Wing Commander Mod for Galactic Civilisations 2?

ChrisReid said:
That's a neat start. At least it seems to have a compatible color palette. Make sure you add a couple H's to Thrakhath.
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Thought you say something about the Hornet. :(
No it's o.k. at this moment of my knowledge, editing a custom race is more work then to include a foreign 3d model to the game.
To say more clearly: That 3dmodel I add to the game is only good to fly arround.
For a scout maybe enough, but if you have some battle ships it must work properly in the game.

About missspelling Thrakhaths name. Hell, even the names of the Kilrathis are weapons. When saying thei names, you fall over your tongue and break your neck :eek:
...Or I shouldn't do such work at 3 a.m. (CET) :D

Creating the Kilrathis in this game should show you how much you already can do in this game, without much "know how" of modding games.

About the Colors: You can "paint" your ships in every color you like. Coloring your chips is almost like in "warhammer 40k" or in "homeworld".

But I have found another "tricky part" if you like to paly against custume races you have replace their pics, and logos and edit their abilities, technologies and political parties. Not that big problem, but as you encounter the races and during "Meetings" you see videos (moving had), and not pictures of them. So in worsed case you have to create small vidoes.
 
As we talked about colors, I just decided to add a new Kilrathi Logo.

GalCiv2Kilrathi2.jpg


I also did some corrections on the name. ;)

You can also wright me a message which logo you like more that "black-red" one or this one. I just think this one fits more the colors of the Lilrathi empire.
Anyway, feel free to wright me a message about your opinion.
 
It's Sunday and I have time so I also added the Terran Confederation to the game.
Pretty easy, just tkae the regular Terran (or even one of the other 8 Races) and change the Avater, the name and the Race-Logo.

I have to versions because you"only"can paint your Ships in 2 Colors.


TerranWhiteGreen.jpg


White and Green


TerranGreenYellow.png


Green Yellow

I decided to take a deeper green. You can also select the colors of the engines. I selected yellow, as it reminds to Wing Commander 1 and 2 as it should.

I also strated to modd the music. The Main Theme of the game is now the Intromusic of Wing Commander 1.

I also COULD repalce all the races, IF there was not that bik-file problem. If I would have somne bik-movie files with tolwyn and thrakhath opening their mouth, or just moving the had, it would be great.
Having first contact with the Drengins (counterpart to the Kirlathi in GalCiv2) and listening to the Kilrathi Theme is only the 1/2 fun as you would see Prince Thrakhath in front of you. ;)

So if some User here is able to create bik-files of Wing Commander 2 Sequnces (Thrakhath and Tolwyn), then please help me. :)
 
"Good" news about race-modding. As it seems the bil-files are not needed. I tried it the rude way, kicking out the bik-files of the folder, playing the game and see what's happening.
Result: Game runs anyway, doesn't crash. Or the sequence is skipped (because it diesn't find the file) or you see a png-picture file instead. So in some cases i can replace the png files with own png files, like face of tolwyn or thrakhath. So the "replacement for the replacement". ;)
 
Yeah, I was going to wait and see if textures on the Hornet were forthcoming. It seems like a ghost in its current state. I think I like the black and red Kilrathi logo. Not sure about the Confed color scheme.
 
ChrisReid said:
Yeah, I was going to wait and see if textures on the Hornet were forthcoming. It seems like a ghost in its current state. I think I like the black and red Kilrathi logo. Not sure about the Confed color scheme.
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In Galactic Civilizations Ship building is like Lego-playing.
You have a "basic hull", from the litte scouts to big dreadnaught-like battleships.

Then you have some "etxtras" just for beauty, then the weapons, hyperdrives, defenses, "supportsystems".

So what you see is just the hull of a Scout replced by a 3d Model of a Hornet.
Maybe it's enough to just replace the "Basuc Hulls" but then I there is stil teh question how you make work the weapons and the defenses.

So as Imentioned before. In worsed case a 3d Model must be "splitet" in all these "lego-parts".

