Creating a custom Capital Ship name list

from Sins Forums
Another day, another weird thing I'm trying to do :P So I'm adding a 4th race, and I want to add its own cap ship name list.

Each player(RACE).entity file has this line (with the appropriate Tech/Psi/Phase):

capitalShipNameType "CapitalShipTech"

and the string file has name listings under IDS_CAPITALSHIPNAME_TECH00-TECH45 (again, with appropriate TECH/PSI/PHASE).

However, neither capitalShipNameType nor CapitalShipTech appear in any other file that I could find (Windows advanced search for contents :P), and there's no clear connection between the two.

I tried changing the capitalShipNameType to my race's name, as well as adding appropriate strings, but that doesn't do it.

Each player(RACE).entity file also has:

raceNameParsePrefix "TECH"
raceNameParsePrefixFallback "TECH"

which I changed to match my race, figuring maybe it finds the name strings using those prefixes, but no dice also. Anyone have any ideas?
modding
39,931 views 40 replies
Reply #1 from Sins Forums Top
just about every set of capital letters in the entity files reference the English.str file in the Strings folder for this game. It's one of the few files that hasn't been converted to binary, probably cause the string length is never a constant thing. :D

here's a cut of the file put into a code block:


EDIT: okay so I don't know how to set the colors in the code format, or maybe just need to use something other than C++ :D

here, this should be what you find in English.str

TXT
NumStrings 5157
StringInfo
ID "IDSPlayerAINameTech0"
Value "Nitheim Rebels"
StringInfo
ID "IDSPlayerAINameTech1"
Value "Trade Coalition"
StringInfo
ID "IDSPlayerAINameTech2"
Value "Arn Consortium"
StringInfo
ID "IDSPlayerAINameTech3"
Value "Tondam Corporation"
StringInfo
ID "IDSPlayerAINameTech4"
Value "Provians"


check out the strings folder and just add your own cap ship name, and race too while you're at it. descriptions can also be put in here for abilities, ships, even buffs the game would use. Hope this helps.
Reply #2 from Sins Forums Top
Please re-read my post :P I know where all the capital ship name strings are in the file, and I have no problem changing them for the existing races.

However simply adding more strings with ship names for the 4th race does not work (yes, I increased the number of strings count :P). The only line in the races' entity files that references ship names is the capitalShipNameType, but the parameter for it is not the same syntax as the IDS strings in the string file - so there's no clear link between that line, and how the appropriate strings are used.

To clarify - I'm not trying to change ship descriptions/type strings, that's easy. I'm trying to add names for the game to pick for the ships (like TDN Aegia, Illustria, etc).
Multiplicity - Control multiple PCs using one keyboard and mouse
Reply #3 from Sins Forums Top
do you get an error message or mod failure? is your ship just not showing up?
Reply #4 from Sins Forums Top
The name field of the info card is blank :P
Reply #5 from Sins Forums Top
*shameless bump*
Reply #6 from Sins Forums Top
Well, after more experimenting I've determined that these two lines:

raceNameParsePrefix "TECH"
raceNameParsePrefixFallback "TECH"

don't play into it. The only line that matters is

capitalShipNameType "CapitalShipTech"

I can freely change names by changing the name type between Tech, Psi, and Phase. Adding my own strings to the string file and setting the name type to my race makes blank names.

I need some divine inspiration X-( I've combed over the scenariodef file several times to see maybe there's something there too, and I added my race there so its default start matches the rest and all that good stuff, thinking maybe that partly determines it, but nothing.
Reply #7 from Sins Forums Top
Looking at the .entity file "CAPITALSHIP_PHASEBATTLESHIP.entity", I found a line that says "NameStringID "IDS_CAPITALSHIP_PHASEBATTLESHIP_NAME"". I assume that would refer to these lines in the "English.str" file:

StringInfo
ID "IDS_CAPITALSHIPNAME_PHASE00"
Value "Vatornas"

all the way to

StringInfo
ID "IDS_CAPITALSHIPNAME_PHASE30"
Value "Jrakis"

