My question...after studying and attempting to tweak the Distant Stars/Celestial Bodies mod version of the Black Hole entity and its abilities and buffs so that the black hole is a) ownable by a player and has its abilities and buffs NOT affect the owning player...well, I just can't get it right.  I can get it so the game doesn't minidump but it doesn't do anything.

Can someone  provide the correctly edited solution for this from Distant Stars?  I am working on ways to incorporate limited and strategically placed AI players in multi-player games while keeping lag down and preventing the AI's from expanding /breaking balance/increasing lag.  I've asked this a couple of times elsewhere and got no answers. Yes, I am still a modding noob. Thanks.

Here are the Distant Stars ability/buff file names:

entityName "AbilityATTRACTIONFIELD.entity"
entityName "AbilityATTRACTIONFIELD2.entity"
entityName "AbilityBLACKHOLE.entity"
entityName "AbilityBLACKHOLE2.entity"
entityName "BuffAttractionFieldCaster.entity"
entityName "BuffAttractionFieldCaster2.entity"
entityName "BuffAttractionFieldTarget.entity"
entityName "BuffAttractionFieldTarget2.entity"
entityName "BuffBlackHoleCaster.entity"
entityName "BuffBlackHoleCaster2.entity"
entityName "BuffBlackHoleTarget.entity"
entityName "BuffBlackHoleTarget2.entity"

I believe that is all the relevant files.  There is a black hole and a "black hole star" variation but it is the planet type black hole I will need to use.  The files can be directly downloaded in TXt (as a zipped file)  here as "DS_BlackHole.zip"

Link to the Distant Stars thread: https://forums.sinsofasolarempire.com/335474

I'll watch for the answer in the answer thread (fingers crossed):https://forums.sinsofasolarempire.com/407617

PARTLY RESOLVED

I would like a list of the usual suspects in regards to "STRING NOT FOUND" errors.

Currently i`m trying to write a number of new abilities and i keep getting thwarted by this error.

Maybe we could have a thread sticky for a thread about "String not found"?

A question for a question then as I've wondered on this too.

Here's what I'm wondering.

If I use the fleet beacon to call in the flagship and use the following: a buff (lets call it FlagshipAlive) that has no finish condition other than when the structure is destroyed. And have another buff (FlagshipDead) that waits for that buff to finish.

Then have a passive ability on the flagship as the fifth ability that simply starts a buff that waits for owner death.

OnOwnerDeath the buff targets all structures you own and removes the buff (FlagshipAlive) that is on the flagship structure.

The structure's buff FlagshipDead now finishes off allowing the main buff to rexecute the buff sequence (using stacking rules to keep it from re-executing).

General Idea:

AbilityFlagship (Passive)
buffInstantActionType->BuffFlagship

BuffFlagship
PeriodicAction->BuffFlagshipDead

BuffFlagshipDead (non-stacking, PrioritizeOldBuffs)
InstantAction->BuffFlagshipAlive

finishCondition->FirstSpawnerNoLongerHasBuff(BuffFlagshipAlive)

BuffFlagshipAlive
InstantAction->FleetBeacon

So two questions:

1. Can a buff target structures anywhere in the galaxy? if not, can a buff target planets (similar to psi ability) to target structures owned by you?
2. Can a buff wait for a sub-buff to complete? I know sub-buffs can wait for the parent buff to complete, but I haven't tried the opposite.

This may not be possible, just thinking outside the box...

Sorry wrong place.

Hi, I have 2 questions:

1. where can I find a tutoral on how to mod sins

2. How do you convert freespace 2 models (.pof files) to models sins uses

thanks

How did you get the answers?

I do not know the answer to that.  But you may bring it, toaster.

Edit:  I did look into it a little and it looks pretty deep on the POF end.  It looks like Truespace and 3DS Max are the apps you will need to receive converted POF files.  You'll need to research.

http://www.hard-light.net/wiki/index.php/POF_Constructor_Suite

http://www.hard-light.net/wiki/index.php/POF_Constructor_Suite_2

Assert @ C:\Projects\P4\SinsDiplomacy\Release\CodeSource\Engine/DataStructures/DynamicArray.h(128)

i < size

Can anyone tell me how to resolve this error, I know exactly what is making it, but unsure how to resolve it?

planetItemsTemplate
 templateName "Template:DefaultStart_DeadAsteroid"
 subTemplates 0
 groups 1
  group
   condition
    type "Always"
    param ""
   owner "Rebel"
   colonizeChance 1
   items 21
    item "Phase:Frigate:Colony"
    item "Phase:Frigate:Carrier"
    item "Phase:Frigate:Carrier"
    item "Phase:Frigate:Carrier"
    item "Phase:Frigate:Carrier"
    item "Phase:Frigate:Carrier"
    item "Phase:Frigate:Carrier"
    item "Phase:Frigate:Carrier"
    item "Phase:Frigate:Carrier"
    item "Phase:Frigate:Carrier"
    item "Phase:Frigate:Carrier"
    item "Phase:CapitalShip:Carrier"
    item "Phase:CapitalShip:Carrier"
    item "Phase:CapitalShip:Carrier"
    item "Phase:CapitalShip:Carrier"
    item "Phase:CapitalShip:Carrier"
    item "Phase:Module:JumpBlocker"
    item "Phase:Module:JumpBlocker"
    item "Phase:Module:JumpBlocker"
    item "Phase:Module:JumpBlocker"
    item "Phase:Module:JumpBlocker"

-When I add the Capital Ships into the spawn list, it gives the dev.exe error, but I am unsure as to what it means? Need a translator in gibberish please!

It may be things for like the Description, or the name etc of these abilities, have you checked these are all listed correctly and spelt correctly in your string file?

In case you never found it--go here for Q&A on modding (not how to play): https://forums.sinsofasolarempire.com/407617

Try the "Get An Answer" thread above.  If you look in the header there you will see KrdaxDrkrun's particle forge help thread.