Hook and Editing Update News

[Ace Antilles]

Hello! Here is a small update on some of the latest Hook editing progress.



A little information on some Hook updates from: May 5th 2020 until June 4th 2020.

Chief Engineer JeremyaFr has been busy as always and updated and fixed many hooks in the last month.

Whenever you have any issues in game we always recommend that you update the Hooks if you haven't recently.
Delete or backup your old Hook setup folder. Download them with XWA Hooks Setup and then copy the files into your XWA main folder.

Bug fixes lately include areas related to: Mine Fields, Weapon colours, Explosions, Hangar brightness, missing SSD and even a vertical Hangar launch option.

Also the SNM Movie Converter has been updated. For this download - XwaToolsDownloader
Export avi files in Mpeg4 format instead of MotionJpeg format.
Import any video files with the Media Foundation APIs

For more details on individual Hooks are in the XWA Hook Editing section Here

[Trevor]

Nice monthly update article. This should be in the front page

Trev

[Ace Antilles]

HOOK UPDATES!
Here's the news from the world of Hooks over the last month. Improvements are always coming from JeremyaFr.
Updates from June 4th - 18th July 2020.

Hook_Engine_Sound

Hello,
You can now define which sounds are played when entering hyperspace on a per craft base.

To define which sound is played when entering hyperspace, set the "HyperSoundBehavior" value.
A value of -1 means that the sound is based on the player Iff.
A value of 0 means that the "HyperStartReb" sound is played.
A value of 1 means that the "HyperStartImp" sound is played.
A value of 2 means that the "HyperStartImp" and the "HyperZoomImp" sounds is played.

So with this update you can set flyable Fighters to use the Imperial Hyperdrive noises where they may have defaulted to the Rebel option before.
A very nice change if for example you want your R41 to be equipped with Imperial drive units.

I've added a TieFighterWithIon option for the WeaponSoundBehavior setting.

What this means is that currently if you have an Imperial ship set WeaponSoundBehavior = TieFighter then all weapons will sound like a TIE laser.
That also includes Ion cannon sounds. With this new code you can have TIE lasers but get back the Ion laser sounds as well.

Code: Select all

WeaponSoundBehavior = TieFighterWithIon

See this topic for all the details on the hook itself.
https://www.xwaupgrade.com/phpBB3/viewt ... 33&t=11746



Hook_Joystick_ff

Hello,
I've updated the joystick hook.
I've included the patch that allows small movements.
I've added a setting to enable or disable small movement.

Code: Select all

EnableSmallMovement = value

The default value is 1, which enable small movement.
When the value is 0, small movement is disabled.

Essentially there was a deadzone in the game with Joysticks which the hook should have eliminated now.
See this topic for a little more detail.
https://www.xwaupgrade.com/phpBB3/viewt ... 0&start=29



Hook_Mission_Objects

Hello,
I've found and fixed a bug in the mission objects hook.

There was a bug that caused a Cort Gun Turret to gradually move by itself. The updated hook fixes that issue.
See this topic for a little more detail.
https://www.xwaupgrade.com/phpBB3/viewt ... 10&t=12738



Hook_Hangars

Hello,
Here is a WIP version of the hangars hook.

You can now define the x y and z positions of the shuttle.

I've added a "ShuttlePositionZ" setting.
To set the shuttle z position, set "ShuttlePositionZ = value". value is an integer. The default value is 0.
To set the shuttle x position, set "ShuttlePositionX = value". value is an integer. The default value is 1127.
To set the shuttle y position, set "ShuttlePositionY = value". value is an integer. The default value is 959.

I've added a "DroidsPositionsZ" setting to define the z position of the droids.
To set the droids z position, set "DroidsPositionZ = value". value is an integer. The default value is 0.

I've added a "IsShuttleFloorInverted" setting.
To invert the hangar floor for the shuttle, set "IsShuttleFloorInverted = 1".
When set to 0, the floor is below the player craft. When set to 1, the floor is above the player craft.

See this topic for a little more detail.
https://www.xwaupgrade.com/phpBB3/viewt ... &start=225



Hook_Hull_Icon

Hello,
I've updated the hull icon hook.
You can now define the map icon via a txt file instead of patching the xwa exe.

To set the map icon for a craft, open "MapIconList.txt" and change the corresponding line to the desired value.
If the file does not exist, default values are used.

[Rookie_One1]

so only bug not fixed is the player craft closing it's s-foils while going into hyperspace no matter what ?

[Ace Antilles]

Not much happens and then lots in a few days!
I've edited my July update to include some recent updates.

