Sinperium Sinperium

Modder's "Get-an-Answer" Thread

Modder's "Get-an-Answer" Thread

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

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 when requested.





The Soase Idiot's Guide

Confused?  No idea where to even start?

Determined to work at it?

This is the place!

 


 

 
   

Sins Modding Wiki

ZombieRus's Eclipse Wizardry

 

     


Tutorials

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

Modifier List

Harpo's Converted Sins Reference Files 2011

THIRD PARTY TOOLS

3dS Texturing Toool & Tips

Ship Fleet Calculator

SoaSE Eclipse Plugin Project

Mesh Resizing Tool--courtesy of the Reqiuem team.

Harpo's Sins Utility Package -- Dropbox

The Sins Optimization Project (TSOP)

Artificial Unintelligence (Mod and AI info)

Sins Data Converter by BCXtreme

EXPLANATIONS & DISCUSSIONS

Rebellion Updates by Blair Frazier

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

Weapons Banks & DPS

Combat Mechanics

Rebellion Shield Mitigation & Focus Fire testing

PARTICLE FORGE

Particle Forge Help Thread

GALAXY FORGE

Adding Artifacts

Working Template Examples

SemazRalan's Template Guide

Pirates Base Start Template

SOUND RESOURCES

[SFX] Black Sun SFX/Music Resource for Modders

MODELING & TEXTURING--SOFTIMAGE XSI, 3DS MAX

XSI Texturing, Tutorial

3dS Model Exporter

3DS Max Rigging, Texturing & Exporting, Guide

Modding/Modelling/Texturing/Converting, Tutorials

WIKI'S

Sins of a Solar Empire Official Wiki

 

7,618,575 views 2,761 replies
Reply #1001 Top

Quoting TEC_Diplomatic, reply 999
does those 2 extra values "199, 56" mean the space the button uses on screen?
End of TEC_Diplomatic's quote

Yup. The space they use, in pixels.

Reply #1002 Top

Where is/are the files related to the "galaxy" used for the main menu background?  It keeps asking for the "WeightedRandom" (which I've removed/renamed in the GSD) and I don't know how to make the erros go away short of always keeping a WeightedRandom PlanetType...

Reply #1003 Top

Quoting Seleuceia, reply 1002
Where is/are the files related to the "galaxy" used for the main menu background? It keeps asking for the "WeightedRandom" (which I've removed/renamed in the GSD) and I don't know how to make the erros go away short of always keeping a WeightedRandom PlanetType...
End of Seleuceia's quote

Its called Frontend.galaxy. Its with all the other maps. It also is a huge pain, as it seems to have special restrictions on what you can do with it. No ships can move in it, if any planet is owned by anyone it crashes, etc.

+1 Loading…
Reply #1004 Top

Quoting KrdaxDrkrun, reply 1001
Congratz on your 1000th post.



because this thread has been a light in the dark, and has assisted modders everywhere
End of KrdaxDrkrun's quote

Holy cow...how did that happen?

 

Does this mean I get a free collectors edition now?

Reply #1005 Top

No, a can of spam. :)

Reply #1006 Top

I'm interested in changing the Advent Titan so that it benefits from Mass Transcendence.  I've found the .entity file to modify the research itself (RESEARCHSUBJECT_CONSTANTEXPERIENCE.entity) and the lines in said .entity file to change the rate, level cap and adjustment ... but I'm not finding/seeing where I would make a change so that it affects the Titans in the research .entity nor in the various TITAN_ .entity files.

 

Where should I be looking?

Reply #1007 Top

Anyone else having haphazard minidumps?  Yes, I'm using a mod, but the minidumps are not consistent at all....

For example, sometimes the game MD's before even starting...sometimes it MD's when trying to start a game (sometimes the first, sometimes a later game, independent of map)...

Literally, I can just start the game and it is completely random when the MD will occur...

Logfile indicate the game can't find the blue star solar flare effect or something, which is rather strange since I haven't touched any effects...

