How to create a Columbia Class Colonial Battlestar:

- Page 4: Fixing Hit Zones and Hardpoints -

What you need - Editing an OPT file: Process Documentation - Using Rhino 3D

- Editing Textures - Changing Hardpoints & Hit Zones - Contact

- Back to Andy's OPT Download Page -

Fixing Hit Zones

Thought you where ready now? Oh, no! Still more work to do!
When I first made the Galactica and used it inthe game, I was happy - until I found I could not hit the hull with lasers or torpedoes, but was able to fly right through it instead!

For a long time that problem was unfixable, then our greatly honoured LtHag found out how to fix the hit zones - on most models. The shipyard made opts like my Galactica were NOT amongst them.

Then finally there was a guy from Code Alliance showing up, doing great work concerning opt research: Stealth Jedi.
And he packed most of his great knowledge into a small application: OptExplorer.
Although the program was primarily designed for research, he made it available to the public.

And with OptExplorer we are able to fix Hit Zones (to a certain degree)!

How do you do this?

• Get OptExplorer from Code-Alliance (Game Files / XWing* / Utilities section), there's also a description on how to install and avoid install problems (read carefully and download 3DGL too, you'll need it!).

• Open OptExplorer and load your OPT file  - BTW: sorry - SSD will cause an error... :-(

OPTExplore won't read every OPT file - it is an old and experimantal proggy and first wasn't meant for public (see documents at code-alliance). It won't read most (?) XWA opts, either. Same for some custom made OPTs done with ACE_DXF.

• hit SPACE to open the Panel window:
  
  

• Click the sixth buttin from the left, bubble help says: "Show Hit Zones".

  In the main window youn can now see the unchanged hit zones (yellow) - reminds me strongly of a ShipYard...!

  

• To automatically recalculate the hit zones from the changed model, hit the red button next to the obove mentioned (bubble help: "Autocompute Hit Zones")
  OPT Explorer then calculates the new hit zones. After a warning - and having backed up your opt! - click the newly appeared button to write the new data back to the file.

  You can see how the hit zones are changed now - ahh! Much better!

  

• But the ship still is not "solid" in game...thers another thing to do:
  you must change mesh centers also. The game seems to use them, too...

  let's have a look on how they appear with the ungchanged Galactica by clicking the "blue cross" button ("Show Mesh Centers") :

  
  Arghhh! Spread all over the galaxy...!

• O.K., thanks to Stealth, he has built in yet another button! It is called "Copies autocalculated hit zone centers to Mesh Centers" and can only be used after having recalculated Hit Zones (see above).

  Wow! much better now!

  

• Well, ingame the hull still is not perfectly "solid", there are still some "virtual wholes" where you can fly through it, but at least you can use it. And when enemies are attacking with torpedoes or space bombs you have to take care of it!

- Hit Zones - Top of Page -

Changing Hardpoints

Thought you where ready now? Oh, no! Still more work to do!
You will find the given hardpoints (places where weapons will fire or fighters will launch...) to be way out of place with your new model. Or you want different types of hardpoints. So you'll need to edit them!

Again - use OPTExplore. But if you wanna ADD hardpointts - no way. Editing again means just moving things around and change their attributes.

And here's the window to change it all (at the moment changing HP2 from "docking from big" into a rebel turbolaser):

To show all existing HPs, use this button: ,
to change a HP, use this one:  .

Choose the HP to edit in the "Hard Points" list box at the lower right of the panel. It should be shown in the frame window.
Now you may change the type and x/y/z offset values by first checking the according radio button and then writing a different number into the appearing value box. The HP type is selected from a list box.

Then click "Update" and the changes can be seen in frame display window. If your Edit Panel vanishes, you'll get it back with the Space key. "View" will write the new values to the OPT file.

Well, you didn't forget to backup your original OPT before, did you???  :-)

If you wanna edit engine glow HPs in XWA OPTs, use Stealths XEG (available from code-alliance also).

Galacticas hardpoint locations before.....                                 ...and after change.

 

If you are ready, use your OPT in game and enjoy!

- Hit Zones - Top of Page -

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For questions/suggestions contact: .andikroell@aol.com