A Modders Question. Help Please.

    i´m not that good with system creating but i´ll try to answear some question... i recommend to read some of the system creating tutorials in the tutorials forum, making systems manualy is far better, fun...but a *bit* longer <img src=smilies/icon_smile_tongue.gif width=15 height=15 border=0 align=middle> if you like you can mix up the two ways and use both FL explorer and the manual way (read furthur in the Q3 answear to understand more) Q1: why names aren´t showen ? A1: that´s becauz FL can´t find the names names and info ar stored in .dll files in FL, and it finds them throu what is called id_name and id_info. you don´t need to worry about this stuff so mush cauz FL exp. creats thes but it self ( it should ask you about the name when creating new .dll ) the problem is (as far as i tested FL exp. )is that this new .dll is not DECLAIRED in the Freelancer.ini, so what you need to do is to apen the Freelancer.ini situated is the EXE folder ( if your making a mod then copy this file to your mod folder, remember to creat the right directory(here it´s exe folder)). what to do in Freelancer.ini ?? well search for a little list of .dll files there should be about 5 .dll s declaired, well yous the same methode to add your .dll with the name you gave it when working on FL exp. then just copy the .dll to the EXE folder and VOILA! name are there now. Q2: Zones work for only one faction? A2: i never tried making a zone before, so can´t help much here <img src=smilies/icon_smile_sad.gif width=15 height=15 border=0 align=middle> Q3: Changing the planet/base ´s position to make it higher. A3: if you read the system creation tutorial you´ll know how to do that, FL expl. dosn´t alow the user to edit the y position (the second axis that points upword in 3d geometry) but if you go to the .ini files you can edit them there. sorry if my answears where a bot for experianced and might sound like chinees for newbs (no offence) but i just didn´t have much time to wright a small tutorial now. <img src=smilies/icon_smile_tongue.gif width=15 height=15 border=0 align=middle> <img src=smilies/icon_smile_sad.gif width=15 height=15 border=0 align=middle> for the more experianced moders/tutorial wrighters in case of any thing wrong or un-understandble, plz fix my post or just post a new answear that´smore detailed.

    Zones are a real pain, especially with FLE.You create your zone,add the encounters and pick you factions,sounds easy doesn´t it, unfortunatelly FLE doesn´t know that alot of the factions don´t have the correct class of ship for half of the encounters.Check the factions_prop.ini in the missions folder to see who flies what ships,you will find that the order(fc_or_grp) don´t have any, thier ships are story line only. your going to have to learn to hand edit the ini files to get order ships to appear. **shuffles of with a new headache** <img src=smilies/icon_smile_wink.gif width=15 height=15 border=0 align=middle>

    :O Thanks guy alot. Now I know a little more to do with my mod. <img src=smilies/icon_smile_big.gif width=15 height=15 border=0 align=middle> Now I know I wasted a day trying to get the order to show up. &gt;&lt; But I do hope someone can also help me with the other questions you couldn´t ask. <img src=smilies/icon_smile.gif width=15 height=15 border=0 align=middle> Well thanks guys you helped me out alot and I thank you for taking your time to help me there. Thanks to you my mod will be better. <img src=smilies/icon_smile_big.gif width=15 height=15 border=0 align=middle> {Rolls} Ace LEader -CHSP Server <img src=smilies/icon_smile.gif width=15 height=15 border=0 align=middle> Edited by - Question Asker2044 on 6/30/2005 4:03:28 PM

