[Mod] X-tended X-pantion [v. 1.4, OHEMGEE][RELEASED 2/16/2017]

The place to discuss scripting and game modifications for X³: Terran Conflict and X³: Albion Prelude.

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Sorkvild
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Post by Sorkvild » Sun, 22. Jun 14, 14:34

Are these ships incorporated into jobs file?
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Mechanis
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Post by Mechanis » Sun, 22. Jun 14, 20:28

@Sork: yes and no. XTC generates spawn tables for Argon, Boron, Split, Teladi and Paranid ships by calling on the lists in their respective shipyards and wharfs in Waretemplate, which is modified. so ANY job that calls on XTC's spawn tables will use the new ships without any meddling on our end.

HOWEVER!

Xenon, Pirates, Ka'aak and Terrans use their own, pre-defined spawn lists, which we have yet to even locate, much less modify. so in the current build, Pirates and Xenon will not use any of the ships added. we think.

the Xenon may still use them, we haven't had a look at the guts of the AL plugin that controls them in XTC yet, so we can't say one way or the other.

however, aside the Xenon*, all the new ships are available at their respective shipyards for you to buy.

other ships, such as the Yaki fighters or the Freighter modifications are straight-up replacements of existent ships, and thus spawn normally.

keep in mind, also, that this is very much a work-in-progress mod.

on that note, I want to sound out an idea I've been kicking around: since one of the core principles of this mod is creating greater ship diversity, I've been considering phasing out the modular freighters entirely in favor of unique vessels for each role.

I may actually just move the whole freighters part into sub-modules and let people pick.

really, we're aiming to have a vast range of ships flying around, removing some of the homogenous cookie-cutter streams of the same six ships that plagues the base X3 game and XTC. the same goes for stations: the next major version release will, assuming I can figure out how to get those damnable docking clamps working (or get fed up enough to redo all the scenes with internal docks,) have a complete set of Pirate stations, intended to let a Pure Pirate do things like building their own ships. we'll be doing the same for the Yaki, Xenon and Ka'aak, though at present nither of us is nearly good enough at coding to set up proper spawns and economic presence for them. the Ka'aak and Xenon stations will be going up as a community resource, by the way, since lots of people seem to want to do Ka'aak and Xenon spawns but get hamstrung by their lack of functional economies.

really, the main thrust of this mod is to get rid of the cookie-cutter sameiness that having only two fighters and some minor variants causes. you can justify it for the Terrans, at least, because they are all supposed to be military, and the idea of 'Standard issue' is a thing. also they've been isolated for a long time, so haven't had to adapt to a fluid, ever-changing array of opponents the way the Commonwealth races have.

that's part of my head-canon as to why base X3 EMPC's are such crappy little worse-than-IREs popguns, by the way. prior to the linkup in Reunion, and for a good while after it, the USC (and, to a somewhat lesser extent, the ATF,) were essentially white-elephant paper tigers intended more to make the higher-ups feel safe than provide any real striking power. sense why their ships tend to be big, shiny and intimidating, but suffer from issues like crap weapons and poor turret placement.

of course, TC and XTC makes them wise up to that little factiod, which is why the EMPC in XTC performs like the unholy lovechild of a PAC and a HEPT, as an example.

*well, the Deathclaw Prototype isn't available, but it's intended to be a one-of-a-kind ship anyway.
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Post by KRM398 » Sun, 22. Jun 14, 22:53

Hi guys, I like the idea of special ships for specific roles.I found in the old files things like M6M ship files...but I have never seen a missile corvette, so there's one new one to use. M7 carriers are nice and TM's are simply a corvette carrier...my idea of an M3B (M3 bomber) was never done. It would be a heavy M3+ with good speed and a wide variety of missiles it could use, from say wasps as the smallest to bombers missiles. But they have a smaller cargo hold so the bigger missiles they use the less they can carry.

How about an Assault Corvette...heavy shields, maybe 1.2 gig, good speed and maneuverability and all guns forward like 8-10 guns, maybe a single gun in the rear for missiles defense.

