Making Minor Factions Playable

[benj1707]

Hi I've been trying to make minor factions, mainly the Hapans, Imperial Warlords and Duskhan League, playable on the main GC's to add some variety in playing styles ie defending a small group of planets rather than the typical emphasis on conquering the whole galaxy.

I assume this is a simple XML edit, as all I want to do is make them playable in the Galactic Conquests where they already exist. Is there a quick way to make them playable in the GCs? Thanks. Great mod.

[Corey]

There's a quick way to make them playable in a limited sense in GCs, but making them properly playable takes a lot more time and effort. And making 4+ playable factions has certain negative effects on game stability.

That said, the simplest way is to go into the GC's XML file, copy the entry for one faction, paste it at the bottom of the file, give it a new name so it won't conflict with the others, change the starting faction name to the appropriate one (Pirates for Warlords, Sarlacc for Hapans), and remove the AI for them while adding it to the faction you used as a base.

Then go into the Factions/Expansion_Factions XML, find the faction you want, change debug switchable to and is playable tags to yes or true (Can't remember which is done yes/no and which is true/false, but regardless, just make it the opposite of whatever it is). Then you'll have a playable minor faction. However, doing it this way means you'll be lacking a proper GUI, any kind of music, buildable units for the Yevethans, proper infrastructure for all three, an embarassing amount of credits that you start with, a tiny amount that you can possibly make and a huge probability of crashes, several other issues like that, and you'll get the messages for planet capture rewards from one of the three major factions (whoever you based the GC off of). Long story short, I really suggest not doing this unless you have some modding experience and a high bug toleration.

[Lord Xizer]

Suppose someone just wanted to make a minor hero playable? Such as Jerec for example? Just hypothetically speaking of course.

[Corey]

Much easier. For one thing Jerec's in skirmish already, but you'd just need to get his ompany name (Jerec_Team I believe), go into the GC you want him playable in, and put this line in

<Starting_Forces> Empire, Bastion, Jerec_Team </Starting_Forces>

(Faction, Planet, Unit)

Also doable though story scripting if you want him spawned after an era change but that's a bit more complicated.

[benj1707]

Thanks very much, what about adding Zsinji as a playable faction in one of the campaigns when he doesn't currently appear?

Ie. taking the Zsinji faction and giving it a few worlds in say the Isard-era GC?

[Corey]

Same process as the other ones, however add in a step where you add planets into the list, and add the same kind of starting forces thing as I posted for Jerec but for more conventional units. And make sure you give them money and a starting teh level. Since factions beyond the first three (using the names of Rebel, Empire and Underworld) can't be given story scripts, all hero spawns have to be done via the unit placement at start, you can't lock or unlock units, or have the planet capture bonuses.

[Lord Xizer]

Thank you.

[Lord_jacob]

what if you just want to add units from one faction to another?

[Corey]

Change the affiliation, and sometimes the required structure depending on what it is. Same for tech level. For the NR, you basically have to shift it back one (0 = era 1, 1= era 2, etc), but the Remnant, EotH and everyone else are normal. If you want it for a different faction while staying on its original faction, you need to copy it, change the name, and then do the rest of the stuff I said.

[Zsinj]

I have made the Minor factions playable. In the factions.xml file just copy some of the things form other factions and they will have music ect. i copied the empires things for the Warlords and they have everything the empire has except when i vs the Empire it always calls them rebels.

Yes i was a bit late i apologize but i hope this will help people who are looking into modding in the future.

[Lord Xizer]

I have made the Minor factions playable. In the factions.xml file just copy some of the things form other factions and they will have music ect. i copied the empires things for the Warlords and they have everything the empire has except when i vs the Empire it always calls them rebels.

Yes i was a bit late i apologize but i hope this will help people who are looking into modding in the future.

lol not at all, i've been trying to get my hands on Jerec and Kaine in GCs since I discovered the mod existed(It was actually a search for Jerec in mods that led me to discover TR! Been trying to get the Pentastar Alignment playable as a result ever since!)

[Zsinj]

if its ok with corey i could send you my warlords xmls i gave them a few new units and made em playable. If you want it oh and make sure you make a back up of your xmls


it only makes em playable for the Art of War Big

[Lord Xizer]

if its ok with corey i could send you my warlords xmls i gave them a few new units and made em playable. If you want it oh and make sure you make a back up of your xmls


it only makes em playable for the Art of War Big

I would like that very much indeed! Please do send it, if it's alright by Corey of course. Thank you.

[Zsinj]

Allright message me your email and ill send it as an attatchment


If Corey is ok with it.

[Corey]

If you want to upload it and post the XMLs in a thread here, that's fine as long as you don't go around freely releasing parts of the mod. Feel free to make a new thread for it.

[Lord Xizer]

If you want to upload it and post the XMLs in a thread here, that's fine as long as you don't go around freely releasing parts of the mod. Feel free to make a new thread for it.

I thank you for your generosity Corey and you as well Zsinj!