28.12.2020

XWAU 2020 Mega Patch Update 1 Posted by Ace Antilles

Now available is our first XWAU 2020: Mega Patch: Update!
This Update contains new releases, updated items and bug fixes all rolled into one installer.
So all you need is the original 2020 Mega Patch and the current update. The previous Fix Pack v1 is included in the Update.
We made this update as a simpler way to release stuff to you rather than multiple individual installer.

We've added a bunch of stuff old and new. So please read the full release notes in the Readme or Forum for the full information.
We wanted to end 2020 with a final new release so we hope you enjoy it :)

NEW RELEASES

XQ2 Platform v1.0: Brand new release of the XQ2 Platform and Hangar by Vince T.
Another brilliant Station to use in game with HD textures and 4 subtly different Hangar Maps depending on your Faction.
You can see pictures and videos of the XWA Upgrade releases in the Showcase section on our website.



Discuss this release in the Forum here.




Effects by Blue Max v1.5: Blue Max has updated and improved on areas of his great Effects package.
There are new procedural shaders for Lava and Explosions as well as for the Death Star used in Endor mission 4.
The Reactor Core explosion has been replaced with Duke's explosion shader and other visual fixes.
For full information read the Special-Effects-Readme.




Hooks - Skins: JeremyaFr's Hooks have been updated with the latest bug fixes and new features.
There is also a great new Skins feature. Essentially it allows anyone to add their own custom looks to an Opt. You can add flightgroup colours or new textures from a folder rather than being built into the Opt itself. So mission creators now can have a lot more options for customised ships. It's something that will be used more by the XWAU Team in future releases.
Discuss this release in the Forum here.


There's also been some minor updates to some Opts: XQ1 Platform, Calamari Cruiser Defiance and Imperial Star Destroyer II.
Plus bug fixes to some campaign missions and more.
We've already got lots of cool things in the works for 2021 which I can't share with you now but the team never slows down!

As we've pointed out on several occasions it's likely Internet Security programs will flag our downloads as trojans etc.
We can assure you these are False Positive results and nothing we can do about them. Virus software is getting more protective and cautious all the time. Just select to allow/keep etc the file and you will be fine.

Discuss this update in the Forum here. Happy New Year!

25.12.2020

Forum has been updated Posted by Forceflow
Dear all, the forum has been updated to it's newest version. Hopefully nothing broke while doing that. Everything should be the same, though note that the ULR has changed to:

https://forums.xwaupgrade.com/

Old links will still work, though in case you have the forum bookmarked directly please change it to the new link.

Other than that things should behave just like before. (You might have had to login again) There are no notable new features other than that it is now possible to tag users @Vince T This will only when you make a new post, not when editing posts! The board will provide you with a userlist as soon as you type the @ Symbol and the first letter of the user you want to tag.

If you do not wish to be notified when someone tags you you can do so in the UCP under Board Prefferences --> Edit notification options

There it is the last option: Someone mentioned me



That's it, please let me know if you run into any issues here!

24.12.2020

Merry Christmas to all! Posted by Forceflow

While globally 2020 was a monumentally sucky year for pretty much everyone, it was a pretty damn great year for the X-Wing Alliance Upgrade.

We had a record year of releases and advances with lot's more to come and a refreshed community with many members, old and new, working hard to get even more stuff to you. For this I am very grateful and want to thank every one involved. I know a lot of the guys have been working extra hard this year to make this all happen. I would have never though that we would stay active for over 20 years much less to see the XWAU being so successful.



With that said pretty much every one locked down for Christmas now and while there might be a small release yet to come this year I think we are pretty much ready to call it quits for now.



So I wanted to wish everyone here a merry Christmas. I hope you can all enjoy it with your family even if it is only virtual during this trying times. Please everybody stay save and healthy. Have a great New Years Eve and I hope to see you all back here in a hopefully much better 2021!

Wish everyone a Merry Christmas here

27.11.2020

THE X-WING ALLIANCE 2020 MEGA PATCH Posted by Ace Antilles



Welcome Pilots to our brand new release of the XWAU 2020 Mega Patch!
2020 sure has had it's ups and downs for everyone but XWAU has had more releases than maybe any other year!
This lead to the installation and setup process to be very time consuming, confusing and generally not being a good experience.
So to remedy that we are now finally ready to present you the newest all-in-one XWAU 2020 patch! A massive remake to make the whole experience a lot easier.
As there's been a lot of changes I'll cover the basics here and you can read more details on the Forum.

The "XWAU 2020 Mega Patch" is a total remake of our old Craft Packs from the ground up. It contains ALL the previous 20 years of releases in one installer.
So you no longer have to install Ships, then Effects, then Cockpits, Hooks etc. It's all been bundled into a brand new clever installer from DTM and JeremyaFr.
Now there are only a few simple choices it will guide you through that you need to install it and run the game.
No more need to download 42 different installers. One installer to rule them all, one installer to bind them...
A more detailed look at some of the changes can be read in the Forum here.

DTM has made a nice new video which highlights this update well. Watch it on YouTube here.

Then you get to meet Babu Frik! Babu Frik's Configurator is a new program which is accessed from the Launcher.
It allows you to change the game to your liking. You can choose variation versions of the ships available, configure the graphic effects and toggle the different options for VR or TrackIR and more. It won't be necessary to reinstall XWAU 2020, you just go back and alter the options to whatever you prefer to use.
All the choices from the previous XWAU individual installers are included in Babu Frik to give you tons of options to customize the design of your game however you like.

That's not all though! There are also several new ships too that have never been released before now!
An updated Calamari Cruiser Defiance and Stormtrooper Transport, a brand new Modified Strike Cruiser and several options of the amazing new X-wing and Y-wing!
You can see new pictures and videos in the Showcase and more on the new ships in the Forum here.





We also had a close look at the missions themselves and Jaeven has spent lots of time going through the campaign to make sure that it's balanced and playable.
So many missions have had small fixes or improvements so that your play through is fun and enjoyable. They also use some of the incredible new flightgroup ship colors.

Another new tool is the Palpatine Total Converter. Use the Converter to save one or two versions of XWAU 2020 modified by you, without the need to install multiple copies of X-Wing Alliance on your Hard Drive. The idea of this is if you want to have the original game but also want a custom version with new spaceships in different slots, custom missions etc, then the Converter will allow you to save multiple installations.
Read the relevant Palpatine Total Converter Readme file for more on this feature.

