A few little hints on modding
1) Always back up your files regularly!
2) Build the mod in FLMM, then whenever you make several succesful adjustment, create a zip of your folder to keep a 'backup' before progressing!
3) Always, no matter how tedious, check individual changes until you are very comfortable with modding. If you mod three things, then find you crash - it is much more difficult to narrow it down, than making one!
4) I always copy old entries, then change them, instead of writing new ones. One thing it will do is erase 90% of spelling errors!! Also it makes it quicker. For systems, you won't even need to give objects new ids names to check that stuff works at all, so its quick, simple and easy! Once you find your asteroids working, or your jumpholes/gates working, give them the custom ids names at that point!
=====Systems Crashes======
Type of crash:
============
Basic rule of thumb ...If you can get to your system - but you crash in various parts as you go round, then your problems lie in the encounters you have set up
On Entering system through the jumpgate, or before i leave the jumpgate / jumphole the system crashes to desktop .
Possible causes: Asteroids and Nebula entries
Check: Do you have an [asteroids entry without a zone, or vica versa (Zone for the asteroids field, no [asteroids entry - same goes for the nebula.
What to do - comment out the zone and the asteroids entry with ; (semi colons) which will render them unreadable by the game.
Possible Causes: Populations around the jumphole/gate exit:
Check: Population around the particular zone - see what you have arriving there. Easiest way is to comment out all the entries again as above (see below for an example) and try your system again, see if you crash.
example
[zone
nickname = Zone_hole2
pos = 12000, 0, -45000
shape = Sphere
size = 3000
property_flags = 131072
sort = 99
;toughness = 40
;density = 4
;repop_time = 25
;max_battle_size = 4
;pop_type = Background
;relief_time = 35
;;faction_weight = fc_m_grp, 10
;;encounter = area_scout, 9, 0.670000
;;faction = fc_m_grp, 0.260000
Notice that the parts commented out have two differences. The ;; part is to do with faction and encounter. There might be multiple of these, so if you manage to get back into your system after this, bring them back ONE at a time until you find which one crashes you. Then you can eliminate/narrow down on the problem there.
Possible causes : Missing Universe.ini entry for system
Check: universe.ini file - do you have an entry for your system? Is it correct with a custom ids number?
example
[system
nickname = Br08
file = systems\Br08\Br08.ini
pos = 6, 2
visit = 0
strid_name = 261900
ids_info = 66700
msg_id_prefix = gcs_refer_system_br08
Position is where on universe map it is -don't clash with others! File is where your system ini files are located, strid name is the ids name for your system, info is the info, msg_id_prefix is the NPC's referring to your system (pre-recorded message, so nothing said for mine!)
Possible Causes: Spelling Errors
Check : That you have spelt several things correctly, firstly, the system folder and ini file is correct, and secondly that the universe.ini entry is correct. Once you have done this start with other things.....
Possible Causes: Systems_shortest_path.ini file not updated with your sys
Check : In the universe folder - three files.
1) Systems_shortest_path.ini
2) Shortest_legal_path.ini
3) Shortest_illegal_path.ini
Yep - there is a bit to do here, but it needs doing!
First off - systems_shortest_path.ini file:
This is how systems are linked up - quick intro to it right now:
Starts with an example below (my custom again!)
[SystemConnections
Path = Br08, Br08, Br08
Path = Br08, Li01, Br08, Li01
Path = Br08, Bw10, Br08, Bw10
So what does it mean? - First off - path = Br08 well path is the route. the shortest route is path = system (the one its talking about), going too, connections through, connections through.
Easier if an example eh?
Path = Br08, Li01, Br08, Li01 means path from Br08 to Li01 - goes through Br08 to Li01. Lets make this bigger then to understand;
Path = Br08, Li01, Br08, Br07, Br06, Br05, Br04, Br03, Br02, Br01, Li01
Means - Br08 --> Li01, goes from Br08>br07>Br06>Br05>br04>etc to Li01
So from Br08 to Br07, then onto Br06 system, through there to Br05 etc etc to Li01.
Okay - now you need this for YOUR system...basics of this - just where it is connected too......(saves headaches)so if conncted to Li01 and Li02 then you would have:example
[SystemConnections
Path = Br08, Br08, Br08
Path = Br08, Li01, Br08, Li01
Path = Br08, Li02, Br08, Li02
The first one, from itself to itself through itself - they all have that okay - its for internal i assume (internl jumpholes - eg Li01a_to_li01b and Li01b_to_Li01a)
Now - do the same for shortest_legal_path.ini and also for shortest_illegal_path.ini (strictly speaking, jumpgate = legal, jumphole = illegal - but i do both........saves time later if i put others in )
Still crashing when entering the system? If you have a fully made system - and not the foundations of a system - then you are in trouble - this list could go on all night........... The first few here are the major causes with systems crashes, others include having incorrect encounters parameters - check you entries for enoucnters have the correct :
[EncounterParameters
nickname = tradelane_trade_armored
filename = missions\encounters\tradelane_trade_armored.ini
for them as well
Also - other problems can be incorrect zones (minefields etc) so comment out all zones with the ; rule - use this to remove stuff from the system without deleteing. ; once per line at the start of the text.
