Are there any plans of opening the game to modders?

[3enrique]

Of course I am not talking about doing it right now, but allowing modders to create content for the game will allow the game to grow in size and to create a great and colaborative community. Besides, it will allow you creators to take some rest from time to time

What do you think?

[Nacho84]

Hello Enrique,

Once I'm done with the post-release patch, I'm definitely planning to release the internal tools we use in order to create the game database, along with some documentation, yes.

Cheers,

[3enrique]

Great!

It will be very interesting to see what modders can do with this game!

[priclessppp]

Hello Enrique,

Once I'm done with the post-release patch, I'm definitely planning to release the internal tools we use in order to create the game database, along with some documentation, yes.

Cheers,

How detailed will the modding tools can get will modders be able to make user created expansion packs with new ships and goals and change the user interface and add new game rules?And add other space agency factions to race against?

[Nacho84]

Hello Enrique,

Once I'm done with the post-release patch, I'm definitely planning to release the internal tools we use in order to create the game database, along with some documentation, yes.

Cheers,

How detailed will the modding tools can get will modders be able to make user created expansion packs with new ships and goals and change the user interface and add new game rules?And add other space agency factions to race against?

Well, I'm not going to lie to you... the modding tools are programmer tools really!

We have the whole game database contained inside an Excel spreadsheet and what we do is save out the individual pages as CSV files and run batch files in order to convert them to XMLs, which is the format used by the game engine. We also have a set of command-line validation tools that ensure data consistency.

Once I get the first post-release patch out, I'll set some time aside in order to write some documentation and release the tools.

Cheers,

[bardosy]

Nacho,

is it possible now already create new [space]programs as a mod, if I examine and understand the xml files? Or I have to wait for the modding tool?

And what are will be the modding-tools?

[nico7550]

Hi bardosy,

From my personal experience from November 2013, based on the injection of the X15 Flight 3 (the missing mission ) in the 0.7.5 release (so it has change a lot since, and my conclusion can be wrong):
With some tweaking across some files (more than five), it's possible but you will not be able to add the graphics part...
I was able to open the X15 new flight I made, all was working except for the black screens on almost all image areas.
And it lockup in the mission screen as I didn't have the needed animation package.
The needed files are grouped by unity as in one resources file.
So from my opinion, it's not impossible but you need Unity to compile the needed package.

Like you, I've good some crazy ideas...

X15-A2_Low_SubOrbital_l.jpg (66.89 KiB) Viewed 7621 times

Cheers

[bardosy]

Thanks nico for the answer,

Yesterday I made more searching on the files and found what you wrote: the images are in packs.
My first thought was I don't care the animation (of course I care, but this is what too difficult for me) and I will focus for parameters, detailed text and the image of the project. But you are right, I cannot insert images neighter without the packer (I didn't know it's Unity, so thanks for the info!).

I read your other answer in an other topic here about the images of faces. I planned to create a face mod, because the publisher cannot sell the faces, but a 3rd party modder's hand no in tie, because we do it for free. (eg, I saw the SPM's music in a Kerbal's mod. I guess it's copyright too, but Slitherine could harder to sue a modder then an other publisher).

[lordshipmayhem]

I think it would be... interesting (in a fun way)... to put unique images in for various people. I could see a Kerbalnaut in the astronaut pool.

[nico7550]

Half working mission addition with version 1.0:

Image8.jpg (220.82 KiB) Viewed 7542 times

I take the simplest case to add, the X15 Flight 3...

Notice the images place holder, notice that there is no macro diagram, same in the mission player where you can see "behind" the scene...
Oh you notice that you can play mission ? Yes but screen turn black after, same if you resolve the mission instead of watching it...

Cheers

[nico7550]

After more extensive research, it's not possible to add new items in the game. Maybe one day...

There some alpha tools to export and import data but the name should be the same and in some case, the file should be also of the same size. So we are "stuck" with the existing items (but there is enough to play).
Unity sign the resources and pack them.

The code needed to allow modding in BASPM is heavy. I see some info about using the WWW attribute in Unity, or projects that share some part of the source code with some adapted C# files (limited files). And I don't talk of the need of Unity pro to compile the Unity3D files or the .assets files.
The best idea about modding using Unity is to add it from the beginning and use it for the main data.

