[WIP] [ Guide ] Editing current game starts

yamitenshi · Post by **yamitenshi** » Thu, 25. Jun 09, 17:03

Does anybody know the typename for salvage insurance? Can't find it...

TEKing66 · Post by **TEKing66** » Tue, 25. May 10, 20:51

In the "USC Commander" game start I have noticed something that kinda bugs me.

With this start you get a Terran M3 ship and an Argon M5.

This seems a bit odd to me. In my mind should you get a Terran M5 instead of an Argon M5?

Does anyone now what file I would need to edit to change this?

I extracted the "Start.pck" and looked through it, didn't see anything there that looked like it would be in that file. Did I just miss it?

{[url=http://forum.egosoft.com/viewtopic.php?t=216693]TC Tutorials[/url] has so matching thread (title) that I will merge this to it. jlehtone}

TEKing66 · Post by **TEKing66** » Tue, 13. Jul 10, 19:49

Messing around with a custom start I noticed something that I haven't seen mentioned anywhere relating to this subject. If it has I overlooked it.

Anyway, I was setting up a custom start and had the start.xml and gamestarts.xml files in their proper folders under my X3TC install folder.
The new game start was showing up like it should in the new game menu.
But, when I would load it, I was only getting the default equipment instead of the equipment I had setup in the gamestarts.xml file. Also I tried packing the files in .pck and still it would not work properly. On a hunch I decided I would pack these two files into .cat & .dat and load it as a mod. Once I did that, everything works as it should. Works as a "Fake Patch" as well.

Just thought I'd trow that out here.

apricotslice · Post by **apricotslice** » Wed, 14. Jul 10, 01:20

There is a thread already documenting the start files, linked from the guides sticky thread.

The current versions of the 2 files are in 11.cat/dat, as both files were changed for the 2.7 patch, setting up a new start for activation in the v3 patch to come.

If you use the versions in 03, they will be considerably out of date.

You should amend the OP to reflect where the latest version is stored, every time a patch comes out that changes them.

Salvage Insurance is SS_WARE_TECH209

Edit : Direct link to existing thread is http://forum.egosoft.com/viewtopic.php?t=226913

Edit2 : Gamestart Numbers are documented in the main documentation thread, on the last post. http://forum.egosoft.com/viewtopic.php?t=216690

If you are setting up a gamestart for use by anyone, you should check the list of already used gamestart numbers, choose an unused number, then submit the number, the name of the game start and your username in the submissions thread so your start is documented.

Edit3 : In the documentation, the egosoft numbers are not included. 0 to 120 and 140 to 149 should be considered egosoft only numbers. The new start in 2.7 used 145.

TEKing66 · Post by **TEKing66** » Wed, 14. Jul 10, 02:00

@ apricotslice

I have put this start out for others to use.
I also used the files from the latest .cat & .dat so is was created using the most up to date files. And I have posted in the submissions thread to have it added to the list. I used game start ID226 so, I should be safe there, that decision was based on what I found in the first thread on this forum.

But, I haven't found the info regarding the fact that the new game starts really work best is packed into a .cat & .dat anywhere (see my post above). Thought it should be stated somewhere.

Should I repost that in the thread you linked to?

apricotslice · Post by **apricotslice** » Wed, 14. Jul 10, 02:04

Definitely worth adding to that thread, as its the collection of wisdom on the subject thread.

Doomforce · Post by **Doomforce** » Tue, 6. Nov 12, 16:16

can some one get this thread. UP 2 Date plz?

thanks

apricotslice · Post by **apricotslice** » Wed, 7. Nov 12, 01:41

Doomforce wrote:can some one get this thread. UP 2 Date plz?

thanks

The documentation thread for starts is a few posts further up this page. Anything not mentioned here, should be on there.

In what way do you consider this not up to date ?

SwordShaman · Post by **SwordShaman** » Tue, 4. Dec 12, 19:01

I'm trying something not entirely explained in this wonderful post, and maybe someone here can help me figure out my problem.

