2 Ideas (lightsabers and Jedi)

[tom_riker01]

Idea # 1: For those of us who just want to have a lightsaber, even if we're not Jedi yet: How difficult would it be to add lightsabers as an optional weapon for all classes?

 

Have it as the equivalent of the melee weapon you switch to when you run out of ammo for your heavy artillery. (I realise your ammo regenerates, but you know what I mean.)

 

Also would it be possible to add more than one saber for those of us who are picky about the color of the saber. (Add 1 green, 1 blue and 1 purple, so there is a choice.) You don't have to be invincible, you can be your regular class but you now have a lightsaber handy.

 

Idea # 2: A balanced Jedi class. Would it be possible to create/modify a character (probably pilot) so that he has more health than normal but can still be killed, carries a lightsaber and can use the equivalent of a brief use jetpack for a limited force jump?

 

As I said just a thought. And to all the flamers out there, NO I DON'T WANT TO PLAY JEDI ACADEMY; I want the opition of being a panzy Jedi (not an uber Jedi) in the war.

[Cpt. Bannon]

if you want it, i suggest you try to do it.

 

go here for the modding tools, and look around here to get tut's. i dont think any of the current modders are going to divert their time on this.

[tom_riker01]

As I said, it was just a couple of ideas. Frankly, I'm amazed that the modding community has made this much progress considering the game was only released less than a month ago, way to go and keep it up.

 

These are just random ideas being tossed out there.

[Cpt. Bannon]

i'm serious. the modding community needs all the help it can get. if you think you can give it a go, please do so.

[tom_riker01]

I'm certainly willing to give it a try.

 

Anyone have recommendations as to which file (or part of a file) that I should look at to simply add lightsabers as a backup weapon?

[sb_gat]

You should be looking at any *.lvl files of the SIDE/ folder, they have the info on units and unit weapons.

You should consider that now you can only add the lightsaber as a secondary weapon to a certain class, which has a weapon with long name (just cause imp_weap_lightsaber is longer than imp_weap_inf_rifle, for example...)

You could begin with trying to give the lightsaber to the Republic jet trooper (rep.lvl, look for strings "jet_trooper" and then "rep_weap_inf_commando_pistol")

 

Then you'll possibly encounter the problem of crashing the game.

Consider trying to swap faction units via "mission.lvl" to avoid crashes from weapon changes.

 

Attaching the jetpack to any other classes than the darktroper, jet trooper and geonosian is a good idea. I suggest you look into the rep.lvl, imp.lvl and geo.lvl (watch strings "ijetpack" and "igeo_fly_wings") and try to figure out how you can attach those to other classes.

 

That is all I can advise.

[tom_riker01]

Any ideas on how to convert the files from HEX to half-way readable text?

 

I got the ultraedit program, but am having a hell of a time trying to locate the appropriate strings in the "all.lvl" file. (Figured I'd check out the possibilities for the Alliance pilot first)

 

Is there an editor that makes the files easier to read or is it just hit and miss?

[sb_gat]

Try 010 edtior (the tool I'm using). 30 day trial. Search via google, I'm just too tired today (it's nearly 2 AM here in Siberia!

 

The good stuff is that 010 edtior separates the hex values and ASCII into 2 separate streams.

 

Aside from this, there's nothing to help you (nothing yet, because tools will come in a while, either from the devs or from the fans

[tom_riker01]

Thanks, I'll download immediately. Only 1:45 here in the US but then again I work the night shift, so it may as well be midnight. =)

 

My problem is I can't get Ultra to convert anything to text, or anything remotely readable. (I never claimed I was good at this. =) )

 

But I'll try your program and see what I come up with.

[Vigil]

Originally posted by tom_riker01

Thanks, I'll download immediately. Only 1:45 here in the US but then again I work the night shift, so it may as well be midnight. =)

 

My problem is I can't get Ultra to convert anything to text, or anything remotely readable. (I never claimed I was good at this. =) )

 

But I'll try your program and see what I come up with.

 

What you are viewing when you open the .lvl files is compiled code. So a lot of that garbage you see is stuff that's been written out in an 'understandable' code but then compiled into something the engine translates. If you pull up a file in UltraEdit, and hit CTRL+H you'll see the code in a more readable format.

Note: DO NOT TRY TO EDIT THE FILE WHILE VIEWING IT LIKE THIS.

If you do, it will convert all the 'spaces' you see there (which are blank hex "00" into hex spaces "20" and instantly you are going to have a corrupt file. If you find a spot you want to edit you have to hit CTRL+H again and edit it on the right hand side of the two columns. UltraEdit will convert your text into hex.) If you wish to add blank points into the code (such as when replacing the name of one variable with the name of a shorter variable) again, do not use the spacebar.. switch your cursor over to the left hand side of the columns and type in "00" into the hex entry for that character. If you just hit the spacebar to leave a blank space UltraEdit will put in the hex for the spacebar "20". Also, while looking at the file without the hex numbers to the left of the code, I find it easier if word-wrap is turned on (CTRL+W). This way it seperates the information into blocks and you can try to glean what each block does by what you CAN read.

Have fun!

