Part Eight: Overview

In this section you will fine tune the resources and distribution and add in Mines, Meteor Storms, Slipgates and Crystals.

8.0 Adding Specials

Cataclysm brings a few special items that can be added. Namely; Mines, Meteor Storms, Slipgates and Crystals. We will add some of each. I have included an example of each in a stunningly titled file called Special.missphere, and where can this file be found? I'm sure you guessed it; why, it's none other than the ever helpful HW:C Tutorial map files folder. Wahaay.

8.1 - Adding Meteor Storms.

Ok, lets start by adding in a few Meteor Storms. We want the storms to travel down along the plane of our asteroids and thus be hazardous to shipping. Lets start by taking a look at a typical meteorstorm line:

From Chapter 5.9 of the primer we learned that Meteor Storms are controlled from single lines in the resourcesphere, ie;

MeteorStorm -5000.0,0.0,10000.0,Cylinder,met.dist,16,750.0,1500.0,0.0,.0.0,0.0,500,500,500

These are very close to normal asteroids as we can see here;

resourcetype    posx, posy, posz, layout, distribution, numResources, radius, length, Roty, Rotz, redundant, velocity, horizXvelocity, horizZvelocity

So lets add some of our own.

8.1.1 - First lets copy a few from a handy file in the HW:C Tutorial map files folder called Special.missphere. Open this file and you will see it contains some Resources, Mines, crystals, slipgates, and of course, a Meteor Storm.

8.1.2 - Eventually we will have 8 separate Meteor Storms, but we will start off dealing with one. Copy the Meteor Storm Line from the Special.missphere file into your Resource.missphere file.

8.1.3 - Lets deal with some of the easy stuff first. Looking at the line:

MeteorStorm 105.4,-7060.0,0.0,Cylinder,02rare.dist,10,500.0,5000.0,0.0,0.0,0,1000,500,500

I am unhappy with the storms distribution files I don't want dustmotes (i.e. Asteroid0's) in the make up of our storm (because they don't move, they will sit in the starting location of the storm. Lets make a new distribution file for our storms. We will call our new distribution file Met.dist (following the example of Medamanx as he did in his HW:C map: 'Ashes to Ashes'. Rename the dist file parameter to Met.dist.

I also want you to increase the numResources (to 50) and likewise increase the radius (to 5000) and Length (to 9000) for each storm, giving us a tremendous amount of rocks in a hefty volume making up our meteorstorm. Do this now. We have one last thing we need to change on this first line. The direction the storm moves in...

8.1.4 - First though, lets sort out that distribution file. We will want to jump into HW:C and check our placement of the storms, and to check they are moving correctly, and as we have directed the line to look in the Met.dist file for the asteroid distribution values, we need to set that file up.

Copy any of the existing distribution files and rename it Met.dist. Just make sure that the dist file deals with asteroids (not dustclouds or nebulas!) and again, use the values you think looks best, I suggest not using asteroid0's (dustmotes) as they don't move, when all other sizes do. They are handy to see your storms when adding to the map, but look bad as the motes just sit where the storm starts off.

8.1.5 - OK, time to deal with the direction trhe storm moves in, we want to put the storms in a direct up/down angle of movement.

I know I want 8 meteor storms, and I want them to travel down through the spiral. So we need to work out where we want the storms to go. We want them to go down, from top to bottom. We know that when the storms reach the edge of a map they will reappear on the opposite side, wherever that may be, and continue moving as before. This means the storms will wander about, and we don't want this. So lets put the storms in a direct up/down angle of movement, completely vertical with no deviation. Change the Roty to 90 and change the horizXvelocity and horizZ velocity, both from 500 to "?" as we dont want horizontal movement here, just vertical.

8.1.6 - Copy this line seven times so you have a total of 8 identical lines.

