Battleship Encounters

This little guide will teach you how to compose and apply six encounter templates to spice up your FL world. The main ingredient? Variety! Tired of battling wave after wave of fighters? Look no further, it's time to dust off those poor unemployed Sunslayer torpedoes!

Note: all modifications made here are entirely server-side (meaning clients can connect and join the fray without having to download any files).

Another note: ensure that "hide file extensions for known filetypes" (Windows Explorer ==>> Tools ==>> Folder Options ==>> View) is NOT marked.

One more note: make backups! Save & close each file before opening the next!

"Ok, here's what's going on..."

1) browse to \DATA\MISSIONS\ENCOUNTERS and create the following files:

capitalships_Bretonia.ini
capitalships_Kusari.ini
capitalships_Liberty.ini
capitalships_Nomads.ini
capitalships_Rheinland.ini
capitalships_Escorts.ini

2a) open capitalships_Bretonia.ini and paste the following text:

[EncounterFormation]
ship_by_class = 1, 1, sc_battleships
pilot_job = assault_leader_job
make_class = wanderer
ship_by_class = 2, 2, sc_destroyers
pilot_job = assault_job
make_class = wanderer
ship_by_class = 3, 3, sc_gunboats
pilot_job = assault_job
make_class = wanderer
formation_by_class = battleships
behavior = wander
arrival = cruise
allow_simultaneous_creation = yes
zone_creation_distance = 0
times_to_create = infinite

[Creation]
permutation = 0, 3

2b) open capitalships_Kusari.ini and paste the following text:

[EncounterFormation]
ship_by_class = 1, 1, sc_battleships
pilot_job = assault_leader_job
make_class = wanderer
ship_by_class = 2, 2, sc_destroyers
pilot_job = assault_job
make_class = wanderer
ship_by_class = 3, 3, sc_gunboats
pilot_job = assault_job
make_class = wanderer
formation_by_class = battleships
behavior = wander
arrival = cruise
allow_simultaneous_creation = yes
zone_creation_distance = 0
times_to_create = infinite

[Creation]
permutation = 0, 3

2c) open capitalships_Liberty.ini and paste the following text:

[EncounterFormation]
ship_by_class = 1, 1, sc_battleships
pilot_job = assault_leader_job
make_class = wanderer
ship_by_class = 4, 4, sc_cruisers
pilot_job = assault_job
make_class = wanderer
formation_by_class = battleships
behavior = wander
arrival = cruise
allow_simultaneous_creation = yes
zone_creation_distance = 0
times_to_create = infinite

[Creation]
permutation = 0, 3

2d) open capitalships_Nomads.ini and paste the following text:

[EncounterFormation]
ship_by_class = 1, 1, sc_battleships
pilot_job = assault_leader_job
make_class = wanderer
ship_by_class = 6, 6, sc_gunboats
pilot_job = assault_job
make_class = wanderer
formation_by_class = battleships
behavior = wander
arrival = cruise
allow_simultaneous_creation = yes
zone_creation_distance = 0
times_to_create = infinite

[Creation]
permutation = 0, 3

2e) open capitalships_Rheinland.ini and paste the following text:

[EncounterFormation]
ship_by_class = 1, 1, sc_battleships
pilot_job = assault_leader_job
make_class = wanderer
ship_by_class = 2, 2, sc_cruisers
pilot_job = assault_job
make_class = wanderer
ship_by_class = 3, 3, sc_gunboats
pilot_job = assault_job
make_class = wanderer
formation_by_class = battleships
behavior = wander
arrival = cruise
allow_simultaneous_creation = yes
zone_creation_distance = 0
times_to_create = infinite

[Creation]
permutation = 0, 3

2f) open capitalships_Escorts.ini and paste the following text:

[EncounterFormation]
ship_by_class = 1, 1, sc_fighters
pilot_job = assault_leader_job
make_class = wanderer
ship_by_class = 3, 3, sc_fighters
pilot_job = assault_job
make_class = wanderer
formation_by_class = fighters
behavior = wander
arrival = cruise
allow_simultaneous_creation = yes
zone_creation_distance = 0
times_to_create = infinite

[Creation]
permutation = 0, 3

FL modding is a little bit more complicated than just putting in a few files
ships need surs, wireframes, ids, hardpoints
then they need their basic stats definied in shiparch
then they need to be made goods with custom loadout which means that ship packages need to be created after the hull settings are done
and finally the market files need to be done

thats in case of pilotable ships

npc ships require
ships need surs, wireframes, ids, hardpoints
then they need their basic stats definied in shiparch
npc ship settings need to be done
encounter settings need to be done
loadouts need to be done
factions need to be edited to support these ships
and finally the systems have to be edited