Matrix Games Forums

Hi, I have recently purchased and full version of Starshatter and am pretty pleased with it. Howeverm I have discovered that all my ships and weapons that I developed under v3.7.6 don't work !

I simply copied across the directory structure into the directory where I installed v4.0. Bleow is an example of a frigate def file. If anyone can see an obvious problem or if there is something you have to do to convert 3.7.6 defs into something that is compatible with v4.0 could you drop me a line please.

SHIP

name: Tempest
display_name: Tempest
class: Destroyer
beauty: "beauty.pcx"
hud_icon: "HUD_icon.pcx"

detail_0: "Tempest.mag"
feature_0: 1000

mass: 300e3
agility: 4
vlimit: 650
roll_rate: 15
integrity: 90e3
scale: 3
acs: 1.5

trans_x: 5e6
trans_y: 8e5
trans_z: 5e6

drag: 1e-7
roll_drag: 1.2
pitch_drag: 1.2
yaw_drag: 1.2

chase: (0, -1800, 170)
bridge: (0, 137, 32)

power: {
type: Fusion,
design: "Fusion Reactor",
max_output: 85e3,

loc: (0, 0, -21),
size: 48,
hull_factor: 0.3,
explosion: 7
}

drive: {
type: Plasma,
name: "Plasma Drive",
design: "Plasma Drive",
thrust: 35e3,
scale: 5,

port: ( 103, 4, -164),
port: (-103, 4, -164),
loc: ( 0, 15, -281),
size: 48,
hull_factor: 0.3,
explosion: 7
}

quantum: {
design: "Quantum Drive",
loc: (0, 24, -145),
size: 24,
hull_factor: 0.3
}

weapon: {
type: "FFPulse",
design: "Bolt Weapon",

name: "Pulsar-1",
abrv: "Pulsar",
group: "Pulsar",
loc: ( 0, -63, 0),
muzzle: ( 81, -58, 18),

size: 10,
hull_factor: 0.4,
explosion: 7,
}

weapon: {
type: "FFPulse",
design: "Bolt Weapon",

name: "Pulsar-2",
abrv: "Pulsar",
group: "Pulsar",
loc: ( 0, -63, 0),
muzzle: (-81, -58, 18),

size: 10,
hull_factor: 0.4,
explosion: 7,
}
thruster: {
design: Thruster,

loc: (0, 0, 0),
size: 24,
hull_factor: 0.3
}

shield: {
type: 1,
design: "Grav Shield",
pcs: 100,
shield_capacitor: true
}


probe: {
type: "Sensor Drone",
abrv: "Probe",
muzzle: ( 0, -5, 143),

loc: ( 0, -5, 143),
size: 16,
hull_factor: 0.2
}

sensor: {
design: Sensor,
pcs: 20,
active_efficiency: 1e6,
passive_efficiency: 10e3,
range: 25e3,
range: 50e3,
range: 75e3,
range: 100e3,

loc: (0, 34, -9),
size: 16,
hull_factor: 0.1
}




power: {
type: Battery,
design: Battery,
max_output: 15
}
computer: {
name: "Avionics Package",
abrv: "HUD",
type: 1,
design: Computer,

loc: (20, 16, 80),
size: 16,
hull_factor: 0.5
}

computer: {
name: "Flight Computer",
abrv: "Flight",
type: 2,
design: Computer,

loc: (0, -5, 121),
size: 16,
hull_factor: 0.2
}

nav: {
loc: (0, -3, 7),
design: Computer,
size: 16,
hull_factor: 0.1
}







navlight: {
period: 4,
scale: 0.5,

light: {
loc: (98, 24, -313),
pattern: 0xeee0eee0,
type: 4
},

light: {
loc: (-98, 24, -313),
pattern: 0xeee0eee0,
type: 4
},

light: {
loc: ( 0, -18, -72),
pattern: 0xeee0eee0,
type: 4
},

light: {
loc: ( 0, 17, 159),
pattern: 0xeee0eee0,
type: 4
},

light: {
loc: ( 0, 76, -225),
pattern: 0xeee0eee0,
type: 4
},
}

map: {
sprite: "map0.pcx",
sprite: "map1.pcx",
sprite: "map2.pcx",
sprite: "map3.pcx",
sprite: "map4.pcx",
sprite: "map5.pcx",
sprite: "map6.pcx",
sprite: "map7.pcx"
}

death_spiral: {
time: 5,

explosion_type: 10, // SMALL_EXPLOSION
explosion_time: 2,
explosion_loc: (-50, 50, 0),

explosion_type: 10, // SMALL_EXPLOSION
explosion_time: 1,
explosion_loc: (60, 40, 190),

explosion_type: 10, // SMALL_EXPLOSION
explosion_time: 0.5,
explosion_loc: (0, -48, -180),

explosion_type: 12, // LARGE_BURST
explosion_time: 0.1,
explosion_loc: (0, -48, -180),

explosion_type: 10, // SMALL_EXPLOSION
explosion_time: 0.3,
explosion_loc: (20, 80, -190),

explosion_type: 12, // LARGE_BURST
explosion_time: 0.1,
explosion_loc: (20, 80, -190),

final_type: 13, // NUKE_EXPLOSION
final_loc: (0, 0, 120),

final_type: 13, // NUKE_EXPLOSION
final_loc: (0, 0, -120),

final_type: 12, // LARGE_BURST
final_loc: (0, 0, 0),
}

Versions of Starshatter after 3.7.6 require a command-line switch to enable use of unpackaged mods like this. This is an anti-cheating measure for multiplayer, to prevent people in multiplayer games from using hacked ship definition files without other player's knowledge.

To use your mod files in 3.9 or 4.0 series, you will need to edit the shortcut to Starshatter to read "stars.exe -filesys". Right-click the shortcut icon and select "Properties" to bring up a dialog box where you can edit the command line parameters. Note that when you run the game with the -filesys option on the command line, the multiplayer button and all related features will be disabled.

As an alternative, you can package your files into a compressed mod .dat file. The full game includes a utility program called "modfile.exe" that will build a .dat file from your various mod components. If you decide to go this route, just ask for more information on how to properly package a mod so that others can share your work.

Thanks,

milo,

That brings up a ? I have after patching to 4.01. The mod enabler seems to be very touchy. After upgrading to 4.01, I went and disabled 2 of 4 I had installed. Then went to a mission that had a ship from an enabled mod, but starshatter could not see the asset. Stop/Start application cleared the issue. When building a new mod and then enabling, it requires a start/restart as well to pick up the mod. Of course once enabled I can overlay updated versions without incident.

Is this behavior going to continue, and is there a switch to kill the intro screens? When tweaking a package it gets a little cumbersome.

On the up side though, I've got the UV mapping thing down to a simpler procedure and every thing is working great (other than my slow pace at texturing and also actually PLAYING the game...haven't even finished highland yet but I've done some single missions too). Thanks again for this game.

piperone

Thanks Milo that's great. If you could also elaborate on packaging the files into a distributable MOD that would be even better as I am working on MOD at the moment.

Thanks in advance
Matt

See my "modfile.exe works?" thread at the bottom of this forum section. Mehrunes elborates and gives examples. Take his last bit of advice: restart stars.exe after activating a mod.

piperone