[WIP] Homeworld II Ship Modding

[EAS_Intrepid]

Here goes another one:

I have just exported the first ship to Homeworld 2 without any major obstacles and I am quite excited now

You know the ship, some have it on their HDDs already, hehe.

Spoiler:

However, this was just a testbed.
BTW: When you zoom in on the Var'yaH, which uses the stock A2 textures, the ship looks awful, especially the textures.

Spoiler:

From left to right: Zion Defense Fleet's "Merkava" frigate (actually a space age rip-off of the Swedish Visby Corvette), Terani Armed Forces Orion class frigate (a downgraded, outdated cruiser design), Phalanx class Missile cruiser, Sparta class attack cruiser.

All these ships have a background universe that has similarities to Amateur's constructed universe. I might shed a light on that...
I have already begun working on textures and detailed loadout-schematics.

These three ships are the ones, that I will work on getting in-game now.
I want to test a few things:
- turrets
- missile launch capabilities (especially VLS, ahem, Vertical Launch System)
- how engines glows work
- team colours (more of a texture thing, really)

For many HW2 modders and modelers this is probably nothing fancy, but for me this is a completly undiscovered country.


In HW2 most ships had only one distinctive weapon system, like the Ion Cannon or missile frigate. I rather think that a future warship would have to fulfill a multitude of tasks. Additionally to its primary armament, a certain capability to defend itself against smaller and bigger threats is necessary (Flak, close combat weapons etc). I would like to reflect that.
But I am not talking about a mod here... rather about a few ships where I would like to test if I can implement it.

Stay safe!
EA

 

[Adm_Z]

Dude, don't sell yourself short. This is top notch work here, and I can't wait to see what comes of it. As an Owner of HW2, I can't wait to get a good mod for it. I have tried both the BSG and SW mods over at moddb, and, though their content is good, none of the ones I have seen were quite all together. That is to say, there were a lot of bugs. The amount of bugs one wouldn't tolerate in a TC for a2. I sure hope y'all can come up with some cool, non buggy, HW2 mods, because I would definitely download them.(technically, I would try them either way, but you know what I mean)

 

[Amateur]

:Y

Love them! I think the Vor'Cha is proof that a good engine can make a difference.

The designs have gotta' be an A+; they look deadly. I'd love to see them with a Babylon 5 style texture. You're starting to make me regret going for long cylinders with rotating sections

If you need any help with anything then pm me; at the very least we could stumble through it together

 

[Starfox1701]

You guys keep this up and you will make me buy a new game
EAS you might also want to consider making the meshes avalible for BC, SFC, and Legacy too.

 

[Adm_Z]

You really should. Its about $8 on Amazon, and it is worth every penny. Its Campaign is quite challenging, and it has a ton of modding potential, even if its not as easy as A2.

 

[EAS_Intrepid]

Thanks guys

Right now I am working on a texture for the Merkava-frigate.

Spoiler:

@ Starfox: The Var'yah cruiser is freely available as A2 ship in the DL-section, the basic ms3d and 3ds files have been posted in the "Klingon Cruiser" thread in the A2 mod section.

@ Amateur: Some sort of cooperation while learning Hw2 modding would be awesome! If you want a mesh, you can have it.

 

[Amateur]

Liking the colour scheme. Are you planning team colours at all? Might look good with the style you're going for.

How are you porting the meshes over? CFHOD Editor?

 

[EAS_Intrepid]

Team colours: Well, I could either change the camo pattern to use it for team colours or I could add a different striping to the "sail" (as submariners would call it). I'd rather do it the second way, since the camo is meant to break up the ship's silouette. I doubt flashy red and blue colours would do the trick, but then it might confuse the enemy


I port the mesh with milkshape and further editing in CFHODED (at least that's how I got the Var'yaH in-game.)

 

[Amateur]

Good point - I think that a small amount should suffice for team colours. A stripe would just about do it I think

CFHODED is your friend for just about everything mesh related. An added bonus is that importing stock models is simple and quick and you can see exactly how to accomplish whatever you need. Not sure how it fares with Milkshape, but I find that it completely messes up any smoothing groups I set in Max so you may want to watch that

 

[EAS_Intrepid]

Yes, CFHODed really makes a lot of things easier.

A small update:

Spoiler:

And then I have to go off to work....

 

[Amateur]

I'm liking it.

 

[EAS_Intrepid]

Hi there.

Spoiler:

This is the F/A-16D "Tigershark", used by both of the already mentioned Terani Armed Forces and the Zion Defense Fleet.

