Mod Help
 

I've gotten some ideas for a mod of my own, and need a few answers:

What are all the 'effects' that can be attached to components that I can make use of?
What are all the 'requirements' (thus far I've only seen one: 'One Component allowed').

Folks?

Re: Mod Help
 

As mentioned, all the effects are in the effects.txt file in the Starfury Data directory; I've listed them here anyway. The only other requirements you can use are Two Components allowed through I think Ten Components allowed.


This file gives a listing and general description for all of the effects in the game.

Crew Amount
+X Crew
Armor Amount
+X Armor Amount
Shields Amount
+X Shields Amount
Energy Amount
+X Energy Amount
Hull Amount
+X Hull Amount

Shields Maximum
+X Shields
Energy Maximum
+X Energy
Crew Maximum
+X Crew

Hull Regeneration
+X Hull Regeneration
Armor Regeneration
+X Armor Regeneration
Shields Regeneration
+X Shields Regeneration
Energy Regeneration
+X Energy Regeneration
Crew Regeneration
+X Crew Regeneration

Attack Rating
+X Attack Rating
Defense Rating
+X Defense Rating
Negotiation
+X Negotiation
Resist Shield Piercing
+X% Resist Shield Piercing
Resist Armor Piercing
+X% Resist Armor Piercing
Resist Crew Toxins
+X% Resist Crew Toxins
Resist Energy Absorption
+X% Resist Energy Absorption
Resist Psychic Attack
+X% Resist Psychic Attack
Resist Speed Reduction
+X% Resist Speed Reduction
Resist All
+X% Resist All
Propulsion Base
X Propulsion
Propulsion Bonus
+X Propulsion Bonus
Acceleration Bonus
+X Acceleration Bonus
Turn Rate Bonus
+X Turn Rate Bonus

Reduce Resist All
-X% Reduce Resist All
Reduce Target Attack Rating
-X Target Attack Rating
Reduce Target Defense Rating
-X Target Defense Rating
Increase Value
+X% Increased Value
Phased Shields Maximum
+X Phased Shields
Damage Resistance
+X% Damage Resistance
Radar Map Range
+X ls Range Radar Map
Show Cloaked Ships
+X% To Detect Cloaked Ships

Allow Radar Display
Allows the Radar Display to show
Allow Target Readout Display
Allows the Target Readout Display to show
Allow Self Readout Display
Allows the Self Readout Display to show
Allow System Map
Allows the System Map to be displayed
Allow Galaxy Map
Allows the Galaxy Map to be displayed
Prevent Crew Death
Prevents X crew death per second

Attack Rating Versus Fighters
+X Attack Rating when firing on Fighters
Attack Rating Versus Satellites
+X Attack Rating when firing on Satellites

Hull Tonnage
+X tonnage allowance for the Hull
Cargo Hold Tonnage
+X tonnage allowance for the Cargo Hold section

Additional Tonnage Structure
+X Tonnage structure for the component
(this ability is not displayed for the component, the amount is just added in to the tonnage structure of the component).
Additional Energy Consumption
+X Energy Consumption for the component
(this ability is not displayed for the component, the amount is just added in to the energy consumption of the component).

Long Range Scan Distance
+X Long Range Scan Distance (when target within LR Scan Distance, the LRS button on the target readout is available).

Regenerate Shields From Damage
+X shields per 1 point of damage
Regenerate Energy From Damage
+X energy per 1 point of damage

Lays Mines
Can lay mines in space
Is Unit
This component will become a unit when launched. The Space Object XFile Name field
indicates the class name of the fighter in the Main_Enemies.txt file. The fighter
when launched will be the same level as the parent ship, and will be of the same
race (for enemy determination).

Re: Mod Help
 

And another question:

In the components file each item has a 'class name'... what is the function of that line (since the line directly under it generally says the same thing), and what else needs to be changed (where) if that line is altered?

Also:

Can the effects.txt file be changed to put more effects into the game?

I've got an idea for a weapon intercooler that reduces weapon reload times. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/cool.gif A great way to spend that huge bankroll that I get after maxing out my desired ship. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/happy.gif How difficult would it be, if possible?

Re: Mod Help
 

Also if you want lots of components on your ships you can break the functions of one component into several. Like take the power regeneration from the power generator and create a different component, let's say power conduit. Now if your ship is damaged you can have more systems damaged and more accurate situation. Like if the power conduits gets blown to bits you can fire once.