    ARGH. Ok the names aren´t working still. Ok here I´ll tell you what I´ve done from what Liquid told me. I frist made a EXE folder in my mod folder. Next I copy and pasted the Freelancer file to the EXE folder. Now I added the .dll files that suddenly showed up in my mod folder out sides of the EXE folder for the frist time. The names still don´t show up and the only names that do is like the name for a planet called moon or when I name the suns &quot;sun&quot;. <img src=smilies/icon_smile_big.gif width=15 height=15 border=0 align=middle> Also a new problem. Ok when I make a new name / bases / planets it will only ask me the name of the .dll once. Then it makes the .dll file agian with the same name and I been geussing it was the file with the name so I changed the name of the file and jsut added to my EXE folder. I have downloaded the new Freelancer Exporler. So I don´t know if it´s someothing new with the freelancer file or the update of the program. I would love someone to tell me how to make them show up and to pervent this from happening again. I am on the line of going nuts on my mod. &gt;<img src=smilies/icon_smile_sad.gif width=15 height=15 border=0 align=middle> But I do thank liquid for helping me gettting this far and understanding how it all works. <img src=smilies/icon_smile_big.gif width=15 height=15 border=0 align=middle>

    Dear Mr. Q.asker <img src=smilies/icon_smile_wink.gif width=15 height=15 border=0 align=middle> Flexp. dose only creat only one .dll that´s becaus .dll files can hold MANY names in it (for exemple, all the weapons name, thier info cards, and many more from the game are stored in anly one .dll, the resoursnames.dll i think) so don´t wory about the only dll <img src=smilies/icon_smile_wink.gif width=15 height=15 border=0 align=middle> now why the older names don´t show thats becaus you probably created a hole new dll and the older one that had the older names whas deleted, so what to do now is to open your mod from the FLexp. and rename (or name in this case) the namlesse stuf again, then save of cours..<img src=smilies/icon_smile_tongue.gif width=15 height=15 border=0 align=middle> one thimg before thou... FLexp. is &quot;stupid&quot; some times..it don´t read the dll-s in the EXE folder,only the ones in the mod folder so now before opening FLexp. copy back the dll to the mod folder, rename it to what ever it was (if you changed the name before), name, work, save, try, then work again for more ideas ;P * 10x for the compliments

    This is why I only use FLE for getting the size &amp; shape of zones correct. In your mod folder you should have 2 folders (Data &amp; EXE),in the EXE folder you should have 1 file (freelancer.ini)leave the dll´s where FLE puts them.Now open freelancer.ini with notepad and find the section like this:- [Resources DLL = InfoCards.dll ; Contains all infocard text resources DLL = MiscText.dll ; Contains other bulk text resource: rumor, offer, and mission text DLL = NameResources.dll ; Contains names of things, primarily. DLL = EquipResources.dll ;Contains names of equipment (in string table) and infocards for equipment (in HTML resources) DLL = OfferBribeResources.dll ; Contains random mission offers and bribes DLL = MiscTextInfo2.dll ;Contains MP UI elements as well as other misc. text DLL = My_mod.dll &lt;-----**my custom stuff** These are the dll´s that contain names &amp; infocards,every dll you create has to appear here to be read by the game.You see the last line thats where your dll´s name should be. I think FLE has a problem with the dll´s in that FLE makes,reads &amp; writes them outside the EXE folder,but the game needs them inside the folder. Any other probs post them and we (the lancer community)will try to help. **shuffles of with a new headache** <img src=smilies/icon_smile_wink.gif width=15 height=15 border=0 align=middle>

    :O Your ****** with me. &gt;_&lt; I been renaming them and adding them to the EXE file and then getting rid of the ones that pop up again. XD Ok well I´ll rename everything re-do the jump gates so that they know the names. etc. Wow Yea right now I am going to only work on my systems/mod New York and other boreing systems. But that helps so much now that I know. (FYI I am not really a computer person. <img src=smilies/icon_smile_big.gif width=15 height=15 border=0 align=middle> ) Well Then I have a lot of work to do to get the names to show. Ok I´ll try what you tell me and see if it works. ^^ Thanks guys for the help. <img src=smilies/icon_smile_big.gif width=15 height=15 border=0 align=middle>