8.1.7 - All that needs to be changed now, is the position (posx, posy and posz) the storm starts in, and will pass through on every vertical pass it makes on the map. Work out the co-ordinates you want your storm to start from. This is simply done. Remember me saying i want the storms to pass through the rings? You do? Great. Use the co-ordinates we alreeady have, select co-ordinates from the ring, utilising the full circle, perhaps scattering them along the full length of the ring. Away and do that, whatever you think best. You need the co-ordinates for 8 storms, so use your best judgment and ALT-TAB in and out of HW:C to get an idea of how they look. Choosing these co-ordinates means the storm will pass through the rings every pass on the map they make, providing a wee hazard to keep the workers on their toes.

8.2 - Adding Crystals.

Crystals are simple to add. They are treated like derelicts, as you would any ship addition to the map.

From Chapter 5.4 of the primer we learned that Crystals are controlled from single lines in the resourcesphere, i.e.;

Ships    ,75587.6,-44313.7,3039.0,0.0,RACE_DERELICT,dCrystal0,1,NULL_FORMATION|?|?,0,?
Ships    ,66588.5,-50741.6,3039.0,0.0,RACE_DERELICT,dCrystal1,1,NULL_FORMATION|?|?,0,?

Note these two lines show a small crystal (dCrystal0) and a large crystal (dCrystal1). They Read:

DerelictShip    posx, posy, posz, facing, racetype, Derelicttype, number, formation, properties, propertiesparam

We want a cluster of say 12 crystals down at the bottom of our map. I am simply going to use co-ordinates that I already have, putting them in the cylinders, starting with small crystals and as I get further down putting in a few large crystals.

8.2.1 - First we need to make sure that the crystals have been included in the level file using the IncludeShips command. crystals are RACE_DERELICT and like everything else they need to be included here. If they are not already there, then copy these two lines into your DSpiral2.level file, in the relevant position:

IncludeShips RACE_DERELICT,dCrystal0
IncludeShips RACE_DERELICT,dCrystal1

8.2.2 - Copy the two crystal lines from the Special.missphere file into your Resource.missphere file.

8.2.3 - Copy the small crystal line 7 times and the Large crystal line 3 times so we have 8 small and 4 large crystals.

8.2.4 - Now scatter them along the spiral, use coordinates from the resources, the spiral itself, especially the last bit (the last 12 lines or "tail" we added). Use your imagination and set them up how you think looks good.

Jump in and out of Cataclysm to make see your placement, when you are happy we will move on to the slipgates.

8.3 - Adding Slipgates.

As we discussed in Chapter 5.10 of the Primer, slipgates come in three sizes;

Small - fighter sized ships only
Medium - frigate sized ships and smaller
Large - all ships can pass through, including the Command Ship

There are a few points we need to keep in mind when working with slipgates:

They are controlled by Two Lines per Slipgate
The pairs must be the same size
The pairs must appear one after another in the resource.missphere file

So, a typical slipgate pair of lines looks like this:

Slipgate ,-122629.0,-37941.0,-70799.0,1/2,100.0,dSlipgateLarge
Slipgate ,91967.0,-60000.0,-28823.0,2/2,80.0,dSlipgateLarge

Once again very simply to decipher once you know how. Here's how;

Slipgate    posx,posy,posz,pair,rotz,size

We will have a pair of each size on our map from the around the location we are going to put out Research Station and mines, to the top, centre of the map.

8.3.1 - First we need to Include the slipgates in the level file using the IncludeShips command. Slipgates are RACE_DERELICT and like everything else they need to be included here. If they are not already there, then copy these three lines into your DSpiral2.level file, in the relevant position:

IncludeShips    RACE_DERELICT,dSlipgateLarge
IncludeShips    RACE_DERELICT,dSlipgateMedium
IncludeShips    RACE_DERELICT,dSlipgateSmall

8.3.2 - Copy the all six slipgate lines from the Special.missphere file into your Resource.missphere file

8.3.3 - All you need change is the location of each gate (posx,posy,posz) and the direction the gate is facing (rotz), they are already set up in pairs for you. I will supply you with the co-ordinates forthwith. Right, I mentioned they will be around the Research station right? Good, well the research station is going to be parked at co-ordinates ‘0,0,-65000’ and so we will set them up in a triangular formation around these co-ordinates, Plucking an arbitrary distance from mid-air; lets set them up 5km (5000) away from the station, and we will have them all facing the station.