We've created a new Beginners Guide to XWAU on the Forum to answer some questions. You can read that in the Forum here.


The XWAU 2020 Mega Patch must be installed over a fresh copy of the game! So make sure you make a backup of your existing game, uninstall it and any other patches you installed before and install X-Wing Alliance. Then run the XWAU 2020 installer and follow the on-screen options.
You will need roughly 7GB of additional free space for installation due to adding so many updates in one pack.

Thank you to all our loyal fans for your support over the last 20 years! Here's to another 20 ;)

22.11.2020

Small Teaser and Update Posted by Forceflow
Hi Folks,



we are getting really close to releasing the XWAU 2020 update. The team is working hard on it and we are putting the finishing touches on it. Hopefully we will be able to release it very soon. (No promises though) We do want to tease two updates that will be included in the patch. The keen eyed among you might have noticed that Spyder has joined the XWAU Team a while back. And I am sure you all are aware of his incredible X-Wing. Well, with him on the team the XWAU 2020 will have the choice of not only using his X-Wing but also his incredibly Y-Wing. Both ships show incredible detail and are simply stunning. But you don't have to take my word for it. Below two new render videos that I whipped up to show just home much of an improvement the models are compared to the original opts:









We are all very happy to have Spyder with us and we are hoping to see more of his great work! Be sure to give him a warm welcome to the team!

You can do so here

13.11.2020

New releases! Posted by Ace Antilles
XQ1 Platform v1.0

Vince T has been working on Platforms! Stations are an area very rarely seen so this is a treat.




There are 5 flightgroup colours including the Outpost D-34 from TIE Fighter.
Using new Hangar Hook updates there are 3 subtly different Hangar Maps in one INI file = Rebel, Imperial and Neutral.
If you have the Platform set as your Base in a mission the hangar you land on will change depending on your Faction.

Discuss this release in the Forum here.


Twin Suns Station / Family Repair Yard v1.0
Another brilliant station release from Warb Null.



A combined mix of the Shipyard and Repair Yard. With side hangar pods and a special hidden tunnel too!

Discuss this release in the Forum here.


Crosshair Reticles
These replace the standard laser and missile HUD with brand new images that can be used independently from each other.
So now if you want a TIE Fighter HUD you can have one! Plus you don't have to sacrifice your Rebel one at the same time.



See more information and pictures in the Forum: here.


There's also been some bug fixing updates to previous releases.

Imperial Star Destroyer v2.2
The OutsideHangar Hardpoint has been moved further down to prevent docking issues.

Victory I Star Destroyer v2.2
Fixed an issue with hangar hardpoints
Updated Hangar Map.
Tweaked the LOD so the wings would open/close along with their Hi-Res counterparts

Victory II Star Destroyer v2.1
Fixed an issue with hangar hardpoints
Removed the TRON FG Color. This will now be available from www.vince-t.com
Updated .mat file to match the updated texture order.

Discuss this release in the Forum here.

24.10.2020

New Dynamic Cockpits Posted by Ace Antilles
Blue Max has been learning even more talents! He has now created new Dynamic Cockpits for the Assault Gunboat and Missile Boat!

He's done a great job of making these nicer looking and functional. Not easy with all the Missile Boat extras.
These cockpits feature his new Holographic display system. So now your in game messages etc are floating in front of you!
You can even press Ctrl+Shift+T to toggle the holograms on or off.



But that's not all. Now pressing D will turn the classic HUD elements on or off. No more need to run an installer again.
You can still press CTRL+F to switch Field of View for a larger view if needed.
Pressing Ctrl+Alt+Shift and the Right/Left Arrow keys will allow you to move the cockpit view to your preference.

Also in partnership with the TFTC Team the Missile Boat has an alternative closed S-foils look. For those cramped hangar spaces.



The Assault Gunboat looks equally improved!



Also in partnership with the TFTC Team there is now alternative Landing Gear added.



Discuss in the Forum here.


Container Transport v2.4
That pesky Container Transport continues to give us grief. So here's v2.4!

I was going through the opt again and there was still 2 extra gun hardpoints hidden in a cargo pod. They should have been removed and now are!
So now the Opt is exactly the same as the original one so hopefully it won't cause as many issues now.
It's been online for a little while but this is the formal announcement. So new users may already have downloaded this.

Discuss in the Forum here.

You can find all of these on the Downloads page now.
Still more news to come very soon. Like the Death Star 2020 will end in a bang! ;)

23.09.2020

Updated Installers Posted by Ace Antilles
A while ago Darksaber updated the XWAU installers to our current nicer system. So we thank him for his work on those.
Sadly a few bugs sneaked into some and it's taken a little time to correct. Many of you may have had the bugs fixed already from our Known Issues post so you may not need to download them again.
Now the installers have been sorted I can inform you of a few new features and changes that have been added to some.

NEW UPDATES!
Azzameen Family Base v2.1.5
The Hangar Crane has been updated to include 4 FG's Yellow, Grey, Yellow, Grey.
The Hangar Work Stand has 4 FG's Yellow, Grey, Yellow/Rusty, Grey/Rusty.


Calamari Hangar v4.1
HangarDroid2 has had a small makeover.
The Hangar Crane has been updated to include 4 FG's Yellow, Grey, Yellow, Grey
The Hangar Work Stand has been updated to include 4 FG's Yellow, Grey, Yellow/Rusty, Grey/Rusty.
As well as that there are dedicated Rebel and Imperial versions which have a trooper standing guard.
The Imperial version is for use with Imperial Hangars and other future custom projects.




Imperial Star Destroyer II v2.1
Vince T has kindly made a new proper LOD for the ISD 2. Also tweaked the engine glows which had been a bit too long.
The ISD2 is still going to hit hard on the FPS but every little helps. We are looking at other improvements.
See more on that here.


Corellian YT-1300 v2.2 / Millennium Falcon v3.2
A new cockpit "cowl" has been added to each of the Base and Exterior models. This fixes a transparent view to the exterior in some angles.
The LOD distance has been fixed so it no longer has holes in it. Also the Turret Firing Arcs have been switched.

