English: The "Hidden Clusters" Mod
BRIEF DESCRIPTION
This is the first released mod of Darkstar One which not only contains ini-mods, but also a lot of additional scripts, thus implementing a couple of new tasks at the terminal, random missions in space and great side missions. 7 more clusters with 70 additional starsystems, more artifacts and a faster upgrade system. Many new features for the DSO and options* for the gameplay. The mod is designed for most flexibility of implementing further new missions and functions, hence being an endless story of future development. Though I'm not going to release the source codes of the new missions, it'll be relatively easy to add your own missions and tasks (if you're familiar with the script language Lua and the script system of DS1). While the ongoing development I encountered a lot of undocumented functions, effects, weapons and further possibilities, which are used by this mod thus offering actions and views never seen before in the original game. All those previously unknown functions are documented now in the new revised (german) version of the modding guide.
* One example of the many new options for the gameplay:
There are a couple of new options in the mod for the 2 flak missions, which makes them easier or even more difficult in several steps and variations.
You can find and change the options in the file Options.lua, located in the subdirectory "scripts" of the modding folder. It can be edited with a plain text editor like the Windows editor, Notepad++ etc. Do not use a text processing program like Office or Wordpad, they will make the Options.lua unreadable for DS1 and causes it to crash.
DOWNLOAD and original german thread
(Downloads are attached to the end of the articles #1 and #2)
Darkstar One - Modding (PC-Version)
There you will also find further links to related sites, threads and downloads.
INSTALLATION
- Download the file "Versteckte Cluster <# of version>.rar" and extract it to an temporary folder.
- Move or copy the whole folder "Versteckte Cluster" to the modding directory "Customization".
(e.g. "My Documents\Ascaron Entertainment\Darkstar One\Customization\")
If the folder "Customization" doesn't exist, you have to create it first.
You may rename the folder "Versteckte Cluster" to anything else you want, that doesn't matter, the program will find the mod anyway. - Go to the installation folder of the game (e.g. "C:\Games\Darkstar One\") and in there change to "lua\mission\". If not already done so, rename or save those 5 original files first:
missions.bin, BattleLib.lua, BattleLibEx.lua, MissionLib.lua and CameraLib.lua.
Don't use the extension ".lua" at the end by no means when renaming the original lua-files!
(Forbidden: BattleLib.org.lua; Allowed: BattleLib.lua.org) - Copy the data content from the extracted folder "mission" (not the folder itself) to this place and allow the overwriting of the existing files, if they are still present.
It's essential to copy them all to the mentioned folder in order to expect a faultless working mod! Unless the mod itself they are downwards compatible to all other save games of the original or other mods.
This new lua-files are the 4 revised and 2 newly created libraries with additional utility functions for the scripts.
The missions.bin is a patched version of the original to prevent the creation of undesired superfreighters by the original missions.
FYI: When I'm finished with implementing the whole original story into the mod (with some corrections and extensions), this replacement of the missions.bin will get obsolet. In the next version 1.5 of the mod this will be done to about 80%, so it won't last very long anymore until it's completed. - If there exists a file called "user_scripts.rar" you must extract it into the modding folder "scripts" after installing the mod, thus overwriting the present file. It contains the latest bugfixes for the missions.
- Similar procedure if you find a file called "mission <ver>.rar" attached. Only difference: This one has to be extracted to the folder "lua\mission\" of the installation folder of the game. This archive contains the 6 function libraries for the game with the latest fixes and extensions.
- If desired, you may download and extract the modding guide "Modding_DE 2.0.rar" (German, new revised version with much more infos) and/or "Modding_EN.rar" (English, original chm-file, #2 of the thread).
Now you can (i.e. must) start a new game after you selected the mod now visible in the list "Mods" of the main menu.
Important note: The mod is not compatible with previous save games from the original or other mods.
If you copy them to the save folder of this mod a couple of problems will occur when starting them, like wrong starsystem positions, stuck missions etc.
To give you some help to the structure of a modding folder, here you can read an excerpt from the
Modding Guide, Chapter 3 "Preparations and Sample Mod":
QuoteDisplay More
"darkstarmod.ini"
Each mod contains a "darkstarmod.ini" which is structured like this:
[darkstarmod]
mod_name = (name of the mod)
mod_desc = (short, one-line description)
The name and the description will be displayed in the selection menu for modifications.
Mod Directory (/Customization/<Modname>)
This is the structure of a mod directory:
- /inifiles
All .ini files should be available in this folder (simply extract from "ds_3dadd.cpr"* if you want to make any changes).
*You must not do that with an already installed mod! (comment from myself)- /scripts
All .lua files, which you created or compiled will be found in here- /sound
All sound files (preferably mp3) belong in here.- /strings
The resource file "user_strings.res" for new texts is found in this directory.- Furthermore, a zip file with the name "user_data.zip" is available for 3D data. The structure of this file is explained in the chapter "3D". Missing directories or files will prompt the game to use the default data. The prime example are the *.ini files. If they are missing in the mod, the original Darkstar One files will be loaded. The sample modification will explain all opportunities for changing the game.
IMPORTANT:
In order to guarantee the compatibility of the save games, each modification will save its own save games. If you save a game while mod "A" is active, this save game will only be available for modification "A". Only compatible save games will be displayed for each mod.
If something is unclear to you about the installation, please refer to the modding guide first before asking questions here.
About the mod itself you can find a few answers in the english speaking DSO-forum of the publisher, especially in the topic Patch. As a matter of course you'll find a whole bunch of infos in the linked thread for the download above, but it's all in german language (I tried to translate the most important things here, but that cannot be complete). Feel free to ask questions about the mod here in this forum.
You may... (but I don't think you will...) 
If you don't want to have the german scripts (compiled in user_scripts.bin) which contains the new and modified missions, then you can install this mod as a pure ini-mod.
To do so, you have only to rename or delete the one directory called "scripts" within the modding-directory after installation of the mod. After that you will get the language-independent part of the mod with the ability to upgrade your DSO to level 30, a faster upgrade-system, faster afterburners depending on your level, more pirate hideouts, new clusters and much more.
But be aware: In this case you'll never see some of the hidden clusters because they are unlocked by completing certain new side missions. Additionally the field drive for unlimited range will not be available unless you finished the story (after the last fight against the mothership). There are a few more artifacts in the hidden clusters which makes it possible to unlock the drive at an earlier time.
Notes:
1.) The description of this first announcement of the mod may not be complete. It takes me some time to translate my german train of thoughts to english, so I could have forgotten to mention possibly important things. Just ask, if something isn't quite plain to you.
2.) In the directory "strings" of the mod you'll find a file called "user_strings.xml". This is the source for all the newly created german text which is coded in the resource file "user_strings.res". Only new missions and a few modified original missions will be in german, all the others are in your local language furthermore. I didn't have the time so far to translate all this large amount of text into english. Maybe someone of you is willing to do that. 
The procedure is described in reply #50 of the above mentioned thread in the publisher forum.
3.) To get through with this announcement, I didn't list all the short descriptions for each single new mission and function yet. I will do the translation later and add them to the next reply.
