Hi, new to the modding forums...

Discuss and distribute tools and methods for modding. Moderator - Grognak
Tiltowait
Posts: 1
Joined: Sun Jul 26, 2015 11:13 pm

Hi, new to the modding forums...

Postby Tiltowait » Sun Jul 26, 2015 11:19 pm

And wanted to say hi. I've read a few of the threads and could use some help.

Is there a current modding guide? The ones I have read so far all lead to dead links when I try to hunt for examples or the required files (such as ftldat) to unpak the data files.

I'm running FTL under windows.

Also is it possible to call the same event more than once? Or are you restricted to one occurrence per system? For example if you want to set up multiple waves...I tried using simple text functions as a test and so far the game only seems to call the last one.

Thanks!
User avatar
steamtex
Posts: 115
Joined: Fri Jun 19, 2015 5:28 am

Re: Hi, new to the modding forums...

Postby steamtex » Sun Jul 26, 2015 11:35 pm

Guten tag, and welcome.

There is no specific modding guide that covers everything. For the most part, you'll just have to search around to find specifically what you're looking for.


Slipstream Mod Manager (SMM) can be used to unpack FTL's data/resource files easily, whether a mod is installed already or not.

You'd have to ask someone better with event modding than myself about that last part.
User avatar
Biohazard063
Posts: 412
Joined: Fri Feb 14, 2014 4:38 pm

Re: Hi, new to the modding forums...

Postby Biohazard063 » Thu Jul 30, 2015 6:10 pm

Welcome to the modding community !

Yeah, no specific guides, but the community here is very helpful and kind.

I've been using the following to unpack the date folders :
https://www.dropbox.com/s/jiz3bvu6y1yr6 ... r.rar?dl=0
It's the version I'm using myself so it should be safe for you as well.
Still, be careful though...

As for calling up the same event multiple times, yes that is possible.
Once you open up the events.xml you'll see that all events have a special tag.
Example :

Code: Select all

<event name="ASTEROID_EXPLORE" unique="true">
   <text>Scans reveal a large asteroid field nearby. Short-range scanners may discover useful materials while we wait for the FTL to recharge.</text>
   <choice hidden="true">
      <text>Explore the asteroid field.</text>
      <event load="ASTEROID_EXPLORE_RESULTS"/>
   </choice>
   <choice>   
      <text>Too dangerous. We'll just wait for the FTL to charge.</text>
      <event/>
   </choice>
   <choice req="SCRAP_COLLECTOR" hidden="true">
      <text>(Scrap Recovery Arm) Attempt to mine the asteroids.</text>
      <event>
         <text>You carefully extract as much usable material as possible from the nearest asteroids while waiting for the FTL to charge.</text>
         <autoReward level="HIGH">scrap_only</autoReward>
      </event>
   </choice>
</event>

You see the first line saying unique="true" ?
The unique tag means (I believe) that it can only happen once per sector.
Setting that to "false" means you can get it more often.
Do remind that it will have to compete with other events unless you can call it up manually through a blue option or something.
Amateur modder and Let's player (with a substantial FTL and ItB LP featuring countless mods).
Channel link
A list of all my mods can be found here.
Tycho X
Posts: 26
Joined: Tue Jul 28, 2015 9:08 pm

Re: Hi, new to the modding forums...

Postby Tycho X » Thu Jul 30, 2015 8:08 pm

So hey, would you mind helping me.out bio? What confuses me in that script you posted was it doesn't tell you what happens if you don't have a scrap rec. arm. Are the other options hidden?? Also why does it keep saying (hidden=true) what is hidden? Thanks in advance man, cool LPs btw!
Image
User avatar
Kieve
Posts: 952
Joined: Tue Sep 18, 2012 2:21 pm

Re: Hi, new to the modding forums...

