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Modding DTA
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Colos
Vehicle Driver


Joined: 12 Nov 2014

PostPosted: Thu Feb 15, 2018 9:43 pm    Post subject:  Modding DTA
Subject description: Question set on how-to's
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So after playing DTA for a year or so I've been wanting to change it up and give a shot at modding DTA. Maybe a few maps at first but I've decided to jump straight ahead to the more complex things.

After looking through the TS modding stuff, and cross referencing it to DTA; I've encountered a few issues. Of which I will ask here:

1. In order to get anything custom into the game, it needs to go into the Rules.ini, right? But it also needs to go into EChace#02-98. The best method for doing so is to make your own EChace##. But since the EChaces have different things in them, then how should I structure the EChace so I can test it out?

2. If I wanted to add custom units, buildings, sounds, etc. Do they all go into the same .ini or do they need to be separate?

3. If I wanted to add playable factions, should that go into the same copy/pasted Ehanced.ini?

4. In one of the .ini, the one regarding playable factions has the "Controller" always listed as GDI. Should this be done in the same manner for anything else that's added?

Basically, Do I just modify the "insert type"E.ini for custom things or do I add them to the "insert-type".ini? I don't want to over-write anything that is already there.

Oh and I guess this could be a thread for those who have their own modding the mod questions.

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Lin Kuei Ominae
Seth


Joined: 16 Aug 2006
Location: Germany

PostPosted: Thu Feb 15, 2018 10:11 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote  Mark this post and the followings unread

1. ecache## files are like zip archives, which you can fill with any stuff you want using XCC Mixer. Usually that means adding SHPs, which is the main graphic format used by DTA and the underlying TS engine.

So usually you have a new graphic (e.g. myunit.shp), put that file into ecache99.mix (for testing i use a high number, as higher numbers overwrite SHPs with the same filename in lower number ecache MIXes)
then add for your new unit to art.ini the necessary section [MYUNIT] containing the keys that tell the game how the graphic file is structured and in rules.ini add the new unit section telling the game how this unit works ingame (unit stats like armor, hitpoints weapon etc)


2. All goes in the same art.ini and same rules.ini.
The game only reads those 2 files for the global settings. In addition it reads ArtE.ini and Enhance.ini for DTA's enhanced mode, which usually only changes stuff from the normal art.ini/rules.ini and doesn't add entirely new stuff.

3. they go in rules.ini
but adding new sides is very advanced modding with lots of things that can go wrong, means crashes/internal errors.
Start small first by adding a new unit/building, before you try this.

4. no clue what you mean here

what do you mean with "insert type".ini?

I suggest you read The newbie guide in modding


Note: when you modify the files, the next time you start the Client, the Client will notice the changes and try to update/correct them. So once you start to modify them, you should refrain from updating the game.

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^Rampastein
Rampastring


Joined: 11 Oct 2008
Location: Gensokyo

PostPosted: Fri Feb 16, 2018 12:30 am    Post subject: Reply with quote  Mark this post and the followings unread

Lin Kuei Ominae wrote:
Note: when you modify the files, the next time you start the Client, the Client will notice the changes and try to update/correct them. So once you start to modify them, you should refrain from updating the game.

The client actually hasn't automatically detected modified files since DTA 1.15's release in autumn 2016. However, next time there's an official update and you download it through the client, the client will detect the modified files as "out of date" and will replace them. So, if you mod, back up your files before downloading updates, or don't update at all.

Also note that modifying files will cause you to show up as a potential cheater in online games, and most INI changes also make your game incompatible with other players.

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Bittah Commander
Defense Minister


Joined: 21 May 2003
Location: The Netherlands

PostPosted: Sat Feb 17, 2018 6:10 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote  Mark this post and the followings unread

In order to overwrite as little as possible and to make it a quick and easy task to make your mod compatible again after you update DTA in the future, I recommend that you create a GlobalCode.ini file in the \INI\Map Code directory and place all to enter all Rules.ini and Enhance.ini changes you want to make in there (you don't need to paste all Rules.ini/Enhance.ini code in there, but only add the code that you're actually changing).
For Art.ini changes you should strictly use ArtE.ini, considering that it has barely any code in it to begin with and unless you modify the nuke, you won't need to overwrite anything.
Keep in mind that GlobalCode.ini and ArtE.ini do get deleted or overwritten when you update, so be sure to have a backup of these files when you do update.

If you want to add new SHPs, place them in ECache05.mix (or use a higher number; mix-files with a lower number are currently automatically deleted on startup) and use Expand01.mix (or any other number) for voxels.
To tidy things up a bit, you can also place your ECache##.mix file inside of Expand##.mix. ArtE.ini can be placed in Expand##.mix as well (and then also can't be overwritten when you update), but this won't work for GlobalCode.ini.

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