Does Anyone Want Another Moon Mod?

[Bill Nichols]

Originally Posted by JScones

I use Carotio's "GWX-TA1.3_Moonmod-Small" mod. Always been quite happy with it...certainly prefer the smaller moon size.

I too am using Carotio's small moon, but I'm always willing to try something new/better. Having studied astronomy in college, little things like a moon that fills half the sky is an immediate immersion killer for me.

[Magic1111]

Originally Posted by Kafka BC

Magic TRY THIS.

It occurred to me that your problem might be that the file was not made or saved in Adobe Photoshop, I use TgaTool2 and an old version of Paint Shop Pro.

So I installed my copy of Photoshop and spent all the last day trying to learn it (what a nightmare) and managed to recreate the file from my working files with a slight (3%) increase in contrast.

Try this version and see if that is the problem.

Download here: http://www.mediafire.com/?gingtwmy5q5

Hello Kafka !

Thank you very much for your help, I´m very glad !!!

But at the moment I can not Download me the MOD, because MediaFire is down for the Moment, I become no connection to MediaFire !

Can you please upload the MOD to FileFront for me ?

Thanks and best regards,
Magic

[Kafka BC]

Originally Posted by Magic1111

Hello Kafka !

Thank you very much for your help, I´m very glad !!!

But at the moment I can not Download me the MOD, because MediaFire is down for the Moment, I become no connection to MediaFire !

Can you please upload the MOD to FileFront for me ?

Thats funny, Mediafire is not working for me also. And I'm having problems with FileFront. I tried uploading the zipfile there for you, but it is keeps crashing when it tries to validate it and sends me to "Webpage Unavailiable".

Maybe you can try MediaFire later.

The images in my first post have been updated with shots of the newer moon. I hope it works for you.

PS: I did open a free account at MediaFire on your recommendation. Boy, do you ever have a lot of mods at your page.

[Magic1111]

Originally Posted by Kafka BC

Thats funny, Medifire is not working for me also. And I'm having problems with FileFront. I tried uploading the zipfile there for you, but it is keeps crashing when it tries to validate it and sends me to "Webpage Unavailiable".

Maybe, you can try MediaFire later.

I hope it works for you.

PS: I did open a free account at MediaFire on your recommendation. Boy, do you ever have a lot of mods at your page.

Hello Kafka !

Okay, I try later to download the MOD from MediaFire, I hope later works MediaFire !

Best regards mate,
Magic

[Magic1111]

Hello Kafka !

Now downloading from MediaFire work ! I´ve downloading me the File and I will test it today evening !

Best regards,
Magic

[Kafka BC]

Originally Posted by Magic1111

Hello Kafka !

Now downloading from MediaFire work ! I´ve downloading me the File and I will test it today evening !

I'm praying.

My Best regards,
Kafka BC

[Magic1111]

Originally Posted by Kafka BC

I'm praying.

My Best regards,
Kafka BC

Okay, the first good news: I tested in Marine Academy and it works, no CTD during loading !

And soon I testet in career during Mid-Patrol..............

Best regards,
Magic

[Kafka BC]

Originally Posted by Magic1111

Okay, the first good news: I tested in Marine Academy and it works, no CTD during loading !

And soon I testet in career during Mid-Patrol..............

That is good. I'm still praying.

With Luck.
Kafka BC

[Magic1111]

Hi Kafka !

Aaaaand the second goooood news is: All works fine in my career too !

I enable your MOD via JSGME during Mid-Patrol and the Savegame loads without any Problems !!! I continue my Patrol with your Moon MOD and I shot a few screens with your Moon MOD, look here (click to enlarge):





Thank you very much for this very great MOD, I like the MOD !!!

Best regards mate,
Magic

[Kafka BC]

Originally Posted by Magic1111

Hi Kafka !

Aaaaand the second goooood news is: All works fine in my career too !

I enable your MOD via JSGME during Mid-Patrol and the Savegame loads without any Problems !!! I continue my Patrol with your Moon MOD and I shot a few screens with your Moon MOD, ......[edit]

Thank you very much for this very great MOD, I like the MOD !!!

Thank You. You just uplifted my spirits. I'm so glad its working for you now. Please let me know of any problems in how the moon looks and if I need to fix anything.

