While we're slowly but steadily approaching a level of customizability where "anything goes" thanks to advancements in hook programming, there are still some limits to what we can do. Here's a rough overview. For comparison, I'm listing both vanilla game as well as the game with hooks.
OPT Constraints
Model Dimensions
Vanilla: ~27km, beyond that, the craft will not show ingame
Hooked: unknown, Tests with 60km models were successful. BUT the model will disappear when you're within its hitbox and facing away from the center. Also, this is greatly dependent on your screen resolution. The higher the resolution the lower the size threshold. It is recommended to use very large model solely as background objects and do not involve them in the actual mission action.
Number of meshes p. OPT
Vanilla: 49-51, any additional meshes won't load.
Hooked: 255, any additional meshes won't load.
Number of vertices p. mesh
Vanilla: 512
Hooked: 65535, can be changed via XWA EXE Patcher.
However it has been shown that meshes with more than 10.000 vertices will cause some severe performance issues for OPTing programs.
Number of quad-faces p. mesh
Vanilla: soft limit at ~200, depends on texture mapping. Too many faces will cause Trinagling to infinity
Hooked: Theoretically unlimited, see vertices limit
Number of tri-faces p. mesh
Vanilla: soft limit at ~500, depends on texture mapping. Too many faces will cause Trinagling to infinity
Hooked: Theoretically unlimited, see vertices limit
Number of textures p. OPT
Vanilla: 100
Hooked: 1024
Texture resolution:
Vanilla: any power of 2, up to 256x256, anything else crashes the game
Hooked: No limitation
Texture color depth
Vanilla: 8Bit (256 colors), anything else crashes the game
Hooked: 32Bit is possible. OPTech still requires 8bit textures but you can replace them later using OPT Editor
Number of hardpoints
Vanilla + Hooked: 127, Superfluous hardpoints not active
Number of rotary Gun Turrets:
Vanilla + Hooked: 16
Number of Hardpoins per Gun Turret:
Vanilla + Hooked: 2
Number of engine glows
Vanilla: 16, Superfluous engine glows not showing
Hooked: 255, Superfluous engine glows not showing
///////////////////////////////////////////////////
Mission constraints
Objects per Region
Vanilla: 96, Superfluous Objects not showing
Hooked: 192, Superfluous Objects not showing
Flihgtgroups per Mission
Vanilla + Hooked: 192, Superfluous Objects not showing
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FrontEnd/UI constraints
2D Image color depth (FrontEnd)
Vanilla: 8bit (256 colors)
Hooked: 32bit
2D Image color depth (In-Flight)
Vanilla: 8bit (256 colors)
Hooked: 32bit
Backdrop resolution
Vanilla: any power of 2, up to 256x256
Hooked: any power of 2, max scale can be changed via XWA EXE Patcher
Skirmish Pic resolution
Vanilla: 180x180
Hooked: No limit
Hull Icon resolution (Inflight)
Vanilla + Hooked: 32x32
Map Icon resolution (Concourse)
Vanilla: 16x16
Hooked: No limit
Mission Pic resoution
Vanilla: 256x256
Hooked: No limit
Battle Pic resolution
Vanilla: 512x256
Hooked: No limit
XWA(U) Limitations
XWA(U) Limitations
Your ship, Captain. I need a drink. - Vince Trageton
Vince T's X-Wing HQ - where the bad guys get their gear
Vince T's X-Wing HQ - where the bad guys get their gear
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![Image](https://i.imgur.com/JrFPoL6.png?1)
![Image](https://i.imgur.com/CYTyoW3.png?2)
![Image](https://i.imgur.com/Gy8vkc2.png?1)
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- the_stag
- Posts: 134
- Joined: Sun Jun 14, 2020 3:47 pm
This is some great information. Thanks for taking the time to compile this.