As I know there are people out there who build Wing Commander Ships with Lego, maybe they can help. ;)


Edit:

I have found a toll that is able to play bik-files and to convert avi-files (for example) inti bik-files.
So I took the Wing Commander1 Intro of our "Master of 3D-Design" Howard Day and convertet it in to bik for a Titl Animation:

GalCiv2NewTitleAnimation.jpg


The exploding Dralthi is just a Screenshot of a full runing bik-videofile. :)
So Credits to Howard Day!
I don't know what the filename of the rest is, but I think a normal png-file.

Even if I have a converting-tool I have a lag of vidoefile-sources.
What I need:
Avi or BIk Files from Tolwyns (Wing Commande 2) Face moving his mouth
Same for Thrakhath.
Something that looks like a planet Invasion and Planet Colonization in Wing Commande 1 or 2 -Stile
 
MajorCamKollent said:
Well with the looks of this, I might just go and pick Galactic Civilizations 2 up.
Click to expand...

Good Choice! The game is really good (even without a modd ;))

And if you have bought it, you are invited to help me! :)
 
RaceSelection.jpg


I managed to replace the Drengin with the Kilrathi. As proof, you see that Thrakhaths Image is selected
and not the "Custom Race" in upper right corner.
I also changed the Abbilities and the Technologies. I think this selection fits pretty good to the Kilrathi.
Some funny things that yoou may don't know, if you don't play this game:
EVERY Leader has Federalists as Politcal Party as default. So I THINK the AI is changing it itself, as you
can do it ingame during race selection.
Cedits to the Wing Commander Ecyclopedia on wcnes fot the Race description. I have selected the sentences
from there. I think they bring it to the point.

So there might be the question why I have replced the Drengisn and not another race? Well, In GalCiv2
every race has theor own AI. So if I would have replaced the Terran Alliance with the Kilrathi they
would react a bit "strange". So they would their goals in Economy and Science and even diplomacy.
and not in war.So we woul get REAL STRANGE Kilrathi. :)

Well, I also liked to Introduce the Terran Confederation-Race Modd to you. But for some unknown reason
some changes didn't work. As for example the colors (appearence), the Abbilities, Technology and
Race descripton. Well, you can edit colors and Abbilities in the game and the AI will also take if theyp lay as that race,
but you can't change Race description or the starting technologies ingame.
Well, a reason could be that the "Terran Alliance" is the only Race you cna play in the cmapaign mode.
But at least you should be able to edit the Race description.
As "Workarround" I may change the "Altarian Republic" to Terran Confederation.


FirstContact.jpg


This one is a truely a highlight. Firts contact with the Kilrathi Empire. It's sad that you can't hear
the Kilrathi-Theme. So I recommand I listen to it at the msuic-section of wcnews while watching this Image. :D
That what Thrakhath says is kind of "default alien language". So every Race says this if you meet them
before you have discovered the universaltranslator. I also tried to edit this sentence, but no clue where to find it.
Doesn't seem that it is in one of the *.xml-files.


FirstContactTranslated.jpg


So this is a picture what he says if you meet them with the universaltranslator-technology.
It's funny, but I edit this to one of Thrakahths known "Quotes". There are other Sentences in order to
randomize it. Means, in the next game he may say somethingh different during the "first contact".
But the other sentences fit to the Drengin as well as for the Drengin. Galatic Civilizations and Wing Commander
are 2 different games, but the Drengins and Kilrathi a such alike, that they almost could be cousins.


KilrathiHomeSystem.jpg


So this one is my "Kilrathi Homeworld Modd". My Map of the Galaxy of Wing Commander Prophecy
was source of Information. Unfortunatly there is no texture in the game that fits to Kilrah.
So this comes "closest". For mys personal taste I selected a wood/jungle Planet. This idea is very old and
has it's roots from a that story Shotglass tells you in Wing Commaner 1. About the Kilrathi hunting their prisoniers with
their own claws. So with the word "hunting" a picture of a forest/jungle like planet poped up when
I thought of Kilrah. I thought of a vegetation, like we know it from the moon "Endor" of the "Star Wars"-universe.
And a jungle/forest fits more to cats then such a "aste planet" like Kilrah is in Wing Commander 3.
And who of us knew how Kilrah looks like before playing Wing Commander 3?

