I always prefer PSD with layers intact. So that we can adapt the current icons to the new (your) icon style if necessary or vice versa. Thanks! If you need a list of researches I can export you the list from the database.

Ahh, that one. It is still waiting UV segmentation and texturing. But I have not forgotten it. We still have a lot of models in that exact stage, waiting to be finished and brought ingame, yet only one person doing this at the moment (me) and I first need to finish the modDB for Darvroth and NewHorizons to change the code.

As a sidenote: I've noticed that in Rebellion, using the same Texture area for mirrored parts results in inverted normalmaps. Has anybody any insight in this? Can we somehow change the shader to not do this? Otherwise there will be "glitches" in the rendered models (in some more than others). I will from now on no longer use the same Texture area for mirrored parts, but that will result in loss of (texture)resolution on the textured polygons as I now need to use up the texture space for more geometry. Damn.

I'd love to see the raider mother ship with squadrons of tigers to start mixing up the pirate threat. Not sure about other pirate ship roles.

Well, they would need to have scavenged old EA ships mostly. Which ones we can decide later on.

Raider carrier, Artemis, Oracle, Olympus, maybe Hermes. Should be an easy substitution and would help the flavor of the game from the on set, esp the raider carrier... Thoughts?

Sounds good. Maybe add a Nova Dreadnought and/or a Hyperion at the very upper threat levels.

SotYR mod team members,

I finally finished my project to review the impact of ship costs on game pacing and have uploaded my recommendations in ticket 159. It evolved a little beyond that effort as the data sort of spoke for itself into a general balancing effort incorporating several other tickets that were cited when specifically referenced. For those with access to bitbucket request review and comment.

Using the EA/other races trade ships in a Q-ship modification would also work well for very low density raids.

Edit: Pirate tech, eventually... after the core races are complete.

Agreed.

Small update: I've almost completed the sync process. What's missing:

1. the export of the commit data and the means of transmitting
2. the hiding of deleted entries (partly done)
3. the user account creation (different users with different privileges - 2 types: admin and user)
4. the import of the committed data
5. the accepting of committed changes
6. the deletion of the marked records before redistributing it to the users
7. list view of all data

I deem point 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 mandatory. The rest can be implemented later on. I've also completely reworked the user interface so to be easier on the eye. Sync data creation works flawlessly and is fast. Using a commit command, sync data is converted to commit entries which are then to be sent to me.

Transferring the committed changes could happen over email or dropbox for example.

Sounds good, please expend a little effort on a sample "how to" so it is clear the order for the steps for the various actions. I imagine once a certain familiarity is achieved ease of use picks up...

One unclear point, once a certain number of syncs are in place and approved the Rebellion Master on Bitbucket will be updated to verify we haven't inadvertently added a glitch?

as for a sample, well we will need testing anyways. Though a help file for how to submit changes will be included (I hope). The rebellion master should be updated every time I accept changes, so that we can verify the results. Also, the database will be regularly redistributed to you and NewHorizons so that desyncs between us are kept to a minimum.

Sync is almost complete. Testing should be able to begin the coming days.

As for the new DLC that is coming on June 5th, I think we might not support it for the next release but for the one after that. Depending on how fast I can get the Database to work with it.

Woot. Additional planet types and planet specialization will potentially have a tremendous strategic impact on game play... I can't wait till ZombieRus is able to post human readable breakdowns of the new files.

https://forums.sinsofasolarempire.com/443792/page/4/#3354861 reply 86 to my mind means I now have to do a spread sheet on all the strike craft and look at DPS as the balancing variable. Gah!

On a lighter note, I'm looking forward to dabbling with your sync tool perhaps with a focus on closing existing tickets... BTW please take few minutes and bless or send me to the wood shed for the ship resources/logistic point balance. Recommend accepting by race but I'd start with the Vorlon as that is were the complete project is distilled.

@ Davroth and NewHorizons

I've sent you both a message on Origo concerning the ModEditor.

Downloaded, and extracted and I eventually figured out the second PW...very clever. I did not note a readme file of use. I'll fiddle and will posit questions as they avail themselves.

That's the best way. I just finished the editor so I could go to sleep at 3am. Doing a readme file was never planned tbh. I just hate doing such. But it should be fairly easy to figure out, and if questions arise you can always contact me via multiple channels.

Hope you got some well deserved sleep? Before I go hog-wild on changes please walk me through an export with a simple change to verify the transmit and sync functions work as intended. Then I presume you will upload the changes to Bitbucket as a new internal build and we can resume testing from there?

That would be great.

First you have to adjust the settings. click on the cog icon in the lower left corner. Here you must setup all folders. Use the ones supplied with the mod editor. The base folder contained all files necessary to export entity files. Entity files are automatically converted to bin (into yet another folder) if the convert data tools can be located. They are supplied with the mod editor.

After you have set up all folders trie to do en export, by clicking on the gigantic export button at the bottom of the screen. It should produce all entity files as well as resize and convert the mesh files if you confirm the dialog asking to do so. Converting the meshes takes time, so you might skip them for now.

after this, just change one simple value in a ship or research subject or ability, then select Commit changes under the commit menu and send the resulting zip file to me please. I will then test the import of the changes. 

Sent you my first commit file, very modest changes. If it works then expect an avalanche of adjustments. I'll work in the ship cost adjustments first, pre approval of ticket 159 would speed that up, then work on closing tickets which will include the new EA and Minbari Rebellion tech trees. I leave any given ticket open till the commit is approved so you still retain the ticket closing function.

As usual I sent my last while your last was posting and I seem to have found some alternative method... I'll try the big button next time...

Export is for testing ingame and for submitting to BitBucket. Committing is for submitting changes to me.

The changes worked flawlessly, your modifications (except culture rate) will be ignored though, as the planetmodule type "normal" ignores all fighters and weapons. That's why they are greyed out.

New format,  fun.  I started importing abilities in existing tickets and while the process is fairly straight forward it is organisized in an interesting way. My speed of entry should increase with use. Do you prefer more frequent smaller packets or less frequent larger packets?  I'll be sure to call out reference tickets when forwarding. 

You can send me whenever you like. Smaller ones at first helps with testing.

Now that the new DLC for Rebellion is out will we baseline to that or press ahead with the current revision of Rebellion?

It looks like the new DLC adds a couple capabilities to modders, nothing too big though. I also heard a rumor that with either the 1.5 patch of the new DLC content that Titans have be something the AI can build otherwise it doesn't work (could set the AI 'titan' to just be 'another capital ship' for any faction that shouldn't have a titan)? Can anyone confirm this?