[Guide] GSB_1_ "Modding 101" Guide

Ok, i have done a bit of reasearch into this one.
animationgap = This is the time between each “animation” of the Standard Plasma sprite. The higher the value, the longer between each frame.

frames = I think that this is a deactivated value. You can even remove it from the plasma weapon all together and the game will not crash.

At a guess i would say that early on in the development the plasma bullet was pre animated - for example a dds file had 4 images of the plasma bullet and it would cycle through them using the animationgap as the interval. So if you were to replace the plasma bullet with a more animated image you would specify it had 16 frames.

In the end that frames was to be used for is a secret only cliffski knows . . .

I use this little craptastic little editor and the -editor parameter needs to be outside the " " marks. I have found that this program runs well but definitely has its limits here and there. For one, It only moves explosions around; not add them. Also other than crashing sometimes, the engine thingies will get off the slider and be imposable to adjust.

I have found that if I decrease the size of the engine trail before making a new one and then adjusting it afterwards, I don’t run into that problem. And yes – save often and save before changing hulls. Backing up your Hull files before you go editing is not only recommended but is a must! Placing turrets are hit-or-miss BUT it gives you a good starting point to go editing the hull text file to make it exact.

I have found that the in-game editor (even with its flaws) is a very powerful tool. And If used right, it works far better than only making hulls from text editing or other programs, in my personal option.

What i normally do is copy a hull file that is already in place.

Remove the info in the following tags while still leaving the tags themselves in place: Slots, Targets, Runninglights, Engineglow, and Hulks.

I make them within the in-game editor and adjust as needed within the text file.

Here’s a fairly basic question: Has anyone worked out the specifics of how the speed and fuel variables work together? I’m willing to figure it out myself if no one’s walked that path, but I figured I’d check to see if that particular wheel has already been invented.

Reason I ask - I’m playing with some plasma traits, and found that using maxsimultaneous and salvos I can make a gun that essentially vomits four plasmas all at once, then waits to recharge. But to get the effect right, all the plasmas have to run out of fuel before the salvo_interval resets. So I’m not sure if that’s a plain fuel issue, or if the plasma speed works into it, or what. Just playing with the idea.

On the first page i have created a list of what i think each variable does so it could very well be wrong. (It also needs to be updated with the Parasites data)

So far - from what i understand:
Fuel - how long the missile / plasma will go for.
In other words its how long the missile / plasma will exist on screen.
So as an example using fuel = 2000 would mean that at x1 speed the plasma/missile will exist for 20 seconds before it expires.

However i am not aware if anyone has confirmed this so it would be great for you or anyone else were to conduct some research and correct me where i am wrong.

I was hoping to find the time to investigate the following questions:
What is the conversion of fuel to time (at x1 speed)

• so does 2000 = 20 seconds ?
• does a fire interval of 2000 = a fuel of 2000 ?
  What is the distance covered per second.
• A missile/plasma traveling at speed (x) will cover a distance of (y) per second.

As an example the above knowledge would enable you to optimise your weapons.
Where a weapon has:
fuel = 1000
speed = 5

Total distance the missile/plasma would cover would be 2000
Therefore your max range should be 2000 for optimal reloading.
and the fire interval should be 1000.

Well, if fuel has a direct relation to time as you’ve theorized, then it should be a matter of synching fuel and fire_interval/salvo_interval, as these are all pure time variables.

Then the speed/fuel combination would be used to set a proper range variable.

I think.

Someone can explain to me the exact effects of each shader of the vainilla game? I’ve exploring that feature, but i cannot see any noticeable change when applying almost every one. I want to add some shaders to my scenarios, but if i can’t see any changes when applying them, what can i do?

EDIT: Shaders Disscusion Here

Any insight on how the engine glows work? Still trying to hash it out myself… i’m better at the art then the text

thus far ive got…

(a)0 = (b)45.00,©200.00,(d)40.00,(e)80.00,(f)engineglow.dds,(g)engine_debris,(h)0,(i)1.00

a= the number designating which engine
b= x-coordinate
c= y-coordinate
d= width of engine glow effect
e= length of engine glow effect
f= the .dds file in the data/bitmaps/fx folder
g= the lil dots coming out of the engine
h= debris on or off… 0= on 1= off
i= distance along the x axis where the debris begin. -5.00 will move it aft a great deal, 5.00 will move it fore just as much.

if/when you have a question about modding, i suggest to try here in the Modding Guide also if you discover something new, it helps centralise it for everyone

Some info on engine glows
However it does not mention what the last number does, so it looks like you have discovered what the last number does

As a follow on from Turret Building - the Basics

Next Chapter: Turret Building - Know your Centroid

As you design your new super uber turret, it is important to know where the turret will pivot in-game. Determining this pivot point is rather easy. For the sake of the exercise i will continue with the Mega turret series from the Unity Mod.

