[Docn] Director Start.xml

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Seathal
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Post by Seathal » Mon, 5. Jan 09, 03:02

Hmm many thanks.

I have a small problem, I want to add a new start (ATF Officer):

I added this to starts:

Code: Select all

      
</documentation>
      <action>
        <do_choose>
          <do_when value="{player.age}" min="20">
            <do_choose>
              <do_when value="{player.gamestart}" exact="101" comment="Terran Defender">
                <set_value name="Terran Plot" exact="1"/>
                <set_value name="HUB Plot" exact="1"/>
                <set_value name="HQ Plot" exact="1"/>
              </do_when>

              <do_when value="{player.gamestart}" exact="102" comment="USC Commander">
                <set_value name="Terran Plot" exact="1"/>
                <set_value name="HUB Plot" exact="1"/>
                <set_value name="HQ Plot" exact="1"/>
              </do_when>
              
              <do_when value="{player.gamestart}" exact="103" comment="ATF Officer">
                <set_value name="Terran Plot" exact="1"/>
                <set_value name="HUB Plot" exact="1"/>
                <set_value name="HQ Plot" exact="1"/>
              </do_when>

              <do_when value="{player.gamestart}" exact="104" comment="Argon Patriot">
                <set_value name="Ter.......

(...)

.......lue name="Terran Plot" exact="1"/>
                <set_value name="HUB Plot" exact="1"/>
                <set_value name="HQ Plot" exact="1"/>
              </do_when>

              <do_when value="{player.gamestart}" exact="103" comment="ATF Officer">
                <reward_player>
                  <money exact="1000"/>
                  <notoriety>
                    <relation race="argon" operation="set" exact="neutral-8"/>
                    <relation race="boron" operation="set" exact="neutral-11"/>
                    <relation race="paranid" operation="set" exact="foe-2"/>
                    <relation race="split" operation="set" exact="foe-5"/>
                    <relation race="teladi" operation="set" exact="neutral-5"/>
                    <relation race="goner" operation="set" exact="neutral+5"/>
                    <relation race="pirate" operation="set" exact="enemy"/>
                    <relation race="khaak" operation="set" exact="min" mutual="1"/>
                    <relation race="xenon" operation="set" exact="min" mutual="1"/>
                    <relation race="atf" operation="set" exact="{lookup.notoriety@notop2}"/>
                    <relation race="terran" operation="set" exact="neutral" mutual="1"/>
                    <relation race="yaki" operation="set" exact="enemy" mutual="1"/>
                  </notoriety>
                  <equipment>
                    <ware typename="SS_SHIELD_A" exact="5"/>
                    <ware typename="SS_LASER_EMP" exact="2"/>
                    <ware typename="SS_WARE_BOOST" exact="1"/>
                    <ware typename="SS_WARE_SCANNER2" exact="1"/>
                    <ware typename="SS_MISSILE_POLTERGEIST" exact="3"/>
                    <ware typename="SS_WARE_TECH213" exact="({player.ship.equipment.SS_WARE_TECH213.maxcount}/5)*4" comment="Engine Tunings"/>
                    <ware typename="SS_WARE_TECH231" exact="1" comment="SETA"/>
                    <ware typename="SS_WARE_TECH242" exact="1" comment="Video Enhancement Goggles"/>
                    <ware typename="SS_WARE_TECH246" exact="{player.ship.equipment.SS_WARE_TECH246.maxcount}/4+1" comment="Rudder Optomisation"/>
                    <ware typename="SS_WARE_TECH251" exact="{player.ship.equipment.SS_WARE_TECH251.maxcount}/3+1" comment="Cargo Bay Extension"/>
                  </equipment>
                </reward_player>
                <set_value name="ATF Notoriety" exact="{lookup.notoriety@notop2}"/>
                <set_value name="Terran Plot" exact="1"/>
                <set_value name="HUB Plot" exact="1"/>
                <set_value name="HQ Plot" exact="1"/>
              </do_when>

              <do_when value="{player.gamestart}" exact="104" comment="Argon Patriot">
                <reward_player>
                  <money min="1800" max="2000"/>
                  <notoriety> (........................)
And this to gamestarts:

