This is the place to ask and recieve specific modding (mod making) questions and answers. If you have a mod making question, post it here.
If your question involves long snippets of entity files and the like, please don't paste the entire file contents here but put them at the incredibly easy to use http://pastebin.com and then provide the link to your paste in your question posted here.
Please do limit "just comments" here to brief posts please. If you don't know the answer or can't point to help--don't post. Please note that a random, uninformed guess isn't an actual answer.
You can refer people to another source--IF it actually helps answer their question. This could be in the form of links, outside sites, specific modding-useful programs, direction towards another post or poster, etc., etc.
Remember--specific questions, specific answers. Only respond to the ones you can help solve. Also, feel free to amplify, clarify, suggest alternatives to or correct answers seen here if such actions are merited and help provide a real solution. No flaming, insults or put downs here in the answers or other posts please.
Thanks in advance for your help and cooperation. The reason for the rigid rules here is those this thread becomes a usable resource in the future to new people looking for answers.
NOTE: If an answer resolves your issue, please share it here. These answers will help others coming along later too. Karma is a great way to respond to people providing help without clogging the thread or bombing their forum mailbox here. Thanks!
OTHER SINS HELPFUL MODDING LINKS*
*Links are updated when requested.
The Soase Idiot's Guide
Confused? No idea where to even start?
Determined to work at it?
This is the place!
Sins Modding Wiki
ZombieRus's Eclipse Wizardry
Tutorials
MyFist0's full modding site.
Emphasis on modeling and
texturing.
REBELLION MODDING TOPICS
Rebellion Modding Q & A
Mesh Editing
Changing Diplomacy Files to Rebellion
IT REALLY HURTS MY BRAIN--HOW TO START
An Idiot's Guide To Getting Started
MyFist0's Modding Megasite!
MOD DOWNLOADS
ZombieRus5's Mod Yard
Directory of Planet Mods
STEAM
STEAM Sins Forums
DEVELOPERS
Sins Developer Journals Forum 2007 to Present
REFERENCE FILES
Research Modifier List
MyFist0's Exported Models & Files
Modifier List
Harpo's Converted Sins Reference Files 2011
THIRD PARTY TOOLS
3dS Texturing Toool & Tips
Ship Fleet Calculator
SoaSE Eclipse Plugin Project
Mesh Resizing Tool--courtesy of the Reqiuem team.
Harpo's Sins Utility Package -- Dropbox
The Sins Optimization Project (TSOP)
Artificial Unintelligence (Mod and AI info)
Sins Data Converter by BCXtreme
EXPLANATIONS & DISCUSSIONS
Rebellion Updates by Blair Frazier
How to Add a Fourth Race
User-updatable Ship Reference Chart
Sins Modding Dictionary
Adding phase Effects to other weapon types
Culture, Explanation/Discussion
Weapons, Explanation/Discusion
Shield Mitigation & Armor, Explanation/Discussion-1
Shield Mitigation & Armor, Explanation/Discussion -2
Graphic Chart of Sin's Counters
Annotated Guide to the Developer.exe
In-Game Map Creator
Weapons Banks & DPS
Combat Mechanics
Rebellion Shield Mitigation & Focus Fire testing
PARTICLE FORGE
Particle Forge Help Thread
GALAXY FORGE
Adding Artifacts
Working Template Examples
SemazRalan's Template Guide
Pirates Base Start Template
SOUND RESOURCES
[SFX] Black Sun SFX/Music Resource for Modders
MODELING & TEXTURING--SOFTIMAGE XSI, 3DS MAX
XSI Texturing, Tutorial
3dS Model Exporter
3DS Max Rigging, Texturing & Exporting, Guide
Modding/Modelling/Texturing/Converting, Tutorials
WIKI'S
Sins of a Solar Empire Official Wiki
If it makes you feel better, I use C++ programs to edit files in mass...the only advantage I found with notepad++ was that it indicated line numbers, but honestly I've never had a problem finding the line giving me trouble....
I use Notepad
We should form a club...call it the MANLY MODDERS OF MADNESS....
Such a club mods madness? Or mods men with madness?
Manly Modders on Mopeds
Someone had better have a good question quick to keep this great topic from degenerating.
How do I convert entity files from BIN to TXT?
Does DS mod still have that swamp planet ability that toggles when the planet can be colonized? I'd rather find out first before downloading it, mod is so big and takes me hours and hours to DL...just want to use the ability as a template in case I run into problems...
