Seth's system tutorial

[Seth Karlo]

Last time on "Seths system tutorial": mBases.ini is the insides of the base, the people, the bar, the ship dealer, all that jazz.

I've decided I'll sort out all the BB code for this tutorial after I get it finished, so... yeah.

mBases.ini can be found in DATA/MISSIONS.

Now, mBases sorts out people who live inside the base, prepare for a wall of text, as this is an mBases entry, again with comments:

[MBase] Entry tag
nickname = Li10_03_Base Base code (Liberty, 10th system, third base
local_faction = li_p_guardian Faction name. This is the LPI guard.
diff = 3 Can't remember, which means it ain't important.
msg_id_prefix = ignore See above.
[MVendor] Relates to the people in the bar I think...
num_offers = 2, 4
[BaseFaction]
faction = li_p_guardian Faction again
weight = 100 All weights in the entry must add up to 100, I'll describe this below.
npc = li1003_001_m Name of NPC entry below
npc = li1003_002_m Name of NPC entry below
npc = li1003_003_m Name of NPC entry below
npc = li1003_004_m Name of NPC entry below
npc = li1003_005_m Name of NPC entry below
npc = li1003_006_m Name of NPC entry below
[GF_NPC]
nickname = li1003_fix_bartender Bartender NPC, note it's not in the list of NPC's above. Those NPC's are the ones that appear in the bar.
body = li_manhattan_bartender_body NPC body
head = li_manhattan_bartender_head NPC head
lefthand = benchmark_male_hand_left I don't need to tell you do I?
righthand = benchmark_male_hand_right
individual_name = 462853 A .dll link to the name
affiliation = li_p_guardian Bartenders faction
voice = rvp101 His voice
rumor = base_0_rank, mission_end, 1, 462830 Rumors. Each number at the end relates to the rumor in question, which will be discussed later in this tutorial.
rumor = base_0_rank, mission_end, 1, 462831
rumor = base_0_rank, mission_end, 1, 462832
[GF_NPC]
nickname = li1003_fix_trader Same as the bartender, but this is the Commodity dealer
body = li_commtrader_body
head = br_brighton_head
lefthand = benchmark_male_hand_left
righthand = benchmark_male_hand_right
individual_name = 462855
affiliation = li_p_guardian
voice = rvp101
[GF_NPC]
nickname = li1003_fix_weaponsdealer Equipment dealer
body = li_commtrader_body
head = br_sales_head
lefthand = benchmark_male_hand_left
righthand = benchmark_male_hand_right
individual_name = 462856
affiliation = li_p_guardian
voice = rvp106
[GF_NPC]
nickname = li1003_006_m Recognize the name? This is the one of the guys who was up there, this dude appears in the bar.
body = li_male_guard_body
head = ge_male3_head
lefthand = benchmark_male_hand_left
righthand = benchmark_male_hand_right
individual_name = 462857
affiliation = li_p_guardian
voice = rvp121
room = bar See, the bar.
rumor = base_0_rank, mission_end, 1, 462833
rumor = base_0_rank, mission_end, 1, 462834
[GF_NPC]
nickname = li1003_005_m
body = li_male_guard_body
head = ge_male3_head
lefthand = benchmark_male_hand_left
righthand = benchmark_male_hand_right
individual_name = 462858
affiliation = li_p_guardian
voice = rvp106
room = bar
rumor = base_0_rank, mission_end, 1, 462835
rumor = base_0_rank, mission_end, 1, 462836
[GF_NPC]
nickname = li1003_004_m
body = li_male_guard_body
head = ge_male3_head
lefthand = benchmark_male_hand_left
righthand = benchmark_male_hand_right
individual_name = 462859
affiliation = li_p_guardian
voice = rvp140
room = bar
rumor = base_0_rank, mission_end, 1, 462837
rumor = base_0_rank, mission_end, 1, 462830
[GF_NPC]
nickname = li1003_003_m
body = li_male_guard_body
head = ge_male3_head
lefthand = benchmark_male_hand_left
righthand = benchmark_male_hand_right
individual_name = 462860
affiliation = li_p_guardian
voice = rvp126
room = bar
rumor = base_0_rank, mission_end, 1, 462831
rumor = base_0_rank, mission_end, 1, 462832
[GF_NPC]
nickname = li1003_002_m
body = li_male_guard_body
head = ge_male3_head
lefthand = benchmark_male_hand_left
righthand = benchmark_male_hand_right
individual_name = 462861
affiliation = li_p_guardian
voice = rvp101
room = bar
rumor = base_0_rank, mission_end, 1, 462833
rumor = base_0_rank, mission_end, 1, 462834
[GF_NPC]
nickname = li1003_001_m
body = li_male_guard_body
head = ge_male3_head
lefthand = benchmark_male_hand_left
righthand = benchmark_male_hand_right
individual_name = 462862
affiliation = li_p_guardian
voice = rvp151
room = bar
rumor = base_0_rank, mission_end, 1, 462835
rumor = base_0_rank, mission_end, 1, 462836
[MRoom] A room in the base
nickname = bar So you can assign NPC's to this bar.
character_density = 4 How many people in the bar at one time.
fixture = li1003_fix_bartender, Zs/NPC/Bartender/01/A/Stand, scripts\vendors\li_host_fidget.thn, bartender Note the li1003_fix_bartender, you have to make sure this links to the right dude, or he won't appear ingame. The bit after it is linked to scripts, which is more advanced than I can be bothered to write down at the moment. SilentAssassin is your guy for that.
[MRoom]
nickname = Deck
character_density = 2
fixture = li1003_fix_trader, Zs/NPC/Trader/01/A/Stand, scripts\vendors\li_commtrader_fidget.thn, trader
fixture = li1003_fix_weaponsdealer, Zs/NPC/Equipment/01/A/Stand, scripts\vendors\li_equipdealer_fidget.thn, Equipment