Maybe that's what you need to focus on?
Reply #8 from Sins Forums Top
NameStringID "IDS_CAPITALSHIP_PHASEBATTLESHIP_NAME"

refers to the "class" name (Kol, Sova, Dunov, etc), unfortunately, not the actual ship names. There's a matching entry in the string file for them. In this case, the string value is Kortul Devastator, for the Vasari battleship.
Reply #9 from Sins Forums Top
I see this is a pretty old question and was wondering for my own purposes if there had been any resolution to it???
Reply #11 from Sins Forums Top
I have taken the libert of posting some cool TEC Capital Ship Names for inspiration(some of them might be too long with the TDN in front), Enjoy  :)

* Aegis Fate
* Kolosus
* Defiant
* Enterprie
* Solonis
* Titunev
* Agravia
* Posternus
* Cataio
* Coral Sea

Ps: Sorry for my earlier post, it was my brother who snuck on and wrote it
Reply #12 from Sins Forums Top
The ship names are never too long if you put them in the Strings file (I tried retyping one of the standard TDN designations in game, and it wouldn't accept it, but I could put 50 characters of garbage in the string file and it would display it...

About the Fourth Race problem, when I was going through the Player pictures, I noticed there is partial work on a fourth race that comes with the game, with pictures of two craracters with a lion-like appearance with their ears covered with headphones or something. So, if the graphics files can have 4-Deep in pictures, and Danman can put in Atlantians using the Vasari template, then it's just a matter of time before we figure out how to hook up our own templates and have the computer accept them.

Because I'm so happy to have found that warhammer pirate mod (new spaceships always make me happy), I'll give this problem a good lookie-through and see if I can't have Sins accept a fourth-race template that is independent from the others

(wish me luck, and good luck with your attempts)
Reply #13 from Sins Forums Top
Mission Give New Ships Completed: Happiness goes to +65
Reply #14 from Sins Forums Top

A rather inconclusive post there by Helio....

Did anyone actually figure out how to associate unique capital ship names with a new race?

Reply #15 from Sins Forums Top

We've all concluded that it's not possible. You can change existing lists, but you can't create a 4th list for another race to use from.

Reply #16 from Sins Forums Top

I was hoping this was something that was added as moddable in Entrenchment.  Is that not the case?  I haven't been able to check for myself yet.

-dolynick

Reply #17 from Sins Forums Top

Nope. I've spent hours trying to figure it out. In the end I just modified the Phase race with my custom names, and linked that to my new race.

Reply #18 from Sins Forums Top

yeah, I'm a bit upset about this particular bit of rubbish as 7DS cannot use the 206 names we have in our English.str file for the 8 additional races.  Things will only get worse and this hardcode/limit/shortsightedness become really visible.  Who the hell wants a BORG ship with a TEC, Advent, or Vasari name to it... just looks like crap, but it's not our fault. 

Heck, we might not even be able to add in additional races if Star/Clad texture and mesh limits are not raised very high.

Reply #20 from Sins Forums Top

what "texture and mesh limits" are you referring to

Reply #21 from Sins Forums Top

as far as the modding community knows, there are no limits. The 7DS mod had TONS of modified meshes and textures, and it ran just fine.

Reply #22 from Sins Forums Top

Ok im making a mod of 4 races also. my first question is how do you change the cap. ship class? Like "Kol Battleship and Sova carrier" sorry if this has already been asked.

And you guys are trying to rename the ship's name like TDN something right? well you can do that ingame if you didnt know.:rofl:

Reply #23 from Sins Forums Top

why do you think those 'classes' have to do with anything specific? they're just names. you can rename it the Kol Laser Gun Platform if you want to.

Reply #24 from Sins Forums Top

it all has to do with the strings file.

And the name thing we've got here is because-

1. renames in-game have a maximum length of 13 characters (including spaces)

2. we want CUSTOM names for our new races

Reply #25 from Sins Forums Top

Trrue, even if the two players should have different names. Kinda a werid, when you see the name of another ship the same as your own