[TOOL] Changeling - X3:TC Editor and Change Manager [v2.8.1 - Sa-07-May-2011]

[gmargaro]

YES, a tool to automerge mods that contain new ships, cool.

If you want a tester who play with a french X3TC, with the New Horizon mod and wanting the Ship rebalance mod in it, i'm your man.

[Sam L.R. Griffiths]

How do you envision change packages working? An XML file with a custom extension registered to Changeling, with information like "Delete these 10 jobs" and "Add these 5 factories" with Changeling interpreting all cumulative changes to the same file and making any that don't conflict? Then prompting the user to resolve conflicts?

Something like that, but hopefully with only the need to resolve conflicts that the tool can not handle automatically. I am still fleshing out what automatic resolutions can and can not be handled but in summary user intervention will probably only be required where two packages add/change different model/texture/sound/video/picture files using the same name. Even then it depends on how they are used, but if both are needed then the tool will include both in the result if at all possible.

[apricotslice]

Something like that, but hopefully with only the need to resolve conflicts that the tool can not handle automatically. I am still fleshing out what automatic resolutions can and can not be handled but in summary user intervention will probably only be required where two packages add/change different model/texture/sound/video/picture files using the same name. Even then it depends on how they are used, but if both are needed then the tool will include both in the result if at all possible.

What happens when 2 mods change exactly the same fields ?

There are different rebalance mods which change the same vanilla ships. While at the feild level, they wont always conflict, a lot of the time they will.

Another thought pops in on a tangent. Is it possible to get the program to output an MD file that adds ships to shipyards based on their race ? Would save a lot of trouble writing one each time you make a up a unique merge mod. Just a thought.

[Sam L.R. Griffiths]

YES, a tool to automerge mods that contain new ships, cool.

If things go as planned the tool will be able handle the automatic merging of most creative content without the tool user requiring to know the exact details.

The main case that will probably not be able to be handled completely automatically will be porting of creative content from say Vanilla to XTC (which makes some rather major baseline changes). However, saying this, one option is to include baseline conversion rules that may reduce (or eliminate in some cases) any issues.

If you want a tester who play with a french X3TC, with the New Horizon mod and wanting the Ship rebalance mod in it, i'm your man.

I will keep that in mind, thanks

[Sam L.R. Griffiths]

...

What happens when 2 mods change exactly the same fields ?

There are different rebalance mods which change the same vanilla ships. While at the feild level, they wont always conflict, a lot of the time they will.

Ok, the way the change packages are planned to work is on a metadata level. Let us say that there is a rebalance mod that increases hulls across the board (or for a given race/class of ships) by say 10%, the change package, which will be either created from scratch in the tool or generated from existing mod content, will record this fact. The end user can then "potentially" choose to apply this or any other change package multiple times on the same content (so for instance increase hulls by 20 or 30 percent instead of just 10 percent).

Another thought pops in on a tangent. Is it possible to get the program to output an MD file that adds ships to shipyards based on their race ? Would save a lot of trouble writing one each time you make a up a unique merge mod. Just a thought.

This is part of the intention anyway, either through autgeneration of MD/MCSI scripts or by modifying base files.

In addition, the intention is the tool will eventually be able to generate a single mod CAT/DAT pair as well as scripts that will be able to detect if the mod has been selected and either present a warning to the user or at the very least not do anything at all if the appropriate CAT/DAT pair has not been selected.

[apricotslice]

In addition, the intention is the tool will eventually be able to generate a single mod CAT/DAT pair as well as scripts that will be able to detect if the mod has been selected and either present a warning to the user or at the very least not do anything at all if the appropriate CAT/DAT pair has not been selected.

Excellent.

I would recommend you follow the 2nd load implementation with the created mod.

So start of game or loading of mod in existing game gets a message advising that the mod is active, advising to turn on the editor if not already, then save, quit and load again.

Second load advises that the mod is starting to set things up, please wait, then it does everything like adding ships to stations, adding in stations etc. When complete, it advises the player that the mod is completely installed and have a nice game.

