[Index] Tutorials and Resources

[Cycrow]

The Script Editor

• Step by Step Pictorial Tutorial Opening The Script Editor
  
• Step by Step Guide To Installing Content
  
• How To Make Custom Weapons
  
• MSCI Reference has a Forum

The script editor in X3TC is largely unchanged from X3, with the exception of many new useful commands that have been added. It is activated in the same way that the X3 one is.

The one major change is that scripts made in X3 are NOT compatible with X3TC, these will not load at all in the game.
There have been many changes and improvements to the existing commands as well as all the changes to types files which can make old scripts not work correctly.

WARNING: Use at your own risk (its generally better to rewrite your scripts for X3TC, especially with all the additional commands available)

If you really want to load your old X3 scripts, (ie to edit them for use with X3TC) then you can manually adjust the version number. Edit the xml file directly and change the 2 script engine version to 40 and this will allow them to load. But they will require additional changes to make them work properly, like any types used (ship types for example)



The script editor aka "Manual Ship Computer Interface" (M.S.C.I.) is an in-game tool to create/modify AI behaviour rules and also allows creating/modifying objects in the game universe.
These features mean it is very powerful and when not used carefully can seriously damage your game universe.
As many of you have already found out using the Script Editor can spoil all the fun of the game!

Please note that this powerful tool is provided for your use as is. Script writing and accompanied problems are NOT supported by Egosoft or any betatesters.

If you are certain that you want to use this unsupported feature, you may activate the script editor the following way in your game:

enter the menu to change your pilot's name
type Thereshallbewings (note the capital T) and press enter
the menu will close, your player name will NOT have been changed, and a confirmation beep will sound on correct activation
you will now find the "Script Editor" menu item in the command console

Troubleshooting if you can't open the SE
1. Have you changed your pilotname, not your ship name
2. Make sure you are not docked
3. have you used a capital T


Note that the publication of the Script Editor access code by no means forces you to use it. The editor is an advanced and most importantly optional feature.
If you are not into script programming of any sort you are probably better off without it.

****Note****
Once opened the script editor can never be closed in your save game, A new start is required
99.9% of script & mod users care not about this but some of you may do.


The Galaxy Editor

The Galaxy Editor is an in game tool that allows you to create your own maps for the X-Universe. It has undergone significant development since X2, and should be much more powerful than before.

There is no documentation for this feature, and use remains unsupported by Egosoft.

If you are certain that you want to use this unsupported feature you may activate the galaxy editor the following way in your game:

enter the menu to change your pilot's name
type Makeanapplepiefromscratch (note the capital M) and press enter
the menu will close, your player name will NOT have been changed, and a confirmation beep will sound on correct activation
you will now find the "Galaxy Editor" menu item in the 'NEW GAME' section of the opening menu of the game

Note that the publication of the Galaxy Editor access code by no means forces you to use it. The editor is an advanced and most importantly optional feature.

Feel free to ask questions about the activation of the script editor / galaxy editor in this thread, but please save questions like 'How does it work?' and 'How do I script something?' for the appropriate tutorials threads. (Don't post them here)



Tutorials And Help Files


The first thing that needs to be said about scripting and modding for X3TC is that it is, for the most part, generally composed of the same basic procedures as it was for X3.

Therefore, much of the information for scripting and modding X3TC is already contained in the Scripting / Modding Tutorials Thread for X3. Many of the threads contained in this sticky will assume that you already have a basic fundamental understanding of how to script for the X games. This basic knowledge can be obtained by reading many of the tutorials that were written in the past for X2 and X3.

The rest of this sticky will be full of threads that will provide specific information on how to script / mod for X3TC.

A few general notes:
Every link in this tutorial list will be to a thread on the egosoft board. If there's a good external resource, I'll link to a thread here, on the egosoft site, which links to the external resource. This way, the issue of broken links can be dealt with by whoever is referring / maintaining the external resource. Post all dead link questions to the thread in question, I won't be able to deal with them here. Fair enough?
If you have a link/thread to some useful info that you'd like to see on this page, feel free to pm me or post it to this thread (along with what general category you think it falls under). I'll try to keep this first post organized and up to date so that people don't have to wade through 20 pages to find the link they want.



Tutorial Opening The Script Editor

Tutorial Using a AL Plugin

Tutorial Creating an AL Plugin

Tutorial Creating Custom Menu and Interface

Tutorial Turning AL Plugins On and Off

How to install mods and scripts on Mac (for technophobes)...




Default install directory location for Steam users

[moot]

Does the dev team know of any plans to update the MSCI Reference, or at least provide an update of the list of commands available? I'm sure there's plenty of functions that have now been depreciated (BBS, for example), not to mention all the new ones associated with the new weapons, wares and interface.

[moggy2]

I'm planning on updating the command lists in the msci-handbook on xai-corp.net, and document some of the new features.

I could use some help there if anyone feels like lending a hand.

[Zargen]

How do I turn scripting on?

I looked through the commands and noticed that to bring up scripting I hit the 's' key. But that didn't work, then I tried Thereshallbewings like for Reunion but that didn't work either.

Little help?

[Zargen]

Nevermind, I found the bugger.

[zergfest90]

Here is a link to the method for enabling it (same as in X3: Reunion):

http://forum.egosoft.com/viewtopic.php?t=216693

[Nutsman]

Dear doubleshadow,

at first
thank you for your excellent work on the X3 Editor !!

But it seams to be it is not compatible with the new X3 Terran Confict.
Is there something planed from you to update the Editor in the future ?
Your Editor is one of the most imported tools in the X-Uni.
it will be a big loss for the hole community when not...

best regards

nuts

[Litcube]

Seconded.

The Cats can be opened by the editor, but the PBD files aren't decompressing.

EDIT: However, WinRar will open them. Just add the .BOD extension after. I would hazard an assumption that this works for .PCK/.XML as well.

[TradinCajun]

I third it.
I can open the Cat folder but when I try to open the TShips.pck file I get this error:

[siath70]

Yes, I would like to see it updated too.

I would like to get at the TJobs file so I can remove the pesky Taxi and other useless civs. All they really do is clog up my machine. I mean it's nice to see some life, but sheesh give us some options. Why couldn't X3:TC had a switch to reduce/remove them from the game...

[Bughu Baas]

For access:

- Use the old DS Modmanager to decompress cat/dat files
- use 7zip or winrar to decompress the resulting pck files
- Add the file extension manually, its the same as in X3R
- Use a text editor (Notepad++ or Notepad2 recommended) to edit the files
- Create a "\types" directory in the X3TC directory
- Copy your TShips.txt/TJobs.txt/whatever into that dir
- Start X3TC and enjoy!

So, the "only" problem is the missing GUI Editor for those text files.

Malte

[Sandalpocalypse]

Holy Crap! I didn't know you could winrar the PCKs. Thanks Bughu.

Can it re-PCK them too?

*edit*
Ha-ha, in the TShips file..

"// Created with X3 Editor 0.0.22"

Egosoft is 7 versions ahead of us.

at least we know there is a working editor, even if we don't have it.

[Bughu Baas]

To re-pack, just use the good old ModManager from X3R. It's working!

Malte

[Observe]

FYI: Here is content of email I received from Doubleshadow:

[jeremy_2001]

I used the Manager and extracted files successfully ,however I can't find any image files(ico ,bmp,png,et.).What am I supposed to do?Please help me ,thank you very much