File Lookup data mod which needs implementing.

[Markavian]

With shipsets, there is only one picture that the game looks up when searching a shipset's directory. What it should do is look for one file, then if it can't find it look for another file.

The main and major reason for this?

e.g. Say someone wanted to create a new ship type, say a Refuel Tanker. They could make the Data for the ship and stuff, but when it came to picking an image to use for it, the person has two options.

1) Pick an image already in the directory, which is pretty boring. The new refuel tanker looks just like the cruiser. . .

2) Change the image to something else Race_Portrait_RefuelTanker.bmp and make a generic race image.

This is just completely well, boring, and unfortunate. It completely limits modding that file, which I'm sure many people would quite like to do! I have a dozen of ideas I'd like to try out but can't because of this limit.

The solution? Make a list of files to look for.

3) Get the file to look for first Race_Portrait_RefuelTanker.bmp. Second get it to look for a cruiser or something to replace it, and/or third, get the game to look for a generic file

Another example of a use for this is for Base ships. 1) Look for baseshp.bmp 2) Look for starbase.bmp
I've seen some of your shipsets actually have Baseship images already made! But you never get to see them.

A third example is mines and sattellites. If some one wants to design small medium and large mines/satellites for their shispet . . let them! But don't let that affect older shipsets which haven't been upgraded.


Does any one agree with me? If so, post here.

John Beech