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Modder's "Get-an-Answer" Thread

Answers from Modders, for Modders who "Ask a Question"

By Sinperium on April 13, 2011 12:05:46 PM from Sins of a Solar Empire Forums Sins of a Solar Empire Forums

Sinperium

Join Date 02/2010
+207

http://fc08.deviantart.net/fs43/i/2009/115/7/0/cosmonaut_by_himnotep.jpg

 

This is the place to ask and recieve specific modding (mod making) questions and answers. If you have a mod making question, post it here.

If your question involves long snippets of entity files and the like, please don't paste the entire file contents here but put them at the incredibly easy to use http://pastebin.com and then provide the link to your paste in your question posted here.

Please do limit  "just comments" here to brief posts please.  If you don't know the answer or can't point to help--don't post.  Please note that a random, uninformed guess isn't an actual answer.  

You can refer people to another source--IF it actually helps answer their question.  This could be in the form of links, outside sites, specific modding-useful programs, direction towards another post or poster, etc., etc.

Remember--specific questions, specific answers.  Only respond to the ones you can help solve.  Also, feel free to amplify, clarify, suggest alternatives to or correct answers seen here if such actions are merited and help provide a real solution. No flaming, insults or put downs here in the answers or other posts please.

Thanks in advance for your help and cooperation.  The reason for the rigid rules here is those this thread becomes a usable resource in the future to new people looking for answers.

NOTE: If an answer resolves your issue, please share it here.  These answers will help others coming along later too.  Karma is a great way to respond to people providing help without clogging the thread or bombing their forum mailbox here. Thanks!

 

OTHER SINS HELPFUL MODDING LINKS*

*Links are updated regularly.





The Soase Idiot's Guide

Confused?  No idea where to even start?

Determined to work at it?

This is the place!

 


 

  
   

Sins Modding Wiki

Vanilla Syntax

Entrenchment Syntax 

Diplomacy Syntax

ZombieRus's Eclipse Wizardry

 
     

Modding Home

Modeling Home 

MyFist0's full modding site.

Emphasis on modeling  and

texturing.                            

 

 

 
                    

REBELLION MODDING TOPICS

Rebellion Modding Q & A

Mesh Editing

Changing Diplomacy Files to Rebellion

IT REALLY HURTS MY BRAIN--HOW TO START

An Idiot's Guide To Getting Started

MyFist0's Modding Megasite!

MOD DOWNLOADS

ZombieRus5's Mod Yard

Directory of Planet Mods

STEAM

STEAM Sins Forums

DEVELOPERS

Sins Developer Journals Forum 2007 to Present

REFERENCE FILES

Research Modifier List

MyFist0's Exported Models & Files

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Harpo's Converted Sins Reference Files 2011

THIRD PARTY TOOLS

Eclipse Definitions Wiki

3dS Texturing Toool & Tips

Ship Fleet Calculator

SoaSE Eclipse Plugin Project

Mesh Resizing Tool--courtesy of the Reqiuem team.

Harpo's Sins Utility Package -- Filefactory

Harpo's Sins Utility Package -- Dropbox

The Sins Optimization Project (TSOP)

Sins Data Converter by BCXtreme

EXPLANATIONS & DISCUSSIONS

How to Add a Fourth Race

User-updatable Ship Reference Chart

Sins Modding Dictionary

Adding phase Effects to other weapon types

Culture, Explanation/Discussion

Weapons, Explanation/Discusion

Shield Mitigation & Armor, Explanation/Discussion-1

Shield Mitigation & Armor, Explanation/Discussion -2

Graphic Chart of Sin's Counters

Annotated Guide to the Developer.exe

In-Game Map Creator

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PARTICLE FORGE

Particle Forge Help Thread

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SemazRalan's Template Guide

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Reply #101
Sinperium
Join Date 02/2010
+207
May 26, 2011 11:02:48 PM from Sins of a Solar Empire Forums Sins of a Solar Empire Forums

Trying to make a multi-role LRF that can switch fire from one type of missile to another.  I have the anti-fighter, anti module and anti-ship in with research activating them and not having to create an ability for them but I wasn't sure if it could be done sans an ability.

My next torture is to try to make it so only one will fire at a time.  Probably will all have to be abilities and buffs anyway.