This is standard for my mods and Complex Cleaner mod, and it avoids the bug in the game when too much is tried to be done at game start, and so start stuff isnt done (no fittings on ships or no extra ships for example).

It does also mean that starts need to have salvage insurance added if not already done.

Could a facility be added so that a modder can specify a txt file of station Id's, and the sector and position to put them in, so the program can autogenerate the code to do this ? (Another idle thought).

[Sam L.R. Griffiths]

I would recommend you follow the 2nd load implementation with the created mod.

So start of game or loading of mod in existing game gets a message advising that the mod is active, advising to turn on the editor if not already, then save, quit and load again.

Second load advises that the mod is starting to set things up, please wait, then it does everything like adding ships to stations, adding in stations etc. When complete, it advises the player that the mod is completely installed and have a nice game.

This is standard for my mods and Complex Cleaner mod, and it avoids the bug in the game when too much is tried to be done at game start, and so start stuff isnt done (no fittings on ships or no extra ships for example).

I have never encountered this bug personally (I think), but I have had it where an initial load can take a good couple of minutes (i.e. my current modded game).

With regards to enabling the text editor, that should not be necessary for end-users (unless the mod/script requires the user to run a script manually without the use of hotkeys/menus). In the case of the manual script running situation, I could include a facility to (through the tool) map such scripts either directly to hot-keys or to a "Changeling" run-script menu that can be accessable via a hot-key.

As far as requiring second loads, that should be avoidable by having all initialisation linked to welcome messages and that way both provide the end-user with additional information (such as mod/script versioning) and also allow for the staggering/delaying of initialisation.

It does also mean that starts need to have salvage insurance added if not already done.

I am planning to include a start editor as part of the tool. If the above is required, the tool will automatically ensure that all starts have an additional Salvage Insurance over and above the quota given in the design of any given start.

Could a facility be added so that a modder can specify a txt file of station Id's, and the sector and position to put them in, so the program can autogenerate the code to do this ? (Another idle thought).

If the implementation goes as planned, this will not be needed... the whole concept of the tool is drag-and-drop and list-box/combo-box selection. No external config files will need to be manipulated by hand.

All Changeling data files will be either raw XML or compressed (GZiped) XML so there is nothing stopping people from doing things the hard way if they really want to.

[apricotslice]

There is definitely a bug in the game, when too much is done at game startup.

Its most obvious when there is a big start.xml file, AND lots of setup.? scripts.

My AMS start with all my hotkey setups, will not start correctly. Nor will any other start when the mod is used. The ships are created without fittings, and key settings are not done.

Thats why we went to 2nd start mod starting. It avoids the entire problem.

Users adapted to it easily. Messages in game let them know whats happening.

[Sam L.R. Griffiths]

There is definitely a bug in the game, when too much is done at game startup.

Its most obvious when there is a big start.xml file, AND lots of setup.? scripts.

Well ok, I think the bug is avoidable via the output of my start editor for one, and for two by perhaps incorporating some form of setup script management in the Changeling. I will have to play with the details of the setup script managment idea, but the minimising the size of the start.xml (without reducing the end-result) will be inherent with the start editor.

My AMS start with all my hotkey setups, will not start correctly. Nor will any other start when the mod is used. The ships are created without fittings, and key settings are not done.

Hmmm, have you tried reducing the size of the start.xml in a similar fashion to what I have done for v0.4 of my AWRM Xtra Starts?

[apricotslice]

Hmmm, have you tried reducing the size of the start.xml in a similar fashion to what I have done for v0.4 of my AWRM Xtra Starts?

I've not had a chance to look at them.

Can you give a quick overview of what you did ?

To date, I'm not aware of any way of doing that. But will be happy to know of one. If there is a way, please add it to the start.xml documentation thread, and I'll add it into the OP.

You are welcome to use the Merge Mod for testing anything. If you can get the Apricot Mapping Service start to work on game load, then it should work for everything !

[Sam L.R. Griffiths]

Can you give a quick overview of what you did ?

Basically, I follow the following formula...

