Tutorial - Installing mods and scripts to your game

LV · Post by LV » Mon, 29. Nov 10, 11:01

all scripts and mods will be packaged in some way, if they are SPK files you will need the Plugin Manager
Otherwise they will come in one of 3 formats all free to download

1. Winzip [zip]

Winzip Ignore all the email crap just click download

2. Winrar [Rar]

Winrar

3. 7z [7z]

7z Download

link 7z site

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If you do not have the program on your computer the file will come up as an unknown file. you will need to download whichever of the 3 programs above the file relates to

once installed you can install as below

How to install downloaded scripts

Open up the folder which holds your X3 install
[ external image ]

[ external image ]

Info for mods

mods come as cat & dat files

the mod will be named in one of two ways

1. number.cat/number.dat

e.g 13.cat 13.dat

2. modname.cat modname.dat

e.g. upgrade.ship.speed.cat upgrade.ship.speed.dat

There are two ways to use mods, if you install the mod into the 'mods' folder you will need to "select mod" via the x3 launch console window [ external image ] for it to work

if you put the mod as a 'false patch' then it goes into the main folder as a numbered cat/dat file it must be the next highest number that is available.

e.g.

12.dat 12.cat are currently the highest numbered files in your folder, you would need to rename the files 13.cat & 13.dat, if you have more than one mod then the next would be 14.dat/14.cat

the last numbered mod takes priority, if you have 2 mods that alter the same thing (not recommended at all) the last numbered mod will take the priority

example, you have a mod that changes a ships speed at 13 cat, you have another doing the same thing at 15 cat, the changes in 15 will be the ones in your game

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Mission Director files

If you do not have a folder called 'director' in your main TC folder then create on by right clicking on a blank space in that folder and choosing the option to create a new folder called 'Director'

Director files are .xml files and should be saved in this folder.

The thread you get the files from should give install info

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That's about it.

quicklink to this thread

si1dg - remove the 1

mythal101 · Post by **mythal101** » Mon, 6. Dec 10, 21:21

so what if you got a script from someone posting up code, that is just plain code, and no file?

ie:

http://forum.egosoft.com/viewtopic.php? ... findpearle

i want to use that script, but its a code snippet...
what do i do with that code snippet?

ive searched and searched but found no answer to that.

Carlo the Curious · Post by **Carlo the Curious** » Tue, 7. Dec 10, 18:55

You'd have to create a new script and enter the code yourself.

mythal101 · Post by **mythal101** » Tue, 7. Dec 10, 19:32

wow great, thanks for the reply...but uhm, mind telling me what the requirements for creating a script is?

do i have to create the script in-game with the script editor?
or create an xml file? ive looked at a few xml script files and the commands dont correspond to the ingame script editor...so im at a bit of a loss

thanks again.

vr01 · Post by **vr01** » Tue, 7. Dec 10, 19:43

Before LV applies a force grip you should probably have a look here first

mythal101 · Post by **mythal101** » Wed, 8. Dec 10, 16:56

@vr01
ive already read that thread.
it doesnt even remotely answer my question.

let me be a bit more clear...
for someone who hasnt made a script before in X3TC.

1) i see a code snippet on the thread i mentioned above.
2) i want to use code snippet/script.
3) how do you use it?

im sure the answer is obvious to most of you. to someone who has never made a script before, however, its not clear at all. hence my question.

yes, im also sure im missing the obvious connection somewhere. i repeat again though, its not obvious for me because ive never made a script.

my only guesses could be
1) i have to, line for line, create that script ingame with the IG script editor. (pain in the ass and incredibly crooked way to implement it, though i wouldnt put it past egosoft to be that unprofessional that they dont even have a way for actual text-file scripting)
2) there is some method to transform the code snippet into an XML file, put it in my scripts folder, and use it (right now, it does not work if i put that code snippet into an xml file and into my scripts directory. it wont show up ingame under my scripts archive.)

if one of those 2 is the answer and the only answer, or if there is another answer, it would be great to know.
because there is nowhere visible on this forum that actually explains for a new scripter how to actually import those code snippets that people post up saying "this is my script"...
it seems a bit redundant that people would post code snippets as their script, if indeed its not even possible to copy and paste those scripts into the game but they need instead to be recreated manually by hand.

i hope my point and question is clear now.
thanks for the replies though.

