A Modding Guide

By on May 26, 2006 7:09:08 PM from GalCiv II Forums GalCiv II Forums External Link

CariElf

Stardock
Join Date 08/2001
+54

Along with the code changes that I made for 1.2, I also made a guide to help with modding galciv2. It covers all of the data files that you can mod in GalCiv2, although it occurs to me now that I did not cover screens.  However, there are docs out there for DesktopX, and those would cover most of what you need to know. 

Anyway, have fun, and please e-mail feedback on the modding docs to carielf@stardock.com.  

http://www.galciv2.com/mods/gc2modsdoc.htm

Pinned Post   |   85 Replies
Search this post
Subscription Options


Reason for Karma (Optional)
Successfully updated karma reason!
January 18, 2007 10:08:49 AM from GalCiv II Forums GalCiv II Forums
Yes, methinks too + ships in combats are very slow, I think it would be better to increase speed of little (tiny) ships and decrease the agility of big ships (huge+)
the big ships allways turn too much in their axes which let them look crazy.
adding the feature, that engines increase shipspeed in combat, would be very very cool.

thx,

Stefan
Reason for Karma (Optional)
Successfully updated karma reason!
February 24, 2007 3:43:52 PM from GalCiv II Forums GalCiv II Forums
hello,

I have a quick question:

With the Starbase modules section, there is the StarBaseAbilityValue and a set of Def and Att values that all give a value for the funtion of the module.

In the case of weapons for the starbase (or ship assist), do the Att and Def strings overwrite the StarBaseAbilityValue?

Ive noticed in the Starbas modules file, that there is only one instance where There is a StarBaseAbilityValue along with an Att or Def value, the Electro-Magnetic Surge.
Here:

!-- <starbasemodule internalname="ElectromagneticSurge">
<name>Electro-Magnetic Surge</name>
<model>Starbase01</model>
<tech_requirement>Aereon Missile Defense</tech_requirement>
<module_requirement>BattleStations</module_requirement>
<description>Your best line of defense against an Overlord-class Missile attack.</description>
<modulesize>2</modulesize>
<starbaseability>StarbaseDefense</starbaseability>
<defpointdefense>16</defpointdefense>
<starbaseabilityvalue>30</starbaseabilityvalue>
<type>Defense</type>
</starbasemodule>
--
So what does the value of 30 actually do?
Reason for Karma (Optional)
Successfully updated karma reason!
February 24, 2007 4:27:21 PM from GalCiv II Forums GalCiv II Forums
From looking at the data files (can't test it right now), I'd say that the starbaseabilityvalue is probably meaningless in conjunction with Attack/Defense/Assist abilities, which need the actual attack/defense types to be defined.
Reason for Karma (Optional)
Successfully updated karma reason!
March 10, 2007 11:17:26 PM from Stardock Forums Stardock Forums
how do you modify the screens or the game in general? what programs are there ??
Reason for Karma (Optional)
Successfully updated karma reason!
March 11, 2007 7:20:50 AM from GalCiv II Forums GalCiv II Forums
@serptico: You can mod the screens with desktop X (software from Stardock)
open the .dxpack (screen) you want to mod, and replace the graphics.


kindly regards,

-Stefan
Reason for Karma (Optional)
Successfully updated karma reason!
April 1, 2007 7:47:54 AM from GalCiv II Forums GalCiv II Forums
Dudes, I was wondering there was a way i could replace the music for this game, i only like the war music- and only slightly then-. However i would like to replace all the music with Holsts' planet suite. Do i just paste the mp3 and rename them to the old musics one, and if so which peice of musice is placed where- for example when is war 00 played differing from war 01. Anywho if you could help this noob I'd be very gratefull
Reason for Karma (Optional)
Successfully updated karma reason!
April 1, 2007 2:58:19 PM from GalCiv II Forums GalCiv II Forums
Do i just paste the mp3 and rename them to the old musics one


Yep. Don't know offhand how the game decides which war music to use when a war is on, though.
Reason for Karma (Optional)
Successfully updated karma reason!
April 16, 2007 7:43:46 PM from GalCiv II Forums GalCiv II Forums
hmm I've tried adding a ship model to the game with no success..