Reply #1008 Top

Quoting SunrunnersFire, reply 1007
I'm interested in changing the Advent Titan so that it benefits from Mass Transcendence. I've found the .entity file to modify the research itself (RESEARCHSUBJECT_CONSTANTEXPERIENCE.entity) and the lines in said .entity file to change the rate, level cap and adjustment ... but I'm not finding/seeing where I would make a change so that it affects the Titans in the research .entity nor in the various TITAN_ .entity files.

Where should I be looking?
End of SunrunnersFire's quote

You can't. The research is hard coded just to work on capitalships. I think the experience bonus still affects titans though.

Reply #1009 Top

If you get your ass dumped out before you even start a game, it's the map in the loading screen.

 

I can give you an example.  You set an ability on a planet to summon a ship, and for testing purposes, have it work instantly.  Poof, game crashes as you're attempting to start a game when the ship is summoned...

 

I can probably take a look at the mod for you this weekend, I've given myself lots and lots of practice tracking them down...

Reply #1010 Top

If you get a chance here it is...I'd be much appreciative...

Changes concern planets and planet bonuses...changes are made to galaxy/entity manifests, Random galaxies, Frontend galaxy, gameplay constants, String, and GSD...the Strip to the Core effect is only renamed (for now), it is identical to the TerranHome one...

Reply #1011 Top

Quoting GoaFan77, reply 1009
You can't. The research is hard coded just to work on capitalships. I think the experience bonus still affects titans though.
End of GoaFan77's quote
Ah, I see.  Thanks for the response.

Reply #1012 Top

*Link Updates*

Reply #1013 Top

Quoting psychoak, reply 1006
No, a can of spam.
End of psychoak's quote

*Sniff...my spam is gourmet sir!

Reply #1014 Top

Okay, been through the stuff.

Your GalaxyScenarioDef file is all over the place, makes it really hard to compare for changes.

 

I don't know where the issue is, but it's a dirt common map feature that's loaded on start.  It has to be a planet issue, since you didn't modify the starts or anything of that nature.

+1 Loading…
Reply #1015 Top

For weapon.range, what value will encompass the largest gravity well?  (The largest .range value I'm seeing in the .entity files is 12000.)

Reply #1016 Top

Suns are Bigger, and ships can mess about outside the Actual well radius.

Why not just make your weapons shoot 60000 You can't shoot into other wells so there is no harm in extending ranges way beyond the well.

 

 

 

 

Reply #1017 Top

grrr

Ok trying to get the Novalith Cannon to shoot ships like snipe but Keep its charge up Muzzle animations.

instantAction
    buffInstantActionType "PlayAttachedEffect"
    instantActionTriggerType "OnDelay"
    delayTime 0.000000
    effectInfo
        effectAttachInfo
            attachType "Ability"
            abilityIndex 0
        smallEffectName "Ability_OrbitalCannonTechChargeUp"
        mediumEffectName "Ability_OrbitalCannonTechChargeUp"
        largeEffectName "Ability_OrbitalCannonTechChargeUp"
        soundID "WEAPON_TECHORBITALCANNON_CHARGE"
instantAction
    buffInstantActionType "PlayAttachedEffect"
    instantActionTriggerType "OnDelay"
    delayTime 6.000000
    effectInfo
        effectAttachInfo
            attachType "Ability"
            abilityIndex 0
        smallEffectName "Ability_OrbitalCannonTechMuzzle"
        mediumEffectName "Ability_OrbitalCannonTechMuzzle"
        largeEffectName "Ability_OrbitalCannonTechMuzzle"
        soundID "WEAPON_TECHORBITALCANNON_MUZZLE"

I gave up trying to make the Cannon.... hit

 

I tried a Snipe clone with the weapon In the Ability, then adding 2 instant actions in the buff that perform the chargup, but this doesn't do anything.

 

I also tryed making an ability like Beam blast ...