(I would write more but I'll have to go or I'll miss my bus)

Re: Mod Help
 

I'd rather not break things down into so many small parts like that... Doing that would require that I put a lot more slots on ships for the pieces and parts.

I just make new things.. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/image...es/biggrin.gif

Q:

In the bottom of the components.txt file there are several little tidbits of information about the items in the file. For example:

<font color="blue">Ion Engine - Sets movement rate. Sets acceleration rate. EngineIon.bmp</font>

I have not been able to find anywhere 'engineion.bmp'... [/i](or any other .bmp item image files that it names)[/i]is the game actually referring to that filesomewhere or what?
http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/image...s/confused.gif

Re: Mod Help
 

*grumble* http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/mad.gif http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/image...s/confused.gif

Okay, now I've done something and it won't let me launch a new campaign. I have no idea what, since I completely wiped the game and reinstalled clean, and patched.

Currently all I am attempting to use is a new components.bmp image file and an edited components.txt file - but each time I attempt to launch a new campaign it gets to the 'generating campaign' splash at 90% and halts. Alt-F4 brings me back to the game menu. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/Sick.gif

The .BMP file works fine, it's something in the .txt file that I cannot figure out. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/image...s/confused.gif

Anyone care to look at offer assistance in figuring out this headache? http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/Sick.gif

&lt;edit&gt;

After some experimentation I have some clues... For instance, I've created 3 different types of 'bridge', (basic, advanced, elite). For some strange reason the starting ship loads the one with the highest 'level' requirement. I do not know why. The game chokes during startup just to do that with the bridge, and I guess if I have the other parts likewise (crew quarters, life support, et al) It just can't take the multiple instances.

Why, being my question? I've put 'min level' requirements on them, but it's apparently being ignored? http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/image...s/confused.gif

Re: Mod Help
 

The class name is used in all other files; the name is what the player actually sees. This doesn't mean much in the stock game, but you could for example do this:

Class name: APB
Name: Anti-Proton Beam I

Class name: APB
Name: Anti-Proton Beam II

Then put APB into the stores file, and when the game loads and selects the APB to put into the store, it would randomly choose between APB I and APB II. No, effects.txt cannot be edited; its for information purposes only.

EDIT: the stuff at the bottom doesn't do anything and in most cases its actually quite out of date. Ignore it.

Re: Mod Help
 

First, try playing in windowed mode; that will likely let you see any error Messages. Try setting the min level requriements back to 1, see what happens.

Re: Mod Help
 

How do you tell windows to launch something in windowed mode?

A debug like SEIV had would be soooo very nice.

Anyway... I've realized that it was choking on just your example:

APB I and APB II - I did that with the enhanced systems (Bridge, Advanced Bridge, Elite Bridge) while the class name remained: Bridge.

It stuck the elite bridge on my starting ship... and choked doing that. When I added in other 'enhanced' systems, that choking got worse until with 4 such iterations it crashed (or worse, froze the comp solid).

Do I need to create an entirely new 'class' for each iteration of such systems?

I was hoping to limit access to those by level - but that does not seem to be working right. Dunno. I might be using that line wrong.

http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/smirk.gif On a better note: The components.bmp file works perfectly this time! I forgot to add a few things, but I'll put them in as time goes by. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/cool.gif

Re: Mod Help
 

Weapons:

I've been trying to make a few high-speed, low damage weapons, but I'm finding out that 'point blank' actually occurs after the first 10 range.

The anti-proton beam, for example, level one starts at 0 at range 1, and goes up to 180 damage at range 10, and *THEN* the damage listing (as shown in the bottom of components.txt) comes into play at range 11... http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/image...s/confused.gif

Any way to reduce the damage in that first range area?

Re: Mod Help
 

You don't tell Windows. You start Starfury, click the setup button and instead of selecting your resolution you select windowed.

I still suggest turning the min level back down to 1 just in case. As for the class thing- your bridges must all be seperate components still, just with the same class name.

Your point blank damage will always be the same as the damage listed initially in the component.

Re: Mod Help
 

By jove I've got it werking... http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/image...es/biggrin.gif http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/cool.gif

In going through it line by line to address my new image slots I detected two major faults: http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/shock.gif

Cargo bays had 2 effects stated, but only one in use (cargo tonnage). http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/image...ies/tongue.gif I fixed that back to 1.

