Star Trek Armada 11 Fleet Operations Mod Help

[JonnyEcho]

Hello all, I am not an experienced modder or programmer. I tinkered around with the ODF files when this game came out and that's my experience when it comes to modding. So I just installed fleet ops to the game and now I want to change the torpedos of the Sovereign to purple. Thats it. I tried going by someone else's instructions but all I managed to do was make the torpedos disappear.

So, per instructions from two different people I have done the following in trying to create purple quantum torpedos.

I first modified the quantum torpedo file in the TGA. I turned them purple, renamed it, and saved it as a TGA file. It looks like this.

wtorpedo_quantum_pur.tga

Second, I went to the fleetops Sprite file and inserted the following line under quantum torpedoes. It looks like this:

wtorpedo_quantum_pur wtorpedo_quantum_pur 0 0 64 64 @anim-tex4x4

Third, I went to the torpedo weapons file for the sovereign (all of them) and insterted the following line after classLabel:

sprite = "wtorpedo_quantum_pur"


I managed to make the torpedos disappear. They are not purple.

Can anyone tell me what I am doing wrong. Help would be greatly appreciated.

 

[Terra_Inc]

Hi, and welcome to the site!

What you're describing here is how you'd mod the flipbook-animated sprites in the vanilla game. I haven't modded FO much, but if I remember correctly, FO torpedos work differently - they're actual 3D SODs instead.

I'm not entirely sure how to correctly mod the FO torpedos off the top of my head - I'll be able to give some actual instructions once I've had a chance to check my own FO install. Perhaps our FO experts can answer this in the meantime?

In general, I recommend the FleetOps Bug/Crash Checklist for hunting down bugs and crashes in FO.

 

[JonnyEcho]

Hi, and welcome to the site!

What you're describing here is how you'd mod the flipbook-animated sprites in the vanilla game. I haven't modded FO much, but if I remember correctly, FO torpedos work differently - they're actual 3D SODs instead.

I'm not entirely sure how to correctly mod the FO torpedos off the top of my head - I'll be able to give some actual instructions once I've had a chance to check my own FO install. Perhaps our FO experts can answer this in the meantime?

In general, I recommend the FleetOps Bug/Crash Checklist for hunting down bugs and crashes in FO.

My gut was telling me they had moved it to the SOD. Thanks for the info. It is much appreciated.

 

[CptBenSisko]

so you can change them back from sod to sprites if you want.. you have to comment out the line - "shotgeometry = xxxxxxx" and add the line "sprite = xxxxxxx" like this. And then you need to add the line "radius = x.xx" which tell the game how big the torpedo is.. keep in mind, any ship that uses the ordinance file you change will also have the purple torpedoes.

also, make sure you are adding the your new torpedo sprite into the correct section of the sprite file.. because if not... the game either won't read it, read it incorrectly, or crash..

radius = 9.75
Sprite = "wtorpedo_quantum_pur"
//shotgeometry = "fedW_quantum"

 

[JonnyEcho]

So, I did what you said and I started with a radius of 9.75. Then 1.75, then .5 and each time I get white squares where the torpedos are supposed to be. Should "radius" come before the "sprite = x" or after. I also assume that where I place these in the ODF is important.

 

[Terra_Inc]

The order of entries in the ODF doesn't matter at all as far as I know.

 

[Majestic]

White squares means it's either missing the sprite or the sod file.

 

[CptBenSisko]

if you are trying to use a sprite.. then you have to have the sprite entry and the correct texture in the "Textures" folder.. but the same also applies to the SOD based weapons..

also did you comment the "shotgeometry = xxxx" line?


when you get an opportunity.. show me the entry in the sprite files.. because the heading you put it under might be incorrect.. and show me the entry in the ODF file.. i have a very good idea why its not working

 

[Terra_Inc]

Yeah, sprite files can a bit tricky if you don't know what you're doing.

 

[JonnyEcho]

if you are trying to use a sprite.. then you have to have the sprite entry and the correct texture in the "Textures" folder.. but the same also applies to the SOD based weapons..

also did you comment the "shotgeometry = xxxx" line?


when you get an opportunity.. show me the entry in the sprite files.. because the heading you put it under might be incorrect.. and show me the entry in the ODF file.. i have a very good idea why its not working

Here you go and Thanks for your help!

 

[JonnyEcho]

Also, isn't there a command to SCALE a ship like scaleSOD or something. I want to change the size of a ship but I don't remember how to do it. Can anyone enlighten me?