Battle Carrier...full sized carrier with massive shields, slow speed mostly uses jump drive to move, but carries maybe 50 fighters and 2 freighters for supply runs. 8 turrets with 4 guns each and missile launcher mainly for ship to ship missiles.Having a big battle? This is your baby, put up the Batsignal..lol

Ultra Heavy fighter.. no forward guns that are solidly mounted. One front turret with 4 guns in it, and a rear turret with 4 guns in it and a bottom turret with 2 guns in it. 150 meg in shields good speed and maneuverability, as big as any M3+ in game.

M6 drone carrier...its not like a corvette cant carry a lot of drones right? Light guns and good shields, fast speed and maneuverability. made to carry 24 drones ...any size...sort of a low income version of the Griffon only smaller something like a heavily modded Maruader for pirates.to keep it from being over powered, drop the front guns to 2 and only 2 in each turret..to make room for drones in special 'drone storage'

TL+ ships, similar to the Whale for each civilization, can dock fighters and freighters and can be used as the 'poor mans carrier' like many people used TL's for anyways. small fighter compliment, maybe 15... 2 freighters and 10 gig in shields top speed 60, slow maneuvering, jump drive comes standard.6 turrets with 2 guns each and 1 missile launcher using medium missiles.

Theres a few ideas, hope at least one makes sense to you. :roll:

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Post by Mechanis » Mon, 23. Jun 14, 01:50

the carriers and TLs sound like most of the Nextgen capitals present in this mod :)

there's a Teladi Super-TL too, the Ptranodon.

one of the things that always bugged me about X was how freakin' tiny the carrier and TL ships are. seriously, look at a modern aircraft carrier or Container Ship/Supertanker compared to, well, anything else.

the modernized carriers are practically mobile stations in their own right, and the more modern TLs are HUGE ships that dominate the nearby space.

while having more standardized sizes is convenient from a programming standpoint, my intention is to have a much more diverse assortment of shapes, sizes and capabilities available in the ships. as an example, right now, I'm focusing on the Pirate faction (since it's the biggest task) and one of the things I'm doing is creating a full loadout of ships up to M7s for each of the major Pirate factions.
here's a quick-and-dirty render of the Boneheads-built Corvette:
[ external image ]
and an M4 Interceptor built by the Skulls:
[ external image ]
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Post by Mechanis » Thu, 26. Jun 14, 02:57

*1.3 Hype Intensifies*



{Images posted directly to the forums should not be greater than 640x480 or 100kb, oversize image now linked - Terre}
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Post by KRM398 » Thu, 26. Jun 14, 23:59

they ask us in game what pattern we want our wing to follow, x delta for example. But they never do, they speed up fly around us dropping us out of seta drive and collide with us for no known reason. It would be a huge thing to see a wing of ships flying in formation, matching the 'main' ship, usually ours and not running wild around it, it would only need the pattern and a file ordering them to 'match speed' both those files are present in the game too. :roll:

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Post by Mechanis » Fri, 27. Jun 14, 02:02

sadly, that's been something people with far more scripting experience have been trying and failing to do essentially since the issue first cropped up in Reunion.

last I heard, there was some limited success using very hacky workarounds, but as it's an engine problem I don't think it's ever going to be fixed.


on the plus side:
[ external image ]
[ external image ]
[ external image ]

also, THIS AIN'T UR DADDY'S 'PLEX HUB
[ external image ]
yes, those are two Whale-class Station Haulers docked to it.

and a rare work-in-progress shot:
[ external image ]
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Post by Killjaeden » Sun, 29. Jun 14, 00:31

Will those be part of the Coloring Book for Kids of X Fans?
[ external image ]
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KRM398
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Post by KRM398 » Sun, 29. Jun 14, 01:14

hmm last one looks good, the middle one...depends on how its finished out...and the first one?? Is that a freighter or shuttle or what? Its stubby and square...its hard to tell what it is from that. :roll:

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Post by Mechanis » Sun, 29. Jun 14, 01:42

heh.
those are, in order: an M3, an 80% done Warehouse dock, and an M6.

also, I like to use the hidden-line contour renders as preview images of things not yet released, since it can make it more difficult to guess what race each is for.

also, that WIP shot?
[ external image ]
after much deliberation*, I've dubbed it the 'Moa.'

