Questions here: an inquiry thread! [Updated Sep 15th, 2014]

[NarnKar]

So I'm kind of stumped by the newest problem I've run into.

FTL crashes on startup because of one of my weapons--specifically, its animation. FTL Error Checker tells me this is because there is no <chargedFrame> tag.

But...look at the damn window. In FTL Error Checker's window, you can clearly see that <chargedFrame> is there, but appears to be indented incorrectly; which leads me to believe this error is due to inconsistent use of tabs and indentation. However, no matter how I edit my animations.xml.append, deleting all the tabs and retabbing them, or something similar; FTL Error Checker always tells me that there's an additional indentation I never intended, and FTLGame always crashes on startup.

So I'm really at my wit's end as to what to do. I was never good with the actual nitty-gritty of XML (UTF-8, ANSI, are words I'm only barely familiar with). Could someone help me out?

Here's the animations.xml.append I'm having trouble with.

[RAD-82]

The problem is with your <desc> tag. It's not supposed to include all those other tags. That seems to be the cause for your indentation problems.

edit: I can't type.

[NarnKar]

I see, that's where it is.

<desc length="3" x="0" y="0" > should've been desc length="3" x="0" y="0" />.

Christ almighty, what an innocuous mistake. That's why I shouldn't mod at 3AM

[Biohazard063]

Okay, here's a thing.

Is the artillery weapons blueprint considered as a weapon you have on your ship?

Example : I have created a custom weapon to serve as artillery.
I've given said weapon the blueprint name : BLUEPRINT_NAME (this is an example alright....)
If I want to use said weapon in blue options by editting some events.
Would I have to set the artillery system as a requirement (for the blue option) or would the requirement for BLUEPRINT_NAME also work so the blue option wouldn't be given for other artillery systems?

In short, can I use the weapon blueprint as a requirement or does it have to be the artillery system ?

I tried getting MTE working to load the events but there's some issues with loading the events...

[kartoFlane]

IIRC yes, you actually can use it as a requirement. I think there's an event in vanilla FTL that uses the Federation artillery, though I could be mistaken.

edit: Quick browse through FTL files shows that the artillery weapon's been placed in the WEAPONS_BEAM_DAMAGE weapon list, and then that gets used as the requirement. No idea if the artillery weapon can be used directly, though.

[TheFallenAngel359]

Is the artillery weapons blueprint considered as a weapon you have on your ship?

It does count as a weapon. If you were to look in the blueprints.xml file, you would see a weapon blueprint that is for the Artillery system. If I remember correctly, it's something like BEAM_3.

I think there's an event in vanilla FTL that uses the Federation artillery, though I could be mistaken.

Yes, there is. The Artillery Beam (Not the Artillery Flak seen on the Federation C - Fregatidae) can be used for a blue option in the Crushed Pirate event. Since it is technically considered a beam weapon in the code, it activates the blue option.

Code: Select all

<choice hidden="true" req="WEAPONS_BEAM_DAMAGE"> <!-- JUSTIN - TO DO - List of beam weapons-->
      <text>(Beam Weapon) Carefully cut the ship out.</text>
      <event>
         <text>You use your beam to make a few precision cuts in the asteroid. The ship gives a quick burst of thrust and the rock crumbles away. They thank you and offer some of the resources they have collected.</text>
         <autoReward level="MED">standard</autoReward>
      </event>

[Biohazard063]

So seeing that the Vindicator beam can be used but not flak artillery proves that the weapon used as artillery is considered an owned weapon? Nice.

Blueprint for the Vindicator is known as <name>ARTILLERY_FED</name>
Like Karto said, it can be used since it's in the autoBlueprints group...