Postby Kieve » Fri Jul 31, 2015 1:36 pm

Tycho X wrote:So hey, would you mind helping me.out bio? What confuses me in that script you posted was it doesn't tell you what happens if you don't have a scrap rec. arm. Are the other options hidden?? Also why does it keep saying (hidden=true) what is hidden? Thanks in advance man, cool LPs btw!


"hidden" is a tag used in choice events where a reward is given (or taken), to hide the exact outcome.
It's the difference between seeing:

"1. Continue... [-50 Scrap]"

and:

"1. Continue..."
Tycho X
Posts: 26
Joined: Tue Jul 28, 2015 9:08 pm

Re: Hi, new to the modding forums...

Postby Tycho X » Fri Jul 31, 2015 3:40 pm

Kieve wrote:
Tycho X wrote:So hey, would you mind helping me.out bio? What confuses me in that script you posted was it doesn't tell you what happens if you don't have a scrap rec. arm. Are the other options hidden?? Also why does it keep saying (hidden=true) what is hidden? Thanks in advance man, cool LPs btw!


"hidden" is a tag used in choice events where a reward is given (or taken), to hide the exact outcome.
It's the difference between seeing:

"1. Continue... [-50 Scrap]"

and:

"1. Continue..."


Ahhh, thanks! That makes a lot of sense!
Image
User avatar
Biohazard063
Posts: 412
Joined: Fri Feb 14, 2014 4:38 pm

Re: Hi, new to the modding forums...

Postby Biohazard063 » Sun Aug 02, 2015 2:34 pm

Tycho X wrote:So hey, would you mind helping me.out bio? What confuses me in that script you posted was it doesn't tell you what happens if you don't have a scrap rec. arm. Are the other options hidden?? Also why does it keep saying (hidden=true) what is hidden? Thanks in advance man, cool LPs btw!

Off course I'm willing to help. As much as I can at least...
Feel free to PM me if you have any questions.
Also, blue options have a requirement (like in my example a scrap arm), if you don't fulfill the requirement, the option doesn't appear. Usually... there's also groups that can remove a certain option. A good example is the spacestation that has its drones malfunction. You can use cloaking as a blue option there. Every level of cloaking has a different text and reward to it but only the highest requirement you fulfill wil appear.
Amateur modder and Let's player (with a substantial FTL and ItB LP featuring countless mods).
Channel link
A list of all my mods can be found here.
Tycho X
Posts: 26
Joined: Tue Jul 28, 2015 9:08 pm

Re: Hi, new to the modding forums...

Postby Tycho X » Sun Aug 02, 2015 3:23 pm

Okay, thanks man. I'll make sure you're the first I PM if I run into any problems. Cheers!
Image
SG5263
Posts: 1
Joined: Mon Aug 10, 2015 8:59 am

Re: Hi, new to the modding forums...

Postby SG5263 » Mon Aug 10, 2015 9:27 am

I'm quite new the the whole modding scene too (only really started digging through the game files earlier today) so I thought this would be the best place to post this (if not, I'd appreciate it if someone could direct me to the appropriate thread). I'm currently trying to make it so that the red alarm lights that activate when there's a breach in the ship turn on when the ship is in danger, sort of like a 'red alert' type thing.
I've found the alarm light images, and I've also found the image used to indicate the ship is in danger
top_ship_off_danger.png
I was planning to add the light trigger with the danger indicator, but I spent the better part of an hour searching for this filename in all the .xml files that seem logical to have it (i.e.: animations, events, misc. etc.), however none of them have it. How is the 'in danger' status triggered if it's not in the game files?
User avatar
kartoFlane
Posts: 1488
Joined: Mon Jan 14, 2013 10:20 pm

Re: Hi, new to the modding forums...

Postby kartoFlane » Mon Aug 10, 2015 12:36 pm

This functionality is not exposed to the xml files -- the red lights are hardcoded to appear in certain scenarios. There is no way make them appear on any other occasion.
Superluminal2 - a ship editor for FTL