important new modding discoveries

Discussion in 'Experimental Features Discussion' started by Liang, Apr 25, 2020.

  1. Liang

    Liang Captain

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    So, I thought I would start a thread for people to use to post their own discoveries with the new modding files to help keep them in one location to make it easier for people to find them. I will start it off with what I personally believe to be important for the community due to the very many posts about the subjects over a few years. I will highlight key words to make finding what is being modified for your pleasure, feel free to do the same if you post your own discoveries in the thread.

    1. Gathering has been a hot topic for various reasons, its too slow/boring or its too easy/no challenge with many either wanting the base game changed to suit their purpose or wanting changes undone. Well, guess what? At the top of the new Config_Example.ecf file are entries for the Resources that will allow you to INCREASE or DECREASE how much you get from drilling. Example.

    { Block Id: 79, Name: CopperResource
    Material: resourcesoft
    Group: resource
    { Child DropOnDestroy
    Count: "1,3"
    Prob: 0.3

    Above in the Count section the 1-3 is an indicator of how many Copper Ore you will receive from normal drilling. I do believe this does NOT include any ReturnFactor on which-ever drill you are using. A very slight change to this number makes a major change in game. Just by increasing to 2-4 you are going to be DOUBLING the minimum amount received. If you go with something a little more...insane? say, 2-8, you could find yourself getting 100+ with a hand drill with each tick from drilling. I personally have not tried (yet) to set a number above 10, like 5-20, so I do not know yet if the game allows for it though I will edit this part after trying a little later today.

    (UPDATE)

    Ok, so I edited IronResource to give a Count of (5, 12) and with a level 7 hand Drill I got...112 ore and then 218 right after. So...be very careful with your changes as you can very easily make this game so simple you could get over 10,000 iron ingots worth of ore from one single location. So its clear you can go higher than 10 in this section.

    I tested again with IronResource with a Count of (1,2) and received as low as 1 and as high as 12 with a Hand Drill. Then with a Count of (2, 4) I averaged in the 20s and had as low as 12. So I would suggest you personally do some experimenting to find whats right for your personal experience.

    On the flip side, if you think the game is making gathering too fast, you can decrease the numbers to slow things down, drop the Count down to 1-2, 1-1 or...make things really hard by giving a chance to receive NO ORE by having a 0-1.


    Now then, how about things other than Resources? Well, now its time to look at the BlocksConfig.ECF file!

    { Block Id: 1041, Name: AmericanElm
    Material: woodhard
    Shape: Deco
    IsTerrainDecoration: true
    IsDeco: true
    IsPlant: true
    BigDecorationRadius: 10
    /* Model: Environment/Plants/SpeedTrees/AmericanElmPrefab */
    Model: Environment/Plants/SpeedTrees/AlienElmPrefab
    DecoParticle: chinesebanyan
    ShowUser: No
    SizeInBlocks: "3,7,3"
    { Child DropOnDestroy
    Item: WoodLogs
    Count: "1,3"
    Prob: 1

    Just like with Resources, Trees can have their "wood log" drop increased or decreased. Find it odd that the very large tree you just cut down only gave you 2 logs? Here is your solution. Increase that count from 1-3 to 3-6 and there is your possible outcome. There is no "ReturnFactor" multiplier with this. If you put 3-6 you will get 3,4,5 or 6 logs.

    Hey how about harvesting food you say? You CAN! Same file, BlocksConfig.ECF!

    { Block Id: 523, Name: CobraLeavesPlant
    Class: CropsGrown
    { Child DropOnHarvest
    Item: Spice
    Count: 1

    A fast way to find them is to search for CropsGrown so you can cycle through all the harvest-able food items and then you can change the Count, as usual. Its a direct correlation so changing the 1 to a 2 will give you 2 of that item instead of 1.

    Finally, Cobra "Leaves" can actually give more than 1 single spice, or those Scaly "Pods" is more than a single egg!

    What about GROWN crops? Here we go!

    { Block Id: 599, Name: PumpkinStage3
    Class: CropsGrown
    AllowedInBlueprint: false, display: true
    IndexName: Plant
    { Child DropOnHarvest
    Item: Vegetables
    Count: 8

    Same file as before, we are looking for Stage3 items and their Count. Do you think you should be getting more/less than 8 Pumkins? Make that change!

    So. Hopefully now all players can stop asking for gathering to get either faster or slower as we all now have a way to making our personal game/server set-up to suit what it is we personally want the game to focus on.

    Also important to note is that you should really really make a backup copy of the BlocksConfig.ECF file BEFORE you make changes to it...use the file you are changing for your game. It is VERY EASY to royally FUBAR your game if you alter something incorrectly.

    Please add your own discoveries to the thread.
     