Whenever you building a turret sheet, it is a good idea to make sure its square¹. For a majority of turrets 512 x 512 is ideal. From there you should use the grid function and have it separate the sheet into 64x64 squares. This will help with placing the turrets in the correct location

Since the pivot point for any turret is the centre of the square. By using the grid function and having it divide the sheet into 32x32 you can display where the centre of the turret is.

As you can see there is quite a lot of empty space below the turret, that is because i want the pivot point to be at the centre of the “body” of the turret.

Hint: If you are building a turret with long barrels then you could say you have lost the bottom third of your canvas. A suggestion is to increase the size of the turret sheet to 1024x1024 so that you have an increase in resolution of the turrets. Please note it will increases the file size - so use with care.

¹ You might not have to make your turret sheet square. This is something on my lists of “things to try”

• Make a turret sheet that is 512 wide and 1024 high
• Create a whole pile of long barrel turrets, howitzers, cannons and such
• See if the game divides the sheet into 64x128 rectangles.
  Advantage: this would cut down on the image size . .

Just starting to code the two suvirvals, i was going to use the zombies suvirval scenario as base to start coding my own suvirval, but i found this:

[waves] 0 = waveZOMBIE0.txt,10, 1 = waveZOMBIE1.txt,10, 2 = waveZOMBIE1.txt,10, 3 = waveZOMBIE2.txt,10, 4 = waveZOMBIE2.txt,10, 5 = waveZOMBIE2.txt,10, 6 = waveZOMBIE3.txt,10, 7 = waveZOMBIE3.txt,10, 8 = waveZOMBIE3.txt,10, 9 = waveZOMBIE3.txt,10, 10 = waveZOMBIE4.txt,10, 11 = waveZOMBIE4.txt,10, 12 = waveZOMBIE4.txt,10, 13 = waveZOMBIE4.txt,10, 14 = waveZOMBIE4.txt,10, 15 = waveZOMBIE5.txt,10, 16 = waveZOMBIE5.txt,10, 17 = waveZOMBIE5.txt,10, 18 = waveZOMBIE5.txt,10, 19 = waveZOMBIE5.txt,10, 20 = waveZOMBIE5.txt,10, 21 = waveZOMBIE5.txt,10, 22 = waveZOMBIE5.txt,10, 23 = waveZOMBIE5.txt,10, 24 = waveZOMBIE5.txt,10, 25 = waveZOMBIE5.txt,10, 26 = waveZOMBIE5.txt,10, 27 = waveZOMBIE5.txt,10, 28 = waveZOMBIE5.txt,10, 29 = waveZOMBIE5.txt,10, 30 = waveZOMBIE5.txt,10, 31 = waveZOMBIE5.txt,10, 32 = waveZOMBIE5.txt,10, 33 = waveZOMBIE5.txt,10, 34 = waveZOMBIE5.txt,10, 35 = waveZOMBIE5.txt,10, 36 = waveZOMBIE5.txt,10, 37 = waveZOMBIE5.txt,10, 38 = waveZOMBIE5.txt,10, 39 = waveZOMBIE5.txt,10, 40 = waveZOMBIE5.txt,10

I understand that the .txts are the waves deployments, and that when this list of waves reachs the end, starts again infinitely. But what is that 10 at the end of each line?
And why the last 10 has no comma (,) at the end?

I think CptFox should explain as you are using his template. . [size=10]Muhahahahah :P[/size]

I think that that was the first useless post of darkstar [size=20]but funny actually :P[/size]

Okay… HEY CPTFOX! What is that “10,”!!! XP

au contraire - That post is not useless to CptFox.
It should jog his memory to find the indepth guide to survival missions i wrote him . .

Pretty curious about that guide ^^

EDIT: really needing to know what is it so i can start coding the missions D:

I’m working on combining everything in this guide into a PDF, organizing it into sections. I’ll post it when done.

Also, When drawing something symmetrical, just draw one side, copy, and then reverse for that symmetrical feel.

That was my preffered technique, “copy, invert and paste”. But a month ago i found that the mirror tool that i’ve downloaded is a lot better and accurate cuz there is no human error. Also the feature of Mirror Over Line that offers a fan made tool of Paint.NET is EPIC to get instantly new models. You have to see how looks a vainilla fighter when applying that tool, i think that we can able to give a higger tech looking to every fighter of gsb xD

I REALLY NEED a fast answer to this question: How i make the package file for Praetorian Industries Mod?

I have created a pkg file similar to all the other mods files in gsb packages directory called “Praetorian Industries”, it looks like this:

[config] name = praetorian uiname = "Praetorian Industries Mod"

I have to add any other thing? the “name =” must be the race name that i’ve used in other things like restrictions?

Please answer fast this so i can start uploading the mod (yeah you are not having hallucinations, i’ve finished the code of the last mission )

As far as I know, the name just needs to be unique. It’s probably a good idea to keep it the same as the directory name (as given in the installs file), just to avoid confusion.

Looks good you need the name to be a unique name one that someone else may not use. I have made a few of them in the past and for the name i used random letters and numbers but the uiname is what the players will see. Otherwise it looks good.