(WIP)Commanders Last Words

[Kn16h7]

Status Edit: All fixed! Thank you to everyone that helped me get the first WIP version working!

I'll be keeping this thread as the Information thread on the mod until it is first released. Once the mod reaches version 1.0, I'll add it to the working mods section.

Concept/Features:

Concept - This mod is a Story Overhaul so to speak. The Idea is that the Rebel fleet was once a Federation fleet that succumbed to mass-mutiny, and being the second-in-command of the fleets flagship, you are chosen to flee in search of the Federation Base to warn of this takeover. But before he dies, your commanding officer gives you a list of coordinates leading to various Federation Cashes to help you on your journey.

Definite Features - New Quests, New Random Events, New Starting Event, New Lore/Texts

Possible Features - New Weapons, A New Federation Themed Ship

Version: 0.6 (WIP)

Finished/Implemented Features - Starting Event, Starting Lore/Texts, 1 Random Event, 1 Random Event Quest

WIP Features - Random Event Quests, Random Events

Unstarted Features - Coordinate Quests, Weapons

Undecided Features - Ship, Ending Lore/Texts

Dependencies:

Slipstream Mod Manager: http://www.ftlgame.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=12&t=17102
Universal Starting Beacon: http://www.ftlgame.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=12&t=17198

In SMM, Universal Starting Beacon must be loaded before this mod(or any other mod with USB as a dependency), or the mod will simply not work.

Install/Download:

For those familiar with installing mods for ftl via a mod manager, the download link can be found at the bottom of this section.

Installing this mod takes several steps, but is very simple. First download Slipstream Mod Manager, and follow its install instructions. Then download Universal Starting Beacon and this mod. Place both .ftl files in the 'mods' folder of where ever you installed Slipstream. Run Slipstream and make sure Universal Starting beacon is on the top of the list, then hit patch. The mod manager will ask if you want to run the game after completing the patch.

Download Link:
https://www.mediafire.com/folder/nni1x59nyuy0i/Commanders_Last_Words
Find the version you wish to install (Latest is usually at the top) and download as normal.

Support/Suggestions

If you have any questions about this mod, or run into any problems, feel free to ask me here on this thread. I'm new to modding, and not as active as I'd like to be, so I may be slow to answer, or simply unable to answer, but I will try to the best of my ability.

Likewise, if you have an idea or suggestion for this mod, (I.E. An idea for an event or quest that fits with the intended theme.) then post it here.

[Sleeper Service]

What exactly is the problem you encounter? Did you try verifying the mod with SMM? The start event defies modification to some extend. Your version START_GAME does nothing, so you can probably skip it altogether.

The structure seems to be ok, although some texts might be too long. Further this seems to use different kinds of quotation marks:

_______________<item type=“fuel” min=“21” max=“42”/>
_______________<item type="scrap" min=“100” max=“200”/>

Best stick with the standard " for everything.

[Kn16h7]

Previous Post:

What exactly is the problem you encounter? - The game simply skips over the encounter.

Did you try verifying the mod with SMM? - When clicking validate i get this response.

"@ Commanders Last Words.zip:
-------------------------

> Commanders Last Words 0.2/
! Unsupported top-level folder: Commanders Last Words 0.2/

> __MACOSX/
! Unsupported top-level folder: __MACOSX/

~ This mod doesn't append. It clobbers."

Some texts might be too long. - I can try shortening them I suppose, or just making new events.

Best stick with the standard " for everything. - Good to know.

Thanks for the reply, I'll be on tomorrow to try using your help to get it working and post the results.

Edit: I shortened the texts by dividing the events, and I'm pretty sure I got all the odd quotations out, and I'm still getting the same problem.

I think it might be the fact I'm modding the starting beacon. Is there a way to define specifically where an event will trigger? I want this to be an early game, one time event within the first one or two jumps of the game.

[Abs]

I haven't checked your syntax yet, but you have an even more basic problem:

You're zipping the incorrect folder.

In my example, I have a mod called STFTL. When creating the .FTL file, this is what I should be packaging into a zip file (highlighted blue folders): Click me.

Finally, rename the zip package to ftl. Click me.

Abs

[Kn16h7]

I haven't checked your syntax yet, but you have an even more basic problem:

You're zipping the incorrect folder.

In my example, I have a mod called STFTL. When creating the .FTL file, this is what I should be packaging into a zip file (highlighted blue folders): Click me.

Finally, rename the zip package to ftl. Click me.

Abs

Oh that makes a lot of sense... thank you!

Edit: Alright, it seems to still be broken. Its reading the files now but it still gives me a couple errors when validating and it still isn't popping. I tried making it a totally new event rather than editing the starting beacon event, but I cant tell in game if it works, and its still gives the same error at validation.

Im editing my original post with the new results and my current events.xml.append

[Abs]

I haven't checked your syntax yet, but you have an even more basic problem:

You're zipping the incorrect folder.

In my example, I have a mod called STFTL. When creating the .FTL file, this is what I should be packaging into a zip file (highlighted blue folders): Click me.

Finally, rename the zip package to ftl. Click me.

Abs

Oh that makes a lot of sense... thank you!

Edit: Alright, it seems to still be broken. Its reading the files now but it still gives me a couple errors when validating and it still isn't popping. I tried making it a totally new event rather than editing the starting beacon event, but I cant tell in game if it works, and its still gives the same error at validation.

