Actively supporting the modding community

[tracktwo]

Another item for the wish list: An XComGameState subclass that implements X2Visualized that we can subclass for new states.

 

I've been playing around with adding new tile overlays for unevac-able tiles for evac all. It all works, but I need to use a hack to refresh the visualization on saved game load because my new game state that represents this visualization is not recognized by the game when it syncs all the visualizers after loading.

 

The problem is only states that implement X2Visualized are considered for syncing, and X2Visualized is a native interface so we can't implement it with non-native classes. I can't think of any other way to work around this other than subclassing some state type that already implements it. But I don't want to accidentally inherit any behavior from the existing state types.

[davidlallen]

I could really use a suggestion on this:

http://forums.nexusmods.com/index.php?/topic/3825825-how-can-this-change-cause-that-bug/

I am forced to replace the whole XComCharacterCustomization class, but doing that has a weird side effect that many of its menus lose their colors.

[DarkAnsem]

Addendum: I am trying to add a "cryo grenade", but for the life of me, it apparently is impossible to add a new "ice" element.

[AdmiralScorpii]

Well I've discovered a bug in the vanilla code and I'm wondering if there's a way to fix it http://forums.nexusmods.com/index.php?/topic/3834025-facility-upgrade-cost-possibly-bugged/

[Lucubration]

Thanks for your offer of support, FxsRMcFall. I'd like to ask a few questions about problems which may already have solutions that we haven't considered yet:

• Is it possible to add new hazard types (fire, poison, acid, etc)? I tried tracking things down only to run into some native functions that implied the management of hazard types was done beyond our reach. Am I missing a set of entries in a config file somewhere, or similar?
• As an addendum, if we can add new hazard types, is there some workaround to them using what appear to be flag values (2, 4, 8, 16, etc) to avoid conflicts of hazard types between mods?
• Is it possible to reference work from Mod A in Mod B, to make either extensions to existing mods, or to release modding frameworks for other authors to build on?

I'll try to think of more questions later, but those are a couple of biggies that have cropped up for me.

Edited February 23, 2016 by Lucubration

[TisKwahn]

Many of the obstacles I've hit as a modder in this game have been addressed, but I would like to bring up one:

Could there be futher documentation that covers things like `HISTORY , `XCOMGAME , `XCOMHISTORY , `XWORLD , `HQPRES , `TACTICALMISSIONMGR , `SHAPEMGR , `BATTLE , `XENGINE and some details about how they're expected to be used or hooked into? The comments are good, and the code is pretty reasonable, but when and how things are called and used are really helpful.

 

Thank you for being accessible and responsive to our requests! :D

Edited February 24, 2016 by TisKwahn

[Zyxpsilon]

Agreed 200+% with you, TisKwahn.

 

Why was i comin' here for ?! Oh yes.

 

I will soon be in serious needs for a few more custom colors to toggle many "Icons" (ref:LAByrinth) with.

Found this precious stuff in burried code files...

 

That's where and how... XC2--Classes::UIUtilities_Colors (COLORS-REFS)

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

// TAKEN FROM Colors.as - keep in sync - sbatista

const WHITE_HTML_COLOR = "FFFFFF"; // White
const BLACK_HTML_COLOR = "000000"; // Black
const NORMAL_HTML_COLOR = "9ACBCB"; // Cyan
const FADED_HTML_COLOR = "546F6F"; // Faded Cyan
const HILITE_HTML_COLOR = "9ACBCB"; // Cyan
const HILITE_TEXT_HTML_COLOR = "000000"; // Black
const HEADER_HTML_COLOR = "ACA68A"; // Faded Yellow
const DISABLED_HTML_COLOR = "828282"; // Gray
const GOOD_HTML_COLOR = "53B45E"; // Green
const BAD_HTML_COLOR = "BF1E2E"; // Red
const WARNING_HTML_COLOR = "FDCE2B"; // Yellow
const PERK_HTML_COLOR = "FEF4CB"; // Perk / Promotion Yellow
const CASH_HTML_COLOR = "5CD16C"; // Green
const PSIONIC_HTML_COLOR = "B6B3E3"; // Purple
const WARNING2_HTML_COLOR = "E69831"; // Orange
const ENGINEERING_HTML_COLOR = "F7941E"; // Orange engineering
const SCIENCE_HTML_COLOR = "27AAE1"; // Blue science
const OBJECTIVEICON_HTML_COLOR = "53B45E"; // background of objective icons on the ability hud

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

 

How do i proceed **CORRECTLY** and objectively, please?