Thanks to member Exiled we now have included a Mini Falcon Opt.
A Millennium Falcon which has been reduced in size by 40% to match the original vanilla Falcon so it fits through the Death Star Run in Mission 1b7m4w.
It's automatically playable so no editing is involved, the other missions in which the Falcon is playable is the normal sized Falcon.
You will also be flying with Lando and Nien Numb inside the Death Star by default with this change.


Corellian YT-2000 (Otana) v2.2 / Corellian YT-2400 (Outrider) v3.2
Update to the opts to stop the Pilots Head having the "Exorcist Effect" and turning around 360 degrees, also switched the Turret Firing Arcs.
You can now chose to have gunner playable turrets on the Outrider or not.
It is recommended to install these with the YT-1300 to prevent gunner turret issues.


Escort Shuttle v2.3 and Skipray Blastboat v2.2
I'm happy to announce the first "official" XWAU releases from our new member ual002
With permission ual002 has taken Marco Antonio's Escort Opts and added several extra nice Flight Groups to them.
Here's a few samples but see the full selection here.





You may have recently downloaded some of these versions. So please check before having to get them all again.
For the complete list of changes please read the forum post: here.

You will find that anti-virus software doesn't like our installers. It will often flag them with a warning to stop you downloading them. We can assure you that they are perfectly safe to download and use, so just bypass any warnings.
Lastly a reminder that if a craft pack is NOT marked "NEW" then you do not need to install it again at this time.
That can lead to installation issues and bugs and other unnecessary hassle for you.

I hope to bring you some cool news soon of other things going on in the XWA Upgrade world :)

30.08.2020

XWAU Craft Pack - Patch Posted by Ace Antilles


We have released a new Installer Patch but please DO NOT all rush to download it without reading on!
XWAU Craft Pack v1.6: Patch v1.0 is for fresh NEW XWAU installations only. So PLEASE READ this information first.

This installer is designed to be used directly after installing the XWAU Craft Pack v1.6 installer for the first time.
It is NOT meant to be used later after you have installed many separate individual Craft installers.
Think of it as a Day One patch. Even though it's over a year late ;)

Once installed the Patch will update the DDraw and Hook files that have changed between March 16th 2019 and August 18th 2020.
This will make your game ready to play and then you can install any "NEW" separate individual Craft installers.

This Patch contains the ddraw.dll file from JeremyaFr. This file is NOT compatible with the Effects from Blue Max release as that ddraw contains different information. Any Effects releases must be installed AFTER this Patch is used or you may experience game crashes.
If you do install this patch over an older Effects release then that Ddraw file will be placed in the Backup folder.

The reason for this Patch now is to try and help out the many new users we are getting and that experience some problems.
We hope that this may help prevent a few incompatibilities from the time V1.6 was released until today.
This list is probably the best way to install the XWA UPGRADE files:

1 - XWAU Craft Pack v1.6
2 - XWAU Craft Pack v1.6: Patch v1.0
3 - Individual NEW Ship Installers.
Please only install the ones marked NEW. That is all you will need.
4 - Crew Quarters Upgrade
5 - Super Backdrops Patch
6 - Effects by Blue Max
7 - Rebel Dynamic Cockpits
8 - Tie Fighter Dynamic Cockpits
9 - Known issues and fixes.
Check the forum post for any bug fixes or known issues
10 - XWA Hooks Setup
If you wish you can then check for any recent updated Hook files.

We realise that installing all these files can be a little complicated and cause a few problems.
The XWAU is now very advanced and far more complex than it used to be.
We are speedily working on a way to enjoy it all without jumping through so many hoops.
Please be patient with us, none of us get paid to do this, it's a fun hobby. We will have more updates coming very soon for you. :)

Discuss the Patch in the Forum here.


BETA TESTERS
We've recruited some help to test out some of our new forthcoming files.
Battledog, Trevor and Will T are our new Beta Testers and are helping us find any bugs in new releases.
We may recruit more testers in the future but it is by invite only.

21.08.2020

Super Backdrops Patch v3.1 Posted by Ace Antilles
Now available to download is the SUPER BACKDROPS PATCH V3.1.
This version is a only a bug fixing update but it really is worth installing for the improvements.



This fixes issues in LightingEffects.dat from older versions.
That meant when you shot an unshielded starship you saw coloured blob effects shooting out into space with every hit.
Now this has been fixed so you should now see like plumes of smoke effects escaping the hull again.
It really makes a massive difference and is essential to have!

V3.1 also includes an older Bug Fix which some of you may already have. It fixes the [Resdata] line in 8 Mission INI files.
A simple error but one that stopped the newer Starfield showing up.

Super Backdrops Patch v3.1 is available in the Download section now.

If you happened to have already downloaded v3.1 today before this announcement (4pm BST) please can you download it again.
There was an error in the installer which is now fixed. Thanks for your understanding.

Discuss all Super Backdrops in the Forum here.

14.08.2020

20 Years of the X-Wing Alliance Upgrade!! Posted by Ace Antilles


Happy Anniversary to the X-Wing Alliance Upgrade!!
On this date 20 years ago the XWAU released it's first big update. It was called The Rebel Fighter Patch.
The actual website was around for a little longer but this was the first XWAU milestone you could say.
Many talented people have contributed to the XWAU over the years and 20 years on we are still here!
Because this anniversary seemed too good to pass up the team put together this week of celebration. :D
All of the previews and more I have posted this week are now live and in the Downloads page for you to enjoy.


XWAUP: Crew Quarters Upgrade v1.1. Created by Ace Antilles
Taking on feedback from the first release I've updated this fun Upgrade with some minor changes.

Ace Azzameen (no relation) has done a little redecorating.
He discovered Olin Garn was playing a prank on him and had reprogrammed Emkay to help!
So he's now replaced the fake Dueling swords with the proper ones that were being hidden by the cheeky pair :D
Ace also obtained a new printer from Fleet Supplies. So he printed out new digital copies of the photographs of Lady Blue and Aeron.
Also he has given the Family Crest a clean and buff to give it a bit of a shine. Plus he hung it straight on the wall this time as it was a little crooked.



You can see more pictures and discuss this release on the Forum here.


The Imperial Star Destroyer II v2. Created by General Trageton and Driftwood.
Apart from the standard FG colours is also comes with an amazing custom Errant Venture flightgroup colour!



You can see more pictures in the Showcase section and discuss this release on the Forum here.


