Transcendence

Can we sticky a topic with a list of preferred/useful programs for modders.
I am starting to notice the serious drawbacks of notepad!
I have also considered creating my own ships but have no idea where to begin to look for a decent program. If some of the seasoned vets could please post some suggestions it would very much be appreciated.

I use notepad++.

Personally i can recommend Jedit.
Very nice editor. I whipped up some syntax highlighting for Transcendence script. Comes with function name completion as well

The SyntaxHighlight file is available here: http://dl.getdropbox.com/u/394672/trap.xml
For a view of how that might look, here is a ss

Jedit can be found here: http://www.jedit.org/

Other than that i can also recommend Notepad++
I think i have a partial working syntax file for Notepad++ so if there are any requests i can dig it up.

Or vim of course.

I also use/recommend Notepad ++...

If you dont know where to get it well uh..
http://notepad-plus.sourceforge.net

I use Notepad or Vim depending on the nature of the task.

For creating ships there is only one choice. A commercial 3d modeler costs hundreds of dollars. Blender is free. There's also a script floating around that can autocreate rotated ships and a java program that can assemble spritesheets. The links are in the very first post in this forum.

I use 3ds max most of the time now; but it's probably not in your budget.
I did make quite a few transcendence ships and stations (and dockscreens) with a combination of Wings3d and Bryce. Those are both free, and they are both pretty simple to learn.

Here's links to some free modelers:
http://www.wings3d.com - Wings3d, polygon sub-division modeller. Easy interface, quick to learn.
http://www.anim8or.com/ - Anim8tor, pretty simple sub-d modeller and animation tool.
http://www.metaseq.net/english/index.html - Metasequioa, haven't used it; but know people that love it...
http://www.caligari.com/products/trueSp ... /intro.asp - Truespace Version 7.5

Truespace is a pretty solid all around 3d app. Used to cost around $800, I think.
There are lots of free modelers around, just google and do some digging.
- - - - -
And free renderers:
http://www.download.com/Bryce/3000-6677_4-10696716.html - Bryce 5.5
http://www.kerkythea.net/joomla/ - Unbiased Global illumination (including MLT) renderer.
http://www.indigorenderer.com/joomla/ - Similar to Kerkythea.
There are some others around: POVRay, Sunflow, Toxic, and so on. Some of them are rather technically oriented, and not very user friendly.

Kerkythea and Indigo have plugins for integrated use with Blender. Blender has its own built renderer that does a nice job also.

- - - - -

EDIT - If you are interested in using people for renders, you could look into DAZ Studio. Free base program, with purchasable upgrade 'modules'.
http://www.daz3d.com/i/software/studio?_m=d

I always use gvim instead of notepad wherever possible.

http://www.vim.org/download.php

Being back on linux, i found the need for some syntax highlighting for vim.

This syntax file is a terrible mix of lisp and xml, but it includes the stock functions of TScript, and works reasonably well. If any of you are wizards at making these files, then feel free to lend a hand

For now, you can get it here: tscript.vim

.]

i always use Notepad++

even though i didnt have that fancy syntax highlighting things, i use XML language option and basically its enough for me.

alterecco, you said you have notepad++ syntax highlighting, can you share it?

Dalva wrote:alterecco, you said you have notepad++ syntax highlighting, can you share it?

I would love to, but i seem to have deleted it in my last re-install. Sorry

xml syntax highlighting is fine for regular mods, but when you have mods that are mostly script, it wont help you.

FYI it is *very* easy to make. Notepad++ comes with a gui tool to do it so all you need is a list of functions. Here is an instructional page on how to make the language definition. http://notepad-plus.sourceforge.net/uk/site.htm and here is a list of all ingame functions as of 0.99c.

Good luck...

.]

Last time I checked, syntax highlighting in Notepad++ was hardcoded. You cannot add a new SH unless you recompile the whole program, a feat that is really out of my skillz.

For this reason, and for others, I switched to JEdit and I'm sure I won't return back. (the only thing I miss is the multi-highlighting of words in Notepad++ with triple clicking, while in JEdit i have to right-click, scroll menu, click and click using a plugin)
To set up JEdit to your likings it takes a while, but at the end it's a marvelous program.

Me and alterecco made a syntax highlighting for JEdit.
This is the last version, it can highlight the XML part of the code and the Transcendence-LISP part and include all the functions used in the game in various colored categories.
http://dl.getdropbox.com/u/720869/xml2.xml

Have fun!

I'm still using notepad notepad++ didn't work for me

try Jedit
Here is a ss of my customized Jedit with TransLISP and XML syntax highlighting, tabbed browsing, search results on the bottom and markers on the right.
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/720869/jedit.png

digdug wrote:try Jedit
Here is a ss of my customized Jedit with TransLISP and XML syntax highlighting, tabbed browsing, search results on the bottom and markers on the right.

Looks good d1gdug. Ahh, the joy of having a nice setup

This is me using vim editing Transcendence

that's professional man !

btw, for Vim lovers, there is Vimposter for Jedit plugin
http://www.rutherfurd.net/jedit/plugins ... index.html

It makes your Jedit looks and feel like Vim.