*read: four straight hours of Warframe,
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Post by Mechanis » Tue, 1. Jul 14, 01:26

You mentioned something about a coloring book?

yup, the next update's doing to basically double the number of ships added, methinks. mostly because all the big-name Pirate factions are getting a handful of ships for their own use. and once we've figured out how do so, there'll be a script that adds them only to shipyards in sectors controlled by the associated group. we're also trying to puzzle out how XTC spawns Pirates, so we can get the various patrols using actual Pirate craft en-mass instead of main-race craft like they do currently.

more flavor! more immersion! more shiny ships to steal/blow up/by/run away from/get killed by! more options!

we love options! options are good!
also, once I'm done with the current batch of ships (which will be the 1.3 release,) I'm going to separate the Freighter replacements into a sub-module and give you the option of having the current modular freighters or a plethora of unique models for each variant. because I like me some visual diversity!
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Post by Mechanis » Wed, 2. Jul 14, 00:59

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Post by Mechanis » Wed, 2. Jul 14, 21:02

so I was just finishing up the third ship today, and it occurred to me that I haven't really explained how the next-gen ship classes work.
so I shall elucidate, starting form the largest down to the smallest!

===Combat vessels===

Super-Capital Warships:
Supercapital Warships are characterized by their large size, the ability to mount most weapons, and the largest shield generators and turret batteries. in any given engaement, it is always the Super-capital warships that are the centerpiece of the battle.


Carriers

Carriers are among the largest warships flying. practically mobile stations in their own right, Carriers can dock dozens of strike-craft and corvettes in their cavernous hangers, and can often empty those same hangers in a staggeringly short amount of time. however, their immense size makes them slow, sluggish, and difficult or impossible to cover adequately with turret batteries. thus, Carriers should be kept well back from any combat, relying on their compliment of smallcraft to inflict damage.

Battleships
Battleships are huge, dedicated combat vessels with immense firepower at their disposal, and are capable of devastating any other capital warship they face. however, this focus on anti-capital weaponry leaves them reliant on escorts to deal with smaller threats such as Bombers.

Battlecruisers
Battlecruisers are powerful warships that mate firepower on-par with Destroyers to midrange fighter hangers, producing a potent combination of raw power and long-range force projection. however, most battlecruisers tend to be on the upper limits of size for adequate turret coverage, rendering them more reliant on escorts than some smaller capital vessels.

Heavy Cruisers
smallest of the Super-capitals, Heavy Cruisers are midrange warships that can often to 'a little of everything,' mounting decent firepower, while some have missile tubes, or external docking clamps, or modest fighter hangers or similar 'not-just-a-gunbus' support functions.

Capital Warships:
Capital Warships are large, heavily-armed and heavily shielded combat platforms that are the mainstay of any given battle. while usually smaller than supercapital ships, Capital vessels are typified by leanness and specialization greater than that of the Super-capital ships. while this tendency often makes them lass able to respond to any situation, Capital craft are often more efficient at their given role than any supercapital vessel.


Destroyers
Destroyers are dedicated combat vessels with a large amount of firepower. while not able to match the sheer brute power of Battleships and lacking the characteristic hangers of Battlecruisers, Destroyers are none-the-less potent warships in their own right, mounting all-around firepower and more able to deal with small ships like Corvettes or Fighters due to being small enough to mount overlapping turret batteries.

Cruisers
Cruisers are typically larger and slower than frigates, and are often called 'Budget Destroyers' or 'Budget Battlecruisers' due to their tenancy to resemble those larger warships, but being generally less capable and less costly than their larger cousins.

Frigates
Frigates are the most wildly divergent of the general classes, and the most numerous of all capital and super-capital warships. while individual frigates vary wildly, most come in a few distinct flavors: Flack Frigates mount omnidirectional turret batteries and are usually armed with anti-fighter weaponry, incapable of carrying larger anticapital weapons. Attack or Assault Frigates are dedicated anti-capital warships intended to support larger ships or act as the center of a light patrol. Light Carriers and Drone Carriers act as force-projection ships, Drone Carriers with their hordes of automated attack craft and Light Carriers with their piloted fighter wings. Missile Frigates are long-range bombardment vessels that, while typically lacking secondary turrets, are none-the-less among the most deadly warships due to their ability to engage from well out of range of most combat vessels with heavy ordnance, up to and including Fusion, Fission and Antimatter warheads.

