LU Setup Guide

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Welcome to LU! This guide will assist you in making sure you install or patch properly.

WARNING: Some installers wipe data.

Plugin manager is not compatible.
Bonus Pack is not compatible.
Mods not specifically designed for LU as per author description are not compatible.

You will be performing a, b, or c, etc.. Choose one.

A

  • Requirement: I am starting from scratch on a new game
  1. Have a clean install ready. See: Clean Install.
  2. Download the base mod from the downloads page.
  3. Install the base mod to your clean install main folder (i.e. C:\X3).
  4. Download the latest patch from the downloads page if there is one (there might not be one).
  5. Install the latest patch to your clean install main folder (i.e. C:\X3) if there is one (there might not be one).
  6. Download the soundtrack from the downloads page.
  7. Install the soundtrack to your clean install main folder (i.e. C:\X3).
  8. Download the latest GUI package from the downloads page.
  9. Install the latest GUI package to your clean install main folder (i.e. C:\X3).
  10. Start X3, choose New Game -> Your Desired Start (Do NOT choose Damyath Import when beginning a new game!)

B

  • Requirement: There is a new patch, and it is the same code base than what I’m running: YES
  • Requirement: The base install that I installed is the same version that is on the the downloads page.: YES
  • Requirement: I want to continue my empire
  1. Download the latest patch from the downloads page.
  2. Install the latest patch to your existing LU installation main folder (i.e. C:\X3).
  3. Check to see if the soundtrack has been updated since you have installed it. If so, download and install it.
  4. Check to see if the GUI package has been updated since you have installed it. If so, download and install it.
  5. Start X3 and load your save.

C

  • Requirement: There is a new patch, and it is the same code base than what I’m running: NO
  • Requirement: The base install that I installed is the same version that is on the the downloads page: YES
  • Requirement: I want to continue my empire
  1. Download the latest E/I Package from the downloads page.
  2. Install the latest E/I package to your existing LU installation main folder (i.e. C:\X3).
  3. Load your current game and perform an export. If you do not know how, see: Export/Import.
  4. Download the latest patch from the downloads page.
  5. Install the latest patch to your existing LU installation main folder (i.e. C:\X3).
  6. Check to see if the soundtrack has been updated since you have installed it. If so, download and install it.
  7. Check to see if the GUI package has been updated since you have installed it. If so, download and install it.
  8. Start X3, choose New Game -> Damyath Import.

D

  • Requirement: The base install that I installed is the same version that is on the the downloads page: NO
  • Requirement: I want to continue my empire
  1. Have a clean install ready. See: Clean Install.
  2. Download the base mod from the downloads page.
  3. Install the base mod to your new clean install main folder (i.e. C:\X3).
  4. Download the soundtrack, if you if you do not already have the installer for the latest version, from the downloads page.
  5. Install the soundtrack to your new clean install main folder (i.e. C:\X3).
  6. Download the GUI installer, if you if you do not already have the installer for the latest version, from the downloads page.
  7. Install the GUI installer to your new clean install main folder (i.e. C:\X3).
  8. Download the latest E/I Package from the downloads page.
  9. Install the latest E/I package to your current game LU installation main folder (i.e. C:\X3).
  10. Load your current game from your current game LU installation and perform an export. If you do not know how, see: Export/Import.
  11. A file will be generated in your current game LU installation addon\t directory called 8382-L044.xml. Move this file to the new clean install addon\t.
  12. Install the latest E/I package to your new clean install main folder (i.e. C:\X3).
  13. Start X3 in the new installation, choose New Game -> Damyath Import.

Linux

We do not fully support Linux, for various reasons – however it is still possible to play on Linux, some general information that may help you: Thank-you to nekoexmachina & idont for the information below:

  • Follow the standard install procedures outlined above; Note that you have to find some way to run the exe setup files. (For example, using wine)
  • The install exe’s expect a file named “X3AP.exe” to be present in your install directory root folder, a simple zero bye file is sufficient to pass this check. (touch X3AP.exe)
  • Ignore any instructions about “no steam”, the linux versions contain no DRM. However, it is still critical that you create a copy of the files in a place steam cant get its grubby hand on it, or it will tend to restore files that LU requires to be deleted.
  • If you encounter artifacting/visually glitching suns, download the “TSuns Removed Lense Flares” file from the downloads page and extract it in your /addon/types directory (Create the directory if needed). Credit to idont for the files creation.

Please note that some installers may expect ‘X3AP_n.exe’ rather then ‘X3AP.exe’, this is due to egosoft changing the name of the no-steam exe a few versions ago

The files in the soundtrack installer are of .mp3 (MPEG) format, the Linux version of the game is unable to read these files. You will need to find a way to batch convert them to ogg vorbis, you may also need to rename them from .ogg to .mp3 for the game to see them again… See this post for a short description of the process: https://forum.egosoft.com/viewtopic.php?p=4710830#4710830

I cannot follow these basic instructions

  1. Litcube cannot help me.

Signs of a broken installation of LU

Due to the number of changes LU makes to the base game, deviating from the instructions listed above will often result in a broken install. Signs your install is broken are:

  1. There are .pck files in your …\addon\scripts directory
  2. Your game lags like hell
  3. Your ships won’t autojump when settings are correct and e-cells present
  4. Mammoths, everywhere. So many Mammoths that I could not for the life me understand how the sky could contain them all yet be so black.

If you have issues with your new LU installation and notice any of the above, please delete your entire X3AP install folder, re-download X3AP from steam, and carefully follow the install instructions above again before making a bug report on the forum.

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