 

Ability Apply buff to self then

3x instant actions, the FX followed by

buffInstantActionType "ApplyBuffToTargetWithTravel"
instantActionTriggerType "AlwaysPerform"
buffType "BuffTechOrbitalCannonFIRE"
targetFilter
    numOwnerships 1
    ownership "Enemy"
    numObjects 5
    object "CapitalShip"
    object "Frigate"
    object "PlanetModule"
    object "StarBase"
    object "Titan"
    numSpaces 1
    space "Normal"
    numConstraints 0
range
    Level:0 700000.000000
    Level:1 10000.000000
    Level:2 0.000000
    Level:3 0.000000
travelSpeed 4000.000000
hasWeaponEffects TRUE
weaponEffectOriginType "Targetter"
weaponEffectAttachInfo
    attachType "Ability"
    abilityIndex 0
weaponEffectImpactOffsetType "RandomMesh"
canWeaponEffectHitHull TRUE
canWeaponEffectHitShields TRUE
weaponEffectsDef
    weaponType "Projectile"
    burstCount 1
    burstDelay 0.000000
    fireDelay 0.000000
    muzzleEffectName "Ability_OrbitalCannonTechMuzzle"
    muzzleSoundMinRespawnTime 0.100000
    muzzleSounds
        soundCount 1
        sound "EFFECT_SNIPE"
        hitEffectName "Ability_OrbitalCannonTechSurfaceImpact"
        hitHullEffectSounds
            soundCount 1
            sound "EXPLOSION_CANNONSHELLTECH"
        hitShieldsEffectSounds
        soundCount 1
        sound "WEAPONIMPACT_GENERICHEAVY_HITSHIELDS"
    projectileTravelEffectName "TitanAbility_Snipe_Travel"

 

 

This does the Firing Animation... but doesn't shoot a bloody thing!!  GRR

 

 

 

How do I do this?

 

(ABILITY)ApplyBuffToTargetWithTravel > (BUFF)2xInstant action Effects+Weapon > (BUFF)Damage?

or?

(ABILITY)Weapon > (BUFF)2xInstant action

 

Is there a way to add 2x Muzzle fire effects to a Snipe like ability?

 

I just need a sort of.... Order?

 

Any clues?

Reply #1018 Top

Quoting silencedhawk, reply 1018
Ability Apply buff to self then

3x instant actions, the FX followed by

buffInstantActionType "ApplyBuffToTargetWithTravel"
instantActionTriggerType "AlwaysPerform"
buffType "BuffTechOrbitalCannonFIRE"
targetFilter

...

End of silencedhawk's quote

And why do people assume that the stuff the buffInstantActionType isn't important.

So this is from a buff file correct? If so, you cannot use "AlwaysPerform". That can only be used with InstantActions in ability files. Buff instantActions should use "OnDelay". PeroidicActions can still use AlwaysPerform in buffs.

+1 Loading…
Reply #1019 Top

FacePlam... Bah.. that's what I get for copying files rather than typing them out.

 

Thanks Goa, that Fixed it

Really, Huge thanks

next problem.. the Projectile Despawns when I try to shoot it outside of a well

ParticleSimulation
    HasInfiniteLifeTime FALSE
    TotalLifeTime 10.000000

hmmmmm

Flair_TechCannonShellTravel.particle is a perfect Usable Cannon travel with unlimited life, but for some insane reason its Backwards!! 

 

 

Reply #1020 Top

AlwaysPerform works fine in Buff files.  A couple abilities in Sins would work a lot better if they used it.

 

Periodic applications fail when targets move in and out of range rapidly, AlwaysPerform as an instantAction application immediately reapplies without issue as long as you use PrioritizeOldBuff in the spawned file, just as with a passive ability.

Reply #1021 Top

hmm 1 more strange thing.