It is a rugged tandem-seat attack fighter for both anti-fighter and anti-frigate warfare.

Spoiler: Ingame!

Amateur, now I could really use your help!
I have added the .ship and the .hod file as attachment to this post.
The problems are: 1) The fighter wont fire at any enemies, even though it is flying combat maneuvers (the fighter uses the stock Hiigaran fighter gun) and 2) I cant get the engine trails to work....
Could you please take a look and see if you find the error?

 

[Amateur]

Sure, I'll send it back when I'm done

 

[EAS_Intrepid]

All right, thanks to Amateur, the fighter is working now

Images attached.

 

[Amateur]

Glad it's all sorted. That stripe would make a good place for a teamcolour

 

[Adm_Z]

That looks excellent EAS! I think tigershark is a very befitting name for it too.

 

[Hellkite]

Still one of the best games I have ever played

Good work Intrepid

 

[EAS_Intrepid]

Thanks guys! Please give Amateur some credit here, too, as he managed to root out the errors I made

As the fighter is now in-game and only lacking an anti-ship missile system (which shouldn't be much of a problem), something else coming along:


The Phalanx class missile cruiser (Phalanx CCG).

Spoiler:

It is a design based on the older Spartan cruiser spaceframe. The Spartan class is about fifteen years old and proved itself to be a formidable plartform for countless upgrades, refits and rearmament programs.

The Phalanx was built to fill the gap of a strategic missile ship. In the past, stand-off attacks were conducted by smaller vessels which were used in strike groups. Those ships were utterly slow, small, spartan and could only hold six to ten missiles. A Phalanx has six VLS tubes alone. Every one of them can be reloaded from a larger missile rack that makes up most of the primary hull's interior. Heavy armor makes sure, that the ship is not lost by a hit in the missile rack compartment.


I am working on getting it ingame as soon as possible. I guess I have a working version ready by tomorrow.


As it turns out, Homeworld 2 modding is not that much different from modding Armada 2. Of course, the ships have a lot more what they can do, but once you have gotten used to that it goes along quite well. Additionaly HW2 gives you an output file in which the game lists you the errors and where they come from (if those errors are made in the game scripts). That makes modding much easier.

 

[Starfox1701]

Looking good; the Tigershark reminds me of Slave 2

 

[Amateur]

Really my role was negligible - you did all of the stuff and I just fixed a few things.

Looking forward to this as well!

The stock Destroyer (Hiigaran) has vertical torpedoes which may help. As for an Anti-Ship missile it is just a matter of changing the weapon file - so that shouldn't be a problem

 

[EAS_Intrepid]

Hi folks!

I have been busy the last few days and I got the Merkava destroyer, the Orion frigate and the Phalanx CCG in-game and working (with teamcolours and all.) They still miss engine glows, but that is just something that I haven't gotten around to do yet.

As of now I am working on a mining and waypoint station and the Sparta class cruiser.

And then I have to make up more ships to fill the voids and eventually have a new race for Hw2 ready... maybe..

No images as sof now, since I am online from a friend's computer.

 

[Adm_Z]

Thats good news, and I hope to see some pictures soon.

 

[Majestic]

Looks like a spawn of Modern Space Combat.

I like this, you've always been a pretty big inspiration source for me. I have always loved your original designs. If enough people start modding Homeworld 2, I may need to create a new section for it.

Also that Klingon ship of yours looks great with stock textures in HW2. I have always wanted to re-texture her for A2, to match the Klingon fleet in my private install.

 

[EAS_Intrepid]

Wow, I've never spent so much time for texture creation before.....

No pictures as of now, but I will post some later today.
The Waypoint/Mining Station is coming along well in terms of textures.


I have finally found an in-game concept, that I feel fitting to my general ideas:
Instead of a "mothership" you have a Command and Control cruiser which let's you FTL your ships into the combat area. (Actually, it is just a cosmetic change. The cruiser still "builds" the ships, but they won't undock, but be hyperspaced in near the C2-cruiser.) I am still lacking a good design for this ship, though.

I have sketched up one really large station which would be some kind of Terani orbital headquarters but I haven't started to build it.

The starting fleet would be similar to the original HW2:
- Command Cruiser
- Fightercarrier
- Mining Rig plus Resource collectors (I'll modify the stock Vaygr models here)

I am thinking about releasing my F/A-16 fighter today. I still have to do some testing, since the fighter sometimes stalls when trying to dock with a carrier.

@ Maj: I feel honoured.

And you can freely adjust the Var'yaH's textures. The mesh is available in the Klingon Warship thread in ms3d and 3ds file format.

