R&D to Increase Squad Size

[bokauk]

Can toolboks mod any of the other inis? I haven't really tried using them, but I was thinking of harvesting the multiplayer ini to store extra data. Don't know how possible that is though, just an idea floating around in my head.

I was mistaken about editing XComGame.exe via a Custom Mod, as it expects a UPK and checks to decompress it, generating an error.

 

I plan to re-write the Custom Mods functionality to make it more extensible and so this issue will be fixed as part of that, hopefully including ini files.

 

Modifying multiplayer ini sounds a bit naughty, although I'm not sure what would be possible with that.

 

Anyway, getting a bit OT now. Feel free to post any ToolBoks questions in the TB thread :smile:

[Krazyguy75]

Oh, I don't plan to cheat. I never cheat multiplayer. I just wanted a set of arrays that won't be used in single player, as I believe you can add more arrays (such as with items normally). I've been trying to work out an XCOM alien subtype mod, but I'm completely inept when it comes to hex editing, so I've just been messing around trying to find stuff that might work.

 

I have no idea if it'll work or not, I'm still new to all this stuff.

[Amineri]

Oh, I don't plan to cheat. I never cheat multiplayer. I just wanted a set of arrays that won't be used in single player, as I believe you can add more arrays (such as with items normally). I've been trying to work out an XCOM alien subtype mod, but I'm completely inept when it comes to hex editing, so I've just been messing around trying to find stuff that might work.

 

I have no idea if it'll work or not, I'm still new to all this stuff.

 

When I was adding new items I found that making the embedded DGC.ini too large would cause a Steam error preventing the game from launching.

 

Removing data from the embedded Multiplayer ini file allowed the DGC.ini to become larger. Ultimately the best solution is to patch the executable to make the game load the DGC.ini from the external file instead of using the embedded version, as this essentially removes all size restrictions.

 

I haven't been able to add more arrays than are defined in the XGTacticalGameCore class in the upks, but many of the config variables are dynamic arrays, and the setup allows adding additional entries to such dynamic arrays in a config file, often with little change to the upk hex.

[Krazyguy75]

That is what I'm talking about. I edited the EXE to load the external config files (all 3), and if my mod works how I hope it will, it will use DefaultMPGame and much of the multiplayer code as arrays to add the subtype stats, then rework how loadouts work to make them subtype based.

 

Probably doing something wrong, but I think I should be able to add quite a few arrays via the ini this way, via duplicating the existing array types.

[Amineri]

Ohhhh, I see what you did there!

 

Very clever -- I wish I'd thought of stealing the MP config arrays to import more data into a SP-modded game.

 

Currently in Long War all of the alien "leaders" are hard-coded into a taken-over debug function in XGUnit. I think the function was originally named DebugAnims. It was quite a big function so allows for quite a bit of code to define a bunch of stuff, but changing anything requires hex editing.

 

Leaders get bonus stats (including regeneration / Damage Reduction), as well as extra perks. Defining all of this via the config arrays in XComMPData would make configuring things much easier both for the mod developer as well as players that want to re-tweak things.

 

What kind of alien subtypes are you trying to add? Feel free to PM me to discuss technical details ^_^

[Krazyguy75]

Thank you!

 

I didn't realize that was a new idea, else I would have shared it earlier. I'd been looking at all kinds of things to figure out how to extend the amount of space that we can utilize, since I knew that was a major restriction. My first ideas didn't really bear fruit and this was just an extension on what I saw you do with items. I'm glad I could help you (assuming it works, which I think it should); I never finished a working version, so I can only guess.

 

I really did need the extra space, as I planned to add 4-15 or so extra subtypes for every alien, the number of which would be based based on their versatility, from floats (pretty much only useful as scouts, flankers, and overwatchers) to Ethereals, which could potentially use Psionics in a 100 different ways.

 

I'm still setting up my new laptop, so my files are all over the place but in a bit I'll try to talk to you. Most of the work I spent in the actual coding was lost with my old laptop's coolant system, so I only have my notes and my memories on the bit I tried.

[Bertilsson]

A little add-on fix (too lazy to make and upload a new version of the latest toolboks custom mod)

MOD_NAME=Minor fix to make squad Size working with existing save games
AUTHOR=Bertilsson
DESCRIPTION=Ignores SKYRANGER_CAPACITY value from DGC-ini to allow changing squad size in both new and existing games.

UPK_FILE=XComStrategyGame.upk
OFFSET=3696514
[MODDED_HEX]
{Use fixed value instead of ini value in XGShip_Dropship.GetCapacity() }
E7 3D 00 00 AB 1F 00 00 00 00 00 00 E5 3D 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 E7 3D 00 00 00 00 00 00 6D 00 00 00 A6 0C 00 00 84 00 00 00 68 00 00 00 0F 00 E6 3D 00 00 2C 06 0B 0B 0B 07 3F 00 19 1B F4 02 00 00 00 00 00 00 16 0C 00 54 28 00 00 00 1B 17 11 00 00 00 00 00 00 24 01 16 A5 00 E6 3D 00 00 16 07 6F 00 19 1B F4 02 00 00 00 00 00 00 16 0C 00 54 28 00 00 00 1B 17 11 00 00 00 00 00 00 24 02 16 A5 00 E6 3D 00 00 16 04 00 E6 3D 00 00 04 3A E7 3D 00 00 53 00 00 00 02 00 02 00 AF 0E 00 00 00 00 00 00

UPK_FILE=XComStrategyGame.upk
OFFSET=3696569
[MODDED_HEX]
{Adjust max number of soldiers (not including OTS upgrades) by selecting value 01 to 0A (10) below }
06

Edit:

Recommend using this instead:

http://wiki.tesnexus.com/index.php/Double_OTS_squad_size_increase_custom_toolboks_mod

It does exactly the same thing + allows option to edit OTS Squad Size I & II

Edited November 5, 2013 by Bertilsson

[Bertilsson]

I have now taken a quick inventory of the damage to this mod by enemy within and it looks like the repair job will not be quick and simple.

• Spawn locations
  • Soldier 7+ ends up in more or less random locations just like before
  • New maps added
  • Alternative spawn locations added to existing maps (same way as UFO maps)
  • Currently no developer shell available for systematically testing maps
• Flash changes
  • Loadout screen has been face-lifted
    • Backpack items are now shown as objects in 2 small slots instead of text
  • Soldier 7+ seems to be stacking on top of soldier 6 just like before
  • Soldier 7+ is not visible in the debriefing list just like before

Edit: One positive thing: Soldiers don't spawn in "T-Pose" in the loadout screen. So recreating the mod would by default contain one less bug...

Edited November 15, 2013 by Bertilsson

[wildnfree]

Since there are multiple spawn spots, maybe you could spawn 6 in one area and another 6 in a different area? Could this save you guys some trouble?

[jkjkhardcore]

I am pretty sure this thread is for E.U. not the Expansion.

In the expansion i just played with 7 soldiers but it was an extraction mission.

AFAIK there is 8 soldiers that are playable using the Long war mod. Since they are able to do so it would probably be best to ask them how.

For Enemy within, I can't even get resource hacker to mod the script, I'm gonna play with it some more :)