you can create galaxyforge templates in galaxy forge just by doubleclicking on a planet/star.

one useful tip is if you want a independent colony at a particular planet spawn a colony frigate there it also makes the gw more resistant to superweapons as in it will re-colonise the gw when able to.

hope this helps

harpo

worldstrider, I do not know of any locations OTHER than the galaxy files that have templates

harpo

The GalaxySenarioDef file controls the universal (default) templates, though obviously these need to be changed via mod not map making.

^Also, maybe this article will help with the template making.

I am still having mutiple issues with templates not working but on an off note, I created a map where players spawn with no homeworld at dead asteroids.  I was told this isn't possible?

If I can get the stupid templates working I'll upload it.  Galaxy Forge doesn't show all the drop down options in the differnt fields in the template and will not (so far) save any edits in the map file that I make.

About to do a clean reinstall see if that helps.

I got them working somewhat but it is on and off.  They partly work--sometimes fully then stop.

It seems the default templates in the entity files are overiding the scripted ones.  I'll keep plinking.

I have a 6v1 map and a 2v2 that require set starting bases.  Only way I could make it happen and keep balance for the maps was to start at non standard worlds. 

I am trying to get the following to start at seven dead asteroids (I have them starting there at least so far).

1) Advent and/or Tech Players (six total) start with One colonizer frigate and  three heavy frigates.

2) Phase player (only one) starts with a capital ship colonizer. 

Both sides start at dead asteroids where I would like to spawn Wormhole artifacts for all at each dead asteroid (if that's possible).  They basically take a one-way wormhole from the start point and the game is on.  The phase cap ship will force the colonizers to move and he has a differnt exit where he will need the cap ship to survive travel through.   That's my best work around for not being able to designate start points.  I'd like it to be a map not a mod.

I have got the frigates to appear but when I try labs or cap ships either only the frigates appear or it breaks the template. I've tried seting it in GF, copying and modding several player templates on the forum but it just doesn't tweak right.  My best guess is somehow I am not directing the defaults for the worlds away to be replaced by my custom template.  So when they overlap, the forces that appear in standard appear (like the frigates) but otherwise nothing else will.  So if the default calls for 4 frigates and my custom calls for four frigates and a cap, I'll get the frigates but not the cap--its a guess.

The forum examples all use slightly varied approaches--differences in syntax in some areas, order, etc.  Confusing to a noob but the templates seem to be ridiculously easy--shouuldn't be too hard.

But as an example, I can cut and paste a particular template from the forum--works fine.  If I change ONE parameter, it stops working.  Change a frigate to a cap--doesn't work.  Change it to a scout--doesn't work, etc.

Any help appreciated.  I am sure there is a particular line entry that needs changing that I am missing somewhere in the planet area.  no idea what, I have tinkered with all.

Thanks--I actually made some progress just before this post.  I set three groups for spawns relative to technology type and it worked--only all of the units appear rather than just the race specific one.  I think I know why.  I'll take your template as my past ones got sucked into the vortex with my vanishing ironclad folder today and reengineer them.

Very helpful sir.  kudos to you, kudos I say!"

I think it may be info regarding the planet ownership and the conditions that are causing my issues.  Excellent template example.

Have you edited the GalaxyDef file? Thats the only way I know to get templates to work.

Grrr...fourms go boom.

I started doing them myself--I am aware GF can't render some functions (like the crash if you select planetracetype).  I have done a merge--used GF then hand corrected.  I have cut and pasted verbatim and cut and pasted with editing.

There are several maps with working templates--for example--I can run the template Voruk's Labyrinth but if I edit or alter one character after pasting it in, it ceases to work.

One from the wiki I can paste in as it is an entire world file--if I change anything on it, ceases to work.

So as templates are supposed to work, what gives here?  What tweaks would be required--if we are talking changing the default planet templates I would prefer not to.  I would rather people be able to play the map without having to replace files.

For my own purposes, I could actually almost make it work as is to accomplish the map goal--but not quite.

Is it possible to create militia that are allied with Psi, Tech or Phase players specifically?  If so, then I can work it that way by putting militia in.    I have one other alternative but I am working to make sure players are forced to play the map teams as required.

Thanks harpo--let me play with it a bit and I will tell you what I want to do in the maps if I can't get a handle on it.  Not faulting your experience at all.  I deleted my template in my map, copied and pasted yours in, altered the template name and template and group number totals and--didn't work.  Same with most.

There is a GF version 1 map sample on the forum that works fine if I copy the entire map.  If I edit a single item in it, the entire map ceases to work and crashes the game.  There are two others I have grabbed that paste in fine but if I make an alteration, they cease to work--the game will run but the template produces no effect. Another produces the frigates but will not produce anything else.

On the other ones I tried various tweaking on, I get mixed faction forces instead of the race specific one and in all cases of them I get a "militia mix"--Tech Kodiaks and frigates, etc.

I'll send you an email (I am worldstrider in my mail fyi) with the entire map.

I would be really interested to know what the issues are that cause these variations--there is def some conflict with template loading and default entity files (I'm guessing).  Some official documentation of what the issues are would be wonderful.  Fortunately I only have two maps I want to work like this.  Lol--I have a lot of respect for the modders out there now.

The 6v1 map requires the best player to play the "1" and he must be Vasari.  The others can be a single team of 6 versus him or they can be an Advent, tech 3v3v1.  Since I can't control which player gets what planet nor can I insure the better players get their assigned poisitions, I have to use mechanisms in the map to force people to their spots (the curse of being an old school strategy board gamer).

In the bigger and easier map, I am shooting for a "game within the game"...where winning the map strategy is the real key to victory not using rapid fire tactical shots to win via SINs mechanics.  In both cases though I am trying to keep it as a map so players can play it how they like.

Thanks to both of you for the help.  I had done the same thing with the GF "invalid" items and get the ships mixed together.

I have seen a similar result in another map with the map template which had NO spawns repeated 1000 times, and NO I do no know  what causes this, but if you  want to add ships to the spawns do not forget to increase the items count, and I SHOULD warn you that sins IS EXTREMELY case sensitive. in the template I posted earlier I had tested it in sins at the end of the map with a template use of start. here is one of the homeplanets

        designName "Planet0"
        inGameName ""
        type "Asteroid"
        pos [ 76 , 184 ]
        owner "NewPlayer0"
        isHomePlanet TRUE
        normalStartUpgradeLevelForPopulation 0
        normalStartUpgradeLevelForCivilianModules 0
        normalStartUpgradeLevelForTacticalModules 0
        normalStartUpgradeLevelForArtifacts 0
        normalStartUpgradeLevelForInfrastructure 0
        quickStartUpgradeLevelForPopulation 2
        quickStartUpgradeLevelForCivilianModules 2
        quickStartUpgradeLevelForTacticalModules 2
        quickStartUpgradeLevelForArtifacts 2
        quickStartUpgradeLevelForInfrastructure 2
        planetItems
            templateName ""
            subTemplates 1
            template "starts"
            groups 0
        spawnProbability 1.000000
        useDefaultTemplate FALSE

hope this extra info helps

harpo

the map format changes from version 2 to version 3 ARE massive, each planet gets the normal start and quickstart levels, the players also get them and the templates.

regarding the fixed starting locations look at line 8 in the map file

randomizeStartingPositions TRUE

if this is set to FALSE then each player starts in the same position each time, if it is TRUE the ech time the players can start in different starts.

hope this helps also

harpo