    #1
    Last edited: Apr 25, 2020
  2. Myrmidon

    Myrmidon Rear Admiral

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    One may tweak the game to hers/his will.
     
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  3. Liang

    Liang Captain

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    Next topic.

    2.Experience is another issue I have seen pop up many times over the last 2 years. Game is too fast, game is too slow and so on...well, now we can edit where most if not all of the experience.

    In the BlocksConfig.ECF file you can now also edit the amount of Experience gained from some actions. First, harvesting plants!

    { Block Id: 316, Name: PlantHarvestTemplate
    Class: CropsGrown
    AllowedInBlueprint: false, display: true
    IndexName: Plant
    Material: plants
    Shape: ModelEntity
    DropMeshfile: Entities/Misc/BagSmallPrefab
    Model: Entities/Farming/ModernFarm/TomatoStage3Prefab
    IsAccessible: false, type: bool
    Collide: "bullet,rocket,melee,sight"
    Category: Farming
    AllowPlacingAt: "Base,MS", display: truetrue
    SizeInBlocks: "1,1,1", display: true
    SizeInBlocksLocked: "Base,MS"
    Place: Face
    Mass: 1, type: float, display: true, formatter: Kilogram
    XpFactor: 0.25
    ShowUser: NoButCSV # reported by HWS

    If you are like me, you really want to lower the xp gained from harvesting as it just makes the levels go by too fast so for me, that XpFactor is going to be dropped down to 0.01 just because im not sure if it can be completely turned off. Obviously, if you want even faster leveling you can increase the number. There is an XpFactor associated with each food as well so be sure to lower/raise each of them to suit your personal need.

    Now then, in the Config.ECF file you can alter the XpFactor is associated with the majority of items in game that can be built as well, so if you are wanting to personalize your game by rewarding more XP for making high tier items as an example, this is where you would do it. Want that TurretIONCannon to be more rewarding? Increase its XpFactor which is set to (2) by default. Example below

    { Block Id: 491, Name: TurretIONCannon
    Info: bkiAlienBlock, display: true
    Group: cpgAlien
    Material: metalhard
    TemplateRoot: TurretBaseCannon
    WeaponItem: TurretIONCannonWeapon
    BlockColor: "110,110,110"
    Volume: 2880, type: float, display: true, formatter: Liter
    Mass: 8500, type: float, display: true, formatter: Kilogram
    StackSize: 250
    Category: Weapons/Items
    BlastRadius: 3
    BlastDamage: 100
    HitPoints: 5000, type: int, display: true
    RotSpeed: 120, type: int, display: true
    EnergyIn: 5, type: int, display: true, formatter: Watt
    CPUIn: 90, type: int, display: true
    XpFactor: 2
    AboveTerrainCheck: false

    XpFactor is currently set to 2. It is a high tier item with difficult parts to make, so perhaps you think that item should reward more XP. Increase it to 2.5? 3? What is your game going to be like, decide based upon that. Mine will have much lower Xp rewards for early game actions and reward more for late game and thus, this item will give out (3) for XP while those simple turrents will give out only (0.5) or less.
     
    #3
    Last edited: Apr 25, 2020
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  4. Liang

    Liang Captain

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    How to edit a monster/npc I will use a Desert Golem as an example. The first part of this is already known information but will include it as a complete guide that includes new ways of being able to mod with A12.


    Step 1. Open Config.ecf and search for Spider01 which is the basic spider.

    How to adjust health.
    { Entity Name: Spider01, Ref: Spider01
    MaxHealth: 400


    This should be easy, The MaxHealth number is how much health it will have. Want a harder game? Increase the number, want it easier? Lower it. Really want to make people that hate spiders scream? Give those suckers 4000 health!

    How to adjust damage
    { Item Id: 2573, Name: MeleeSpider01, Ref: MeleeTemplate
    {
    ROF: 0, type: float
    Range: 2.5
    Damage: 20
    DamageMultiplier_1: 5, data: metal|metalhard
    DamageMultiplier_2: 10, data: hull|hullarmored|hullcombat|concrete|woodblock


    Range is just that, how far away it can hit you from.
    Damage = max amount it can hit you for with 0 armor
    DamageMultiplier in this case is its damage to your building depending on the material its made out of.

    How to change LOOT. Due note that the Spider01 loot table is also for the Cave Worm.
    # CaveWorm,Spider01
    { Container Id: 20
    Count: "3,4"
    Size: "8,1"
    SfxOpen: UseActions/body_open
    SfxClose: UseActions/body_close
    { Child Items
    Name_0: Meat, data: 0.8, xdata: 1
    Name_1: AlienParts02, data: 0.5, xdata: "1,2"
    Name_2: AlienTooth, data: 1, xdata: "1,2"
    Name_3: PlantProtein, data: "1,3", xdata: 0.7


    Here Count = the amount of items it could drop. If you want it to be able to drop 2-8 total items, chnage it to "2,8"
    Name_# = the item that could be dropped.
    xdata = the possible amount of that item. Do you also think larger mamals should be dropping more meat? Increase it from 1, to 1-3 so it could drop up to 3 meat and as low as 1.

