New X-COM Hack

[hatfarm]

So, after some thought, I think I am going to restart from zero and try to rebuild x-com hack and add some new functionality. I will also try to make it more streamlined, when I wrote that program I really had no idea what I was doing as far as efficiency goes. So now, I have some experience writing some very basic 2d games and feel I have the ability to actually write something decent. I could use some help though, it was long ago requested that I add graphics to it, especially in the base editing portion, which I would love to do, but I need to get the graphics for all of the parts of the base. Does anyone have any copies of just the images for the base units that I could use in my base editor? I'm going to start cranking it out and work on the parts I can quickly, but I won't release it until it has at least as many features if not more than version 2.5. Also, is there anything in particular people would like to see added to it? I haven't really dug into ufopaedia to check out what all the new stuff that has been found does, I will be doing that though, and if anyone has anything they'd like me to start with, I'd be glad to do that. As always, if anyone is interested in coding this as well, just let me know and I'll be glad to figure out a way to work with you, I will be using vb.net. Thanks ahead of time for any and all help.

[hatfarm]

So, I've finished the first beta release and would love to have some feedback from users to make sure I'm not overlooking any problems with it, or if there are any suggestions they are more than welcome. The forum post where I have posted the beta version, as well as where I'd like to get any feedback is here:

 

https://www.xcomufo.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=242029262

 

Thanks.

[Zombie]

I guess I'm the first one to test it, so see my post in your thread.

 

C'mon people, time to take out your testing sticks and give Hatfarm's new editor a spin!

 

- Zombie

[hatfarm]

There is a second beta available now. With the added Craft editor, which is a bit more robust than the original. If you'd like to help me beta test it, please check out:

 

https://www.xcomufo.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=242029289

 

Please let me know of anything I can improve so I can make it the best it can be.

[hatfarm]

Third beta is available here:

https://www.xcomufo.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=242029365

[Munkeylord]

has anyone removed the 80 item limit yet? just curious...if not ill go dormant for another 3 years

[Zombie]

You could try asking Seb76 about this at the X-COM Wiki. If he can't find out how to increase the file size then it's impossible.

 

- Zombie

[Civilian]

I am using the "old" 2.5 version and there is a problem in the soldier editor: If you rename a soldier using the button it works. However if you accidentally type the name in the field above the button all changes are lost. This could be solved by simply making the drop-down area read-only.

 

Here a screenshot of the editor page I am talking about:

 

https://i49.tinypic.com/2qco7wg.jpg

[hatfarm]

Hi Civilian,

 

That problem is entirely fixed in the new version because I completely rewrote the new version. The new version will also have much more support for other types of editing (including battlescape and exe editing).

[Civilian]

Great to hear that!

 

I have no access to the forum link (for the beta) you posted, though.

[Zombie]

Simple, go and register an account there Civilian! Then you'll have full access to everything.

 

- Zombie

[hatfarm]

I didn't post the betas here because I want to keep them centrally located so I don't have to check 13 different places in order to find out that there is some sort of bug. I figured since Micah was so kind as to host my page and give me my own forum, that I'd utilize that space. Please do feel free to post things there or here, but that's the one I check more often.

[Civilian]

I have 6 feature requests!

 

1. What about the possibility to edit Tank weapon stats? There is not one GUI editor available (well at least none I know of) that can do that. On a second thought: Do tank weapons use the stats of the human weapons?

 

2. What about the possibility to delete the memory of the aliens about already discovered human bases?

 

3. What about the ability to give tanks other weapons? A stun tank would be nice to have. Or imagine an AC tank with INC ammo....

 

4. What about the ability to change the TUs needed to prime grenades? or to use the StunRod?

 

5. What about the ability to give smoke grenades or flares a damage? It would be cool to turn the SG into an early stun grenade or the flare into an INC grenade.

 

6. Something very difficult and advanced: What about the ability to remove certain maptiles from the random selection during map generation?

 

edit: I will maybe register later at the other forum.

[hatfarm]

I have 6 feature requests!

 

1. What about the possibility to edit Tank weapon stats? There is not one GUI editor available (well at least none I know of) that can do that. On a second thought: Do tank weapons use the stats of the human weapons?

 

2. What about the possibility to delete the memory of the aliens about already discovered human bases?

 

3. What about the ability to give tanks other weapons? A stun tank would be nice to have. Or imagine an AC tank with INC ammo....

 

4. What about the ability to change the TUs needed to prime grenades? or to use the StunRod?

 

5. What about the ability to give smoke grenades or flares a damage? It would be cool to turn the SG into an early stun grenade or the flare into an INC grenade.

 

6. Something very difficult and advanced: What about the ability to remove certain maptiles from the random selection during map generation?

 

edit: I will maybe register later at the other forum.

