Modding Questions - Shattered Realms

[clark]

Cool, thanks for the replies! Sorry Spoon, you're right, there are different atmosphere types, I didn't see them at first.

Question: I'm looking through the SectType.txt files and I notice that under the "Allowable Values for Physical Type:" the following atre listed: None, Planet, Asteroids, Storm, Sun, Warp Point, Destroyed Star, Comet

Now, what happens if I give it a "None" physical type, but then add in lines defining the planet?

It looks like this:

Physical Type := Planet (Change to NONE?)
Picture Num := 0
Description := Huge Forest near an abundance of surface minerals.
Planet Size := Huge
Planet Physical Type := Gas Giant
Planet Atmosphere := Carbon Dioxide

Okay, now I realize I need to keep the Carbon Dioxide refrence, and the Gas Giant refrence in order to define the planet- but what happens if I do that, but give it a physical type of None?

I am trying to think of ways to avoid the 'planet' naming on uncolonized spots. Perhaps this may be a way to cheat it.

And yes, I plan on begging, borrowing, and stealing any manner of art out there since i have zero ability. I have DO, so I plan on using alot of the bitmaps there. Well done Spoon!

[geoschmo]

Originally posted by clark:

Now, what happens if I give it a "None" physical type, but then add in lines defining the planet?

You get errors. Despite what the header says None is not a valid physical type.

[Suicide Junkie]

The physical type defines what lines come after it... for example, stars don't have atmospheres or surface types, they have colours and luminosities...

If you want it to have the properties of a planet, the type has to be planet.

[clark]

Thank you ALL for the help so far!

Okay, so it looks like there won't be a way to change the display for "planets uncolonized". I think I can live with it. What about changing the display for tactical combat? Where is that controlled? Can I replace the planet and moon pics with pictures of Castles or Towns or Caves?

I think "colony" appearing int he display is also acceptable. However, I was wondering, would there be a way to get the "planets" to display something other than Methane, Carbon Dioxide, Oyxgen, None atmospher types? Spoon may be able to point me in the right direction. I want to make them display the different "environment types". I also would like to change the display names for Rock, Gas, and Ice to the different planes- is this possible, or will it always display the stuff in the txt files that are associated with attributes?

[spoon]

Originally posted by clark:

I think "colony" appearing int he display is also acceptable. However, I was wondering, would there be a way to get the "planets" to display something other than Methane, Carbon Dioxide, Oyxgen, None atmospher types?

I think you are pretty much stuck with those - really all you can change is the "Description" entry in secttype.txt

[clark]

Arrrrggghhh! Oh well.

I knew the UI would be the worst part of this...

I wonder how hard it would be for Araon to allow renaming of this stuff... I mean, it's just text files right?

Spoon, were you able to make changes to the tactical display? If so, where is this controlled?

[clark]

I have another SectType.txt question:

Physical Type := Planet
Picture Num := 301
Description := Massive constructed sphere surrounding a star which is the equivalent of 10 large planets.
Planet Size := Sphereworld
Planet Physical Type := Gas Giant
Planet Atmosphere := Carbon Dioxide

The planet size listed here is "Sphereworld", yet this isn't listed as a Planet Size type in the Secttype.txt files

Here are the listed ones:

Allowable Values for Planet Size:
Asteroids, Tiny, Small, Medium, Large, Huge

Now, what this tells me is that we can mod it so Asteroids are colonizable, or even warppoints (or am I way off)? Is the Sphereworld size missing just a typo, or is something else going on?

What if I change the names of "Allowable Values for Planet Size"- would the game recognize the new ones I define, or is it merely just a descriptive aid with no bearing on the txt files themselves?