Quoting Creativenamedforafish, reply 2650

I have had trouble with XSI, does anyone mind if I interject?

Quoting JoshuaTedder,

reply 2649

How did Distant Stars allow the player to jump to any visible planet and how did Sins of the Fallen add in moons?  I know that they were classed as starbases but somehow they were automatically built in random gravity wells and were neutral capturable entities.

I'm sorry for all these questions, I'm trying to make a mod very different from the base game.

Perhaps they were based of the mining platforms found from time to time in Asteroid belts?

I found out how they did it.  They used the Galaxy Scenario template file to spawn in different starbase constructors in certain gravity wells, which were set to automatically build their respective starbases (a different type for each one).  Amazing when you think about it.

I'm guessing that Stars (or whatever it was) gave every planet the phase node property as a passive ability, but I don't really know.  I found a thread that pertains: https://forums.sinsofasolarempire.com/309747/page/1/ Could someone shed some light on this?

Also, I have the construction ship in-game, and I've set it to be able to spawn five different modules, one for each ability.  However, whenever I try to spawn something at the sun, the game crashes.  The example of a similar ability I looked at had the cost as AntimatterAndMustNotBeAtStar or something like that, so there must be some strange reason for all this.  What's going on?

Another thing that's really been bugging me is that when I edit the text in the English strings file, everything goes fine for the first few edits, then after a while random ship/ability names and descriptions start appearing as "string not found", even after editing the total string count at the top of the file.  Any ideas?

I have been having trouble converting .xsi files to .mesh, specifically I get the following error:

C:\ConvertXSI>C:\ConvertXSI\convertxsi C:\ConvertXSI\Lunarclass.xsi C:\ConvertXSI\New\Lunarclass.mesh

Ignoring unknown material type (24): DefaultLib.Scene_Material
Ignoring unknown material type (24): DefaultLib.Material1
Ignoring unknown material type (24): _3ds_scene_root.CubeClsTEX_TITANTEX
Bounding Information Calculated - Radius:-1.00
Optimizing...
Pre-Optimization Vertex Count = 0
Post-Optimization Vertex Count = 0

C:\ConvertXSI>

Currently, I use the following process to get models from Blender to SOFTIMAGE(version 4.2, no activation key):

OK so I start by exporting the model from blender as a .3ds (My SOFTIMAGE will not import .obj, I have considered that this might be my problem). The next step is importing the .3ds to SoftIMAGE, I then freeze it and deselect the object. Afterwards I export it as a "dotxsi" (version 3.6), the model I am working with is a Lunar Class Cruiser from Warhammer 40K, it has ~1500 vertices.

The game does not support having planetary modules at the sun.

Not sure how they did it, but it would be pretty easy to put an ability on a scout to drop a phase node at every planet it visits.

That's strange and interesting, never knew that.  Thanks!

Yeah I guess I'll try something like that.  But if I put a passive ability on every planet that allowed it to be "IsPhaseNode", I wonder if every faction could use it?

By default the phase gate endpoint only works for the player spawning it. 

There is however a research modifier which allow allies to use your phase gates. http://zombiesrus5.com/wiki/doku.php?id=rebellionmodifiertypebool

So giving every planet the phase node property will have no effect?

Yes, but you have to do it for every player.  You could have a trade ship spawn for each player in every gravity well and apply the buff to it before blowing up.

Sounds great, I will do that.  Thanks guys!

What sort of abilities can fighter squadrons have?  For example, I would like to add a self-destruct ability to a squad to be activated at the user's discretion.  I heard that they can only be equipped with AOE abilities, since they are many entities and yet one?

Very limited. Having to use AoE is the big limitation since you cannot use "ApplyBuffToSelf", as the ability is on the squad but the squad does not physically exist. A self destruct will probably work, but it can be a little hard to know exactly where the AoE will be centered at.

Ok, I guess I can experiment now with at least some confidence.