Effects V.1.1.4. From Blue Max

"

The latest full stable release from Blue Max with more of his Virtual Reality improvements and wondrous effects.
Some of the new features in this release are:

* Fully-metric and distortion-free SteamVR mode.
* SteamVR Performance Improvements.
* Head Tracking in the Hangar and Concourse.
* Cockpit Shadows/Shadow Mapping.
* Reticle placement in VR.
* SteamVR Mirror Window.
* Wireframe targeting computer mode.
* POV Offsets.

You can see discuss this release on the Forum here.


The Victory II-class Star Destroyer v2. Created by General Trageton
The VSD2, like the VSD1 is a complete remake with a highly detailed model and completely revamped HD textures.



You can see more pictures in the Showcase section and discuss this release on the Forum here.


Shipyard. Created by Warb Null
Warb Null has created the perfect Station for a Starship assembly line.



You can see more pictures in the Showcase section and discuss this release on the Forum here.


New Team Member
I want to take this 20th Anniversary as the time for an unplanned announcement.
We welcome Rogue518 to the XWAU team as an honorary member and tester!
Rogue518 has stuck with us for 20 years. The full 20 years!

You can congratulate him on the Forum here


XWAU: 20 Years of Memories
Share with us your favourite memories of 20 years of the XWAU.
Please visit the forum topic here to join in.


THANK YOU EVERYONE FOR YOUR SUPPORT!
Lastly the team wants to thank all of you. The gamers that keep visiting our little piece of Star Wars history.
Without your constant support and interest and encouragement then this project could have died long ago.
We have now a total of 4360 members. Obviously they aren't all active :lachtot: but we value every single one.
Thank you also to all the XWAU team members past and present that have helped our goal.
We have some great things in the pipeline still to come for you to enjoy in 2020!
Hopefully we will complete our goal before another 20 years have gone past. ;)
May The Force Be With You All!

You can discuss these releases on the Forum here.

13.08.2020

Great new Effects coming from Blue Max Posted by Ace Antilles
Blue Max is our resident Virtual Reality expert and is always hard at work making amazing new effects to use in XWA.
You can now get Beta versions from the Downloads page when available. There's also a new XWA VR Help Forum section.

Here is a WIP preview look at the future cool Holographic Displays.

We now have Dynamic Cockpits for most of the main Rebel and Imperial Fighters but not all cockpits have room for lots of displays.
So this is where a Hologram HUD text display will be used. This is an early preview but it gives you an idea of how it will work.



You can discuss this preview on the Forum here.

Wireframe targeting computer mode
Many of you may have already tried this Beta feature but this and many more improvements will be available in v1.1.4.
Now you can get an almost retro gaming look to targeting your enemies. Also the individual components will flash to highlight them.



There are more details on all the Effects in the Forum here.

13.08.2020

Imperial Star Destroyer II v2 Preview Posted by Ace Antilles
The XWAU Anniversary is coming tomorrow! Here's a last batch of previews for you.

The Imperial Star Destroyer II v2. Created by General Trageton and Driftwood.



The ISD2 has had a complete make over from a brand new very detailed model. General Trageton has also made a new Hangar for it too!
With the help of Ual002 and recent Hook improvements from JeremyaFr you can place it full of Imperial ships.



You can see more pictures and discuss this preview on the Forum here.

12.08.2020

Victory Star Destroyer II v2 Preview Posted by Ace Antilles
The XWAU Anniversary is getting closer! Here's another preview of a great new release coming later this week.

The Victory II-class Star Destroyer v2 Created by General Trageton



The VSD2 comes with a series of cool Flightgroup options. Including the very nice digital Tron option!



The Victory II-class Star Destroyer v2 will be released later in the week. You can see more pictures and discuss this preview on the Forum here.

Come back tomorrow for more anniversary previews!

12.08.2020

XWAU: 20 Years of Memories Posted by Ace Antilles
The X-Wing Alliance Upgrade has been around for over 20 years now.
Yet here we are still making new fighters, stations, effects and more for a game that should be a forgotten part of the past!

I want to say a big thank you to Forceflow for continuing to host this website for all this time. Most XWA fan sites have long gone so for him to personally invest in keeping it alive for such a long time is appreciated by us all.

I thought it would be great time to hear from all you guys. :)
What is it that keeps you coming back to this vintage slice of gaming? Share some of your favourite memories and experiences of the XWAUP. What has been your favourite release so far and what do you wish to see released in the future?
Please visit the forum topic here here to join in.

20 years gone but we are getting there. Thank you to everyone for your constant support of this project and we hope we can continue bringing you more cool stuff to play with. :)

11.08.2020

Recent Hook Updates Posted by Ace Antilles
Jeremy continues to make XWA more customisable.



The Hook system has had an update to how settings are stored.
Plus there have been many improvements in making custom Hangar layouts.
All this and updates and improvements to some Editing tools.

For more details please visit the Hook and Editing news in the Forum here.

11.08.2020

Shipyard preview Posted by Ace Antilles
The week of XWAU anniversary fun begins here!
So here's a new preview of a release coming later this week.

Warb Null has created this amazing new Shipyard Opt for us to fly around.



Featuring 2 hangar bays, a dedicated small transport docking pad and a working opening hatch! This base is ready for all your Starship building needs.



The Shipyard will be released later in the week. You can discuss this preview on the Forum here.

More anniversary previews to come but in the meantime check out a teaser of Warb Nulls next project...

09.08.2020

The X-Wing Alliance Upgrade has been around a very, very long time now! Posted by Ace Antilles
Next week marks a milestone anniversary in XWAU history. So because of that we wanted to celebrate it with you!

We're going to have a week of previews, news, releases and anything fun we can think of. All leading up to next Friday when we will give you lucky people some lovely goodies for your game.
So please be sure to look in regularly and I will try and post something nearly every night for you to enjoy.
Until then I leave you with a little preview of something that has long needed an update.
May The Force Be With You!

19.07.2020

Editing and Hook updates. By JeremyaFr Posted by Ace Antilles
Mad Scientist or Chief Engineer? We just call him Jeremy the Genius around here.
No one knows more about the inner workings of XW Alliance better than him.
Jeremy has again delivered many small and welcome improvements recently to his Editing programs and Hook system.



OPTECH V2:
A few additions have been made recently plus some reordering on the transformation tab.
He's added copy and paste buttons to the Hardpoint and Engine Glow controls.

For all the information on this editor please visit this topic here.