    Now lets ADD an item to the loot list in a way that isnt going to break the game...if you are using Notepad++ which you really should be, highlight one of the lines of loot by clicking on the data number to the very left so the entire line of data is selected. Press CTRL+C to copy it, then press CTRL+V two times, This will place a carbon copy into the file as we do NOT want to EVER press the ENTER button to create a new line in game files.

    Once you have added this new line of loot, you can now copy any single other line of loot text onto it that will add the new loot to the creature. In this example I used PlantProtein. It is important to note that you must change the Name_# to the next in line, in this example it is #3.

    # CaveWorm,Spider01
    { Container Id: 20
    Count: "3,6"
    Size: "8,1"
    SfxOpen: UseActions/body_open
    SfxClose: UseActions/body_close
    { Child Items
    Name_0: Meat, data: 0.8, xdata: "1,2"
    Name_1: AlienParts02, data: 0.5, xdata: "1,2"
    Name_2: AlienTooth, data: 1, xdata: "1,2"
    Name_3: PlantProtein, data: 0.3, xdata: "1,2"

    UPDATE, how to find an NPC/mobs loot table.

    You may eventually notice that some things do not have its own loot table, you need to open the EClassConfig.ECF file, inside do a search for the thing you are looking to change. I will use a SLIME as an example below.

    { +Entity Name: Slime, Ref: PreyTemplateAttack
    Mesh: Enemies/Slime/SlimePrefab
    MeshDead: Enemies/Slime/SlimeDeadPrefab
    HeadTransform: Spine_root1

    Prefab: AlienSmall

    MaxHealth: 600
    # XpFactor: 0.8
    XpFactor: 2.72
    HandItem: MeleeSlime
    RotateToGround: true

    WanderSpeed: 0.3
    ApproachSpeed: 1
    NightWanderSpeed: 0.3
    NightApproachSpeed: 1
    PanicSpeed: 1

    /* Determines particle effect */
    SurfaceCategory: human

    /* Sound settings */
    SfxRandomTime: 50.0
    SfxRandom: Enemies/Slime/Slime_SfxRandom
    SfxAlertTime: 25.0
    SfxAlert: Enemies/Slime/Slime_SfxRandom
    SfxHurt: Enemies/Slime/Slime_SfxHurt
    SfxDeath: Enemies/Slime/Slime_SfxDeath

    LootListOnDeath: 20
    FadingEnabled: false # disabled otherwise problems with switching to DeadMesh

    UpdateClusterInfo: true
    AllowUserInstantiate: true
    AllowInSpawners: true
    }

    { +Entity Name: SlimeWhite, Ref: Slime
    Mesh: Enemies/Slime/SlimeWhitePrefab
    MeshDead: Enemies/Slime/SlimeWhiteDeadPrefab

    The LootListOnDeath entry is what you need. A slime is pulling from List 20 in the Config file. Same Loot list as a Spider.


    And there you go. You now have the ability to fully customize the mobs in your game.
     
    #4
    Last edited: Apr 26, 2020
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  5. Myrmidon

    Myrmidon Rear Admiral

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    Try to use spoiler feature here to avoid long messages. Thank you.
     
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  6. Liang

    Liang Captain

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    Thread posts above have been updated.

    Quick post for those that believe CPU is too harsh or dont like it at all but still want to find a way to use it to add some depth/challenge via more items to make.

    Here is how to adjust the CPU costs of items or make CPU easier to upgrade. I will also point out Energy use for those recently yelling about a certain thing exploding if overloaded lol...

    Look for this text in your Config file

    CPUIn:

    Any number after that is how much CPU the item will use.

    { Block Id: 453, Name: ThrusterMSRoundArmored
    Group: cpgThruster
    Material: metalhard
    ShowBlockName: true
    StackSize: 1000
    BlockColor: "110,110,110"
    Volume: 1600, type: float, display: true, formatter: Liter
    Mass: 9496, type: float, display: true, formatter: Kilogram
    IsOxygenTight: true, display: true
    IsIgnoreLC: true
    TemplateRoot: ThrusterMSRoundBlocks
    Info: bkiThruster, display: true
    HitPoints: 750, type: int, display: true
    ThrusterForce: 18100, type: int, display: true, formatter: Newton
    EnergyIn: 720, type: int, display: true, formatter: Watt
    CPUIn: 13340, type: int, display: true
    Category: Devices
    BlastRadius: 3
    BlastDamage: 100
    Radiation: 5, display: RadiationLevel
    Temperature: 892, display: true

    Do you think that is a little harsh? Knock off 1000 points from the CPUin and bring it down to 12000...I know the RCS and Thruster costs got a lot of people angry, well...now you can adjust it.

