Faction Editor?

from GalCiv3 Forums

In today's beta 5.3 release, the initial funding of all factions was returned to 5000 BC.   (Wealthy may get more, haven't checked.)   It was discussed on the live stream, and is a mechanism to get the early game started faster.   Very well.

The problem is that the numerous custom factions that I have created don't know this.    First one I tried got 1000 BC.   Which means, I am thinking, that all my custom factions are at a huge disadvantage.  And there may be other changes that are not as obvious that affect old custom factions.

Which leads to my question:  wouldn't it be possible without too much trouble to allow the player to edit his custom factions so that he can update them as the new releases come out, as they will be doing regularly for some time, even after release, with the expansions, dlcs, patches, etc.

And/or wouldn't it be possible to indicate what changes in a patch will affect custom factions and/or provide a means to update them.

Something to prevent having to recreate the factions one more time; when you get to 10+ it becomes a bit of a chore.

 

7,230 views 8 replies
Reply #1 from GalCiv3 Forums Top

Bamdorf I`m not sure if there a way to change it in the game file for each race all at ones meaning one edit.

but you can put a modded factiondefs.xml with your custom race info and tell it to start with what ever amount you want.

Reply #2 from GalCiv3 Forums Top

Nastytang, I really  need to start learning how to mod the XML. I have refrained from all modding till release. One of you Experts needs to do a utube for this idiot on how to tinker and make your own custom factions..the real cool ones like I have seen some do with say Star Trek personalities or Babylon 5. 

Star Control: Origins
Reply #3 from GalCiv3 Forums Top

FWIW, I started a new game in 5.3 with a custom faction I built in 5.1 and I'm still getting 3000 at the start of game that I got back then.  Even when I did a copy-n-edit of that faction in 5.3. However, when I created a brand new custom race in 5.3, it had the 5000 credits it was supposed to have.

So something isn't getting changed as the game is patched/updated.

Reply #4 from GalCiv3 Forums Top

What it seems like is happening is that when you create a faction, it basically copies the Default faction in FactionDefs. This includes not only credits, but starting ships, etc.

When the game updates, the .faction file still contains the old stats from the previous version. Copying the custom faction copies that, rather than applying the same changes to a new Default faction. A small change like credits just makes it an annoyance, but a larger change like removing the starting colony ship could cause larger game-play issues. What's even worse is that a change to the structure of the factions would possibly mean that custom factions would be completely broken and unusable, no matter how you tried to copy them. You'd have to remake them from scratch. Modded factions have an advantage in this regard, since you can just change the structure to match the newer one.

It's a bit like the old saves having the same xml as when they were started. You do, in effect, save the custom faction after all.

 

Reply #5 from GalCiv3 Forums Top

Yep, my biggest problem is that I just don't have much know-how when it comes to modding and such.   Undoubtedly the safest thing to do whenever they release a new patch is to start everything over.   Clear out My Games/Galciv3, etc. and go from there.    I was just dreaming there was an easier way.  Maybe there will be when the game settles down after launch.

 

Reply #6 from GalCiv3 Forums Top

Quoting Niedzielan, reply 4

What it seems like is happening is that when you create a faction, it basically copies the Default faction in FactionDefs. This includes not only credits, but starting ships, etc.

When the game updates, the .faction file still contains the old stats from the previous version. Copying the custom faction copies that, rather than applying the same changes to a new Default faction. A small change like credits just makes it an annoyance, but a larger change like removing the starting colony ship could cause larger game-play issues. What's even worse is that a change to the structure of the factions would possibly mean that custom factions would be completely broken and unusable, no matter how you tried to copy them. You'd have to remake them from scratch. Modded factions have an advantage in this regard, since you can just change the structure to match the newer one.

It's a bit like the old saves having the same xml as when they were started. You do, in effect, save the custom faction after all.

 
End of Niedzielan's quote

Am I correct in saying that the .faction file is one of the few files that is NOT editable outside of the game?  The only place I've found it is in the Documents\My Games\GalCiv3\Factions folder.  And the files created there are binary files, it appears.  So even if I wanted to monkey about with them, it doesn't look like I could.

Reply #7 from GalCiv3 Forums Top
Quoting BuckGodot, reply 6

Am I correct in saying that the .faction file is one of the few files that is NOT editable outside of the game?  The only place I've found it is in the Documents\My Games\GalCiv3\Factions folder.  And the files created there are binary files, it appears.  So even if I wanted to monkey about with them, it doesn't look like I could.

