Sinperium Sinperium

Modder's "Get-an-Answer" Thread

▼

Modder's "Get-an-Answer" Thread

Answers from Modders, for Modders who "Ask a Question"

from Sins Forums

This is the place to ask and recieve specific modding (mod making) questions and answers. If you have a mod making question, post it here.

If your question involves long snippets of entity files and the like, please don't paste the entire file contents here but put them at the incredibly easy to use http://pastebin.com and then provide the link to your paste in your question posted here.

Please do limit  "just comments" here to brief posts please.  If you don't know the answer or can't point to help--don't post.  Please note that a random, uninformed guess isn't an actual answer.  

You can refer people to another source--IF it actually helps answer their question.  This could be in the form of links, outside sites, specific modding-useful programs, direction towards another post or poster, etc., etc.

Remember--specific questions, specific answers.  Only respond to the ones you can help solve.  Also, feel free to amplify, clarify, suggest alternatives to or correct answers seen here if such actions are merited and help provide a real solution. No flaming, insults or put downs here in the answers or other posts please.

Thanks in advance for your help and cooperation.  The reason for the rigid rules here is those this thread becomes a usable resource in the future to new people looking for answers.

NOTE: If an answer resolves your issue, please share it here.  These answers will help others coming along later too.  Karma is a great way to respond to people providing help without clogging the thread or bombing their forum mailbox here. Thanks!

 

OTHER SINS HELPFUL MODDING LINKS*

*Links are updated when requested.





The Soase Idiot's Guide

Confused?  No idea where to even start?

Determined to work at it?

This is the place!

 


 

  
   

Sins Modding Wiki

ZombieRus's Eclipse Wizardry

 
     

Tutorials

MyFist0's full modding site.

Emphasis on modeling  and

texturing.                            

 

 

 
                    

REBELLION MODDING TOPICS

Rebellion Modding Q & A

Mesh Editing

Changing Diplomacy Files to Rebellion

IT REALLY HURTS MY BRAIN--HOW TO START

An Idiot's Guide To Getting Started

MyFist0's Modding Megasite!

MOD DOWNLOADS

ZombieRus5's Mod Yard

Directory of Planet Mods

STEAM

STEAM Sins Forums

DEVELOPERS

Sins Developer Journals Forum 2007 to Present

REFERENCE FILES

Research Modifier List

MyFist0's Exported Models & Files

Modifier List

Harpo's Converted Sins Reference Files 2011

THIRD PARTY TOOLS

3dS Texturing Toool & Tips

Ship Fleet Calculator

SoaSE Eclipse Plugin Project

Mesh Resizing Tool--courtesy of the Reqiuem team.

Harpo's Sins Utility Package -- Dropbox

The Sins Optimization Project (TSOP)

Artificial Unintelligence (Mod and AI info)

Sins Data Converter by BCXtreme

EXPLANATIONS & DISCUSSIONS

Rebellion Updates by Blair Frazier

How to Add a Fourth Race

User-updatable Ship Reference Chart

Sins Modding Dictionary

Adding phase Effects to other weapon types

Culture, Explanation/Discussion

Weapons, Explanation/Discusion

Shield Mitigation & Armor, Explanation/Discussion-1

Shield Mitigation & Armor, Explanation/Discussion -2

Graphic Chart of Sin's Counters

Annotated Guide to the Developer.exe

In-Game Map Creator

Weapons Banks & DPS

Combat Mechanics

Rebellion Shield Mitigation & Focus Fire testing

PARTICLE FORGE

Particle Forge Help Thread

GALAXY FORGE

Adding Artifacts

Working Template Examples

SemazRalan's Template Guide

Pirates Base Start Template

SOUND RESOURCES

[SFX] Black Sun SFX/Music Resource for Modders

MODELING & TEXTURING--SOFTIMAGE XSI, 3DS MAX

XSI Texturing, Tutorial

3dS Model Exporter

3DS Max Rigging, Texturing & Exporting, Guide

Modding/Modelling/Texturing/Converting, Tutorials

WIKI'S

Sins of a Solar Empire Official Wiki

 

modding
7,614,274 views 2,761 replies
Reply #2051 from Sins Forums Top

Quoting ZombiesRus5, reply 2050
did you use RacialBuffAtLocation?

