Component modding tool. Get it here.
 

I've got my Viewer program working now so that it will edit and save components. I would consider this still very buch a 'beta' Version so if anyones is wiling to test it out it would be great. So far there isn't much in the way of help files so hopefully you can figure it out. Some of the non-obvious features include; double clicking the pic file to select from the master pic that shows them all, right click on a field for help, and a few things such as the values for attributes have tool tips.

http://www3.sympatico.ca/dgunsten/SE4Modder.zip

or for just the EXE
http://www3.sympatico.ca/dgunsten/SE4ModderEXE.zip

Re: Component modding tool. Get it here.
 

Comment: I run at 800x600. The component editor apparently expects a higher resolution, and it won't resize.. result: some controls can't be used til I bump the resolution up.

Re: Component modding tool. Get it here.
 

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">You need to click the 'tree view' button. This will slide the tree view out the way. There also should be a scroll bar on the right to scroll up and down. Although I concede the program may be a bit of a pain to use at that resolution

Re: Component modding tool. Get it here.
 

Woooowwww. DavidG, you read my mind to the T. This is exactly what I have been hoping for. Very nice work. Now the questions.

I see that you have the ability to add and create new components. Very nice. Is there by any chance that one can go in and edit ship, troop, base, fighter, ect sizes and abilities, and add some more?

Also from my previous post in your other thread, I had mentioned something about viewing ohter race ships, troops, fighters, ect. It seems that maybe you just put in a random ship "Norak" for misc. reasons and that is the only one that can be viewed in the editor?

Last question, kind of dumb, but I don't want to risk screwing up my current game. Once you make a change or add a new component, it is saved and automatically applied into the mod one is working with? Koodos to you if that is so. You made my life super easy.

Thanks

Re: Component modding tool. Get it here.
 

Been playing around with your editor. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon12.gif Couple more questions have arisen. When I was editing a component or I think I was adding one, I for some reason replaced an excisting component. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/shock.gif Maybe there could be some sort of undo function?

Being that I accidentally replaced one component with my new component, I figured that the only way to get the original component figures was to reinstall the original mod files. Doing so, of course replaces any changes that one might have made with the original files. So when it comes time for a new Version of a mod, any work you yourself might have done is going to be replaced. Is there any way to counter all of this? http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/image...s/confused.gif

Long winded I know, some day I will learn the art of one sentence descriptions.

Re: Component modding tool. Get it here.
 

First yea when you hit the save button the changes are aplied to the components.txt file and thus into the mod. Yea I do have plans to provide some sort of undo feature. For now if you mess things up look in the data directory for the mod. You will see a couple of extra files. "Components.bak" is a backup of the .txt file that is made when the program is first started. "Components.bk1" is made each time you save. So if you delete the 'componets.txt' file and rename the '.bak' file to '.txt' you will undo all changes since you started the program. Remaming the '.bk1' file will undo the changes for the Last save. To avoid messing things up I'd suggest copy a mod into a new directory or use the handy 'Create new mod' from the file menu. It will copy all the '.txt' data files to a new directory.

You will notice that right now the program can view the vehcile sizes, facilities, and tech areas. I do plan to make these editable too. And yea I did just randomly pick the Norak for a pic for the vehicle sizes part. The reason really was that it was just my intentions to show details about the vehicle size. The pic was just eye candy. But maybe in future Versions...

As far as abilites go I don't think these are editable??? I think they are probably hard coded into the program. Can anyone confirm this?

[ June 23, 2002, 11:47: Message edited by: DavidG ]

Re: Component modding tool. Get it here.
 

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">If you are editing or adding a component and the name of the component is the same as an existing one it will be replaced.

[ June 23, 2002, 11:50: Message edited by: DavidG ]

Re: Component modding tool. Get it here.
 

You can edit the abilities file, but it has no effect on the actual abilities. Abilities are hardcoded and cannot be created or changed except by Malfador.

In fact the abilities file is only a help file for modders. There are some abilities that are not listed there, and some that don't even do anything.

Geoschmo

Re: Component modding tool. Get it here.
 

I am giddy. I am positivly estatic! This is so exactly what I had pictured in my mind for an editor, I can't believe it.