Some of you who know GalCiv2 may have noticed that I removed the Moon arround Kilrah (formerly known
as Drengi). A fortunatly easy part of Editing Plantes and Systems.
You may also have noticed, that I have integrated the Planet "T'Mog".
Some of you may ask: "Why isn' there Mog and why are they not cycling arround each others?"
Well, this is not a Scientific- Galaxy- Simulation, this is still a game! :)
So planets and suns/stars are "only" rotating arround their own axes. Ony Moons are surrounding planets.
I maybe plan to create a custom Wing Commander map. So If anyone knows more about the plants in
Wing Commander he could help me. I need informations like: Is the planet inhabitable? How is the vegetation
(water-planet, desert-planet, "earth-like-planet",...) Also about it's sice. For example:
In Galciv2 Earth is 0.50 of the Star Sice. So this is a example how you measure planet-sices in this game.
You may now wonder how "big" this is. But as I sayed this is NOT a Scientific- Galaxy- Simulation.
So if you would take planets and Suns/stars with their correct sizes, It would make it impossible to play the game. I


So now what I have "done" from my modding goals:
1. "Kilrathi"- Race Modd (by replacing Drengins with Kilrathis) 100% done (for my taste)
2. "Terran Confederation" -Race Modd would say 80-90% done, but as I told you it has flaws.
I may reach 100? by taking another race then the "Terran Alliance" to be replaced.
3. "Kilrathi Homeworld" -Modd for my taste it's 100% done.
4. Replacing sound files. Well you can't hear them here ;) and it's my onw taste (of course). Would say 100% done.

Still to do:
1. Ship Modding (OMG!!!)
2. Videofile Modding (JESUS!!!)

"Maybe" to do:
System/Planet-Modding.


Edit:

Well guys, it's pretty weird. When I started to make an "Ingame Soundcheck" I strated a game with my Kilrathis vs. my "not 100%done" Terran Confederation. Afert first Conatact I checked up the stats. and here is wht it showed:

TerranConfederationInfo.jpg


That's EXACTLY the description I wrote in, so why didn't it appear at the Race- Selection-Screen?
 
What races should we have on the WC 4X?

There are plenty of races on WC, most of which we know almost nothing about.

We could use more than one faction for a single race, but it could be problematic. It would be strange to have the UBW or the Landreich as playable race, but maybe they can be mod'ed as a minor race.
 
Delance said:
What races should we have on the WC 4X?

There are plenty of races on WC, most of which we know almost nothing about.

We could use more than one faction for a single race, but it could be problematic. It would be strange to have the UBW or the Landreich as playable race, but maybe they can be mod'ed as a minor race.
Click to expand...

Funny man! ;)
I am not happy with my replacement for the Terran Alliance, because it didn't except all my changes and now I should start to include minor races of Wing Commander to GalCiv2?
Don't worry, I have enough Ideas what I COULD do. If you say me HOW it's done then we have a deal! :D

I started mysel as one of these "here we have a good game, please modd it to wing commander style"-guys, till I found out starting with it myself is the best beginning. :)

So if we start with minor races from who we have almost NONE info, where should I begin? I don't even have a pic of a possible Mopok-Leader or even an Firekkan. So I am pretty hapüpy if Terrans and Kilrathis are working as they should. :)
 
gevatter Lars said:
I think getting Terrans and Kilrathi working is a good goal. Everything after that is a bonus.
Click to expand...

In a way it works. The Kilrathi are just included that way I wanted.
Some fiting bik-files would be nice, but all together it's a good result.
Well, having people who could help to find the solution to solve the minor problems of the "terran modd" would be great. But till now I am a one man working factory.

If I take another race and edit their Description to "We suck!" it works rightaway when I start the game. But the damn terrans still have their ol description, and techs in the selecting screen. :(

Fo the Ship modding I definitly need people who are skilled in texturing and 3d modeling. If not, a Wing Commander Shipmodd will never exist for this game.
 
ColonelFireball said:
So if we start with minor races from who we have almost NONE info, where should I begin? I don't even have a pic of a possible Mopok-Leader or even an Firekkan. So I am pretty hapüpy if Terrans and Kilrathis are working as they should. :)
Click to expand...

I'm not sure the stone-age Mopoks would be much of a minor race. However, you could have:

Varni
Yan
Double Helix
Firekkan
Wu
Free Republic of the Landreich
Union of Border Worlds
Pilgrims
Ghora Khar (or some secondary Kilrathi faction)

The Mantu could be a major race.

