New quadrant mod posted
 

FYI I have posted my Quadrant Mod I have promised a while ago. It contains a huge number of new systems and changes most of the old ones. I have also made changes to planet composition distribution so that rock planets show up mostly near the stars, while ice/gas giant planets show up farther away from the start. There are 2 new star types as well - Red Dwarf and White Giant. Of course, there is a lot more but I don't want to spoil things - its more fun to find them out yourselves. With this mod you will really feel like you are exploring the galaxy (a little advertising won't hurt) .
Installation:
Just unzip the file in the SE4 main folder and start new game. For those that use other mods, unzip in that mods folder (for example - unzip to SE4\TDM-Mod Pack folder if you have TDM Mod Pack installed)


Some things you need to know about this mod:

- This mod changes all the quadrant types included in the original game. That means that you can start game in cluster quadrant and all the systems that come with this mod will be included (you don't need to use only the new quadrant that comes with this mod). This also means that this mod is not compatible with any other quadrant mod posted.

- This mod is compatible with TDM Mod Pack and should be compatible with any non-quadrant mod posted so far.

- The black holes are a rarity (mostly only 1% chance to show up). That makes this mod AI-friendly (even in ancient quadrant).

- This mod has been in beta-testing for a while now so there should be no problems with it.

Re: New quadrant mod posted
 

I installed the mod, cause I hate black holes (ty http://www.shrapnelgames.com/ubb/images/icons/icon7.gif), and it created a folder called planets with 3 pictures in it.Where do they go?

Re: New quadrant mod posted
 

When I install mod will it alter an ongoing game or should I wait till I finish it?

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mottlee@gte.net
"Kill em all let God sort em out"

Re: New quadrant mod posted
 

There is a directory called 'planets' in the se4 directory structure under pictures--i.e. se4\Pictures\Planets. As this is a modified file, you may want to copy it to a mod directory such as se4\ModPack\Pictures\Planets.

I dunno the answer to the second question. My intuition says that these files just affect the creation of the map and so shouldn't affect an ongoing game. But I'm not going to back that answer up since I haven't personally tested it. http://www.shrapnelgames.com/ubb/images/icons/icon7.gif

[This message has been edited by raynor (edited 05 April 2001).]

Re: New quadrant mod posted
 

Thanks

Re: New quadrant mod posted
 

Am playing with the new quadrant right now as I type. Nice new systems. Good work Daynarr http://www.shrapnelgames.com/ubb/ima...ons/icon12.gif!

Re: New quadrant mod posted
 

Apparently these two new star types are the only additional graphics? I was expecting something much more involved for the file size. How about if someone creates a "comet" and implements the comet in the system files? http://www.shrapnelgames.com/ubb/images/icons/icon7.gif Yeah, it would be stationary but it could still look cool in the system window. Or how about if someone creates some more interesting nebula backgrounds? The whole system doesn't have to be one featurless fuzzy/cloudy color. We could have a swirled nebula with interwoven colors or even a "ring" nebula with a visible star remnant in the middle and ring of denser stuff against a background of thinner haze that might let a star or two peek through. And some obviously 'distressed' stars in various stages of flares and eruptions would be good for scenario builders once the map editor comes out.

Re: New quadrant mod posted
 

Marty, you don't need to modify anything yourself. If you have unzipped the mod in for example TDM-Mod Pack folder, it will create planets folder in it an put 3 files there. This is exactly where they should go. The game will use these files as long as your path.txt points to the TDM-Mod Pack. Of course this also applies for geoschmo's Trek Mod or any other mod out there.

mottlee, you can install this mod while you have game going and it won't disrupt anything. However, the changes will only take affect once you start new game.

Baron, you are right about it. The problem is that I simply don't have the necessary skills to make this kind of graphics yet. I am still learning how to use photoshop and making new nebulas is little too hard for me to do at the moment. http://www.shrapnelgames.com/ubb/images/icons/icon9.gif
If anybody has time and skills to make such graphics I would be more then happy to implement them in this mod with all the credits given of course.

