and - what - else.
3- My readme(s) contain a HUGE amount of help for a number of essential steps to properly install the NOT_Total_Conversion process i decided to design for many good reasons; 12 defaults races of GC still active, being just one.
4- Patience is key.

Now, off to what i THINK maybe is your issue with my mod.

a) Has anyone else in the some 660+ previous downloaders of this mod be able to install it and have it working like it is meant to and, more importantly, after thoroughly reading what is comprehensively explained (after extreme verifications, tests for hours of dedicated time!) in the provided multiple txts files found in the zip?

If so, why should YOU be any different?

There are as many different settings on PCs & game folders as there is people who maintain their own stuff how they please. I have to work-around that situation, i need to guess IF & THEN & ELSES many times over looking through an onion-glass as wide as Earth curvature itself!

Now, THE solution;

1- The only obstacle to a properly installed X-Worlds Mod is fairly simple, AFAIC;

The customraceconfig.xml files, 39 times over located in the root of GC/DarkAvatar folder as it is REQUIRED by StarDock limitation of design if somebody wants to keep Yor & Terran (etc, up to 12 plus Minors) active to play against Aliens & X-Com stuff by me.
-- Those must be edited to comply with your PC.
-- The Mod folder of the game has to be activated.
-- The files structure locations have to be exactly how it is indicated by the readmes.
-- It works. I'm sure - 100%. Prove the opposite to me.

2- The other possibilities;

-- Failure to comply with given instructions or GC settings.
-- Conflicts with other mods present in many other places including OUTSIDE the mod folder.
-- My stuff is corrupted, somehow. Odd, but rarely probable.

For everything else, there's MasterCard!

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The main problem is, i believe, i have only a vague idea what you want us to do exactly int he customraceconfig files. What if i dont care about keeping the original races (if im feeling lonely, ill just go back to normal game)? I think there might be something in the readme about an option like that, it seems like one of them could be (something about a rooter directory?), but im still pretty confused about it, i guess ill go try that one, but i think im just gonna mess things up more :/.

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What if i dont care about keeping the original races...

Funny you mention it, i DO have a framework in design stage which will hand over a whole bunch of specific 'Raceconfig_XX.xml' files. Example; One is a mix-match of four races from each U_T_A themes occupying slots #0 to #11 of TA to KR.
Still, that would mean you'll need to create a custom opponent (if used!) which in fact may just come from the earlier installation valid files.

Effectively providing downloaders like you who prefer the *Total-Conversion* schema to maintaining GC defaults active at all times. Only difference, mine(s) will offer variety and huge complexity of choices based on a pure random logic.

As long as you keep these graphics to move out in a new MOD folder (probably inserted in X-Worlds version 05-F..for final! Since 06 will introduce new things), all you will need to do is renaming (maybe copying_moving to the root of DATA) a single file to auto-load a theme or many more.
Please stay tuned, we control the Horizontal -- and the Vertical!

CoSH (for TotA) has that loading schema already in, btw.

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Bumped, for a necessary reason!

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I just got the most wonderful Avenger Ship made by AF_Ronin; so if you wanted to have some ship modeling job for this mod - sorry, i think i may have found the right person for anything else!

So close to the predicted release date on Monday, though.

Bof, it's quite alright -- whatever is actually ready will certainly be included in 05-F!

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Version 05-F and its sister files (Movies & Planets) have been uploaded!

Better known as... "Revenge of the Minors!"

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Current changes or/and adding...

1- An all new installation structure which takes into account the "Total-Conversion" principles & indirect potential(s); one of which, btw is Majoring the Minors - just for kicks!

2- Consider each of the 39 main Races along with 12 Minors (Two are brand new) finally DONE! Continued working on three more Majors and some other special groups of twelve Minors - although, this has much more to do with a randomizer_config-xmlfile_rewriter (dubbed "DraGCer") external gizmo utility i began evaluating & coding.

3- Many RAW files for XW-Planets (which in fact will also be needed for a proper TA conversion.)

4- Terrain color schemes and temporary Extremes framework for those.

5- Added a bit more contrast to some of the earlier Happy/Angry/Neutral/(Small) bik movies.

6- *ALL* the surface buildings Icons & Queries for every defaults & more...

7- Adding 26 Trade-Goods (the eleven defaults are also renamed and some are relocated), 4 Capitals (Military, Demographic, Trading, Entertainment), 3 Super-Projects for newly designed "Missions", key-transfer of default items, multiple variations in cost, effect, pre-requisite, etc.

8- Seventy-One(!) self-upgrading "Normals" such as... Race_Autopsies(36), Mega_Missiles(12), Body_Armors(11), Tanks & Grenades(6), Subs & Explosives(6). If you thought the Weapons branches were tough, long and hard -- you're in for a very big surprise.

9- An alllllmmmooosst completed Tech-Tree with a number of entirely new paths & task conditions which can be described as some Alternate Victories.

10- Other miscellaneous items in the Bonus & _RaceConfig(s) & _WhatNext folders, you'll see!

****

Tested, fixed, re-scanned for flaws, once, twice - even more so yesterday, again.

What Next?

A) Making this whole thing - Twilight compatible.

Dedicated XW_Terrain Coloring Schemes and possibly, other RAWS.
C) Most probably some Events & AbilityBonuses modifications.
D) Real Repair Crews, Espionage addons, Ultimate Colonizing stuff, other gameplay enhancements, etc.
E) GTeChnos; Beta status phase only or maybe, a release candidate.
F) DraGCer; another "important" utility, i guess.

X) Duh -- a few or more Ships.

But... before i leave you to playing - i'd have a strictly formal request.

Please, i really would appreciate some kind of *Feedback* from anyone.
Anything like comments, suggestions, kudos, observations. Do show me MY obvious mistakes (Substentiate your theories with solid proof, though!) or ask for "better" technology values & specific areas which YOU would enjoy being developed further.

Have fun.

(Pending delay for approval - as usual!)

- Zyxpsilon.

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I had every intentions to completely design a 3D modeling enviro in order to create the XW fleets & ships... but,

AF_Ronin excellent work (and his fundamental issue with USING defaults in-game valid models & parts only... an excellent thought, btw!) on his version of the Avenger convinced me that there is enough potential and features already built-in GC2 "components and structures" to at least try my hands at a general re-styling of many items, including some of the elements necessary.
That's for DA, though - as i can hardly fathom over the extensive alterations and work which would be required to re_do the predictable amount of ships. One step at a time, i'd say.

So, here is the first "attempt" of i hope many more...

The Avenger XCU (second edition but for DA only) temporarily equipped with 3 transport modules (?) and a Colony just for kicks!

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***

Many thanks AF, you actually enforced me into fiddling with the ship-yard and provided the opportunity to finally grasp some of the tricks involved into proper creation of a good ship (attachments, hard-points calibration and what else) just by taking the initial Avenger apart (in TA) zooming, re-sizing, tilting, etc.

As a result, i suddenly realized it is not that tough. Only needs patience, and a freely_rotating_parts option ticked.

Thus, version 06-A will have at least 3 ships as hinted about in the current gameplay framework of Tasks!

Stay tuned... X-Com(s) WILL eventually go to space in slick vehicules to meet Alien cyan "Squares" & Saucers.

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Your welcome.

Also if you want me to still work on those ships I'll do them in DA for you. I say DA because I have found it easier to fine tune a DA ship in TA then the other way around.

Or if you just want TA that's fine too.

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Oh... please do!

I'd rather get genuine DA versions though, since the initial distribution will only be compatible with DA... as for TA, this would come much later on.

As soon as i get another (Basicly, Retaliator & Barracuda) from you, i wouldn't surprised if i extensively inspect it or add a few tiny bits here & there.
It has always been my intention to reproduce exact copies of the originals from X-Com images but i rapidly realized (thanks to you) it simply doesn't make sense to go through that much precision. Well, wait maybe so. I dunno.

Unless, i do get the time (or skills to control the darn Hard-Points schema) to design the entire group of primaries (S99_'s) as 3d Models both with trim & hulls & engine texturing colors for each kind; small Triangles, rectangles, cubes, hexagons, etc that could be used as a sort of puzzle processing to fine-tune any shapes & hulls & structures in GREAT leeway. Then, there is also texturing each of these which i'd prefer as highly complex variations rather than fixed *_L files!

It's just so frustrating to be limited with specific frameworks (even if those are quite alright, sometimes they aren't enough to do exactly what i wish for).

But for now, all i want is three ships (I'd consider the Avenger XCU above mostly the final type of that class - all that remains is selecting the proper components and slapping it as a common general asset.) to complete the introductory feature for version 06-A... the "other" more thorough editions including race styles & whole fleets will have to wait a little until i get some stuff done on CoSH too (namely, the 24 Minors intended and the Planetary sets for the 12 super-heroes!)

In the meantime, i give you most of the credit for the Avenger... even mine!

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Approval **Confirmed** on version 05-F which contains the main essential core files!

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How about this for the Barracuda?

Edit: Ah crud I just realized I made this one with TA

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You bet! Send it through the usual channels, asap so i can examine it in all its glorious details!

Looks like you "missed" the big underneath waterflow intake though - but, that's quite alright i may just need to add it into the actual finalized version.

Next stop, Retaliator?
And you certainly get the promised golden solid fat well deserved CREDIT mention straight into version 06-A which will (finally, after a lot of careful design plans & thoughts & fantastic help from you) activate the by now infamous triple set of new Tasks.

Just having to put up with the loooooong extenuating re-tiling gimmicks on a tricky Heavy-Gravity planet AND spot and then, upgrading it with Core-Brain SP (in UFOD case only!) and then, having to sortof *claim* the indirect success by building yet another specific GA building (found under the Hidden Movements tech as it happen) should be quite a ride - once done & finished.

Edit too; Bof... TA would be okay as long as i can transfer it into DA (I could with Avenger, so it may work with that one) unless you'd rather give this DA attempt a try also.

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already half way done with rebuilding the Barracuda on DA. I'll send you that one when complete.

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Ok finished the DA version with your underneath waterflow intakes.

I'll send it to you via I-Mod

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I can't seem to add an attachment to the I-Mod message.

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