XWA OPT EDITOR:
The Xwa Hangar Map Editor included in this program has been updated and improved.
It has been brought up to date with some recent changes to Hangar Maps and closed S-foils.
Also: You can now export a hangar scene to an opt or obj file.
For all the information on this editor please visit this topic here.


ZT CREATOR PATCHER:
Zt Creator and Zt Patcher are tools to create and apply a patch to a file.
Zt Blank is a tool to create a patch for a specific craft.
For all the information on this editor please visit this topic here.


XWA DAT EDITOR:
I've updated XwaDatEditor.
I've added a feature to save images and groups to dat file:
* add multiselect in the lists.
* add "save DAT" buttons
* add image index
For all the information on this editor please visit this topic here.

To get these programs use XwaToolsDownloader. This will grab and download the newest versions.


HOOK UPDATES: There have been several updates over the last few weeks.

A bug has been fixed that caused the YT-1300 Transports gunner turrets to move by themselves.
Other improvements include: Lots of hangar map tweaks, Hyperdrive and Ion sounds, Map icons and Joystick improvements.

Whenever you have any issues in game we always recommend that you update the Hooks if you haven't recently.
Delete or backup your old Hook setup folder. Download them with XWA Hooks Setup and then copy the files into your XWA main folder.

For the full list visit the Hook news in the Forum here and the Hook sections are in the Forum here

04.07.2020

Happy 4th of July from the XWA Upgrade Team! Posted by Forceflow
We thought we would share a little teaser today of a new OPT that is in the final creation stage.
This is being made by XWAU member Warb Null and it's excellent.



Can you tell what it is? Hopefully it will be fully finished soon.

Have a great weekend.

Discuss this great news here

30.06.2020

Small design change on the site Posted by Forceflow
Hi folks,

some might have noticed that the page layout change a bit. I *finally* moved away from the frames setup of the page and made sure to include the navigation-sidebar to all pages including the forum. I also tried to make the page a tad more mobile-friendly. Viewing the page on a mobile device should now move the navigation bar to the top to free up more space for the main text.

We also reworked the menu options. A lot of the items were almost empty, so we bundled them into the 'About' section. Here you can now find the Members, FAQ, Disclaimer, Rules and Links (which also has been overhauled to remove all the dead links)

All in all the visual change should be very small, but since there is a bit more f a technical change in the background I'd ask to give it a test-run and let me know of any issues you see. You might need to clear your browser caches to see the new page. Make sure you clear the cache before reporting any issues. (Unfortunately on mobile browsers this doesn't appear to be that straightforward at times)

Hope you like the change!

Post feedback and issues with the new design here

27.06.2020

New XWAU-Team-Members Posted by Forceflow
Hey folks!

Great news for today! The XWAU team has gotten bigger again! Today we are very happy to welcome Jaeven and ual002 into the team! Both are Star Wars veterans and have already helped team members with their projects. They are eager to help out and we can't wait to give them lot's of work

This is what they have to say about themselves:

Jaeven wrote:


I first got XWA around 12 years ago, and stumbled onto XWAU a few years later. It then took me until 2015 (I know, I can't believe I was that slow ) to finally make an account on this forum and interact with this wonderful community.

In those 12 years, I've put way too many hours into making mission. I've made close to a dozen campaigns, though I never quite got around to releasing them, in part because I've always added ships that weren't part of any of the craft packs. All that is to say, is that my skills are heavily focused around mission building/fixing. If a newly released opt needs testing, I'll put it through a variety of QA testing and see if/how it can break anything, whether that's CTDs or balance. This is what I've been doing for I think almost two years now with Driftwood, whenever's been working on an ship.

If said opt breaks the balance, I'll try to see if there's a way to fix the balance without having to do a grueling rework of an opt. For example, in case of the ISDII in the Kothlis mission I did a minor adjustment to its spawn. The gameplay and how the mission plays out remain virtually unchanged, but the result was that the player has a chance to save the Liberty without the mission feeling too oppressive and punishing. Of course, whether an opt or mission is changed is ultimately a team decision. What I would do in a hypothetical balance scenarion is play the mission, figure out what's wrong and then recommend solutions to make it balanced from a mission perspective. It is then up to the team to decide whether to rework the opt or make balance changes to the mission.

Beyond the making and editing of missions, I am very comfortable with using Opt editor, work on ini files and am able to do minor work on textures.

ual002 wrote:


I am beyond thrilled to be considered an official part of the team. This community has meant a lot to me, either in some small or large way over the last 20 years. This game was the second PC game I ever purchased after XVT, and the 3rd to have a significant impact on my interests as a child if we count playing TIE Fighter on a friend's home PC before having my own.

I hope to contribute wherever I can be effective, motivated, and knowledgeable. My area of interest is obviously the Imperial Starfighter Corps, and I by no means claim to be an expert in legends or canon material, I like to think I understand the spirit of story TIE Fighter the game gave us and how it influences old/new soft/official canon.

I am a member of the 501st, The Dark Empire, and eventually will be part of The Saber Guild costume clubs. I have access to some rather neat people and information as well. From time to time when relevant I will share it. I should clarify that I also break from the rigid, almost draconian policing of costume integrity as I like to consider myself a free thinker and creative. I like to read between the lines, and I feel like I'm often comfortable with the material enough to confidently create costumes, or in the case of this project draw conclusion that are not necessarily "screen accurate." I will never argue against a valid argument just because we have one example of something different in the films.

My humble brags include partying at Chewbacca's house on July 4th shortly before his passing, Having drinks with the voice actress for Juno Eclipse, and having a frank conversation over breakfast with Timothy Zahn about the rank structure he added in one of his recent books.

I'm excited to also help contribute to subordinate projects and conversion packs as well, I should add. Especially ones that focus on Empire stuff.

My areas of familiarity include, dat editing, opt texture reverse engineering, intermediate photoshop skill, basic 3DM skill, basic understanding of the Concourse image, string, and audio files and how they all interplay. I have also done some voice acting contributions as well. I also consider myself somewhat of a brainstormer, an Idea person. I might not have the skill to code some fantastic hook into the engine to enhance some feature, but I sure can think of inventive and interesting things to add. It draws from my unique love of this game engine, rooted in my childhood desires for improvements to this game. My earliest posts were of trying to fix the s-foils on the Lambda and have cockpits added for it. I have been watching since the very beginning. I wont mind if you tell me I'm thinking "too big".

