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| en:games:star_trek_armada_1:modding:wire_frames [2025-06-08-17-06] – created 7saturn | en:games:star_trek_armada_1:modding:wire_frames [2025-06-08-17-10] (current) – [Creating the Wire Frame Sprite] 7saturn |
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| In //Star Trek: Armada//, each unit and station has a depiction icon that is shown in the [[en:games:star_trek_armada_1:game_interface|unit detail panel]] whenever you select it. Technically these are sprites. Each subsystem being damaged or offline is highlighted in the wire frame. This requires five different elements of the wire frame to be present, which together make up the entire wire frame. In //Star Trek: Armada// (in contrast to //Star Trek: Armada II//) the depiction is indeed closely related to the mesh wire. It may for example look like this: | In //Star Trek: Armada//, each unit and station has a depiction icon that is shown in the [[en:games:star_trek_armada_1:game_interface|unit detail panel]] whenever you select it. Technically these are sprites. Each subsystem being damaged or offline is highlighted in the wire frame. This requires five different elements of the wire frame to be present, which together make up the entire wire frame. In //Star Trek: Armada// (in contrast to //Star Trek: Armada II//) the depiction is indeed closely related to the mesh wire. It may for example look like this: |
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| {{ :en:games:star_trek_armada_1:modding:rejectorwireframecomplete.png?nolink |}} | {{ :en:games:star_trek_armada_1:modding:rejectorwireframecomplete.png?nolink&200 |}} |
| ===== Creating the Texture File ===== | ===== Creating the Texture File ===== |
| As source for the wire frame it is common practice to load the SOD in the [[en:games:star_trek_armada_1:modding:tools:Storm3D Tool]], show only the mesh wire (press <key>w</key>), after having placed the black background //MbgBlack.SOD//. An alternative may be the rendering means of your 3D modeling tool. | As source for the wire frame it is common practice to load the SOD in the [[en:games:star_trek_armada_1:modding:tools:Storm3D Tool]], show only the mesh wire (press <key>w</key>), after having placed the black background //MbgBlack.SOD//. An alternative may be the rendering means of your 3D modeling tool. |
| The eventual texture file should contain all five elements to be highlighted, when damaged or offline. The texture can be 128x128 pixels in size, that is separated into 40x40 pixels sections, each containing one subsystem element. The order can be any way you like (mapping is done by the sprite referencing it, later), but one way of doing it would be in this order: | The eventual texture file should contain all five elements to be highlighted, when damaged or offline. The texture can be 128x128 pixels in size, that is separated into 40x40 pixels sections, each containing one subsystem element. The order can be any way you like (mapping is done by the sprite referencing it, later), but one way of doing it would be in this order: |
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| | Sensors | Shield Generator | Life Support | | | Sensors | Shield Generator | Life Support | |
| | Engines | Weapons Control | //<empty>// | | | Engines | Weapons Control | //<empty>// | |
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| One of these panels if occupied by one section of the entire wire frame. That can look like this: | One of these panels if occupied by one section of the entire wire frame. That can look like this: |
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| {{ :en:games:star_trek_armada_1:modding:rejectorwireframe.png?nolink |}} | {{ :en:games:star_trek_armada_1:modding:rejectorwireframe.png?nolink&200 |}} |
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| In practice, the black color shown here should not be black at all but transparent. | In practice, the black color shown here should **not** be black at all but **transparent**. So you will need an alpha channel for wire frames. Everything that is not meant to be part of the actual icon should be transparent. |
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| The 40x40 wire frame from above needs some editing now, basically duplicating it five times, but each time cutting out different parts of it, so that each of the five panels is using a different section of it for depicting damage. Once done, save the new image in TGA format, 24 bits, uncompressed. | The 40x40 wire frame from above needs some editing now, basically duplicating it five times, but each time cutting out different parts of it, so that each of the five panels is using a different section of it for depicting damage. Once done, save the new image in TGA format, 24 bits, uncompressed. |
| The positions in each line are to be interpreted as follows: | The positions in each line are to be interpreted as follows: |
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| //<SOD name>w<number>// //<texture name>// //<Starting X>// // <Starting Y>// //<Width>// //<Height>// | //<SOD Name>//w//<Number>// //<Texture Name>// //<Starting X>// // <Starting Y>// //<Width>// //<Height>// |
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| (just like for other [[en:games:star_trek_armada_1:modding:Sprites]]). The //<SOD name>// and //<texture name>// are without the //.sod// or //.tga// file name extension. Also is it important to notice, that the SOD name is meant, **not** the ODF name. Meaning, a wire frame is used for a specific model, not a specific unit. (Multiple units may use the same SOD.) The //<number>// value is a digit between 1 and 5. This translates to: | (just like for other [[en:games:star_trek_armada_1:modding:Sprites]]). The //<SOD Name>// and //<Texture Name>// are without the //.sod// or //.tga// file name extension. Also is it important to notice, that the SOD name is meant, **not** the ODF name. Meaning, a wire frame is used for a specific model, not a specific unit. (Multiple units may use the same SOD.) The //<Number>// value is a digit between 1 and 5. This translates to: |
| - Sensors, | - Sensors, |
| - Shield Generator, | - Shield Generator, |
