UI Mod - Bigger Perk Tree

[Amineri]

I'm having the same issue,

 

I installed the latest Toolboks when I noticed an update but didn't apply the stand alone Expanded Perk Trees modlet (I think this is why).

 

Three perks per rank works however with no problems, although the UI formatting is clearly right biased (and any rank with a only a single perk displays a 'phantom' slot.)

 

http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b39/Zybortrix/2013-06-26_00002.jpg

 

Screenie ^

 

Right, that is the phantom slot you are referring to.

 

Unfortunately, the best gamepad/keyboard functionality I've been able to come up with simply navigates around the full 3x7 perk grid. I haven't been able to make it skip any of the empty slots. However, the game will disallow making a selection if such a "phantom slot" perk selection is attempted (the game will play the 'BadSound').

 

Regarding the "right-hand bias". Perk 0 is in the right-most slot, perk 1 is in the middle slot and perk 2 goes in the left-most slot. It is valid to leave intermediate slots empty. For mouse-users the empty space can not be highlighted. For gamepad/keyboard users the empty space can be highlighted but there is no perk information and it cannot be selected.

 

In your example picture, to center the icons better:

Put the Squaddie rank Sprinter perk in the Perk 1 slot

Put the Corp rank Battlescanner perk in the Perk 0 slot and the Grenadier perk in the perk 2 slot. (this will leave an empty space in between).

etc.

 

You can easily select which position each perk is in using Bertilsson's Custom Mod generating tool here: http://hem.bredband.net/bertrich/XCOM/ExtendedPerkGen.htm

Edited June 25, 2013 by Amineri

[Zybertryx]

Amazing work, and thanks so much for the link to Bertilsson's Toolboks Custom Mod File Generator.

[blacklimoband]

 

I'm having the same issue,

 

I installed the latest Toolboks when I noticed an update but didn't apply the stand alone Expanded Perk Trees modlet (I think this is why).

 

Three perks per rank works however with no problems, although the UI formatting is clearly right biased (and any rank with a only a single perk displays a 'phantom' slot.)

 

http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b39/Zybortrix/2013-06-26_00002.jpg

 

Screenie ^

 

Right, that is the phantom slot you are referring to.

 

Unfortunately, the best gamepad/keyboard functionality I've been able to come up with simply navigates around the full 3x7 perk grid. I haven't been able to make it skip any of the empty slots. However, the game will disallow making a selection if such a "phantom slot" perk selection is attempted (the game will play the 'BadSound').

 

Regarding the "right-hand bias". Perk 0 is in the right-most slot, perk 1 is in the middle slot and perk 2 goes in the left-most slot. It is valid to leave intermediate slots empty. For mouse-users the empty space can not be highlighted. For gamepad/keyboard users the empty space can be highlighted but there is no perk information and it cannot be selected.

 

In your example picture, to center the icons better:

Put the Squaddie rank Sprinter perk in the Perk 1 slot

Put the Corp rank Battlescanner perk in the Perk 0 slot and the Grenadier perk in the perk 2 slot. (this will leave an empty space in between).

etc.

 

You can easily select which position each perk is in using Bertilsson's Custom Mod generating tool here: http://hem.bredband.net/bertrich/XCOM/ExtendedPerkGen.htm

 

 

Hi and thanks for the reply :smile: Yes this is exactly what I was referring to, thanks for the link :smile: 1 question, if I use this and apply the modded perk tree will it effect any existing saves (as in should I finish those games first before patching in a new perk tree)

 

Thanks :thumbsup:

 

 

 

 

 

Also, is there a way currently that I can swap "Mind Control" and "Rift" in the psi tree (I never use MC except this one time at band camp... erm I mean on the Ethereal's ship - to get the achievement - so I figure the "volunteer" can have it... and Rift is the bomb)

 

Well... you could always try this:

 

 

Asuming you already have toolboks and enhanced perk mod installed:

1. Copy this to a text file and save it in Toolboks custom mod-folder

MOD_NAME=PSI-rift-cheat

AUTHOR=blacklimoband

DESCRIPTION=Custom XCOM cheat for Enhanced Perk tree mod

 

UPK_FILE=XComGame.upk

OFFSET=7169126

[MODDED_HEX]

4A {Add rift to PSI level 3}

 

UPK_FILE=XComGame.upk

OFFSET=7169147

[MODDED_HEX]

48 {Add mind control to PSI level 4}

2. Open toolboks and load the mod same way you did for enhanced perk tree mod.

3. You should now have Rift as an extra option for level 3 and mind control as an extra option for level 4.

4. Test it on your own risk :smile:

 

 

 

 

Thanks for this :smile: I'll try patching in the relevant text into the custom mod txt file I created with your mod generator

 

TYVM

Edited June 25, 2013 by blacklimoband

[dubiousintent]

Given you are applying this mod through ToolBoks, that would be a better place to ask as this is about the consequences of applying the mod rather than it's functioning. But as it happens, here is what Bokauk replied to a similar question:

 

 

None of the ToolBoks settings are saved in the save file. All the changes are made to the game files, so it's the current settings in those files that take effect each time the game is loaded, regardless if it's a new or a saved game.

 

Any existing Perk selections in a save game will still have been made and active. New options will be available with the next promotion, unless they have previously been selected and are only permitted once.