Realistically, nothing changes. I'll still be here, comically inflated ego and all doing what I can to help collectively improve our shared experience and maybe help make it a little more immersive, but not at the expense of fun.

So let's all welcome them into the team and buy them a beer or two! (But not more, they guys have to work tomorrow )

Hand out the beers here

22.06.2020

Future of the community, XWAU and all the things that were hosted on Darksabers website Posted by Forceflow
Just a quick update and request to all. We know and understand that many have questions regarding the future of the community, especially in regards of the all the things that were hosted on Darksabers website.

Unfortunately these things take time to decide and prepare. Note, nothing has been lost permanently. The team has access to everything that was hosted, but we do need to decide on how to best proceed. Please be patient for now. There will be an update from the team once we know how to proceed. PMing individual members wont result in any further information at this point

With all that has happened the team is very busy right now trying to sort it all out. Since we all also have real life to take care of this unfortunately will take a bit to resolve. I will leave the topic open for comments, but don't expect any team members to offer up any additional information until we are ready to make an official announcement.

You can discuss this here

19.06.2020

News about team situation Posted by Forceflow
Today we bring you sad news. Unfortunately Darksaber decided to leave the team. After a difference of opinions in the private forum things got heated and he apparently felt he no longer wanted to be part of the team. Sadly he left in so much anger that he decided to not only hurt the team, but the project itself. He manipulated the crafts fixes for the XWAUCP which would have resulted in the loss of the whole XWA directory of whoever installed them.

Once we discovered that we were forced to not only remove all of his privileges on the forum, but I could no longer in good conscience allow his private website to be hosted and accessible through my server. (Since it was on that server that the manipulated files were hosted) The timeline and actions of his leave us with no doubt that this was done on purpose. His last post on the forum where he implies he also manipulated the new craft installers make it clear he wanted to do this and hurt the project. Be aware that his account has since been deactivated and he can no longer access it.

We have analyzed the installers and tested them. We could not find any issues other than some normal bugs in them. We are currently seeing on how to best fix those and will post an update once we have new installers ready.

The whole situation has left the team fairly shocked and sad. I have been working with Darksaber on this project for something like 20 years now. And while at times we clashed and had a difference of opinion I always valued his input and advice. He was the driving force behind the project for many years, his installers were an invaluable addition and made things so much easier and more user-friendly. His modelling and opting skills were among the very best of the team and I think he is the single person who contributed the most to the project. He often shared his knowledge and helped a lot of new and old members to advance their knowledge. His models are of great quality and without him the project wouldn't be were it is right now.

Looking back however I have to acknowledge that his actions in the recent past have become problematic and that I have ignored them for too long. Analyzing the moderator and administrator logs it's clear that he was abusing his privileges against community members for quite some time. For this I wholeheartedly apologize. I turned a blind eye towards him, and this has caused damage to the community as a whole, driving people away, or in the very least stop them from further contributing to it.

The team has pledged to do better in the future. Moderator and Administrator guidelines are being created to make sure that this project becomes an open, friendly and fun place to be for all again.

Fortunately the XWAU is and always has been a team effort. As such this in no way an end to the project. The team is hard at work behind the scenes and there are new things in the works to push the game even further. So we all hope that this will make the community stronger and better in the long run!

Please understand that the team really doesn't feel like discussing this further than what has been said. As such the topic will be locked. If you feel there is something that needs to be added please contact General_Trageton and myself via PM. But do not expect to get any more details about what has happened.

Darksaber, I do not understand what pushed you over the edge to burn it all down. I am very sad that you decided to leave, and especially about the way you decided to leave. Never the less, you will be missed. Your insights, your skills, your help. You were a big part of what makes this project so great and I will personally try to remember only the good times with you.

11.06.2020

So many videos... Posted by Forceflow
Okay, since the team is still hard at work I figured I really should get to work myself showing of the great models they have made. So now the screenshot section not only shows the new screenshots but also features a 360˚ video of every single craft. (Minus the warheads... that really wasn't worth it) Since I bundled some crafts that's 117 new videos up on the page. Any boy can I tell you that was a lot of rendering time. (Each video takes anything between 15 and 20 minutes) I can tell you my CPU was really earning it's pay the past few days. But I think the results are really worth it.



Note that the videos only show up on the individual screenshot page of each craft as to not overload the pages. The videos are rendered at a resolution of 960x540 pixels with a framerate of 60fps for a hopefully silky smooth experience Here a very small sample:











I hope you enjoy them, I might add some more videos down the line, but for now that's it!

Discuss these new videos here

05.06.2020

New June releases! Posted by Ace Antilles
Good news everyone! If we didn't spoil you enough in May then take a look at June's new releases!
From nowhere the Team have pulled out of a Black Hole some lovely goodies for you.

SUPER STAR DESTROYER v2.0. By General Trageton

General Trageton has done a little 2020 update to the massive Executor.
Quick summary of this update:
* Combined main hull textures into HD maps.
* Added a LOD. Updated INI file to load LOD into targeting screen
* Flight-groups, Default, Imperial, New Republic, First Order, XWA Upgrade
* Added material file.



Forceflow made new Screenshots for it available to view now. Discuss the update in the Forum here.


SUPER BACKDROPS PATCH V3.0. By DTM

DTM has pulled an amazing update from nowhere for mission builders!

What's new? The Planet2.dat file has been updated as follows:
* Scenario of the Kothlis missions has been updated with HD textures
* Low orbit scenarios have been updated with transparent sky, to make it possible to have planets and stars rising on the horizon.
* 3 new scenarios of the Coruscant low orbit (night, daylight, battle of Coruscant) to be used for your mission editing
* New scenario of an industrial planet low orbit



Also a new backdrop of the Starkiller Base (Slot 49-5 for Allied users)
Lastly he has included some bug fixes for the 2nd and 3rd missions of the Battle of Endor.

Discuss all the cool new Planets in the Forum here.


HOOK UPDATES. By JeremyaFr



Chief Engineer Jeremy has been busy as always and updated and fixed many hooks in the last month.
Whenever you have any issues in game we always recommend that you update the Hooks if you haven't recently.
Delete or backup your old Hook setup folder. Download them with XWA Hooks Setup and then copy the files into your XWA main folder.

Bug fixes include areas related to: Mine Fields, Weapon colours, Explosions, Hangar brightness, missing SSD and even a vertical Hangar launch option!