    Ok guys we are one step closer to getting the frist question done. <img src=smilies/icon_smile_big.gif width=15 height=15 border=0 align=middle> &gt;_&lt; The names work you were right. But I tryed fixing mixed up names and when ever I fix a mixed up name a new item takes that name. (EX. Like I named a place Canumdas and then it appers on freeport 20 and then it´s all switched around. Like freeport has the Canumdas name and Canumdas has freeport 20 name.) Now I am geuss this has to do with the files over writing something. Like it´s the same kind of script. Ok I´ve picked my picks of what I could dop so far. I could re-do all the bases and planets. Or if you know what´s going on that would be great to figure out. I know this problem is geting annoying. <img src=smilies/icon_smile_sad.gif width=15 height=15 border=0 align=middle> But I do thank you for taking your time to slove my problems. P.S this is my main problem I am getting into for the test mod. After it´s on to zones. <img src=smilies/icon_smile_wink.gif width=15 height=15 border=0 align=middle>

    Now i now that after all i do know something about system editing <img src=smilies/icon_smile_tongue.gif width=15 height=15 border=0 align=middle> i agree with Bejaymac, use the FLexp. for the basic visual stuff like the position of the bases and for tradelines ..... but in our case...: i don´t know why FLexp. mixed up your names, usualy it gives the new stuff the right id number, for a &quot;traditional moder&quot; that uses the manual way of sys creating, this is a smal prob cauz all he has to do is to put the right id_name in it´s place, but for u, i recommend to delet the dll (*****make backup first) go to FLexp. , name the bases/planets/whatever..., then copy the NEW dll to it´s place. That´s the only simple solution i see now, try and tell us what happens. good luck. -liquid- Edited by - -liquid- on 7/2/2005 7:40:48 AM

    Ok I said screw this and re-did the whole mod. (For me it only took 2 hours. <img src=smilies/icon_smile_big.gif width=15 height=15 border=0 align=middle>) AND....It works now. The names work/bases/planets/ everything. They are in the right order, I told my friend becasue he was like &quot;Why would you want to start over&quot;. Well it was better to start over then to fight with some problem that would of tooken days to fix. Anyway I only gotten like 2 days of work on the mod so no harm done. ^^ Just in case your wondering I did get rid of the Dll. in my old mod and renamed everything, ah still nothing. So I re-did it. But I would like to thank you guys for being a huge help. <img src=smilies/icon_smile_big.gif width=15 height=15 border=0 align=middle> I´ll post more questions if I have them. :/ See ya.

    Ok boys get your think on. Unless you can point me to the nearest answer. Ah I tryed finding this answer on the other forums and.........my eyes hurt. ^^ Anyway here´s the new new bright super question for you to give me the answer. <img src=smilies/icon_smile_big.gif width=15 height=15 border=0 align=middle> Factions. I would like to know how to make order and nomad faction/ make new factions. I´ve gotten give the order ships( Well I haven´t really gotten to deep into that. ^^ ) But whil;e I am on that idea I would like to know how to give the order or make my own new faction. I´ve looked into the forums and all I am getting is questions other people asked. uh not going so welll for the answer. I would like a step by step of how you do it. I get lost easy. ^^ Ah if you don´t know or you don´t got time then don´t repley. don´t waste your time. ^^ Next Question and last. {Don´t want to bore you to death with my noob questions. ^^} Giving NPC ships(Like order) and adding ships to the mod. Ok I think I said I know how to give NPC shisp in my question.....Well I am kind of lost in the way you do it. I´ve look in forums only got my eyes to hurt. ^^ Just throw me a step by step if ya got the time. Thanks for anyone who looked and to those who helped. ^^ Edited by - Question Asker2044 on 7/3/2005 7:48:49 AM

