Questions here: an inquiry thread! [Updated Sep 15th, 2014]

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LehGogh
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Re: Questions here: an inquiry thread! [Updated Sep 15th, 2014]

Postby LehGogh » Wed Jul 01, 2015 1:45 pm

I have a feeling that my problem is stupidly easy to fix, but I can't figure it out.

I am creating a new sector for my mod (see the signature), but FTL Error Checker sees that it's full of errors. Most of the errors are either because the referenced event/eventList does not exist or because the referenced textList does not exist. However, this doesn't make sense. Here is an example of my code:

Code: Select all

<event name="STORE_WAR">
   <text load="STORE_WAR"/>
   <store/>
</event>
<textList name="STORE_WAR">
   <text>This is one of the few places where Federation and Rebel ships can do business with each other in peace. You hail one of the merchants and see what they have to offer.</text>
   <text>This area was evacuated quite a while ago, but one shopkeeper was determined to keep doing business with anyone, regardless of the war.</text>
   <text>An automated ship is located nearby this beacon. You power up your weapons, but then realize that the ship is simply an automated store.</text>
</textList>

FTL Error Checker shows this error:

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Line 14: Referenced text list does not exist.

Does anyone have any ideas on how to fix it? (Note: This is not in a .xml.append file because it is an entirely new sector. Instead, it is a normal .xml file.)
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kartoFlane
Posts: 1488
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Re: Questions here: an inquiry thread! [Updated Sep 15th, 2014]

Postby kartoFlane » Wed Jul 01, 2015 2:37 pm

Generally it's better to use different names for events, text lists, etc. Though I think the ErrorChecker shouldn't be confused by this.

Edit: Ah, found the problem. ErrorChecker only scans a predetermined list of files for events and related tags. In order to fix this, you'll have to go to database/scripts/data, open the file named event_cache.bsh with a text editor, and in that file find the following:

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FilePointer[] eventFiles = {
    db.getFile("data/dlcEvents.xml"),
    db.getFile("data/dlcEventsOverwrite.xml"),
    // bunch of other entries here
...and add the file in which your events are located, like so:

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FilePointer[] eventFiles = {
    db.getFile("data/mySector.xml"), // <-- your sector file name here
    db.getFile("data/dlcEvents.xml"),
    db.getFile("data/dlcEventsOverwrite.xml"),
    // bunch of other entries here

Since this is actual script code, make sure that you don't mistype anything (dots, commas, parentheses, etc), or it won't work.

I'll try to fix this for some new version of the ErrorChecker.
Superluminal2 - a ship editor for FTL
LehGogh
Posts: 38
Joined: Tue Jun 02, 2015 4:16 pm

Re: Questions here: an inquiry thread! [Updated Sep 15th, 2014]

Postby LehGogh » Wed Jul 01, 2015 4:34 pm

Everything works fine now. Thank you, karto!
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TaxiService
Posts: 204
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Re: Questions here: an inquiry thread! [Updated Sep 15th, 2014]

Postby TaxiService » Wed Jul 01, 2015 6:48 pm

@Chrono Vortex: I've got a suggestion for making the shading. I don't know if you're already using this method or not, but i think it's worth explaining it anyway.

My ships' base images are usually organised like this:
(the topmost layer is the first in this list, the ones that follow are all below each other)

  • ─ effects layer (if applicable)
  • ─ lines layer
  • shades group (mode: Hard Light or Overlay)
    ├─ self-cast shadows (mode: Multiply or anything that works!)
    └─ shades
  • fill group
    ├─ color layer 1
    ├─ color layer 2
    └─ etc...
  • ─ background (hidden when exporting)
The lines layer contains only black lines, and is supposed to be on top of everything. If you want something to go over the black lines, put it in the effects layer. (i.e.: the glow from a light source)

The fill group is at the bottom, and contains all the layers that define the ship's colours. (i.e.: a layer for the hull, one for the windows, one for the metallic parts, etc.)
This is particularly useful for doing alternative layouts, and also to help you pick the right hues if they don't look right after applying the shades.

The shades group, which has to go between the lines and the fill, is where the magic happens. This group is set to apply its contents in a special way, basically adding lights or shadows to what's below.
To do this, you have to set its method (in photoshop, or mode in GIMP) to "Hard Light". This can be done from the Layers panel, by selecting the [group|layer] and picking the desired m[ode|ethod] from the menu at the top of the panel. (There are many different ones, i suggest to mess around with them to see what they all do.)

