X-Com EW Fighters modding

[shadowdancerrfw]

Hello there. I am currently playing X-Com EW Long War mod. As you already know, the air combat is broken and I got sick and tired of having to load like 10-20 times in order to take down a UFO, especially in the beginning of the game.

 

I want to modify the fighters and UFOs values. I already know it's somewhere in "XComStrategyGame.upk", likely in Objects / XGItemTree / BuildShipWeapons and UpdateShips.

 

I have installed Notepad++ with hex plugin for editing and UE Explorer for viewing the upk.

 

I have found the fighter weapons with UE Explorer. How do I proceed from here with modifying the values ?

 

 

Thanks for taking time for my question.

Best regards,

Stefan

[dubiousintent]

The only wiki article on this subject is "Air Combat - XCOM:EU 2012", so you might want to start there. However, it is written for vanilla XCOM and as LW makes extensive changes to unpredictable sections of vanilla code, you may want to post additional questions in the "XCOM File Discussions" section where LW is supported. You might start with the "Long War Customizations" thread that already exists there. (Though I suggest you don't tell them that air combat is "broken". It's harder by design, especially in the early game.)

 

As for "how to" make hex changes, take a look at the "Hex editing UPK files" article.

 

-Dubious-

[shadowdancerrfw]

Thank you for your answer. I looked up the Hex editing article and with what I knew about hexing + some very smart deducing, if I do say so myself, I found all values for fighters and fighter weapons and modified them to my wish. The air combat is so awesome, and very balanced now. I gave Phoenix Coilgun half dmg but 0.25 rate of fire, it's a veritable machinegun, finally a reason to actually use it, and many more.

[dubiousintent]

Great. Always happy to hear someone was able to mod the game the way they want it.

 

If you have any additional suggestions or information to add to the "Air Combat" wiki article, feel free to edit it in, or post here and I will add it for you. User contributions are the only way we can keep them updated.

 

-Dubious-

Edited March 4, 2015 by dubiousintent

[Mergana101]

Hi, I have spent a while trying to find the values for the weapon stats for the interceptors but just cannot seem to track them down, could anyone possibly give me a clue where I should be looking for these values? I found the place using the UE Explorer also, it's just finding the values I am having trouble with. Thanks :)

[shadowdancerrfw]

Hi, I have spent a while trying to find the values for the weapon stats for the interceptors but just cannot seem to track them down, could anyone possibly give me a clue where I should be looking for these values? I found the place using the UE Explorer also, it's just finding the values I am having trouble with. Thanks :smile:

 

First off, make sure you read the Hex editing UPK files link from the posts above. Now I can help you with what I figured out, hope you can understand the notes I made in this .doc http://www.filedropper.com/xcomewedit

 

Remember, when you want to add values higher than 255 (hex FF=max for 1 byte), you have to write in in reverse. For example, 420 in digital means 1A4 in hex. The correct hex value you need to enter is A4 01

Edited March 12, 2015 by shadowdancerrfw

[Mergana101]

 

Hi, I have spent a while trying to find the values for the weapon stats for the interceptors but just cannot seem to track them down, could anyone possibly give me a clue where I should be looking for these values? I found the place using the UE Explorer also, it's just finding the values I am having trouble with. Thanks :smile:

 

First off, make sure you read the Hex editing UPK files link from the posts above. Now I can help you with what I figured out, hope you can understand the notes I made in this .doc http://www.filedropper.com/xcomewedit

 

Remember, when you want to add values higher than 255 (hex FF=max for 1 byte), you have to write in in reverse. For example, 420 in digital means 1A4 in hex. The correct hex value you need to enter is A4 01

 

Thanks for the .doc, it really helped me find the values no problem :) Unfortunately, none of the changes I made seemed to take, so I defo did something wrong. Will have another try at it when I get my head wrapped around the whole thing lol

[shadowdancerrfw]

 

 

Hi, I have spent a while trying to find the values for the weapon stats for the interceptors but just cannot seem to track them down, could anyone possibly give me a clue where I should be looking for these values? I found the place using the UE Explorer also, it's just finding the values I am having trouble with. Thanks :smile:

 

First off, make sure you read the Hex editing UPK files link from the posts above. Now I can help you with what I figured out, hope you can understand the notes I made in this .doc http://www.filedropper.com/xcomewedit

 

Remember, when you want to add values higher than 255 (hex FF=max for 1 byte), you have to write in in reverse. For example, 420 in digital means 1A4 in hex. The correct hex value you need to enter is A4 01

 

Thanks for the .doc, it really helped me find the values no problem :smile: Unfortunately, none of the changes I made seemed to take, so I defo did something wrong. Will have another try at it when I get my head wrapped around the whole thing lol

 

You need to modify the correct xcomstrategygame.upk, it's usually located in /gamedir/XEW/XComGame/CookedPCConsole . It should have around 4.8 MB, that's how you can make sure it's the correct one.

 

The changes in BuildShipWeapons might only affect the display of weapon's parameters when you inspect the weapon in-game. The real changes are from UpdateShips buffer, it's page 4 in my doc.

[Mergana101]

I managed to make a simple edit work :) I was editing the correct file but I didn't follow the wiki properly when it came to adding the hexed edit back :) I was just curious though, the rate of fire part...the lower the number, the higher rate....is that right? I was thinking of increasing the stingray missiles ROF to a ridiculous number when I have eventually finished the Long War campaign :)

 

And thanks again for all your help! :)

[shadowdancerrfw]

The lower the number, the higher rate of fire, just like it is noted. The values don't make any sense and I haven't wasted time trying to figure them out, I applied the trial and error method to figure them out, at least the rounder values anyway. I personally gave stingray missiles a reload of 1s, and phoenix coilgun 0.25s reload, the phoenix is a machinegun ! I don't recommend going lower than that because you won't see anything during air combat and that is a pity.