LV · Post by LV » Wed, 8. Dec 10, 18:31

Exscripter (External Script Editor)

found in the tutorial stickie

I'm not sure if you can C&P that code into the exeditor but it may be possible as you can create new scripts in there(give it a try and report back). I don't use this utility much as 5+ years of using the cumbersome internal se means you get used to it.

You will struggle with no scripting experience to use it but some people swear by it, others like myself rarely use it other than for simple stuff.

most code snippets are posted for either advice or examples but tbh your going to have to get your hands dirty if you want to script.

I would also say that although ego do deserve the odd lashing for x&y, yes the SE could be better but at least there is the opportunity to tinker and change the game, they could have gone all xenophobic and locked us out. Your dealing with a very small niche company that has managed to put much of it's games together by community help. We are not dealing with a monster like EA here

(thank god)

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mythal101 · Post by **mythal101** » Thu, 9. Dec 10, 15:55

haha LV

it seems i am always 1 step ahead of every reply...yesterday i kept digging around, after i posted, to try and "help myself", found that external script writer (the one you just linked) and started messing with it.

however, the script code snippet (on the link i posted above) gives compile errors in that script editor.

so i changed it around a bit and made it to use a while-loop to go through all sectors (copied from cycrow's "add sats to all sectors" script), but it doesnt produce anything. so its either not working as intended (WAI) or it is WAI and the calls are wrong.

anyhow, thanks for the answer to the question. since my script is off topic, ill post it in another thread for questions on it, if i cant figure something out.

and btw, being a new scripter i would definitely say the external SE is far superior. sure it doesnt compile all the calls correctly, but oh-my-buddha (hehe) does it speed up creating a script. too bad its not up to date though...

thanks again for the answers all.

Sam L.R. Griffiths · Post by **Sam L.R. Griffiths** » Sun, 27. Feb 11, 19:50

Ok, I have done a search and not found any "explicit" guidance for STEAM users. As this thread is already in existence perhaps some additional words for STEAM users would not go amiss?

Where I am explicitly coming from is that I have recently re-installed my OS (moved to 64-bit Vista from 32-bit Vista - not got Windows 7 yet

) and have installed X3:TC via STEAM. In my previous installation I used the DVD installation and applied "additional content" to a copy of the original installation directory. I had wanted to do something similar with my STEAM installation but my initial investigative attempts have failed.

I realise I can backup/restore my game files, but I would prefer to just branch the current build status and have two copies (one modded and one not). Any idea on how to do this with a STEAM installation?

XDrake · Post by **XDrake** » Sun, 27. Feb 11, 21:26

Thanks for the guild LV.

I know that you can't use fake patches that will over write one another, but how many cat/ dat files can you have? I am currently at 19!

Will a mod (from start screen) also over write a fake patch? Just wondering because is in a separate directory.

RMSe17 · Post by **RMSe17** » Sat, 28. May 11, 08:50

Hi, I am pretty new to mod usage in X games. I figured this is a good time to spin up X3:TC that I bought a while back. I would like to play it with improvements provided by good mods. I narrowed down the list for this play run to:

SRM (1.09)+jobs, shipyards, weapons dealers, SSRP, cockpits.
CMOD (4.11b)+factory scripts.
Improved Races R15.24 or do I need Chaos v1.07 since I will have SRM?
MARS 5.0
NPC Bailing addon + Salvage Claim Software + Salvage Commands & NPCs
Pirate Guild 3
Complex Cleaner

From reading the install guides on the bigger mods, it seems that it is better to install them manually. However, some of the smaller mods seem to only come in SPK format. Can I mix the two methods? Should I install the main mods manually first, and then the SPKs on top with Plugin Manager? Or should I use the plugin manager to install SPK for small mods first, and then add the large ones manually on top of them?
Or should I use SPK for everything?

Another question.. while the large mods provide the order that should be used between them: Complex Cleaner: MARS (scripts/t): SRM : SRM ADDON PACKS : CMOD 4. But what about all the others ones? ImprovedRaces, Pirate Guild, NPC Bail Addon, Salvage Claim, etc? Or does it not matter, and it will just work as they are orthogonal to each other?

Finally.. once I get it all configured and installed, how do I know that everything is working as intended?

