Modding support in the expansion

[Haree78]

For people like me, as much as games can have a great story and fun characters etc most games reach a new kind of appeal if we are able to mod in other cultural references which mean a lot to us. Films we really enjoyed, TV series with characters we have come to love.

I have been expecting modding support to get better for this game for a very long time now, we were told to expect more modding support and I guess the next hope for people like me is the expansion.

I'm just a little worried about the lack of any info regarding what kind of extra modding support we will get, if any.

At the minimum I honestly expected:

More aesthetics moddable. Just checking the customisation folder for graphics before using the defaults would make modding a lot more usable. Most people don't want to backup and then overwrite the actual game files but that's what a lot of people have been doing. This is especially important for weapon graphics, shields etc, but also things like planets.

Sounds in themes. Just like the graphics it seems easy to check the customisation folder before using defaults. I want themed sounds for weapons especially.

Flags coming out in to themes.

Improvements to the issue of random lights appearing on ships or bases.

ShipNames.txt < The ability to have race specific ones. I don't want my insectoid Cruisers to be called Galactica!

The ability to set pre-existing diplomatic relationship, not just racial bias. Colonial Fleet already hate and are at war with the Cylons. The Rebels are already at war with the Imperials. The Imperial Guard are already at war with any Orks. It is very desirable in a modding sense to be able to start with no knowledge of other Empires but to already be at war with them.

I'm happy to hear my other expectations of racial bias and more ship families will be moddable.

[WoodMan]

Improvements to the issue of random lights appearing on ships or bases.

Erik if you read this can you please ask Elliot if he can add an option to turn off flashing lights completely?  There is no need for them on most custom ships as we can already tell the difference between the races, they are only useful when using the original ships because some races have the same shipsets.  This is even less of a problem now with the expansion we are getting up to 22 shipsets.

Some of my custom ships have more than 10 flashing lights on them, and the image has no yellow in it [:@]

[s20dan]

I have been expecting modding support to get better for this game for a very long time now, we were told to expect more modding support and I guess the next hope for people like me is the expansion.

I'm just a little worried about the lack of any info regarding what kind of extra modding support we will get, if any. 

I know what you mean. Its very disappointing

I would like:
Moddable Research and technologies, Moddable Components, Planet types, Resource types, ship types, ship sizes, weapon strengths, A.I.!!!  <<  Important.
And theres a lot more too.

Basically I would like a moddable game.  Not a game with one editable text file thrown in to try and appease us  

[Erik Rutins]

We will be revisiting modding as our first post-release feature priority for the racial bias stuff, I'll see what else we can do. I know you all want to mod the entire game, it is not a minor job to make that possible but we do aim to please.

Regards,

- Erik

[s20dan]

Thanks Erik, thats good to know.
&nbsp;I do realise we are asking for a lot, but the benefits the to the community could well be worth it.

&nbsp;But either way, I'm still rather excited about the expansion