This post is for anyone wondering what the hell this is about. Please correct me if anything here is wrong. It's also my way of getting my head around it=-)
First up I should point out that the neo-standard is nothing to do with Hadrian Aventine's neoverse or ZeroAdunn's neo-mod, although I'm hoping they'll both participate. The word "neo" just sounds cool, that's all=-)
Here's a brief explanation of what this thread is all about.
We are creating what we call (so far) the neo-standard, which is an expansion on Malfador's standard ship list (escort, frigate etc.) We want to include things like Massive fighters, Worldships and infantry. Modders can choose tp comply with the standard so that their mods will be compatible with a greater number of shipsets, and vice versa.
Here's a not so brief explanation of what this thread is all about.
A bunch of us have noticed that there are an awful lot of mods out there which use non-standard ships sizes in their vehiclesize.txt files. The trouble is that when adding new vehicle classes, modders are limited to 2 options:
A> Create additional images for the generic shipset. The game defaults to these if a shipset doesn't have a particular ship image. Pirates and Nomads uses this method with it's battlemoon. The advantage is that shipsets creators can make race-specific images for the extra shipsizes. The drawback is that generic images tend to look out of place in the middle of another shipset.
B> Different classes of ships share the same image. For example, in Devnull mod, both the frigate and corvette currently use the same image. Although these images fit in better than generics, the disadvantage is that you end up with two classes of ship looking exactly the same.
So we have come up with a new solution which should give the advantages of both options without the disadvantages:
First of all, we have identified those extra images which need to be added. We've done this by comparing Devnullmod (recently resurrected by GeoSchmoe), Andres Lescano's Star Wars mod, Ultimate Mod, Pirates and Nomads and Zero Adunn's Neomod.
We've come up with a list of around 20 extra images which should cover most of the probable additions to the vehiclesize.txt
This list, when finished, will be the basis of the neo-standard.
Obviously these are just images, and do not dictate what properties the actual ship has. For example, the Pirates and Nomads Battlemoon will use the same picture as Andres' Death Stars. They're not the same ship, but they look similar enough. Modders can use the images however they like, but we have tried to use unambiguous and descriptive names which will provide a rough guideline for modders and shipset creators alike, so that there will be a certain level of consistency.
Next, Andres and I will create generic images for all of the classes on the list. Modders will then be able to refer to non-standard filenames in the knowledge that they won't ever create a "file not found" error. This gives the advantages of option A above.
Now the clever bit: To avoid the disadvantages of option A, we copy and rename existing images: For example, Phong_Escort is copied to Phong_Scout and so on. This provides the advantages of Option B.
This will create something in the region of 400-500 extra images on a standard installation. Someone like Andres who has over 130 races installed would have up to 150 megs' worth of new data created.
Obviously no one wants to download all that, so S_J will write a cool little program to do all the work locally. After all, everything you need to create all those extra images is already on your computer.
If you still don't fancy having all that extra data filling up your hard drive, just don't run the program. Until the program is run, compliant mods won't require the extra images: Each compliant mod will supply 2 Versions of the vehiclesize.txt file, one using standard images and one using neo-standard. The program replaces the standard file for the neo-standard one.
The advantages of the Neo-standard are obvious:
1> Shipset creators can create as many images for a shipset as they like. In theory, the program could be configured so that it can build a whole (but rather boring) shipset out of just one image. Obviously we want shipset creators to create more, rather than less than the old standard though.
2> Shipsets designed for one specific mod (ie just enough images for Star Wars and nothing more) will suddenly be compatible, or at least partially compatible, with loads of mods.
3> Mods with extra ship sizes will look prettier. By tapping into the Neo-standard, they will gain access to a host of shipsets with images that will work in their mod. At the same time, the Neo-Standard does not restrict a modders' freedom in anyway. They can use what they want to use and ignore the rest. They might neo-standard images alongside images which aren't part of *any* standard.
We welcome input and co-operation from any modders and shipset creators. This standard can only be only as good as the mods and shipsets that participate.
Thanks for your time=-)
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Re: The neo-standard thread- Standardising additional hull sizes.
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