Im editing my original post with the new results and my current events.xml.append

Your last error "macosx" thingie is because you're on a Mac. Before you rename the file to FTL, open your zip. You'll see that there is a folder called _MACOSX. Delete that, close the archive, and rename to FTL.

Abs

Edit: You'll be happy to know that you can get it to launch, though, once you get your other issues sorted out. I added it as an event in my mod, and it shows. (I put it as a starting beacon for one of my hostile sectors.) Click me. Please note the arrow pointing to an unsupported character...I bet that's what one of your validation error messages is regarding. I didn't play it through, so I don't know if it works completely, as I have work to do right now. Good luck!

[Kn16h7]

Alright, all the errors are gone, now I just need a solid way to make it show up near the start of the game.

[RAD-82]

I want this to be an early game, one time event within the first few jumps of the game.

Within the first few jumps is impossible to cause. You have to either settle for the starting beacon or anywhere in the sector.

Speaking of starting beacon, you should check this out: Universal Starting Beacon by kartoFlane. Since the FTL developers didn't have modding in mind when making this game, they did a little sloppy work that caused the start beacon to be used at the start of civilian sectors in addition to the start of the game. This little mod works around that and I'd recommend you use it.

Appending a choice at the start of the game, you can either go straight into your event, or you could cause a quest marker that will place your event somewhere else in the sector.

My current Slipstream Validation Results:

Code: Select all

@ CWL 0.3.ftl:
  ------------
  No Problems

As nice as that validation is, I can tell your code won't work right. I believe something like <autoreward level="high">weapon</autoreward> has to be <autoReward level="HIGH">weapon</autoReward> in order to work. Same for crewMember, which I don't think you can have more than one in the same event level. The last one overwrites the previous, leaving you with a Crystal, but no Rock. You should probably test that to make sure, but I'm changing it in the rewrite that I provide anyways.

You have multiple events inside your event, which I assume are meant to be possible outcomes. Those need to be in an eventList.

In the event that you find your own code busted upon testing, here is my untested rewrite of the code for you:

Code: Select all

<event name="CWL" unique="true">
   <text>(Mod)You arrive at the coordinates given to you at the start of your mission. In one direction lies a small moon, but in the opposite direction you spot a large abandoned freighter vessel and get a gut feeling. You wont have time to search both.</text>
   <choice hidden="true">
      <text>Search the moon, trusting your Commander.</text>
      <event>
         <text>You take a shuttle and start searching the surface of the moon. After a minute or two you spot a small opening in the surface and land close by. After a quick search you find a weapon and a large stockpile of fuel and scrap.</text>
         <item_modify>
            <item type="fuel" min="21" max="42"/>
            <item type="scrap" min="100" max="200"/>
         </item_modify>
         <autoReward level="HIGH">weapon</autoReward>
      </event>
   </choice>
   <choice hidden="true">
      <text>Search the vessel, trusting your gut.</text>
      <event>
         <text>You take a shuttle and dock in the freighter. After searching for several minutes you find that most of the cargo has recently been looted, so you take your loss and strip the ship for scrap.</text>
         <item_modify>
            <item type="scrap" min="30" max="70"/>
         </item_modify>
         <choice hidden="true">
            <text>Continue...</text>
            <event load="CWL_FREIGHTER_GUT"/>
         </choice>
      </event>
   </choice>
   <choice req="sensors" lvl="2" hidden="true">
      <text>(Sensors) Scan the Freighter.</text>
      <event>
         <text>You set several scans in motion on the vessel and come up empty for power systems or fuel, but surpisingly a lifesign scan comes up positive for 2 lifeforms! You immediately send the away team in a shuttle and they come back just in time.</text>
         <crewMember amount="1" class="rock"/>
         <choice hidden="true">
            <text>Continue...</text>
            <event>
               <text>...</text>
               <crewMember amount="1" class="crystal"/>
               <choice hidden="true">
                  <text>Continue...</text>
                  <event load="CWL_FREIGHTER_SENSORS"/>
               </choice>
            </event>
         </choice>
      </event>
   </choice>
</event>

<eventList name="CWL_FREIGHTER_GUT">
   <event>
      <text>Just as youre about to make the call to return to the ship, that gut feeling returns and you decide to look one more time and find a hidden room holding alien slaves! One of them still lives, and decides to join your crew.</text>
      <crewMember amount="1" class="rock"/>
   </event>
   <event>
      <text>You make the call to return to the ship and everyone rushes onto the shuttle. You curse yourself one last time for not listening to your commander, but its too late now...</text>
   </event>
</eventList>

<eventList name="CWL_FREIGHTER_SENSORS">
   <event>
      <text>As the two of them heal, you head over to the moon and perform the same scans. You quickly find the hidden cache and start loading it onto the ship before an alert warning of the Fleets imminent approach and you start powering up the ftl drive.</text>
      <item_modify>
         <item type="fuel" min="11" max="17"/>
         <item type="scrap" min="50" max="100"/>
      </item_modify>
      <autoReward level="HIGH">weapon</autoReward>
   </event>
   <event>
      <text>As your team tends to the new arrivals wounds, an alert sounds warning of the Fleets imminent approach. To bad you wont get a chance to check the Commanders stash, but at least you saved some lives.</text>
   </event>
</eventList>


I didn't add any apostrophes to it. From Abs picture of an unsupported character, I'll assume that was ` instead of '.

[Kn16h7]

Thank you so much for all the help! I think I have everything fixed now and I know all I need to start expanding the mod.