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Reply #102
Lavo_2
Join Date 05/2010
+79
May 27, 2011 8:12:27 PM from Sins of a Solar Empire Forums Sins of a Solar Empire Forums

You will need to use abilities for that.

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Reply #103
soase-maelstrom
Join Date 02/2009
+37
May 30, 2011 10:50:11 PM from Sins of a Solar Empire Forums Sins of a Solar Empire Forums

I was wondering if anyone can clarify whether the follow hardcoded limits

Increased maximum number of meshes allowed (400->800).
Increased maximum number of textures allowed (1000->2000).

(from the post: "Sins of a Solar Empire v1.19 and Entrenchment v1.05 Change Log"
[ http://forums.sinsofasolarempire.com/374465 ])

apply for the patch 1.191 (original Sins). As stated in the post ... "the engine can now reference 800 meshes and 2000 textures".

Because via testing I can't confirm this to be the case for original Sins (specifically the maximum number of meshes still appears to be around 400)

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Reply #104
GoaFan77
Join Date 10/2008
+418
May 31, 2011 3:20:07 PM from Sins of a Solar Empire Forums Sins of a Solar Empire Forums

Hello fellow modders, I know one of the annoying limits in Sins is that we can't create our own weapon types. Yet while I was experimenting with changing the underused Vasari pulse beam into an Ion Cannon, I came across a discovery in the string file that caught my attention. In particular in the section that defines the InfoCard names for weapon types.

...
StringInfo
    ID "IDS_WEAPONCLASSTYPE_GAUSS"
    Value "Gauss"
StringInfo
    ID "IDS_WEAPONCLASSTYPE_ION"
    Value "Ion"
StringInfo
    ID "IDS_WEAPONCLASSTYPE_LASERTECH"
    Value "Laser"
...

Surprisingly I discovered that there was already an Ion type weapon in the string file, even though I wasn't aware of any Vanilla Ion type weapons. Even more surprising, when I actually put "ION" as a weapon type in game, it worked.

So, is this really an unused weapon type, available for any modder to adapt for their own purposes? Or is it actually used in some obscure place that I forgot about?

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Reply #105
Lavo_2
Join Date 05/2010
+79
May 31, 2011 4:58:30 PM from Sins of a Solar Empire Forums Sins of a Solar Empire Forums

To add on to the above, if one wishes to make a weapon only affect shields, the damageAffectType "AFFECTS_ONLY_SHIELDS" does the trick.

I haven't seen Ion used in stock Sins ever... Though mind you I barely play vanilla. If it shows up ingame and works, then yeah you should be able to adapt it for any usage.

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Reply #106
SteelFin
Join Date 11/2007
+6
May 31, 2011 7:54:17 PM from Sins of a Solar Empire Forums Sins of a Solar Empire Forums

Is it possible to start a player without any planets and not see the game over screen immediately? I am working on a RPG type mod where I don't want the player to start with any planets but so far it doesn't seem doable.

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Reply #107
GoaFan77
Join Date 10/2008
+418
May 31, 2011 8:16:57 PM from Sins of a Solar Empire Forums Sins of a Solar Empire Forums

Quoting SteelFin,
reply 106
Is it possible to start a player without any planets and not see the game over screen immediately? I am working on a RPG type mod where I don't want the player to start with any planets but so far it doesn't seem doable.

Impossible, that's a hard coded defeat condition. A useless dead asteroid is about as close as you can get.

Quoting soase-maelstrom,
reply 103
I was wondering if anyone can clarify whether the follow hardcoded limits

Increased maximum number of meshes allowed (400->800).
Increased maximum number of textures allowed (1000->2000).

(from the post: "Sins of a Solar Empire v1.19 and Entrenchment v1.05 Change Log"
[ http://forums.sinsofasolarempire.com/374465 ])

apply for the patch 1.191 (original Sins). As stated in the post ... "the engine can now reference 800 meshes and 2000 textures".

Because via testing I can't confirm this to be the case for original Sins (specifically the maximum number of meshes still appears to be around 400)

You're actually one of the few teams modding Vanilla, so you would probably know more than anyone.  Its possible it may have been an unlisted Entrenchment only change. If you are certain its the hardcode you may want to try and Email Blair about it.