Right now, you are my only source for that information.

Very Best Regards,
Kafka BC

[Kafka BC]

It seems that some have missed the point of my mod, mention the moon's size, and/or tell me about the moon that they use. That is fine, use them if you like them. That is not what I was trying to do. The size of the moon in the game doesn't kill my immersion...a bad looking one does.

I spent over a month of my spare time working on the images and the .tga file trying to get the look just right, and posted the mod for interested people to try, in the hopes of finding any inconsistencies and problems that I could try to fix, or if I can't, suggestions on how to. Since I have had only a few nice comments and only two positive responses from someone who has used it (thanks Viper, thanks Magic), I can only assume that nobody else is interested.

So, has anyone else tried it? Does it work? How does it look? Should I give up, forget about making a graphical goodness mod for us vanilla users, consider it a wasted month and go back to working on my old Rome: Total War mod? I'm about to, I was getting that dejected.

Kafka BC


--------------------------------------------------
For those who wish complain about the Moon's size:

Look at the first picture in my first post. It is cropped from a 1280 x 960 screenshot which itself also only shows a small portion of the game's sky. It isn't that big! Do you complain to the director about the size of the Moon in a movie when you see seemly smaller objects or people silhouetted against it. Its the same with the game, and I'm looking for constructive help, not criticism.

[ViperU48]

Kafka - I can understand your frustration, as I have made a few small mods myself. One thing to keep in mind is that not everyone who uses or likes your mod may even post a reply to this thread; typically if someone has a problem or maybe disagrees with something, they'll post. It's the nature of the beast I guess .

I personally look at this forum as a giant, kick-ass supermarket for subsims. So many products, so many choices! One can customize their sim just the way they like it, which makes everyone's game unique. The only thing that is constant here, is that with every mod, there'll be people who like it and who don't like it, all depending on their own personal preferences.

I'm sure you're aware of all this, but I guess it helps to hear it from an outside voice. I hope you don't get disheartened, especially as this is in my opinion excellent work. Moon size is an easy fix, but where this mod is unique is its high definition photo quality and novel method of applying an alpha layer (different than the stock version at least). And I wasn't kidding when i said i went through a lot of moons!

The beauty of this place is, that when you upload something - it stays for a heck of a long time. Maybe not many people like it here and now, but I guarantee you that people are going to be finding this mod and installing it from time to time in the coming months. And for those who like it, it's definitely worth the effort.

PS: talk to the admin about uploading it into the downloads section. This way, you'll also be able to see how many people download it, and it'll be a permanent addition to the subsim mod archive!

Keep on moddin'!

[Magic1111]

Hello Kafka !

Yes, I agree with the Words from ViperU48 ! Do not be discouraged!

And another very good Tip from me: Change the Thread Title in "[REL] Moon MOD" or something like that !

This makes more Users careful of your MOD!

Best regards,
Magic

[Bill Nichols]

I hope noone took my comments as being critical. I absolutely love the quality and detail in this new moon version. I only asked if it would be possible to have a smaller version. Then it would be perfect!!

[Kafka BC]

Viper, Magic

Thanks for the encouragement.

I guess I should have worded it differently. I meant that I was getting dejected in the past tense way. I'm not now since we fixed Magic's problem I think. I scrolled back through the thread and got a little irritated about posts related to the moon's size, especially if they hadn't tried it. Maybe I'm thin skinned, but it seemed like they missed the point.

What I was hoping for was info on how it looks in game, problems like the one Magic had, and what mistakes I may have done before I can consider it final. I'm a bit worried about the "New Moon" part, it works on my computer but maybe not on others.

My Moon Mod is the first part of a combined mod that I planned for bringing accepted fixes and graphics improvements (ie. environment, default sub skins, waterstreams and exhausts) to the vanilla game for people like me who don't have powerful computers or have laptops. I was beginning to think "why bother" and I am beginning to miss RTW, but I think I will keep plugginng away at the environment, and maybe try and finish a career.

Viper, did you get the newer version that I put up in the first post?

Originally Posted by Magic1111

And another very good Tip from me: Change the Thread Title in "[REL] Moon MOD" or something like that !

How do I do that?

Thanks Again,
Kafka BC