Ways to mod Psi Skill Tree?

[TrueTensei]

Hi I'm fairly new to modding and was wondering if there was anyway to mod the psi skill tree in EW to make it so one of my psi soldiers can use psi lance? Is it even possible to this? If anyone could help I would greatly appreciate it.

Edited December 5, 2013 by TrueTensei

[dubiousintent]

That is part of the 'Perk Tree', so keep an eye on any discussions about progress on that mod. A modified 'Perk Tree' will undoubtedly be a part of Long War as well.

 

-Dubious-

[TrueTensei]

Thank for the info!

[Drakous79]

I've tried to edit DefaultGameCore.ini (enabled reading it in XComEW.exe):

PsiPerkTree=(Rank1=ePerk_MindFray, Rank2a=ePerk_PsiPanic, Rank2b=ePerk_PsiInspiration, Rank3a=ePerk_PsiLance, Rank3b=ePerk_PsiLance)

but there is something strange. Loaded previous game, went to barracks / soldier's PSI abilities and confirmed PSI Lance. But ability icon did not show in a mission. There was Mind Merge instead. Tried the same with ePerk_Rift and there was both Mind Merge and Rift icons.

 

Must check it in new game, but I suspect some native function (like XGAbility.HasDisplayProperty or XGAbility.CheckAvailable or XGAbility.InternalCheckAvailable) may limit PSI Lance to aliens only.

Edited December 6, 2013 by Drakous79

[Amineri]

Typically the issue I run into in this situation is the function XGUnitNativeBase.BuildAbilities.

 

This is a native function that determines which abilities a unit currently has available. For example it will add the eAbility_SmokeGrenade (which is what pops up the icon in the HUD) if the unit has ePerk_SmokeBomb (which is what gets added to your unit when you select the perk at HQ).

 

It will not (at least it didn't in EU) add eAbility_SmokeGrenade if your unit is only equipped with eItem_SmokeGrenade. To get around this I had to create a new system that would automatically grant the perk when the item was equipped in the barracks.

 

Similarly there is a ePerk_Repair (which Drones get) but grants no ability (neither eAbility_Repair nor eAbility_RepairSHIV) to a unit that has it. For Long War we added in another passive benefit to having the perk (it increased the number of Arc Thrower charges from 1 to 4).

 

The only way I was able to get eAbility_Repair (which is the Drone version) to work in EU was to add it to a weapon-usable item by adding it to the weapon in the DGC.ini (I used the SoldierNoWeapon item). I was able to make a sort of equippable repair kit that gave the Engineer the Drone repair ability, and then make it so that the item was only equippable for soldiers with ePerk_Repair.

 

In case anyone is curious I prototyped all of this out but it didn't make it into a Long War release, as the Arc Thrower charges system was an easier mechanic to follow.

 

----------------

 

Short story -- creating triggers for abilities (icons) is really difficult because of the XGUnitNativeBase.BuildAbilities native function.

[TrueTensei]

Hmm well I can tell this is going to be quite far beyond me and my modding capabilities as of now! But thanks for the info guys, it's good to know what the problems with it are anyway.