Custom Jumpgate Effects

[Gibbon]

Custom Jumpgate Effects and Colours
Jumping systems with style!

First off - you guessed it, biniQ. Now what to do!
Go to the following directory and open the file:
\data\FX\jumpeffects.ini and also
\data\FX\gate_tunnel.ini

Okay, so open firstly the gate_tunnel. We will create a new tunnel effect for you.
In there you will see various nicknamed effects already, including this familiar one:

[gate_tunnel
nickname = gate_tunnel_bretonia


Oh - spangly eh?! Okay - so first off, copy the following sections from gate_tunnel_bretonia (including the stuff below the sections!)
[gate_tunnel
nickname = gate_tunnel_bretonia

[layer
texture = jumptube

[layer
texture = jumptube5

What are the layers for? Who cares, it works so just do it!

Now then, paste these to the bottom of your file, and rename the nickname for the [Gate_tunnel part to nickname = nickname = gate_tunnel_elite1
Okay - Elite1 is cause i have made my own, and i am in the Elite (organisation!)

Now, things to do here:
Well - erm - fiddle of course - its up to you to find your personal effects....as reference to help though, RGB (red, green, blue) Values, by the way :-255,255,255 is white, 0,0,0 is black, 255,0,0 is red, 0,255,0 is green, and 0,0,255 is blue. (I have a degree in colour chemistry and polymer physics......lol)

Okay - what i change here:in the main section (gate tunnel part)
[imin_rgb = 0, 50, 30
max_rgb = 90, 220, 120

These are obviuosly the max values for red, green, blue and the min values the effect will go to.
This one i am trying to make greenish, so seeing as tunnels 'flash' or fade colour brightness/hue to different shades, i vary this

Next - in these parts
[layer
texture = jumptube
And
[layer
texture = jumptube5

I change the same thing:
color = 100, 200, 155

Why? Well this will determine your actual tunnel colour for you instead. This one is a kinda funky greenish blue, but vivid ones are like:color = 255, 130, 135 which gives a real nice pinky red effect.


Okay - Save that off,

Open up the jumpeffect.ini file instead.

Here is what one looks like

Example: There are many in here, default is bretonian though!
[JumpGateEffect
nickname = jump_effect_bretonia
glow_ring_effect = jumpgate_tunnel, jumpgate_rings, jumpgate_rings, jumpgate_end_rings, jumpgate_end
glow_ring_hp = HpFX2, HpFX3, HpFX4, HpFX5, HpFX5
glow_create_time = 1, 3, 5, 7, 9
jump_out_time = 1.500000
jump_out_tunnel_time = 7
jump_in_tunnel_time = 3
jump_in_time = 1
kill_time_before_done = 0.600000
jump_tunnel_effect = jump_tunnel_interior_player
jump_tunnel = gate_tunnel_bretonia
jump_ambient = 25, 25, 50
jump_background_color = 255, 255, 255

So what does what? - Well first, copy and paste to the bottom of the file, and give it your own nickname (mine is nickname = jump_effect_elite )

Now then - you have your own entry - notice the jump_tunnel line? - tjat is where the nickname of your custom gate_effect would go

Anyway, back to the task - what does what?
Well - things to keep constant - ie you don't change them!
These lines keep normal:
glow_ring_effect = jumpgate_tunnel, jumpgate_rings, jumpgate_rings, jumpgate_end_rings, jumpgate_end
glow_ring_hp = HpFX2, HpFX3, HpFX4, HpFX5, HpFX5
glow_create_time = 1, 3, 5, 7, 9
jump_tunnel_effect = jump_tunnel_interior_player
kill_time_before_done = 0.600000

By the way, the glow_create_time is to do with the increasing glow effects you see when activating the jumpgate. Its at 1,3,5 seconds etc etc. you can fiddle if you wish - but aint much point........

Okay - next!
These lines here are interesting, do you get bored with jumptunnels? want em over quicker?
jump_out_time = 1.500000
jump_out_tunnel_time = 7
jump_in_tunnel_time = 3
jump_in_time = 1

If you do, then change the values here. If you change the jump_in_tunnel_time and the Jump_out_tunnel_time to zero - then you will have a near 'instantaneous' jump tunnel - epecially with jump_in/out_time changing. In effect, you dock, lurch, then appear at the other side - cutting travel to seconds rather than 15 seconds. Good for races across systems and fast dockers loosing persueing people!! you gain seconds each time you jump! LOL

Okay - onwards
Next:
Example: The other parts,
jump_tunnel = gate_tunnel_bretonia
jump_ambient = 25, 25, 50
jump_background_color = 255, 255, 255

Okay - one part already covered! [ijump_tunnel is sorted, but what about the jump_ambient - well that is the ambient colour of your jump - so this is slightly blueish, tinged with green and red - or the normal one. Try setting it to other values. The jump_background_colour is whether its white fill in the hole at the back or not. Set this to 0, 0, 0 for a totally diff appearance on jumpeffects - looks much better i think!!!

Save it off, and then change your jumpgate effects in the systems files!
Open up your relevant system file (i will use Li01 for example here)

Example: Jumpgate from NY,
[Object
nickname = Li01_to_Li02
ids_name = 260911
pos = -83176, 0, 44831
rotate = 0, -70, 0
Archetype = jumpgate
msg_id_prefix = gcs_refer_system_Li02
ids_info = 66145
jump_effect = jump_effect_elite3
reputation = li_p_grp
behavior = NOTHING
difficulty_level = 1
goto = Li02, Li02_to_Li01, gate_tunnel_elite3
loadout = jumpgate_li_01
pilot = pilot_solar_easiest


So which part to change? You can already see mine here:
goto = Li02, Li02_to_Li01, gate_tunnel_elite3

thats right, instead of saying bretonia, it has my custom effect in it (there are 5 for my mod....lol - and two jumpholes as well)

Put in your nickname for your jumptunnel here and enjoy some nicer, more interesting effects!

Chips

[Dan's The Man]

For reference, the three colours you edit in gate_tunnel are in RGB (Red, Green, Blue) format.

[Dan's The Man]

Just to add to this tutorial, for a much easier way to select the RGB colours, you can use a program i just quickly mopped up which can be downloaded here. It isn't that big (300kb) and is extremely useful for purposes other than this

This file is safe, if someone wants to scan it and post the results they can

[jusefd]

brilliant!