 

Vigil

[tom_riker01]

Hello, Vigil. I was hoping you'd add your voice to the thread, as I read that you were performing similar experiments.

 

I got the HEX to the point where it's readable, but I'm still not cool enough to make total sense of what I'm looking at. =(

 

I was playing around with the notion of giving the alliance pilot a blue saber (if it was possible) overwriting that shotgun/blaster cannon he usually gets cause I HATE IT.

 

Same for the dark trooper (ditch the shotgun for a red saber) and see how it worked. Thus far I haven't had much luck.

 

I've been going through the "all.lvl" and "imp.lvl" files because I believed those were the files which dicatated what weapons each class gets. So far I've succeeded in screwing up the name of the shotgun, but no crashes to the desktop. At a guess I'd say I'm replacing the wrong strings. It really helps to know the names of the weapons in code terms and know what to replace.

 

All I've found are "all_weap_shotgun" which I presume means the blaster cannon, and a number of different sabers in "all.lvl" I assume "all_weap_lightsaber_blue" is the blue saber.

 

As you folks are the pros, I figure you'll tell me A.) What I'm doing wrong. B.) What I should be doing instead. or C.) That the situation is hopeless and I should give up my dreams of having my blue saber and fighting alongside Skywalker. =(

 

A or B would be preferable. =)

 

Props to Sb_Gat for putting me on to a sweet HEX editor.

[Vigil]

The shotgun the dark trooper carries is called: imp_weap_inf_shotgun I believe (from memory)

Which means that you can't replace it with a lightsabre without some serious editing.. I, so far, have been unable to do this- as it involves removing characters enough that you don't change the filesize, because the lightsabre is something like:

all_weap_inf_lightsabre_blue which when compared to:

imp_weap_inf_shotgun you can see that it is 7 characters longer. Add to that the fact that you have to replace it 3 times in the code (I think.. it might only be 2) and you wind up with 14-21 extra characters that you need to remove somewhere else.

 

If we ever get modding tools and the scripts for SWBF doing these sort of mods will be easy- right now it's SO difficult because of the file size limits.

 

Personally, I replaced the imp_weap_inf_shotgun with imp_weap_inf_rifle- it works for me.

 

Vigil

[tom_riker01]

I was hoping to replace the Rebel pilot's shotgun with the blue saber. And swap the dark trooper's shotgun for Vaders red saber.

 

Would this be within the realm of possibility? Or does the Rebel shotgun also have far too few characters to make the swap allowable.

[subs0nic]

Originally posted by tom_riker01

I was hoping to replace the Rebel pilot's shotgun with the blue saber. And swap the dark trooper's shotgun for Vaders red saber.

 

Would this be within the realm of possibility? Or does the Rebel shotgun also have far too few characters to make the swap allowable.

 

Shotgun: imp_weap_inf_shotgun (20 chars)

Saber: imp_weap_lightsaber (19 chars)

 

So technically, yes it's possible to swap the dark trooper's shotgun for a saber. I can't recall the rebel pilot's cannon from memory.

 

I did try to do exactly this with the dark trooper though, and the game crashed. Don't know why, the exact same method works for giving ewoks, jawas etc lightsabers.. just seemed to not work for regular characters. Haven't had time to look into it too much, but it might be something to do with the order various assets are loaded in, or the specific map settings.

[Vigil]

Originally posted by subs0nic

Shotgun: imp_weap_inf_shotgun (20 chars)

Saber: imp_weap_lightsaber (19 chars)

 

So technically, yes it's possible to swap the dark trooper's shotgun for a saber. I can't recall the rebel pilot's cannon from memory.

 

I did try to do exactly this with the dark trooper though, and the game crashed. Don't know why, the exact same method works for giving ewoks, jawas etc lightsabers.. just seemed to not work for regular characters. Haven't had time to look into it too much, but it might be something to do with the order various assets are loaded in, or the specific map settings.

 

 

 

Ah, so it's not the imp_weap_inf_lightsabre entry??

 

Well, for one thing, I dunno if you noticed this (it threw me a bit at first) but the game uses the british spelling of sabre- so it is, as I've put there: 'lightsabre' rather than 'lightsaber' ... that might have been it...

 

Vigil

[subs0nic]

Originally posted by Vigil

Ah, so it's not the imp_weap_inf_lightsabre entry??

 

Well, for one thing, I dunno if you noticed this (it threw me a bit at first) but the game uses the british spelling of sabre- so it is, as I've put there: 'lightsabre' rather than 'lightsaber' ... that might have been it...

 

Vigil

 

If I remember correctly, it variously uses both spellings. Try searching SIDE/imp.lvl for imp_weap_lightsaber.

 

Being british, I notice the frequent incorrect spellings quickly, but I stick to the american spelling in this explanation to avoid confusion.

[Vigil]

My wife is british.

Anyway.. I did a search through the imp.lvl file and found both imp_weap_lightsaber and imp_weap_lightsabre.

I tried imp_weap_lightsabre and the game crashed. Then I moved around some things and tried imp_weap_inf_lightsabre and the game didn't crash, but it didn't give him the weapon either.

