Mod Tools and what we need to be included with them (very essential!)

[Dumeka]

So I worked with the mod tools, created a few of the mercs that are missing in the game and added them in the workshop.

I'm very happy we already have the opportunity but there are some things that really bother me which I would like to have added when the mod tools are officially released:

 

- no matter how big or small the prevew image for steam is, when I select one from the right place (I have it in the mods folder "images" included), the mod editor won't let me upload my creation. After I removed the preview image it always works. So it would be great to have premade, selectable images for this purpose like Merc, General Mod, UI, Map and so on to pick from.

- more model parts. Most of all for the women. The selection of hair is VERY limited and there are like 4 different ones that look exactly the same while others all have a similar look. We also lack caucasian and asian faces, various hairstyles (blunt chops without layers, medium neck length bobs and other, pixies, one lenght, modern shags, textured haircuts, short, long, curtain, side swept bangs) for the most part as also african hairstyles.+

I think the reason they didn't included long hair its because it would glitch through the clothes but it would be at least good to have more mid long hair variations for the women (the men have plenty as also plenty clothing and parts to choose from).

 

- the in game mercs parts are selectable but we can't change their color if we want to use them for other models and that's really bad (same with the color of their skin).

 

- the female body can be selected but it doesn't connect with most of the lower parts so if you don't select the few particular ones that connect there is a gap in between as if the upper body and the lower body are cut through and through something invinsible "connected".

 

- shirts, long arm shirts with gloves, armor parts, armors that don't glitch with the shirts under them or parts under them are badly needed.

There are only 3 pieces right now which can't be combined with anything because the part under the armor comes through the armor and looks totally glitched.

 

- We also lack a lot on various pants, like jeans with weapon holders, various mercenary and military types (have only 2 their color can be changed)

- overweight or thick models for male and female models are also needed. There were a few overweight or at least thick mercs in JA and JA2 people would like to have back in the game because they were fun.

 

- It would be awesome if we could also create recruitable mercs or locals to join our cause with a small storyline behind there or having set conditions of things one needs to do to recruit them like with the in game ones (smiley, larry and so on), instead of hireable ones only. 

 

Thanks a lot in advance and thanks for an awesome game again! 🙂

[sandman25dcsss]

There are so different players here. When I read "very essential" I expected anything but cosmetics.

My infinite ammo mod is stuck because UnitGrantItem does not work no matter what I try and there is inconsistency between its tooltip and UI elements in mod editor while lua files seem to be encoded so I am waiting for mod tools from devs. Though it was fun to make a mod which gives intel for either H2 or H3 depending on presence of NATO 7.62 ammo in squad inventory when entering any sector. This is what I would call essential 😉

[Dumeka]

On 7/24/2023 at 10:00 PM, sandman25dcsss said:

There are so different players here. When I read "very essential" I expected anything but cosmetics.

My infinite ammo mod is stuck because UnitGrantItem does not work no matter what I try and there is inconsistency between its tooltip and UI elements in mod editor while lua files seem to be encoded so I am waiting for mod tools from devs. Though it was fun to make a mod which gives intel for either H2 or H3 depending on presence of NATO 7.62 ammo in squad inventory when entering any sector. This is what I would call essential 😉

What you need is as essential as what others and me need.

It all serves one purposes and it's creating additionaly in game content for the jagged alliance community. 🙂

Unfortunately we can't edit our posts here caus I wanted to expand my post since there are far more things needed.

For one what bothers many is the very limited amount of nationalities to select from.

Lands like France, Greece, many other european countries also with my asian and other countries are not included and if we mod them in game every character created with them will need the subscribers to subscribe to the languages mod additionaly and that's something we shouldn't need to do.

 

So I hope the devs will expand the available amount of nationalities in the game and add further european, american and asian countries to pick from. 🙂

[Melliores]

The ModEnabler is not a really a mod tool. You can use to browse through the files and make some changes but those are going to be low-level ones.

They said on the stream on Monday that the first batch of mod tools will be centered around creating mercs, abilities and whatnot. You will be able to use Blender or other software to create custom meshes and textures for the mercs, code in new abilities and create easily the new merc. This is scheduled for mid-August but this being in peak holiday season, I am more inclined to believe it will come at the end of August.

The second batch of tools is going to be a campaign and map editor. This will allows us to create or expand tactical maps and create whole new custom campaigns. They also said they hope someone will recreate JA1 and JA2 in this engine. These editors will take a few months to test before release, so expect them probably in December.

[sandman25dcsss]

@DumekaThere is already a mod which adds many nationalities.

Edited July 26, 2023 by sandman25dcsss

[sandman25dcsss]

1 hour ago, Melliores said:

The ModEnabler is not a really a mod tool. You can use to browse through the files and make some changes but those are going to be low-level ones.

They said on the stream on Monday that the first batch of mod tools will be centered around creating mercs, abilities and whatnot. You will be able to use Blender or other software to create custom meshes and textures for the mercs, code in new abilities and create easily the new merc. This is scheduled for mid-August but this being in peak holiday season, I am more inclined to believe it will come at the end of August.

The second batch of tools is going to be a campaign and map editor. This will allows us to create or expand tactical maps and create whole new custom campaigns. They also said they hope someone will recreate JA1 and JA2 in this engine. These editors will take a few months to test before release, so expect them probably in December.

ModEnabler allows to edit mods in special mod editor with friendly UI. I was able to create my mod without writing a single line of code.

[Dumeka]

52 minutes ago, sandman25dcsss said:

@DumekaThere is already a mod which adds many nationalities.

I already mentioned that there is one but if you want to include one of the nationalities that this mod enables to a merc, then everyone the subscribes to the merc will also have to subscribe to the nationalities mod for it to work and that's something I don't want.

1 hour ago, Melliores said:

The ModEnabler is not a really a mod tool. You can use to browse through the files and make some changes but those are going to be low-level ones.

They said on the stream on Monday that the first batch of mod tools will be centered around creating mercs, abilities and whatnot. You will be able to use Blender or other software to create custom meshes and textures for the mercs, code in new abilities and create easily the new merc. This is scheduled for mid-August but this being in peak holiday season, I am more inclined to believe it will come at the end of August.

The second batch of tools is going to be a campaign and map editor. This will allows us to create or expand tactical maps and create whole new custom campaigns. They also said they hope someone will recreate JA1 and JA2 in this engine. These editors will take a few months to test before release, so expect them probably in December.

Thanks for all the informations, I unfortunately missed the stream at monday due to work. 🙂

That's some really awesome news right there! Can't wait.

[sandman25dcsss]

45 minutes ago, Dumeka said:

I already mentioned that there is one but if you want to include one of the nationalities that this mod enables to a merc, then everyone the subscribes to the merc will also have to subscribe to the nationalities mod for it to work and that's something I don't want.

I don't want chance to hit mod to be mod instead of game option, but who cares. I don't think it is a good idea for devs to spend their resources on integrating mods into base game instead of working on things which are not available yet. Also I think many (if not majority of) players don't care about the extra nationalities.

Edited July 26, 2023 by sandman25dcsss