[Ace Antilles]

I've updated the Hook list a few posts above this.
Also as listed on the current news post there have been a few editor changes recently.

OPTECH V2:
A few additions have been made recently plus some reordering on the transformation tab.
He's added copy and paste buttons to the HardPoint and Engine Glow controls.

For all the information on this editor please visit this topic here.
https://www.xwaupgrade.com/phpBB3/viewt ... =9&t=12105


XWA OPT EDITOR:
The Xwa Hangar Map Editor included in this program has been updated and improved.
It has been brought up to date with some recent changes to Hangar Maps and closed S-foils.
Also: You can now export a hangar scene to an opt or obj file.

For all the information on this editor please visit this topic here.
https://www.xwaupgrade.com/phpBB3/viewt ... =9&t=11083


ZT CREATOR PATCHER
Zt Creator and Zt Patcher are tools to create and apply a patch to a file.
Zt Blank is a tool to create a patch for a specific craft.

For all the information on this editor please visit this topic here.
https://www.xwaupgrade.com/phpBB3/viewt ... =9&t=12775


XWA DAT EDITOR: I've updated XwaDatEditor.
I've added a feature to save images and groups to dat file:
* add multiselect in the lists.
* add "save DAT" buttons
* add image index

For all the information on this editor please visit this topic here.
https://www.xwaupgrade.com/phpBB3/viewt ... =9&t=12253

To get these programs use XwaToolsDownloader. This will grab and download the newest versions.
https://raw.github.com/JeremyAnsel/XwaT ... loader.zip

[Safe-Keeper]

I love how this project has been trucking along for so many years, giving out new opts off and on, then been in a state of near-hiatus for a significant time, and then suddenly returned with a vengeance to turn the whole engine upside down.

[Ronin65]

Could you explain what a "Hitpoint" is please? I can't seem to find it in Optech

[Forceflow]

Could you explain what a "Hitpoint" is please? I can't seem to find it in Optech

Ah, Ace misunderstood. HP in this case is meant for 'Hardpoint' and not hitpoint. I'll correct it in the post.

[Ronin65]

i noticed it on the news page lol

[Ace Antilles]

HOOK UPDATES
A few of the recent updates in Hook world over the last month. JeremyaFr never stops.
Updates from 18th July - 11th August 2020.

Xwa Hooks Setup

I've updated all the hooks that have a config file.
I've added support for a global "hooks.ini" file. This file contains all the individual cfg files.

I've also updated XwaHooksSetup.
All the individual cfg files are merged into a single global "hooks.ini" file.
All the individual readme txt files are merged into a single "Hooks_Readme.txt" file.

This is a new simplified Hook system that will be integrated into our next updates.
There is now one INI file rather than many individual cfg files.
If you have made any special modifications to your CFG files you can copy the information into the new INI file.

See this topic for more details.
https://www.xwaupgrade.com/phpBB3/viewt ... &start=285


Hook_Hangars

ual002 and JeremyaFr have been updating the Hangar options almost daily!
There are options for roof rack or ground launching, Shuttle and player orientation, Hangars based on IFF and more.
What this means is we can make some really cool Hangar maps for Imperial Starships in particular and they are being put to good use.

New features are:
- ShuttleOrientation setting
- HangarIff setting
- PlayerOffsetX, PlayerOffsetY, PlayerOffsetZ settings
- IsPlayerFloorInverted setting
- load files by IFF

To set the shuttle orientation, set "ShuttleOrientation = value". value is an unsigned integer. The default value is 43136.
To set the hangar flightgroup color, set "HangarIff = value". value is an integer. The default value is -1. -1 means that the IFF of the command ship is used.
To set the x position offset of the player craft, set "PlayerOffsetX = value". value is an integer. The default value is 0.
To set the y position offset of the player craft, set "PlayerOffsetY = value". value is an integer. The default value is 0.
To set the z position offset of the player craft, set "PlayerOffsetZ = value". value is an integer. The default value is 0.
To invert the hangar floor for the player craft, set "IsPlayerFloorInverted = 1". When set to 0, the floor is below the player craft. When set to 1, the floor is above the player craft.

To load a file based on the IFF of the arrival craft, append the IFF index (starting at 0) to the file name.
This apply to HangarObjects, HangarCamera, FamHangarCamera, HangarMap, FamHangarMap.
For instance, if the IFF index is 1 and the file name is HangarObjects, then the name of the section in the ini file will be HangarObjects1. If HangarObjects1 doesn't exist then HangarObjects is used.

See this topic for more details.
https://www.xwaupgrade.com/phpBB3/viewt ... &start=233


Hook_Mission_Tie

I've fixed a crash that happens in the Pilot Proving Ground when the HangarMap contains more than 30 objects.

