WIP The Future of CoAS Modding - Overhauling the Game into HD

[TheBlackKnight]

All,

This game still has a lot of potential whether under GOF 2.0+ or GOF Eras.
All you have to do is look at the above photo and see the simple changes that you can do with a small bit of time and skill.
This main menu screen is FAR from finished, but it is a basis of the future.
The HD overhauls make the game look and play SO much better.

Many of the projects I have under development will be compatible with both mods and sustain the life of this game in the series, until the eventual release of an English version of POTEHO.
Some will also be mutually compatible with POTC New Horizons based on shared files or mods that I modify to function with POTC.

It always has surprised me of how many people still discover this hidden gem many years after its original English release in 2009.

If anyone has suggestions, I would enjoy hearing your ideas on HD improvement.

 

[Pieter Boelen]

Very nice! Different too.

 

[TheBlackKnight]

All,

This thread will serve as an all purpose "roll up" of all the things I am doing to update the CoAS series to HD until the eventual release of POTEHO in English.
Currently, here is the list of my projects / statuses that substantially improve graphic / gameplay:

1) HD GUI Mod - Currently Work in Progress, 95% Completed
1.5) HD Font Mod - Released, v1.0
2) Script Text Fixes for Quests and Interfaces - Current Work in Progress, 90% Completed
3) 3X New HD Ship Models from my personal modelling archives (HMS Leopard, FR Conquerant, FR Griffon) - Currently Work in Progress, 90% Completed, I need to fix the demast functionality
4) HD Seagull Animal Improvements - Work in Progress, 95% Completed, Will be released with HD GUI Mod
5) HD Ship Portraits - Currently Work in Progress, 75% Complete
6) HD Character Portraits - Currently Work in Progress, 25% Complete

7) HD Character Models - Currently Work in Progress, 10% Complete
This is a long term project, the starting "entry level" changes to the Edward Teach model was an example of many I have to upgrade and fix to modern standards, and is also dependent on future improvements and changes to GOF Eras.
The biggest problem I am having with upgrading models is their size and textures are causing TOOL to crash because it was not designed to handle what I am doing with 3DS Max.
I want to use multiple textures for individual components (character, clothes, weapons) not just one texture file for characters for maximum quality.

8) HD Widescreen / Improved Spyglasses - Released, v1.1
9) HD Flags and Colors - Released, v1.03 (HIGHER quality version will be included with the HD GUI Mod)
10) HD Inventory and Weapons (Eras ONLY) - Released, v1.0
11) HD Skill Books, Released, v1.3 (Will be updated again with even higher quality books after other items above are finished)

12) HD Card Deck (and associated files) - Released, v1.3
13) Extended Music Mod - Released, v1.0
14) Improved Crosshair - Released, v1.0, I have another upgrade already completed, just need to get it posted
15) HD Flag Movies - I will get around to tweaking this at some point for release, but its really a low priority, because I don't use flag movies (or any movies for that matter) in my installed game because I think it is an annoyance and breaks immersion.

Final Note:
I will be beta testing the future GOF Eras Module #2 Patch 1 when released for quality control to make sure the final released version on MoDDB has no quest issues and all functionality is assured for new players.
My mods will remain baselined here on PA! for the current development timeline.

 

[TheBlackKnight]

GOF / GOF Eras - HD Font Mod (v1.0) has been released for public download.