1. L\true\gamestarts.xml specifies the starting ship
2. director\start.xml only specifies basic additional start information such as map knowledge, reputation, and player ship start equipment
3. director\<additional-script>.xml detects what game start you are running and if appropriate does additional player start information such as moving the player ship to a non-centre of sector location and spawning additional stuff.

If necssary then map knowledge and the like could be moved to the additional script and in fact the additional script allows for spawning of docked ships as well (which has proven problematic - but doable via additional cues - in start.xml).

[apricotslice]

Go for it !

Also, please add to the start.xml thread when you get a chance. That needs proper documenting. Examples would be good.

[Sam L.R. Griffiths]

Status Update
Due to the perceived need to flesh out my Change Package concept further (not far enough along with the idea to implement it yet - still some mechanics to work out), I am redirecting my efforts towards more practical short term goals which should still make merging of mod content easier.

My immediate efforts will focus on supporting the loading of existing resources, then ZIP delivered mods with a view to maintaining the integrity of the state of creative content with-in the sandbox of the Changeling session, and finally allow the export/creation of a final merged mod.

[Sam L.R. Griffiths]

Status Update
Information regarding pending v2.3 release.

I have currently got preliminary support for reading Ships, Cockpits, and Wares. Progress has slowed down some due to RL priorities. Hope to have a v2.3 release out by Monday including support for automatic generation of a MARS v4.95 compatable config file and perhaps more (available time depending).

[Locksley]

Cool

All these little tools, so nice and shiny!

[Sam L.R. Griffiths]

Ooops... overwritten old post

[Treelor]

Every time I want to import game data, I point Changeling to the X3 Terran Conflict folder in my steam folder, and this nasty guy pops up:

http://filesmelt.com/dl/screencap-changelingerror.JPG

Leaving the image as a link, since my screen resolution is very large and filesmelt doesn't thumbnail images.

That errors pops up about 10-12 times in succession and then goes away without having imported any data. When I close the Changeling, it crashes (but I wanted to leave it anyway, so big deal).

I have had to do a fresh format of the hard drive recently so I may be missing some required libraries. I do have the DLL in question in my Changeling install folder, as well as inside my X3 directory since I thought maybe it would look for it in there as well. Any ideas as to what's causing this?

[Sam L.R. Griffiths]

Every time I want to import game data, I point Changeling to the X3 Terran Conflict folder in my steam folder, and this nasty guy pops up:

http://filesmelt.com/dl/screencap-changelingerror.JPG...

Well first off, your chosen website is blocked by my Internet Security, could you please either (a) upload to a site with higher repute such as FileFront or (b) summarise the error text here. (EDIT #2: Updated FAQs with error reporting instructions)

BTW you can capture just the error window by pressing Ctrl-Alt-Prt Scr.

I am running on 64-bit Vista and have just verified the "Import Game Data" on both my Steam and non-Steam installations and not got any errors back (regardless of running with/with-out Administrator rights).

There are a couple of simple questions that may point at the cause:-

• What operating system are you running?
• Do you have all Microsoft updates installed for your OS?
• Are you running Changeling with or without Administrator permissions?

EDIT: You need to have Microsoft .NET Framework v4 installed, if it is not then Changeling will probably not run correctly. (EDIT #2: OP updated to reflect this requirement)

EDIT #3: I have had a look at the screen shot you uploaded, and it looks like you have not extracted the ZIP file before trying to run the application.

[Sam L.R. Griffiths]

Status Update
I have resolved my hosting issues and have updated the download to v2.3 to now be complete and unabridged. Also included are sample MARS and EES files as well as a sample Changeling session file.

[Osiris454]

Roger,

MARS 4.95 does not detect CMOD anymore due to the script overhaul. This is not a bad thing. Renaming the 7049-L0**.xml file to 7047 does not break MARS in any way whatsoever. All the weapons function and act as intended.

It is worth noting however that MARS 4.98 will break when forced to use a renamed 7049 or etc. file. I don't know why this is, but the weapons seem to default to their firing values in vanilla rather than use the updated Tlasers file. To verify the incorrect values, just let MARS use a PSP and you'll see that you can take out 2 Xenon K's with 1 Tyr. IE, they fire very fast and do insane amounts of damage.