And I had a double-line at the end of a record. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/Sick.gif

I've reset everything back to level 1 and it's working fine thus far (with game reloads, I've not yet tried starting a new game).

If starting a new game works, I'll go back and start tinkering with the levels again.

Wish me luck! http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/cool.gif

Re: Mod Help
 

Right, that's showing up just fine... in range box #11, with the appropriate damage dec after range 10.
From ranges 1 to 10 the damage is coming from somewhere else. Perhaps the 'beam' definition in one of the other files, I'll have to look into it tomorrow.

Until then, I'm satisfied with what I've gotten working so far, and I'm off to watch the season opener for CSI (Vegas). http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/evil.gif

Re: Mod Help
 

Double lines are a bad thing. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/image...ies/tongue.gif I've never seen what you're talking about for the 0-10 damage, so I can't help you there.

Re: Mod Help
 

BTW: Windowed mode does NOT work for me. I get an error message:

<font color="blue">TDirectX.startall - creating primary
This process has already created a primary surface</font>

Launch the game... look at any weapon. It's damage layout is the same as SEIV. Twenty squares listing the damage your weapons do.

In my game no matter how I set my weapons, the first ten blocks count damage upward from 0. For my level 1 anti-proton beams it's 0 in damage block 1 and 180 in damage block 10. Then whatever damage is set as 'point blank', and whatever follows that as defined by the components.txt file on out to damage block 20.

Anti - Proton Beam
<font color="red">0 20 40 60 80 100 120 140 160 180 12 8 6 4 2 0 0 0 0 0</font>

Depleted Uranium Cannon
<font color="red">0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 12 12 12 12 12 12 0 0 0 0</font>


It does this even with the unmodded game, patched. I just cannot find where it defines these damage classes.

Re: Mod Help
 

*sigh*

Well, the new comps look sharp in the game.

Unfortunately I get vomited out with a floating point violation whenever I try to start a new game. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/frown.gif It doesn't like something in there... and aint about to tell me what.

I can *load* an existing game just fine, however.

Re: Mod Help
 

Umm. Just FYI, the numbers on the top row are the RANGE, not the damage. The in-game damage bar figures out what range your weapon goes out to, then divides it into 10 squares of display.

Re: Mod Help
 

AHHHHhhhhh, ah HAH! I did not know this! Thank you, that edifies me greatly.

Now it makes a whole lot more sense. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/cool.gif http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/wink.gif

On that display, however, mines have a range of 90 (damage out to 30!). Or is that just the game parsing some arbitrary minimum range instead of just filling the boxes with zeros?

Re: Mod Help
 

Now, on to other things.

Any ideas on what might be causing my Floating Point error when trying to start a new game? http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/frown.gif I have made no mods to the starting ships at all.

Re: Mod Help
 

For weapons that have a max range (not for their level but a max for any level, as specified in main_components.txt) of &lt;100, the game will show ranges in 10ls increments; if it's between 100 and 200, they'll show up in 20ls increments, and so on. The damage out to range 30, I think, means that the mine will detonate when a ship comes within 30ls of it and damage that ship (and maybe other things nearby, I'm not sure).

Re: Floating Point
 

I'm a sw dev. and every time there's a floating point error one should check for some dangerous ZERO somewhere.

i.e.: if something must be calculated dividing the Range of a weapon by its Power, then if you give Power a value of zero, you could get a f.p. error somewhere...

I'm only trying to guess, hope it helps http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/wink.gif

Re: Mod Help
 

Hey... ah, I just checked something in my files...

Is there a 'maximum' speed for ships in the game?

I've noticed that fighters max out at 1.5 (1500), so I've been adjusting my other ship hulls to be able to come closer to that (1200 peak ATM with the lightest hulls).

Re: Mod Help
 

See other thread..

Re: Mod Help
 

This maybe a "Dumb" question..but...how do you get itto play in "Windowed"?

Re: Mod Help
 

When you start Starfury, instead of loading the game from the menu that pops up, click on Options. There is an option to set the resolution, and one of them is windowed mode.

Re: Mod Help
 

Bear in mind that it doesn't work all the time... http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/happy.gif Even with the most up-to-date drives. It won't on my computer, giving me an error message. I'm using a Radeon 7500 128.

Re: Mod Help
 

Windowed runs fine....I like the "FULL" screen better http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/happy.gif