    EnergyIn is how much energy an item uses. This one thruster uses up 720 energy. Chop off a bit of it if your old build has no room for another reactor if the ship means that much to you. You really dont need to change many items energy use and you dont need to cut it by too much even with some of the older monster sized ships.

    Editing the cost to make the CPU items.

    Still inside the Config file look for

    CPUExtenderHV = Hover
    CPUExtenderCV = Capital
    CPUExtenderSV = Single
    CPUExtenderBA = Base

    Each of them will have a T2, T3 and T4 entry like below

    { Template Name: CPUExtenderBAT4
    CraftTime: 800
    Target: AdvC
    { Child Inputs
    SteelPlate: 24
    Electronics: 16
    Computer: 20
    OpticalFiber: 12
    FluxCoil: 14
    PowerCoil: 6
    LargeOptronicBridge: 2
    LargeOptronicMatrix: 1

    The number after each item is how many it takes to build it. Lower the costs if you want to make it easier to upgrade. The most painful items to make are at the bottom like the LargeOptronicBridge which may be what you really want to edit down. Do a search for that in the Config file to find the below.

    { Template Name: LargeOptronicBridge
    BaseItem: true
    CraftTime: 600
    Target: AdvC
    { Child Inputs
    GoldIngot: 15
    SmallOptronicBridge: 1
    Oscillator: 80
    ZascosiumAlloy: 50

    Ouch, painful right? Cut down some of those components numbers if you dont want CPU so hard to upgrade in your game and Taa daa, you should be more willing to play with CPU turned on.

    FYI CraftTime = how long it takes to make it if you are thinking that is way too long which it is!
     
    #6
    Last edited: Apr 26, 2020
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  7. Liang

    Liang Captain

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    Reserved due to a...possibility to be able to use a current mob, to make a brand new one using existing assets/animations only. This one may take me a while to figure out.
     
    #7
  8. ravien_ff

    ravien_ff Rear Admiral

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    Just copy the entry for an existing NPC, give it a unique ID, edit the stats the way you want and then it will show up as a valid entry for NPC spawners.
    You might also want to give it a custom weapon too.
     
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  9. Liang

    Liang Captain

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    Well, post a tutorial for this thread of tutorials on how to mod using the A12 files :p
     
    #9
  10. RazzleWin

    RazzleWin Rear Admiral

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    Humm not sure @ravien_ff would have time for making a tutorial as he is also working on Eden. But then you just never know about that man.:)
     
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  11. vscuorzo

    vscuorzo Commander

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    Unleashing all the options to modders could be the single best decision they've made in years
     
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  12. Balthazod

    Balthazod Lieutenant

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    Ho wise one how can I reset POI and asteroids in a coop game?
     
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  13. Liang

    Liang Captain

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    #13
  14. Taelyn

    Taelyn Guest

    Way easyer way.

    Open the Console and type
    Code:
    regenerate ID
    Where the ID is the ID of the POI or Asteroid

    ID.png
     
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  15. Balthazod

    Balthazod Lieutenant

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  16. lantzcer

    lantzcer Ensign

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    I read we can make our own loot groups, but I'm old and may have dreamed that. If we can do that what steps are needed? I tried adding a custom named group to the LootGroups.ecf file but that caused all kinds of errors and wife got mad when she couldn't play so I had to take it all out.

    I would love any help creating a custom +LootGroup I could add to the game...or was it a dream...
     
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  17. Liang

    Liang Captain

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    That is on my list of things I am going to try to figure out how to modify. I will post more as I have time to work on them.
     
    #17
  18. Jenago

    Jenago Ensign

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    i would like the possibility to mod the lvl cap

    that mean make 50 lvls in Research tree and add a lot more diffferent items you have to reserach first bevor build

    that will give the game a lot more Content for longer time

    whats your opinion

    at the Moment we added Building blocks to Research tree but would have more lvls if its
    possible
     
    #18
    Last edited: May 5, 2020
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  19. Vermillion

    Vermillion Rear Admiral

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    It'd be better if there simply wasn't a level cap. There's no actual reason for our levels to cap at... err... 25, I think it is. The tech tree may stop there, but there's no reason the player shouldn't be able to gain more levels. Even if it's just for bragging rights.
     
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  20. Jenago

    Jenago Ensign

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    like you find an class 5 planet wehre you Need lvl 40 to
    land or something like that with equal difficult on the playfield
     
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