Modding Tool [1.1.0 Released!]
RE: Modding Tool
Just published revision 12 with an updated components form. It’s looking pretty good now, should be much easier to mod a component off the form than it is to use the text file.
RE: Modding Tool
And with revision 13 we have the facilities and resources (and locations subform) forms updated with drop down boxes and variable labels. Still got fighters, plagues, race families and governments left to do.
Those forms only have a couple boxes to do and are nowhere near as complex as some of the ones involving variable labels. As a tool for modding the root files in a mod folder it's looking pretty damn sweet now.
Once that's done it just needs some testing and debugging and then I'll be at 0.1.0!
Those forms only have a couple boxes to do and are nowhere near as complex as some of the ones involving variable labels. As a tool for modding the root files in a mod folder it's looking pretty damn sweet now.
Once that's done it just needs some testing and debugging and then I'll be at 0.1.0!
RE: Modding Tool
And I'm there, 0.1.0 is out!
Due to the number of bugfixes in it and the fact that it’s the first update with all the root stuff working as I want it to I've flagged it as an obligatory update, which should mean it'll just download when you run a previous version. I've updated the attachment in the OP as well if for some reason it's not working (incidentally, I kept getting "file is too large" errors doing that, the limit is apparently 9999kb and the file is only 251kb, weird).
It's now in a decent state if you want to edit the root files. I think I've got everything working as it should but as always, watch for bugs and please let me know if you come across anything.
Next up will be the races subfolder, which I've no doubt will be a mighty big job since each file holds 130 variables and there doesn't seem to be a limit on how many races you can have!
I’ll be releasing revisions as optional updates as I get bits of that working. Unless the program ends up doing something tragic along the way the next obligatory update will be 0.2.0. By that point all the subfolders should be working along with some sort of nice interface for the various picture and sound references used in the forms.
Due to the number of bugfixes in it and the fact that it’s the first update with all the root stuff working as I want it to I've flagged it as an obligatory update, which should mean it'll just download when you run a previous version. I've updated the attachment in the OP as well if for some reason it's not working (incidentally, I kept getting "file is too large" errors doing that, the limit is apparently 9999kb and the file is only 251kb, weird).
It's now in a decent state if you want to edit the root files. I think I've got everything working as it should but as always, watch for bugs and please let me know if you come across anything.
Next up will be the races subfolder, which I've no doubt will be a mighty big job since each file holds 130 variables and there doesn't seem to be a limit on how many races you can have!
I’ll be releasing revisions as optional updates as I get bits of that working. Unless the program ends up doing something tragic along the way the next obligatory update will be 0.2.0. By that point all the subfolders should be working along with some sort of nice interface for the various picture and sound references used in the forms.
RE: Modding Tool
I just wanted to say thanks for doing this, I'm definitely looking forward to trying this out.
RE: Modding Tool
Revision 4 of 0.1.0 now reads the races subfolder and displays it a bit more pleasantly. There's still more to do with the races form though:
The names need to be a bit more user friendly (and in some cases, fit in the labels).
Some fields need changing to drop-down boxes or check-boxes.
Needs to be able to output changes to the folder.
In the meantime, feel confident that progress is being made!
The names need to be a bit more user friendly (and in some cases, fit in the labels).
Some fields need changing to drop-down boxes or check-boxes.
Needs to be able to output changes to the folder.
In the meantime, feel confident that progress is being made!
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Hattori Hanzo
- Posts: 741
- Joined: Mon Mar 21, 2011 12:40 pm
- Location: Okinawa
- Contact:
RE: Modding Tool
hello Sabranan, first of all my compliments for your DW Modding Tool release !!! [&o]
now my usal "noob" question: I read all the posts but I'm still feeling a bit confused..
I'm not sure of having understand at which revision we are now: 12, 13 or 4.. ??? [&:]
and if the current version is still read-only or if we have now the ability to make saves with it.
now my usal "noob" question: I read all the posts but I'm still feeling a bit confused..
I'm not sure of having understand at which revision we are now: 12, 13 or 4.. ??? [&:]
and if the current version is still read-only or if we have now the ability to make saves with it.
RE: Modding Tool
Hi Hattori!
The revision number resets back to 0 with each new build.
I only publish revisions so you can see how a new form is coming along, the program will ask if you want to update to them but you don't have to. Whenever I update the OP it'll be for a new build, which means a new working form.
Right now all the "root" forms (so research, components, resources etc) are done, you can read and save your changes to these files.
At the moment I'm working on the Races subfolder, you can't yet save changes to the race files in there.
The revision number resets back to 0 with each new build.
I only publish revisions so you can see how a new form is coming along, the program will ask if you want to update to them but you don't have to. Whenever I update the OP it'll be for a new build, which means a new working form.
Right now all the "root" forms (so research, components, resources etc) are done, you can read and save your changes to these files.
At the moment I'm working on the Races subfolder, you can't yet save changes to the race files in there.
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Hattori Hanzo
- Posts: 741
- Joined: Mon Mar 21, 2011 12:40 pm
- Location: Okinawa
- Contact:
RE: Modding Tool
thank you Sabranan for your concise, clear and comprehensive explanation:
exactly what I need to adventure myself in the unexplored dungeons of modding.. [:D]
exactly what I need to adventure myself in the unexplored dungeons of modding.. [:D]
RE: Modding Tool
4 revisions and over 1,000 lines of code later and we're looking at revision 8 of 0.1.0, which reads the races info in a pretty satisfying way. Still some work to do here.
There's a few fields (the disallowed components, disallowed governments and the 3 research project order fields) that can have multiple ID's on them so I need to find a way to allow handle that and it's not yet ready to output the races data to actual files.