I'll do some more testing. In the meantime :

Code: Select all

<eventList name="REBEL_VS_FEDERATION_SAVED_LIST">
   <!-- What happens once you save the Federation ship from the rebel -->
   <event>
      <text>"Thank you for saving us. This ship is transporting Federation civilians on the run from the rebellion and we don't have the equipment to fight for ourselves. I don't have much to offer, but I can inform you of a hidden Federation base nearby. Perhaps they can assist you more."</text>
      <quest event="HIDDEN_FEDERATION_BASE_LIST" />
   </event>
   <event>
      <text>Their ship looks to be on the verge of destruction and life signs are fading quickly.</text>
      <choice hidden="true">
         <text>Quickly try to rescue the crew.</text>
         <event>
            <text>Despite your efforts the majority do not survive. The sole survivor offers to join your crew and helps you strip the now derelict ship of useful components.</text>
            <crewMember amount="1" />
            <autoReward level="LOW">standard</autoReward>
         </event>
      </choice>
      <choice req="NANO_MEDBAY" hidden="true">
         <text>(Nano Med-bot Dispersal) Pump their ship with Nano Med-bots to aid in the rescue.</text>
         <event>
            <text>You drag the injured and dying crew on to your ship. The Med-bots help stabilize their condition, but most perish. The surviving shields operator offers to join your crew and helps you strip their broken ship of scrap.</text>
            <crewMember shields="1" amount="1" />
            <!--DLC!-->
            <autoReward level="HIGH">fuel</autoReward>
         </event>
      <choice req="CLUSTER_HEAL" hidden="true">
         <text>(Artillery) Use the cluster healing bomb to keep them alive. </text>
         <event>
            <text>You launch a cluster healing bomb into their ship and the nanobots are able to keep the crew stabilized. Once they come to, you send over some medical supplies to keep them healthy enough to get to friendly territory.

        Now that they're safe a weapons operator offers to join your crew and the rest tell you of a hidden Federation base a few jumps from here.</text>
            <crewMember weapons="1" amount="1" />
            <!--DLC!-->
            <quest event="HIDDEN_FEDERATION_BASE_LIST" />
            <autoReward level="HIGH">fuel</autoReward>
         </event>
      </choice>
      <choice req="teleporter" hidden="true">
         <text>(Teleporter) Lock on to all remaining life signatures and beam them onto your ship.</text>
         <event>
            <text>Your quick reactions allow you to stabilize a few of the seriously wounded crewmembers. An infantryman offers to join your crew and the rest tell you of a hidden Federation base a few jumps from here.</text>
            <crewMember combat="1" amount="1" />
            <!--DLC!-->
            <quest event="HIDDEN_FEDERATION_BASE_LIST" />
            <autoReward level="MED">scrap_only</autoReward>
         </event>
      </choice>
      <choice req="BOMB_HEAL">
         <!--DLC!-->
         <text>(Heal Bomb) Use a healing bomb to keep them alive.</text>
         <event>
            <text>You launch a healing bomb into their ship and the Nanobots are able to keep the crew stabilized. Once they come to, you send over some supplies to keep them healty enough to get to friendly territory.</text>
            <item_modify>
               <item type="missiles" min="-1" max="-1" />
            </item_modify>
            <choice hidden="true">
               <text>Continue...</text>
               <event>
                  <text>Now that they're safe an engineer offers to join your crew and the rest tell you of a hidden Federation base a few jumps from here.</text>
                  <crewMember engines="1" amount="1" />
                  <!--DLC!-->
                  <quest event="HIDDEN_FEDERATION_BASE_LIST" />
                  <autoReward level="MED">scrap_only</autoReward>
               </event>
            </choice>
         </event>
      </choice>
   </event>
   <event>
      <text>"Thanks, we didn't think there would be Rebel ships all the way out here. They seem to be searching for something. Take some extra supplies as thanks for your aid."</text>
      <autoReward level="MED">standard</autoReward>
   </event>
</eventList>

Here's an example of one of 5 events I editted. It looks solid for me, but I've been wrong before.
You can see the <choice req="CLUSTER_HEAL" hidden="true"> where CLUSTER_HEAL is the weapon blueprint given to the artillery weapon. Wouldn't be to hard to change the requirement to the artillery system if it fails.

[RAD-82]

There seems to be some stuff missing. I believe I've fixed it. I also removed all of the <!--DLC!--> comments, since they just take up space.

