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[MOD] Sins Plus (by Uzii) v1.3a Final

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[MOD] Sins Plus (by Uzii) v1.3a Final

A mod that adds, not alters.

from Sins Forums
Some of you may have noticed I haven't been around as much as usual, and it is with some regret that I won't be continuing this mod as a stand alone any more. I have many reasons, but it is mainly my short attention span which has brought this on. I have done my best to produce a top quality mod, and to help out as many people as humanly possible. I was here at the very dawn of modding this game, and I would like to think my input has helped progress slightly. I will check the forums occasionally and offer my help where I can. If you have a specific modding problem, give me a PM and I'll try and help you the best I can.

I will be working with DANMAN, who is producing a 'Super Mod' which includes Sins Plus, Bailknights Graphics, Sins Enhanced, and his own team's work. I will continue to give support for Sins Plus, and I will help out others where I can, but no further work will be done on this mod. Please check DANMAN's mod:
7 Deadly Sins
NO SCREENSHOT/LOG = NO RESPONSE
You can find how to get the Log at the bottom of this First Post. To upload a Screenshot, use Imageshack and copy the 'Direct Link To Image' address your are given, and paste it here. Take as many screenshots as you think is necessary, or of any little thing you might think will help. For those of you without common sense, this means if you aren't sure you put it in the right place, take screenshots of where you put it, with the address bar visible. If its a problem in-game, take the screenshot in-game, showing the problem.
For a Multiplayer version of Sins Plus merged with a BailKnights Graphical Mod, see Adama Repack
Description
This mod is adds 11 new Planets and 66 new Planetary Bonuses, as well as Ship Graveyards. Custom research is also included for some of the new planets, and there is the option to colonise Gas Giants, once you have acquired the technology.

README for installation and information is included. As is a document of all the files that have beeen modified (not new files).

If you would like to use the Galaxy Forge with my Planets, check out THIS Link. Big thanks to Animage64 for this.

If you wish to use a German translation of this mod, chec out THIS link. Big thanks to Cybdevil for this.

Download Links
Version 1.3a - Current
Rapidshare.com
FileFront.com

Version 1.3a Sins 1.04 Patch - Thanks to Uranium - 235
FileFront.com

Custom loading screens for those of you with problems, or those of you who want different loading screens.
Rapidshare.com
Filefront.com

Version 1.2b - Old
Rapidshare.com
Rapidshare.de
Filefront.com

These files are in 7zip format. Basically, this can compress it even more than putting it in a .zip file. You may need this to unzip the .7z file.

The replacement GSD file for those who don't want the Ship Graveyard in 1.03a
Rapidshare.com
Filefront.com
Additional Information
As always I am open to suggestions, constructive criticism, and any new planets, bonuses, or little extras you'd like to see in the game.

Any major or simple modders out there that would like to incorporate my work into their own mod, please, go right ahead. Just send me a PM and give me a mention in the Credits.

Any problems or comments, feel free to post, I will try to get back to you as soon as humanly possible.
11 New Planets / Gas Giants Colonisable / Ship Graveyards

Oceanic
Asteroids: 4 - 6 Crystal
Max Pop: 70
Max Health: 4,500
Max Civilian Slots: 32
Max Tactical Slots: 35
Explorable: Yes

Barren
Asteroids: 4 - 6 Metal
Max Pop: 40
Max Health: 9,000
Max Civilian Slots: 36
Max Tactical Slots: 35
Explorable: Yes

Forest
Asteroids: 1 - 2 Crystal | 1 - 2 Metal
Max Pop: 220
Max Health: 7,000
Max Civilian Slots: 32
Max Tactical Slots: 35
Explorable: Yes

Urban
Asteroids: 1 Crystal | 1 Metal
Max Pop: 1,000
Max Health: 10,000
Max Civilian Slots: 48
Max Tactical Slots: 40
Explorable: No

Gas Giant
Asteroids: 2 - 4 Crystal | 2 - 4 Metal
Max Pop: 60
Max Health: 1,500
Max Civilian Slots: 48
Max Tactical Slots: 40
Explorable: No

Toxic
Asteroids: 2 - 4 Crystal (Pure) (more extracted per second)
Max Pop: 40
Max Health: 9,000
Max Civilian Slots: 36
Max Tactical Slots: 35
Explorable: Yes

Paradise
Asteroids: None
Max Pop: 120
Max Health: 3,000
Max Civilian Slots: 24
Max Tactical Slots: 10
Explorable: Yes

Industrial
Asteroids: 2 - 4 Metal (Pure) (more extracted per second)
Max Pop: 500
Max Health: 8,000
Max Civilian Slots: 40
Max Tactical Slots: 25
Explorable: No