End of BuckGodot's quote

 

I'm not a binary expert, but I just had a look.

At first, they seemed like mostly gibberish, as if they had been encrypted - copy a file and re-saving it created very different hex. But it had some readable text in, referencing files - save.tmp and desciption.txt. So, on a hunch, I opened it in WinRAR (7zip didn't work). Lo and behold, those two files. Description.txt was empty, not sure what it's for, but Save.tmp was readable in a hex-viewer. I tried changing something (text) and put it back in to the .FACTION file, and it worked! So it is editable, just not with a standard procedure. I'm not sure where the values for credits etc, are stored in it, but I'll look at it for a bit longer.

 

The .FACTION file is just a compressed archive, halving the size of the actual faction. I'm not sure why, since they're only 1-2KB in size. Even if you had 1000 custom factions, that wouldn't even be 2MB. You'd need a million custom factions to make the compression be worth a GB which, lets be honest, isn't actually that much these days.

Reply #8 from GalCiv3 Forums Top

This file is in the graphics  

C:\Users\NASTY\Documents\My Games\GalCiv3\Mods\Testing\Gfx\Factions

 

FACTION_DEFAULT_Name_916503AA211D4242BE2E9114C4EE6915 Let just say for now its not modifiable. once it is made. If you remember every thing and it is a easy replacement then just replace it. (Remake your Race.)

Now I took a copy of the FactionDefs.xml file and put it in my mod file 

 

C:\Users\NASTY\Documents\My Games\GalCiv3\Mods\Testing\Game

 

so that the changes made here effect on that race I have modded the Terran's for my custom race.

I might be work but if you mod the start up credits it should work for your custom race if you have more then one I`m not sure.

 

the other way is if in game bring up the debug console  and modcredits 5000 hit enter and the ESC key and the funds will change.

this is just part of the xml file 

<ShipCallsign>FOP</ShipCallsign>
<LogoImage>NTSTDKBlueRaceLogo00.png</LogoImage>
<LeaderThumbnail>NTGC3_WT_Riker_Small.png</LeaderThumbnail>
<LeaderImageFG>RikerWT.png</LeaderImageFG>
<LeaderImageBG>jamesclyne14.png</LeaderImageBG>

<NewsRobotMovie_Approach>Terran_ResearchAdviser_Approach.bk2</NewsRobotMovie_Approach>
<NewsRobotMovie_Idle>Terran_ResearchAdviser_Idle.bk2</NewsRobotMovie_Idle>
<StartupImage>StartGameRiker.png</StartupImage>
<StartupTitle>FACTION_TERRAN_StartupTitle</StartupTitle>
<StartupDescription>FACTION_TERRAN_StartupDescription</StartupDescription>
<StartupTraitsDescription>FACTION_TERRAN_StartupTraitsDescription</StartupTraitsDescription>
<MapColorDef>TerranMapColors</MapColorDef>
<UIColorDef>TerranUIColors</UIColorDef>
<!-- <FactionMoviesFGDef>TerranMoviesFG</FactionMoviesFGDef>
<FactionMoviesBGDef>TerranMoviesBG</FactionMoviesBGDef> -->
<FactionMusicDef>TerranMusic</FactionMusicDef>
<Material1>GC3_Ship_Material_Brushed_Metal</Material1>
<Material2>Onyx_Material_01</Material2>
<Surface1>GC3_Default_Surface_04</Surface1>
<Surface2>GC3_Default_Surface_04</Surface2>
<Appearance>GC3_Terran_Appearance</Appearance>
<ShipStyleSet>TerranShipStyleSet</ShipStyleSet>
<CreditsInit>5500</CreditsInit>
<WarEnduranceInit>90</WarEnduranceInit>
<DefaultResistance>0.5</DefaultResistance>
<InfluenceTallyInit>10</InfluenceTallyInit>
<StartingColonyPopulation>10</StartingColonyPopulation>
<AICategoryWeight>
<Military>15</Military>
<Growth>10</Growth>
<Tech>20</Tech>
<Diplomacy>15</Diplomacy>
<Expansion>20</Expansion>
<Wealth>10</Wealth>
<Influence>5</Influence>
<Fortification>5</Fortification>

End of quote

 

I show it change to 5500 so you can see it also if you look closer yuo`ll see some of the other modded INFO.

That INFO is in Bold Black! EDIT!!  LOL it`s in White!

 

Hope This Helps

 

Nasty!