Do you use Custom Configs?

Discussion in 'FAQ & Feedback' started by Hummel-o-War, Jan 24, 2020.

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Do you use the Custom Config?

  1. I am already using the Reforged Galaxy config!

    14.8%
  2. Yes (attach or link the config you are using)

    42.0%
  3. No, i am playing with default values

    35.8%
  4. There is a possibility to customized game values??

    7.4%
  1. Hummel-o-War

    Hummel-o-War Administrator Staff Member Community Manager

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    Hey folks,
    As most of you are aware - or have accepted for now ;) - the current ALPHA state of the game does have several spots where the balancing is not really consistent (no sarcastic comments plz :D ), because each new addition of a ‚game changing‘ feature might need to make it neccessary to rebalance big chunks of the game. So we try to stay in an area of a „playable“ balance - which might not be perfect in various ways.

    There have been a LOT of threads about this topic over the last months...or better: accompanying the developement progress.

    That‘s why we have added a possibility to create a custom config (for blocks, items...and loot tables), to at least offer a way to work with a balancing on a global level and adjust the values to your likings.

    Some of your configs might only change a few elements, others, for example the ‚Reforged Galaxy‘ (https://empyriononline.com/threads/reforged-galaxy.91810/) nearly adjust every value available in the custom configs.

    Now, as these Custom Configs are available for a few major versions, i would be interested in the answer to the question: Do you actually use this possibility? And if so, which custom configs do you use? Or: WHICH changes do you usually make in your config?

    Let me know & feel free to attach YOUR personal custom config to your comment (+ a small introduction plz)

    - Your forum droid.
     
    #1
    Last edited: Jan 29, 2020
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  2. A lot of servers use custom configs as well. The players just may not know about it.
    Anyone that plays on either of the HWS servers is playing with a custom config, for example.
    So I use my own custom config when I play SP. I then use a completely different custom config when i play online.

    My SP config is mostly just me adjusting the stack sizes of resources/food/components to max stack size. I play with volume and mass turned on and it's really crappy to be limited by number of slots when I'm already limited by volume and mass. So I do what I can to fix that oversight by the developers.
     
    #2
  3. Myrmidon

    Myrmidon Rear Admiral

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    Yes. In the past I have created my own modifications, for weaponry and component dissasembly mostly. After all this is why those files are provided for. Modification of playstyle. Apart from this I have used other custom config files from other players as well. Currently I do not use any of them since I am waiting to see "where the ball will stand", as it matters of conteporary provided custom config values and allowed modifications. There has been lots of changes in the last year, making efforts to keep up a little more tedius fro my taste.
     
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  4. EternalHeathen

    EternalHeathen Captain

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    I'm intending to use 'Reforged Galaxy' in my next Project Eden restart, and if those stack sizes weren't already readjusted I'll likely figure out how to do that as well. Y'all do a decent job in keeping things playably balanced in my opinion, enough that I've never felt the need to mess with the configs.
     
    #4
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  5. Vermillion

    Vermillion Rear Admiral

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    You're welcome to post suggestions in the Reforged Galaxy thread and I might put them in.
     
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  6. ASTIC

    ASTIC Captain

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    Yes, I changed a few values (over the years) to improve the gameplay or the balance
     

    Attached Files:

    #6
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  7. IndigoWyrd

    IndigoWyrd Rear Admiral

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    Because this is still an Alpha, I have not really delved much into customizing anything, as I'm all too aware how much things can change. I've long been aware that we can edit the config files, as well as many of the text files that define parameters and settings for almost everything in game, but again, being an Alpha, I just don't see a value in doing this just yet.

    I also somewhat loathe editing text files, especially .yaml that uses spacing as part of its formatting and will actually break if not properly spaced (whoever thought this was good idea, you were wrong), though I like .yaml far better than JSON, which sucks.

    At some point, probably after Release 1.1, I'll delve into customizing configs, when changes should be minimal. Until then, I just use the vanilla options and make notes for myself of things to watch and possibly customize later.
     
