Modding details? Ask away!

[Amineri]

Will there be additional Modbuddy templates in the future? I'm starting to look into creating a custom Soldier class, and I think that a lot of people are as well. Are there a lot of things you need to tweak in order to pull it off? On a sidenote, for some reason I can't boot the XCOM 2 editor or publish the mod. It gave the error that it couldn't find part of the path, so I changed it, but now it still simply won't boot.

 

EDIT: Ah, nvm. Saw your explanation on a different thread :smile:

 

I'm not totally sure if Firaxis will be releasing more Modbuddy templates, although it wouldn't surprise me. It's also possible to create your own templates!

 

Also, the default mode of publishing mods includes the source files, which I hope will be standard practice.

 

Our three LWS release-day mods should have the source, if you can find them buried down in the depths of the steam folder structure :)

[tehsober]

Is there a way for someone without the dev tools to edit the random character name generation list? I would like to also have a custom namelist on top of having custom-made characters imported from the pool. I just can't seem to find any file that holds the relevant fields I could play around with.

[Hammerstein2k11]

 

I would love to re-create my favorite Second Wave modifiers, namely Not created Equally and Hidden Potential.

 

There's a RandStatAmount command in the DefaultClassData.ini, I still gotta test it, but this might solve the Hidden Potential issue if it does what the name hints.

 

But I have no clue how to remake Not Created Equally and I have no leads on how to randomize the starting stats of Rookies.

 

Those config options are buried behind a SecondWave conditional in the code, but AFAIK there's no plans to implement Second Wave options.

 

So I think it's going to require some unrealscript modding to get such things working.

 

Pretty much what I feared.

 

Although I just tested the RandStatAmount command and you can use it to give your soldiers random stat growth by replacing the StatAmount with it. I don't quite get the maths behind it though, since the random number seems to be something like x minus 1, so if you enter RandStatAmount=1 you will never get 1 stat point but always 0 (tested this on a Rookie team like 20 times). It does not go into the negative though.

 

This also seems interesting: GlobalStatProgression=(StatType=eStat_Will,StatAmount=4,RandStatAmount=9,CapStatAmount=100)

 

Seems that's the initial Will growth, I don't know yet if it triggers every level or just for the first promotion from Rookie to a class. It uses the same formula as the PsiOp, where Will is replaced with PsiOffense.

 

Anyway, if I could figure out where to edit the starting 65 Aim that every Rookie gets, it might be possible to do a "dirty" version of Not Created Equally and Hidden Potential.

Edited February 5, 2016 by Hammerstein2k11

[Amineri]

Is there a way for someone without the dev tools to edit the random character name generation list? I would like to also have a custom namelist on top of having custom-made characters imported from the pool. I just can't seem to find any file that holds the relevant fields I could play around with.

 

I think the namelists are all in the localization files, which you can directly edit without using the SDK. However, if Firaxis pushes any updates, your localization file changes may get overwritten.

[Amineri]

 

Pretty much what I feared.

Although I just tested the RandStatAmount command and you can use it to give your soldiers random stat growth by replacing the StatAmount with it. I don't quite get the maths behind it though, since the random number seems to be something like x minus 1, so if you enter RandStatAmount=1 you will never get 1 stat point but always 0 (tested this on a Rookie team like 20 times). It does not go into the negative though.

This also seems interesting: GlobalStatProgression=(StatType=eStat_Will,StatAmount=4,RandStatAmount=9,CapStatAmount=100)

Seems that's the initial Will growth, I don't know yet if it triggers every level or just for the first promotion from Rookie to a class. It uses the same formula as the PsiOp, where Will is replaced with PsiOffense.

Anyway, if I could figure out where to edit the starting 65 Aim that every Rookie gets, it might be possible to do a "dirty" version of Not Created Equally and Hidden Potential.

 

 

 

 

Correct, the RandStatAmount config values do work, and for any configured stat.

 

The math is :

Value = StatAmount + Rand(RandStatAmount);

Or the SYNC_RAND equivalent of Rand, anyhow. Rand(N) works by returning a random value from {0, ... N-1}. So the 4 and 9 as quoted return 4 + {value from 0 to :cool:, so a total range from 4-12.

 

Starting stats are in the character config file, look for "Soldier" in the configs. But you'll need to adjust the difficulty variations as well.

 

[GamingVirtue]

Alright, so I was looking around in the files and I can't quite find anything that I believe matches up. Maybe you could help me out here.