There is an ApplyBuffToLinkedSquad for getting things onto fighters from the home ship, and yes, it does apply to the actual fighters, not the squad.  You can detonate them from that.

Quoting JoshuaTedder, reply 2661

Quoting GoaFan77,

reply 2660

Quoting JoshuaTedder,

reply 2659

What sort of abilities can fighter squadrons have?  For example, I would like to add a self-destruct ability to a squad to be activated at the user's discretion.  I heard that they can only be equipped with AOE abilities, since they are many entities and yet one?

Very limited. Having to use AoE is the big limitation since you cannot use "ApplyBuffToSelf", as the ability is on the squad but the squad does not physically exist. A self destruct will probably work, but it can be a little hard to know exactly where the AoE will be centered at.

 

Ok, I guess I can experiment now with at least some confidence.

That's what this thread is for!

Interesting, I will definitely try this, thanks!

Rather than try and explain things, I will recommend watching this video, but instead of Crosswalk'ing an .XSI, go to Import and then select .OBJ or .FBX [do the latter if you can].

I have a pact bonus with the following for modifiers:

researchModifier
    modifierType "PopulationGrowthRateAdjustment"
    baseValue 0.000000
    perLevelValue 0.100000
researchModifier
    modifierType "PlanetUpgradeCostAdjustment"
    baseValue 0.000000
    perLevelValue 0.125000
    linkedPlanetUpgradeType "Invalid"
researchModifier
    modifierType "PlanetUpgradeBuildRateAdjustment"
    baseValue 0.000000
    perLevelValue 0.125000
    linkedPlanetUpgradeType "Invalid"

In dev exe this likes to sprout the following errors for some reason (I've tried slapping the modifiers individually to other, working, pacts with the same result):

Assert @ D:\projects\SINS\SinsRebellion\main\CodeSource\GS/Window/InfoCards/PlayerScreenInfoCard.cpp(892)

false

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Assert @ D:\projects\SINS\SinsRebellion\main\CodeSource\GS/Player/PlayerResearch.cpp(1271)

modifierType != ResearchFloatModifierType:PlanetUpgradeCostAdjustment

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Assert @ D:\projects\SINS\SinsRebellion\main\CodeSource\GS/Player/PlayerResearch.cpp(1270)

modifierType != ResearchFloatModifierType:PlanetUpgradeBuildRateAdjustment

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Are these errors something I should worry about or are they typical harmless Sins being Sins ones, as the modifiers do work?

It doesn't like Invalid.  There are a few things where Invalid "works" but errors the shit out of things.

It gives the same error even when I specify a planet type. The oddity here is, which I forgot to mention, is that these modifiers are copied from a regular research item, which does not spew these errors. Only when they are used in a pact bonus do they generate these errors.

Hey Guys!

I'd like to change some economy aspects of the game. For instance I'd love to change the way ships take upkeep in a way that every ship takes individual upkeep instead of the global percentage wether or not you actually have any active ships. I came up with a passive ability on a frigate just to try it out:

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

F_Ability_FrigUK

TXT
entityType "Ability"
buffInstantActionType "ApplyBuffToSelf"
instantActionTriggerType "AlwaysPerform"
buffType "F_Buff_FrigUK"
effectInfo
    effectAttachInfo
        attachType "Invalid"
    smallEffectName ""
    mediumEffectName ""
    largeEffectName ""
    soundID ""
needsToFaceTarget FALSE
canCollideWithTarget TRUE
moveThruTarget FALSE
isUltimateAbility FALSE
maxNumLevels 1
levelSourceType "FixedLevel0"
aiUseTime "Invalid"
aiUseTargetCondition "Invalid"
isAutoCastAvailable FALSE
isAutoCastOnByDefault FALSE
pickRandomPlanetToExploreForAutoCastTarget FALSE
ignoreNonCombatShipsForAutoCastTarget FALSE
onlyAutoCastWhenDamageTakenExceedsPerc 0.000000
useCostType "Passive"
researchPrerequisites
    NumResearchPrerequisites 0
    RequiredFactionNameID ""
    RequiredCompletedResearchSubjects 0
nameStringID "F_ability_phaserupgrade_name"
descStringID "F_ability_phaserupgrade_desc"
hudIcon "F_res_icon_akirarefit"
smallHudIcon "F_res_icon_akirarefit"
infoCardIcon ""

