NPC Ship Weapons by script or through editor?

[marc5477]

Just a quick modding/scripting question.

To add specific weapons to ships, do I add the weapons via script or can i just add them as items in the universe editor? Is there a difference in result depending on which way i choose? Will the NPC know how to mount and use the weapons?

Also, for ships already in the universe (assuming we start a new game), do I need to script global changes in their gear if I changed their specs in tships? or would they spawn with fully maxed out shields and weapons automatically?

Thanks in advance.

[marc5477]

bump plus 1 more question.

Assuming ships spawn fully loaded how does the game choose which weapons to give a ship that has multiple options? For example, will a Argon M2 spawn with PPC's or HEPT's or PAC's? Is it random?

[euclid]

I don't think you can alter NPC ships' weapon layout unless you script them in for each ship individually.

But you can change shields, speed etc. . After modding the corresponding files (TShips, TBullets) the changes are only effective for newly 'ordered' ships, for example if a Titan is destroyed a new one will be fully fitted.

Cheers Euclid