I LOVE the ability to look at the giant components bitmap and slecet which one I want right from there. I have been asking for a program that would let me do that for as long as I have been doing mods. SWEET! I can't wait till you add this ability for facilities.

I love the ability to create an entirely new mod on the fly and have it copy all the exsisting data files over. Very nice.

A couple of points.

The program is just a litte too eager to rewrite the files in the stock data folder. Yes it backs them up, but it would be very easy to fumble finger and restart the program a couple of times and now your stock data files are toast. I would encourage you to "idiot proof" this a bit, and instead of opening into the sotck files, have it open into a vannila mod of some kind that is a copy of the stock files. I would also have it not rewrite the stock data files until after prompting you three times and backing up the file twice. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon12.gif

For that matter, it would be fairly easy it appears to screw up a mod by closing the program and reopening it if it rewrites the .bak file every time the program starts. Does it rewrite an exsisting .bak file?

Geoschmo

Re: Component modding tool. Get it here.
 

Thanks for the feedback http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon10.gif

Yea when the program starts any existing component.bak file is overwriten. Your probably write it is too easy to modify the stock files (especially since I know how often people ignore the warning dialog boxes) I'm thinking maybe the simplist solution whould be just to prevent the program from modifying the stock files.?? I kind of like the idea of of openeing up in the base directory (well actually it opens in the previous dir you were viewing) so you could still use it as a just viewer program

P.S. Just want to re-emphasis that I still consider this a beta Version so I would highly advise against modifying any existing mods without backing up the components.txt file

[ June 23, 2002, 14:59: Message edited by: DavidG ]

Re: Component modding tool. Get it here.
 

Ok, another little issue. When creating a mod there doesn't seem to be any way to tell it where to make the mod. It creates the mod in my C:\Program Files\Shrapnel Games\Malfador Machinations\Space Empires IV Gold directory and copies the stock data files from there for the mod.

On my computer that is the location of my Version 1.60 install of SE4. I have another 5 or 6 installs on my computer so I can play and test games in different Versions. I may be a little odd in the number of installs, but I am sure I am not the only one with more than 1. Also some people may have only one install but not have it in the default directory.

Also as far as viewing/modifying AI, it would be extremely cool if you would add these features in. What I see is following your tree format here have a tree for all the AI in the current mod and a branch of each AI that has a page that you can view the shipset. Then have the ability to change any of these pics. My suggestion is to have a source folder for pics somewhere and you could dump your images there, then by selecting an image from that folder and saving it the modder would copy that image to the appropriate AI folder and rename it with the appropriate filename. You wouldn't have the giant bitmap with all the ships the way you do with the components, but you could have a scroll bar and click through the options couldn't you?

Geoschmo

Re: Component modding tool. Get it here.
 

Hmm the program will find the files if you have SE4 in a non default directory but I never thought of anyone having multiple installs. hehe I'll see what I can do about that. Once I get the other data files editable I may start to get it working for the AI. But one thing at time :-)

Re: Component modding tool. Get it here.
 

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Good point on being able to view the base directory. So then allowing it to open in the base folder, but not allowing any changes unless you are in a mod folder is a good fix. And this should be true for any base Version. The program should look at the directory and if the data folder is in the same folder with the se4.exe then that should be classified as a base folder and made off limits to changes. That way someone like myself that has several installs of SEIV on my computer will not run the risk of screwing up any of the base installs, only makeing changes to mod folders under them.

Geoschmo

Re: Component modding tool. Get it here.
 

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">No problem. You will get very tired of me making suggestions before it's all over I am sure. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon12.gif

Re: Component modding tool. Get it here.
 

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Hehe Suggest away. Writing this program is more fun than the game. Those damn PBW turns keep showing up and I have to take a break from the program http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon7.gif Since I've never done any extensive modding I suspect there are a few features that would be usefull that I'm unaware off. Like I gather it's important for the AI what order the components are in?? There are other things that I'm not sure if the program should error check for. (since I'd like to make it so non experience modder can use) Like what is the 'Weapon Family' for?? It seems to be redundent since there is a 'Family' Category

[ June 23, 2002, 17:20: Message edited by: DavidG ]

Re: Component modding tool. Get it here.
 

