The ongoing saga of the TEC Phase Gate.

In theory, you would create copies of the phase gate research files, and change the column/row position to something that doesn't have anything in it in the TEC tech tree.

Then, you would open the playerTech.entity file, add that new research in the listing of all the techs they can research (make sure to increase the counter for # of research subjects). And in the same file, you would add the PLANETMODULE corresponding to the phase gate in the TEC's tactical build list.

You shouldn't need to mess with the abilities or anything, as long as you don't change any names other than the researchsubjects, you should be fine.

I didnt think of that.

I've actually been trying replacing the shield generator, and got everything to work except the gates themselves.

Maybe thats what I'm missing.

Will try it your suggestion and see what happens.

Thanks

Ok, tried that.

The research doesnt show up, but it appears to have been done, making me suspect the shield generator and the gate share something, and doing the shield research also activates the gate.

You can build the gates, but the ships wont use them. They go straight out the normal phase line. Same thing as the way I was doing it before. As in a different way, but same result.

What am I missing ?

I'll take a look at the files when I have some time and see what I can come up with.

Okay, I figured it out I think. I forgot that the planet module file lists the research requirement, not the other way around.

In the phase gate planet module you'll see:

Prerequisites
NumResearchPrerequisites 1
ResearchPrerequisite
Subject "RESEARCHSUBJECT_PLANETMODULEACCESS_PHASEGATE"
Level 1

which you'll need to change to your new researchsubject file. Since you don't want to break the Vasari gate, you'd probably have to make a new file for the planetmodule and change the name in the TEC's build list appropriately also. I think the game was getting confused because the gate required research that the TEC didn't have (since the module used the Vasari one still) and that's why it let you build it.

For research not showing up, did you change its location properly? There's no reason it shouldn't. RESEARCHSUBJECT_PLANETMODULEACCESS_PHASEGATE doesn't list anything that's Vasari-specific. You'll probably want to put it in TEC's Engineering box, which is block 1. Positions [3,1], [3,2] and [4,1] are those 3 empty spaces right in the middle between the shield generator and the terran upgrade.

Also, in the planet-module file, there is a 'Module Functionality' parameter, which might keep it from working if it is set to something else...

Thanks, I'll play with those ideas.

The research makes sense. Maybe it didnt show up because I was using the vasari files, and they had already been researched ? So making a new set of research files might solve that.

Actually, I like the idea of the gate showing up to build when the Vasari have done the research Sort of like adding some espianage to the game, as TEC steal it the moment its researched ! But alas, its not much use if it doesnt work.

Is there anyway of this becoming a mod sometime in the future? I'd would just do what it is apricot did but I don't have the Forge tool and because I'm lazy don't plan on getting it any time soon

You dont need the forge tool, just the text files that come in that download.

If I get it going, I'll do it as a separate mod. I'm doing an allover TEC tweaks mod, but also will do fleet size (only) mods for each and one for all, so doing an extra mod for just adding tec gate is easy.

I'm going to play a game as vasari and see how the gates work, just in case all thats wrong is that I'm not using it properly.

Update :

I've got a working prototype going now after a number of issues.

The only thing I havent actually done is made a successful jump. Stay tuned.

Ok.

Reasearch is there and researchable.
Phase gates built on 2 planets.

No jump !

Neither planet shows that its a phase node.

I've waited 20 game minutes for them to activate. Nothing.

What else can be missing ?

There must be a link between the research/gate and the phase node message on the planet info, but for the life of me I cant find it.

Anyone ?

I made a deployable hanger with the phasegate ability (it had the reasrch switched off) and it worked fine, does the research you added also corrispond to the ability?

Yes. Research, buff and ability files all in sync with each other.

Are you sure yours isnt limited by an enemy needing to research the ability before yours will work ?

I'd be interested in seeing the files you changed if you could email them to me.

Its a combat turret (frigate, not planetmodule) that has the ability "AbilityPhaseGateModule.entity" on it. Its exactly the same but I removed the research prerequisit (and made it fixed level 0) so it works stright away. I didn't try putting it on a module though.

err....so having the frigate in a fleet allows you to create your own jump line ? I'd still like to see the code, as I just cant picture what you have done. But it sounds like something the Command Cruiser could have.

