Elite / Frontier Release: Buffet 2.0

Download it Here.

After almost 4 years I decided to have another look at BUFFET and update it. A lot has changed since version 1.0 and a big chunk of the code has been rewritten. Even though this is version 2.0, consider it beta as there is probably some bugs and I've not tested it on many systems. Once I get any bug reports, I'll release v2.01 and so on. I've only tested it on Windows XP SP3 and Windows 7 x64 and it seems to run okay on my test machines.

I strongly suggest reading the docs before messing with the Ship Manipulator and Ship Replacement features. The readme has a little tutorial to explain how things work. The rest of the new cheats are pretty self explanatory.

Have fun!

WHATSNEW:

+ Rewrote the routine to detect when JJFFE is already running, fixing the "Explorer.exe" bug, 64bit incompatibilies and eliminating the need to search for JJFFE by window title.

+ Rewrote the entire loading routine, it is much better and no longer assumes JJFFE is running after a certain time. Now it will wait, because FFED3D takes a long time to load.

+ Full compatibility with FFED3D. When running BUFFET for the first time on FFED3D, it will seem to take a long time to find the offset. This is normal, FFED3D loads all of it's textures and models first, before initialising the FFE memory area.

+ Config file rewrite: BUFFET now stores information about the JJFFE exe in 'BUFFET.ini' and stores this information for every version of a JJFFE exe that is loaded. Automatic starting of JJFFE has been removed.

+ Command-line support: You can now specify the JJFFE exe on the command-line after BUFFET.exe, or drag-and-drop a JJFFE exe onto the BUFFET.exe file to launch. Example: BUFFET.exe "c:\ffe\jjffe.exe".

+ Proper XP-style skin support.

+ Reorganised window gadgets into the correct order (tabbing through buttons).

+ Cheats are on panels now, with all the old cheats on panel 1, and the new cheats on panel 2.

+ NEW CHEAT: Time travel. You can now go to any specific date in time. Note: Commander Jameson dies in the year 3317. You can go to this date and beyond, just don't let the day end or the game will be over.

+ NEW CHEAT: Medals and Permits. Add or remove medals and permits.

+ Bugfix: Criminal records were not cleared properly.

+ Added a ship manipulator feature. It is now possible to 'train' computer controlled ships and do other interesting things to them.

+ NEW CHEAT: Set the time of day.

+ NEW Feature: Change the colour of your ship.

+ Added ship replacement feature. This is a powerful ship editor that allows you to replace A.I. ships in the game to a totally new specification. For example you can make all hostile ships have a certain weapon, or change the ship completely.

+ Removed freeze rate slider, as it was of no use and taking up precious space.

+ Code coverted and compiled to PB 4.41.

+ Spin gadgets can now go above 32767 as a result of compiling with the new version of PB. This fixes the reverse thruster max value.

+ NEW CHEAT: Wormhole. You can now go anywhere in the galaxy almost instantly with the minimum ambout of fuel required to jump. Just enable the cheat and go to any system on the map, it doesn't matter if it is out of range. Note: The hyperspace icon doesn't show up but just click where it usually is and it will still hyperspace.

+ NEW CHEAT: Service drive and equipment. There is also an option to never have to service again.

+ Changed cash input box to a spin gadget.

+ Added an option to fix Escape Capsule/StowMaster Fighter thrust values when launched from your ship. This is how FFE should behave but there is a bug in FFE which doesn't set the thrust values for launched Escape Capsules/StowMaster Fighters, it keeps them the same as your current ship.

Small update - v2.01

+ Bugfix: Hull condition not showing up properly in Anisotropic mode on the ship manipulator.

+ Lowered mem search range. This fixes wrong offsets in some builds of JJFFE.

+ BUFFET now minimizes to the system tray.
 
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Sir.Tj

The Moderator who shall not be Blamed....
Volunteer Moderator
Fantastic news, have downloaded it and will be having a good old fashioned muck about with it.

