I always put the latest at the bottom, just did not put the version in the text, BUT forgot to set it as a link, am correcting now.

harpo

jtaylorpcs, I have altered the OP so you can see the version number for the ref files,

harpo

Use harpo's textbin gui.  the GUI has instructions on it when you run it.

http://www.filefactory.com/file/b254eg4/n/harpo_sins_textbin1.19.12.rar

all the files in the ref sets are from my game installatation,

(1) as I update the game,

(2)then COPY the entire installed game folder structure and all files to a NEW folder in my ref files area,

(3)then copy the convertdata.exe's from the new folder in the ref files to the folder containing the textbin gui,

(4)rename the copied convertdata's to include the version number and run the textbin gui converting the new ref files folder,

(5) I then archive the entire converted folder set and

(6)then delete the movies, textures, sounds,galaxy, exe's & dll's other than those needed for the convertdata's.

furyofthestars, it looks like the stelar phenomona pack might be the point of issue. I thought that I had purchased the dlc, but might not have

harpo

I can do either, but do not have the spare time to prepare and upload the files at present, so will hold off till the official non beta release

harpo

kremblin89, I am NOT the best person to attempt to answer, but the best location to post the question/issue would be in the 'get an answer' thread (https://forums.sinsofasolarempire.com/407617)

but for disabling the mines, editing the planet/sun entities and zeroing the mines line(maxSpaceMineCountPerPlayer 150),

and the simplest means for disabling the superweapons is in the gameplay.constants file line that reads

cannonGravityWellRatioDenominator 4

line and just MASIVELY increase this number eg 200, then the ai AND player can not build a single superweapon untill they have 200 planets.

hope this helps

harpo

Ah, someone else trying the exact same thing! While it probably is possible, as harpo says, to reduce the maximum allowed number of mines per gravity well, I've done (for several set of patches) basic mods removing all mine-related research, ships and abilities. (Got them made for Rebellion 1.0X, 1.1 and 1.5 - haven't got around to doing a version for 1.8 yet.)

Sadly, I've only really done them for my own fun (I have asked a few times in the forums for others on the same track, never really got a good response, and I also asked the devs to introduce an in-game toggle for mines as they're just a 200% nuisance - to no avail), and thus they aren't one bit optimized (I just get/extract the plain text format files, edit/delete what's needed and run it in that state) or even file-checked. (Last mod folder was about 350MB, I just never bothered to clean it up.)

It was quite a while since I did the last version, but there are a few tips when modding (this is for mines specifically, but some things apply to other things as well) that'll probably help you;

(For starters, I'd recommend getting a good text editor, I use Notepad++ myself, but it's personal preference.)
1) Make sure the number of lines in a section is always correct - if you remove a line, make sure the number at the top of the section corresponds to the actual number! I've had a few minidumps due to this.

2) Make sure you go through any and all lines that has got to do with mines, make sure they're removed properly (don't forget to set corresponding costs to 0 or "" if it's a squadron or ability - while you can remove ship references entirely, squadrons and abilities should be set blank instead) and all references to them checked. (It's easy to forget a reference to something somewhere else - make sure you remove the mines from the pirates' base starting configuration template, for example.)

3) One thing I've forgot more than once is that the Advent has got a minelayer *squadron* - which means the data is located at different places than for a dedicated cruiser. (I.e. you need to check carriers and hangar defenses as well - Starbases don't have the ability to deploy mines that way though.)

4) If you're having problem with anti-structure ships, you could do an alternative solution (I opted for this, as it's simply easier than removing a ship entirely), nerf it - I chose to reduce the damage and range of the anti-structure crafts, to make longer range defenses, such as starbases, be able to effectively hit them. This also retains some of their [the structure-busters] purpose, while still not making them structure steamrollers (i.e. they can chew structures up without having to worry about basically anything - with some anti-fighter coverage they're unbeatable if you don't have a fleet stationed there) to 100%.

I also nerfed the diplomacy frigate, as the invulnerability is a bit too OP (tried both reducing duration and removing it), as the ship basically turns into an invulnerable scout with that.