Also the SNM Movie Converter has been updated. For this download - XwaToolsDownloader
Export avi files in Mpeg4 format instead of MotionJpeg format.
Import any video files with the Media Foundation APIs

Discuss all this Hook news in the Forum here and the dedicated individual Hook sections are in the Forum here


EFFECTS V.1.1.3.1 By Blue Max.
This is a small update which introduces new settings that Blue Max is constantly improving on.



Headlights: Press Ctrl+H to activate front Headlights to help illuminate your way. This will help you see in dark Death Star tunnels.

Different FOVs: Added an additional FOV to DC files called "xwahacker_large_fov". DC files can now have a regular "xwahacker_fov" FOV and a large one, in addition to the global FOV.
What this does is allows you to configure your view inside of Dynamic Cockpits so that you are either sat closer or further away.
This new feature is essential to get the full experience of the updated Rebel and TIE Fighter Dynamic Cockpits. See more in those Forum threads.

Speed Effect: This cool effect adds small debris that moves with your current speed. It's enabled by default, so it's very easy to notice.
It adds small thin trails around you when the ship is moving. So essentially you get the feeling that you are flying through space at super speeds!
Please see SSAO.cfg for more details and customisation options.



Multi Core Option: - A new option that when enabled really helps to boost the FPS from low levels to much more playable.
This solves the performance problems, which many experienced. There is a warning attached with using this option though.
Unfortunately, this option resets the old music bug, which some of you may remember. The in game music will start looping or stuttering non stop until you restart the game.
Right now it happens rarely but at any time. If it happens you will need to carry on your mission or restart the game. Otherwise disable your music.

UPDATE: JeremyaFr has created a new Hook which we believe fixes the issue so far. Please see this thread for more details.

There are more details on all the Effects in the Forum here.


TIE FIGHTERS DYNAMIC COCKPITS v2.0 / REBEL DYNAMIC COCKPITS v2.1 / Z-95 v5.2.
Created by DTM, Blue Max and Darksaber. Updated by DTM.

DTM has been super busy! This is a small but great update to all of the Dynamic Cockpits. In particular the TIE Fighters.
To get these new updates to work you will need to install the latest Effects v1.1.3.1 or later.

When the original TIE Cockpits were released not everyone was getting the desired view intended. This has now been corrected.
Effects by Blue Max version 1.1.3.1 allows you to easily choose your favorite FOV during the flight. The magic key is CTRL+F
Includes 2 predetermined FOVs - normal view and enlarged view. The enlarged one is very useful in combat to broaden your visual spectrum.
If you already used Xwahacker to make changes you may wish to restore your old FOV value (86.30) and then install the updates.



The updated TIE, Rebel and Z-95 installers are available to download now.
More explanation and pictures on the update are in the Forum here.


ASSAULT TRANSPORT V2.1. By General Trageton

General T is on a roll recently. This is an updated and fixed version of the Assault Transport, not a major remake.
* Fixed illumination errors on the engine textures.
* Fixed the Engine Glow colour & Transparency.
* Created a .mat file to make the cockpit glass all glossy.



See more pictures and discuss the update in the Forum here

All of these new installers are available on the Download page now. Enjoy!

25.05.2020

New Screenshots Posted by Forceflow
Hi folks, small update for the page incoming. I had a bit of time on my hand so I finally got down to it and redid pretty much all of the existing screenshots. I did not re-render most of the cockpit shots as those are kinda moot if you don't take them in-game these days. There's also one or two models that I did not re-render due to some issues. But pretty much everything else has been re-rendered.



There's over 1.500 new shots (over 3GB of data) available. All scenes are rendered in a higher resolution (1920x1080) with consistent lighting throughout all scenes and all flightgroup colors available. (And man, some of those are simply kick-ass!) I also made sure to have a brighter overall light in the scenes to show off the models and textures a bit more. While this makes for less dramatic scenes it certainly shows off the models themselves much better. I also included shots of closed sFoils and extended gears where available. In-game hangars should now also have better and more consistent shots.



Do be aware that those are not in-game screenshots but rendered in blender. This makes it much easier to make screenshots, but also means that I do have to take some artistic license in some areas. So while the shots properly show of the models and textures themselves, lighting effects are not true to the game.



In addition to that you can now also navigate through the screenshots better. If you start in the screenshots gallery and open an image there you'll now have a back and forward link to simply scroll through the available shots. (This does not work for the direct links here in the forum)



Here is a small selection of some of my favorites:







I know it's not a new model, but I hope some of you will enjoy it as a stop-gap until the next one shows up!

Discuss the new screenshots here

05.05.2020

Revenge of the Fifth Posted by Forceflow
Written by Ace Antilles.





Suffer Revenge of the Fifth Day Rebel scum from all of us at The X-Wing Alliance Upgrade Project!

Star Wars Day was a great success but that's not all we wanted to leave you with this week.

Z-95 Headhunter V5.0 By DTM

DTM has only just released v4 and now he's made v5! A new Z-95 Quad Motor version.

The new installer contains both the previous version (Dual Motor) and the new one (Quad Motor) and this new version also has a Dynamic Cockpit.











You can discuss this new version in the forum here:

viewtopic.php?f=15&t=12577

IMPERIAL STAR DESTROYER V2 - Work in Progress - By Driftwood and DTM.



This is an early look at the ISD2 that Driftwood created. It's not ready for release yet.

Right now it's being built in the Kuat Drive Yards. It needs more fine tuning as it's so amazing looking it would blow your XWA game apart right now! The level of detail on it is brilliant.









Discuss this sneak peak here:

We will prevail in stomping out the traitorous Rebellion. Happy Revenge of the Fifth!

04.05.2020

May the Fourth be with you! Posted by Forceflow
May the Forth be with you! Written by Ace Antilles.





Happy Star Wars Day from all of us at The X-Wing Alliance Upgrade Project!

In 2000 the XWAUP released its first upgrade the Rebel Fighter Patch. TWENTY years later and we are still going strong! Members have come, gone and come back again but there are still amazing old and new talented people working to improve X-Wing Alliance for you.



TIE FIGHTERS DYNAMIC COCKPITS V1.0. By DTM and Darksaber

A gift for all our Imperial friends / enemies: The Dynamic Cockpits for all the TIE Fighters available in the X-Wing Alliance, each with its own characteristics.



