Theme and modding question

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All Forums >> [New Releases from Matrix Games] >> Distant Worlds 1 Series >> Design and Modding >> Theme and modding question

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Theme and modding question - 3/26/2010 3:28:14 PM

incbob

Posts: 727
Joined: 6/23/2004
From: Columbia, Missouri
Status: offline

I moved this from another thread to here. I looked at the customization guide and asked the question: If I create races do I have to put them in a theme? The answer was no.

So, if I create ships and races and put them into the customization folder without a them will the game AI use them?

Post #: 1

RE: Theme and modding question - 3/26/2010 7:31:08 PM

Deto

Posts: 105
Joined: 2/15/2010
Status: offline

On the topic. How can I nail certain race to only use certain ship family, and no one else? I'm stuck at trying to change humans to use different kind of set graphics set, so I can update art on the run (hopefully) :)

(in reply to incbob)

Post #: 2

RE: Theme and modding question - 3/26/2010 9:07:56 PM

magickoji

Posts: 48
Joined: 7/27/2009
Status: offline

quote:

ORIGINAL: Deto

On the topic. How can I nail certain race to only use certain ship family, and no one else? I'm stuck at trying to change humans to use different kind of set graphics set, so I can update art on the run (hopefully) :)

Yes I've notice that too. That any race can use any of the ship images. They are not bounded to any set. Well at least the humans aren't. Kind of makes modding a little hard, if you can't make certain races use certain images.

(in reply to Deto)

Post #: 3

RE: Theme and modding question - 3/27/2010 4:28:47 AM

elliotg

Posts: 3597
Joined: 9/10/2007
Status: offline

quote:

ORIGINAL: incbob
I moved this from another thread to here. I looked at the customization guide and asked the question: If I create races do I have to put them in a theme? The answer was no.

So, if I create ships and races and put them into the customization folder without a them will the game AI use them?

A theme is just a folder under the Customization folder. When you say that you "create races", do you mean race images (PNG files) or creating races in the races.txt file?

The game will use your new races when you put them in your own custom version of the races.txt file and place this in your own folder under Customization. Thus you have something like:

<Installation Path>\Distant Worlds\Customization\YourTheme\races.txt

And you can also add your custom race images, custom ship images, etc in the raceImages and shipImages subfolders.

(in reply to incbob)

Post #: 4

RE: Theme and modding question - 3/27/2010 4:33:20 AM

elliotg

Posts: 3597
Joined: 9/10/2007
Status: offline

quote:

ORIGINAL: magickoji

quote:

ORIGINAL: Deto
On the topic. How can I nail certain race to only use certain ship family, and no one else? I'm stuck at trying to change humans to use different kind of set graphics set, so I can update art on the run (hopefully) :)

Yes I've notice that too. That any race can use any of the ship images. They are not bounded to any set. Well at least the humans aren't. Kind of makes modding a little hard, if you can't make certain races use certain images.

In the races.txt file you can assign the 'family' of ship images that a race will use with the "Designs picture family index" setting.

The AI races will honor this setting so that they always use the same looking ships. But you may be seeing some other factors that allow for different looking ships in an empire: the empire may have discovered an abandoned ship with a unique look, or they may have had a pirate faction join them, with their own unique looking ships.

Also, when you're playing the game and manually designing your own ships, you can select any image you like for your design - you're not restricted to your default family of ship images. But the AI (other empires) will stick to their own set of ship images when designing new ships and bases.

(in reply to magickoji)

Post #: 5

RE: Theme and modding question - 3/27/2010 7:35:55 AM

Deto

Posts: 105
Joined: 2/15/2010
Status: offline

quote:

ORIGINAL: elliotg

quote:

ORIGINAL: magickoji

quote:

ORIGINAL: Deto
On the topic. How can I nail certain race to only use certain ship family, and no one else? I'm stuck at trying to change humans to use different kind of set graphics set, so I can update art on the run (hopefully) :)

Yes I've notice that too. That any race can use any of the ship images. They are not bounded to any set. Well at least the humans aren't. Kind of makes modding a little hard, if you can't make certain races use certain images.

In the races.txt file you can assign the 'family' of ship images that a race will use with the "Designs picture family index" setting.