That said, I don't really foresee any real problems with the output, it'll just take a while to code. If I can solve the first issue too then all that's left is to pretty up the form a bit and we'll be on 0.1.1!
There's a few fields (the disallowed components, disallowed governments and the 3 research project order fields) that can have multiple ID's on them so I need to find a way to allow handle that and it's not yet ready to output the races data to actual files.
That said, I don't really foresee any real problems with the output, it'll just take a while to code. If I can solve the first issue too then all that's left is to pretty up the form a bit and we'll be on 0.1.1!
RE: Modding Tool
Revision 9 is published, this contains my solution to the previously mentioned problem. Basically those 5 fields that can contain several id's work by adding items the user selects into a list box. When you select an item from the drop down box it'll add it to the list box, allowing you to see at a glance what components or governments are in the field. Adding the same item again will delete it from the list box.
That might sound confusing, but hopefully it'll be fairly self explanatory when you guys run the program.
I've come up with something a bit sexy for the research project order fields, you'll note the 3 small buttons next to the boxes. V makes the list visible, U moves an item in the list up and D moves it down. That should allow users to easily add, remove and manipulate items in those lists.
Still doesn't output to the disk, that'll be up next in revision 10.
That might sound confusing, but hopefully it'll be fairly self explanatory when you guys run the program.
I've come up with something a bit sexy for the research project order fields, you'll note the 3 small buttons next to the boxes. V makes the list visible, U moves an item in the list up and D moves it down. That should allow users to easily add, remove and manipulate items in those lists.
Still doesn't output to the disk, that'll be up next in revision 10.
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Hermundure
- Posts: 19
- Joined: Fri Aug 15, 2014 1:10 pm
RE: Modding Tool
WOW, very nice work Sabran!
Cant wait to test it this evening
Cant wait to test it this evening
RE: Modding Tool
Well Hermundure, when you do that you can enjoy write functionality to the races subfolder. I've just published revision 10.
Only thing left to do before I consider 0.1.1 done is pretty up the races form a bit, group things a bit more intelligently and try to find a better balance between having to scroll and not using up too much screen space. Nothing that should require any actual coding though.
Only thing left to do before I consider 0.1.1 done is pretty up the races form a bit, group things a bit more intelligently and try to find a better balance between having to scroll and not using up too much screen space. Nothing that should require any actual coding though.
RE: Modding Tool
Hey, this looks really interesting, been keeping up with this. Do you have any screenshots of what the tool looks like to use?
RE: Modding Tool
Aye don't worry Shogouki, it's still happening it's just that at the moment I don't have anything new to show because the changes are going on behind the scenes in the form of improved code.
And phi6, you can download and use the tool now, if you don't want to risk problems just don't hit the main menu button that says "Output Changes to Disk" and it won't change any files. You can still browse a mod and see how it works.
All the same here's an example of the research screen with a component improvement, and the resource editor with it's location information.
And phi6, you can download and use the tool now, if you don't want to risk problems just don't hit the main menu button that says "Output Changes to Disk" and it won't change any files. You can still browse a mod and see how it works.
All the same here's an example of the research screen with a component improvement, and the resource editor with it's location information.
- Attachments
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- DWToolScreenshot.jpg (428.03 KiB) Viewed 437 times
RE: Modding Tool
Looks great! I will definitely give this a try
RE: Modding Tool
Ok I've published 0.1.1, so we now have a decent races form. Unfortunately there's just no way to shrink the form any more without making it really difficult to use or splitting bits of it into subforms, so I'll stick to the layout as it is. Might revisit it later as I go through 0.2.x if I have any bright ideas to make it prettier. The races form is by far the biggest one with over 4.6K lines of code behind it!
Next up will be policies. This should be a fair bit easier, the files are much smaller and a fair bit of code can probably be copied right out of the races form. The only minor issue I can foresee is the pirate subfolder, but that shouldn't be too difficult work with.
Next up will be policies. This should be a fair bit easier, the files are much smaller and a fair bit of code can probably be copied right out of the races form. The only minor issue I can foresee is the pirate subfolder, but that shouldn't be too difficult work with.
RE: Modding Tool
Man I could have really used this when I was making my test mod. Biggest problem I had was text errors.
Distant Worlds Fan
'When in doubt...attack!'
'When in doubt...attack!'
RE: Modding Tool
I have to say this does look very good. Congratulations on what you have done so far. Despite my original scepticism, I may have to start using it myself!
Osito
Osito
Osito
RE: Modding Tool
Thanks Osito, people's scepticism was pretty much the reason I decided to publish from the get-go. If I end up in a coma or something at least you can use what's done so far!
And thinking about it what’s done so far is actually a good chunk of the entire project, Policies, Characters, Dialogue and Design Templates are the only folders left to do.
At that point (should be 0.1.5) it’ll be a complete and usable tool for any mod. Still work to be done, need to link in image and sound files to the forms, implement data validation and user guidance (I currently anticipate 0.2.5 to be the last main build before a final release of 1.0.0) but those things are really bonuses to make things easier or more convenient, core functionality should be done in the near future.
And thinking about it what’s done so far is actually a good chunk of the entire project, Policies, Characters, Dialogue and Design Templates are the only folders left to do.
At that point (should be 0.1.5) it’ll be a complete and usable tool for any mod. Still work to be done, need to link in image and sound files to the forms, implement data validation and user guidance (I currently anticipate 0.2.5 to be the last main build before a final release of 1.0.0) but those things are really bonuses to make things easier or more convenient, core functionality should be done in the near future.