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Reply #108
soase-maelstrom
Join Date 02/2009
+37
May 31, 2011 8:58:48 PM from Sins of a Solar Empire Forums Sins of a Solar Empire Forums

Quoting GoaFan77,
reply 107
You're actually one of the few teams modding Vanilla, so you would probably know more than anyone. Its possible it may have been an unlisted Entrenchment only change. If you are certain its the hardcode you may want to try and Email Blair about it.

Yes, it is what I thought, though I could have missed some reference to the issue buried in the forums.

I'll email Blair for clarification after some further test. Thanks.

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Reply #109
Sinperium
Join Date 02/2010
+207
June 5, 2011 11:59:44 AM from Sins of a Solar Empire Forums Sins of a Solar Empire Forums

Ok--question no one has asked:  Is it possible to change the opacity and/or color of phase lane lines?

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Reply #110
Sinperium
Join Date 02/2010
+207
June 5, 2011 6:19:54 PM from Sins of a Solar Empire Forums Sins of a Solar Empire Forums

Quoting Sinperium,
reply 109
Ok--question no one has asked:  Is it possible to change the opacity and/or color of phase lane lines?

*Bump*...anybody?

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Reply #111
GoaFan77
Join Date 10/2008
+418
June 6, 2011 12:03:17 PM from Sins of a Solar Empire Forums Sins of a Solar Empire Forums

Quoting Sinperium,
reply 110

Quoting Sinperium, reply 109Ok--question no one has asked:  Is it possible to change the opacity and/or color of phase lane lines?

*Bump*...anybody?

I want to say I've seen a phase lane in a texture file, but I don't remember which one. At least I think I saw it.

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Reply #112
Lavo_2
Join Date 05/2010
+79
June 6, 2011 12:28:16 PM from Sins of a Solar Empire Forums Sins of a Solar Empire Forums

For the ability trigger, onlyAutoCastWhenDamageTakenExceedsPerc, does this refer to hull damage or overall damage? If the former, is there a way to code it for shield damage?

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Reply #113
Ryat
Join Date 06/2006
+334
June 6, 2011 1:22:03 PM from Sins of a Solar Empire Forums Sins of a Solar Empire Forums

Overall.

Yes

ShieldDamageExceedsAmount

HullDamageExceedsAmount

For separating.

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Reply #114
ZombiesRus5
Join Date 02/2009
+248
June 6, 2011 1:39:19 PM from Sins of a Solar Empire Forums Sins of a Solar Empire Forums

So I think the one he is asking about a different parameter. My experience says it is hull damage, but I could be wrong.

http://code.google.com/p/soaseplugin/wiki/Ability

The aiUseTargetCondition can specifically reference Hull OR shield of the unit targetted. You might be able to target self and use the shield aiUseTargetCondition.

http://code.google.com/p/soaseplugin/wiki/aiUseTargetCondition

 

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Reply #115
lordcronos
Join Date 04/2011
+1
June 6, 2011 1:39:42 PM from Sins of a Solar Empire Forums Sins of a Solar Empire Forums

Can i make a frigate whit "Starbase upgrade system?"

I putted this:

statCountType "StarBase"
creationSourceAbility "AbilityGoauldDeployStarBase"
maxUpgradeLevelCount 8
UpgradeTypeCount 9
UpgradeType "StarBaseUpgradeGoauldWeapons"
UpgradeType "StarBaseUpgradeGoauldToughness"
UpgradeType "StarBaseUpgradeGoauldHangar"
UpgradeType "StarBaseUpgradeGoauldTradePort"
UpgradeType "StarBaseUpgradeGoauldBlockColonize"
UpgradeType "StarBaseUpgradeGoauldCityPopulation"
UpgradeType "StarBaseUpgradeGoauldDebrisVacuum"
UpgradeType "StarBaseUpgradeGoauldDirectionalShield"
UpgradeType "StarBaseUpgradeGoauldPhaseGate"

to a frigate type ship entity file to try give aces to an upgrade system such as the starbases have!

The game crashed when i started run.

If somebody would be so kinde and give me the nececery details I would be verry happy!

Thx for All!!

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Reply #116
Ryat
Join Date 06/2006
+334
June 6, 2011 1:51:47 PM from Sins of a Solar Empire Forums Sins of a Solar Empire Forums

Quoting lordcronos,
reply 115
Can i make a frigate whit "Starbase upgrade system?"