Also, I'm looking to have a planet ability that "randomly" kills population and/or damages the planet health...I say randomly because, to my knowledge, you can't do any "With Chance" stuff unless it's related to weapons...I'd like to simulate "random", so to speak, and was thinking of maybe having 3 simultatenous periodic actions with different interval times to give the "appearance" of random...that's my plan, anyway, but just wondering if anyone had a better or more efficient idea...thanks...
1 download the reference files (assuming you are modding the game files)
2 download and use my text bin gui (the beta version near the end of the thread should be fully operational for rebellion, but still wants a report back from one or more non-english windows users as to it finding the rebellion mods area)
3 there is another convertdata interface program created by bcextreme (currently does not directly support rebellion according to the last reply)
4 visit the sins weebly (http://soase.x90x.net/#) to find out how to use the convertdata_EXPANSION.exe in a batch file
hope this helps
harpo
Yes you can. Any periodic action can be done on chance. Check out the Maelstrom mod, some of its planets already do that.
Lol harpo, I feel really bad now, that actually is a really nice post...this is what happens when we don't have a legit troll list...
That reminds me though of something I thought of earlier...Sinperium, I think the section in regards to BIN/TXT in your Idiots Guide should be higher up, maybe just below the section about where to place mods...I'd even go so far as to include all 4 options Harpo listed in your OP...just my thoughts...
2nd post of mine (about planets) actually was legit, FYI...
I concur...
Ironically, I may actually have to use your converter to view the Maelstrom files because I no longer have Diplomacy installed (and thus don't have the ConvertData for Diplomacy)...
Nevermind, they aren't in BIN format...sometimes I feel like a complete moronic tool...
Thanks Goa, found some buff file in there that used a periodic action with the OnChance...I had an inkling I saw that used somewhere but it isn't on the modifier list OP so I assumed it was a figment of my imagination....
Hey got a similar question to Sel, except instead of chance, I have an ability that kills population only, and would like to interrupt it if the planet runs out of pop. Best way to do this?
I remember someone seemed to have this issue. You'd need a finishing condition for that, and I don't believe that's possible. You could use the percentage killed instant action used by the Revelation instead of an absolute number (so you'd know the how many buffs would be necessary to kill the entire planet), but that's all I can come up with.
Man you guys are confusing me the troll-non troll.
The Idiot's Guide is updated and changed as requested.
Not everyone can "separate" their troll personas as well as you do. I'm surprised no one mentioned him in your "I love Sinperium" thread.
It's a skill.
Was afraid of that. Any way to use a periodic buff with the pop constraint?
That might work. The periodic action would need to apply a buff with an onDelay instant action buff that only stacks once and prioritizes new buffs that would remove the periodic action buff. The delay must be greater than the time between periodic buffs. This way if the on delay ever executes it will be due to the constraint preventing the periodic action from applying the buff.
I think I saw someone trying to use these links, but really those old posts are outdated or don't reflect the current expansions.
Here's an updated set of quick reference links
Quick Reference Links
Ability (Vanilla, Entrenchment, Diplomacy, Rebellion)Buff (Vanilla, Entrenchment, Diplomacy, Rebellion)
Constraint (Vanilla, Entrenchment, Diplomacy, Rebellion)aiUseTime (Vanilla, Entrenchment, Diplomacy, Rebellion)aiUseTargetCondition (Vanilla, Entrenchment, Diplomacy, Rebellion)EntityBoolModifierEntityModifier (Vanilla, Entrenchment, Diplomacy, Rebellion)buffInstantActionType (Vanilla, Entrenchment, Diplomacy, Rebellion)buffOverTimeActionType (Vanilla, Entrenchment, Diplomacy, Rebellion)buffPeriodActionType use buffInstantActionType.instantActionTriggerType (Vanilla, Entrenchment, Diplomacy, Rebellion)finishConditiontypes (Vanilla, Entrenchment, Diplomacy, Rebellion)
ResearchSubject (Vanilla, Entrenchment, Diplomacy, Rebellion)
researchBoolModifiers (Vanilla, Entrenchment, Diplomacy, Rebellion)researchFloatModifiers (Vanilla, Entrenchment, Diplomacy, Rebellion)
I may need an intervention....
There is an "I Love Sinperium" thread? That is...disturbing.
That wasn't supposed to happen until I had infiltrated governments with my secret followers and then taken control as global leader.
There are many great features available to you once you register, including:
Sign in or Create Account