By Capt Starkiller and 3dot14

General Concepts

• This guide covers how to install a custom model for Starfleet Command I (hereafter SFC1), Starfleet Command vol II Empires at War(hereafter SFC2EAW), Starfleet Command Orion Pirates (hereafter SFC2OP).
• You need to know where your game is installed. The default installations are:
• "C:\Program Files\14 East\Starfleet Command\" for SFC1,
• "C:\Program Files\Taldren\Starfleet Command II\" for SFC2EAW,
• "C:\Program Files\Taldren Software Inc.\Starfleet Command Orion Pirates\" for SFC2OP,
• If you have different locations for your game, please make note of it.
• For simplicity's sake, the directories will not be written in full, in this FAQ, "..\assets" means "C:\Program Files\14 East\Starfleet Command\assets" (or depending on your version of the game.
• All 3 SFC games uses a textfile to control the model displays. This text file will refer to a model on the directory relative to the text file. This guide will tell you how to change that reference, so that a different model (the one you want) is displayed instead. This file will be referred to as the spec file in this guide. This text file is called differently:
  • "sfbspc13.txt" in SFC1, located in ..\assets\specs
  • "shiplist.txt" in SFC2EAW, located in ..\assets\specs, and \metaassets.
  • "shiplist.txt" in SFC2OP, located in ..\assets\specs, and \metaassets.
  • Before you read any further, =>>>MAKE BACKUPS<=== of shiplist.txt

Step by Step

• This assumes a 'stock' install of SFC, SFC2 EAW\OP. (Directly from CD and patches, no prior modifications.)
• This assumes the mod does not have a self-guided installer. If it does, use it first, if it fails then read further.
• The following steps are for a model called fclcx. It applies to any model, just follow the basic guidelines as follows. (Replace the name fclcx where needed.)
• Read it FIRST before hacking and slashing through the game.

1. Simply create a folder called fclcx in ..\assets\models. The new directory is ..\assets\models\fclcx.
2. The Models downloaded are mostly in ".zip" format. Use WinZip, Or WinRAR, or WinAce, or your favorite compression program to extract the files in the archive to ..\models\fclcx. And note the location of the ".mod" file. (NOT *._brk.mod) For this example, the mod file is at ..\assets\models\fclcx\clc.mod.
3. Use ShipEdit to assign the model geometry to the new mod file. File find the ship you want to change, and click the Geometry icon in the main tab and browse to..\assets\models\fclcx\and click on clc.mod.(remember there are TWO files to change for SFC2EAW and SFC2OP.)
• (FOR ADVANCED USERS) You can also manually edit the shiplist.txt. By using Microsoft Excel. Import the spec file. Find the column labelled Geometry, and the row that refers to the ship you want to change. Change in the information in that intesecting cell. In this example, the new entry is "assets\models\fclcx\clc.mod".
• (For ADVANCED USERS) This can be done with Wordpad as well. Find the row that contains the ship you want to change, then find the entry previously labelled with "assets\models\__\__.mod" and change it to "assets\models\fclcx\clc.mod".
4. Save the files.

Frequently Asked Questions

• Why doesn't my ship show up?
  • Make you you have made a correct entry in the geometry column.
  • Sometimes the files more than one level deep. e.g. be careful about differences between "..\assets\models\fclcx\clc.mod" and "..\assets\models\fclcx\fclcx\clc.mod"
  • If you are modifying the file by hand, make sure you enter the new mod info in the exact format as it was. e.g. "assets\models\fclcx\clc.mod" (correct) if different from "/assets\models\fclcx\clc.mod" (incorrect).
• Why does the game crash when I use this model?
  • Some SFC2 models have Illumination (lighting) maps and will crash SFC1 if used in SFC1.
  • If the game does not crash with default models, the newmodel may be corrupt, redownload the file. If problem persists, contact author/webmaster or see "What if nothing works?"
• What is the "_brk.mod"?
  • the break model caused the ship to "fall apart" when it dies. It is not required for singleplayer play.
  • In order to play online with version 2.033 and beyond, see "What is the model.siz file?"
• How to play online with custom models?
  • The above method in the Step by Step section is NOT compatible with the Dynaverse or Online Skirmish. It is recommended that you back up any files you attempt to modify (the spec files) and restore it\them when you wish to play online.
  • (FOR ADVANCED USERS) In this example, we are replacing the default fcl model with fclcx.
    • Rename the fcl folder fcl_orig and then extract files for fclcx to fcl folder.
    • Rename clc.mod to fcl.mod
    • this is entirely online friendly but will replace the fclcx model in all classes calling for the fcl.mod
    • Version 2.033 introduced a new anti-cheating meausre affecting this method, see "What is the model.siz file?"
• "What is the model.siz file?"
  • model.siz stands for "model size". Patch 2.033 introduced an anti-cheating measure to that the new custom model is the same size as the one it replaces. (See "How to play online with custom models?")
  • In order to to play online, the new custom model MUST have an accompanying"_brk.mod" file. and it needs to be renamed as well.
    • Rename the fcl folder fcl_orig and then extract files for fclcx to fcl folder.
    • Rename clc_brk.mod to fcl_brk.mod
  • For more information: click here
• What about Total Conversion mods?
  • This guide covers only individual models, consult TC mod documentation for instructions.
• What if nothing works?
• Visit here: Starfleet Command Model Forums at Taldren
• What if there is a mistake in this guide? or something needs to be clarified?
  • email three_dot_14@hotmail.com