The AI races will honor this setting so that they always use the same looking ships. But you may be seeing some other factors that allow for different looking ships in an empire: the empire may have discovered an abandoned ship with a unique look, or they may have had a pirate faction join them, with their own unique looking ships.

Also, when you're playing the game and manually designing your own ships, you can select any image you like for your design - you're not restricted to your default family of ship images. But the AI (other empires) will stick to their own set of ship images when designing new ships and bases.

Thanks! I finally managed to change them proper :)

Is there a reason why you can't make completely new family or use textual ship image names? Whenever I'm making mods, I really dislike replacing stuff. I'd much rather add new instead. Also why can't you add new races to the list?

And on the topic, sorry for request more new stuff, maybe there could be some sort of 'read this kind of files'-system so that you could like make raceXYZLALALALLAALA.txt and the game would recognize the 'race' in the start and load the new race in the game in the theme. Dunno if it would be easier with xml like tagging or not.

The biggest problem with current system for modding is that we can't really 'share' mods easily, especially not race mods at least if someone wants to play with two new races or suchs and they have no idea how the modding works and don't have patience for doing some themselves. I really love how easy its to make new things though :D

(in reply to elliotg)

Post #: 6

RE: Theme and modding question - 3/28/2010 6:36:33 PM

nicodede62

Posts: 194
Joined: 1/4/2008
From: France
Status: offline

Hi all

I am a French player, and I wanted to create and integrate the races of Warhammer 40000.

My theme:

Only here , if I put the file in "raceImages":

I put the following line in the text file:
Imperium, 20, 0, 1.48, 110, 125, 75, 75, 100, 0, 0, 0, 5, 5, 10, 0, 0, 0, 10, 3, 0, 3, 1, 20, 18, Terra, Chapter

I run my theme, and when choosing the breed. I have an error

By cons, if I put the number 4 (humans) instead of 20, no mistake. The race appears well:

I dont not understand, could someone help me?

(in reply to Deto)

Post #: 7

RE: Theme and modding question - 3/29/2010 3:14:55 AM

hadberz

Posts: 1629
Joined: 5/11/2000
From: Moncks Corner, SC
Status: offline

You can only replace races. Rename the Race_20.png image to Race_4.png and it will appear in game.

(in reply to nicodede62)

Post #: 8

RE: Theme and modding question - 3/29/2010 8:25:05 AM

nicodede62

Posts: 194
Joined: 1/4/2008
From: France
Status: offline

Therefore impossible to add races with those already existing ?

It's damage

.

EDIT:The replacement works fine, thank you for help.

< Message edited by nicodede62 -- 3/29/2010 8:35:40 AM >

(in reply to hadberz)

Post #: 9

RE: Theme and modding question - 3/29/2010 10:47:39 AM

Deto

Posts: 105
Joined: 2/15/2010
Status: offline

quote:

ORIGINAL: nicodede62

Therefore impossible to add races with those already existing ?

It's damage .

EDIT:The replacement works fine, thank you for help.

Yeah at least for now its limited to 'replacing'. Can't wait when we can add new stuff, cause then my ships don't have to replace existing ones at all! :)

(in reply to nicodede62)

Post #: 10

RE: Theme and modding question - 3/29/2010 12:52:35 PM

nicodede62

Posts: 194
Joined: 1/4/2008
From: France
Status: offline

There is possible to edit the file containing the information for the "Read more about this race" ?

For when clicked, it is found here:

Edit:There is possible to know where is the number associated with colors:

23' - Default primary color: 0-19

24' - Default secondary color: 0-20

Another Edit:I'm putting out a name for "Home system name" but the name is different each time you start a game.
Imperium, 0, 0, 1.24, 110, 125, 75, 75, 100, 0, 0, 0, 5, 5, 10, 0, 0, 0, 10, 0, 0, 3, 1, 20, 5, Terra, Space Marine chapter

< Message edited by nicodede62 -- 3/29/2010 3:54:54 PM >

(in reply to Deto)

Post #: 11

RE: Theme and modding question - 8/7/2010 3:28:24 AM

DTFS

Posts: 27
Joined: 8/6/2010
Status: offline

i believe the Color NUMBER is the same order as the colors in game
meaning if the color green is 3rd from the top
them using 3 as the value you will get green

or at least thats what it looks like to me

then again im only editing values for races nothing more

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i wish they'd hurry up an allow us to edit the components

(in reply to nicodede62)

Post #: 12

RE: Theme and modding question - 8/7/2010 7:19:33 AM

tjhkkr

Posts: 2428
Joined: 6/3/2010
Status: offline

All of the primary races will use whatever ship set you assign them, but as far as the pirates are concerned, it is the skies the limit.