Yes, I did.

Reply #2052 from Sins Forums Top

That is a shame if that is the case... I was hoping to use each races ships for open rebellion in my mod...

Galactic Civilizations III
Reply #2053 from Sins Forums Top

subExplosionCount exceeds the maximum allowed. 15 requested but only 12 allowed. If a larger number is needed bug a programmer!

 

So... any of you lads fancy yourselves reverse engineers?

Reply #2054 from Sins Forums Top

Actually, I've had some Advent ships spawn. It spawns ships that matches the race of the controller of the planet at the time. Also, it should be noted that Open Rebellion only happens to planets below 30% allegiance and the game checks every 4 minutes. However, just because the card says 30%, it still might not TRULY be at 30%, so you could unluckily get the planet overtaken. Also, after knowing this, I've never had a problem with Open Rebellion.

Reply #2055 from Sins Forums Top

That was probably partisans that fired, not open rebellion.

Reply #2056 from Sins Forums Top

Thanks for the feedback and info guys--particularly thanks for continuing to help people out.

Much appreciated.  Happy Thanksgiving.

Reply #2057 from Sins Forums Top

Is there any way to target specific factions apart from 'isPsi'?

 

Reply #2058 from Sins Forums Top

In terms of constraints? No. However you could reuse say, unstoppable phase jump, make a passive ability that gives a ship that condition and give said ability to every ship in a given faction.

Reply #2059 from Sins Forums Top

Quoting Lavo_2, reply 2058

In terms of constraints? No. However you could reuse say, unstoppable phase jump, make a passive ability that gives a ship that condition and give said ability to every ship in a given faction.

 

That is a really clever trick! I could use that as I'm not using any abilities that inhibit phase jump, just ones that outright disable it.

Thanks Lavo!

Reply #2060 from Sins Forums Top

So I'm finally getting around to experimenting with random events. Does anyone know exactly what locations are valid for spawnLocation "RandomLocation"? For example, do I have to worry about it picking uncolonizeable gravity wells if I want a random event only on colonizeable planets?

Reply #2061 from Sins Forums Top

Yes you do. I've seen Plasma Storms hit uncolonizable wells. That being said, with RandomLocation, you can put in exceptions, i.e. all uncolonizable planets.

Reply #2062 from Sins Forums Top

Quoting Lavo_2, reply 2061

Yes you do. I've seen Plasma Storms hit uncolonizable wells. That being said, with RandomLocation, you can put in exceptions, i.e. all uncolonizable planets.

Yeah that's what I did on the safe side, but there's over 15 uncolonizeable gravity wells with the fair versions and the Stellar phenomenon DLC, so it was kind of annoying to do. I'm hoping the stars won't be effected at least since they have their own method of selection. Luckily there doesn't seem to be a limit on how many exceptions you can add. 

Reply #2063 from Sins Forums Top

Stars don't get hit by that selection. Also, look on the bright side; once you have an exception list done, you can reuse it in the future.

Reply #2064 from Sins Forums Top

Does anyone happen to know what mesh point shipyard structures use to determine where ship under construction animation gets placed (not the sparks flair, where the ship itself is centered on)?

Reply #2065 from Sins Forums Top

It's either center, or the ship is placed in the actual physical center of the mesh.

 

+1 Loading…
Reply #2066 from Sins Forums Top

Quoting Lavo_2, reply 2065

It's either center, or the ship is placed in the actual physical center of the mesh.

 

The center of the physical mesh seems to be where it defaults to. However, I remembered the Advent frigate factory definitely does not build ships in the center of the mesh, and I found this which was not in my list of valid meshpoints.

Point
DataString "ShipBuild"
Position [ 0.000000 147.216888 0.000000 ]
Orientation
[ 1.000000 0.000000 0.000000 ]
[ 0.000000 1.000000 0.000000 ]
[ 0.000000 0.000000 1.000000 ]

 

Going to try this and hope it lets me move the point.

