Matrix Games Forums

Modders Welcome!

Modders welcome indeed!

• We designed this game to be as modder-friendly as was feasibly possible
• While Head-to-Head play uses encrypted files, against computer, what you see is what you can mod.

• Use the JoneSoft Generic Mod Enabler (JSGME) manager, included in game install.

With JSGME you can safely activate and remove your mods while testing them out. Should anything go wrong, just reverse any change with a click of a mouse.

JSGME, use it. You have been warned.

• A quick how-to on JSGME is available HERE
• JSGME User Guide (JSGMEUG.pdf) is availabale at \Tools\JSGME folder.

Modding How-To - Further Reading

To get started on modding, here's some newer some older but still relevant guidelines we've written over the years. We hope they prove to be useful reading. Existing mods are often a good starting point, too. Have a look what's there in the Mods folder.

Here goes:

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CSlint reporting and QA utilities - scenario designer's and modder's best friend!

• CSlint in WSL How-To

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Developer Diaries - Vietnam 1.x: (Redirects to CSLegion.com)

• CSEE #1: An introduction to Events in Campaign Series Events Engine
• CSEE #2: Accessing Adaptive AI from Event Engine Lua code
• CSEE #3: Campaign Series' Lua based Event Engine in scenario design

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Developer Diaries - Middle East 2.x: (Redirects to CSLegion.com)

• CS Graphics Under the Hood #1 – Biomes and Regions
• CS Graphics Under the Hood #2 – Open Terrain and Ground Conditions
• CS Graphics Under the Hood #3 – Terrain, Vegetation, and Trees
• CS Graphics Under the Hood #4 – Hex Sides Galore!

• Campaign Series Event Engine How-To

Developer Diaries - Middle East 1.x:

• Dev Diary #1 - Why?
• Dev Diary #2 - Inside look at 2D counter art
• Dev Diary #3 - Quick Scenario Overview
• Dev Diary #4 - 3D Graphic icons
• Dev Diary #5 - Wars/Conflicts Covered
• Dev Diary #6 - 2D Terrain
• Dev Diary #7 - Platoon##.OOB files explained
• Dev Diary #8 - Adaptive A/I in Scenario Design
• Dev Diary #9 - CS Event Engine

• Let us build: AH Arab-Israeli Wars Boardgame Look&Feel Map Mop How-to
• CS:ME NATO Symbols Explained

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Developer Diaries - John Tiller's Campaign Series (JTCS) (Matrix JTCS Forum):

• Dev Diary #1: Weapon and movement sounds
• Dev Diary #2: Having fun with Battle Generator
• Dev Diary #3: Adding new units with –X (no encryption) option
• Dev Diary #4: Creating a new Dynamic Campaign Game
• Dev Diary #5: Modding the background music
• Dev Diary #6 - 2D View: NATO and unit icons, chits explained
• Dev Diary #7 - 2D Unit Counters Revisited
• Dev Diary #8 - 3D Unit Bases

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Middle East 1.x Work-in-Progress Coder Diaries:

• Coder Diary #31 -- Audacious & Cautious A/I Redux
• Coder Diary #30 -- The Adaptive A/I
• Coder Diary #29 -- The New Air Model
• Coder Diary #28 -- Is It Soup Yet?
• Coder Diary #27 -- Upping Our Game -- to 50 Elevations!
• Coder Diary #26 -- Highlights, Lowlights & Night Lights
• Coder Diary #25 -- New 2D Map Modes!
• Coder Diary #24 -- UID Slots Expansion
• Coder Diary #23 -- UI Potpourri
• Coder Diary #22 -- Dynamic Sides (Whose Side Are You on Anyway?)
• Coder Diary #21 -- Transparent Markers

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JTCS 2.0 Coder Diaries (Matrix JTCS Forum):

• Coder Diary #20 -- The 2.01 Bug-Fix Update
• Coder Diary #19 -- A/I Dithering Unit, Backtracking Move Bug -- Fixed!
• Coder Diary #18 -- UI Fixes & 2.01 Progress Report

JTCS 2.0 Work-in-progress Coder Diaries (Matrix JTCS Forum):

• Coder Diary #17 -- Past, Present & Future
• Coder Diary #16 -- Adventures in Bug Fixing
• Coder Diary #15 -- Logging
• Coder Diary #14 -- Dynamic Day/Night & Visibility
• Coder Diary #13 -- The -X No Encryption Option, Damage Report Tweaks, and a Glimpse Behind the Scenes
• Coder Diary #12 -- Automated Crash Testing, Backup Saves
• Coder Diary #11 -- Automated, Empirical A/I Testing
• Coder Diary #10 -- New A/I Bells & Whistles
• Coder Diary #9 -- Revamped Toolbar
• Coder Diary #8 -- Variable Unit Highlight Colors
• Coder Diary #7 -- Morale Modifiers, Unit Capabilities, and More
• Coder Diary #6 -- CSlint
• Coder Diary #5 -- Code Merge Mission Accomplished!
• Coder Diary #4 -- All Quiet on the West Front?
• Coder Diary #3 - Variable Animation Speeds
• Coder Diary #2 - Hot keys!
• Coder Diary #1 - Windowed the game engine!

^^ These are all more or less relevant still, especially for an overview how things are done.

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We're here to help you! Any questions, wishes, just post here and one of us will surely pick up. -- To be continued! [:)]

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