Thanks for the great feedback guys. http://www.shrapnelgames.com/ubb/images/icons/icon7.gif

Re: New quadrant mod posted
 

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Baron Munchausen:
A Or how about if someone creates some more interesting nebula backgrounds? The whole system doesn't have to be one featurless fuzzy/cloudy color.<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>
I replaced all the nebula backgrounds with pictures of actual nebulae mostly from Hubble shots. They are really spectacular and make you happy to be in a nebula. I will be happy to E-mail them or post them if anyone is interested. The zip file for the 1024x768 screen resolution (5 pictures) is about 4.2M and for 800x600 the zip file is about 2.4M. Each zip contains direct replacements for the Storm1 through 5.bmp images.

Re: New quadrant mod posted
 

Please post. I'm sure many would like to use this. Maybe it can be incorporated into the QuadMod 1.1 or something. Although, it's kinda large. Maybe it can just be an 'addition' to the Quad Mod. http://www.shrapnelgames.com/ubb/images/icons/icon7.gif

Re: New quadrant mod posted
 

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Baron Munchausen:
Please post. I'm sure many would like to use this. Maybe it can be incorporated into the QuadMod 1.1 or something. Although, it's kinda large. Maybe it can just be an 'addition' to the Quad Mod. http://www.shrapnelgames.com/ubb/images/icons/icon7.gif<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>
Sure. Since they are bitmaps, they are the same size as the originals, of course. If we were using jpeg's, they could be a lot smaller. I'll post them when I get home from work.

Re: New quadrant mod posted
 

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Krakenup:
I replaced all the nebula backgrounds with pictures of actual nebulae mostly from Hubble shots. They are really spectacular and make you happy to be in a nebula. I will be happy to E-mail them or post them if anyone is interested. The zip file for the 1024x768 screen resolution (5 pictures) is about 4.2M and for 800x600 the zip file is about 2.4M. Each zip contains direct replacements for the Storm1 through 5.bmp images.<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>
OK, they're posted in the mod forum. Somehow, however, I started a new topic so they're not under SEIV. I wouldn't dare try to fix it.

Re: New quadrant mod posted
 

Thanks Krakenup. http://www.shrapnelgames.com/ubb/images/icons/icon7.gif
Do you mind if I use them in next Version of Mod (with all the credits, of course)?

I am planning to change descriptions of nebulas in it, so that we know what level of obscuration it has (something like small, medium, high levels instead of numbers). The new pictures would fit in quite well.

I was also planning to add them as new pictures instead of overwriting the old ones. That way we can have 10 nebula pictures instead of 5.

What do you all say?

Re: New quadrant mod posted
 

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Daynarr:
Thanks Krakenup. http://www.shrapnelgames.com/ubb/images/icons/icon7.gif
Do you mind if I use them in next Version of Mod (with all the credits, of course)?<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>
Sure, no problem.

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>I am planning to change descriptions of nebulas in it, so that we know what level of obscuration it has (something like small, medium, high levels instead of numbers). The new pictures would fit in quite well.

I was also planning to add them as new pictures instead of overwriting the old ones. That way we can have 10 nebula pictures instead of 5.

What do you all say?<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>
Sounds fine to me. If you like, I can easily set up another 5 real nebulae (Eagle, Trifid, Rosette come to mind), but they would be another 4M or so download.

Re: New quadrant mod posted
 

Any extra graphics would be great to have. We could re-use the original 'storm' bmp images for milder nebulas where normal stars and planets exist but just happen to be in a cloud of interstellar gas and dust. I think some of these 'real' nebula images are not really suitable as "system" images because they don't fill the space, but that's for each individual user to decide. They are all quite impressive to look at, though. If you don't have the disk space, don't download them. http://www.shrapnelgames.com/ubb/images/icons/icon7.gif

Now, with all these nebulas (erm, nebulae?) we need more graphics of other sorts. Can we shanghai^H^H^H^H^H^H^H^H^H persuade someone with a bit of graphical artist skill to make us some more stars? A few stars with obvious flares shooting on them would be good for scenario makers, as I suggested before. A 'neutron star' or 'pulsar' image would be nice to have. I know it's really a tiny little point in space that gives off mainly invisible radiations but for the purposes of the game a small star with a weird 'radiation' glow to it (a halo or haze around it) would be a cool pulsar. The system with the pulsar could have extreme combat sensor interference and shield reduction like a black hole. And maybe some single images of small binaries would be cool. Two very small red stars could orbit so closely that they reasonably fit into a single sector.

And then there are comets, as I suggested. I've also been thinking that we could make a large 'asteroid' image and make it a planet type so colonization of large asteroid would be possible just like airless planets. Problem is, stellar manipulation would think it was a planet.