Edited February 24, 2016 by Zyxpsilon

[Drakous79]

Zyx, I think these colors are defined in action script embedded in swf movie (we don't have source of?) and constants you've found are just a reference. Do you remember XCOM EW re-clr of Load / Save screen? In EW there was class Colors in most swf movies and one central swf, that overriden local Colors in EW.

 

If you need to recolor text string, maybe you could use UIUtilities_Text.GetColoredText and UIUtilities_Colors.ColorString with some advanced coding.

 

Edit: Flash source files (XComGame\Flash\) not available, maybe for copyright reasons.

Edited February 25, 2016 by Drakous79

[Zyxpsilon]

Yes - that's right... at first i thought they had somehow changed the HTML coloring context(s) away from gfx/swf compositing. It's probably sbatista remark of "Keep in Sync" that mislead (or confused) me the most.

 

Here's my current plans (in a weird theory) for HTML dispatching.

 

1) The top right side row of HUD icons (End-Turn, Next+Previous, etc) are using those principles to toggle their active states (ON/OFF, hovering) while i simply could snatch a texture hash-tag for the Re-CLR mod stuff. So in my wacky mind, i wanted to have more "Static defaults" pre-defined for later use under various custom functions -- if & when need be.

 

2) The ingame Tech-Tree project (LAByrinth) would also need a wider complexity of such colors (when toggled) to tag various gameplay facts in a possible flow-chart style device. Research_Blue=Check... Engineering_Orange=Check... But if you recall LW-Pedia_DB had given Armors/Yellow... Weapons/Red... SmallItems/DarkOrange... etc. So to maintain some sort of consistant approach, their available pool of colors is too limited for what i need to achieve.

 

3) Since LW had eight Classes i decided to make their Icons coloring schema unique... but also the various perks did get a distinctive "Framing box" to put most in their relative origins as direct references. I'd like to offer a similar system for XC2 -- but again, by only toggling a dedicated 8 colors HTML dataset (see below). Faster, easier, familiar (to me).

 

http://s17.postimg.org/3kotd9rmn/Swatches_RANKS.png ... Ranks palette.

 

http://s24.postimg.org/nfxzc199x/Swatches_CLASSES_HTML.png ... Classes palette.

 

L/R= Psi, UI-Cyan, GeneMods, MECs, Grenadier, Medic, Gunner, Rocketeer, Assault, Infantry, Scout, Sniper!

 

Sooooooo.. since XC2 can also have EIGHT pseudo-classes by selecting two distinct sides - there is surely an indirect design connection for me to exploit eventually with at least, Perks identifications and rapid visual detection. Throw in the newest "random" bonus gimmick and you get how specific colors could help out. Toggling i predict could allow for much smoother integration and less busy code.

 

4) I really hope GFX+SWF editing (( low level fiddling might even be enough for some people! )) will soon be made available by an extra SDK toolset. Considering 80+% of the whole interactive HUD stuff depends on Flash components -- it's a spectacular Modding control they'd keep away from everyone for i don't actually care what vague reasons. Adobe_Flash is seriously MUCH too costly for the hobby driven crowds out there. Ideas are fun to have. Paying for solid results though is a very different beast or obstacle.

 

Firaxis & 2K absolutely need to step up to the plate and take a swing at proper Modding capacities for the masses of talented minds just waiting to make this gameplay even more enjoyable. SDK is the pocket knife edge, we just need (or want) a true Ranger's bloody metallic Scimitar that never misses.

Edited February 25, 2016 by Zyxpsilon

[swinka6666]

You must enter a post.

Edited April 27, 2016 by swinka6666