I have had pirates use my race's ships, other races ships, ships from the sets provided by DW (I have used all 8 sets, so they had to pull them from the DW ship sets). Pirates do not seem to follow the rules.

I do not mind that though, it gives some interesting situations.

But I do not think anyone uses the extra ship sets folders

. I put all of Igard's Romulan ships amd some of his Klingon ships there, and they have yet to make an appearance. I was hoping the Pirates might pull from there.

_____________________________

Remember that the evil which is now in the world will become yet more powerful, and that it is not evil which conquers evil, but only love -- Olga Romanov.

(in reply to DTFS)

Post #: 13

RE: Theme and modding question - 8/7/2010 12:37:26 PM

WoodMan

Posts: 1345
Joined: 6/2/2010
From: Ol' Blighty
Status: offline

Races use Shipsets 0-8, defined in the races.txt. Pirates can also use these ships (I think, but not confirmed, if they kill a lot of ships using a certain shipset, they get some ships using that shipset themselves, this just could be a coincidence though).

The ships in the other folder:

Majorsets: These are ships from the DW history, the war reffered to as the story progresses, there are 4 sets and these ships are found in debris fields or sometimes individually.

Minorsets:

Bases-Used for Pirate bases and abadoned bases that are found in asteroid belts etc
Family 0-6: Can be used by pirates and also can be found abandoned in space, I think when found abandoned in space these ships are not as powerful as the wrecks from the ships in the Majorsets above. Also, when you find these types of ships there is a chance they might explode, or suddenly come to life because pirates were hiding onboard etc..

(in reply to tjhkkr)

Post #: 14

RE: Theme and modding question - 8/7/2010 4:59:49 PM

tjhkkr

Posts: 2428
Joined: 6/3/2010
Status: offline

Well that is kind of frustrating; I do not mind that it pulls from DW shipsets, but if you are saying that it should be pulling from 0-6 in the minor ship sets for pirates... it is not doing that. I better double check and make sure that I have proper directory structure.

_____________________________

Remember that the evil which is now in the world will become yet more powerful, and that it is not evil which conquers evil, but only love -- Olga Romanov.

(in reply to WoodMan)

Post #: 15

RE: Theme and modding question - 8/7/2010 5:54:34 PM

WoodMan

Posts: 1345
Joined: 6/2/2010
From: Ol' Blighty
Status: offline

Yes in my game anyway (unmodded, standard install, patch 1.0.6.0) the pirates use minorsets 0-6, it seems they are not restricted to a single set from here but can use a mix. Sometimes they use the shipset families that are used by players, but I notice its often one off ships and the rest are from the minorsets, I have noticed they seem to use the shipset of my neighbours, I assume because they are killing my neighbours, but as I said before this might just be a coincidence, rarely do I see them using my shipset and rarely do they manage to kill one of my conmat ships either.

(in reply to tjhkkr)

Post #: 16

RE: Theme and modding question - 8/8/2010 12:36:25 AM

tjhkkr

Posts: 2428
Joined: 6/3/2010
Status: offline

Ya, that makes sense. They occasionally do use my ship set, but I have noticed, they are not as powerful as my own ships...

And I do not want to monkey with DW's basic sets, because if I get it wrong, the program will bomb...
It is a shame though, some of those Klingon/Romulan designs are nice looking. Several of the DWs are neat, but I seldom get the cool ones, I get the one's that look like bumble bees.

_____________________________

Remember that the evil which is now in the world will become yet more powerful, and that it is not evil which conquers evil, but only love -- Olga Romanov.

(in reply to WoodMan)

Post #: 17