can't add Custom Factions in the game's installed XML anymore?!

from GalCiv3 Forums

Wow. Just wow. Before Crusade this worked great: I had a mod developed, that I spent a fair amount of time working on btw, that was just like a mod you'd put in the User folder, but you copied it directly into the game's actual installed files instead.

This allowed us to bypass all the BS Stardock-imposed restrictions on Multiplayer, except MegaEvents being off (grr) and no random AI races (grr). I had a large number of Custom Factions designed, and was even able to swap the XML values around to get Insane map size working in Multiplayer (THANK GOODNESS).

Except with Crusade, I can't get Custom Factions to show up when made with .faction files unless I put them in the User folder, AND I can't get Custom Factions to show up when made with a FactionDefs.xml file unless I put them in an actual "Mod" in the User folder. And guess what: BOTH methods are now disabled in Multiplayer.

My ONLY working option for getting the game setup the way WE want it, is now gone. Congratulations StarDock, you just ruined the whole thing for us. (Not that Crusade is playable anyway in its current state by the sounds of things, sigh.)

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I'm now going to uninstall Crusade, and HOPE/PRAY that you guys didn't disable additions to the root installed FactionDefs.xml file in the BASE game too with your update, b/c otherwise we won't even be able to play at all...

21,189 views 2 replies
Reply #1 from GalCiv3 Forums Top

Did you put them in the Crusade folder or the GC3 folder.

Reply #2 from GalCiv3 Forums Top

So! I just got done uninstalling Crusade, and found that adding to the root installed "FactionDefs.xml" in the base game DOES still work!!! Whew... Really dodged a bullet there, heh. I don't know if anyone else in the entire world even uses this method for modding Multiplayer, but to me and my RL friend it's essential.

We've waited for 2 full years now for all the missing pieces of SinglePlayer, and still gotten nothing... So disappointing. :(

Quoting ForesterSOF, reply 1
Did you put them in the Crusade folder or the GC3 folder.
End of ForesterSOF's quote

I tried both, just to be extra safe. I tried everything I could think of, including looking for global values, and for anything in the Schema files that might help. I'm not new to modding, and I'm a very detail-obsessed person, so don't worry - I found the DLC/EXP2_Crusade/ path to the new XML almost immediately after it installed on Thursday, heh.

I'm quite certain they've hardcoded the official factions now in Crusade, because you can actually completely DELETE FactionDefs.xml in both the base and Crusade XML folders simultaneously, launch the game, and STILL see all 15 races there with all their normal stats, as usual. (Toldja I tried everything, lol.)

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