    Making new factions I can´t help you with as I haven´t done it myself yet.Giving a faction a ship I can do(the order flying the anubis <img src=smilies/icon_smile_wink.gif width=15 height=15 border=0 align=middle> ).First things first make sure you have the SDK 1.3 or 1.5 installed,then create a folder in your &quot;My Documents&quot; and install a second copy there,this is for you to edit without touching the main freelancer files.Please don´t install it to your mod folder as you´ll delete everything you´ve done. A quick word about the SDK,this is a decrypted set of freelancer ini files that have a lot of DA´s errors fixed.Being decrypted makes editting them a whole lot easier as you can now edit them with notepad. Whenever you see a &quot;[&quot; please add a closing square bracket to the end of the line as this forum doesn´t show them. The ini files in your Data folder must be in the same file directory style as the freelancer one,by this I mean &quot;shiparch.ini&quot; is in the Data/Ships folder,if you put it in your Data folder FLMM will put it in the wrong place. Now copy the loadouts.ini from the &quot;Data/Ships&quot;folder in the working set of SDK to the &quot;Data/Ships&quot;folder in your mod folder,open this copy with notepad and copy and paste this entry to the bottom of the file:- [Loadout nickname = Anubis_Order_Heavy_Fighter archetype = or_elite equip = ge_oe_engine_01 equip = npc_shield01_mark07, HpShield01 equip = infinite_power equip = ge_s_scanner_02 equip = ge_s_tractor_01 equip = ge_s_thruster_01, HpThruster01 equip = fc_or_gun01_mark02, HpWeapon01 equip = fc_or_gun01_mark02, HpWeapon02 equip = fc_or_gun01_mark02, HpWeapon03 equip = fc_or_gun01_mark02, HpWeapon04 equip = missile01_mark05, HpWeapon05 cargo = missile01_mark05_ammo, 40 equip = missile01_mark05, HpWeapon06 equip = fc_or_turret01_mark01, HpTurret01 equip = mine01_mark05, HpMine01 cargo = mine01_mark05_ammo, 20 equip = ge_s_cm_03, HpCM01 cargo = ge_s_cm_03_ammo, 20 equip = LargeWhiteSpecial, HpHeadlight equip = SlowSmallYellow, HpRunningLight01 equip = SlowSmallYellow, HpRunningLight02 equip = SlowSmallYellow, HpRunningLight03 equip = SlowSmallYellow, HpRunningLight04 equip = SlowSmallYellow, HpRunningLight05 equip = SlowSmallYellow, HpRunningLight06 equip = contrail01, HpContrail01 equip = contrail01, HpContrail02 equip = contrail01, HpContrail03 equip = DockingLightRedSmall, HpDockLight01 equip = DockingLightRedSmall, HpDockLight02 Now when it comes to saving the editted ini files always use &quot;save as&quot;,then change the file type to &quot;all files&quot; and overwrite the old file. This now gives you a loadout for the anubis,next we have to tell them to use it.<img src=smilies/icon_smile_wink.gif width=15 height=15 border=0 align=middle> Copy the npcships.ini from the missions folder and add it to your missions folder,open it and add this to the end and then save as again. [NPCShipArch nickname = fc_or_elite_d11-19 loadout = Anubis_Order_Heavy_Fighter level = d11 ship_archetype = or_elite pilot = pilot_military_ace state_graph = FIGHTER npc_class = unlawful, class_fighter, d11, d12, d13, d14, d15, d16, d17, d18, d19 Now its time for the faction_prop.ini copy it to your Missions folder and open it,find the order(fc_or_grp) and add the highlighted line before the voice entries. jump_preference = jumphole <b>npc_ship = fc_or_elite_d11-19 </b> voice = pilot_f_ill_m01 Now &quot;save as&quot; like before,you should now have the order flying about in anubis,just make sure that the zones you add them to have a toughness of 11 or above or they won´t appear. **shuffles of with a new headache** <img src=smilies/icon_smile_wink.gif width=15 height=15 border=0 align=middle>

