Mod Musing -- Weapons and Gear Addition

[TimeDiver0]

OK.

Everything else seems to work -- but when I added the weapons folder and the line to mod.json, I get the error I described above.

Haven't even changed any of the weapon files yet, this was just to make sure the new folder and files didn't have an issue.

Okay, let me start off by saying... you've got the folder configuration incorrect. Since all you're doing is overriding files (nothing added, so far as I can tell)... there's no need for the 'Manifest' section in your mod.json.

Creating a (pair of) sub-folders in your 'DragonTest' folder named 'StreamingAssets\data' and THEN moving each of those other four sub-folders into the 'data' sub-folder, fixed that issue right off.

 

[Max_Killjoy]

Okay, let me start off by saying... you've got the folder configuration incorrect. Since all you're doing is overriding files (nothing added, so far as I can tell)... there's no need for the 'Manifest' section in your mod.json.

Creating a (pair of) sub-folders in your 'DragonTest' folder named 'StreamingAssets\data' and THEN moving each of those other four sub-folders into the 'data' sub-folder, fixed that issue right off.

That's odd, because without the Manifest section, nothing happened and it wouldn't load the overwrites, and with that section everything but the new "weapons" folder worked.

When you say a pair of sub-folders, do you mean that I need two folders named 'StreamingAssets' each with a 'data' subfolder, or that it's a pair of folders one "inside" the other?

(I would assume the latter since two folders with the same name isn't going to work, right?)

 

[TimeDiver0]

That's odd, because without the Manifest section, nothing happened and it wouldn't load the overwrites, and with that section everything but the new "weapons" folder worked.

Don't know what to tell you; the way you had it previously?

Bloated my own output_log.txt to over 1200 KB on initial load.

After re-arranging the folder structure? 21 KB, without all the error messages.

When you say a pair of sub-folders, do you mean that I need two folders named 'StreamingAssets' each with a 'data' subfolder, or that it's a pair of folders one "inside" the other?

Inside one another (the 'data' sub-folder within the 'StreamingAssets' sub-folder).

I already did this for you, so here's the updated .zip as a future example to work with.

 

[Max_Killjoy]

I already did this for you, so here's the updated .zip as a future example to work with.

Thank you, I will try that out and see what happens.

From looking at some other "big" mods, I'd almost say that there are multiple "methodologies" of building ModTek mods being used -- including the one I based what I had started on.

 

[TimeDiver0]

Thank you, I will try that out and see what happens.

From looking at some other "big" mods, I'd almost say that there are multiple "methodologies" of building ModTek mods being used -- including the one I based what I had started on.

Did that fix it? I opted to clean out my Mods folder beforehand, to make damned certain that I wouldn't get incorrect results.

Still, there's a ever-so-slight chance that I borked something up.

 

[Max_Killjoy]

Did that fix it? I opted to clean out my Mods folder beforehand, to make damned certain that I wouldn't get incorrect results.

Still, there's a ever-so-slight chance that I borked something up.

It did the "long delay right at game startup" thing with just a black screen (I've seen it in a couple of tutorial videos for mod installations), and then loaded.

My other changes such as the chassisdef edits cross-adding the hardpoints between variants loaded, so I know it's working that far. I need to test out starting a campaign etc to see if some other things worked.

When I eventually do start actually adding things and thus new files, I'll need a manifest section, yes? How does that work when I have to add new files that would be in the same folder that I already have "overwrite" files in?


E: next game startup was normal

 

[TimeDiver0]

When I eventually do start actually adding things and thus new files, I'll need a manifest section, yes?

Correct. And in a similar fashion to what you had been doing, but without any overridden files in the same folder. Keep them separate.

How does that work when I have to add new files that would be in the same folder that I already have "overwrite" files in?

The most difficult part, IMO, is keeping proper track of the 'Type' variable(s) within the Manifest sub-section of mod.json.

The other major flub(s) with that initial version of yours, was that you had them ALL set to 'ChassisDef', which was dead wrong.

A partial, though not 100% reliable list, can be found via VersionManifest.csv; normally, the 2nd column (if you open it up in Excel/ (OO/LO) Spreadsheet/Google Spreadsheets) is the Type... but not always.

 

[Max_Killjoy]

I was so concerned about getting the folder names right that I didn't even pay any attention to the types... derp.

 

[Max_Killjoy]

Also, every so often I want to punch Windows in the face... I just specifically COPIED something, and it MOVED it, causing the same error I'd been getting before with the infinite spin, but not actually caused by the mod itself. Good thing I made a backup.

 

[TimeDiver0]

Also, every so often I want to punch Windows in the face... I just specifically COPIED something, and it MOVED it, causing the same error I'd been getting before with the infinite spin, but not actually caused by the mod itself. Good thing I made a backup.

Backups in-general are always your friend, but especially when modding.

In fact, I keep near-full* backups of StreamingAssets\Data, just so I can compare via WinMerge when BT gets patched, and make updating my own mods FAR less painful.

* - Except for 'assetbundles' and 'maps', which are multiple gigabytes each. Averages 1.1 (for 1.0.4) to 1.8 megabytes (1.1.0 onwards) as a .rar archive with max compression.

 

[Max_Killjoy]

So with all the research I've been doing and the raw file editing needed to get most of my changes into a ModTek mod (not least of all so I don't have to redo them all from scratch over and over with each base game update), I've hardly had time to actually play the game.

So, tonight and tomorrow night, I'm going to get some gameplay in.

Saturday, I need to be available all evening to fix issues that come up (as in are created by the shipper) on sales orders out of west coast locations (yay inventory management job), so I think I'll start with the Rocket Launcher part of my weapons and gear project -- since it requires no external ammo, no new ammo types, no special rules, and no tricks, it's just a cheap one-shot direct-fire clunky LRM.

This will give me a chance to work out anything I'm missing on getting them to show up in salvage and shops.

 

[Ottermahn]

Ammo Bins

Another possibility, + rated Ammo Bins, that hold more ammo, resist critical hits, or maybe even mitigate ammo explosion damage.

(More on this later, will edit this post.)

Case? or clan Case2?

 

[Max_Killjoy]

Case? or clan Case2?

The game already has defacto CASE built in -- ammo explosion damage doesn't spread.

CASEII, venting all the damage outside the mech, would be a nice Ammo Bin upgrade possibility.