Modding Weapon Data

from GalCiv2 Forums
I've been messing around with GalCivII data in an effort to determine what is and is not moddable. I have succesfully gotten multi-tech requirments working (albit suboptimally), and am now going for weapon data.

Namley, I'd like to get it so weapons and armor can have defense and attack values. For Example, a PD cannon would have a small amount of Mass attack, or lasers would be able to have a small amount of missile defense. I have tried using two < Class > lines, as well as < Class > whatever, Whatever2< /Class > to get it to make the component of two types. Unfortunatley, both have failed. Is there any way to do this, or to define a custom class that would have both attack and defense values?

Thnx for any help.
modding
4,606 views 4 replies
Reply #1 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
:: UPDATE ::

After much expermintation today, I have deduced that this is currently impossible unless the devs inable it to be so. Weapons, Defense, everything has their own < > tags, and simply ignore any arguments that they don't like. Trying to stick a < Defense > argument into the weapon tag failed, and in hindsight for an obvious reason. < Defense >, < Weapon >, < Moduel >, < Hull >, etc. etc. all are the arguments to build a new component. As such, you can't combine them. The moment it hits the < /Defense > argument in your new weapon, that *new* armor will be considered completed (even if its only a class and absorption value) and go back to building your weapon.

*sigh* This is extremley disapointing. Alpha Centauri was more modable than this, and you only had one or two .txt files to work through.

Stardock, please find some way to revise this in your next patch/update! Combining the various compnent arguments into simply < Component >, with a < Slot > argument telling it where to go (for example, weaponry or moduels). Make this < Component > argument able to take on any number of various weapon, armor, and sensor data. Having just 1 type and one value per component is unnecessarily limiting.
Reply #2 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
Oh, you're such a complainer Vortex And yes, I know who you are :glare:

Personally, the only thing I wan't to mod is the weapon effects, such that I have the option to use...say, the DIII beam anim. instead of teh uber doom death ray's anim...which quite frankly is annoying (aka sucks...no offense to Stardock, it's my own personal preference). Haven't quite figured out which files to mod though...
TouchTasks - Access tasks with ease on Windows touchscreens.
Reply #3 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
You can already do that. Its the animation line.

Its not Complaining Aeq. The core game is fine. However, this game is simply not living up to its "easily modable" label until some things in this file are turned around pretty drastically. I've checked, and not even multiple class tags in the same category (I.e., missiles and beam) are useable. it just defaults to anything unexpected to a mass weapon.
Reply #4 from GalCiv2 Forums Top
I was also thinking how totally suck the final weapons are. Pink is just not the color one thinks of when they imagine a DOOM RAY. And they are all pink too! The best animations inmho are some of the middle ones.

I have to agree the game doesn't appear to be easily modable unless you mean some small elements are EXTREMLY easy to mod while the rest requires quite a bit of effort. I must say I appreciate any effort to mod put in a game, of course, but only because so few developers do it. It is something we should be DEMANDING and not pleasantly suprised by. It is why PC games are still alive! Games should be like never winter nights as a minimum modability (minimum!). That leaves quite a bit open to mod but still much is left largely unmodable, still it seems to be more then this game at first glance. Don't get me wrong, I love the game but I want to look at it as a work in progress if no one minds!