    There´s a tutorial in the &quot;Editting Tutorials&quot; forum called &quot;Adding Factions&quot;,if you´ve done a lot of modding by hand you´ll understand it ,if not then it´ll be as clear as mud and that threads as clear as it gets I´m afraid to say. <img src=smilies/icon_smile_sad.gif width=15 height=15 border=0 align=middle> **shuffles of with a new headache** <img src=smilies/icon_smile_wink.gif width=15 height=15 border=0 align=middle>

    hi, i´m back... it´s a wile since i didn´t go online (damn theese exams <img src=smilies/icon_smile_tongue.gif width=15 height=15 border=0 align=middle>) well good to hear that the mod is going forward (atleast better then mine, i don´t have time to listen to music even..) well about the faction, i´m willing to add some, so if i manage to do, i might make a simplification of the tut. but not beafore i try it first cauz i never did yet.. but i think the you can understand somthing there and figure out the rest so give it a try, why not? ok, good luck whith the work.

    Ah thanks. What I am doing now is just working on the new systems I made and just working them out. New ships in the mod looks far, new weapons I heard lag the game like crazy(and I have looked at the way you make them and it just looks to hard. I might just see if anyone wants to make them for my mod and get a spot in my thanks systems. <img src=smilies/icon_smile_big.gif width=15 height=15 border=0 align=middle> ), So I am jsut going to work on little things like making the system feel busy with traders and making guys show up to kill you.

    Adding ships and weapons is relativly simple depending on how good you are at editting ini files. <img src=smilies/icon_smile.gif width=15 height=15 border=0 align=middle> There are enough ship packs in the downloads to repopulate Freelancer a dozen times over and most have custom weapons as well. Just remember to get authors permission if you plan to offer your mod for download. To add them there are two ways, you can use FLMM to do it,activate your mod then add the ship packs, then copy the files from the Freelancer directory.Two problems with this method 1)You can end up with a very big mod, 2)you can get several half filled FLMM dll´s. The second way is to copy the ship files into your mod and open the xml script file with notepad and copy and paste the entries into the correct files. **shuffles of with a new headache** <img src=smilies/icon_smile_wink.gif width=15 height=15 border=0 align=middle>

    Ah well I am more at just messing around with zones, fields and 3D systems. I have made 2 3D systems and they look great only problem is that with FLE you can´t move objects up and down so I use this one other program, the problem with that is the planets I make on FLE don´t show up on the map with the other program I use to make them move up and down, the only thing that shows is the zones for the planets. The 2nd system I made I use the Freelancer Editor program all the way. So all the planets are at differn´t heights. I´ll post a pic. <img src=smilies/icon_smile_wink.gif width=15 height=15 border=0 align=middle> The other problem I´ve heard people.....bi*** about is that &quot;You won´t see people for hours.&quot; Well the trick is to move most objects close to gather so it´s more likey you´ll run into someone and a few planets are bases like 2 of them are. (I should give them names also, they are all named Uncharted Planet. XD ) Ok next system I been working on I made a zone and when I tested it there were 30 guys at once everywhere, it was very funny yet I don´t know how I did it. XD I am going to work on systems more and I welcome people to make maps for me to make. I´ll add your name to the Thanks system. <img src=smilies/icon_smile_big.gif width=15 height=15 border=0 align=middle> (Unlimited Space) <img src=smilies/icon_smile_wink.gif width=15 height=15 border=0 align=middle> I should be posting that on the help wanted spot. <img src=smilies/icon_smile.gif width=15 height=15 border=0 align=middle> Well thanks everyone.

    Try DarkDragon´s Tutorials <A href=´http://www.lancersreactor.org/t/download/download.asp?id=932´ Target=_Blank>Freelancer Explorer Tutorial made by DarkDragon</a> <A href=´http://www.lancersreactor.org/t/download/download.asp?id=947´ Target=_Blank>Freelancer Explorer Tutorial volume 2 made by DarkDragon</a> <A href=´http://www.lancersreactor.org/t/download/download.asp?id=1140´ Target=_Blank>Freelancer Explorer Tutorial Volume 3 made by DarkDragon</a>