Adding a New Ship...

posted on September 20th, 2011, 4:27 pm

for my first modding project for this game ever I decided to start off a bit small, Adding a single but completely different ship to the Feds on FO.The only problem is I cant seem to get it to showup in my build buttons.

What I have done:

Added the ship's .ODF in FPQEdit
Added the same named .SOD in SOD Folder
Inside all_interface_buildbuttons09.tga Where the Phalanx Would be in all_interface_buildbuttons02.tga I added the ship which is 90x90 pixels while preserving the Alpha.
Added the ship's .ODF to the Freetech Techtree with a variable of 0
Added the ship's Sprite Button Location in gui_global.spr using the same Location Variables as the Phalanx in all_interface_buildbuttons02.tga with b_ prename variable
Added the ship's name (without .odf extension) into the Antares Build item as #6 and pushed down the other command buttons to next number aka 6 is 7, 7 is 8 etc.

What I have not done:

Added Wireframes, I can't see how adding this atm would prevent me from atleast building 1 of it, unless it does just that?
Added Weapon Sprites
Added Weapon/Ambient sounds
Added Textures

ETC.

I have also added in it's .ODF on the race that this ship is to be built is "unitedfederation"

Basicly before going any further I just want to see if it can built it without having to replace an existing ship.

oh and I have read quite a bit on the tutorials listed in The Hitchhiker's Guide to Fleet Ops and it's were i have learned what I know already

[Anonymous]

posted on September 20th, 2011, 4:33 pm

Last edited by Anonymous on September 20th, 2011, 4:38 pm, edited 1 time in total.

Hmm, so, you are having one of these three cases, no?

1-the button is white
2-the button is invisible but you can still build the ship(click on the blank spot and see if it builds)
3-you can't build it at all.

in these cases:

1-you saved the texture with rle compression
2-you did not specify what the button was for the ship in the gui_ghlobal sprite file
3-you did not add the ship to the techtree,/and case 2

Hope that helps!   And Welcome to the forums!  Always nice to have new modders here.

posted on September 20th, 2011, 5:08 pm

hmmm well from what I can tell, it is listed in the freetech just like every other item in there so i guess that cant be it, and if RLE compression is that bad then i will need to get the Build button TGAs again lol, because when i made my image it was saved with rle,and when i saved the 512x512 group of building buttons 09 that i put mine in, was also saved in rle :S lol il just use the backup i made before hand and make sure to not use rle with either source.

posted on September 20th, 2011, 5:57 pm

Well, be sure that the button is listed for the ship in the gui_global.spr, and make sure you put it in tech1.tt as well as freetech.  And rle compression can be undone.  Just open the file back up, and save it again, thistime without rle compression.

posted on September 20th, 2011, 6:41 pm

Well progress has been made.I can see the button as it should be with my Picture and not clear . now the next problem... i can tell it to build it but the second it completes building the game crashes.i might have to redo the ship main odf..

posted on September 20th, 2011, 6:57 pm

Yeah, a crash when the ship is done is usually a weapon error.  check the crash checklist for more info.

Bug / Crash Checklist - The Hitchhiker's Guide to Fleet Operations

posted on September 21st, 2011, 5:47 am

Well i managed to get the ship to build, and the textures are in the right place.it wasnt able to move or atk for some reason.which is why i'm reorganizing and making a new odf just in case.

also, there is 1 effect im not sure how to handle.. I want to have completely transparent shields and when they are struck with weaponfire is it possible to have a specific Explosion for it?like for example the Defiant's Pulse Phasers particles perform a specific explo when hitting a target.if i am correct it has something to do with this?

//FLEET OPS EXPANDED CODES

// Shield SOD used when we are hit
shieldhit = ""

// Shield SOD used if shields are low health
shieldhitcritical = ""

// Shield SOD used when shields are lowered
shielddown = ""

posted on September 21st, 2011, 6:38 am

Those three commands are used to determine what the shield SOD looks like when at different stages.

That requires making your own animated SOD models (making a model of the shield).

To make the explosions, you'll be adding
explosionhit = ""
explosionshieldhit = ""
To the Ordnance ODF.

These are also SODs that are animated 

posted on September 21st, 2011, 5:16 pm

Well i managed to get the ship to build, and the textures are in the right place.it wasnt able to move or atk for some reason.which is why i'm reorganizing and making a new odf just in case.

also, there is 1 effect im not sure how to handle.. I want to have completely transparent shields and when they are struck with weaponfire is it possible to have a specific Explosion for it?like for example the Defiant's Pulse Phasers particles perform a specific explo when hitting a target.if i am correct it has something to do with this?

//FLEET OPS EXPANDED CODES

// Shield SOD used when we are hit
shieldhit = ""

// Shield SOD used if shields are low health
shieldhitcritical = ""

// Shield SOD used when shields are lowered
shielddown = ""

If your ship can't move, that means you have a miss spelled physics refrence.

posted on September 22nd, 2011, 1:13 am

Or the engine subsystem hitpoints are zero... 

Not being able to attack has a lot to do with GameObject functionality - such as the commands

Combat
Has_hitpoints
canattack

posted on September 22nd, 2011, 2:06 am

And weapons having valid hardpoints.

posted on September 22nd, 2011, 2:30 am

Indeed, at a certain point it's best to post the ODFs if you have run out of ideas of why something is wrong

posted on September 22nd, 2011, 3:27 am

//FLEET OPS EXPANDED CODES

// Shield SOD used when we are hit
shieldhit = ""

// Shield SOD used if shields are low health
shieldhitcritical = ""

// Shield SOD used when shields are lowered
shielddown = ""

Is it possible to use this coding in Stock Armada II and add it to the ships and stations if the corresponding textures are used and it is also only a personal instal or will this end up causing the stock version of the game to crash?

posted on September 22nd, 2011, 3:31 am

No, it is not possible - these are Fleet Ops commands:
Craft - The Hitchhiker's Guide to Fleet Operations