I have the model in .x format, named it S4_example for the .x file and placed it in the models folder. I placed all necessary textures in there, and I entered the info in ship components. However, when i go into the game and look at the ships for i see the thumbnail named correctly as my ship, but the thumbnail is black and my ship doesn't show up at all in the viewer either. What have I done wrong?
Reason for Karma (Optional)
Successfully updated karma reason!
April 17, 2007 1:48:18 AM from GalCiv II Forums GalCiv II Forums
Is there any way, for the tech tree colors, to add new ones or change existing ones?
Reason for Karma (Optional)
Successfully updated karma reason!
April 17, 2007 4:45:39 AM from GalCiv II Forums GalCiv II Forums
@ Rusty gamer: I didn't tried it yet, but when, it should be changeable in the screen file of the techtree, maybe it's called techtree.dxpack or something like this, it should contain all color versions of the technology image, and you could swap it.
If it's just a white png picture the colorising may be hardcoded.
but swapping the design of the tech should be 100% possible by this way.

sincerly,

Stefan
Reason for Karma (Optional)
Successfully updated karma reason!
April 17, 2007 3:46:54 PM from GalCiv II Forums GalCiv II Forums
nobody can help me out?
Reason for Karma (Optional)
Successfully updated karma reason!
April 19, 2007 3:31:56 AM from GalCiv II Forums GalCiv II Forums
it seems that your shipmodel was converted wrong, please list all steps you made while exporting to x-format, so I can see what you probably made wrong.

How many textures did you used?

did you used multimaterial?

which exporter did you used?

thanks =O)

-Stefan
Reason for Karma (Optional)
Successfully updated karma reason!
April 25, 2007 7:08:05 AM from GalCiv II Forums GalCiv II Forums
Thanks, i'll put it to use when i get a respond to my post, then it will be time for some serious modding.
Reason for Karma (Optional)
Successfully updated karma reason!
January 6, 2008 3:07:44 AM from GalCiv II Forums GalCiv II Forums
What are the limitations on which techs you can mod a civilization to start off with? I have been able to do pretty-much everything I have wanted mod-wise for this game except for adding starting techs to certain civilizations, for some reason, simply using the given format for racial mods and putting in the name of techs I want to be added is not working out for me...
Reason for Karma (Optional)
Successfully updated karma reason!
January 6, 2008 2:06:32 PM from GalCiv II Forums GalCiv II Forums
This has to do more with a "maximum" points value which can't be geared/stacked/loaded beyond a fix amount. 250, if i remember correctly.
So, if a "wanted" tech (of say, 50pts) puts your cumulative number at just 255 total... it won't count/record as active, and never will even if you'd edit the xml at the source rather than using the built-in routine which always verifies that specific condition.

- Zyxpsilon.
Reason for Karma (Optional)
Successfully updated karma reason!
January 6, 2008 10:59:34 PM from GalCiv II Forums GalCiv II Forums
Thanks for the info...

So is there a way to modify that 250 number?
Reason for Karma (Optional)
Successfully updated karma reason!
May 9, 2008 11:17:16 AM from GalCiv II Forums GalCiv II Forums
.
Reason for Karma (Optional)
Successfully updated karma reason!
May 9, 2008 4:31:11 PM from GalCiv II Forums GalCiv II Forums
Kay, here's a dot!?!

How, strange... does this mean a brand spanking new *MODDING* guide for TotA (even backward compatible with DA stuff, btw) is in the works?

The Editors are really fun to have. Some kinda help (documentation) for these may be needed, though.
Reason for Karma (Optional)
Successfully updated karma reason!
May 10, 2008 1:30:31 AM from GalCiv II Forums GalCiv II Forums
*Space Monsters*

I want space monsters by crackee! It says in the guide they are disabled. When will that come to be?

I was hoping to make a monster patrol a prize planet like in Masters of Orion or make a monster come out when you explored the spooky spaceship graveyard. At any rate I love space monsters so what can i do?
Reason for Karma (Optional)
Successfully updated karma reason!
May 10, 2008 11:13:27 AM from GalCiv II Forums GalCiv II Forums
How, strange... does this mean a brand spanking new *MODDING* guide for TotA (even backward compatible with DA stuff, btw) is in the works?


