Modder's Toolkit?

[scorpio_rocks]

For me and, I am sure, many others two of the things that make this game so great are the unceasing efforts of the developers to improve and add to the game and the ability to change so much ourselves.
Occasionally these can work against each other... This is a kind of "Tweaker's wishlist" or "Modder's toolkit" if you will.

I would like to
a). propose some changes/additions to the game to help modders and players "tweak" their game experience
and
b). ask for a couple of considerations when the developers are updating the game to accommodate those of us that play with "non-vanilla" versions.

Game changes:
(I have no idea how possible some of these are and am happy to accept that they may be unfeasible with the current game engine - but hey its a wish list!)

a1 - Ability to manually set the "base" xp/morale for an OoB. My understanding is that this is currently hard coded for each OoB for each year.
would it be possible to allow us to change/enter this information for the OoB OR for a battle? either by entering a actual value or global modifier?
Alternatively would it be possible for the formation experience and morale modifiers to have an increased range? (ie greater than +/- 25?)

a2 - The ability to set which "infantry colour" the OoB uses (again currently hard coded?)

a3 - allow "air" units in the core units of a campaign?
The argument that it doesn't happen in reality could be applied to helos (which can be included) and I think there are cases where it DOES happen in reality
(eg all elements from an amphibious warfare vessel going through a campaign together)

Quality of life considerations
(I understand this isn't possible indefinitely but I believe there is still a certain amount of "wiggle room".)

b1 - An undertaking that the game will not utilise certain .shp files.
eg. that one of each of a turreted, non-turreted and invisible turreted file be set aside for no official new icons.
In order that modders don't have to recreate new .shp files and renumber icons every time a new version is released.
(Perhaps Icon0180.shp, Icon0184.shp, and Icon0189.shp for instance?)

b2 - An undertaking to leave a "block of slots" available for pictures.
ie a range, say between 10100 and 10999 where no new .lbms will be added till other slots used?


I would welcome other peoples thoughts and ideas... What's on your wish list?

[Imp]

a1 - Ability to manually set the "base" xp/morale for an OoB. My understanding is that this is currently hard coded for each OoB for each year.
would it be possible to allow us to change/enter this information for the OoB OR for a battle? either by entering a actual value or global modifier?

For a battle could you not just turn off training & set it in preferences

[scorpio_rocks]

Originally Posted by Imp

For a battle could you not just turn off training & set it in preferences

As I understand it this would also take no account of formation modifiers, so your guards, sf, paras, whatever will be same as your line troops - unless of course I am wrong (which is not beyond the bounds of possibility... )

[DRG]

You can change individual unit exp, morale etc with scenhack easily enough as well as individual leaders

[scorpio_rocks]

Whilst I appreciate the extra icons, terrain etc that the new patch has come with - it has exacerbated the problems faced by modders in organising their own custom icons, etc.

Could I once again please ask that:
b1 - An undertaking that the game will not utilise certain .shp files.
eg. that one of each of a turreted, non-turreted and invisible turreted file be set aside for no official new icons.
In order that modders don't have to recreate new .shp files and renumber icons every time a new version is released.
(Perhaps Icon0180.shp, Icon0184.shp, and Icon0189.shp for instance?)

b2 - An undertaking to leave a "block of slots" available for pictures.
ie a range, say between 10100 and 10999 where no new .lbms will be added till other slots used?

Whilst I realise and appreciate that the modding community should never be the focus of any changes and that there are finite hard limits, surely in the short term this shouldn't be too hard?

[DRG]

"Timing is everything" and you really picked the WRONG time to ask me this.....again

What you are asking me to do, among other things, is turn over control of my last remaining unused invisible turreted file to "modders" and reduce my "stock" of available hull only files by 33% leaving me with no empty invisible turreted files and only two hull only files and those files you want me to turn over could likely last the OFFICAL game until development ends permanently

Seriously ? Seriously !

I do have an overabundance of empty turreted Icon files and I had considered that if someday I feel like tackling this I might convert some to IT and H files...maybe. It's not like it's a five-minute job. The thing is......all of you asking for more room for your personal creations KNEW from the start you were using official game files for your work and the ONLY reason you even knew they existed if because *I* did the work of assembling a list. I didn't do that for modders..... I did that for the main game. A land use analogy would be that the squatters have buildt their homes now they want me to build a road and dig their wells . My main concern is the two official games and right now I have enough files to last me until we are fed up doing this any longer but maybe in a month or two I might "feel the love" and see what can be done but don't hold your breath...I'm not feeling it ATM

I will, however, reserve PM22000.lbm to PM22999.lbm for modder use in winSPMBT only....unless I forget but there's a good chance I won't ...maybe

Don

[RecruitMonty]

I will, however, reserve PM22000.lbm to PM22999.lbm for modder use in winSPMBT only....unless I forget but there's a good chance I won't ...maybe

Thanks!

[DRG]

Originally Posted by RecruitMonty

Thanks!

That's far enough away from where I normally enter runs of PIC's so you should be safe

[RecruitMonty]

As the only active "large scale" modder in the WinMBT community at this time (Plasmakrab's project "Cold War 2020" is no longer being developed and a number of the other additional content providers have also ceased their activities), I can say that any accommodation on the part of the developer's is always very greatly appreciated.

After all, not every developer offers practical tools like the shape editor and the MobHack utility (or indeed the many other useful tools, ideal for this sort of work) as standard.

Of course, I don't believe it should be a "one way street". I've always been happy to make useful mod content available for the actual game itself. It is a policy outlined in the mod's readme.

I think the idea of converting some of the existing empty (and likely never to be filled) shape files for turreted vehicles into "tl" and "it" types is a capital idea, btw.

Saves having to code in new ones from scratch, which is a complicated process. I've looked at elements of the game's code myself - with a Hex editor - and I'm amazed that DRG and Andy can make heads or tails of it.

I can't.

Then again, I am computer illiterate .

The "Master Icon List" was indeed quite useful.

Although, in the beginning (2006 or thereabouts was when I started tinkering about), I figured a fair bit out on my own through trial and error.

Making your own .lbms, .wavs and using hexadecimal editors to change national names etc. can be a trial and error process for the uninitiated and computer illiterate.

I've learnt a lot.

I do hope you will, eventually, "feel the love".

Who knows, maybe a couple more "squatters" might crop up. I've even heard tell - somewhere - that it can be a net positive for a game to have an active community of modders.

[scorpio_rocks]

Originally Posted by DRG

I will, however, reserve PM22000.lbm to PM22999.lbm for modder use in winSPMBT only....unless I forget but there's a good chance I won't ...maybe

Thank You!