 

-Dubious-

[Zybertryx]

Using Bertilsson's Tool to generate a Toolboks friendly Perk Tree spread actually broke my game (crash on launch). To fix it I had to roll back to my back up, then install the Enhanced Perk Tree mod (via Toolboks) and then apply the same generated Perk spread once more. After comparing the text, the EPT mod modifies XComGame, XcomStrategyGame and Command1 .upks but the tool only generates entries for XComGame.upk.

 

So, for anyone who suffers from the same issue as blacklimoband or myself, what you should do is download the Enhanced Perk Trees mod here:

 

http://xcom.nexusmods.com/mods/104/?tab=2&navtag=%2Fajax%2Fmodfiles%2F%3Fid%3D104&pUp=1

 

Installation is painless with Toolboks:

 

INSTALLATION:

1) Place all files (from the Enhanced Perk Tree mod and your own cut/paste created Custom Perk Tree Mod file from Bertilsson's webtool) into the ToolBoks/Custom Mods/ folder

2) Start ToolBoks and select the 'Custom Mods' tab

3) Click 'Load Custom Mod'

4) Select the 'Perk Tree Custom Mod' file

'Perk Tree Custom Mod (Installer)' will install the new perk tree UI (Choose this one)
'Perk Tree Custom Mod (Un-Installer)' will revert the perk tree back to the default values

5) Click 'Install Custom Mod'

6) The process will take a few seconds to complete

7) Install complete!

 

8] Click 'Load Custom Mod' (again)

 

9) Select the 'perk tree custom file' you created (and named) via Bertilsson's webtool

 

10) Click 'Install Custom Mod'

 

11) Rejoice!

Edited June 25, 2013 by Zybertryx

[Amineri]

I'd recommend completing an existing game rather than attempting to apply the larger perk tree and then trying to complete an existing save game.

 

While it will kind of work, the perk selections are now saved using the m_iEnergy field, which is normally 100. This mod changes the default value to 0 (so that all perks are available for soldiers). Basically what will happen is that any existing soldier will have some ranks marked as already having a perk selected.

 

100 = b1100100, so ranks 3, 6 and 7 on any existing soldier will be unable to select a perk.

 

Any new soldiers recruited in an existing game will have their rank/perk flags correctly defaulted to zero.

 

Also, any existing colonels will be able to reselect perks for ranks 1, 2, 4, and 5, making them even stronger (11 perks instead of 7). This will pretty significantly mess up the game balance.

 

However, glitches aside, the game will run and be completely playable -- the final call is up to you ! ^_^

[Zybertryx]

Just to add to the above, if you maintain the exact progression of your current perk hierarchy you'll have no issues whatsoever. So, in your case, if you just want to get rid of the 'phantom' slot and centre the perks you have (an essentially cosmetic fix - as I needed) then just be sure you keep the perks the same as they are currently after applying the Enhanced Perk Mod and you'll have no dramas with contemporary saves.

[Bertilsson]

Using Bertilsson's Tool to generate a Toolboks friendly Perk Tree spread actually broke my game (crash on launch). To fix it I had to roll back to my back up, then install the Enhanced Perk Tree mod (via Toolboks) and then apply the same generated Perk spread once more. After comparing the text, the EPT mod modifies XComGame, XcomStrategyGame and Command1 .upks but the tool only generates entries for XComGame.upk.

 

So, for anyone who suffers from the same issue as blacklimoband or myself, what you should do is download the Enhanced Perk Trees mod here:

Unless amineri protests I will add the enhanced perk tree installer directly into the mods generated by the tool, later today. That should hopefully avoid this type of problem in the future.

 

Edit: I have now updated the tool to always (re-)install the enhanced perk tree mod v0.91 as part of the generated mod.

 

I have also done the following tests to make sure there is no conflict with toolboks built in tree builder:

1. Clean install of xcom

2. Install custom perk tree mod generated from web tool

3. Verfify functionality ingame - OK

4. Make some changes in the tree using toolboks native function.

5. Verfify functionality ingame - OK

6. Install a new custom perk tree mod generated from web tool

7. Verfify functionality ingame - OK

8. Verify that toolboks built in editor finds the changes - OK.

 

Seems pretty fail safe to me :smile:

 

The downside is that I now have to update the web tool whenever amineri release a new version of the mod, but fortunately that does not happen too often, even if a new version is expected relatively soon.

 

The upside is that the enhanced perk tree mod does not need to be installed separately and no risk for ending up with a game not starting.

Edited June 26, 2013 by Bertilsson

[Amineri]

Thanks a bunch for adding this, Bertilsson.

 

I have absolutely no problems with making things easier to find / install.

 

One small issue, however:

The new Long War 1.9 (which should be coming out in beta soon) uses the same GetPerkInTree functions as the 0.91 Perk Tree modlet, but some of the other code has been altered slightly to support the new subclass system.

 

This means that overlaying the output of your tool on top of Long War 1.9 (if someone wanted to alter the perk choices) would create a series of bugs, I think even a crashing bug.

 

I don't have a good solution in mind (and the Long War 1.9 beta isn't yet released), but thought I would bring it up.

 

Eventually, after Long War 1.9 is released and the code is proven stable, I'll be releasing an updated version of the Enhanced Perk Tree that includes the subclass capabilities.

[Bertilsson]

Thank you.

I think I can solve the compatibilty issue with Long War 1.9 with a big red juicy warning above the title in the tool :)