If you want to know how to start a mod for starfare please look here:
Moddb.com
This tutorial will cover what you need to create Units, Factions and some other things you need for a starfare mod.
1. Tools
For modeling you need a 3D Model editor, that can export files into .x, 3DS or b3d.
Some Examples would be:
Milkshape (30 days free trial)
Wings 3D (is for free and can export in .x and 3DS)
AC3D
Blender (for free)
If you are used to some other editor, you can look for plugins that allow you to export files into the needed format.
As a tool for texturing, I would recommend you GimP. It's free, easy to learn and there are many tutorials about how to use it. Also it comes handy when editing symbols and icons for your mod.
Gimp.org
The last thing you need is the UnitED for Starfare:
Moddb.com
2. Getting Started.
In this step, we start adding a new faction to starfare. In this example, we use pirates.
First, we create a mod folder named pirates. Then we create a import.txt textdata. This data has to contain:
base/effects
base/fractions
base/images
base/meshes
base/music
base/scenarios
base/sfx
base/strings
base/ui
base/units
base/video
base/weapons
Then make a shortcut to starfare.exe and add target values: -basedir -pirates
This will make the shortcut load the vanilla starfare withyou any additions - yet.
Now we create a new folder called fractions, and add a pirates.txt data.
In this data we have 3 key values:
Name - Name of your fraction
BASEUNIT - The unit this fractions starts with
ICON ASCII Number of Icon found in images/font. There are some free spaces for you to add custom icons, but they have to be smaller than 512 x 512 pixels.
For detailed information about Starfare Fractions look at: Starfare.eu
My pirates.txt includes this:
;Pirates are raiding
NAME Pirates
BASEUNIT basestation_pirates.txt
BONUSUNITSPEED 7
ICON 261
This gives me the Lightning as an Icon and lets me start with the Chinese Starbase.
3. First Units
Now you learn how to add new units. To do so, open up your 3D editor and start modeling your unit. Next to the data typ(.x, .3ds or .b3d), the unit shouldn't exceed 60x60x30 units in the editor.
Now when you have your unit done, open up assets/pirates and create a folder called meshes. This is were all models and textures have to be placed. The next folder you have to create is assets/pirates/units. In this folder, you create another .txt data, naming you unit. For example, basestation_pirates.txt.
You should now have 2 folder:
1. assets/pirates/meshes containing your model for basestation_pirates
2. assets/pirates/units containing basestation_pirates.txt
Now open up basestation_pirates.txt and add these values:
MESH - the mesh that your unit uses
ICON - Units that can construct this unit will display this icon
HEALTH - How much durability your unit has
RANGE - How far the visual range of your unit is
For more information on this, visit:
Starfare.eu
Now open up Gimp and creat a texture for your unit, then place it into assets/pirates/meshes as a .jpg file.
(Note: I don't have any idea of how the unwrapping of the texture works, sorry)
Now you should have a text file, containing what mesh and stats the unit has and a texture for it.
This looks like this:
assets/pirates/meshes contains:
basestation_pirates.3ds
basestation_pirates.jpg
assets/pirates/units contains:
basestation_pirates.txt
My text file for basestation_pirates looked like this:
MESH basestation_pirates.3ds
SPEED 0, 0
TECH sebac_cloak, 100, 100, 12, BATTLE, sebac_icon.png
TECH probe, 50, 50, 8, PROBE
TECH powerplant, 550, 550, 16, POWERPLANT
TECH builder_asiacon, 500, 500, 20, CONSTRUCTOR
TECH shipyard, 2200, 2200, 25, CONSTRUCTOR
TECH techcenter, 1100, 1100, 22, CONSTRUCTOR
HEALTH 2400
ICON icon_facility.png
NAME Construction Yard
DESC A building used to construct basic types of units. Tech-Tree root.
I have taken one of the other basestation files and modified it to fulfill my needs as a starbase.
Many key values, required or optimal can be adjusted in UnitED in a more easy way.
If you follow all the steps so far, you can now start the mod with the shortcut and launch a new skrimish. When you select the pirate fraction, you will start with your own unit.