I'm about half way through my test game now, and there is no phase gates still. So something is wrong still. I still think there is a missing link.

Its a deployable frigate, based on the combat turret (the thing the carrier drops), it was just a test.

My phasegate ability:
=========================
TXT
entityType "Ability"
buffInstantActionType "ApplyBuffToSelf"
instantActionTriggerType "AlwaysPerform"
buffType "BuffPhaseGateModuleSpawnerCaster"
effectInfo
effectAttachInfo
attachType "Center"
smallEffectName ""
largeEffectName ""
soundID ""
needsToFaceTarget FALSE
canCollideWithTarget TRUE
moveThruTarget FALSE
isUltimateAbility FALSE
maxNumLevels 1
levelSourceType "FixedLevel0"
aiUseTime "Invalid"
aiUseTargetCondition "Invalid"
isAutoCastAvailable FALSE
isAutoCastOnByDefault FALSE
pickRandomPlanetToExploreForAutoCastTarget FALSE
ignoreNonCombatShipsForAutoCastTarget TRUE
onlyAutoCastWhenDamageTakenExceedsPerc 0.000000
isPassive TRUE
researchPrerequisites
NumResearchPrerequisites 0
nameStringID "IDS_ABILITY_PHASEGATE_NAME"
descStringID "IDS_ABILITY_PHASEGATE_DESCRIPTION"
hudIcon "HUDICON_SUPPORTABILITY_PHASEGATE"
smallHudIcon "HUDICON_SUPPORTABILITY_PHASEGATE"
infoCardIcon ""
==============================

Normal version (red bits I removed):
##########################
TXT
entityType "Ability"
buffInstantActionType "ApplyBuffToSelf"
instantActionTriggerType "AlwaysPerform"
buffType "BuffPhaseGateModuleSpawnerCaster"
effectInfo
effectAttachInfo
attachType "Center"
smallEffectName ""
largeEffectName ""
soundID ""
needsToFaceTarget FALSE
canCollideWithTarget TRUE
moveThruTarget FALSE
isUltimateAbility FALSE
maxNumLevels 3
levelSourceType "ResearchWithBase"
baseSourceResearchSubject "RESEARCHSUBJECT_PLANETMODULEACCESS_PHASEGATE"
improveSourceResearchSubject "RESEARCHSUBJECT_PLANETMODULEIMPROVEMENT_PHASEGATE"
aiUseTime "Invalid"
aiUseTargetCondition "Invalid"
isAutoCastAvailable FALSE
isAutoCastOnByDefault FALSE
pickRandomPlanetToExploreForAutoCastTarget FALSE
ignoreNonCombatShipsForAutoCastTarget TRUE
onlyAutoCastWhenDamageTakenExceedsPerc 0.000000
isPassive TRUE
researchPrerequisites
NumResearchPrerequisites 1
ResearchPrerequisite
Subject "RESEARCHSUBJECT_PLANETMODULEACCESS_PHASEGATE"
Level 1
nameStringID "IDS_ABILITY_PHASEGATE_NAME"
descStringID "IDS_ABILITY_PHASEGATE_DESCRIPTION"
hudIcon "HUDICON_SUPPORTABILITY_PHASEGATE"
smallHudIcon "HUDICON_SUPPORTABILITY_PHASEGATE"
infoCardIcon ""
#########################

Interesting, thanks.

So you create a new ability, assign it to a ship, and what....manually activate the ability when you want to use it ?

Update on existing version : The game now crashes. I'm assuming this is when the vasari enemy does the research for the phase gate. Or the gates become active finally. Not a good sign either way and no real clue as to whats triggering the crash.

2 areas to try now. Going with a ship ability, or deleting the research from the current ability.

Suggestions still welcome.

One of the varis capitals does that already actualy with "AbilityPhaseGateCapital.entity".

I would try and get the ability working without research to eliminate problem and then add back until something stops working.


Are you using the dev.exe? Crashes with error reporting on will give useful error messages. (and you can give your self all reaserch nice and quick to test stuff).