Old Naval Base
Asteroids: None
Max Pop: 100
Max Health: 10,000
Max Civilian Slots: 8
Max Tactical Slots: 54
Explorable: Yes

Savannah
Asteroids: 1 - 2 Crystal | 1 - 2 Metal
Max Pop: 500
Max Health: 6,000
Max Civilian Slots: 24
Max Tactical Slots: 35
Explorable: Yes

Swamp
Asteroids: 0 - 2 Crystal | 0 - 2 Metal
Max Pop: 60
Max Health: 7,000
Max Civilian Slots: 32
Max Tactical Slots: 30
Explorable: Yes

Relic
Asteroids: 0 - 3 Crystal | 0 - 3 Metal
Max Pop: 220
Max Health: 6,000
Max Civilian Slots: 32
Max Tactical Slots: 35
Explorable: Yes<

Ship Graveyard
Random ships will be in these areas, dead in space. They can be captured by the Colony Frigates of all the Races.

4 New Research Subjects

Improved Tunneling (Level 4)
Widespread tunneling with improved equipment increases the population on Barren and Urban planets, as well as Asteroids. (Barren, Urban, and Asteroid population max increase)
Level 1: 10%
Level 2: 20%

Crew Derelict Ship (Level 5)
Allows Colony Frigates to capture derelict vessels found in ship graveyards.

Gas Giant Colonisation (Level 6)
Allows colonisation of Gas Giants.

Improved Anti-Grav (Level 7)
Allows larger colony platforms above Gas Giants due to improved Anti-Grav technology. (Gas Giant population max increase)
 Level 1: 25%
Level 2: 50%
66 New Planetary Bonuses
If you think I am listing them, you are gravely mistaken. ;)

However, in order to enjoy the wider range of Bonuses, I recommend changing the value of the 'planetBonusDensity' on the map you plan to play on. This can be found on the 8th line down of all the .galaxy files by opening them with Notepad, or something similar. These can be found in your main Sins directory at:
C:\Program Files\Stardock\TotalGaming\Sins of a Solar Empire\Galaxy

or to find custom made maps at:
C:\Documents and Settings\**YOUR_USERNAME**\Local Settings\Application Data\Ironclad Games\Sins of a Solar Empire\Galaxy

The default value is 0.400000, this means that 40% of Planets will have a Bonus. By changing this to 70% (0.700000) or more you should notice Bonuses becoming more frequent. Enjoy!
If anyone wants to design a planet texture for either a new planet, or an existing one, please do, and PM me a preview and a link to the file. You will be given full credit if I use it. I recommend copying one of the existing planet textures in the Textures folder, and editing that. Don't forget, the light(_cl) and dark(_da) side both need altering. Good luck.
How to Enable the Debug Logs
Go to where you Mods folder is, but don't open it. There will be other folders, most for Saves, but one for Screenshots, and another called Setting. Open that, then open the file inside named: user.SETTING (open with Notepad). Now search for the line: LogOutput FALSE, and change it to TRUE. When it crashes next, go back to the folder with Saves, Mods, Screenshots, etc, and there should be a new folder called Debug. The log will be in there.
Progress on v1.4

Discontinued....

modding
3,493,905 views 1,334 replies
Reply #251 from Sins Forums Top
Hmm. im just trying to think of how to make that toxic planet seem more "toxic". I mean, when you think of a planet thats toxic, i tend to think of greenish water/liquid in place of blue oceans. Sort of like Long Island, brownish waters. Long Island <333

great place.

http://www.thedigitalartshop.com/scifi_planets1/Art_toxic_planet__.jpg

Still very impressive without a doubt in my mind. That paradise looks awesome, I'd want to live there.

(If you could arrange that, let me know.)

Reply #252 from Sins Forums Top
mm well the way you expl;aines int he read me file it sais put the "original texture" files in theyour sins mod, then put your texture files over the top

not what you said above, the other way around!

mm still 1.19gb lol
DeskScapes - Bring your desktop background to life.
Reply #253 from Sins Forums Top
I am having a simlilar problem to founders, the mod works, but my texture file is also 1.19gb , once the game loads and i am looking at the galaxy map, i too see squares in place of the new planets, however when zoomed in, they display just fine.

