XWAUP presents: the Super Backdrops patch

[Ace Antilles]

It was all looking so good now anyway. I hope my eyes won't explode with more brilliance lol
Keep on doing that great work guys

[Bman]

Awesome. Thanks!

[Camerad]

Thank you.

[Jaeven]

Great job!

[Ace Antilles]

I've been doing a fresh reinstall and I may have encountered a small bug but you also just explained it I think. Best make sure so it's clear.
I installed the XWAUP which has the first SBP in. Then I installed this 2.1 patch. I lost everything in 3d except the HUD. So no hangar no ships just stars lol
I've gone back to normal now and I'm going to install the effects etc and cockpits, see if that works then come back to the Patch.
Just trying to see if there's an order of installation needed.

EDIT: Ok so I redid everything and did the 2.1 Patch last. It seems ok now. Not sure if it's because of the order I did it in or just a glitch.

[Ace Antilles]

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 No changes to missions, no new unpublished images, only a huge leap in quality!

It's already been released but the news post highlights it again

[Bman]

Thanks Ace for clarifying that. This is the same installer released around April 10, 2020. Nothing new since then. Have an idea, might be good to put the latest release date on each download link or at least in the readme.txt files. That might be helpful for some peeps.

[Ace Antilles]

Thanks Ace for clarifying that. This is the same installer released around April 10, 2020. Nothing new since then. Have an idea, might be good to put the latest release date on each download link or at least in the readme.txt files. That might be helpful for some peeps.

All downloads now have version numbers. So if you have downloaded this again then it would have tried to overwrite the existing version you had.
This release never got a proper news post. That's why it has now to promote it

[AngeI]

Hi, I've noticed a problem with this update I think. The explosion effects aren't working too well, particularly I noticed this on torpedoes. Although they show up at near point blank range, when you destroy them a bit further out, no explosion effect appears so the torpedo itself essentially just vanishes. Same thing once they impact a target, the explosion effect just isn't there unless you're right up close. I restored an older explosions.dat file from the backup and it works fine again.

[JeremyaFr]

Hello,
You can try to install the latest hooks with XwaHooksSetup.

[AngeI]

I tried this but didn't make a difference

[DarHan]

I actually have the same problem, even with all hooks up to date. All explosions except for the largest ones become invisible beyond ~1km.

[Ace Antilles]

Hi, I've noticed a problem with this update I think. The explosion effects aren't working too well, particularly I noticed this on torpedoes. Although they show up at near point blank range, when you destroy them a bit further out, no explosion effect appears so the torpedo itself essentially just vanishes. Same thing once they impact a target, the explosion effect just isn't there unless you're right up close. I restored an older explosions.dat file from the backup and it works fine again.

Have you restored to Super Backdrops v2.0?
So does it only happen on the updated Super Backdrops v2.1 release?

[AngeI]

Have you restored to Super Backdrops v2.0?
So does it only happen on the updated Super Backdrops v2.1 release?

Yes this works fine on v2.0 if I revert (assuming DSUCP 2.6 is using 2.0 of this). Simply replacing the explosions.dat with the backed up version and they work fine again. I used the v2.1 EXE installer to do the upgrade.

[Darksaber]

Solved it

One reason I updated the explosions was to take advantage of Jeremys 32 bit hook, he updated the XwaDatEditor to use type 25

Without the 32-bit mode hook, the game treats type 24 and 25 the same way.
With the 32-bit model hook and with XwaDatEditor, the type 25 is 32-bit.

- Format 7:
Format: 8-bit indexed colors and 1-bit alpha, rle compressed.
Use: concourse or in-flight.

- Format 23:
Format: 8-bit indexed colors and 8-bit alpha, rle compressed.
Use: concourse.

- Format 24:
Format: 8-bit indexed colors and 8-bit alpha.
Use: in-flight.

- Format 25:
Format: 32-bit ARGB.
Use: in-flight.

There is no limit for DAT images.

While creating the Explosions.Dat I set everything to Type 25.

I've just converted the images to Type 24, and guess what the explosions show up

You can download the updated Link Removed Extract the files and copy and paste then test

[Ace Antilles]

Solved it

One reason I updated the explosions was to take advantage of Jeremys 32 bit hook, he updated the XwaDatEditor to use type 25

While creating the Explosions.Dat I set everything to Type 25.

I've just converted the images to Type 24, and guess what the explosions show up

You can download the updated Link Removed Extract the files and copy and paste then test

Hadn't seen the error but thanks for the quick fix

[Vince T]

Now that I see the explosions again, I know what I had actually missed ! Great work and thank you!

[DarHan]

Yup, I confirm that this new file fixes the issue on my end.

[AngeI]

Also confirmed, all seems to be working normally now, thanks guys

[JeremyaFr]

Hello,
Can you try that:

EDIT: link removed

[Darksaber]

Tried it with the Type 25 Explosion.dat, the explosion don't show until you get within 0.20km at 1km there is just a small impact that's hardly noticeable

EDIT: with type 24 at 1km you see the explosions clearly

[JeremyaFr]

Please retry.
I've just updated the hook.

[Darksaber]

That got it! type 25 is now a GO!



Tried it a 2k and I could clearly see the explosions

Thanks Jeremy

[JeremyaFr]

Hello,
I've merged the changes into the stable version.

[AngeI]

Also working fine for me now since the hook update. Thanks