F_Buff_FrigUK

TXT
entityType "Buff"
onReapplyDuplicateType "PrioritizeNewBuffs"
buffStackingLimitType "ForAllPlayers"
stackingLimit 1
allowFirstSpawnerToStack FALSE
buffExclusivityForAIType "ExclusiveForAllPlayers"
isInterruptable FALSE
isChannelling FALSE
numInstantActions 0
numPeriodicActions 0
numOverTimeActions 1
overTimeAction
    buffOverTimeActionType "EarnCredits"
    earnRate
        Level:0 -20.000000
        Level:1 0.000000
        Level:2 0.000000
        Level:3 0.000000
numEntityModifiers 0
numEntityBoolModifiers 0
numFinishConditions 1
finishCondition
    finishConditionType "OwnerChanged"

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

There are no error messages. When I check out the ability ingame it shows me the effect on the ability but it has no real effect on my income rate.

I'd appreciate any help

onReapplyDuplicateType "PrioritizeNewBuffs"

As a passive that is applied whenever it can be, this means it replaces itself continuously and will never do anything, switch it to old.

Thank you psychoak!

Another thing I was wondering about: Are there any 360 degree skyboxes? If so, I'd love to get my hands on them.

I have one question. Perhaps somebody can answer it. What controls the amount of pirate ships attacking you?

I believe that all is controlled in the gameplay.constants file under a header of pirateRaidDef.

Thanks by the answer.

Quoting JoshuaTedder, reply 2644

No matter what I do, it doesn't want to work.  In this version, the ship is disabled but the resource extraction rate does not change and the name/description reads "string not found," even though I indicated which string to read in the English file.  I did add the ability and the two buffs to the Entities file.  Though when I changed the extraction rate bonus to a periodic action with a pulse interval, it worked!  I don't understand this very much.  Shouldn't this be a valid buff chain?

 

TXT
entityType "Ability"
buffInstantActionType "ApplyBuffToSelf"
instantActionTriggerType "AlwaysPerform"
buffType "BuffIndustrialCoreSelf"
needsToFaceTarget FALSE
canCollideWithTarget TRUE
moveThruTarget FALSE
isUltimateAbility FALSE
maxNumLevels 4
levelSourceType "FixedLevel0"
minExperienceLevelRequired
Level:0 0.000000
Level:1 0.000000
Level:2 0.000000
Level:3 0.000000
aiUseTime "NotInCombat"
aiUseTargetCondition "Any"
isAutoCastAvailable TRUE
isAutoCastOnByDefault TRUE
pickRandomPlanetToExploreForAutoCastTarget FALSE
ignoreNonCombatShipsForAutoCastTarget TRUE
onlyAutoCastWhenDamageTakenExceedsPerc 0.000000
useCostType "AntiMatter"
antiMatterCost
Level:0 0.000000
Level:1 0.000000
Level:2 0.000000
Level:3 0.000000
cooldownTime
Level:0 300.000000
Level:1 300.000000
Level:2 300.000000
Level:3 300.000000
orderAcknowledgementType "ONGENERALORDERISSUED"
researchPrerequisites
NumResearchPrerequisites 0
RequiredFactionNameID ""
RequiredCompletedResearchSubjects 0
nameStringID "IDS_ABILITY_SIEGEMODE_NAME"
descStringID "IDS_ABILITY_SIEGEMODE_DESCRIPTION"
hudIcon "HUDICON_ABILITY_POWERSURGE"
smallHudIcon "HUDICON_ABILITY_POWERSURGE"
infoCardIcon ""

you have an errounous return line in descStringID. It's likely not counting it as present, causing the string to not be found.