    #7
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  8. Greystar

    Greystar Ensign

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    I frequently customize mine. I do not enjoy having some things changed that I was used to previously (such as parts costs on things) I also tend to change the power requirements on some things as things like switches shouldn't take power. I also don't like the CPU crap so I turn it off. I realize you're trying to keep build small by default to keep stability up but I hate any time this "feature" is added to a game.
     
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  9. stubert812

    stubert812 Lieutenant

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    No I don't play with the config files but have been playing HWS so yes I suppose I am. Sort of wasn't sure where to vote on that. Play seems to go smoothly just the ships either roll to much or not enough lol my designing there i think.
     
    #9
  10. ravien_ff

    ravien_ff Rear Admiral

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    Playing survival with my brother in alpha 10.5 (so before CPU), I made a config for us that does the following, and my reasons for us doing so. We run our own dedicated server, usually just the two of us, so this fits our playstyle well. We ran with mass/volume enabled.

    Increased max solar panels from 15 to 30:
    This let us run a moderately sized base off of solar power.
    Solar panels still take up a lot of physical room and needs a planet that has clear weather.
    Using constructors or furnaces would still drain batteries over extended periods.

    Increased stack size for ore, ingots, components, and refined pentaxid to 8,000:
    This makes it much easier to sort your inventory and looks cleaner.
    Easier to tell at a glance how many of what ingot you had.
    Makes volume the limiting factor on storage space, not stack sizes. You can actually make full use of max size storage controllers.
    Easy to precisely split stack sizes in half (8,000 > 4,000 > 2,000 > 1,000 > 500 > 250 > 125).
    Refined pentaxid stacking to only 50 is just cumbersome.

    Removed power use of container extenders:
    On a dedicated server, structures continue to use power 24/7 whether someone is on the server or not and the power draw of cargo storage was just way too much.
    It doesn't make sense for cargo containers to use so much power.
    It makes mass and space the balancing factor for cargo storage, instead of power.
    If I was going to play now, I'd probably remove the CPU cost as well.

    Increased durability of player armor:
    Your armor should not get destroyed after raiding one or two POIs.
    I like playing with tool and weapon degradation enabled, but armor gets damaged way too quickly in combat.

    For our playthrough in Alpha 12, I'd probably also make some other quality of life changes, such as making small oxygen bottles craftable from large bottles, making things like survival constructors craftable in BA constructors, and make the chainsaw more useful.
     

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  11. zztong

    zztong Rear Admiral

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    > Do you use the Custom Config?

    I'm not sure how to reply to the survey. I sometimes modify the configuration and I sometimes play with the stock configuration. (EDIT: I marked it as Yes, but I don't have anything to link.)

    Because of the way the configuration files work, and because the game is under development, I make temporary changes. If the way configuration modifications were handled were to change, I would use them more.

    Right now, you edit the one large config file, replacing the entire file. If an update happens then you have to "diff" the whole thing.

    If the game would load up the standard configuration, then look for smaller files that contained changes, we could begin to work with small, spot configuration changes that would be easier to carry forward through the versions. Add some additional support for checking versions and you start to get a configuration Mod feature that could see configuration file changes deployed via the Steam Workshop.

    As far as the changes that I make, usually they relate to Solar Panels as an attempt to eliminate the limited maximum allowed (which I don't think I can actually change, presently) or modify their performance.

    EDIT: Like Minibann (see later in the thread), there are things I would change if I thought I could, and if I didn't have to completely redo the configuration file.
     
    #11
    Last edited: Jan 28, 2020
  12. Evolvei

    Evolvei Commander

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    Main items I Increase:
    stack amounts
    armor weight
    shotgun damage due to not enjoying bullet sponge play and to sting scorpions before they sting me.

    Also I change first multi tool to biofuel and increase solar performance

    Would like to be able to reduce overly loud non weapon sounds.
     
    #12
  13. ArcticPrism

    ArcticPrism Commander

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    Always.