An ability to reorder components without making any other changes would be usefull. Gimboids modder has that. Although I am not sure how you would do that with your modder being a tree display.

Component family is used when displaying components during the game in the ship design window. When you check the "display only latest" the game will only show the most advanced component in any component family. It also uses this when you hit the upgrade design button. I don't think the AI uses the component family directly, although I may be wrong about that.

Weapon family is used by the AI when deciding which weapons to use on ships designs.

Not sure why the need for two families. There probably is a logical explanation, I just can't think what it might be offhand.

Geoschmo

Re: Component modding tool. Get it here.
 

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">The 'need' is just what you described: To allow weapon types and component families to be independent of each other. It's not used much right now but it's an important extension of the AI design specifications. There are only five picks possible for primary and secondary weapon. Granted, few people use them all right now but if component family was identical to weapon family the flexibility of the AI would be even less than it is. Or the AI files would be even bulkier. Imagine 10 lines for each weapon in a design definition. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon7.gif

I think the AM/Quantum Torpedo and the Acid Globule and Electric Discharge/Lightning Ray are the only weapon families that cross component family boundaries right now. Oops, checking up it's only the organic weapons that have different families. The torpedos are one component family.

Anyway, using a seperate weapon family gives a second 'dimension' to work with. You could setup completely seperate research areas yielding very different weapons with the same family and the AI would then 'evolve' through one use of that family, perhaps researching the first Version early in the game and then the 'next generation' at a later stage of the game. Yet, the first might still be useful. You might want the first family to be displayed seperately so you can choose to use it yourself instead of the 'later' generation of the same weapon family.

[ June 23, 2002, 19:14: Message edited by: Baron Munchausen ]

Re: Component modding tool. Get it here.
 

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Well almost got this working pretty slick. Damn that was a lot harder than I expected though. For anyone waiting for the Facilites editiing to be complete blame Geo http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon10.gif hehe.

Re: Component modding tool. Get it here.
 

Damm DavidG. Nice.

Just what I wanted to do.

I am going to play with it a bit and add a tech tree viewer for it. I will not release it or anything. I will just send the source to you and if you want you can add it to your source.

I just like to print maps of the tech tree.

Re: Component modding tool. Get it here.
 

Damm I though the source code was here. as well.

David G. Could you private message me about your source code. I am just wondering if it is available. Thanks....

Re: Component modding tool. Get it here.
 

Request.

1. The ability to copy a component as a source for a new component.
2. The ability to add additional levels to Tech Areas and the ability to add new tech Areas

Re: Component modding tool. Get it here.
 

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">1. Is actually already there. If you view a component and change it's name it will ask you if you want to edit the old component (ie give it a new name) or save it as a new component

2. Is definatlely in the works.

Re: Component modding tool. Get it here.
 

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Cool! Although I've never really figured out how (or why) one would do a tech tree in SE4. It's just that the tree seems so linear if you know what I mean. as in non-tree like. ie Chemestry leads to Armor which leads to Armor 2. No branching off. Actually this makes me wonder if anyone has a mod with a more tree-like tech tree.

Re: Component modding tool. Get it here.
 

I am currently building one. A tech- grid mod.

Re: Component modding tool. Get it here.
 

About the tech tree, if you look only at the tech areas, it is very flat, only about 3 levels deep, however if you look at the techlevels, it's very deep, but very little branching, escpecially at the weapon techs.

Shield Damaging Weapons was the "deepest" tech area, it requires Shields, which requires Physics IIRC.

Re: Component modding tool. Get it here.
 

"No branching off. Actually this makes me wonder if anyone has a mod with a more tree-like tech tree"

I tried, it ended messily. Any questions? http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon12.gif
(though I suppose the multi-warhead missiles is what REALLY killed it)

Phoenix-D

Re: Component modding tool. Get it here.
 

Excellent tool DavidG!!

I do have a request, however. I would like to see the ability to delete a component/facility/etc or family of components/facilities/etc.