 

Edit: Yup, the game will use ShipBuild if present in the model, and if not will default to the center of the mesh (where the faction icon is displayed). If you see this Myfist you might want to make a note on your site as this isn't mentioned in the modeling documentation.

Edit2: You can also apparently change the orientation of this meshpoint and the ship will be rotated accordingly.

Reply #2067 from Sins Forums Top

Quoting GoaFan77, reply 2066


Quoting Lavo_2, reply 2065
It's either center, or the ship is placed in the actual physical center of the mesh.

 

The center of the physical mesh seems to be where it defaults to. However, I remembered the Advent frigate factory definitely does not build ships in the center of the mesh, and I found this which was not in my list of valid meshpoints.

Point
DataString "ShipBuild"
Position [ 0.000000 147.216888 0.000000 ]
Orientation
[ 1.000000 0.000000 0.000000 ]
[ 0.000000 1.000000 0.000000 ]
[ 0.000000 0.000000 1.000000 ]

 

Going to try this and hope it lets me move the point.

 

Edit: Yup, the game will use ShipBuild if present in the model, and if not will default to the center of the mesh (where the faction icon is displayed). If you see this Myfist you might want to make a note on your site as this isn't mentioned in the modeling documentation.

Edit2: You can also apparently change the orientation of this meshpoint and the ship will be rotated accordingly.

 

Well, I was about to post that but then realised you already worked it out =P

 

I worked out the shipbuild mesh point a while ago when I was making the Imperial Outpost for 7DS, also had to make use of it in Sins of the Sirius Sector.

 

It's a shame ships don't actually move out from the build position (kinda like homeworld) and instead just pop out in front of the factory.

+1 Loading…
Reply #2068 from Sins Forums Top

Anyone know if you can set certain planets or systems to use a specific skybox instead of picking one at random?

Reply #2069 from Sins Forums Top

Quoting Wintercross, reply 2068
Anyone know if you can set certain planets or systems to use a specific skybox instead of picking one at random?

Planets can be set to use specific skyboxes.

Reply #2070 from Sins Forums Top

Quoting Lavo_2, reply 2069


Quoting Wintercross, reply 2068Anyone know if you can set certain planets or systems to use a specific skybox instead of picking one at random?

Planets can be set to use specific skyboxes.

 

Is that in the entity for the planet, or set in the map file?

Reply #2071 from Sins Forums Top

Quoting Lavo_2, reply 2069


Quoting Wintercross, reply 2068Anyone know if you can set certain planets or systems to use a specific skybox instead of picking one at random?

Planets can be set to use specific skyboxes.

I thought that was in Stars... Planets can add scalars to the texture...

 

Reply #2072 from Sins Forums Top

Quoting ZombiesRus5, reply 2071


Quoting Lavo_2, reply 2069

Quoting Wintercross, reply 2068Anyone know if you can set certain planets or systems to use a specific skybox instead of picking one at random?

Planets can be set to use specific skyboxes.

I thought that was in Stars... Planets can add scalars to the texture...

 

 

Ok, I think I have it now.

 

What exactly does the scalar entries on planet entities do to the skybox?

Reply #2073 from Sins Forums Top

Quoting ZombiesRus5, reply 2071
I thought that was in Stars... Planets can add scalars to the texture...

Meant to say stars, but yeah zombie's right.

Reply #2074 from Sins Forums Top

Im not up to date on this thread so i apologize if it has already been asked but is there a way to remove the icon from a unit or building? in other words,it it would only be visible when zoomed in?

Reply #2075 from Sins Forums Top

Quoting teeheez, reply 2074

Im not up to date on this thread so i apologize if it has already been asked but is there a way to remove the icon from a unit or building? in other words,it it would only be visible when zoomed in?

You could just remove the icon reference probably. Or just make a blank icon. You'd still know it was in the gravity well because its name would be displayed through planet unit list/Empire tree though.