Question: entry level editing of SS2 abilities and items

[6743796620d27xdiesp_]

I would like to edit the SS2 gameplay in a way such as Secmod's, altering the behaviour of skills* or items** or monsters***. What software or .cfg file spelunking should I get into? Thanks for any help.

* I.e. Modify is only possible to one with Tinker; Maintain is capped at +1 condition
** I.e. French-Epstein devices do nothing; Pistols can not use specialized ammo
*** I.e. Hybrids are immune to Cryokinesis, but always flinch when hit

[6743796620fabvoodoo47]

you will only need the Shocked editor, and a couple of years free time to learn it.

[67437966210f7Join usss]

I'm back! Just 'cause I missed you guys so much.

I got to grips with UED1 (modified for Deus Ex) in a couple of months, a few more months later it was like second nature (obviously I haven't mastered it, but definitely above advanced). ShockED just comes across as unnecessarily user-unfriendly to me in comparison. Would that be a premature observation?

I am still interested in modding the game, obviously, but years to learn it just to modify some values, you say? I sure hope you were exaggerating there.

[67437966211e1voodoo47]

I am, but, looking at the current number of SS2 gameplay mods, probably not too much.

[67437966212edxdiesp_]

So I have to look into ShockEd. Is it so bad, that in order to change the general behaviour of a skill, I have to edit the level themselves?

[67437966213dbvoodoo47]

no, you will have to edit the gamesys. which makes editing the levels look like an easy thing.

[67437966216feJoin usss]

no, you will have to edit the gamesys. which makes editing the levels look like an easy thing.

So, they denied public access to the code directly but gamesys. editing via ShockED was originally a system for editing code indirectly for the level designers....that sounds more complex than coding?

He wants the French Epstien devices to do nothing (not how I'd do with them but meh), ideally you'd just open up the relevant file and comment out the relevant code, or just remove them from the maps. That should take little time at all...ShockED is scarier than SHODAN.

[6743796621a0fxdiesp_]

He wants the French Epstien devices to do nothing (not how I'd do with them but meh), ideally you'd just open up the relevant file and comment out the relevant code, or just remove them from the maps. That should take little time at all...ShockED is scarier than SHODAN.

About opening the relevant file, is that done in Shocked or digging through files?

About that example with the FED, it's all tentative as long as I don't know what I can achieve: but the general goal, would be to renew interest in Normal difficulty where you can build a jack of all trades character, by actually requiring (or suggesting) one to acquire all skills. So the FED could be removed to force one into buying lots of Modify, or (meaner) they might be required to start the modifying operation.

[6743796621b5fvoodoo47]

you open Shocked, load a map (that will autoload the gamesys), google for Dromed/Shocked guides (try the ones available here), and start figuring things out.

and yes, getting rid of the epstein tools can be accomplished easily simply by removing them from the maps. changing the cryokinesis projectile damage into stun is clearly a gamesys change though.

[6743796621d00Zygo]

It's difficult to describe how difficult stuff is. Neutralising a FED is easy enough, you just have to remove the script from it or remove them from the levels which is easy and potentially takes less than 5 minutes- unless you stuff it up, of course, and there's very little protection or feedback against a lot of stuff ups. On the other hand, something like the maintain/ tinker change would probably require custom scripting to achieve, secmod has a lot of custom scripts applied. They're basically written in C and are compiled dlls, though take with a grain of salt as I'm not really a programmer at all.

It's like most things really, if you know what you're doing it's usually easy, if you're not sure what you're doing or try doing something that doesn't work as expected it gets hard. And there really isn't a huge amount of documentation to tell new people what to do in a step by step manner.

[6743796621e0bJoin usss]

You modders have had it rough. Worth it though, some great mods about!

[6743796621f2fxdiesp_]

So far I've been able to load up Shocked (Basic) and look at some developer options in Editors -> Gamesys Parameters. Is it here somewhere, that one can alter weapons and enemies?