Also noticed that to get to "next available" weapon family number, I have to reopen the files. (ie - I give a weapon a new family number with the "next available" button, then move on to another weapon and when I push the "next available" button, it comes up with the same number as the Last one I did, unless I reload the mod. Hope this makes sense.)

[ June 29, 2002, 19:33: Message edited by: Gandalph ]

Re: Component modding tool. Get it here.
 

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Thanks. I will add the Delete option to the list of things to add. I know what you mean about the 'next available" button. Will fix that.

Re: Component modding tool. Get it here.
 

If anyone is using this mod program I noticed a a bug (one I thought I had fixed. Grrrrr) where it puts and extra blank line in front of a new component.

Re: Component modding tool. Get it here.
 

Thanks for the heads up. I am currently using your tool to create a new mod and so far have found it to be invaluable. It takes far less time to do what is necessary, create a new tech tree and all corresponding components and facilities all in one program without 27 files open at the same time! Keep up the good work! I know you will get this perfected.

Re: Component modding tool. Get it here.
 

To Timstone: I think the anwere to your question about SE4Modder in the other thread is here:

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">The 'need' is just what you described: To allow weapon types and component families to be independent of each other. It's not used much right now but it's an important extension of the AI design specifications. There are only five picks possible for primary and secondary weapon. Granted, few people use them all right now but if component family was identical to weapon family the flexibility of the AI would be even less than it is. Or the AI files would be even bulkier. Imagine 10 lines for each weapon in a design definition. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon7.gif

I think the AM/Quantum Torpedo and the Acid Globule and Electric Discharge/Lightning Ray are the only weapon families that cross component family boundaries right now. Oops, checking up it's only the organic weapons that have different families. The torpedos are one component family.

Anyway, using a seperate weapon family gives a second 'dimension' to work with. You could setup completely seperate research areas yielding very different weapons with the same family and the AI would then 'evolve' through one use of that family, perhaps researching the first Version early in the game and then the 'next generation' at a later stage of the game. Yet, the first might still be useful. You might want the first family to be displayed seperately so you can choose to use it yourself instead of the 'later' generation of the same weapon family.</font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">

Re: Component modding tool. Get it here.
 

This program is great! I had started my mod before I got it, but now the difference... it's like trying to dig a hole in the ground... and then somebody hands you a shovel. Thanks for the shovel, Dave! http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon10.gif

Unfortunately, I turned up a bug. The weapon sounds are kind of unstable, after you've opened several weapons, it starts to play the same sound for each one. I can work around that easily enough, but after opening a few more weapons there's a divide overflow. Not sure how that's possible, actually, but there you have it. If you could include a toggle for the sounds that's help a lot.

Oh, yeah, and if you ever get around to including AI support I'll send your name to the pope for sainthood. Thanks again.

Re: Component modding tool. Get it here.
 

Sainthood, heh? Wel, that's quite an accomplishment. Not that's very helpfull in real live. Ah hack, things will turn out for the best when you're a saint, maybe it's not thta bad being a saint... all those groupies. Trying to get it from you... hehe...

DavidG: Great! Thanks for the answers. I'll let you know what I hit a wall again.

Re: Component modding tool. Get it here.
 

Hehe You think the Pope plays SE4?

BTW this is an old thread I bumbed because it had the answer to Timstones question. Here is the latest SE4 Modder thread: SE4 Modder ver 1.61

Re: Component modding tool. Get it here.
 

DavidG, <font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Oh yeah! He is one 'hell' of a player, too! http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon10.gif

Thanks for the "SE4 Modder ver 1.61"!

<font color=purple>mlmbd http://www.shrapnelgames.com//ubb/icons/icon6.gif http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/shock.gif </font>

Re: Component modding tool. Get it here.
 

Very nice program DavidG!

I may delve into the Modding world after all http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/tongue.gif

Re: Component modding tool. Get it here.
 

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Cool. That's the effect (or is that affect http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/image...s/confused.gif ) I'd hoped to would have. Now make me a cool mod dammit! http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon10.gif http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/tongue.gif

Re: Component modding tool. Get it here.
 

Katchoo, the Modding 101 Tutorial will help you too if you decide to delve into the wonderful world of modding se4. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon7.gif