if you change part of ElementalDefs.xml do you have to copy the entire file to your mod folder?

from Elemental Forums

<ElementalDefinitions>
<DataChecksum NoParse="1">
<Ignore>DisplayName</Ignore>
<Translate>DisplayName</Translate>
</DataChecksum>
<ElementalDefs>

<MaxTotalTileYield>11.0</MaxTotalTileYield>

</ElementalDefs>

</ElementalDefinitions>

 

Putting this code in a mod file had some very odd effects.   Mainly, I'm pretty sure it deleted every other elementalDef that was in the original file.  I was expecting this to work like improvements where you can at minimum add new qualities to existing buildings.  I was not expecting it to overwrite the entire elementalDefs.xml.  Is this intended behavior or did I do something wrong? Do we have to rewrite the entire ElementalDefs.xml if we are changing part of it?   

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Reply #2 from Elemental Forums Top

Thanks. if multiple loaded mods all change that file, then what?

Multiplicity - Control multiple PCs using one keyboard and mouse
Reply #3 from Elemental Forums Top

Quoting emmagine, reply 2

Thanks. if multiple loaded mods all change that file, then what?

That is where you have mod compatibility problems... All of the mods I create are modular and therefore, will not interfere with any of the base game itself. If I were to mess with the core files I will create a senario instead where it is more accepted to produce such files. But I haven't figured out how to make a campaign like a sandbox game with a set of different rules yet. Have to play around some more... maybe frogboy will enlighten me how to get that to work out... or maybe it's just hardcoded.

Reply #4 from Elemental Forums Top

If you are willing to read a readme and look up an example mod(tile yields essences contains elementaldefs) shrill has you covered easily with that and more problems. Its almost no work on the end users part, very little work on mod authors part and should eradicate a ton of incompatibilities.

 

http://fallenenchantress.nexusmods.com/mods/47

Reply #5 from Elemental Forums Top

Quoting BeelzebossErik, reply 4
http://fallenenchantress.nexusmods.com/mods/47

 

I'm certainly not opposed to using a 3rd party program to install my mod.  However, I am unfortunately, unwilling to write my mod contingent upon a program with only 17 total downloads.  I'd be catering to a very small audience.   I certainly appreciate the work you've done, but IMHO this really needs to be part of the core UI for what mods you wish to use.  I might consider it if I end up releasing some of my content individually at a later date, but for now.... it just isn't for me.

I really appreciate the suggestion though! 

Reply #6 from Elemental Forums Top

Quoting abob101, reply 1
See this:

https://forums.elementalgame.com/434780



(The answer is yes).

 

Considering, if I'm not absolutly lost, that they said with the FE 1.3x patch that "ElementalDefs is now moddable" ... how can the topic that you linked be accurate ? The last "technical" contribution in this thread is dated in October 2012 !

Exactly, v1.3 patch notes say : "(bonus: modders can now modify any elementaldef attr)"

[Maybe I fell in a linguistic trap 8C ]

 

Reply #7 from Elemental Forums Top

It is moddable, meaning a copy can be read from the /mygames directory however the ENTIRE file has to be present because the old one won't read. This means you can't just copy-paste a snip, you need the entire file, with the 1-2 changes you made.

 

Before, you had to mod it in the core file because if you moved a copy into /mygames directory, it would have hundreds of strange oddities in behavior because it would read the /Steam directory file, then attempt to modify it from /mygames, which caused the game to "sometimes use this file, sometimes that file".

 

There are plenty of "nonmoddable" files you can mod/edit all you want but you have to leave them in the main core directory. So, I can't just copy my terrain bonus changes and release "Thadian's Modular Tiles!" to let your map spawn how mine does. Trust me, you would probably love it, if you like big maps with "much less" spots to settle however "better spots" from what is there.

 

Mostly, I made every terrain type give .5 essence, river give 1.5 essence, max tile yield 12, minimum tile yield to "be settle" to 7-8. This means instead of a "group" of tiles which might see 3 "good" and 12 "bad" spots, you will see a 3 scattered tiles which range from "good" to "great". This stops the AI from building terrible spots, and helps the player find good spots close to home instead of having to build halfway across the map.

Reply #8 from Elemental Forums Top

Ok I got it. Thanks for your answer.

Of course, I took what I wanted in "modders can now modify any elementaldef attr" and I chose to understand that I would be able to make MyElementalDefs.xml only containing the attributes that I wanted to modify. I had noticed that it doesn't work but I thought I just wasn't good enough to get it work (because it's so logical to think that another solution will lead to a conflict between mods ...)