I think it would be a bad idea to use the Nephilim.

Remember, this is a mod. We must respect the source material, but we also need it to be a good game. So there should be no problem in having all those minor races that probably shouldn't be togheter on the same timeline. Perhaps we can even have some of those listed as minor upgraded to major so we can fill more slots. It's better to have a genuine WC faction than the races of the game.

As for the pictures, we can improvise. We could cut a Firrekan from SM2. The lizard race gets a picture of a generic lizardman, etc.
 
TerranConfederationWorking.jpg


Kilrathis and Terrans finally "Together" (including the correct configurations and descriptions!) in the Race Selecting Menue.

Credits to "gevatter Lars" he had some Ideas that helped me a lot. The changes are
working and now also the "Terran Confederation -Race Modd" is finally done!

Next step would be the Ship Modding. But as I sayed before, without help, I am screwed on this point. :(

@ Delance:"WE"? ;) So you have some pictures of the races or not? I wouldn' like to see a blank screen, you know? ;)
 
The problem is that we don't know how some races look like. Does anyone have the descriptions of the WC races? Maybe we can use those GalCiv 2 templates.

Another thing: all races should have compatible pictures. So, if we are going with WC2-type pixel talking heads, every single race should have a similar look. The problem is going to find that kind of image for other races. Maybe, if you want to have multiple races, you'd have to switch to WC3-era screenshots of Tolwyn and Thrakhath.
 
Delance said:
The problem is that we don't know how some races look like. Does anyone have the descriptions of the WC races? Maybe we can use those GalCiv 2 templates.
Click to expand...
Yes you are a funny man! :D So I don't know what YOU know about minor races in Wing Commander but for some of the races you mentioned I don't have an Idea how they look like. I don't know if YOU know how the do.
So who is that "WE" you are talking about? ;)

And yes, if you don't like to watch a blank picture while meeting with a minor race you should use the tempaltes of the game. As I say before: I DON'T have any Pictures of the Minor Races of Wing Commander especially not in Wing Commander 1 or 2 - Stile.
So I wouldn't ask for help if I have some.

Delance said:
Another thing: all races should have compatible pictures. So, if we are going with WC2-type pixel talking heads, every single race should have a similar look.
Click to expand...
Well, as I mentionef some posts before, the Wing Commander 1+2 Stile is my intention, that's why the modd looks so far as it looks :)

Delance said:
The problem is going to find that kind of image for other races. Maybe, if you want to have multiple races, you'd have to switch to WC3-era screenshots of Tolwyn and Thrakhath.
Click to expand...
If you like to have a Modd in Wing Commander 3 - Stile, sorry you have to do it alone.
1. Because I am alone and don't have the time create Modd for every Wing Commander game.
2. Because I prefered the "older" Wing Commander (1+2) more. I have to Admit tha the Kilrathi are looking awsome in Wing Commander 3 and actors like Mark Hamil and Malcolm McDowel did a great job, but it was not that Wing Commander I knew before, but it was still enough that I liked it.

It is good to know that you are interested, because till now there are maybe 2-3 poeple who really have mentioned that they are interested in my Modd.
But I don't need help by suggestions, I need help by someone giving me a hand in this work.

So my suggestion from me for you: Play the game, try to make modifications yourself. show my your results and we meet here again. :)
 
Hello!

Just to make everthing right, I now know the Authors of the 3d Model of the Hornet that you see at some posts above as an example.
So Credits to:
"Tolwyn" (Head of the WCSaga-Team)
and our "Master of 3d" Howard Day himself.
 
Hey! I used to work on a WC-Mod for GalCiv 1 (never got past "personal use" though) - so that's really cool!
I've got some GalCiv 2 modding experience, so if you need any help, let me know.

Two things about the screenshots: I think you should make the logo backgrounds transparent so they don't have that white/orange "box" around them.
But how did you import that Hornet-model into the game? I never managed to do that...

By the way, concerning models consisting of parts: adding hardpoints would be sufficient as of now, I think. Have you seen the ship building mod which allows you to build a ship without using a standard-hull? Simply make the full imported models into ship parts, so players can rescale them and use them as they wish and perhaps add parts here and there.
 
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