You can see this here : http://pix.nofrag.com/7/0/1/f3edae4f74e821299454bd56d686a.html

also, the same strange square icons appear in the planet description when you mouse over the planets, where it shows available resource asteroids, logistic/tactical slots etc.

shown here :
http://pix.nofrag.com/d/4/6/6cc27d924c6f9267db154c4e64839.html

I have followed your instructions to the word, and now i am unsure where to go from here, the mod works, but not as intended.
Reply #254 from Sins Forums Top
mm well the way you expl;aines int he read me file it sais put the "original texture" files in theyour sins mod, then put your texture files over the topnot what you said above, the other way around!mm still 1.19gb lol


Make sure all my textures are in the mods folder, and override the originals.


"And override the originals."
Not:
"And then override with the originals."

From the Readme:
Go to the Sins' directory, default being;
C:\Program Files\Stardock\TotalGaming\Sins of a Solar Empire
-OR-
C:\Program Files\Stardock\Sins of a Solar Empire
and copy the entire 'Textures' folder here, into the new 'Sins Plus' folder you just extracted in your Mods directory.
Now extract the 'Textures' folder from the .ZIP file you downloaded into the Sins Plus folder.


The readme and my posts make sense. I admit if you are not English they may be confusing, I'm sorry, and if anyone out there wants to translate, go right ahead, it would be useful. Also, if anyone can write another Readme, which they believe is clearer, then go right ahead, it would also be handy to include.

If you follow it word for word it makes complete sense.

Get back to me if you are still having problems.

EDIT:Right, I will now download the file you both have and freshly install. I will get back to you in a few minutes.

Reply #255 from Sins Forums Top
i have found the solution to this problem.

in order to make the newly created textures folder 1.15gb, you need to go into uzii's texture folder found within the zip, and copy the files from there. not the entire folder.

the steps i took are as follows:

added uzii's sins plus folder to my mods folder
copied sins original textures folder into the same place
i then extracted uzii's texture folder to my desktop, from here i opened the folder i extracted, selected all of the files held within, ctrl+c
i opened the original sins textures folder that i had copied over to my mods section and hit ctrl+v
it was at this point i was promted to "copy and replace"
this resulted in a 1.15gb folder.
by following the instructions in the readme, you are not prompted to copy and replace, and end up with a textures file sized 1.19gb

i hope this helps anyone else who has the problem.
Reply #256 from Sins Forums Top
Yeah basically you need to go in Uzii's "Texture" folder and select the files and exract to the "textures" you put in the mods.

If you just extract the folder"textures" from uziii's mod it makes it larger and incorrect.. :)

Reply #257 from Sins Forums Top
Thats weird. I just did that and it was 1.15Gb (sorry, 0.01Gb out ;)) and it worked fine. As long as you say Replace All it shouldn't make a difference. What programs are you both using to extract these files? WinRar? Or WinZip? Or another?
Reply #259 from Sins Forums Top
Very weird. Perhaps its a Vista issue. Which won't surprise me one bit ;)
Good to see you got it sorted, and Founders, which OS are you using? Vista too?

@ CaptainHardcore
Sorry I didn't reply to your earlier, had some issues that needed my attention ;)

I tell you what, if you can design a Toxic Planet like the one you described, I will name you in-game as being the owner of a home on the Paradise Planet. I see what you mean, but I went for the Purple look (well, actually, Davedon did, but it was exactly how I had envisioned it).

Will you give it a shot? I know texturing isn't your strong point as you said, but just use one of the originals as the base, and work on that.

Reply #260 from Sins Forums Top
THe folder appdata does not exsist on my pc in my documents nor does iron clad
though my game is in stardock and runs fine are you using a old operating system like XP?
Reply #261 from Sins Forums Top
Old, yes, obsolete, far from it. Vista is the bane of gamers' existences everywhere. I will not be switching to Vista for a very long time, and only when they get all the bugs out.

I am using XP, so the readme is relevant to XP users. Although there are some similarities, if you are using Vista, I can only offer extremely limited help.

At least it works though, eh? ;)
Reply #262 from Sins Forums Top
bart:

for vista to show the appdata folder goto:

C: > users > Yourname > then, at the top left of this screen, you should see an expandable tab labled Organize, click that > Folder and search options > View tab > scroll down a bit, and you will see show hidden folders. tick that, and you will be able to see the appdata folder under your username.
Reply #263 from Sins Forums Top
That my friend is a very funny joke. but it has inspired me. I have absolutely no idea how to make a "good" Texture, but i will try. If i get something remotely good, ill mention it.

