So I've run into an issue when modifying the RandomEventPirateTitan.entity file and its subsequent conversion from .txt to .bin. First, when i make the conversion and the converter reaches said entity file, i will get a windows error that says a problem occurred, does its usual solution check, and then when i click close, it will continue with the rest of the files.

After all of it is done, if i run the game in the dev version and get a few errors concerning the same file.

Here's the errors in question (solved)

I've listed both the .entity file contents and the error in question (along with a bonus error that pops up with many mods i play).

Now, during the process of writing this, I think i discovered the cause of my issues, and if my modification fixes it(or does not), i will come back to report my findings.

==============================EDIT==============================

So it turns out my suspicions were well founded, the erroneous lines of "spawnShips" were causing the file to not convert into bin (causing the "runtime to terminate unexpectedly") which left the .entity file in its text format while everything else was in bin. Not sure why it did this in the first place, as these lines were in there when i originally converted the file from bin to text... However, when everything is left in .txt format, and ran in sins, the error message concerning those missing labels does not occur.

==============================EDIT#2============================

Got some help from @GoaFan77 with the assert issue, learned that it concerns research "misplacement," where a research option is in the wrong location (such as when an item is in tier 7, but requires tier 0)

It's a count, just like all the others.  Counts come before lists.  Such as the counts in the player files for all the objects used by the side.  The ship spawn code is a list, you can increase that count and add multiple stages for higher level spawn groups with more ships.  I don't believe the random event system can use multiple levels as there isn't any mechanism for them in the works, but I never checked to see if they would work anyway.

There is an experience function in the beta.  Future sins mods, assuming it ever comes out, can use it to give experience to ships.  You can, however, do it anyway.

ChangePlayerIndexToNeutral.  Spawn dummy ship along with the titan, that has an ability that will change it to neutral, giving something to kill when it first appears that will give it the requisite experience.

General warning; setting boomMinShift to a value equal or larger than 1.0 will cause Sins to periodically throw RandomStream errors throughout a match.

Gameplay.constants under marketDef section.  Inputs for resource trading price fluctuation.

That should work. Make sure your checksum changes when running your mod (or editted file). If not, the game just can't find the file.

Gameplay.constants

Hey guys here's a tool you might find useful. I've had it for awhile, and I keep forgetting to post it, but it might be useful for those who need to update their mods to 1.85. It's a mass find and replace tool, and the find box allows for wildcards by putting in the * symbol. To use it, make a new folder and slap in all the files you want to edit.

Here are two examples of ways to use it; the first is an easy way to add the new Smuggler path to planets in moments and another is a use of the wild card. Do note that if you only want to edit a single line, make sure to add in a new line (hit enter) after that one or else your formatting will be borked.

Long time lurker here.

What with the recent updates now, I'm updating my mods and making changes as I go along, and I decided it was time to put these questions out there as I cant seem to find an answer.

---The first one is about beam particle effects:

I noticed that Advent beams have... instant firing. I don't really know what you'd call it. By that I mean the beams "come out" in full power as solid lines, and operate as you'd expect, coming out from the ship and hitting a random mesh on the the enemy ship.

To contrast this, and hopefully bring more sense to what I was saying, we have TEC Beams, which fade in as they fire. To be more specific, the TEC Starbase and Ankylon Titan beams fade in and out during the course of their life. The same can be seen with Vasari planet bombing beams.

My first question-- Is there a way I can get TEC Starbase/Ankylon and Vasari planet bombing beams to appear instantly like Advent beams do, and if so, where can I do this and how?

---My second question has to do with the recent addition of "RuinPlanet" into the code.

I was eager to try out this new "RuinPlanet" buffinstantactiontype. I put it into a test mod I whipped up, but I found this new bufftype to be much less flexible and modifyable than "MakeDead" Which is used with the vasari Stripped to the Core ability.

My second question-- Whats the major difference between "RuinPlanet" and "MakeDead". I am curious to know why "RuinPlanet" warranted a spot on the changelog when "MakeDead" seems to fill that role already. I can only assume that Im using the bufftype wrong, or am missing a critical point that brings out some unseen potential.

These questions have been brewing for a very long time, and I'd be very glad and appreciative to have them finally answered.

Thanks!

Yes.

Nightstar, I expect the mechanism you're seeing is a fade in set on the particle file the beam calls.  Removing it would make the beam pop in and out of existence at full brightness.

Quoting Requiem-Myre,

reply 2569

I wonder if perhaps someone could explain why this planets texture is like this?

Its a volcano planet, and i changed the default texture on it slightly, and when i loaded the game it decided to do this!

Reduced 41%

Original 1366 x 745

That's one of the older planet meshes that isn't spherically mapped. What version of Sins are you modding?

Planet_Volcanic_0 should be spherically mapped in the Rebellion Mesh directory.

Thanks for the reply!

I understand what you're saying, but its to my understanding that the beams themselves do not have .particle files. They are instead controlled by a ship's .entity file. For example in the TEC Loyalist Titan's .entity file the beam weapon calls for "Weapon_Tech_TitanBeam_Muzzle.particle" and "Weapon_Tech_TitanBeam_Hit.particle" but the beam's properties itself (save for the fading in/out) is controlled by its own section. Perhaps there is a place or part I am missing? Regardless, thanks for your help!