Appreciate all the hard work you've done.

Cheers Whertz.
 

Sir.Tj

The Moderator who shall not be Blamed....
Volunteer Moderator
Hi Whertz,

Working great so far, loving the ship manipulator :cool:
 
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Bug maybe: When I take over another ship, the cargo space is the same as my old ship.


And the new buffet doesn't work with the plain jjffe executable, it only works when the jjffe exe is located in a full FFE installation.
 
Having great fun with this :)

Am I right in thinking you've removed the automatic loading of FFE when you launch Buffet? In other words, you have to select which version of the game you want to use every time you run Buffet?
 
Bug maybe: When I take over another ship, the cargo space is the same as my old ship.


And the new buffet doesn't work with the plain jjffe executable, it only works when the jjffe exe is located in a full FFE installation.

Not a bug, it checks if mission.dat is present in the directory of the exe file you load. And cargo space is not stored on a per ship basis, but I suppose I could change it to the correct value when taking over a ship.
 
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Having great fun with this :)

Am I right in thinking you've removed the automatic loading of FFE when you launch Buffet? In other words, you have to select which version of the game you want to use every time you run Buffet?

Yes, automatic loading is removed.

You can specify the FFE exe on the command line, or make a shortcut. Example: BUFFET.exe "c:\ffed3d\ffe d3d.exe"
 
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You can specify the FFE exe on the command line, or make a shortcut. Example: BUFFET.exe "c:\ffed3d\ffe d3d.exe"
Trouble is, I much prefer playing the game (FFE D3D) fullscreen but if I try to switch back to the desktop from fullscreen - in order to access Buffet - my computer freaks and crashes the game. What I'm trying to do is set up two shortcuts; one to run the game fullscreen and the other to run it windowed which allows access to Buffet with no problems. Tricky when you're working with one ffewin.cfg file :(

The loader program available from Elite Games Russia seems to be my best bet at the moment...
 
Trouble is, I much prefer playing the game (FFE D3D) fullscreen but if I try to switch back to the desktop from fullscreen - in order to access Buffet - my computer freaks and crashes the game. What I'm trying to do is set up two shortcuts; one to run the game fullscreen and the other to run it windowed which allows access to Buffet with no problems. Tricky when you're working with one ffewin.cfg file :(

The loader program available from Elite Games Russia seems to be my best bet at the moment...

If I were you I would hex edit the FFE WIN.exe with something like XVI32 and search for ffewin.cfg, then replace it with ffe-fs.cfg. Save the file as "FFE WIN-FS.exe" and copy ffewin.cfg to ffe-fs.cfg and voila, you can have 2 exe files and two config files.
 
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If I were you I would hex edit the FFE WIN.exe with something like XVI32 and search for ffewin.cfg, then replace it with ffe-fs.cfg. Save the file as "FFE WIN-FS.exe" and copy ffewin.cfg to ffe-fs.cfg and voila, you can have 2 exe files and two config files.
Thanks for the suggestion whertz. I have done this sort of thing before to get the main exe to reference a different cfg file. Excellent idea :)
 
da biste platt

in other words, i have no words to express... bla,bla,bla
great! :D

but wait folks a cool picture of a "pimped" cobra mkI

cobramk1_s1.jpg


thanks a lot again

get the replacement font for "Times font" of FFE at ssc (soon).
looks nice, hm?
of course usually you will have the line font for labels (except the large vessels), but you can change it by changing the command for it in ffe.
'been working on a "fixed" ffed3d with correct missiles pos. labeling, thruster pos. ect. but it takes some time...... (ol' blackelks halfways hidden starport label, of course)

do you like the missiles on top?
 
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Very cool Potsmoke! :D I do hope someone will give the Cobra Mk1 a makeover with a new model. It was a worthly little ship, not as fast as the Mk3 perhaps but it had a longer range and could just about survive an energy bomb attack. Also love those fonts :cool:
 
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