**EDIT: This thread contains detailed descriptions of the [targets] code in hulls/shipname.txt. Thank you all for the contributions.
Do more [targets] in hull text file make a ship easier to defeat?
Do larger dimensions of a target make it easier to hit?
Logically I think yes, but I’m wondering if it matters to the game engine. Thanks in advance
I think I can answer for this one. To my knowledge it won’t affect how much damage is applied and so on. I don’t think it affects range calculations either, as they are measured to the center of the ship sprite. Assuming I’m right, it’s purely a graphical thing.
The game engine cares ===[size=150]very[/size]=== much how large your ship is. The smaller your hull, the harder you are for enemy weapons to acquire. And as the proverb goes, “the bigger they are, the harder they fall”. 
excellent, thanks
That applies only if you are talking about the ship size value. NOT the [target] were the laser, beam, bullet is going to hit to show the damaged sprite.
Here is the result of my learning about hull coding:
The [target] code line has only graphical functions that does not affects the gameplay. Each [target] line is a group of coordinates that creates a box with the function to show the damaged sprite with the same coordinates that the box, also a marked center called “center offset” or somewhat, is the point were all the beams, bullets and missiles will hit (inside the box) to activate it.
There is an exception, a short range weapon attacking a HUGE hull will result in a fall in the efficiency of the weapon, because the laser bolts and missiles are not going to reach some of the [target] locations. BUT this only affects to missiles and laser cannons! Cuz seems like beam cannons tend to ignore the huge distance and hit any damage spot in any distance with the only condition to have the center of the enemy hull in range.
To clarify one point: the “target” portion of each line of code in the [targets] section actually has no dimensions; it’s just a single point where the weapon impacts. The part that has dimensions is the damage square - the part of the sprite that gets changed to the damage sprite when the target gets hit. You can create a target with no damage enabled, which just makes a point where weapons hit, there is a small explosion, and that’s that - no visible lasting damage.
Correct. I was speaking solely in terms of the official size of the ship.
In that context, my words were equating the term “target” as a synonym for referring in broad terms to “a ship”…
…NOT as the term “target” being considered as:
“a point or an area on the ship’s hull that spews pretty visual effects when struck by enemy fire, but whose pretty visual effects have precisely ZERO material effect on that ship’s tactical performance”.
Carry on, my friends.
Are the co-ordinates based on the 256x256 dimesions like the turrets or the actual hull size as dictated by the .txt file?
The coordinates for the [targets] section are based on a 256X256 sprite. In fact, all the coordinates in the hull file are based on 256X256 except the [hulks] section, which are based on 512X512.
Cool, thanks I am mac based so I don’t access to the mod utility so I have to ask all these questions. Ok, so the target co-ordinates are 256 based, how do I note the size of the target box?
I have a hull damage at say 122,80…what is next?
here is an example code I am working with but most of it is geekinese to me.
4 = 124.50,57.00,0,1,117.50,50.00,131.50,64.00,(damage_sprite_sparks-125.00-58.00),(damage_sprite_sparks-123.00-57.00),(damage_sprite_sparks-121.00-55.00),(damage_sprite_sparks-123.00-53.00),(damage_sprite_sparks-125.00-53.00),(damage_sprite_sparks-126.00-56.00),(damage_sprite_smoke-122.00-53.00),(damage_sprite_smoke-125.00-58.00),Well, I was going to point you to the spot on the forums where I found all this info. Which would require me to be able to find it. Which I can’t. Drat. 
So I guess I’ll just toss this out there for you (and anyone who’s watching at home) to use as a starting point. I copied this bit of instruction from someplace on the modding forum (probably in the Guide to Modding 101 sticky at the top - a worthwhile read!):
I know this all seemed straightforward to me, so there’s a good chance it’s gibberish to a normal human being. Any questions, fire away.
Young padawan Magnus, you are overlooking the obvious.
[yoda]
Modding 101 Guide stickied at the top of this forum you should consult.
Your very first resource to check should this Guide always be.
Hear you nothing that I say?
[/yoda]
First page, second post in the Guide.
Link marked as, “Editing the text file for your new ship”.
Finding it couldn’t possibly be easier.
Read. Learn. Enjoy. 
I’m not above missing blatantly obvious stuff:) But hey it keeps you vets well practiced in pointing newbs around. Now if you want to talk kalashnikovs…well I may have something on ya;)
fear not Magnus…I like to consider myself a pretty good modder and even I miss REALLY STUPID errors from time to time. It’s just how we learn and grow, the benefit of this forums is; EVERYONE is absolutely awesome and will help you if they can…that’s how I got off the ground!