Nope, its hardcoded. But you can create a starbase that moves. Just look over the Vasari starbase.

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Reply #117
lordcronos
Join Date 04/2011
+1
June 6, 2011 2:34:07 PM from Sins of a Solar Empire Forums Sins of a Solar Empire Forums

Can that starbase jump into hyperspace?

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Reply #118
Ryat
Join Date 06/2006
+334
June 6, 2011 2:36:55 PM from Sins of a Solar Empire Forums Sins of a Solar Empire Forums

Nope, that is a problem there.

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Reply #119
Lavo_2
Join Date 05/2010
+79
June 6, 2011 4:22:45 PM from Sins of a Solar Empire Forums Sins of a Solar Empire Forums

Quoting Ryat,
reply 113
...ShieldDamageExceedsAmount

Because I'm screwing up, would the whole line be onlyAutoCastWhenShieldDamageExceedsAmount and regardless, was this introduced in Diplomacy or does it work in Ent as well?

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Reply #120
ZombiesRus5
Join Date 02/2009
+248
June 6, 2011 5:19:37 PM from Sins of a Solar Empire Forums Sins of a Solar Empire Forums

Quoting Lavo_2,
reply 119

Quoting Ryat, reply 113...ShieldDamageExceedsAmount

Because I'm screwing up, would the whole line be onlyAutoCastWhenShieldDamageExceedsAmount and regardless, was this introduced in Diplomacy or does it work in Ent as well?

Sorry, but you can't make up new keywords which is why I linked the syntax earlier.

It would look something like this which is all version compatible.

aiUseTargetCondition "ShieldDamageExceedsAmount"
onlyAutoCastWhenTargetShieldDamageExceedsAmount
    Level:0 75.000000
    Level:1 0.000000
    Level:2 0.000000

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Reply #121
Lavo_2
Join Date 05/2010
+79
June 6, 2011 5:33:38 PM from Sins of a Solar Empire Forums Sins of a Solar Empire Forums

Quoting ZombiesRus5,
reply 120

Quoting Lavo_2, reply 119
Quoting Ryat, reply 113...ShieldDamageExceedsAmount

Because I'm screwing up, would the whole line be onlyAutoCastWhenShieldDamageExceedsAmount and regardless, was this introduced in Diplomacy or does it work in Ent as well?
Sorry, but you can't make up new keywords which is why I linked the syntax earlier.

It would look something like this which is all version compatible.

aiUseTargetCondition "ShieldDamageExceedsAmount"
onlyAutoCastWhenTargetShieldDamageExceedsAmount
    Level:0 75.000000
    Level:1 0.000000
    Level:2 0.000000

Totally missed those links. Thanks for this!

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Reply #122
lordcronos
Join Date 04/2011
+1
June 8, 2011 2:16:52 AM from Sins of a Solar Empire Forums Sins of a Solar Empire Forums

How can i change the size of the ships?

How can i make full new entyti files to an existing mod?

when i make one the mod is crash!

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Reply #123
harpo99999
Join Date 02/2008
+379
June 8, 2011 4:13:17 AM from Sins of a Solar Empire Forums Sins of a Solar Empire Forums

to change the size of ships you would need to use neuborg's resize tool

copy an existing entity that is similar to what you want to a different name, AND ADD IT TO THE entity.manifest(assuming diplomacy/entrenchment)

see above line

harpo

 

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Reply #124
lordcronos
Join Date 04/2011
+1
June 8, 2011 10:24:17 AM from Sins of a Solar Empire Forums Sins of a Solar Empire Forums

Can u give me a link for this neuborg's resize tool?

 

And realy thx for ansvering for my questions!

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Reply #125
gamerlamb
Join Date 03/2011
+6
June 8, 2011 5:23:24 PM from Sins of a Solar Empire Forums Sins of a Solar Empire Forums

Just bought this game a few months ago, LOVE IT by the way, but having problems with just loading my first mod. Downloaded the Distant Stars v 1.21 Mod. Updated the Game to v 1.21. Saved the extracted file to the diplomacy-v1.21 folder. Loaded game, went to Mods, loaded the Mod and applied it, screen froze for a second and checksum=0. Started a new random medium map. Nothing seems to have changed. Any ideas from the uber Moding veterans what I am doing wrong?

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