Star Trek unit preview thread

[Matress_of_evil]

Obviously I have BOTF, so you're welcome to have any of the models I have.

The only problem is I haven't got a clue what the starship files are!

Those pictures that I posted are just TGA files that I took from the game and converted to JPG's. They are images that the game shows you when you look at eg. the Starship database - they aren't renders or whatever that i've taken from the ships.

My knowledge when it comes to such things is non-existant, other than ending up with HALF a Galaxy texture on a Constitution class ship when I messed round with Starfleet Command 2 once...

Anyways, if you want to have a look at your own game, Thorgrimm, all the files are contained within a file called "STBOF.res".

Open this file with Winzip/WinRAR/Whatever archiving program you use, (You might want to back up STBOF.res before opening it) and there are around 6,000 files from BOTF that you can play with, including the ship models, interfaces, graphics, and whatnot.

...

I was bored after I made those last posts, so I made this:

I have too much time on my hands, and yes, the program I use isn't registered yet.

 

[Thorgrimm]

Matress, thanks for the info. If you have any Ferengi or Dominion models you can throw our way, I am sure I will be able to use them to flesh out their Fleet OOB's with. So any you can throw our way would be much appreciated.




Cheers, Thorgrimm

 

[Matress_of_evil]

Well like I said, I haven't got a clue what file type the ships are, so you guys are gonna have to tell me.

These are the file types that I can find in STBOF.res:

.BIN
.EST
.FNT
.HOB (I know these files are the textures for the ships, but are they also the models? I don't really understand how you make a model)
.ANI (The movie files)
.CUR (These must be the cursor files)
.GIF (Icons for the game, some Starship textures)
.LST
.SST (Game settings - you can edit these with certain programs)
.MNU
.PST
.RST
.SCR (Screensavers, I think)
.SMT
.TBL
.TDB
.TGA (There's thousands of these files - they are the interfaces and icons for the game)
.VTX
.WDF
.WTH

If you guys see any file types in that list that might be the models, then let me know and i'll send them to you. I haven't got any models for the Dominion, by the way. I've never downloaded any of the Dominion mods.

Those can be found in the downloads section of armadafleetcommand.com

If you guys want to take a look.

 

[Flamand]

Maybe it's the bin files, but I don't have a converter for that. Maybe you have one, Thor?

 

[Thorgrimm]

@Matress, do you know of where I can get a hold of a .SOD plugin for Max? I had seen one on a site for Armada conversions but can't find the site now. If you can direct me to one, we can get all the Ferengi and Dominion ships we need from Armada and Armada 2.

@Flamand, no I don't have a .BIN convertor, and yeah I think those are the model files to.


Thorgrimm

 

[Matress_of_evil]

Err...Max? What's that?

I don't know how to edit the .SOD files coz I can't even open them. I just edit the .ODF files from Armada when I want to. Fear my scouts!

It's a shame that you guys don't know how to use the files...would you like me to send them to you anyway?

 

[Thorgrimm]

Matress, Max is the 3d program 3DS MAX. With the .SOD convertor we can import the model directly into Max and modify them.




Cheers Thorgrimm

 

[Matress_of_evil]

I did a google and I found a site with plugins for MAX 5.

MAX 5 plugins

The link to "Storm3D SOD Exporter v1.0" and "Storm3D SOD Exporter v2.0" are probably what you are looking for, although since I don't have MAX or the knowledge to do stuff to models, I might be wrong.

The links are half way down the page.

There's also the SFC Importer v1.0.0.1 - apparently that lets you do stuff to the models for Starfleet Command 2. That one is near the bottom of the page.

 

[Thorgrimm]

Matress, Outstanding! I had the .MOD plugin, I just needed the .SOD plugin. Thanks much dude.



Cheers, Thorgrimm

 

[Matress_of_evil]

Do you want me to send you guys the .HOB files?

Or can you get them yourself now?

Fingers crossed you can use them for your mod...

 

[Thorgrimm]

Matress, I was a bit hasty in my last post, that was an exporter and we need a .SOD importer to be able to use the .SOD's in 3DS MAX

The problem that we also have is that there is no .HOB importer for 3DS MAX. So we can't use those files. It all boils down to being able to use the files in MAX.



Thorgrimm

 

[Matress_of_evil]

Looks like i've got some bad news - I did some searching, and according to the people at the filefront forums, no-one has ever made a .SOD import plugin for MAX! Someone else needed the plugin and was trying to find one but couldn't. (The posts were dated 2003 though, so they might be outdated)

I did some more searching though, but I couldn't find any other references to a .SOD importer. I've also done a search for .HOB files, and theres no luck with that either.

I did have one idea though - would it be posible to convert the files from one type to another, and then another, and so on until you managed to get them into a file type that MAX can use?

It might be a bit long-winded, and you will probably lose some of the quality from the models, but if its possible, it might be the only way of using them...

 

[Flamand]

That's too bad Matress... But Thorgrimm told me just now he found someone who could do it so there is still hope...
Meanwhile here is the UESN Amarillo and a very suitable but completely coincidental still from the death animation...

 

[Thorgrimm]

Flamand, that is looking great!

@Matress, I have a friend who can convert sod's for me, so far we have converted quite a few Dominion some Andorians a Tellarite and a Vulcan. if you can link me to more SOD's, I can grab more to fill out the Fleet OOB's and get him to convert them.




Cheers, Thorgrimm

 

[Matress_of_evil]

Well I have Armada 1, so I could send over those models if you want, but I haven't got Armada 2.

I also know a few sites where you can get models for the Armada games, but you might want to ask the people who made the models first...

What about the BOTF models though? Are you going to give up on those?

Or should I still send them?

 

[Flamand]

I have Armada II and lots of SODs...

 

[Matress_of_evil]

That still doesn't answer the question of if you want my BOTF models...

If you want models from Starfleet Command, Battleclinic is a good site. As an example, they have over 830 models for the Federation alone!

SFC Federation models

(May I recommend the Achilles from there? )

Just follow the links on the side of the page for models for other races.

Filefront also has a site dedicated to Armada 2 ships, although you probably know that already, Flamand.

Armada 2 ships

 

[Flamand]

Yup, I know... I can't answer your question since I don't know exactly what ships Thor still needs and what conversions besides SOD he can do.

BTW, new arrival: UESN Krechet...

 

[Thorgrimm]

Flamand, I can convert .Mod, .LWO, .NIF and all standard Max formats. Then MC can convert the SOD's for me. That should answer your question about what I can convert.

@Matress, The Battleclinic site should be just what I am looking for. Thanks much dude.



Cheers, Thorgrimm

 

[Matress_of_evil]

Well i'd be worried if the models you wanted WEREN'T on there, Thorgrimm...

I can see you guys are really putting a lot of thought into this mod.

Such ships will never be in the official version of BOTF2, but i've been talking to a guy on the BOTF2 site (ZDarby) about a mod that he's planning for BOTF2. (Yes, the games not even out, but we're already planning mods! )

He hasn't created any Federation ships as far as I know yet, but he's put a LOT of thought into the Vulcan ships, and hes made a couple of initial views of the ships.

If you fancy a look, the thread is here: ZDarby's BOTF2 mod

Not all the models are his, but he explains which ones they are on there.