Code: Select all

  <!-- Terran Defender -->
  <gamestart id="101" name="{1900,2001}" description="{1900,2101}" difficulty="{1900,2201}" image="start08" plot="1">
    <player name="{1900,2301}" species="{1900,2401}" gender="{1900,2501}" age="{1900,2601}"/>
    <!-- Uranus -->
    <sector x="10" y="1"/>
    <ship typename="SS_SH_USC_M4"/>
  </gamestart>
  <!-- USC Commander -->
  <gamestart id="102" name="{1900,2002}" description="{1900,2102}" difficulty="{1900,2202}" image="start01" plot="1" requirements="6">
    <player name="{1900,2302}" species="{1900,2402}" gender="{1900,2502}" age="{1900,2602}"/>
    <!-- Uranus -->
    <sector x="10" y="1"/>
    <ship typename="SS_SH_USC_M3"/>
  </gamestart>
    <!-- ATF Officer -->
  <gamestart id="103" name="{1900,2002}" description="{1900,2102}" difficulty="{1900,2202}" image="start01" plot="1">
    <player name="{1900,2302}" species="{1900,2402}" gender="{1900,2502}" age="{1900,2602}"/>
    <!-- Uranus -->
    <sector x="10" y="1"/>
    <ship typename="SS_SH_TR_M5"/>
  </gamestart>

  <!-- SPARE SLOT FOR ALTERNATIVE TERRAN START -->


  <!-- STANDARD AVAILABLE STARTS -->
I "Added" them int he correct places with the correct names (renamed the originals) with X3 ModManager. But nothing happens, at least no visible change when I get the "New Game" menu in X3TC.

Anybody knows what can be failing?

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Seathal
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Post by Seathal » Mon, 5. Jan 09, 03:23

apricotslice wrote:You also need the modmanager program, to extract everything from the cat/dat.
Oh well that was silly. THanks!

jlehtone
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Post by jlehtone » Mon, 5. Jan 09, 14:04

Seathal wrote:I have a small problem, I want to add a new start (ATF Officer) ...
1. I'd say it will be more beneficial in the long run if we can gather solutions to "starts modding" related problems in one thread. Hence the merge.


2. Not being familiar with the topic, I can only ask a trivial question:
Does modification of existing start work for you?
* If modding a start fails too, that could relate to whether game sees the right files. Perhaps.

IIRC, UniTrader added a start which was defined in separate file, rather than in 'start.xml', and enenra knew a list of files in Director folder that needs to be updated for the game to see the new file. But that is different from appending to the existing 'start.xml'.

And another silly question:
Some starts require the Registry to have a flag set. You have all bits on, have you? Or sure that the added start has same 'unlock' requirements as the (unlocked) template?

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Seathal
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Post by Seathal » Mon, 5. Jan 09, 17:12

jlehtone wrote:
Seathal wrote:I have a small problem, I want to add a new start (ATF Officer) ...
1. I'd say it will be more beneficial in the long run if we can gather solutions to "starts modding" related problems in one thread. Hence the merge.


2. Not being familiar with the topic, I can only ask a trivial question:
Does modification of existing start work for you?
* If modding a start fails too, that could relate to whether game sees the right files. Perhaps.

IIRC, UniTrader added a start which was defined in separate file, rather than in 'start.xml', and enenra knew a list of files in Director folder that needs to be updated for the game to see the new file. But that is different from appending to the existing 'start.xml'.

And another silly question:
Some starts require the Registry to have a flag set. You have all bits on, have you? Or sure that the added start has same 'unlock' requirements as the (unlocked) template?
- Gonna try modifying an existing gamestart, but I'd like to eventually make it independent withotu modifying anything else [EDIT] It doens't seem to work at all. Could the error be that I have to change something else besides those two files to load the changes up to the game?

- Yes, the requirments are none. Like Terran Defender.

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Seathal
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Post by Seathal » Mon, 5. Jan 09, 17:56

Okay. I checked the Text Resource Editor and foudn the text files that define the menu game starts, so I added mine. File is 3519 for 0001-L044.pck

I added an file with the ID 2003 as "ATF Agent" and a 2103 with the description, set those two numbers in gamestarts and start

Still. It doens't appear in the X3TC menu...
Any help?

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apricotslice
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Post by apricotslice » Tue, 6. Jan 09, 01:01

Now that seems to be a problem, since modder language files are not loaded until the game actually starts.

Meaning that you would have to modify 0001 for the descriptions to appear in the new start area. And thats a nono.

I havent tried this yet, its on my list of things to do, so cant offer anything at this point.