Also, I can't seem to be able to save anything. It might concern my installation method: I copypasted the contents of ShockedBasic\Tools\Shocked into the root.

[67437966228cfvoodoo47]

first, follow the install procedure from the original post;

Installation
System Shock 2 with Newdark
1. Install System Shock 2 and patch it to its latest version (2.3)
2. Install Newdark + Newdark Dromed. If installing with SS2 Tool, you'll still need to install Newdark ShockEd by extracting editor.zip (found in the newdark package, ss2_v242.zip) to your root SS2 directory.
3. Decompress this toolkit to your root SS2 directory. Overwrite any files when prompted.

System Shock 2 without Newdark
1. Install System Shock 2 and patch it to its latest version (2.3)
2. Decompress this toolkit to your root SS2 directory. Overwrite any files
when prompted.
3. Copy the contents of .\SShock2\Tools\ShockEd 2.12 to .\SShock2

as for saving the gamesys changes, see file/save gamesys in the file menu.

[67437966229d3xdiesp_]

Oh. I had read that, but I think I got it wrong: if I have the GOG 2.4 version, that means NewDark is already installed right? Thanks for the help btw.

[6743796622ae9voodoo47]

ok then;

2. Decompress this toolkit to your root SS2 directory. Overwrite any files
when prompted.
3. Copy the contents of .\SShock2\Tools\ShockEd 2.12 to .\SShock2

[6743796622bd5xdiesp_]

Very good, now I can look into Editors -> Object Hierarchy and Gamesys Parameters for lots of changes. I'll see what can be done, and present you guys a mini manifesto later.

[6743796622ce3xdiesp_]

I have something to ask! About replicator machines: can I set the prices for all their items, through a gamesys edit? Or in the very least, just set the price of the Sympathetic Resonator through gamesys?

There is also this about "loot hose %", in the difficulty params: my take is that it's about the less ammo and weapons you find on difficulties higher than Normal, or not? Tnx for any info.

[6743796622e17voodoo47]

the replicator params can be modified in the obj properties of the replicator in question, I believe.

[6743796622f1bxdiesp_]

All right then, I will just use the general multiplier for Replicator prices. I'm good with A) enemy elemental resists, B) indestructible cameras and C) weapon damage too.

Now I'll look into changing what FEDs and Maintain do.

[6743796623047xdiesp_]

The only, barbaric way I have found to disable FEDs is to make them too big for the inventory (4x1 spaces). You go to hell, for stuff like this.

By the way, I was able to find out weapons and psi powers in Objects Hierarchy, but no mention of tech skills. Are they there? I wanted to take a look at Maintainance's effects on disposable maint tools.

[67437966232a3voodoo47]

You go to hell, for stuff like this.

yes.

[674379662340aZygo]

The actual effect of maintenance tools is governed by its script, I believe, and is not editable by standard means.

You cannot change the cost of the sympathetic resonator. Its cost is governed by the specific script that adds it to the replicator, rather than the gamesys, though it is unique in that regard, everything else can be specified.

[674379662356exdiesp_]

I finally got what Zygo wrote, about disabling the script in the FED file of the gamesys to disable it. I had tried disabling something else previously, fruitlessly... and the game punished me biblically by making me deaf (player sound effects wouldn't play). I also managed to have the Cryo bolt causing stasis.

The plan for the minimod is as follow: play at Impossible, with as many skill as Normal. Costs are lower, but more importantly you want to buy more skill than you'd manage with at Impossible. Because: racial immunities are stronger (i.e. mechs are exclusively damaged by energy\heavy); no FED\ICE to incentivize Modify; cap on Maintainance (2?) to incentivize Repair. I think I'll add in some extra bonus time to weird buffs, to make them sexier. And I'll drop the indestructible cameras.

edit ninjad

[67437966237favoodoo47]

the game punished me biblically by making me deaf

do not edit the gamesys without loading a map.