Star Trek - The Final Frontier (Beta 1.0)

[rjord2021]

The mod has run into a problem as I am getting an error every time I try to run my mod.
Spent 3 days on trying to solve this little issue.

I have taken the opportunity to change the name of the mod ......

The mod has been renamed from The Return of Khan to simply Star Trek.
My signature graphic will be modified once I have found what is causing the error in my mod.

[rjord2021]

Teaser #3
=========

Work in Progress on the Top Bar Icons ...........

[Hattori Hanzo]

these Top Bar Icons are much better than the previous [8D]

[rjord2021]

In the last 3 days I have finalized how the role play will appear in the mod.

For example, role play is played either in standard or expert mode and both of them use sheets with instructions for each step of the role play, corresponding images and a total slider indicator on the right which is used with the dice throws.

Expert mode has more steps for example with the process of the Enterprise leaving dry dock in the beginning of the game. This along with Distant Worlds gives a unique Star Trek experience.


Images such as below are being photoshopped over coming weeks for the role play sections of the mod.

Role play will initially be as the Federation with Klingon and Role play added later.

[rjord2021]

A rule with the mod is that when the Federation ships complete construction they are not allowed to leave dry dock without a captain on board the ship. Dry Dock Control will not release your ship without a Captain on board. While the ship is in dry dock no other ships will begin construction.

It is important to have enough Captains present in the game waiting to be assigned to a ship. If a captain is killed during battle the First Officer assumes command of the ship and the Federation ship will head back to Earth or the nearest starbase where a new captain will be assigned to the ship.

Below is the Dry Dock Command which the Enterprise communicates with when preparing to leave dry dock. You will also communicate with them when arriving at starbases around the quadrant.

[rjord2021]

Teaser #4
=========

The first steps in making a planet for Distant Worlds Universe

[rjord2021]

Teaser #5
=========

The planet from prior post in Distant Worlds Universe .
There is an issue with the planet and will fix the rectangle issue over next day or so.

[rjord2021]

The planets will be brighter than seen in the prior picture.

I want the alpha and beta quadrant map to be bright and colorful and to do this I am removing the process of adding an inner glow to the planet.
The planets will still have an atmosphere.

Gas giants as shown above have an atmosphere made of hydrogen and helium and are Class I planets and not capable of supporting life.

[rjord2021]

Before I get to the stage of creating the custom map for the mod I need to finish creating the planets that will appear on the map.

Every planet in Distant Worlds Universe is being replaced with my own planets and this includes adding in my version of what the rings will look like.

Below is an initial test of creating the rings.

A shows an example of the rings I am aiming to add.

B shows the beginning of the rings in photoshop by adding clouds and using Distort / Twirl before creating the ring using the eraser tool with a specific opacity.

C shows first test. Still much to do but a good start to adding the ring systems to the planet


The rings are created on a transparent background and using transform scale and rotate I can add rings around any planet I create.

Once I have a range of rings created I can then test in Distant Worlds Universe as I need to make sure that the effect of the rings in shadows has the look I am after.

In the Sol system there are actually rings around Jupiter, Uranus, and Neptune as well however those rings are fainter or younger so do not stand out like those around Saturn.

I am making sure that the gas planets in my mod are astronomically correct and by using the rings added by Distant Worlds Universe editor makes Jupiter, Uranus and Neptune look like Saturn. The result is a bit strange because when I point my telescope at Jupiter, Uranus or Neptune I do not see rings.

Hence the need for a different type of ring system which will be fainter and can be applied to the other gas planets.

I think my mod will be the first time any game correctly has Jupiter, Uranus and Neptune showing a faint ring system.

[rjord2021]

Just so you can see the reason why I am creating ring systems that look different to the one around Saturn, below are actual pictures of rings taken by spacecraft flying by Jupiter, Neptune and Uranus. Jupiter has only one main ring but no doubt has smaller rings not seen by the spacecraft camera.

A lot of research has gone into which planets have rings and I am applying that research into which planets in the mod have rings and what type of ring system those planets will have.

[rjord2021]

Some planets will appear in varying forms like what is shown below where the atmosphere is ripped away from the planet and this is the reason why Mars no longer has an atmosphere and is no longer classified in star Trek as an M Class planet capable of supporting life.

Different images reflecting planets undergoing different stages of evolution will make this mod more interesting to travel through. However most planets will be normal and capable of carrying life.

[rjord2021]

Development over the next 2 days is reserved for replacing the images for components and resources in Distant Worlds Universe as well as in the role play.

[rjord2021]

Teaser #6
=========

The Epsilon Ceti system.

This of course is the system where you will find the planet Risa.

The planet was created overnight and this shot is testing prior to adding an atmosphere.


EDIT:

The picture was replaced with a much improved planet. The planet on the right of the picture had its hue changed by +154.

The planet on the left of the picture is the proposed look for the mod with a hue of +154 applied twice to the image along with an increased brightness of +40.

[rjord2021]

The planet in the last post was redone and new picture added showing the much brighter colors.\\

[Lecivius]

I dunno. I sorta like the one on the right, better. Just offering a stupid opinion [;)]

[rjord2021]

ORIGINAL: Lecivius

I dunno. I sorta like the one on the right, better. Just offering a stupid opinion [;)]

Had a few hours sleep and looked at it again and you are correct..... the one on the right was the better of the two.

However the one on the right was missing something and that was detail which can be added using embossing with shadows and highlight layers thrown in.

For example with the picture below in the bottom left corner I have the source image below created in photoshop.

Not exactly thrilling.

However using a new technique I converted that planet below on the lower left into the planet shown in the middle of the screen..... details are now way more defined and I should be able to get continents to stand out more on water worlds.

[Lecivius]

Yeah, I like the detail on this one [;)]

[rjord2021]

Teaser #7
=========

Earth..... Sol System

[Hattori Hanzo]

ORIGINAL: Lecivius

Yeah, I like the detail on this one [;)]

me too.. !!!!! [X(]

[rjord2021]

Teaser #8
=========

Early in Mars's planetary development it's atmosphere was sucked into space leaving it a cold and lifeless planet.

However by 2266 Federation Scientists have completed the first stage of terraforming Mars, completing the build and heating of a Martian atmosphere.

So even though Mars has no atmosphere in 2017 it will have one in 2266.