Re: New quadrant mod posted
 

Ok, new Version of Quadrant mod is up. I have put in the new graphics for nebulae(s?).

Now, the pulsars are a great idea, but there is no need for them to be only 1 tile large. We can make them as the background picture (just like the nebulas are) instead of the central star. Of course, since I suck at making these pictures from the scratch, I could use a link or a picture of some pulsar to put it in .bmp and make a system out of it.

The comets are somewhat a mystery to me. How are they implemented in the game, what do they do (in game of course), what is the syntax for them? Pictures for comets are something I would find much easier to make but I just don't think SE4 supports comets at this moment (I would really like to be wrong about this one).

Krakenup, could you please post link for that site you got nebulae pictures from. Seems that your old post with them got lost in the mist of mod area. http://www.shrapnelgames.com/ubb/ima...ons/icon12.gif

Re: New quadrant mod posted
 

Oh no, a pulsar is a small thing even if it results from a supernova. http://www.shrapnelgames.com/ubb/images/icons/icon7.gif I'd prefer the single tile Version rather than a fixed background. Then you can put it into a system with other stars. It's not too far-fetched to imagine a pulsar as a partner in a binary or trinary system.

The type 'Comet' is available in the SE IV program right now. Whether it has any special powers that are/were intended for it I don't know. If you had a picture or two, though, you could add comets to systems. Apparently they were intended to come in 'small', 'medium' and 'large' sizes like storms.

You might want to post the alternative nebula graphics as completely seperate files since they are quite large, btw. I'm looking forward to those additional images that Krakenup said he could make.

[This message has been edited by Baron Munchausen (edited 07 April 2001).]

Re: New quadrant mod posted
 

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Daynarr:
Krakenup, could you please post link for that site you got nebulae pictures from. Seems that your old post with them got lost in the mist of mod area. http://www.shrapnelgames.com/ubb/ima...ons/icon12.gif<HR></BLOCKQUOTE> http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/archivepix.html

You can search for specific items if you want. Also, usually, if you click on a picture, there is a much larger one available. Those are the ones I use. Mostly, I use them for wallpaper. http://www.shrapnelgames.com/ubb/images/icons/icon7.gif

Re: New quadrant mod posted
 

Daynarr I just had a look at your new quadrant modification and...

It is just beautiful!!

It will use it as standard from now on and if it is possible from copyright it should be included IMO by MM in their next patch.

Thank you very very much!

Re: New quadrant mod posted
 

I have loaded the mod and think it looks great but it seems that I have less colonizable planets than in the original systems. I use Gas/Methane for my race and usually play with only colonize home planet type. Is this a bad choice with this mod? There seems to be PLENTY of rock planets and fewer Gas and Ice.

Re: New quadrant mod posted
 

Well, its true, there are less planets overall (average is 6.5 per system instead of 9). The planet systems appear more often, though.
The Ice and Gas Giants are not rare; actually it appears that ice and gas giant races using this mod are performing better. This mod is more aimed for players that play in 255 systems quadrants but it should work fine in any other game setting as well.

Re: New quadrant mod posted
 

if someone could come up with some comet pictures for me, I will be glad to work on attempting to add them to the game, Since they are listed in a number of files maybe they will work. Something besides just the plain white ones. Maybe some blue ones.

Re: New quadrant mod posted
 

Love the new pictures http://www.shrapnelgames.com/ubb/images/icons/icon7.gif, only problem now is that they outshine the regular screen. Any chance of finding new bitmaps for the standard system screen?? and is there any way to have multiple pictures so that you have different screens for diff systems??

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"The Empress took your name away," said Chance.
Owen smiled coldly. "It wasn't hers to take. I'm a Deathstalker until I die. And we never forget a slight or an enemy." -Owen Deathstalker.

Re: New quadrant mod posted
 

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Baron Munchausen:
You might want to post the alternative nebula graphics as completely seperate files since they are quite large, btw. I'm looking forward to those additional images that Krakenup said he could make.<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>
OK. Five more posted in the Mod section under the sound/graphics area.

Re: New quadrant mod posted
 

I just must not have tried enough new games. Started one late yesterday and found myself in Gas Giant Heaven. Green cross Gas Giants everywhere. Unfortunately the AI seems everywhere they are too.