UI Mod - Bigger Perk Tree

[thorpe80]

Hi this is my first post and my first attempt at trying to mod anything. Amineri, I absolutely love what you're doing and I am trying to figure out how to do it myself. First question though.. where are you accessing the java language? All I've been able to find are the notepad scripts using resource hacker. I've gone through all of the forums related to modding (nexusmods) and I haven't found an answer. Thank you and keep up the good work!

[Krazyguy75]

http://forums.nexusmods.com/index.php?/topic/888272-ui-editing/

 

I believe this was where it was discovered. But it's a bit complicated.

 

EDIT: And if this is what you are talking about, it's Flash, not Java. I can't recall ever seeing java used in the programming. If you just want the default unrealscript, it is all over the wiki.

Edited November 13, 2013 by Krazyguy75

[thorpe80]

Kr

 

http://forums.nexusmods.com/index.php?/topic/888272-ui-editing/

 

I believe this was where it was discovered. But it's a bit complicated.

 

EDIT: And if this is what you are talking about, it's Flash, not Java. I can't recall ever seeing java used in the programming. If you just want the default unrealscript, it is all over the wiki.

Thank You!

[Amineri]

So, some bad news in terms of patching this up to work with EW.

 

1) Firaxis did not develop a new modular actionscript (resizable) to handle the new UI elements -- Medals, Gene-mods and MEC suit upgrades. Instead they built special-purpose sprites separately for each of these functions.

2) These new sprites being added results in the Sprite IDs changing through this section of actionscript, meaning that the actionscript part of the mod has to be fixed in addition to all of the upk changes

3) Separate actionscript sprite edits will have to be added to allow for more Gene-mods, medal or MEC armor options, in addition to the upk changes required

 

So ... it's going to take a while to get this patched up.

 

The first thing will be getting just the perks/psi perks fixed up. This won't include adding any options for the above three EW mechanics.

Edited November 15, 2013 by Amineri

[Amineri]

Started poking around the code a bit, making some plans and comparing with how the mod worked under EW.

 

I have a decision to make here, though ...

 

In the previous version of the mod I allows a particular perk to be put in a soldier's perk tree more than once. I originally thought that I'd have to do this in order to make Smoke Grenade and Battlescanner items work (and still have the perks work too), but this turned out to not be the case. This required a fair number of additional changes, and didn't seem to be all that well received.

 

So, for the updated mod I'm considering removing that capability and instead sticking to the vanilla code's method of perk checking, which limits perks to being in the class tree once.

 

Anyone have any feedback about this?

[TheOldOne822]

I'm fine with perks being in the tree once.

[dubiousintent]

Would that wind up being once per class (ala LW), or once per tree: only available to one class? If it can be once per class, how is that different than more than once in the tree? Or am I completely misunderstanding the issue?

 

-Dubious-

[Amineri]

Would that wind up being once per class (ala LW), or once per tree: only available to one class? If it can be once per class, how is that different than more than once in the tree? Or am I completely misunderstanding the issue?

 

-Dubious-

 

It would be once per class (for example, Bullet Swarm could be available to two different classes).

 

What's under discussion is whether the same perk can be listed in the same class's perk tree more than once. For example in the 2.12 version of Long War, the Aggression perk was available at both Sergeant and Captain rank for Assault/Infantry. If the perk is selected at Sergeant then it cannot be selected at Captain.

 

If the perk tree is set up this way with vanilla code (which it can be), then if Aggression is selected at Sergeant then no perk at all can be selected at Captain -- basically the game code considers that the Captain-rank perk was "already picked".

 

I essentially had to double the number of code changes in order to support this. I'm strongly considering not re-implementing it, particularly since I fully expect several patches to be coming for Enemy Within, so anything to simplify hex changes means less work patching them up after each patch.

 

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

 

Short description:

 

----- Vanilla

A perk can be selected from a rank if the character has no perk from that rank.

 

----- Previous mod

Stored bit flags explicitly storing when a perk was selected at each rank.

[Tycus]

I'm fine with perk once per class tree as well (actually, I could not remember any mod, which used that feature :unsure:). But it will still allow multi-class perks as well as up to 3 perk choices per rank, right?

[Amineri]

I'm fine with perk once per class tree as well (actually, I could not remember any mod, which used that feature :unsure:). But it will still allow multi-class perks as well as up to 3 perk choices per rank, right?

 

Current plan would have the following:

1) Perks can be assigned to multiple classes

2) Up to 3 perks per rank, configurable via DGC.ini

3) Number of perks per rank also configurable via DGC.ini (down to 0 perks if desired)

4) Won't break Training Roulette SW option

5) Will display all perks after Squaddie perk is chosen

6) Will allow for addition of smoke grenade and battlescanner items

7) Allow for additional psi ranks above 4 (4 is Volunteer in Vanilla)

 

I'm also planning ahead so that I can re-implement the subclasses used in Long War where each of the now five classes (including MEC but not Psi) selects a subclass based on squaddie perk choice. The new system will define completely separate 3-perk-wide trees for each subclass. The same perk will be duplicatable in each of the subclass trees as well.

 

The only remaining connection between the two subclasses will be that they will share stat progression.

 

Regarding the expansion of the psi ranks, I'm thinking of possibilities such as adding Mind Merge, Greater Mind Merge, Psi Lance and perhaps other abilities. Also perhaps abilities such as Bloodcall and Intimidate.

 

Also thinking that perhaps MECs could be given psi abilities, but would have a different set possible. In particular MEC psi training would allow them to generate a shield (like how Mechtoids do) when receiving a Mind Merge.