Can you experienced modders please help me?
 

For the first time I tried to do a little modding by adding some new tech areas and components. Once I was finished I tried to load the game but it couldn't read the techarea file. Am I not allowed to add new techs or is there a limit to the amount I can add? I didn't create any of my own stuff I just incorporated a bunch of different modds and put them all in the same file. I ended up adding about ten new tech areas and a bunch of new components. Can you experienced modders please help me?

Re: Can you experienced modders please help me?
 

I don't think you have reached maximum number of components. http://www.shrapnelgames.com/ubb/images/icons/icon7.gif
You have, most likely, made an error somewhere (syntax error is most common). If the game tells you line and file where error is located then it is just a typo. If it just tells you the problem file, but no description or line for error, then you have made something the game doesn't accept.

If you don't find what it is, you can post the files here so I can take a look.

Re: Can you experienced modders please help me?
 

thank you Daynarr I will take a look at the new stuff.

Re: Can you experienced modders please help me?
 

One thing for sure, negative numbers are usually bad http://www.shrapnelgames.com/ubb/images/icons/icon7.gif

I tried to make cobalt warheads have (-500) hitpoints, so when they were shot, they would add 500 damage to the bLast http://www.shrapnelgames.com/ubb/images/icons/icon7.gif

Unfortunately, the game dosen't like negatives. http://www.shrapnelgames.com/ubb/images/icons/icon9.gif

Re: Can you experienced modders please help me?
 

I put the new techs at the end of the file, then i started removing them one by one and loading the game. eventually i found the tech that wouldn't work it was "any planet colonization" from the old VernMod1. i put the rest back in and they all seem to work fine. thanks for everyones help. I wonder why that tech wouldn't work it could have been usefull!

Re: Can you experienced modders please help me?
 

I've actually run into that problem, I had a multi-environment tech that has as prereqs the three basic conlonization techs. For some reason the game engine does not seem to like that. I've emailed Aaron about it and sent in my new tech, and he said he would take a look at it. I get problems with colony modules that colonize any planet even if they depend only on the three colonization techs. Go figure. Well hopefully Aaron will figure out why.

Re: Can you experienced modders please help me?
 

I agree with JC173, I had made a multi-planet pod which worked prior to the latest mod, after installing 1.30 it no longer works. You can col any planet with any pod, eg Gas planet with a Rock pod.
I have found that adding any new stuff should be at the end of the file, as it cause real problem with any game that is under way.
Also any game which is under way you can not research any new tech fields as it does not show them. You also have to get the AI to research them as well, I have no idea how to do this!
I have found it a lot better to just build new components and link them to a higher tech, you can increase the levels OK!, and maybe even to a couple of tecg fields as well.
Hope that helps!

Re: Can you experienced modders please help me?
 

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>You also have to get the AI to research them as well, I have no idea how to do this!<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Take a look at se4\ai\Default_AI_Research.txt or se4\pictures\races\&lt;race&gt;\&lt;race&gt;_AI_re search.txt. Each entry in this file let s you specify a tech area and the minimum level to which the AI should research.

You will need to add your custom tech area to every custom AI research file as well as to the default one.

Re: Can you experienced modders please help me?
 

I've found that the tech area file can be a bit cranky. I've emailed Aaron about a few problems I've run into with it. One thing I've noticed is that it seems that if you have new tech areas that have two or more pre-reqs they to need to come at the end of the file. At least that's the only way it seemed to work for me, which seems kind of odd. I've asked Aaron if this is true, or if I just have something buggy going on but haven't received a reply yet.

Re: Can you experienced modders please help me?
 

Actually I found a universal colony tech in a different mod and incorporated it into my tech tree and it seems to work fine, even in Version 1.30. if you guys want it i will upload it here for you.

And yes i had to start a new game to use the new techs which really stinks when your as far along in a game as i was. Maybe MM could somehow change things to have new features or mods automatically added into a curent game, but that is probably impossible. oh well.

Re: Can you experienced modders please help me?
 

This is the Multi-Enviro Colony Module that I have been using for a while now. It works well, and the AI uses it also.

Name := Multi - Enviro Colony
Description := Materials needed to start a colony upon any type of planet.
Pic Num := 109
Tonnage Space Taken := 200
Tonnage Structure := 200
Cost Minerals := 2000
Cost Organics := 1000
Cost Radioactives := 1000
Vehicle Type := Ship\Base
Supply Amount Used := 0
Restrictions := None
General Group := Colonizing
Family := 5004
Roman Numeral := 0
Custom Group := 0
Number of Tech Req := 3
Tech Area Req 1 := Gas Giant Colonization
Tech Level Req 1 := 1
Tech Area Req 2 := Rock Planet Colonization
Tech Level Req 2 := 1
Tech Area Req 3 := Ice Planet Colonization
Tech Level Req 3 := 1
Number of Abilities := 4
Ability 1 Type := Colonize Planet - Rock
Ability 1 Descr := Can colonize a rock based planet.
Ability 1 Val 1 :=
Ability 1 Val 2 :=
Ability 2 Type := Colonize Planet - Gas
Ability 2 Descr := Can colonize a gas giant planet.
Ability 2 Val 1 :=
Ability 2 Val 2 :=
Ability 3 Type := Colonize Planet - Ice
Ability 3 Descr := Can colonize an ice based planet.
Ability 3 Val 1 :=
Ability 3 Val 2 :=
Ability 4 Type := Cargo Storage
Ability 4 Descr := Provides 20kT worth of cargo space.
Ability 4 Val 1 := 20
Ability 4 Val 2 := 0
Weapon Type := None

Re: Can you experienced modders please help me?
 

Once thing you need to be careful of is FAMILY NUMBERS. If you create new tech areas you have to create new family numbers. I have a list of current family numbers in an Excel spreadsheet, but, unfortunately, that is at work right now. I will get on it tomorrow.

Re: Can you experienced modders please help me?
 

Thank you Kimball that would be most helpful.

Re: Can you experienced modders please help me?
 

I already posted a list of family numbers in the mod section. You can d/l it now.

Re: Can you experienced modders please help me?
 

I couldn't find Daynarr's, but here is a copy of my lists.