Strike Craft:
Strike Craft are smaller ships such as Fighters and Corvettes. any large-scale battle can involve large numbers of strike craft, since they are relatively inexpensive compared to even small Capital warships.


Corvettes and Heavy Corvettes
Corvettes are large strike-craft that mount heavy shields and turret batteries. largely considered to be in the range between Frigates and Fighters, they are fairly common in and inexpensive.

Bombers
Bombers may be small, but they pack a nasty bite: heavy anti-capital missiles. these small ships are one of the leading causes of capital-ship destruction, as their small size and higher speed and maneuverability allows them to get 'inside' a capital vessel's optimal engagement range, dodge incoming fire, and release their deadly payload.

Heavy Fighters
Heavy Fighters mount the most powerful shields, largest gun batteries, and best shields in a combination that makes them extraordinarily deadly to all other strike-craft. even Corvettes can have trouble with a wing of heavy fighters.

Space Superiority Fighters
while not as fast as Interceptors or and as well-armed as Heavy Fighters, Fighters nonetheless possess a decent turn of speed, fairly good weapons loads, and adequate shields.

Interceptors
Interceptors are rapid-response craft with oversized engines that make them the fastest combat strikecraft flying. while not given much in the way of weapons or shields, Interceptors rely on their speed and maneuverability to avoid damage, flying rings around any other craft.

Scouts
Scouts are small, blisteringly fast craft that are meant for one thing, and one thing only: zipping around with their Triplex Scanners to provide intelligence for their commanding organization. often given only perfunctory armament, as Scouts can outrun even most missiles.
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Mechanis
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Post by Mechanis » Wed, 9. Jul 14, 06:55

[ external image ]
so I was riffing on Eve ships today and this happened.
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Post by Mechanis » Fri, 11. Jul 14, 05:29

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Post by Anubitus » Thu, 17. Jul 14, 01:46

hey mech,

are those cool looking freighter ships still coming to the next release..?

great looking ships man

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Post by Mechanis » Fri, 18. Jul 14, 01:44

Edit: err wait a sec, the freighters are already out. I think. *checks* yeah. go get 1.2.1 if you don't have it already- I keep the latest release as a DL link in my sig, as well as on the very first post.

'coruse, I'm eventually gonna split them off int a sub-module and let you pick between those or unique purpose-built ships which are at best rough sketches in my notebook around which I squeeze my Astronomy notes, but they're coming eventually.

I've been on a Terran kick the last few weeks, so the next release is "whenever I finish the Terran/ATF replacement roster and get everything in-game and working," which also means digging through some old HDDs looking for my Terran turrets, because the stock ones look like rubbish on those shiny white hulls.

also, [Hype intensifies]
[ external image ]
[ external image ]
USC Corvette and Destroyer, respectively.
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Post by Mechanis » Tue, 26. Aug 14, 04:43

TESTING REPORT:

Stilettos are big bastards, and even more intimidating ingame than I expected.

also, Mass Driver equipped M5s are the devil, and why did I think that was a good idea and stop blowin' holes in my ship!
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Post by Mechanis » Sat, 4. Oct 14, 01:05

back at it. got... slightly distracted because Skyrim showed up in Steam's weekend bargan-bin.

anyhow, just got to get through some fiveish ships, so expect an actual update in the immediate future.

also, I got tired of the Ranger being a ****** Nova clone. it is now a beastly fast and maneuverable quad-engine thingy. still no guns, but now it can actually run the **** away from things.
[ external image ]

edit: so are image tags just not working right now or something?
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Post by X2-Illuminatus » Sat, 4. Oct 14, 10:48

Mechanis wrote:edit: so are image tags just not working right now or something?
Fixed.™ The weblink to the image, which is placed between the img-tags, has to end on an actual file type ending (e.g. jpg). In your link behind the url the word "~original" was placed for some reason. I removed that.
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