It matters not which size of gate you use for which set, not but here are the three sets of co-ordinates i want you to use:

Slipgates 1/2

x Coord	y Coord	z Coord	Rot-z	Dist to Centre
2617.0	4532.0	-65000.0	240.0	65210.3
-5233.0	0.0	-65000.0	360.0	65210.3
2617.0	-4532.0	-65000.0	120.0	65210.3

Slipgates 2/2

x Coord	y Coord	z Coord	Rot-z	Dist to Centre
-5233.0	0.0	75000.0	360.0	75182.3
2617.0	-4532.0	75000.0	120.0	75182.4
2617.0	-4532.0	75000.0	240.0	75182.4

Using the co-ordinates I gave you (0,0,-65000), and the fact I that I wanted the gates each to sit 5000 (5km) from the research station, in a triangular pattern, and facing the station, I got these co-ordinates from the Distances sheet on the SRD-XL Utility. And here's how:

In the Player distribution parameter section, I made sure the Global Positions Settings and Co-ordinates Shift boxes for all 8 Players was empty because I'm not interested in all 8 player variations, only the 3 player variation, so in the 3 Player box in the Optional; Edit parameters for each game type (i.e., number of players) separately; area, i filled in the box with the co-ordinates I'm using as the centre and the distance i want from the centre.

In the 3 Player Global Position Settings the Dist From Centre was 5000.0. The Y Rot +/- (U/D) and Z Rot +/- (L/R) I ignored because I don't need to bother shifting them left or right or up or down about the point I'm using as the centre (0,0,-65000). In the Local Position Settings I used the co-ordinates given, ie; x axis + = 0.0 y axis + = 0.0 and z axis + = -65000.0.

Do you see how handy that is? It may be a sheet dealing with players but it still generates up to 8 co-ordinates in regular patterns about points on the map, and who says I have to use the co-ordinates for players?

- Change each set of co-ordinates for the gates in your Resource file.

8.3.4 - Change the facings of each gate. These are simple to work out for yourself, but of course I got the facing from the SRD-XL sheet, note the subtle twist i gave each gates rotz, change the rotz of each line as indicated then jump into HW:C and check them out, you will need to send someone through each one, but once you have done it and marvelled at how simple it was to achieve that effect, ALT-TAB back to desktop and have some fun tweaking the rotz slightly, and gauging the effect for yourself.

This is what I ended up with:

Slipgate ,2617.0,4532.2,-65000.0,1/2,240.0,dSlipgateSmall
Slipgate ,-5233.6,0.0,75000.0,2/2,360.0,dSlipgateSmall

Slipgate ,-5233.6,0.0,-65000.0,1/2,360.0,dSlipgateMedium
Slipgate ,2617.5,-4532.0,75000.0,2/2,120.0,dSlipgateMedium

Slipgate ,2617.3,-4532.0,-65000.0,1/2,120.0,dSlipgateLarge
Slipgate ,2617.3,4532.0,75000.0,2/2,240.0, dSlipgateLarge

Giving me this:

8.4 - Summary

So how did I come up with the numbers, sizes, co-ordinates etc? Sheer experimentation my dear reader, you can happily access and modify every file that makes up a map, Alt-tabbing between Cataclysm and desktop is a doddle and you only need to reload the actual game (as opposed to Cataclysm loading up your map) when you change something that causes a fatal error, or you add a new folder in.

Working in small increments and constantly checking and tweaking is what its all about.

So that’s the resources completed for our 2 player (1v1) map. I created these by jumping in and out of Cataclysm and tweaking them until I was happy. Go take a look at them for yourself in Cataclysm. All that remains to add is our station and its defending weaponry, the large and small guns found in the Homeworld singleplayer junkyard mission ‘The Karos Graveyard’ I don't remember seeing them in cataclysm although they are there.. Everything you need is here, there is nothing stopping you going and doing it for yourself but fear not, I will talk you through the addition of CPU controlled ships in Multiplayer missions.

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