    -Higher turret projectile speed so they can actually hit players.
    -Higher turret damage so they don't tickle the player.
    -Less shield HP because they are completely broken, at least in PVE.
    -Higher stack limits for most materials.
    -Convenience changes like O2 bottles restore more O2 but cost more to make so it requires less clicks to refill O2....
    -Rebalanced armors so heavy isn't always the best choice. Though that's hard since there's really no need for mobility once you have a vessel to take you everywhere.
    -Buffed weapons like the Minigun and Shotgun that have historically been garbage.
    -Also on the buffed armor durability train. It's pretty annoying that you can't clear POIs without having to repair your armor. It doesn't help that the process is extremely clunky. Look at how many steps it takes to repair your armor:

    1. Go to Locker
    2. Unequip Armor
    3. Go to Repair Station
    4. Put armor in Repair Station
    5. Click Repair
    6. Take armor out
    7. Go back to Locker
    8. Equip Armor
     
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  14. Taelyn

    Taelyn Guest

    Please stay OT and just answer the question about a Custom Config… Thank you!
     
    #14
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  15. Minbann

    Minbann Ensign

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    I run a COOP server for my friends. The current iteration of the game presents little challenge. I customize the config to keep up interest.

    I keep the changes minimal due to the frequency of developer updates invalidating the config file. Otherwise, I would rewrite half the file. Also, there are a number of changes I would make that are currently not supported in the config.
     
    #15
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  16. Khazul

    Khazul Rear Admiral

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    Yes, but just for testing at the moment (for normal play I am still getting a feel for what is before fiddling with anything that doenst seem obviously wrong, so using default config for now) and but still settling on my choice of edits, current armor durability and rebalancing the various grades of tools from hand helds to vehicle mounted seem the obvious must-have ones.
    Also hoped to re-enable CV weapons on planets and fix the despawn timer, but I don't think either can be fixed there.
     
    #16
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  17. Beasthammer

    Beasthammer Commander

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    Why would someone do that (custom config)? To ease the pain what this game is sometimes giving you? Yes i would like to use, but...
    It is the same as keeping one savegame where you try to build your empire... OOOPPSS! New patch! ("Hi everyone we modified the things which is contained in the config.ecf"...) It is enough to restart your game every damn time when a major update comes out.
     
    #17
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  18. ravien_ff

    ravien_ff Rear Admiral

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    To clear up confusion:

    Your custom config.ecf only needs to contain the changes you want, not the entire contents of example_config.ecf. Take a look at the config I posted above for an example.
    Game updates rarely require you to make any changes to your custom config.ecf (except to change the version number at the top) and will not be overwritten by game updates.

    PM me or start a new thread if you have questions about how config.ecf works so we don't clutter up this thread. Sorry to go off topic.
     
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  19. zztong

    zztong Rear Admiral

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    Related to that confusion, I tend to play the game once through (maybe twice) after each major update. If I choose to make a configuration file change then I pretty much have to start over for my next game because a major release will have happened and the internals of the base configuration file will have changed.

    Also, all the changes are still in just one file. This is fine for me keeping a local change. But once you start to look at people sharing configuration file modifications, then you have to copy/paste the idea. But, if there could be multiple configuration files, loaded in some order, after the base game's configuration file, then people could trade isolated changes. Add a mechanism to put them into an order and tap into the Steam Workshop, and suddenly you have a supported configuration Mod feature.

    EDIT: Then, the Devs get a way to see which mods are popular because people will subscribe to them and discuss them.
     
    #19
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  20. Beasthammer

    Beasthammer Commander

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    There is no confusion, if the game files would be designed well, then you wouldn't have to restart your game every time. This applies to config ecf too. Why would i keep an outdated file with lower feature level??? Shouldn't the devs fix the game?

    BTW i have noticed that if i play a scenario with custom settings it takes forever to load and save because it reads too much info. (Interestingly when i tried to mod the multiturret AOE and speed (DMG) it did make it even worse)
     
    #20

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