Posts by Norbert

  • Changind forum layout?

    If you're using Firefox, you may insert the following boolean value into about:config and set it to false:


    browser.display.use_document_colors


    It changes the view to standard black on white.
    There are several add-ons available, like PrefBar, where you quickly can switch between the 2 displays without the need of reloading the page.

  • Darkstar One Mesa Mod

    Sometimes you might encounter a CTD problem within the Mesa Mod which occurs when the mission just before the 2nd flak mission starts, where you have to prevent the drones from landing on the science station. It's an issue in the script STORY_024.lua, which I have corrected and uploaded to my fav forum. I don't know why that issue doesn't occur every time, maybe there is a difference between the distributions of the DVD's from the old Ubisoft (Ascaron) and the newer Kalypso Media (Purple Hills) versions.


    If this happens to you, you can download the corrected script from here:


    Darkstar One Mesa Mod Problem (answer #3)


    There is no installation needed, just copy it to the folder "scripts" of the mod and rename it by removing the extension ".txt". If this folder doesn't exist yet, create a new one.
    Same procedure, if you encounter this problem in a other mod or the original game. In the last case you must create a empty mod first which only contains the folder "scripts", the corrected script copied to this folder and the file "darkstarmod.ini".


    [sign=1]Happy New Year to all of you![/sign]

  • Darkstar One Modification "Versteckte Cluster"

    Hi Huor,


    if you mean where to find the downloads, they are only available at the forum linked here above in my starting post. You don't have to register there to download the mod, it's also possible for guests.


    For some further information you may go to the section Tools -> Links of this forum and then select the Darkstar One Fan Sites. There I inserted some links to the publisher forum "Kalypso Media" too (German and English forums).


    And no, I'm not registered on moddb, only visiting it sometimes.

  • Darkstar One System Map

    As I can see, you uploaded only the picture of it without all the code for interactive use, which would provide a lot of additional information.
    The downloads were offered in 2 links at the bottom of the online map, but those links are dead too.


    Suggestion:
    You may download the map completely with an website crawler like HTTrack Website Copier or DRKSpider and upload it again. That would make it easier for inexperienced people.

  • Spoiler

    Workaround for those of you still having the spoiler problem:


    Click the quote button of the post with the spoiler and I guess, you will see the contents of it in the editor.


    That might be a temporary solution until you have solved the problem on your computer. ;)

  • Recommended Editors for LUA and XML

    Here you will find some weblinks for the download of recommended code editors with syntax highlighting.
    It's all freeware.


    Editors for the script language Lua:

    LuaEdit is an Open Source IDE/Debugger/Script Editor designed for the version 5.1 of Lua. It is able to execute the Lua files.


    Editor for the xml file "user_strings.xml":

    • XML Notepad 2007 (requires at least .NET Framework v2.0)
      The code editors above are also suitable because the xml file is only plain text.

  • Darkstar One System Map

    While browsing the web recently, I stumbled across the english version of the original Darkstar One system map:
    The DS1 universe map (andrewore.web.fc2.com).


    This version still contains some minor issues (e.g. the interchanged star systems Mechez and Wichita in the Sirius cluster).
    In my own german map I have corrected all issues found and additionally added a lot of more infos.
    It can be downloaded from the modding thread Darkstar One - Modding (PC-Version) at Supernature-Forum.de.


    You may use the english version as a template to translate my german version for offline use into english.
    That wouldn't be difficult because they are coded in html with javascript embedded and shouldn't be too much work.


    Preview to the revised system map (german version):


  • Darkstar One Modification "Versteckte Cluster"

    Yeah, same to me. As I know, there were only 4 ini-mods ever published:


    The Eliminator-, Elite-, Mesa- and the Storyline-Mod.


    They all can be found within a compressed file, the link to it is called "Mod Paket für Darkstar One". It's linked in the thread [Darkstar One] Gameplay FAQ of TornadoX1.



    By the way:
    Your download of the english Modding Guide here in the forum is corrupt. I downloaded it several times and tried to unpack the zip-file "Modding_Guide_CHM_UK.zip". Without success. If you want to upload a functional file, you may do so with the one I'm offering in the link of the mod too (EN and GE). The only difference of the english version might be, that it's delivered as a chm file. The contents is the unchanged original.

  • Darkstar One Modification "Versteckte Cluster"

    English: The "Hidden Clusters" Mod


    BRIEF DESCRIPTION


    This is the first released mod of Darkstar One which not only contains ini-mods, but also a lot of additional scripts, thus implementing a couple of new tasks at the terminal, random missions in space and great side missions. 7 more clusters with 70 additional starsystems, more artifacts and a faster upgrade system. Many new features for the DSO and options* for the gameplay. The mod is designed for most flexibility of implementing further new missions and functions, hence being an endless story of future development. Though I'm not going to release the source codes of the new missions, it'll be relatively easy to add your own missions and tasks (if you're familiar with the script language Lua and the script system of DS1). While the ongoing development I encountered a lot of undocumented functions, effects, weapons and further possibilities, which are used by this mod thus offering actions and views never seen before in the original game. All those previously unknown functions are documented now in the new revised (german) version of the modding guide.