TIE Fighter, the progenitor: cheap but reliable

TIE Bomber: robust and powerful

TIE Interceptor: a definite improvement over the original!

TIE Advanced X1: experimental, fast and deadly

TIE Defender: Admiral Thrawn's jewel.

TIE Avenger: the new generation of TIE Fighters

But there are also the TIE Specials: Bizarro, Booster, Warhead and Big Gun! In all, ten different dynamic cockpits!













REBEL DYNAMIC COCKPITS V2.0. By DTM, Blue Max and Darksaber.

It has been asked loudly, and here it is. An improvement of all the cockpits released with version 1.0, to improve the visibility of the MFD and therefore the playability of XWA, even without the aid of the HUD. But remember: if you still need the good old HUD, just choose the right option when installing the patch.

In addition, the collection is completed with the wonderful B-Wing cockpit created by Blue Max, who shows great talent in many different skills!











Discuss all the cockpits in the Forum here

viewtopic.php?f=15&t=12552





CREW QUARTERS UPGRADE. By Ace Antilles..

The room that you share with MK-09 has been upgraded! This Upgrade replaces some of the Souvenirs or Medals that you collect throughout the course of the game.

Some are improved but many are based off other Star Wars universe items. Also, there are rewritten descriptions to elaborate them or to better match the new upgrade.

To get the full experience you will have to install it and discover all the cool new additions.







Discuss the Crew Quarters Upgrade in the Forum here

viewtopic.php?f=15&t=12547





VICTORY I-CLASS STAR DESTROYER: ULTIMATE EDITION. By General Trageton.

The Victory-class Star Destroyer returns in never-before seen detail! This iconic imperial warship has received a complete visual and functional overhaul and comes loaded with new features and goodies.

6 Flightgroups: Default, Crimson Command, New Republic, Old Republic, Old 'n rusty, Damaged.

Working S-Foils: The ship will now open its wings as it emerges from Hyperspace and close them before jumping out.

Custom Hangar OPT with two launch variations: Ground touchdown or TIE racks.

And yes, the Victory II will be coming in the future.











Discuss all the new VSD in the Forum here

viewtopic.php?f=15&t=12553





EFFECTS V.1.1.3. By Blue Max.

With this evolution of the patch, the lights of the new shading system are connected to the mission's light sources. It seems like a small detail, but in reality, it is a great success obtained by our talented Blue Max! Also many other improvements, all to be discovered, such as the new lens effects and the new suns.







Discuss all the Effects in the Forum here

viewtopic.php?f=15&t=12475





SUPER BACKDROPS PATCH V2.1. By DTM with Darksaber.

Version 2.1 comes with new starfield backdrops and explosions effects. It is an update that improves all the backdrops, taking advantage of the JeremyaFr Hooks, which allow the use of 32-bit transparent images. Basically, the planets no longer have the black outline and blend better with the star background. No changes to missions, no new unpublished images, only a huge leap in quality!







Discuss all the Super Backdrops in the Forum here

viewtopic.php?f=15&t=11202





NEW HOOK EDITING. By JeremyaFr.

Jeremy has been busy pulling XWA to pieces so that everyone can have a better game.

His custom ddraw.dll has been updated to v1.3.10 with: new radar renderer and new bracket renderer. This is also featured in the Effects v1.1.3.

A new hook allows using a custom HUD targeting Reticle image for any flyable craft. This means you could have one crosshairs in an X-Wing and a different one in a TIE Fighter!

Also TgSmush now adds support for mp4 files, so you can use custom videos simply as cutscenes!

His XWA Opt Editor has been updated, you can choose many Landing Gear options and much more!







Discuss all the Hooks in the Forum here

viewforum.php?f=33





Now that's how we celebrate 20 years! There's still lots of cool things being worked on too. May The 4th Be With You!

Discuss this huge load of awesomeness here

25.04.2020

Combat Utility Vehicle Release Posted by Forceflow
Yes, the team is still hard at work not only at cracking and tuning the engine but also at making new models! And while some models may be small the amount of detail that can be put into them is just amazing!

With this we are proud to present warb_null's incredible Combat Utility Vehicle:







It may be small, but hot damn does it now look incredible!

Discuss this great new release here

17.04.2020

Update for the Z-95 Headhunter! Posted by Forceflow
This release come with a new Dynamic Cockpit...











...and new extra Flighgroups Colors (colors n. 4 and 5) for the "Bandit" Squadron! Use Jeremy?s Hook_Mission_Tie.dll function to use extra Flightgroup Colors in your own custom missions.

Thanks to the installer, you may use the new colors of the "Bandit" squadron in the missions of the Azzameen family.









Discuss this great new opt here

06.04.2020

New effects and installers Posted by Forceflow




After a brief preview with version 1.1.1, the XWAUP team is proud to present the Effects by Blue Max's version 1.1.2. Our skilled Blue Max has worked hard to bring the X-Wing Alliance game to a level that we could not even have imagined! New lighting effects, new shadows, anti-aliasing options, support for TrackIR and VR devices, the possibility of having Dynamic and Active Cockpits , new Cockpit Inertia ? in short, a lot of stuff !!!



The patch is released with a new, simple and intuitive installer, which will allow you to freely experiment with the different settings. In fact, the installer can also be used after the first installation to reconfigure it. Try it and find your own configuration!



Separately, the XWAUP has decided to publish the new official Dynamic Cockpits currently available: A-Wing, Y-Wing and X-Wing.

But this is only the beginning! Many more new cockpits are coming!



You can ask your questions and leave a comment on the dedicated topic. Have fun!

13.01.2020

Another round of great models Posted by Forceflow
Some of you might have already noticed, but there's a new round of models available! Sorry for the late update, but an unfortunate trip to the emergency room and a surgery afterwards has cut my PC time very short these days. So without further ado here's the scoop on the new ships!





First up we have a new ship! Warb Null presents the

Neutron Bulk Cruiser

He has done amazing work yet again and the model turned out great:







Next up two smaller models again by Warb Null

Propane Tank and Cargo Canister

You'll find those packed into the containerPack which has been updated to version 4. They might be small, but they add a lot to the overall immersion and look just great:







Last up DTM did a great update of the

Modified Nebulon-B Frigate

What an absolute beauty that one turned out to be! Just amazing work!



Discuss those great new models here