Concerning the crash after mission, I ask Ignacio if he can add some lines of code to replace the missing images by a placeholder image to avoid crash (I suppose it's the reason of the crash).

Next test, I will try to add a new mission, not only duplicate one.
And I will try to change some id numbers in my X15 test to see if it can change something with the placeholder image before mission screen...

Result this week

Cheers

[Mach25]

I would like to be able to add pictures for each astronaut. I would also like to be able to change the images in the welcome/intro/menu screens from Soviet spacecraft to American. Maybe provide a set of alternate graphics for these screens?

[nico7550]

Hi,

it can be done at some point:

ntest.jpg (104.74 KiB) Viewed 7320 times

Only the .asset files can be manipulated
Using UAE (http://7daystodie.com/forums/showthread ... s-UAE-BETA)
browse and select the image you want to change, right click on it, export.
edit the DDS file using paint.net (http://www.dotpdn.com/downloads/pdn.html)
save in DXT5
Return to UAE, right click on the image one more time and select import to replace it, you should see the result asap in the preview box.

The unity3 files cannot be modify for the moment.


Cheers

[Mach25]

Nico,

I was able to change out some of the images in the game with that tool. Thanks for sharing that!

However, I was not able to find the intro screens to change those out. I'm guessing those are locked in a unity3d file somewhere?

Can I use this tool to import new assets, like astronaut photos, to link to the historical astronaut roster I created?

[nico7550]

Hi,

I cannot find the intro screens too, maybe Nacho84 can point us the files ?

And Unity3D files cannot be modify for now.
In the Disunity discussion, it said it didn't support the function yet but the creator hope it will...
Sad because the portraits are in the unity files...
(using Disunity, you may extract all the data, but you cannot inject in an existing unity3D files or create a new one).
Sorry, we will have to wait...

Regarding my tests :
I manage to add a new original X15 mission using some new steps (like a double ascent) but as previous tests, it crash after the mission due to some missing files that don't have placeholder mask).

Cheers

[Nacho84]

Hello guys,

Nearly all the images used by the game are stored inside files with the "unity3d" extension inside the data folder. These kind of files are called asset bundles.

The introductory images are not stored inside asset bundles, they are part of the game's resources, though I can certainly extract them for a future patch if you want to.

Cheers,

[nico7550]

Strange, I didn't see them in sharedassets0.assets file or in resources.assets file...

Can you give us the name of one of them ?

Cheers

[Nacho84]

The images used in the popups when you start the game (i.e., the ones that show Eisenhower, Kennedy, etc) are named:

BG_AdvisorIntroductionYYY
BG_SpaceAgencyEstablishedYYY
BG_MoonDecisionYYY

where YYY can be either GSA, NASA or Soviet. Notice that there's no Moon decision for the GSA.

Though by re-reading this thread I believe that when you guys say "intro screens" you're actually referring to the background images used in the main menu. If that's the case, then you can find those images inside MainMenu.unity3d and MainMenu-16.9.unity3d inside the AssetBundles folder. Those two Unity3D files actually contain several images inside.

Cheers,

[nico7550]

Thanks Ignacio, sad ...

the alpha tools available didn't allow yet to replace images in unity3D file nor to create news unity3D file.

We will wait...

May I just request the needed code to place some placeholder images for the macro-diagram, for the mission diagram (lower left in mission control screen) and for the result screen ?
I think that the reason of the problem I have with custom mission (animation work without problem, it hang (black screen) after leaving the mission control screen).

Cheers

[Mach25]

The images used in the popups when you start the game (i.e., the ones that show Eisenhower, Kennedy, etc) are named:

BG_AdvisorIntroductionYYY
BG_SpaceAgencyEstablishedYYY
BG_MoonDecisionYYY

where YYY can be either GSA, NASA or Soviet. Notice that there's no Moon decision for the GSA.

Though by re-reading this thread I believe that when you guys say "intro screens" you're actually referring to the background images used in the main menu. If that's the case, then you can find those images inside MainMenu.unity3d and MainMenu-16.9.unity3d inside the AssetBundles folder. Those two Unity3D files actually contain several images inside.

Cheers,

No, the screens I want to replace are the title screens showing all the Soviet hardware. I want to replace them with new screens that show US hardware instead.