Tech modding in LH

still impossible through /mods/?

from Elemental Forums

I'm so impressed with the overall design of this game (finally a good modern MoM-like) - unit design, city customization, etc...  but I just feeling like it needs more.  More factions are already available with CoS (I'll need to try that one soon), but I mean more content.  One of the things I'd love would be an expanded tech tree, so I was looking into the xml to see how hard that would be to mod.  Most specifically, I think that magic weapons should require that you can craft the base weapons, otherwise it's almost like the Warfare and Magic tree are mutually exclusive.  Maybe I missed it, but I don't seem to see any cross-tree pre-reqs.  And I would love for the tech trees to be both wider and deeper.

So anyway, I couldn't find the tech tree xml (turns out it's in kind of a weird subdirectory - data\English\Only-SP\Techs_Amarian.xml (whereas most of the core game xml is just in \data\English\)).  And while I was searching for help, I came across some old forum posts saying that it's impossible to mod tech through the user's mods/ directory, that you have to modify the core game files.  That's probably fine if I'm modding my own game files, but if I wanted to distribute them or wanted to try other people's tech mods (not that I've seen any - maybe this is why?), that's bordering on unacceptable...  But anyway, since I hadn't seen anything mentioned with regards to LH, just base FE, does anyone know if it's still impossible to mod tech through the mods/ directory?

I'll give it a shot later when I have a few minutes, but was wondering if anyone already knew that info?

 

(edit: unmatched parentheses cause tension)

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Reply #1 from Elemental Forums Top

Maybe I missed it, but I don't seem to see any cross-tree pre-reqs. And I would love for the tech trees to be both wider and deeper

You didn't miss it, there was a design decision to keep the three trees completely separate. Making this cross-tree is not a difficult change to the game.

I have not experimented with this feature, but you can create your own custom tech tree and modify the race config from the mods/ directory telling it to use the new modified custom tech tree.

This is the tag you would have to change.

<TechTree>TechTree_Amarian</TechTree>

I believe then it would be possible to mod your own custom tech tree in game, you would just have to modify each race config and adjust this tag I posted here to point to your tech tree. In essence if you a really enthusiastic about making tech trees you could make a custom tech tree for each race in the game through these files. Modifying the tech tree directly from the mods folder I don't think is possible.

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Reply #2 from Elemental Forums Top

Ah, so you're saying that you can't modify the Amarian Tech Tree, but you can create your own tech tree and modify the race configs to use that.  Okay, I can live with that.  I see now why so many mods have to say things like "compatible with CoS" - it seems like the way they did mods is not as "modular" as it could be.

Like looking at the weapons xml, the bash ability is duplicated under every blunt weapon.  I feel like if it was up to me, I might have abstracted that to having various weapon types and then having a weapon be able to attach any number of types to it.  Oh well, at least it's doable, if not easy...  :)

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Reply #3 from Elemental Forums Top

Quoting EstyleS, reply 2
Like looking at the weapons xml, the bash ability is duplicated under every blunt weapon. I feel like if it was up to me, I might have abstracted that to having various weapon types and then having a weapon be able to attach any number of types to it. Oh well, at least it's doable, if not easy...

They at first had the blunt weapon damage in the previous iterations, then added these bash abilities later to all blunt weapons to make distinction between the weapon types. Before not all blunt weapons had the bash ability.

I've not tested the race config trick since I don't play with the tech tree too much, but it should work out, without overwriting the tech-tree and the race configs beyond that tag (I did a simple change to them with my tent building style mod). I think adding techs is no problem, it is changing the pre-existing techs that leads to the problems.

The compatibility with CoS, has to do with quite a few added features that CoS uses, like the background stats base mod he uses. This adds the necessary tools for his weapons and abilities to interact with all the races. So, when a mod adds a new unit, modular mind you, it is not compatible unless you add the appropriate tags to the unit, so CoS knows what to do with these units.

The game is very modular, although there are some quirks like the tech tree. For example changing spells, when you change a spell from the game it keeps it's old casting cost, but everything else can change with the spell. Just something to be aware of in the object insanity of modding the game.

Reply #4 from Elemental Forums Top

I've been attempting to add new technologies to the Tech Tree's when a certain ability is selected on faction creation, but the techs don't appear in the tree in game, even using this method :/

Reply #5 from Elemental Forums Top

This sounds like modding techs is not going to be easy at all....

I am looking to mod a few techs....but maybe I'll keep my eye here for a bit first...