Code: Select all

<eventList name="REBEL_VS_FEDERATION_SAVED_LIST">
   <!-- What happens once you save the Federation ship from the rebel -->
   <event>
      <text>"Thank you for saving us. This ship is transporting Federation civilians on the run from the rebellion and we don't have the equipment to fight for ourselves. I don't have much to offer, but I can inform you of a hidden Federation base nearby. Perhaps they can assist you more."</text>
      <quest event="HIDDEN_FEDERATION_BASE_LIST" />
   </event>
   <event>
      <text>Their ship looks to be on the verge of destruction and life signs are fading quickly.</text>
      <choice hidden="true">
         <text>Quickly try to rescue the crew.</text>
         <event>
            <text>Despite your efforts the majority do not survive. The sole survivor offers to join your crew and helps you strip the now derelict ship of useful components.</text>
            <crewMember amount="1" />
            <autoReward level="LOW">standard</autoReward>
         </event>
      </choice>
      <choice req="NANO_MEDBAY" hidden="true">
         <text>(Nano Med-bot Dispersal) Pump their ship with Nano Med-bots to aid in the rescue.</text>
         <event>
            <text>You drag the injured and dying crew on to your ship. The Med-bots help stabilize their condition, but most perish. The surviving shields operator offers to join your crew and helps you strip their broken ship of scrap.</text>
            <crewMember shields="1" amount="1" />
            <autoReward level="HIGH">fuel</autoReward>
         </event>
      </choice>
      <choice req="CLUSTER_HEAL" hidden="true">
         <text>(Artillery) Use the cluster healing bomb to keep them alive. </text>
         <event>
            <text>You launch a cluster healing bomb into their ship and the nanobots are able to keep the crew stabilized. Once they come to, you send over some medical supplies to keep them healthy enough to get to friendly territory.</text>
            <choice hidden="true">
               <text>Continue...</text>
               <event>
                  <text>Now that they're safe a weapons operator offers to join your crew and the rest tell you of a hidden Federation base a few jumps from here.</text>
                  <crewMember weapons="1" amount="1" />
                  <quest event="HIDDEN_FEDERATION_BASE_LIST" />
                  <autoReward level="HIGH">fuel</autoReward>
               </event>
            </choice>
         </event>
      </choice>
      <choice req="teleporter" hidden="true">
         <text>(Teleporter) Lock on to all remaining life signatures and beam them onto your ship.</text>
         <event>
            <text>Your quick reactions allow you to stabilize a few of the seriously wounded crewmembers. An infantryman offers to join your crew and the rest tell you of a hidden Federation base a few jumps from here.</text>
            <crewMember combat="1" amount="1" />
            <quest event="HIDDEN_FEDERATION_BASE_LIST" />
            <autoReward level="MED">scrap_only</autoReward>
         </event>
      </choice>
      <choice req="BOMB_HEAL">
         <text>(Heal Bomb) Use a healing bomb to keep them alive.</text>
         <event>
            <text>You launch a healing bomb into their ship and the Nanobots are able to keep the crew stabilized. Once they come to, you send over some supplies to keep them healty enough to get to friendly territory.</text>
            <item_modify>
               <item type="missiles" min="-1" max="-1" />
            </item_modify>
            <choice hidden="true">
               <text>Continue...</text>
               <event>
                  <text>Now that they're safe an engineer offers to join your crew and the rest tell you of a hidden Federation base a few jumps from here.</text>
                  <crewMember engines="1" amount="1" />
                  <quest event="HIDDEN_FEDERATION_BASE_LIST" />
                  <autoReward level="MED">scrap_only</autoReward>
               </event>
            </choice>
         </event>
      </choice>
   </event>
   <event>
      <text>"Thanks, we didn't think there would be Rebel ships all the way out here. They seem to be searching for something. Take some extra supplies as thanks for your aid."</text>
      <autoReward level="MED">standard</autoReward>
   </event>
</eventList>

[TheFallenAngel359]

Blueprint for the Vindicator is known as <name>ARTILLERY_FED</name>
Like Karto said, it can be used since it's in the autoBlueprints group...

It's in autoBlueprints.xml? Hm... I haven't really poked around with Artillery in a while. It is a weapon, though. I know that for sure.

[Biohazard063]

Thanks RAD-82

Been getting some help from TaxiService about my issue with the Mod Testing Environment mod as well.
Can't seem to get the custom events loaded. Once that works, I'll get to test all 5 of them quickly without hoping to come across them in the wild...