Matrix Games Forums

Character traits are almost completely obfuscated and I don't really understand why.
Maybe it was just a oversight at release but I think it would be great if they could be externalised to XML so we could
A: understand what each trait does
B: Mod them
C: Create our own generic and unique character traits

Thank you!

There's a text file in the data folder with the other xmls, I think it's called descriptions or something. You can search for the name of traits there, and usually they are accompanied by a description. But not always. And some of them are scattered all over the place.

I'm guessing they are bundled in the dat files and need some wizardry to be extracted (there's a post in the modding forum about extracting flags to mod them if you are interested in experimenting).

I'd really like them as an xml as well so they can be modded easily.

OrnluWolfjarl wrote: Wed Aug 27, 2025 10:35 am There's a text file in the data folder with the other xmls, I think it's called descriptions or something. You can search for the name of traits there, and usually they are accompanied by a description. But not always. And some of them are scattered all over the place.

You refer to the GameText txt file but the descriptions mean nothing there as there is no values and specifics attached what specific bonuses they actually invoke. Its literally meaningless for the purpose at hand

OrnluWolfjarl wrote: Wed Aug 27, 2025 10:35 am I'm guessing they are bundled in the dat files and need some wizardry to be extracted (there's a post in the modding forum about extracting flags to mod them if you are interested in experimenting).

I'd really like them as an xml as well so they can be modded easily.

No, they are neatly packed and listed in the DistantWorldsTypes.dll just like all the other stuff in the XMLs and they are not in your CheatSheet cause they cannot be traced properly right now.
Its the same process for them to externalize them as it is for Components or any other XML for that matter, they just need do it.
All the game data is literally handled in one single dll

I can edit and save this dll, change galaxy size, sector size and whatnot but the saved dll crashes the game so it calls on other dlls (of which Distant Worlds 2 has more in its folder than our oceans have water) and I cannot be
bothered to find the culprit and I couldnt distribute it anways as this would be a copyright infringement... so I would prefer some treat from the devs and externalize some more aspects of the game data to fiddle around with it and do awesome new stuff

I see you've done more homework than me

OrnluWolfjarl wrote: Wed Aug 27, 2025 3:31 pm I see you've done more homework than me

...was looking for some info while building my mod and accidentally stumbeld over some stuff