Thanks,
RMSe17

{Merged to a tutorial with relevant discussion. jlehtone}

Rolando_D · Post by **Rolando_D** » Fri, 15. Jul 11, 11:28

Hey, Im reallly trying hard to lean how to script, and just get a hold on installing them correctly. Im currently using X3: Terren Conflict, but I already looked through the x2 forum guides and my question wasnt answered even though it is probably stupid to you guys, and I hope this is still Monitored, but my question basicly is, After extracting script to X3TC directory, I proceed to copy the script folder and past it into original script folder, whereass Im prompted with the question to merge? I am running Vista, and im asked if I want to merge the files, or if I want to replace the original script folder, or skip action. This question is prompted due to same folder name. Am I just missing really stupid, or is the goal to merge?
I went ahead and said merge, rather than replace, and then it reported of the several individual scripts inside that folder that were the same name as individual scripts inside the main. The question was posed, copy and keep, copy and replace, or skip action? Ima guess copy and replace? Sorry guys, I really did search the forum, but I didnt see this adressed, probably because Im making some hair brained mistake somewhere.

Post by **Ketraar** » Fri, 15. Jul 11, 11:52

Overwriting is usually the way to go, given you are sure that the ones your are copying are the newer ones.

MFG

Ketraar

AzaIndustries · Post by **AzaIndustries** » Sat, 13. Aug 11, 11:07

LV wrote: 12.dat 12.cat are currently the highest numbered files in your folder, you would need to rename the files 13.cat & 13.dat, if you have more than one mod then the next would be 14.dat/14.cat

Er what if my highest CAT file is 13 and my highest DAT is 14.. I haven't modded the game before but I have one extra Dat...

EDIT: nvm.. glitch...

Post by **X2-Illuminatus** » Sat, 13. Aug 11, 11:34

Then you either installed something wrong or you copied/renamed one of your dats once. The highest vanilla cat/dat number is 13 (for patch 3.1 / 3.1.1).

AzaIndustries · Post by **AzaIndustries** » Sat, 13. Aug 11, 12:43

Yeah I thought I had totally reinstalled my game to play vanilla hence the reason I thought there would be no mod files.. but for some reason 1 was left over.

I figured it out right after I posted.. I should stop doing that I keep fixing things just after I ask how to fix them.

BankruptAssasin · Post by **BankruptAssasin** » Sun, 14. Aug 11, 03:36

Hi, ive played this game on and off for months and recently got a new laptop so starting a new game, my question is, what do i do with t files, script files etc tht come from a zip file? eg i download a mod, drag the files over into the correct folder, then i do it with another mod, but this time its asking to replace the files i previously dragged over, what do i do? surely im overwriting the mod i just put on?

Thanks

Bank

{Merged. jlehtone}

BankruptAssasin · Post by **BankruptAssasin** » Sun, 14. Aug 11, 12:38

Can any1 help with the above post? and thanks for moving it to the correct place

Post by **X2-Illuminatus** » Sun, 14. Aug 11, 13:50

The best thing to do in such a case is to look in the readme or in the threads of the scripts/mods to find out, which files the mod contains. In case two scripts / mods modify the same files, they cannot be used together without further adjustments.

BadgerBadger · Post by **BadgerBadger** » Mon, 24. Dec 12, 21:47

I've been playing X3AP for a while now and I'm spending millions building a self-sufficient complex to fund my militarey ambitions. Now that I get the basics of that game, I want to expand a little more. As I've lost many ships to asteroids while asking them to scan sectors, I wanted to install Bounce to help a little bit with their collision avoidance. The thing is that I need to replace one of the XML files in the 't' folder of the game and the only things I see there are 'pkg' files... I guess I have to 'unpackage' those somehow, but after googleing for a few days and searching in the forums, I seem to be the only one facing that issue... Or maybe it's obvious and I missed it...

Anyway, I tried to create a package for the Plugin manager, the scripts seem to be running, the hotkey is there and working, but I'm not sure if it replaced the xml file properly, so I want to do it the hard way to make sure it's on.

So how to unpackage the t folder?

Thanks!

egosoft.com

egosoft.com

Tutorial - Installing mods and scripts to your game

Tutorial - Installing mods and scripts to your game

Mod install questions and verification?

Re: Tutorial - Installing mods and scripts to your game

T folders, Scripts

Replacing an XML file in the 't' folder