Problem:I crash randomly at various parts, but always in the same area of my system
Check - well this is a darned common cause of crashing......the biggie. It is your encounters parameters for various zones.
What you should do is find the zone for the area you are in, ie for a station or jumpgate/hole - find the zone that is for your area:
Example
[Zone
nickname = Zone_Li07_02_pop
pos = -10500, -4000, -48500
rotate = 0, 0, 0
This sort of entry start means a base population okay....so the entry after this, concerning encounters (from this part downwards)
toughness = 18
density = 12
repop_time = 25
max_battle_size = 4
pop_type = li_p_grp, single_base_law
relief_time = 35
population_additive = false
density_restriction = 4, unlawfuls
Is the area of trouble - comment out the whole area of this with semicolons ( like so:
;toughness = 18
;density = 12
etc etc - then try again. Check that you don't have multiple zones in the area that might overlap and cause crashes. Some zone designations themselves seem to crash - ie trying to make patrols rather than populations!
======Others==========
Problem:When I try to launch into my system from a base, or jump into the system - it never loads..i sit staring at a blank screen, and it finally crashes to desktop
Check
This is very common when errors with tradelane numbers occur. Make sure that your tradelanes are numbered properly, and that they do not either a)overlap (two entries for th same trade lane) or b) don't 'go' to their own tradelane next.
Example : Two tradelane entries - commented out parts after main bodyadded by me:
[Object
nickname = Li07_Trade_Lane_Ring_19
ids_name = 260920
pos = -38000, -2000, 21000
rotate = 0, 225, 0
Archetype = Trade_Lane_Ring
ids_info = 66170
prev_ring = Li07_Trade_Lane_Ring_19 ;whoops - causes game to freeze
next_ring = Li07_Trade_Lane_Ring_20
behavior = NOTHING
reputation = li_p_grp
difficulty_level = 1
tradelane_space_name = 261834
loadout = trade_lane_ring_li_01
pilot = pilot_solar_easiest
[Object
nickname = Li07_Trade_Lane_Ring_19 ;oh crap - should be 20 - crash time
ids_name = 260920
pos = -33000, -2500, 26000
rotate = 0, 225, 0
Archetype = Trade_Lane_Ring
ids_info = 66170
prev_ring = Li07_Trade_Lane_Ring_20 ;whoops - causes freezing of game!
next_ring = Li07_Trade_Lane_Ring_21
behavior = NOTHING
reputation = li_p_grp
difficulty_level = 1
loadout = trade_lane_ring_li_01
pilot = pilot_solar_easiest
Problem:Never ending jumptunnel on the way to my system
Causes:Incorrect goto command in your jumphole/gate entry
Check
Your systems entry concerning the jumpgate/ hole:
Example
[Object
nickname = Li07_to_Iw03
ids_name = 260610
pos = -83000, 0, 0
rotate = 0, -90, 0
Archetype = jumpgate
msg_id_prefix = gcs_refer_system_Iw03
ids_info = 66145
jump_effect = jump_effect_elite3
reputation = li_p_grp
behavior = NOTHING
difficulty_level = 1
goto = Iw03, Iw03_to_Li07, gate_tunnel_elite3
loadout = jumpgate_li_01
pilot = pilot_solar_easiest
Check these lines are correct:
nickname = Li07_to_Iw03
goto = Iw03, Iw03_to_Li07, gate_tunnel_elite3
If you have Nickname = Li07_to_Iw03_hole
and the other entry in the destination system has the same entry - then you should have this instead:
Nickname = Li07_to_Iw03_hole
goto = Iw03, Iw03_to_li07_hole, gate_tun...........
adapt the entry as necessary. Make sure the 'goto' a)matches the destination system(ie the Iw03, part) and b)Matches the destinations systems nickname (ie the Iw03_to_Li07 part)
Problem: I created a new field of asteroids/nebulae, but i crash when trying to get to the system
Check: Your actual asteroids.ini file for your field! Did you just copy and rename one? If so, it probabily has exclusion zones, set for another system. Rename the exclusion zones for your system if you need them, or simply get rid of them. If you might want them later - just comment them out!
Problem:My tradelane ends, but i carry on!!
Check
That your last ring doesn't have a next entry for it! Also - check that if you try to dock and crash, that the rings are correctly numbered too......
Problem:I dock with my rings, but it docks with the one with red lights instead of green, and then i go the wrong way!
Check : You muppet - the rings are orientated the wrong way - its a very common cause. Flip the rotation around, ie:
rotate = 0, 90, 0
Becomes
rotate = 0, -90, 0
Likewise - rotate = 0, 0, 0 becomes 0, 180, 0
Problem: I try to dock with rings, but it says i am too far away....but i am sat infront of the bloody things
