okay... this is my first real tutorial so i hope you can understand it.

this tutorial will show you how to create an own nebula without templates.

all you need for this tutorial:
a bini file decompressor
and a text editor


1. create you own nebula ini-file ... in DATA/SOLAR/NEBULA
for example my_nebula01.ini

2. first add to this file which kind of nebula you want to create ...
for example:

[TexturePanels
file = solar\nebula\generic_shapes.ini
[properties
flag = nebula

the texturepanels entry means that the programm will create the appearance of the small nebula things inside and the appearance of the whole nebula from outside
-posibilities:
generic_shapes.ini
crow_shapes.ini
edge_shapes.ini
walker_shapes.ini
white_shapes.ini

the properties entry means that this is a nebula.

3. add this to the nebula file
[Fog
fog_enabled = 1 ;means that the main fog is enabled
near = 0 ;don't know why ... but it is 0
distance = 1750 ;the distance of acting reacting and seeing ... can't really explain but too low is not good and if its too high then you can nearly see through all of the nebula
color = 255, 0, 255 ;the color of the main fog ... don't use this color ... it is pink

4.the light
[NebulaLight
ambient = 30, 60, 80
sun_burnthrough_intensity = 0.500000 ;how strong the sun shines if you R in the nebula
sun_burnthrough_scaler = 1.750000 ; how big you see the sun

i won't go through the colors ... right by now

now there come the complex steps ... i make my example with the generic_shapes

5. adding the exterior appearance
[Exterior
shape = generic_exterior1 ; must be declared as shapes ... if u use the crow entry for example this is changed into crow_exterior1
shape = generic_exterior2 ; as above only crow_exterior2
shape = generic_exterior3 ; changes as above ...
shape = generic_exterior4 ;changes as above
shape_weights = 1, 1, 1, 1 ; seem to be often or always 1,1,1,1 so don't change it
fill_shape = nebula_circle2 ; nebula circle two is standard ... you can see in the generic_shapes.ini there you may find another ...
plane_slices = 2 ;
bit_radius = 9000 ;how big a bit is
bit_radius_random_variation = 0.200000 ; leave it as 0.200000 for a good variation
min_bits = 11 ; you can have here less if you like it
max_bits = 11 ; here too but max must be bigger or equally to min
move_bit_percent = 0.750000 ; don't change
equator_bias = 0.500000 ;as above
color = 255, 0, 255 ; told you about this color ... hum run

6. the clouds .
.. if you watched the game carefully you have seen some other fogclouds in the nebula ... now they are declared

[Clouds
max_distance = 500 ; max. distance of them says all or?
puff_count = 10 ;maximum puff clouds
puff_radius = 100 ; size of them
puff_colora = 128 , 0 , 128 ; this is a weak pink ... mh its purple
puff_colorb = 255, 0, 255 ; run for your life this is pink
puff_max_alpha = 0.500000 ;don't change but you can make experiments
puff_shape = generic_cloud1 ; remember the exterior entries ... here it is the same
puff_shape = generic_cloud2
puff_shape = generic_cloud3
puff_shape = generic_cloud4
puff_weights = 1, 1, 1, 1 ;as the other weights entry. DON'T CHANGE IT
puff_drift = 1.000000 ;don't change
near_fade_distance = 125, 200 ; fade in fade out distances
lightning_intensity = 1.000000 ; don't change this
lightning_color = 10, 10, 10 ; the colors of the lighning in the puffs
lightning_gap = 20.000000 ; its mostly a big #
lightning_duration = 0.500000 ; how long it is lighteninged lol

7. background lightning

last but not least ... the background lighning you know them all ... not if you don't visited a nebula ... ever seen only the shapes of a planet only by lightning ...here it comes

[BackgroundLightning
duration = 0.750000
gap = 3.000000
color = 50, 50, 50

think the entrys all explain themselves ... the gap is how long there's no bg_lightning ... duration and color are obvious aren't they?

8. close the file
9. open the system where you want to add it ...
for example DATA\UNIVERSE\SystemsLi01\Li01.ini

then add this ... prefering at the end of the section:
[Nebula
file = solar\nebula\my_nebula01.ini
zone = my_nebula01_zone

10. go to the end of the file and add something like this:
[Zone
nickname = my_nebula01_zone
ids_name = 458753 ;the dll file entry for the name
pos = -26000, 0, -28000 ; the coords of the zone
rotate = 0, 2, 0
shape = ELLIPSOID ; nebulas are normally ellipsoid you can use another if u want
size = 22000, 12000, 12000 ; size of the nebula in the directions
property_flags = 32768 ; see my property flags entry
property_fog_color = 255, 0, 255 ;again the colors pink
ids_info = 458754 ;the dll file entry for the ids info ... hey i learned xml ...
visit = 128 ; it has something to do with the navmap ... and something about distance ... at which distance you see the whole nebula set 32 for seeing if you enter it
spacedust = attractdust_purple ;particles that flew around in this zone
spacedust_maxparticles = 50 ; explains it self
sort = 25 ; set some number don't thing this is important ... but if it doesn't work set it 20 that works always

11. finished you new nebula was added ... save ... and write the ids names and infos for it

hope that helps

Edited by - Chips on 10/31/2004 3:46:23 PM