It means I did in fact bump the thread

As the editors are just a GUI for the XML editing, the modding guide is still (mostly) valid and useful documentation for modding.
Reason for Karma (Optional)
Successfully updated karma reason!
May 10, 2008 2:52:25 PM from GalCiv II Forums GalCiv II Forums
Okay... it still would need some sort of an actualization though since, the entirely new TA and the unaccounted for DA features aren't IN the current guide.

As a basic reference, it's perfect for the casual modders but when someone wants to delve *much* deeper into a number of modding tricks a more complex and thorough "agenda" to the secrets of GC-code & functions (plenty of things!) would certainly be of use. Me-think.
Reason for Karma (Optional)
Successfully updated karma reason!
June 25, 2008 3:26:41 PM from GalCiv II Forums GalCiv II Forums
I have a question for you Kryo, though I have this in another thread too..perhaps you or some others may have some insights into what Im doing wrong. BAsically, Im trying to change the events and add new ones! Ive been succesfful in the changes and additions, but.....you knew there had to be a but didnt you? All my values, when playing, come up as +- the value..so lets say I want to give 1000 bc...then it shows +-1000 bc(and it subtracts it by the way). Does this for every value, whether PQ, Research, etc. Ive read over and over the event section in the moding guide and have everything labeled correct that I can tell. Ill post an example below and plz tell me where i went wrong:


Worms
Due to our eco friendly landing and environment friendly farming, we have a massive increase in the planet quality. A farmer released some of his "bionic" worms into the soil, and they have completly refreshed the dirt and made it many time more productive! Good think we cared enough about safe farming like this...I hear evil empires didnt want to waste money on this!?
Gfx\Spaceworms01.png
0
Planning ahead and taking care of the environment always pays off! (+[GOODVALUE]% Planet Quality bonus)
While we didnt invest as much into this as some, but we did have had a bit of an increase. (+[NEUTRALVALUE]% Planet Quality bonus)
BIONIC WORMS!!! What? Did they like cost 6 BILLION Credits...dont tell me they are better than they were before...better, stronger, and faster?? Disgusting! Anyone who invested in this should be shot!
4 GoodATT
4 NeuATT
0 EvilATT
40 GoodV
20 NeuV
0 EviVa
0 GPC
0 NPC
0 EPC
3 MW


(Edit) I added the category names as it wont show them how I copied them over. I dont have them like this in my XML files...its just to show you what the values go with) So when i do this event, it will come up as +-40 PQ?? Im at a complete loss as to what Im doing wrong...any constructive help(note the constructive I put in there) is very welcome.
Reason for Karma (Optional)
Successfully updated karma reason!
June 25, 2008 5:51:40 PM from GalCiv II Forums GalCiv II Forums
Nevermind I guess. I think I found my answer. I changed evil events to try and give negative bc, research, pq, or what not, and it didnt work...they still get positive events. Now how can that be right? Is it hardcoded and if so why? Neutral can have either, but as of now, unless someone knows another way, it looks like good cant have positive events, which I dont understand. They can have a 0 event or no negative event...but not a positive one. Is this true then Kryo?
Reason for Karma (Optional)
Successfully updated karma reason!
June 26, 2008 12:32:33 PM from GalCiv II Forums GalCiv II Forums
So when i do this event, it will come up as +-40 PQ??


Since by convention only negative numbers are signed, it looks like the devs just put a + in the description as you see above (+[NEUTRALVALUE]%). You can take it out, but then bonuses for that event (if any) will not have a sign on them at all.
Reason for Karma (Optional)
Successfully updated karma reason!
June 26, 2008 2:59:31 PM from GalCiv II Forums GalCiv II Forums
I see events without the + and have tried that too, but again, for some reason good events will come up as negatives, unless you give them a zero,or nil value, meaning say nothing happens either way. Can you tell if the devs didnt in fact hardcode for good to always have a negative outcome and evil a positive? Thanks so much Kryo!
Reason for Karma (Optional)
Successfully updated karma reason!
Stardock Forums v1.0.0.0    #108436  walnut3   Server Load Time: 00:00:00.0001218   Page Render Time: