You want files, you got files.
You know the files, you CAN mod the files.
Understood, noobs?
DDS; Seriously, i dunno why they would bother. It's an indirect PNG compressed in such a manner that the layers are identified differently. Well sure - there's also the DXT5 format and whatever mipmapping tricks you'd care to dump in... but if DL discarded their use for similar re-texturing process of models, can you justify the extra bytes in my folders? The resource animations are great, when they show up though.
Why? I changed the cursor(s), maybe you would like to create some of yours.
GC2**; Maps & Scenarios.
Why? Use the provided editors from the TA expansion or patiently notepad your way into compatible files. But let me put an important comment right here... unless SD staff adapt their own code to allow true customplanets.xml data within our patiently designed custom maps, i'll never bother using these. I wouldn't even make scenarios & campaigns -- cuz, it simply defeats the purpose of modding.
FX; Now, *THAT* stuff i like. See, i coded Cobol in my days of pure mnemonics. As soon as you indent the proper parameters with the right instructions - what you get is some weapons firing. You can even get planetary rings & star surfaces to glow differently.
Why? You want to maintain the transparency layer for Moons such as what i had to fix for the Chiroptera homeworld in CoSH since SD corrupted the initial "principles" for TA. Try contacting LogicSequence for further details as suggested to me by Kryo... but, good luck.
ShpCFG; Definition of (refer to some terms used for X files) parts & components.
Why? Let the ShipYard do its job.
XML; Have i got some good news for you, modders. Between 80 & 95% of this gameplay is simply customizable because of all these files. It would be pointless trying to enumerate everything by going through the tag fields individually. This is exactly where knowing the game helps tremendously. Again, my recommendation is to consult CariElf's mod guide to study the basics. Any further questions? Post below but dowload a few mods to examine, analyze, determine and identify some principles or values used by others, first!
Why? Total & absolute control over most gameplay features.
4- Graphics & Context
