make uncolonizable entities colonizable

from Sins Forums

how does one do it? if i wanted to colonize, say, a star(lol), what modifications need to be made? i took a look at the entity file and tried to edit it, but it didn't work

i did:

iscolonizable -----> true

gave it the planetupgradedef of a volcanic planet 

turned entity type from "star" to "planet"

 

i got the capital/frigate/cruiser/rallypoint icons to appear when i highlighed the star, but could not colonize it. any ideas? i am new to this stuff, so anything will help! (no flames please!)

Thanks! :grin:

modding
2,980 views 5 replies
Reply #1 from Sins Forums Top

your problem is that star and planet enties differ at various parameters.

the easier way is to use a the volcanic planet entity (copy and rename it as you like)

and just change the meshinfo part for the appearance.

you just need to copy the meshname from your star enitity and adjust these parameter:

typeNameStringID,hudIcon,smallHudIcon,infoCardIcon,mainViewIcon,undetectedMainViewIcon,picture

 

here an example like i made it with my companion stars:

meshInfo
    typeNameStringID "IDSGalaxyScenarioTypeStarBlueCompanion"
    asteroidTemplate "Empty"
    dustCloudTemplate "Empty"
    meshName "Star_Companion_Blue"
    cloudColor ffffffff
    nullMeshRadius 0.000000
    nullMeshParticleEffect ""
    hudIcon "HUDICON_STAR_BLUE"
    smallHudIcon "HUDICONSMALL_STAR_BLUE"
    infoCardIcon "INFOCARDICON_STAR_BLUE"
    mainViewIcon "MAINVIEWICON_CSTAR_BLUE"
    undetectedMainViewIcon "MAINVIEWICON_CSTAR_BLUE"
    picture "STARPICTURE_BLUE"

Reply #2 from Sins Forums Top

Thanks a lot! i will test this out soon!

When i open the .entity files, the parameters are numbered and always in the same order in other entities. does this order matter?

thanks again!

 

This didn't work. i renamed everything properly and copied, but it still says "ability cannot target this object"

is there another file other than the STAR_BLUE.entity i must alter?

 

Here is my complete star_blue entity file:

 

TXT
entityType "Planet"
meshInfoCount 1
meshInfo
    typeNameStringID "IDSGalaxyScenarioTypeStarBlue"
    asteroidTemplate "Empty"
    dustCloudTemplate "Empty"
    meshName "Star_Blue"
    cloudColor ffffffff
    nullMeshRadius 0.000000
    nullMeshParticleEffect ""
    hudIcon "HUDICON_STAR_BLUE"
    smallHudIcon "HUDICONSMALL_STAR_BLUE"
    infoCardIcon "INFOCARDICON_STAR_BLUE"
    mainViewIcon "MAINVIEWICON_STAR_BLUE"
    undetectedMainViewIcon "MAINVIEWUNDETECTEDICON_STAR_BLUE"
    picture "STARPICTURE_BLUE"
minZoomDistanceMult 1.000000
glowColor 0
ringColor 0
cloudLayerTextureName ""
planetResourceSetupInfo
    asteroidSpawnAngleVariance 0.000000
    totalMaxResourceAsteroids 0
    metalResourceAsteroidSetup
        minCount 0
        maxCount 0
        extractionRate 0.000000
        refineryRate 0.000000
        maxRefineryCount 0
    crystalResourceAsteroidSetup
        minCount 0
        maxCount 0
        extractionRate 0.000000
        refineryRate 0.000000
        maxRefineryCount 0
    neutralMetalResourceAsteroidSetup
        minCount 0
        maxCount 0
        extractionRate 0.000000
        refineryRate 0.000000
        maxRefineryCount 0
    neutralCrystalResourceAsteroidSetup
        minCount 0
        maxCount 0
        extractionRate 0.000000
        refineryRate 0.000000
        maxRefineryCount 0
isAsteroid FALSE
healthRegenRate -1.000000
planetUpgradeDef
    path:Population
        stageCount 0
    path:CivilianModules
        stageCount 0
    path:TacticalModules
        stageCount 0
    path:Home
        stageCount 0
    path:ArtifactLevel
        stageCount 0
    path:Infrastructure
        stageCount 0
ringsChance 0.000000
isColonizable TRUE
planetTypeForResearch "Invalid"
skyboxScalarsCount 10
skyboxScalars
    diffuseScalar 1.000000
    ambientScalar 1.000000
skyboxScalars
    diffuseScalar 1.000000
    ambientScalar 1.000000
skyboxScalars
    diffuseScalar 1.000000
    ambientScalar 1.000000
skyboxScalars
    diffuseScalar 1.000000
    ambientScalar 1.000000
skyboxScalars
    diffuseScalar 1.000000
    ambientScalar 1.000000
skyboxScalars
    diffuseScalar 1.000000
    ambientScalar 1.000000
skyboxScalars
    diffuseScalar 1.000000
    ambientScalar 1.000000
skyboxScalars
    diffuseScalar 1.000000
    ambientScalar 1.000000
skyboxScalars
    diffuseScalar 1.000000
    ambientScalar 1.000000
skyboxScalars
    diffuseScalar 1.000000
    ambientScalar 1.000000
requiredPlanetBonusesCount 0
possibleRandomPlanetBonusesCount 0
ambienceSoundID ""
renderAsVolcanic FALSE
ShieldMeshName ""
moveAreaRadius -1.000000
hyperspaceExitRadius -1.000000
isWormhole FALSE
minShadow 0.000000
maxShadow 0.000000
ability:0 ""
ability:1 ""
ability:2 ""
ability:3 ""

 

 

If im doing it wrong, please let me know! Thanks!

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Reply #3 from Sins Forums Top

try looking at Solar Sins with rogue stars, think that might be what you're looking for.  You also need to consider if new research is needed as ICE/Volcanic colonization research is primative compared to that which would be required to colonize a bright, blazing star.

Reply #4 from Sins Forums Top

yeah, but i can't even colonize the star right now, so i will deal with designing new research when i have something to use it on. im just trying to make it colonizable, then will worry about specifics.

thanks for the advice!

Reply #5 from Sins Forums Top

2 additional things i saw in your example:

 

planetUpgradeDef:

even if the planet is uncolonizable there is allways at least a stagecount of 1 in each path with all related values to zero.

 

ability:3 "":

after that comes ability:4 ""

 

and if you want to test the colonizable without a new research:

planetTypeForResearch "Invalid" set Invalid to Volcanic, Asteriod, Ice, Desert or Terran these values are the normal

colonizable values