 

[EAS_Intrepid]

Image spree!

Waypoint and Mining station, 3ds render.

Spoiler:

Textures are still WIP, but you see where it is heading.

Zion Defense Fleet Merkava class destroyer

Spoiler:

The Zion Defense Fleet is the primary armed forces group of the Zion colony, which was founded by a group of Jewish settlers. About 250 years ago their colony ship crashlanded and thus did not reach its planned destination. The Israeli settlers survived in harsh conditions and managed to build a prospering colony. Their pride made them form their own military and not join the Terani Alliance. Every male and female citizen from the age of 18 on are meant to serve in the colony' armed force, though exceptions are made.
It is not uncommon, that Ground Forces officers in command of tactical units are about 21 years of age, while the youngest ship commander is only 26 years old. 90% of the population has served in the military.
The Merkava is their largest warship, only shadowed by the Ben-Gurion Command Cruiser. The Defense Fleet would rely on hit and run tactics as well as a large force of boarding teams to counter enemy warships.

F/A-16 Tigershark

Spoiler:

The Tigershark is already about 5 years old and serves both in the Terani Armed Forces as well as in the Zion Defense Fleet. It has proven to be a reliable and rugged spacefighter with limited athmospheric abilities.


Orion class frigate

Spoiler:

The Orion was a mainstay of the Terani Armed Forces as a destroyer grade warship. Over the time - and with the implementation of the Sparta class cruiser - it has been downgraded to fill the slot of a frigate size ship for quick reactions. The Orion has been refitted to serve a multitude of tasks. More than six different versions of this ship were produced, from fighter interdiction to boarding operations.


Phalanx CCG

Spoiler:

A Phalanx cruiser unloads its eight VLS tubes onto an enemy craft. There is no known ship with such a firepower....

...until we made first contact...

 

[Terra_Inc]

Image spree!

Waypoint and Mining station, 3ds render.

Spoiler:

Textures are still WIP, but you see where it is heading.

Zion Defense Fleet Merkava class destroyer

Spoiler:

The Zion Defense Fleet is the primary armed forces group of the Zion colony, which was founded by a group of Jewish settlers. About 250 years ago their colony ship crashlanded and thus did not reach its planned destination. The Israeli settlers survived in harsh conditions and managed to build a prospering colony. Their pride made them form their own military and not join the Terani Alliance. Every male and female citizen from the age of 18 on are meant to serve in the colony' armed force, though exceptions are made.
It is not uncommon, that Ground Forces officers in command of tactical units are about 21 years of age, while the youngest ship commander is only 26 years old. 90% of the population has served in the military.
The Merkava is their largest warship, only shadowed by the Ben-Gurion Command Cruiser. The Defense Fleet would rely on hit and run tactics as well as a large force of boarding teams to counter enemy warships.

F/A-16 Tigershark

Spoiler:

The Tigershark is already about 5 years old and serves both in the Terani Armed Forces as well as in the Zion Defense Fleet. It has proven to be a reliable and rugged spacefighter with limited athmospheric abilities.


Orion class frigate

Spoiler:

The Orion was a mainstay of the Terani Armed Forces as a destroyer grade warship. Over the time - and with the implementation of the Sparta class cruiser - it has been downgraded to fill the slot of a frigate size ship for quick reactions. The Orion has been refitted to serve a multitude of tasks. More than six different versions of this ship were produced, from fighter interdiction to boarding operations.


Phalanx CCG

Spoiler:

A Phalanx cruiser unloads its eight VLS tubes onto an enemy craft. There is no known ship with such a firepower....

...until we made first contact...

Oh my. Zion Defense Fleet? Sounds a lot like "Jews in Space".
(Seriously, if you don't know that one, search on Youtube for it. Lulzifying!)

I like those designs, well done! Never played the game, but this makes me want to get it.

 

[Starfox1701]

Looking good man keep it up

 

[Amateur]

Awesomeness!

Loving it! You've inspired me to do some work on my little project over the weekend.

Favourite is easily the Phalanx - got to love missiles

 

[Majestic]

Looking beautiful, do you mind if I offer a suggestion? In your first image, the station. I notice the textures are a bit plain, have you thought of adding an aztec pattern to make it look more realistic? There is a pretty good one available in Achilles Texture Tutorial on A2Files, it's the one I personally use.

Beautiful work, keep it up.

 

[EAS_Intrepid]

Thank you guys.

Indeed I will add aztec patterns to the station's textures. However, that is just the final step. Beforehand I add all the details and markings.