 

I'm looking for the soldier abilities involved in completing objectives like "hack console", "place X4 charge", etc, so that I can disconnect the effect that reveals your squad. I'm trying to do this so that I can create a mod that tries to conserve the feeling of a small outfit of covert fighters. And you can't tell me that ADVENT's forces managed to gene-mod better hearing into their forces between the intro cinematic and the first mission so as to catch a soldier placing the charge.

 

I'm also trying to find where the "Eliminate all hostiles" objective is generated from so that I can make it optional and enable the "Call Skyranger" ability in cases where it might not be active, but I figure I'll find those on my own.

 

Any idea where I might find those actions so as to disconnect the "Psychic Guards of Oblivion" effect it has? I get that the developers didn't intend for the game to be completed by stealth alone, but I figure it makes more sense than needlessly shooting up a city block and risking your soldiers if XCOM truly is as small as it seems.

[tehsober]

 

Is there a way for someone without the dev tools to edit the random character name generation list? I would like to also have a custom namelist on top of having custom-made characters imported from the pool. I just can't seem to find any file that holds the relevant fields I could play around with.

 

I think the namelists are all in the localization files, which you can directly edit without using the SDK. However, if Firaxis pushes any updates, your localization file changes may get overwritten.

 

There are entries for them, but editing them does nothing when I try to generate a random character from either the create function in the pool or having them just as appear at random, even when starting a new game. I've been trying control tests where I whittle down every nationality and gender to one first and one last name as possibilities but I still get the full array of names regardless when characters are generated.

[Tilarium]

Hey Amineri, loving the 3 mods you guys have put out so far! Long war is what inspired me to make a few tweaks to my game already, I increased the default squad size to 5 and added pistols in for most of the classes and added the rifle back in for most everyone.

 

Are there any modding documents around? I finally got the toolkit to work and stared at it blankly for a bit before closing it. Under it's help drop down there was a XCOM 2 Mod Documents option that did nothing when clicked on. I'm trying to figure out how to tweak the exp needed for promotions and how to change the rank names.

[Hammerstein2k11]

 

 

 

Pretty much what I feared.

 

Although I just tested the RandStatAmount command and you can use it to give your soldiers random stat growth by replacing the StatAmount with it. I don't quite get the maths behind it though, since the random number seems to be something like x minus 1, so if you enter RandStatAmount=1 you will never get 1 stat point but always 0 (tested this on a Rookie team like 20 times). It does not go into the negative though.

 

This also seems interesting: GlobalStatProgression=(StatType=eStat_Will,StatAmount=4,RandStatAmount=9,CapStatAmount=100)

 

Seems that's the initial Will growth, I don't know yet if it triggers every level or just for the first promotion from Rookie to a class. It uses the same formula as the PsiOp, where Will is replaced with PsiOffense.

 

Anyway, if I could figure out where to edit the starting 65 Aim that every Rookie gets, it might be possible to do a "dirty" version of Not Created Equally and Hidden Potential.

 

 

 

 

Correct, the RandStatAmount config values do work, and for any configured stat.

 

The math is :

Value = StatAmount + Rand(RandStatAmount);

Or the SYNC_RAND equivalent of Rand, anyhow. Rand(N) works by returning a random value from {0, ... N-1}. So the 4 and 9 as quoted return 4 + {value from 0 to :cool:, so a total range from 4-12.

 

Starting stats are in the character config file, look for "Soldier" in the configs. But you'll need to adjust the difficulty variations as well.

 

 

Thanks :D

 

Found it in the DefaultGameData_CharacterStats.ini - now I got something to work with. Combined with RandStat it should be possible to do a cheap version of some Second Wave modifiers and add some stat variety to the game, so that not every soldier is exactly the same. I still gotta check if I can use RandStatAmount and StatAmount in the same line, because I want to keep 85% of the normal stat progression and only add some variety on the top end.

 

I don't know yet how long the game is and if it even makes sense to encourage training several Rookies to filter out the best of the best.

 

GlobalStatProgression is also per level and one could add the extra stats there, instead of adding them to the class levels. If I want the old 55-75 Aim range of Not Created Equally I would have to lower the starting aim to 54 and and set RandStatAmount=4 (for a 0-3 number). So that players get +21 Aim in a best case scenario. Although I'm not sure if it's much fun to play anymore if your beginning stats are even worse, just to be a little more powerful later on.

 

Well, it's late, I will think about this again once i had some sleep.

[zx64]

Under it's help drop down there was a XCOM 2 Mod Documents option that did nothing when clicked on.

 

Make sure you've set your XCOM 2 paths in Tools > Options > XCOM 2 (may have to scroll down to see it), e.g.:

 

(Your drive letters etc. will differ)