 

[CptBenSisko]

Yes. scaleSod = x.xxx is the correct command.
regarding your sprite entry, it looks mostly in order.. perhaps your sprite name is too long.. ive encountered weird things with names/labels that are too many characters..

maybe change the sprite name from "w_torpedo_quantum_pur" to "wquantumtorpedopur" the new name is only 18 characters as opposed to 21 characters.. It shouldn't make a diffference.. but this game is 20+ yrs old sooooo who the hell knows..

 

[JonnyEcho]

Yes. scaleSod = x.xxx is the correct command.
regarding your sprite entry, it looks mostly in order.. perhaps your sprite name is too long.. ive encountered weird things with names/labels that are too many characters..

maybe change the sprite name from "w_torpedo_quantum_pur" to "wquantumtorpedopur" the new name is only 18 characters as opposed to 21 characters.. It shouldn't make a diffference.. but this game is 20+ yrs old sooooo who the hell knows..

I'll give it a try.

 

[JonnyEcho]

Yes. scaleSod = x.xxx is the correct command.
regarding your sprite entry, it looks mostly in order.. perhaps your sprite name is too long.. ive encountered weird things with names/labels that are too many characters..

maybe change the sprite name from "w_torpedo_quantum_pur" to "wquantumtorpedopur" the new name is only 18 characters as opposed to 21 characters.. It shouldn't make a diffference.. but this game is 20+ yrs old sooooo who the hell knows..

Alas Dear Sisko, changing the name did not work either.

 

[JonnyEcho]

Is there one place on this site that shows ALL of the ST Armada 2 mods?

 

[JonnyEcho]

Yeah, sprite files can a bit tricky if you don't know what you're doing.

Hi Terra, is there one thread or place where I can look at all the ship mods for Armada 2?

 

[Hath]

I don't think there is any ONE spot to look, but there are some of my go to spots.

Star Trek: Armada Files

ArmadaFiles is home for Star Trek: Armada and Star Trek: Armada II patches, maps, mods and other downloads.

armadafiles.com

Home - Star Trek Armada II: Fleet Operations

Fleet Operations is a popular skirmish and multiplayer total conversion modification for Star Trek Armada II.

www.fleetops.net

Other useful stuff if you have not already downloaded.

Storm3D Viewer - Star Trek: Armada Files

This is used to view different objects in Armada II

armadafiles.com

This one is an absolute must in my opinion.

Westworld's Big Book Of Modding - Star Trek: Armada Files

Better late then never I guess This is THE Source for any modding problems you ever have.

armadafiles.com

 

[JonnyEcho]

I don't think there is any ONE spot to look, but there are some of my go to spots.

Star Trek: Armada Files

ArmadaFiles is home for Star Trek: Armada and Star Trek: Armada II patches, maps, mods and other downloads.

armadafiles.com

Home - Star Trek Armada II: Fleet Operations

Fleet Operations is a popular skirmish and multiplayer total conversion modification for Star Trek Armada II.

www.fleetops.net

Other useful stuff if you have not already downloaded.

Storm3D Viewer - Star Trek: Armada Files

This is used to view different objects in Armada II

armadafiles.com

This one is an absolute must in my opinion.

Westworld's Big Book Of Modding - Star Trek: Armada Files

Better late then never I guess This is THE Source for any modding problems you ever have.

armadafiles.com

Thanks!

 

[Terra_Inc]

I think Hath covered all the important ones. ArmadaFiles.com is the archival repository for what used to be the Armada2Files page on FileFront/GameFront, one of the central hubs for the modding community until it was shut down in the mid-2010s. In the meantime, GameFront has come back under new management and most of the old A2Files mods can be found there as well: https://www.gamefront.com/games/armada-2

The Big Book of Modding is a classic, a good reference for pretty much anything to do with modding. It was written for vanilla A2 though, if you're planning on modding FleetOps the FO Modding Guide (http://guide.fleetops.net/guide/modding/directory) is a good link to have bookmarked.

 

[JonnyEcho]

I think Hath covered all the important ones. ArmadaFiles.com is the archival repository for what used to be the Armada2Files page on FileFront/GameFront, one of the central hubs for the modding community until it was shut down in the mid-2010s. In the meantime, GameFront has come back under new management and most of the old A2Files mods can be found there as well: https://www.gamefront.com/games/armada-2

The Big Book of Modding is a classic, a good reference for pretty much anything to do with modding. It was written for vanilla A2 though, if you're planning on modding FleetOps the FO Modding Guide (http://guide.fleetops.net/guide/modding/directory) is a good link to have bookmarked.

Thanks!

 

[Hath]

Yes, yes to the Terra you listen should!