    * One example of the many new options for the gameplay:
    There are a couple of new options in the mod for the 2 flak missions, which makes them easier or even more difficult in several steps and variations.
    You can find and change the options in the file Options.lua, located in the subdirectory "scripts" of the modding folder. It can be edited with a plain text editor like the Windows editor, Notepad++ etc. Do not use a text processing program like Office or Wordpad, they will make the Options.lua unreadable for DS1 and causes it to crash.

    Options.lua


    DOWNLOAD and original german thread
    (Downloads are attached to the end of the articles #1 and #2)
    Darkstar One - Modding (PC-Version)


    There you will also find further links to related sites, threads and downloads.



    INSTALLATION

    • Download the file "Versteckte Cluster <# of version>.rar" and extract it to an temporary folder.


    • Move or copy the whole folder "Versteckte Cluster" to the modding directory "Customization".
      (e.g. "My Documents\Ascaron Entertainment\Darkstar One\Customization\")
      If the folder "Customization" doesn't exist, you have to create it first.
      You may rename the folder "Versteckte Cluster" to anything else you want, that doesn't matter, the program will find the mod anyway.


    • Go to the installation folder of the game (e.g. "C:\Games\Darkstar One\") and in there change to "lua\mission\". If not already done so, rename or save those 5 original files first:
      missions.bin, BattleLib.lua, BattleLibEx.lua, MissionLib.lua and CameraLib.lua.
      Don't use the extension ".lua" at the end by no means when renaming the original lua-files!
      (Forbidden: BattleLib.org.lua; Allowed: BattleLib.lua.org)


    • Copy the data content from the extracted folder "mission" (not the folder itself) to this place and allow the overwriting of the existing files, if they are still present.
      It's essential to copy them all to the mentioned folder in order to expect a faultless working mod! Unless the mod itself they are downwards compatible to all other save games of the original or other mods.
      This new lua-files are the 4 revised and 2 newly created libraries with additional utility functions for the scripts.
      The missions.bin is a patched version of the original to prevent the creation of undesired superfreighters by the original missions.
      FYI: When I'm finished with implementing the whole original story into the mod (with some corrections and extensions), this replacement of the missions.bin will get obsolet. In the next version 1.5 of the mod this will be done to about 80%, so it won't last very long anymore until it's completed.


    • If there exists a file called "user_scripts.rar" you must extract it into the modding folder "scripts" after installing the mod, thus overwriting the present file. It contains the latest bugfixes for the missions.


    • Similar procedure if you find a file called "mission <ver>.rar" attached. Only difference: This one has to be extracted to the folder "lua\mission\" of the installation folder of the game. This archive contains the 6 function libraries for the game with the latest fixes and extensions.


    • If desired, you may download and extract the modding guide "Modding_DE 2.0.rar" (German, new revised version with much more infos) and/or "Modding_EN.rar" (English, original chm-file, #2 of the thread).


    Now you can (i.e. must) start a new game after you selected the mod now visible in the list "Mods" of the main menu.


    Important note: The mod is not compatible with previous save games from the original or other mods.
    If you copy them to the save folder of this mod a couple of problems will occur when starting them, like wrong starsystem positions, stuck missions etc.


    To give you some help to the structure of a modding folder, here you can read an excerpt from the
    Modding Guide, Chapter 3 "Preparations and Sample Mod":


    If something is unclear to you about the installation, please refer to the modding guide first before asking questions here.
    About the mod itself you can find a few answers in the english speaking DSO-forum of the publisher, especially in the topic Patch. As a matter of course you'll find a whole bunch of infos in the linked thread for the download above, but it's all in german language (I tried to translate the most important things here, but that cannot be complete). Feel free to ask questions about the mod here in this forum.



    You may... (but I don't think you will...) ;)
    If you don't want to have the german scripts (compiled in user_scripts.bin) which contains the new and modified missions, then you can install this mod as a pure ini-mod.
    To do so, you have only to rename or delete the one directory called "scripts" within the modding-directory after installation of the mod. After that you will get the language-independent part of the mod with the ability to upgrade your DSO to level 30, a faster upgrade-system, faster afterburners depending on your level, more pirate hideouts, new clusters and much more.
    But be aware: In this case you'll never see some of the hidden clusters because they are unlocked by completing certain new side missions. Additionally the field drive for unlimited range will not be available unless you finished the story (after the last fight against the mothership). There are a few more artifacts in the hidden clusters which makes it possible to unlock the drive at an earlier time.




    Notes:
    1.) The description of this first announcement of the mod may not be complete. It takes me some time to translate my german train of thoughts to english, so I could have forgotten to mention possibly important things. Just ask, if something isn't quite plain to you.


    2.) In the directory "strings" of the mod you'll find a file called "user_strings.xml". This is the source for all the newly created german text which is coded in the resource file "user_strings.res". Only new missions and a few modified original missions will be in german, all the others are in your local language furthermore. I didn't have the time so far to translate all this large amount of text into english. Maybe someone of you is willing to do that. :D The procedure is described in reply #50 of the above mentioned thread in the publisher forum.


    3.) To get through with this announcement, I didn't list all the short descriptions for each single new mission and function yet. I will do the translation later and add them to the next reply.

  • Spoiler

    Quote from Raiden

    I disabled my IE plugin on FF now its working again [...]

    I have installed the addon (not "plugin") IE Tab V2 in FF and don't have any problems with it.
    Do you possibly use an older version of it?


    Correction, I have seen that after my answer:
    The plugin is implemented in the background while installing the addon for IE Tab 2. So we have both a plugin and the addon.