Modding Questions

[Garet]

Greets,

1. Let me see if I understand this... When one specifies a subdirectory in the 'path.txt' file, SEIV searches that directory first (for needed data files). If the necessary data file isn't found in the custom directory, then SEIV uses the default files in its own directory. Is this correct?

2. (or really 1a) If the above is true, is it prudent to copy a file to be edited into the mod directory. This should leave the original untouched, and allow use of the customized file.

2. Can the DefaultDesignTypes file be edited without affecting game play? I find many of the designations (three colony types, Attack Base, etc.) useless, and would like to change them.

TIA

[Magus38]

quote:

---

Originally posted by Garet:
Greets,

2. Can the DefaultDesignTypes file be edited without affecting game play? I find many of the designations (three colony types, Attack Base, etc.) useless, and would like to change them.

TIA

---

I don't know if this is helpful to you, but I create my own design types. When you first click on design type when creating a new design you'll notice an Add button along the bottom of the screen. Here you can Add a new type or types. With Colony Ships for example, instead of following the obtrusive convention the game defaults to I create a more generic type "Colony Ship" then adopt a naming convention among the subsequest ship designs, such as:

Colony Ship (R-I) (Rock Colony / Version I)
Colony Ship (I-I) (Ice Colony / Version I)
Colony Ship (G-I) (Gas Colony / Version I)

Like planning a comprehensible network such conventions go a long way toward making your Design Interface look much, much cleaner. That, coupled with the Hide Obsolete function, keeps the entire thing limited to two pages at the very most.


[This message has been edited by Magus38 (edited 28 March 2001).]

[This message has been edited by Magus38 (edited 28 March 2001).]

[Suicide Junkie]

quote:

---

1. Let me see if I understand this... When one specifies a subdirectory in the 'path.txt' file, SEIV searches that directory first (for needed data files). If the necessary data file isn't found in the custom directory, then SEIV uses the default files in its own directory. Is this correct?
2. (or really 1a) If the above is true, is it prudent to copy a file to be edited into the mod directory. This should leave the original untouched, and allow use of the customized file.

---

Yes. Copy the desired files to a mod directory, then edit your mod files all you want.

Just set the "path.txt" to point to your mod directory (which should look similar to your se4 root directory (ie. with a "data" subdirectory))

[raynor]

I didn't test how my edits affected gameplay. But I did discover that the game is somewhat erratic in how it treats edits to the DefaultDesignTypes file. When I did some tests, I deleted all the lines and put my own in. Here is what I observed when I started a new game and designed a new ship:

QuickStart with Amon Krie - only new type
Add Existing Amon Krie - default types + new one
Create new race - only new one
Load existing race (the one I just created and saved) - default types + new one

So, make of this what you will. I dunno what it means.

[Tampa_Gamer]

Hmmm.... Raynor you may be on to something. I am at work right now and cannot check this - but I wonder if you can now make a call in the "Construction_Vehicles" file once a new design type has been added to the .emp file. This may be why earlier tests (which just dumped the DesignTypes in the race folder) did not work. Being able to control production of new design types would add a lot of possibilities. B/T/W any comments on the beta Version of the Piundons?

[jc173]

quote:

---

Originally posted by Garet:
Greets,
2. Can the DefaultDesignTypes file be edited without affecting game play? I find many of the designations (three colony types, Attack Base, etc.) useless, and would like to change them.
TIA

---

Personally I would leave alone the designations that already exist since the AI seems to use some of them for construction calls and designs. It's ok to add in whatever you want up to the 255 type limit though. I've added in several dozen of my own custom types, and it has worked fine for several games. I added in some design types that (to me at least) have flashier/more descriptive design types borrowing heavily from modern naval designations, ie things like Light Cruiser, Strike Cruiser, Battle Cruiser... interceptor, strike fighter, assault fighter etc. I mean to me troop transport sounds like it just shuttles troops from location to location, but assault transport ah now there's something that drops swarms of marines from orbit to take over a planet. I dunno, I probably sound kind of weird now, hehe.

[This message has been edited by jc173 (edited 28 March 2001).]

[Atraikius]

Does anyone know if there a file that lets the program know what legal vehicles are for use in the Design and Construct Vehicle files that can be modified so that the program would accept names other that Attack Ship or Defense Ship, or is that hard coded into the game.

I was trying to get the AI to build a more diverse selection of ships than just the largest hull size available. It doesn't work to have the different sizes called out separately in the Construct Vehicle file with corresponding names in the design file. I'm trying to see if it workd by making a different attack ship and defense ship entry for each hull size (based on min/max tons)in the design file but haven't been able to tell if it works yet or not.

[Atraikius]

Tampa_Gamer - Hadn't actually looked at the design files on those other than when I first downloaded the Darloks of Universal Shipyard, but I had only noticed classes for different weap. combinations. Thanks for the info, I guess I don't have to worry about the extra effort to add that to the other styles I am working on. I was was hoping someone would know if there was a list that could be modified to adjust the ratios of ship sizes, guess I just go back to trying to see if I can get something close by playing with the fleet composition tonnage and ship numbers.

[Tampa_Gamer]

Atraikius - Take a look at the Darlok, Sergetti and Xi'Chung in the TDM ModPack. You will see that we resolve this issue by building "classes" of ships based on ranges of ship hull sizes. You cannot currently make any "calls" in the construction file other than the hard-coded "Attack Ship" "Defense Ship", etc. (we have made several suggestions to MM to allow us to make "calls" based on the "design name" instead of the "design type") Anyway, hope this helps.