See this topic for more details.
https://www.xwaupgrade.com/phpBB3/viewt ... 2&start=29


EDITOR UPDATES
Some of the Editing programs have had some updates.

XWA OPT EDITOR

I've updated XwaOptEditor.
Now, when a file dialog is shown, the tool remenbers the directory for each type of dialog (open, save, import, export, each file type).
This applies to XwaHangarMapEditor, XwaOptEditor, XwaSFoilsEditor.

I've added a scale by percent feature.
I've added a button to remove unused textures.

For all the information on this editor please visit this topic here.
https://www.xwaupgrade.com/phpBB3/viewt ... =9&t=11083


XWA OPTER (OPT FIX)

Hello, I've updated XwaOpter.
Now the tool remembers the file dialog last directory.
The directory path is stored in a file named "XwaOpter.cfg".

For all the information on this editor please visit this topic here.
https://www.xwaupgrade.com/phpBB3/viewt ... =9&t=12281


XWA OPT PILOT FIXER
XwaOptPilotFixer is a new tool. It fixes an issue that affects the rotating Pilot Heads in the game.

XwaOptPilotFixer scans all OPT files in a selected directory and fixes a bug related to the mesh type of the meshes used by the pilot mesh animation.

It changes the mesh type from RotaryCommunicationSystem to MainHull for all pilot related meshes.
For the base and exterior OPT, the tool reads "Pilot.txt" or the "Pilot" section of the ini file for that OPT.
For the cockpit OPT, the tool reads "PilotCockpit.txt" or the "PilotCockpit" section of the ini file. if the PilotCockpit data don"t exist, the tool reads the data for the base OPT ini or txt file.
The fixed OPT is stored in a "FixedOpts" directory. Only the modified OPT are saved.

For all the information on this editor please visit this topic here.
https://www.xwaupgrade.com/phpBB3/viewt ... =9&t=12834

[Ace Antilles]

HOOK UPDATES
A few of the recent updates / fixes to the Hooks. Updated 25th September.

Hook_D3dl
A fix to this hook which was affecting Hangar shadows.
See this topic for more details.
https://www.xwaupgrade.com/phpBB3/viewt ... 33&t=12558


Hook_Mission_Objects
With this change you can add a ships POV into the INI file.
So if you use the replace trick to use different opts in a mission then the POV won't be wrong.

UPDATE
I've updated the mission objects hook.
Now you can overwrite the cockpit pov settings when an opt is replaced via the hook.
Suppose that the new craft is "FlightModels\[Model].opt".
To define the cockpit POV, set CockpitPovX, CockpitPovY and CockpitPovZ in a file named "FlightModels\[Model]CockpitPov.txt" or create a section named "[CockpitPov]" in "FlightModels\[Model].ini".

Hook_Hangars
More hangar improvements.

UPDATE
Now you can customize the Hangar Roof Crane animation.

New settings:
- HangarRoofCranePositionX
- HangarRoofCraneAxis
- HangarRoofCraneLowOffset
- HangarRoofCraneHighOffset

To set the Hangar Roof Crane position, set "HangarRoofCranePositionX = value X", "HangarRoofCranePositionY = value Y" and "HangarRoofCranePositionZ = value Z". The values are integers. The default value for HangarRoofCranePositionX is -1400. The default value for HangarRoofCranePositionY is 786. The default value for HangarRoofCranePositionZ is -282.
To set the Hangar Roof Crane axis, set "HangarRoofCraneAxis = value". 0 means the X axis. 1 means the Y axis. 2 means the Z axis. The default value is 0.
To define the range of Hangar Roof Crane animation, set "HangarRoofCraneLowOffset = value" and "HangarRoofCraneHighOffset = value". The values are relative to the Hangar Roof Crane initial position.

See this topic for more details.
https://www.xwaupgrade.com/phpBB3/viewt ... &start=250


Hook_joystick_ff
JeremyaFr has actually created a brand new tool which can help to configure Joystick controls in XWA.
It's still WIP but you can use it to create profiles and assign buttons.
Read this topic for more details. Please read carefully as it's still in progress so there maybe a few bugs so testing feedback is helpful.
https://www.xwaupgrade.com/phpBB3/viewt ... 34#p174234

WIP
Here is a WIP version of the joystick hook.

You can now have the main axis and buttons on separate controllers.
You can define more than 16 buttons and 4 POVs.

XwaJoystickConfig_02.png

For more Hook information please check the Forum Hook subsection.
https://www.xwaupgrade.com/phpBB3/viewforum.php?f=33