When the PSIREBEL titans ability Strength of the Fallen, StrenghtofthefallenRecourse adds DamageAsDamageDealer for 60 seconds it stacks, but buffOverTimeActionType "RestoreShields" doesn't


overTimeAction
    buffOverTimeActionType "RestoreShields"
    shieldRestoreRate
        Level:0 8.000000

Eg Dmg

Kill 1 - 8% 1 stacks for 60 seconds
50 seconds Wait
Kill 2 - 16% 2 stacks for 60 seconds

shields
I get
Kill 1 - 8 Shield/s 1 stacks for 60 seconds
50 seconds Wait
Kill 2 - 16 Shield/s 2 stacks for 10 seconds, then back down to 1 stack for 50 seconds?

 

now the stacks don't reset.

How do I get this to stack?

 

Reply #1022 Top

Is there a quick and easy way to decrease the logistics slot cost of a single building? For example, a research that reduces the slot cost of the TEC Loyalist Trade Ports by 2. I've been looking at this for a while and haven't figured out how to do it, outside of editing the Trade Port file directly, which I'd rather not do. Any help is appreciated. Thanks.

Reply #1023 Top

jjbuck2 IN rebellion there is in the loyalist tec ONE ability that does have the effect you want ie RESEARCHSUBJECT_NOVALITH_DEREGULATION.entity

the important lines in it start at line 36

researchModifier
    modifierType "OrbitalCannonSlotCostAdjustment"
    baseValue 0.000000
    perLevelValue -3.000000
researchModifier
    modifierType "OrbitalCannonPriceAdjustment"
    baseValue 0.000000
    perLevelValue 0.250000
artifactPicture ""

whether or not there is similar adjustment modifiers for the structure you want is another question that I can not answer

harpo

 

Reply #1024 Top

Psychoak, appreciate you looking at it....I do agree it is a planet issue, but it is not one specific planet and it is not consistent...if anyone has any advice, I'd be very appreciated...

First, here is the error message:

Assert @ C:\Projects\P4\SinsRebellion\Release\CodeSource\Engine/DataStructures/DynamicVector.h(172)

i >= 0

This message can pop up from the main menu (so Frontend galaxy), the random galaxies, and a galaxy made in the map designer...the message doesn't always pop up, but when it does, it immediately results in a MD...

I spent a lot of time in the map designer, making large galaxies of the same planet (to maximize controlled variables), and here are some trends I've noticed:

  • Stars and uncolonizable planets do not seem to cause the issue (at least it is highly unlikely if they do cause it never happened for me)
  • The more planets, the more likely the odds of an issue occuring...as an example, it rarely occurs on Frontend or a Small Random, but occurs frequently on Huge maps...
  • "Better" planets increase the odds of an issue occuring...for example, the issue occurs with almost certainly when 99 Occupation planets are spawned, but only occurs sometimes with 99 asteroids spawned...
  • Removing militias templates from planets (GSD), players, and artifacts does not seem to prevent the issue...

Switching my planet entity files with the vanilla ones seems to remove the issue...for example, maintaining my string file, manifests, gameplay, and GSD, I can simply switch which file is named Planet_Occupation (either mine or the vanilla) and the issue goes away (only change I have to do to the vanilla is remove the Space Ponies planet bonus)...99 of mine results in almost guaranteed MD while 99 of the vanilla doesn't seem to result in any...

As a final note, this mod has no random planet bonuses...each colonizable planet has a certain number of required planet bonuses, with "better" planets (like terrans and occupation) have more of these bonuses (4 or 5, respectively) than "worse" planets (like asteroids) which have less bonuses (only 1)...

Reply #1025 Top

Yeah, I went through all the files.  I didn't see anything obvious, just a lot of "maybe it doesn't like this" sort of things.

 

I did spot a minor error in gameplay.constants, but the engine just ignores semicolons on the end of values so it's irrelevant to the crashing issue.

 

I'll take a second look at the planet files after I finish working tonight and see if I can figure out why they're buggered.

 

Edit: That specific error message is saying it went looking for something that was referenced, and didn't find it.  Most of them are properly trapped, like you typo an ability entry on a ship, but they were total slackers in other areas and you just get the single error message.