 

These are all things that would be done in the executable and those types of files. That's going to be a bit later because I want to make sure I finish the saved game editor first.

[Civilian]

Ok, no problem. One quick question though: Are the tank weapon stats located in the exe? Or are their weapons linked to human equipment?

[Zombie]

Tank weapons are indeed found in the executable. I have the offsets listed in my CE Executable Mod Sheet in the files section.

 

- Zombie

[Civilian]

Many thanks! It has been a while since I used an Hex editor, but maybe your info file helps me to find those values in the DOS exe...

[Bomb Bloke]

Point 5 would be dealt with in OBDATA.DAT.

[hatfarm]

Point 5 would be dealt with in OBDATA.DAT.

 

Yeah, I thought at least one of those things would be, that's why I said "those types of files."

 

Anything that will affect all future games is something I'm going to work on later.

[SelDraken]

You mentioned a battlescape editor. I have been making a battlescape editor for the TFTD version over the last few weeks. I dont know if your doing yours using the graphics from the game or not, but I thoguht I would as a few ?'s

 

I know that each battle map is composed of several smaller maps 10x10 cells. And I know that each small map has a set of mcd files it uses.

 

For example for the farm maps in UFO, the ones starting with the 'culta' prefix, they use 2 sets of mcd's, cultivat and barn.

 

I have a text file that holds the info on which map has which mcd sets, however is there a way to find this info in the .exe or something like that? I know people use custom terrain sets so I want my editor to be able to find customs sets.

 

Another thing, in TFTD the battle map is composed of several map sections, lets say Im in a battle with my triton spacecraft, on the seabed terrain, fighiting a ufo.

 

the mcd listing would look like this triton : sand,rocks,weeds,debris,ufobits : uext2,uext3,uint1,uint2,uint3

the only file in the save game folder that seems to change with different terrain is in GeoData.dat, byte 10. So I assume somewhere (maybe in the .exe) there is a list that tells which mcd's are loaded depending on this number.

 

Sorry if im unclear on this post, thanks for any help.

[Bomb Bloke]

The loading order is this: Blanks (always first), the MCDs associated with the terrain, the MCDs for the X-Com craft, then finally the MCDs for the alien craft.

 

For example. Say you send your Triton to land at a volcanic underwater site, where a Dreadnought has landed. The MCD list will be:

 

Blanks (always first) - Sand, Volc, UFOBits (the terrain files) - Triton (your ship) - UExt2, UExt3, UInt1, UInt2, UInt3 (the alien ship).

 

As it stands, "custom" sets work by temporarily replacing the MCDs/MAPs/PCKs/TABs/RMPs for one terrain with another. It is possible to change the MCD names in the executable, but not so easy to add to them. That is to say, I don't know of a single custom terrain mod that relies on EXE tweaking; they all do it through XcomUtil.

 

However, if you really want to dynamically read the MCD filenames from the EXE, just use a hex editor to find their locations. The lists are stored in plain text, and most hex editors have a search function that should allow you to find 'em within a few seconds. Just note that you'll need to locate 'em in every EXE you want your code to be compatible with.

 

You might find this and this to be interesting reading.

[Zombie]

As it stands, "custom" sets work by temporarily replacing the MCDs/MAPs/PCKs/TABs/RMPs for one terrain with another. It is possible to change the MCD names in the executable, but not so easy to add to them. That is to say, I don't know of a single custom terrain mod that relies on EXE tweaking; they all do it through XcomUtil.

True, but most terrain types don't use all the allotted MCD slots. So if there is an empty slot, you can easily assign another MCD set to it. It seems like there is always a MCD slot which is empty. Not sure if this is just a delimiter or if the game is using it for BLANKS.

 

- Zombie

[SelDraken]

Thanks Bomb Bloke and Zombie for answering my questions. Along with the links I have found my answers, thanks

[Civilian]

I have another feature request: There is a TFTD editor in the download section that allows you to edit soldier stats BUT with a twist: You have to pay for it!

 

What about doing similar?

 

Imagine: A hospital or shooting range function..... now how cool is that?

 

And another feature request for the later, non-savegame editor functions: Editing the TUs needed in the inventory....

[NFSlugger13]

Thanks for your hard work. I posted some thoughts on the XComUFO/Xenocide forums.

 

The one thing that has always stood in the way of my modding (aside from my crappy programming ability) is getting those darn .PCK files to show up properly in-game. I've seen some beautifully-modded pictures, but every time I try to do it myself the pictures show up misaligned, with odd colors and distortions. I've looked for guides and programs to help me out, but I just can't get it right.

 

So, if your program somehow allows for easy .PCK importing, I'd be ecstatic. I look forward to seeing all the stuff you'll be coming up with in your hack.