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Observe
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Post by Observe » Tue, 6. Jan 09, 02:40

FYI: Here is the gamestart we've been using for Transcend mod:

Click for full size
[ external image ]

I only show here as demonstration that simple modification of the two files involved work fine. You'll also notice use of a custom image for the character in this gamestart.

Although rather busy with the mod atm, I will do my best to keep an eye on this thread periodically in case I may be of help in your efforts.

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Seathal
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Post by Seathal » Tue, 6. Jan 09, 20:01

*looks at the image* ooooh I wanna. I jsut don't get what's failing. I think it's that the game doens't recognize the changes on the files.... I don't know.

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Seathal
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Post by Seathal » Fri, 9. Jan 09, 23:55

Has anyone solved this? I still can't get it to show in the game. Observe; what did you do esactly? Just mod those two files? Is that it? If so I don't really know what am I missing.

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apricotslice
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Post by apricotslice » Sat, 10. Jan 09, 00:10

Send me the files you changed and I'll have a look.

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Seathal
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Post by Seathal » Sat, 10. Jan 09, 00:48

apricotslice wrote:Send me the files you changed and I'll have a look.
Did so. THanks for offering your help!

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apricotslice
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Post by apricotslice » Sat, 10. Jan 09, 04:30

I've responded to just your description of what you did. I'll have a look at the files when I get a free minute.

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Seathal
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Post by Seathal » Sat, 10. Jan 09, 11:24

What you told me works like a charm ^^ I just "copied" the modified 03.cat and .dat into the "mods" folder. Just one question though: Now tha game recognizes (when mod is loaded) that it's version 1.01. How do I avoid that? copying the 04,05... files too? (the ones that the patch seem to upgrade when patching?).

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apricotslice
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Post by apricotslice » Sat, 10. Jan 09, 11:32

[ external image ]

Err.....that wasnt quite what I said !

:lol:

03 is the original game pack. You want to use the files from 06.

Extract from 06, and then create a new cat/dat for them that you put in mods.

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Seathal
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Post by Seathal » Sat, 10. Jan 09, 12:05

apricotslice wrote: 03 is the original game pack. You want to use the files from 06.

Extract from 06, and then create a new cat/dat for them that you put in mods.
I see. But 06 doens't have the "start.pck" file. It does have the other two though.

DO I just use the "start" one from 03? Or load my already edited files into a copy of 06?

EDIT: GOT IT! I made a copy from 06.cat and .dat, renamed both to my name. Changed the files into the .cat with Mod Manager and loaded them as a mod. Works like a charma nd recognizes the current version of the game.

Thank you very much apricot ^^. I'll start working on it immediatedly.
Last edited by Seathal on Sat, 10. Jan 09, 12:15, edited 1 time in total.

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apricotslice
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Post by apricotslice » Sat, 10. Jan 09, 12:09

Use your edited files in an 07 or a "my mod".

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Seathal
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Post by Seathal » Sat, 10. Jan 09, 12:15

apricotslice wrote:Use your edited files in an 07 or a "my mod".
Ah I see, you just need the dited files. I thought you needed the whole bulk of files for it to work. Thank you again!

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apricotslice
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Post by apricotslice » Tue, 13. Jan 09, 09:45

Observe, did you have to use 0001 for the text for your start, or is there a way around this ?

I really dont like the idea of having to bundle a modified 0001 file in a mod.

I've just done mine. Everything works except the actual display screen, as yet.

One thing I dont understand is why if you run the program, load a game, exit and restart, why the text entries for gamestart are not available to the start screen. The game text file (that the editor uses) has been updated, so why isnt the program accessing this ?

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apricotslice
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Post by apricotslice » Wed, 14. Jan 09, 04:29

ok, am having real problems with this.

Everything works except for displaying the text information on the new game menu.

I've coded the start to use text from page id 8686, I've put this in 0001 and installed it as a false patch (after first trying it inside the mod).

All I get are readtext errors.

I've tried starting a game and then exiting to get the updated text file in the game. No change.

What is the something obvious I'm missing ?

If the text has to go into 0001, that means that in order to get multiple starts loaded, one must manually edit all the starts together into 0001, which is not really acceptable.

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Seathal
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Post by Seathal » Wed, 14. Jan 09, 11:22

I copied "0001-L044" and modified that copy, then added it to the mod.cat file. The display on start menu works fine but I get get some readtexts on apparently random places which i've not touched nor modified (command menu, start information, mission guidance...).

So far I haven't found a solution either.

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