OOG Tools
This article contains information on tools to help players of the game. Developers should refer to Development:Scripts & Tools for developer utilities.
Vegastrike's in-cockpit navigation support (shift-M) is fairly limited. (fixme: link to docs on how to use it, esp. the "nav comp" button if it's actually useful for anything.) Improved in-game tools are one of the many things on the to-do list...
Fortunately, several players have written out-of-game programs that read Vegastrike's data files. The forum has a section for Developer Tools & User Utilities. Some of the programs are old and now don't work with the current VS file formats (0.4.3 and/or latest SVN) (FIXME: make links). Worse, some authors intended to release source code, but disappeared without having done so, and now their programs don't work and can't be updated to work with current versions of Vegastrike by anyone else. Or re-compiled to work on e.g. amd64 GNU/Linux, or with different library versions.
This list includes some tools that are more useful for editing vegastrike data than for viewing, but that's ok. I haven't tried to include any art editing tools, because I don't know what I'm doing with artwork, so I couldn't evaluate them. This page could expand to become a complete index of the available tools for Vegastrike. Except that one sort of already exists: [Development:Scripts & Tools]
General notes
It usually helps to know what information the tools have to work with when you're trying to figure out what they can and can't do. Most tools look at some of these files:
milky_way.xml: The star systems and jump network, including initial system ownership by factions, but not what planets/bases are in which system; that's generated randomly in each game, except for a few pre-defined systems like Cephid-17, or Sol.
units.csv: stats of bases, planets, ships, weapons, and upgrades
master_parts_list.csv: base prices for all ships, weapons, upgrades, and cargo.
your save game: what system you're currently in and systems you've visited. missions you're on. bases and planets in randomly generated systems.
Using these tools while playing vegastrike can be tricky. You can switch away from vegastrike, which might require that you run it windowed, or (on GNU/Linux) you could run another X server and CTRL+ALT+F8 to get to it... Or you need another console (monitor+kbd+mouse), as with a multiseat setup. Or maybe you have an old computer lying around, or a laptop, that can access your vegastrike directory over the network.
Working software
| Tool | Author | Version | License | Platforms | Vega Strike | Mods | Map | CSV | Notes | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0.4.3 | 0.5.0 | SVN | View | Path Finding |
Base Info | ||||||||
| VSTrade |
GoldenGnu | 0.2.0.0 2007/10/27 |
GPL | Java | Yes | Yes | Yes** | None | 2D | Yes | No | Viewing (Price Lists and A to B search) |
0.2.0.5alpha works with Sun's Java 1.6.0_06, unlike 0.2.0.0 |
| vegamap |
weaselfink | 0.1.1 2005/07/26 |
GPL | Java | Yes | Yes | Yes* | Privateer Remake Others Unknown |
2D | Yes | No | No | v0.1.1+ also integrated into VSTrade. |
| VSMap3D |
templer666 | 1.2-20060502 | GPL | Linux Win32 |
Yes | Untested |
Yes* |
Unknown |
3D | Yes | No | No | runs slowly on some systems, esp. with system names on FIXME |
| VSnav |
iqAuto | 0.55 2004/01 |
Free | Linux Win32 |
Yes |
Untested |
Yes* |
Unknown |
2D | Yes | Yes (See notes) |
No | Base info limited with anything newer than 0.4.2... |
| vsdataboy |
JasonStiletto | 2006/10/26 | Free | Linux (See notes) Win32 |
Probably |
Untested |
Yes* |
Probably |
No | Viewing and Editing |
Linux binary doesn't work properly. Might run under Wine FIXME | ||
| vs_validator |
JasonStiletto | 2006/11/19 | Free +Source |
Linux Win32 |
Probably |
Untested |
Yes* | Unknown |
No | Validating | |||
| csv_editor |
GAlex | v2.1? 2007/1/13 |
GPL | All (See notes) |
Usable on all CSV files | No | Viewing and Editing |
The source will compile on any system with fpc + lazarus. Win32 exe available | |||||
* Tested: 2007/2/15
** Tested 2007/10/27
Tool: VSTrade author: GoldenGnu version: 0.2.0.0 (2007/10/27) uses: 2D map display with sectors and system names. Route finding by clicking on two systems on the map. cargo price listings at bases, planets, and merchant ships. Searching for most profitable cargo to carry between A & B, given cargo volume and cash limitations. Profit analysis tables you can sort. info from savegame: no Free software (GPL) written in Java w/ Swing GUI. Java 1.5 required. compatibility: 0.4.3 and latest SVN (as of 2007/11/17) mods: vegastrike (Support for mods, is in the works) notes: The vegamap can be extremely slow... It should also be noted that some of this text is written by the author (GoldenGnu)
Tool: vegamap author: weaselfink version: 0.1.1 (2005/07/26) uses: 2D map display with sectors and system names. Route finding by clicking on two systems on the map. info from savegame: no Free software (GPL) written in Java w/ Swing GUI. Java 1.5 required. compatibility: 0.4.3 and latest SVN (as of 2k7/2/15) mods: vegastrike, Privateer Remake, and others? (FIXME: more info) notes: integrated into vstrade.
