Is there a step by step guide to adding a new race?

Been trawling through the forum, but I can’t find a starting point for making a new race. I plan on using the existing 2D artwork to start with as a placeholder, but just want to get a race that I can select. Been looking at the existing Tribe/Swarm/Order addons I have, but can’t seem to piece together everything I actually need or figure out the hooks

i start with copying the entire race folder and renaming it, then i remove all the ship files and ship art.

rename the race in the race.txt and create a install file in gsb/data/installs (just look at the other ones, youll know what to put there)

and then i just add my own ships by copying and tweaking. tweaking is ALOT easier than creating ^^

well, its not a very good tutorial… this is just how i do it…

and if there is something else you want to know, just look at the “modding 101” thread. if you still have unawnsered questions, just ask :slight_smile:

Yea, as ponyus say that is the easiest way to start without any knowledge of modding in gsb (in fact i think is the way all moders of gsb start modding his new race mods)

For example, the tribe “mod” xDD, is compossed of the Tribe entire folder and the files: installfile.txt located in the DATA/INSTALLS folder of the game, and packagefile.pkg located in the DATA/PACKAGES folder of the game. This file is not always necessary, but since it is just a txt file, i dont think its a problem to having it.

So when u make your new mod u will have MY MOD folder (with the same estructure that the tribe, swarm , etc addons) and the two files above, keeping in mind that the best thing to do is to copy as well the estructure of the DATA/INSTALLS and DATA/PACKAGES folders so u only need to overwrite the existing folder adding your new DATA/INSTALLS and DATA/PACKAGEs files.

Then, now u need to remove all the art and stuff that u dont need from the copied tribe folder, as bitmaps, hulls, modules , etc. cuz u will create new files.

Now, in the mymod/data/races folder, u need to edit the tribe.txt race file and change values to your own mod specifics.

Thats the basics.

After that, now u can start adding modules, hulls, etc

Modules?? depends on wat module. I copy one base module of the DATA/modules folder of the GSB game, depending if i want a bullet module, armour, engine, etc to my modules folder and i just modify all the values.

Hulls? the same… i pick a base hull and modify the values. Of course i create customized explosion secuencies, glows and so on, but thats just things that u will learn in the process.
The hull file is a bit more tricky, cuz u need to specify the sprites (in the top) the game will use in the game. (u will need 3 sprites, myship.dds, myship damaged.dds and myship hulk.dds).

And i think this is the basic things u need to know. Now, the sprites, they must be saved in DDS format (or png if u are using a mac) with an alpha channel (transparency). The background of the sprites must be transparent. The size of the sprites, the bigger as possible (more resolution = better they will look in - game). If u are going to save the sprites in compressed format, the sprites need to be in a size multiple of 2 (128x128 / 256x256 /512x512) but there is no limit of size.

The damaged sprite is the same as the first sprite but with damage spots painted over the ship. The hull sprite (the last) is the same but with breach lines throught the ship (u will need to separate every “part” as a hull part later in the in-game editor or in the txt file).

When u get the 3 sprites, now u need to modify the hull txt file of that ship, and i recommend u to use the in-game editor of course. There u can easily place the explosions, damage spots and hull details without the need to modify manually the txt file (thats horrible).

Well, thats all i can tell u, but modding for gsb is very easy. Good luck.

Thanks guys…that gives me a good starting point! I’ll give it a go and see how I get on.