I wasnt saying the texture was bad, i just had a different opinion. Fantastic job, better than anything i could hope to do. But i will try, and probably fail. Wish me luck.

btw, what program do you use to view textures and edit them? i have a bunch but non have what i want to use.. tis sad.
Reply #264 from Sins Forums Top
Well yes I am using Vista.. :)

I will say this mod has issues unfortunatly, it hangs and crashes ALOT!

even whne i install the mod it hangs and sais not responding for a few seconds.

which i hope gets fixed fast as its a good mod when it works.
Reply #265 from Sins Forums Top
@ Founders
I am sorry to say, that you are the only person I have heard from to experience these problems. I have a good LAN game going with a friend and after 5 plus hours have yet to experience a slow down or crash. I don't like bringing this up and passing the blame, but I would bet a substantial amount of money on the fact that you using Vista has something to do with it. It is not a graphically challenging mod, CPU challenging mod, or an AI challenging mod, so there should be minimal negative effects.

And seeing as I cannot replicate these problems you speak of, I am going to have a very hard time fixing them.

@ CaptainHardcore
Oh, no, although it is funny, it wasn't a joke. I will put you in-game if you can create that texture. I didn't take it as you saying the texture was bad, I know what you meant, and to a certain degree, agree with you. The green does look nice, and would be a good addition to the Toxic Planet textures, which so far comprise of one ;).

PhotoShop CS2 is the program I use. I beautiful tool that has infinite possibilities. I highly recommend it.
Reply #266 from Sins Forums Top
Is there any way to merge this mod with bailknights graphics mod? Would love to able to use both at once since I've been using Sins Plus since it came out and also Mars Effect (but it made my games runs slow after a while).
Reply #267 from Sins Forums Top

Uzii, don't get too bent out of shape by the critics. I, for one, enjoy the flavoring a mod like this gives to a game. I prefer the long complex games and rarely play online, the more complex the game is the more I enjoy it. Other mods may change the "rules" and eventually the units, but you expanded the setting and depth of the game, making it more immersive (very Tolkien of you). Keep up the good work ! If I were on the development staff, I would be paying you royalties for doing work which should go into future "vanilla" Sins.
Reply #268 from Sins Forums Top
Oh yeah, had the same problem with the graphics before and am also on Vista. I'm not sure why that is a problem, but agree it is likely Vista related. If you hate Vista, just wait, they already are working on the next Windows for 2010  (:( 
Reply #269 from Sins Forums Top
Ah, thanks for your comment Grizzlee, ones like that make it all worth while. I suppose what ever I, or other modders do, there will always be haters. And yeh, I'd take a job on the dev team, but something tells me thats just not going to happen ;).

As for Vista, it must have something to do with how files are replaced when extracted from a .zip, as I did the same process as you guys, and it all worked fine.

And Tyberias, I am unfamiliar with Bailknights mod, but as long as none of the texture clash, then it should merge ok.
EDIT: You'll be happy to hear, direct from Bailknights Thread:
Actually, it is that easy.

I added it to Uzii's mod. I have my own tweaks in the various gameinfo files, so I didn't even install that part of the effects mod.

I just put the mesh and particle folders into Uzii's.




And here's a few more screens, no time to crop and trim them today, so you'll forgive me.
1.A closeup of the Industrial Planet textured by Davedon, with some other planets in the background.
2.The Industrial Planet Textured by myself.
3.A closeup of the Old Naval Base planet (very similar to Forest, but more mountainous)
4.The third texture for the Urban Planet, courtesy of Hoeus.




Reply #270 from Sins Forums Top
Are these same planets in the mars effect mod? , nice mod btw :D
Reply #271 from Sins Forums Top
Not the ones above, yet ;).

The ones pictured on the first post should be, along with all the Planetary Bonuses.
Reply #273 from Sins Forums Top
Hey Uzii is there any way to combine your mod with bailknights graphics mod? If so what folders do you have to copy and overwright. Cheers.
Reply #274 from Sins Forums Top
A little late, been shoveling snow for days, but have to say the Purple planet > all.

Not all "toxic clouds" are brown, we all know chlorine makes an ugly green/yellow cloud. Nitrogen Dioxide is a pretty cool shade of red, and you wouldn't want to breathe it in. Iodine could have made this one purple.


Reply #275 from Sins Forums Top
I forgive your non-observance this time Chaney. Reply #269 on this very page:

And Tyberias, I am unfamiliar with Bailknights mod, but as long as none of the texture clash, then it should merge ok.
EDIT: You'll be happy to hear, direct from Bailknights Thread:
Actually, it is that easy.
I added it to Uzii's mod. I have my own tweaks in the various gameinfo files, so I didn't even install that part of the effects mod.
I just put the mesh and particle folders into Uzii's.


And Orange, direct your thanks to my good man Davedon, he designed the Toxic planet. And he made it exactly how I had envisioned it.