Tool: VSMap3D author: templer666 version: 1.2-20060502 uses: 3D map display. find systems by sector/name. path finding by selecting systems by name. info from savegame: no Free software (GPL) written in c++ (qt4+openGL). pre-compiled win32 binaries available. compatibility: 0.4.3 and latest SVN (as of 2k7/2/15) mods: vegastrike, other? (FIXME: more info) notes: runs slowly on some systems, esp. with system names on.
Tool: VSnav author: iqAuto version: 0.55 (2004/01). Unmaintained, so don't expect it to ever fully work with current save files. uses: monitor save file to get current system. 2D map display. Find system by name, or by sector/name. Display system faction. Route finding with variations to show trips almost as short. info from savegame: yes (but limited with anything newer than 0.4.2...) freeware (no source) written in perl and compiled to a dynamically linked x86 GNU/Linux binary and an x86 win32 .exe. compatibility: 0.4.3 and latest SVN (as of 2k7/2/15). mods: vegastrike, others unknown. notes: With 0.4.2, it could display info about in-system assets (bases and planets), and even search for them. With later save files, it can only get your current location, not what systems you've visited or any in-system assets. I thought it froze on me when reading current save files, but it seems to work now on a Debian unstable system. (for 0.4.3 and SVN).
Tool: vsdataboy author: JasonStiletto version: ? (2006/10/26) uses: units.csv and master_parts_list.csv viewer/editor. info laid out in tabs with vegastrike meaning, not just a spreadsheet of string fields. freeware (no source released yet) written in some form of Pascal, using gtk-1.2. An x86 win32 binary and a dynamically linked x86 GNU/Linux binary are available. compatibility: probably 0.4.3 and latest SVN (as of 2k7/2/15) mods: vegastrike, probably others. notes: first thread The author planned to release source, but that hasn't happened. The GNU/Linux binary doesn't work properly on an x86 Debian unstable system (segfault). The author suggests using the Windows exe under Wine.
Tool: vs_validator author: JasonStiletto version: ? (2006/11/18?) uses: validates units.csv and master_parts_list.csv using vsdataboy engine. Free software (no license specified) written in Pascal. x86 windows, x86 GNU/Linux, and source archives are available compatibility: probably 0.4.3 and latest SVN (as of 2k7/2/15)
Tool: [http://vegastrike.sourceforge.net/forums/viewtopic.php?t=7143 csv_editor) author: GAlex version: v2.1? (2007/1/13) uses: general purpose csv editor Free software (GPL) written in freepascal with the aid of lazarus ide/rad. gtk2. x86 win32 binary available, + source that will compile on any system with fpc + lazarus compatibility: any csv file notes: first thread The linux build linked to in the thread (2k6/7/16) doesn't have the latest bug-fix.
Non-working software
Listed here to document the fact that it's obsolete, or whatever. Otherwise people editing this page would see old stuff in the forums and have to try to see if it still works.
Tool: Vega Strike Trade News notes: looks like author's link was broken right away and nobody ever got a copy of it.
Tool: vs_cargo notes: Coffeebot's new server(?) doesn't have vs_cargo, and AFAICT it was a web app.