I've opened gamestarts.xml and added a few modifiers in the different start lines to include deadisdead=1, as it is on the Suicidal Squid start. My goal is to have several deadisdead gamestarts, but this isn't apparently enough to enable the mechanic. Any advice to get this working for other gamestarts, such as Nostalgic Argon?

I'm running XRM (which includes several additional gamestarts as well) and am editing the second .cat file which includes the gamestart.pck (xml when unpacked) in L\true\... I haven't touched the TC directory...just the addon directory where the AP cat/dat files are. Any tips?

Thanks

DrBullwinkle · Post by **DrBullwinkle** » Tue, 4. Dec 12, 21:40

SwordShaman wrote:am editing the second .cat file

Don't do that.

Open from VFS instead. That will ensure that you are editing the file that the game uses.

SwordShaman · Post by **SwordShaman** » Wed, 5. Dec 12, 18:26

Okay, with Bullwinkle's advice, I've created the subdirectory in the base TC game directory of L\true. In \true, I've placed my edited gamestarts.xml as well as my .jpg's for the new portraits in the game start menu. The portraits are now showing up, but any changes I make to the gamestarts.xml won't make any changes in the game menu. I'd like to change little details in sex/age/description (and if I can get this little thing worked out maybe I can move onto my ultimate goal of getting dead-is-dead to work in alternate starts). Would anyone know why I may be having this problem?

Vayde · Post by **Vayde** » Wed, 5. Dec 12, 21:00

So you're playing AP and Dr B asked you to change the files in the base TC directory and not the addon directory?

I ask because of this line:

I'm running XRM (which includes several additional gamestarts as well) and am editing the second .cat file which includes the gamestart.pck (xml when unpacked) in L\true\... I haven't touched the TC directory...just the addon directory where the AP cat/dat files are. Any tips?

Have you tried adding the true directory to the addon folder?

Yacek · Post by **Yacek** » Wed, 5. Dec 12, 21:09

Basic question: you play AP or TC?

Gamestarts.xml file location:
TC - L\true\gamestarts.xml
AP - addon\types\gamestarts.xml

SwordShaman · Post by **SwordShaman** » Wed, 5. Dec 12, 21:13

Aye, I had to put the files in the TC directory and not the addon. I initially had them in the addon directory and nothing was working. When I moved the folder to the parent TC directory rather than the addon, the portraits were displaying at least. I still wasn't able to make changes in the gamestarts.xml file that had any affect in game, but the portraits were changed anyway.

Dr.B's response was as follows:

"Some folders go under addons, and some do not. Scripts, types, t, and director go under addon. Most other folders should be one level up, at the top X3AP folder. So move your folder to X3AP\L\true and it should work."

SwordShaman · Post by **SwordShaman** » Wed, 5. Dec 12, 21:19

Yacek! You may have just solved my dilemma. I wasn't aware that AP had gamestarts in the types folder. I'm finding that altering this game isn't always as straightforward as it initially appears. Thank you. I'll report back if I get it working again. What a great community we have here.

DrBullwinkle · Post by **DrBullwinkle** » Wed, 5. Dec 12, 21:24

Yep, Yacek has the correct answer.

I remember reading that, but had forgotten it because I have not had a need to work with gamestarts.

dillpickle · Post by **dillpickle** » Wed, 5. Dec 12, 21:51

SwordShaman wrote:I'm running XRM (which includes several additional gamestarts as well) and am editing the second .cat file which includes the gamestart.pck (xml when unpacked) in L\true\... I haven't touched the TC directory...just the addon directory where the AP cat/dat files are. Any tips?

Thanks

If you have edited L/true/gamestarts.xml then you ghave edited the TC gamestarts file. Albion Prelude gamestarts.xml is in addon/types.

[WIP] [ Guide ] Editing current game starts

stock Terran Commander game start