Due to the size of the mod (doing the latest version now, converting only the files needed this time, reducing the size to a few MB ), and as I don't have an updated version, I can't really send the stuff I've done - but I hope the tips help out!

sounds like an issue with the convertdataEXPANASION.exe being for a different version of the expansion and the folder that contains the folders to convert does not have the EXPANSION and version in it's name,

I also get this issue upon updates to the game and I forget to copy the expansion AND version info and copy the current convertdata's to the folder for the gui and add the version number to the name of the convertdata's in the gui folder,

a quick outline of HOW the gui chooses the convertdata to use for the conversion and the gui first checks for the needed expansion and version number (eg ConvertDataEntrnechmentv1.51.exe) (it finds out WHAT expansion & version number to look for from the folder names in the path to the folder to convert (eg the mods folder(s) path)) then if it can not find the needed expansion and version number it then drops the version number and uses the expansion and looks in the game's install folder (assumes that it is for the current version (note the sequence for the gui to check which of the convertdata's to use it check for rebellion, then check for diplomacy,then check for entrenchment then assume it must be a vanilla sins of a solar empire.

BUT the vanilla convertdata does NOT understand the entrenchment,diplomacy & rebellion codes/text/structures,

just as the entrenchment convertdata does not understand the diplomacy/rebellion codes/text/structures

and

the diplomacy convertdata does not understand the rebellion codes/text/structures

and the rebellion convertdata can not convert the vanilla or entrenchmnet or diplomacy codes

and these issues ARE the reason I usually supply all the convertdata's WITH the version numbers in the file names so that the files CAN be converted if the program can figure out which convertdata to use.

harpo

the reference files are for MODDERS or those wanting to create a MOD as they are text converted copies of the entitiy files from the game.

the only ways to update are

1 download the latest full version files from thee stardock store and install

2 (if steam registered and purchased) update with steam

3 (if NOT steam registers/purchased) the gamestop impulse downloader.

there are several causes of dumps most likely to least likely,

1 errors in mod files

2 mod files for a different expansion/version

3 setting the detail settings to high so that sins runs out of it's 2gb workspace (and can even happen on large maps(100 or more planets/stars)

4 errors in drivers (often the latest version of video/sound drivers can help this one)

5 malware/virii (uninstall ALL toolbars and other unwanted junk software especially those that have several parts that start each boot (this also helps the overall computer performance by minimising thenumber of programs loading during boot AND running in the background so that there is more time available for the programs YOU want to use))

6 marginal ram (unfortunately the only way to fix this is to REPLACE the RAM sticks)

7 motherboard unreliability (another unfortunate fix ie REPLACE the motherboard)

8 video card unreliabilty (again anotherunfortunate fix ie replace the video card)

9 power supply marginal (the game puts high loads on the cpu and video cards so draws more power from the power supply)(and another unfortunate fix ie replace the power supply with a higher capacity one

hope this advice helps

harpo the NON-subscriber

from memory, the ship and fighter meshes have all failed to convert for me over the years since I started working on my text/bin utility, but I do not remember the planet modules giving any errors, BUT these meshes failing to conver BACK to text suggests tere is a NON-lineararity in the convertdata exe's bin/text conversion routines.

harpo, the ghost NON-subscriber

battlelust_theta, which expansion/version of the meshes are you after?, I have just checked my personal master set of reference files of both vanilla and rebellion (on the CapitalShip_PSIColony.mesh(also checked the entire list of vanilla meshes that you listed and all had converted to text ) and both had converted to text orginally

as far as importing the meshes to other programs, I have no experience, but Myfist0 would be the best to contact regarding that as 'he' has already done most if not all into .obj

Harpo, the ghost NON-subscriber

battlelust_theta, I think in the modding area of the forum there is a post by myfist0 that has the modding instructions and resources (including ships converted (from memory) to obj files and in a zip file), it might even be among the STICKIED threads at the top of the MODDING page but it was DEFINITELY by Myfist0.

from what I remember from MAAANY EARS AGOO the mesh files needed an importing script for one of the bigger editng programs to even be able to load the files to alter them graphically, and again from whatI vaigly remember 3d object converter was one of the tools that did NOT work for the mesh files.

Harpo, the ghost NON-subscriber

Hey can you upload the files again?it's all dead I don't understand it,why don't you use a torrent file instead of those S*ty file host website??