I haven't tried imp_weap_lightsaber yet.

 

Vigil

[tom_riker01]

I realise this may seem like a stupid question: but where exactly in the file are you swapping the strings "shotgun" for the "saber".

 

Thus far I've succeeded in screwing up the name of blaster cannon (shotgun), and I've swapped the all_weap_inf_shotgun for the all_weap_lightsaber_blue in areas of the file that appeared to define the weaponry. When I did that the game also loaded fine, but this time the pilot (or whomever I tried to give the saber to) was missing from the selection.

 

So, where exactly do you swap the strings to switch the weapons?

[lord_xander]

ok, so this is an area ive been working on for some time, and i think i have some solutions for you, ive tried giving a lightsaber to a normal troop (like your pilot) but the game crashes when you go to load that character. when your testing giving a lightsaber to a player, heres a tip, never give it to the first person on the selection screen, because as soon as u choose the character it crashes, if you look at the character without clicking on his icon u can see if the modification has worked or not, if it has worked it will say lightsaber as his weapon, if not it will just be blank. if u see blank, quickly quit out before any of your troopers try to spawn, or it will crash. ive tried and tried and tried to give a standard troop a lightsaber, ive tried the rebel pilot, ive tried the dark trooper, ive tried everything and nothing has worked for me, the one thing i have noticed is that it works for local units, these units would include jawas, ewoks, geonosians, gungans, it doesnt work with tuskens, and geonosians can be tricky, i havent tried the royal naboo guards, the geonosians only seem to be able to work with mace windus lightsaber =/ and the tuskens dont work at all, lol, heres also what i have noticed, you can reference to another lvl file only if its being used in that current level, so say u play mos eisley in the galactic civil war period and you give a jawa a darth vader lightsaber, if you then try to play mos eisley in the clone war era it crashes the game, this is because it trys to reference the imp.lvl file and its not being used because its clones (rep.lvl) vs droids (cis.lvl) so you have to be careful with the lightsaber you reference,

 

so basically what ive said here, is ive been trying for a while to give players a lightsaber, but the thing is, normal troops dont want to use one, the game must be designed to prevent this. however i have noticed some native species are suseptible to change, such as jawas, ewoks, geonosians and gungans. the native troops that i have given lightsabers too are very killable, a weapon blast such as a rocket, a grenade, turret fire and even the emp gun placed near the target but not at the target can kill a saber weilding character in one hit. this is definatley the way to solve everyones hate of "jedi's invincibility", but it is going to be tricky, if anyone ever is able to modify a normal troop to hold a lightsaber, i will shake his hand and shout him a beer because he would deserve it,

 

go ewoks go

 

watch the knees

 

maul? or just some mysterious tatoo man with black skin and a red saber

[Vigil]

You know, I've been trying similar experiments with other weapons... Such as replacing the jet trooper's commando pistol with the gunship's front cannon. This works, believe it or not- but ONLY on the levels that use the gunship, such as the bespin platforms and the geonosian spire- On the levels that don't include the gunship within them the jet trooper has the commando pistol back. The lightsabres seem to be tricky, though... I've never gotten them to work in any way shape or form for normal troops.

 

Vigil

[tom_riker01]

I guess what's throwing me is everyone seems to be able to swap guns around, but not the saber.

 

I'd still appreciate knowing where the correct spots are in the files to swap weapons around and try some experiments of my own. As it is, I'm only guessing as to where the appropriate string is located.

 

If someone would be kind enough to email me an "all.lvl" file with a weapon replacement, I could then compare the two to see where the swap was made.

 

Or someone could just tell me what to look for. =)

 

tom_riker01@yahoo.com if ppl feel ambitious. (Also if you send me a file, please tell me which weapons were added/replaced.)

[lord_xander]

ok, so in the side lvl files, like in rep.lvl, ill start with an example of a jet trooper. open up the rep.lvl file with your hex editor, type in a search for rep_inf_jet_trooper, until you find lots of occurences of the word PROP then scroll down, you should see the words rep_weap_inf_rocket_launcher, that is his emp gun. if u look a little further down, u will see rep_weap_inf_commando_pistol, that is his hand gun. then even a little further down is rep_weap_inf_thermaldetonator u can replace these weapons with anything in the rep lvl, i left his emp gun, i also gave him rep_weap_inf_sniperrifle as his secondary instead of the pistol, and i gave him rep_weap_inf_rifle instead of his thermal detonator, and its great. plus infinite jetpack fuel, but this wasnt asked how to do this, and its in other threads.

[tom_riker01]

Thanks, that helps.

[mdirt]

yea tom i really think u should go for it it should be cool.no for powers though maybe only jumpm and block but other than that its cool.

[tom_riker01]

I appreciate the encouragement. Unfortunately, I have run into a couple setbacks.

 

As mentioned earlier, when one tries to put a saber on a player character such as a pilot or soldier it either makes that character unplayable or gives us the ole classic crash to desktop. Why it works with Gungans, Ewoks, and so on I don't know but for now my wish to add sabers to player characters is on hold until some handy mod tools come about.

 

Or until someone comes up with another method of swapping weapons.