The actual shadows are just shades of grey. The main shades layer should cover the whole hull image, and its base colour should be a 50% grey, because it becomes invisible when applied with Hard Light.
On this layer you must apply the shades. Do it by making the desired areas darker or lighter depending on their inclination and position.
I find it easier to make a separate layer for the self-cast shadows, and keep on the main layer only the shadows that would be generated from the ambient light. This layer must have its m[ode|ethod] set to Hard Light too, so that it gets applied on the shades layer first before being applied to the hull as a group.

Let me make all of this easier to understand (hopefully) with this 18-seconds gif.

    Image
In this particular case, some lines use a blending mode like the shades group. (for science!) ...And it looks like some shadows are part of the fill, but don't mind these things..! XD
I also forgot to show the fill group's different layers. Basically, most layers in this group only contain one colour. So if i ever choose to change that red paint on the thrusters to blue i can simply modify that layer's hue! It's pretty handy!


These are some examples of what this method allows you to do. Since the shadows are applied over the fill, I only had to modify the layers inside the fill group to make these hulls, and it took like 2 minutes for each!
    Image Image
    Image Image

So, yeah. I hope these infos can help. ;) I don't think this method is too hard to perform. Feel free to ask for more info if needed.
Storyteller
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Re: Questions here: an inquiry thread! [Updated Sep 15th, 2014]

Postby Storyteller » Wed Jul 01, 2015 7:31 pm

can you add a new room type, such as a 'Stasis Pod Chamber' with stasis pods, where if a crew member is on one, they do not need oxygen and heal (ideally during jumps).

another possible type might be 'Bioweapons Lab' that increases the effectiveness of Bio Beams vs certain species, or how about a 'Hydroponics Bay' that makes Cargo that can be sold in shops?

The point of my question is not can ido all these things, it is simply "can one create new room types similar to the medical/drone/weapon rooms?'
LehGogh
Posts: 38
Joined: Tue Jun 02, 2015 4:16 pm

Re: Questions here: an inquiry thread! [Updated Sep 15th, 2014]

Postby LehGogh » Wed Jul 01, 2015 7:43 pm

@Storyteller: Yes, you can make new systems (look in blueprints.xml near the top). However, you cannot make those systems do anything.
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stylesrj
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Re: Questions here: an inquiry thread! [Updated Sep 15th, 2014]

Postby stylesrj » Wed Jul 01, 2015 8:02 pm

Wait... I thought you couldn't create new systems, period.

Does this mean someone could create dummy systems that are designed to reduce damage from hull lasers and act as decoys for hacking attempts (since they do nothing, hacking does nothing if it lands on them).
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Chrono Vortex
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Re: Questions here: an inquiry thread! [Updated Sep 15th, 2014]

Postby Chrono Vortex » Wed Jul 01, 2015 8:18 pm

TaxiService wrote:@Chrono Vortex: I've got a suggestion for making the shading. I don't know if you're already using this method or not, but i think it's worth explaining it anyway.

Wow. I'm not even a third of the way into a process like this by any means, I've just been trying to get the general idea of the hull and then add some details. I knew it would be pretty involved, but not on the scale. I've never tried making hull art from scratch, or even GIMP for that matter, so this may take awhile for me to implement. Do you have any suggestions as to how to add more variation with the lines? Something that can keep the ship from looking boring while not interfering with it looking like the original?
ImageImageImageImageImageImageImageImage
LehGogh
Posts: 38
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Re: Questions here: an inquiry thread! [Updated Sep 15th, 2014]

Postby LehGogh » Thu Jul 02, 2015 12:42 am

stylesrj wrote:Wait... I thought you couldn't create new systems, period.

Well, I'm pretty sure that you can make new systems...
Let me get back to you on that.
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kartoFlane
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Re: Questions here: an inquiry thread! [Updated Sep 15th, 2014]

Postby kartoFlane » Thu Jul 02, 2015 12:50 am

LehGogh wrote:
stylesrj wrote:Wait... I thought you couldn't create new systems, period.

Well, I'm pretty sure that you can make new systems...
Let me get back to you on that.

Nope. They don't work at all. Both creating systemBlueprints with a custom type, as well as adding custom system tags to shipBlueprint systemLists, have no effect.
Superluminal2 - a ship editor for FTL