So, there we go, that's an mBases.ini entry.

In Igiss's submission guidelines, you would make each name and info like so:

Ids_Name=
462802
Springfield Station

Ids_Info=
462803
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-16"?><RDL><PUSH/><TEXT>CLASS: Sierra</TEXT><PARA/><TEXT>GRAVITY: Complete</TEXT><PARA/><TEXT>DOCKING: Yes</TEXT><PARA/><TEXT>AMENITIES: Yes</TEXT><PARA/><TEXT>POPULATION: 10K</TEXT><PARA/><POP/></RDL>

ids_description=
462804
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-16"?><RDL><PUSH/><TEXT>The first LPI outpost set up in this system, Springfield remains the base of operations for outgoing Liberator patrols. It is also where the LPI's ships are maintained, re-armed, and stocked up.</TEXT><PARA/><POP/></RDL>

Voila. Igiss has to input each one into the main .dll himself, so all you need to do is make sure that the numbers match. This is from a notepad file I have in my illinois submission, the Ids_name shows what type of thing it is, then the number it needs to use, then the text.

All of that is outlined in Igiss's submission guidelines, which are floating around somewhere.

Now, weightings, from mBases.ini. This is a little complicated, but bear with me. Now, if we had two factions in a base, say the LPI and the Liberty Navy. In your mBases entry you had 2 LN dudes, and 3 LPI officers. So, it would look a little like this:

[BaseFaction]
faction = li_p_grp
weight = 60
npc = li1003_001_m
npc = li1003_002_m
npc = li1003_003_m

[BaseFaction]
faction = li_n_grp
weight = 40
npc = li1003_004_m
npc = li1003_005_m

So, we have 5 NPC's total, and our weighting has to add up to 100. 100/5 = 20. Now, we have 3 LPI dudes, so 3 x 20 = 60, and there you have your weighting for the LPI. 20 x 2 is 40, so that's your LN weighting.

Got that?

If it doesn't add up exactly, as in, you need 2/3rds or whatever, then just make one of them slightly different, so say you had 6:

[BaseFaction]
faction = li_p_grp
weight = ?
npc = li1003_001_m
npc = li1003_002_m
npc = li1003_003_m

[BaseFaction]
faction = li_n_grp
weight = ?
npc = li1003_004_m
npc = li1003_005_m
npc = li1003_006_m

100/6 is 16 and 2/3rds. Not easy numbers. So lets round that down to 16, and do what we did as before. 3 x 16 = 48

So:

[BaseFaction]
faction = li_p_grp
weight = 48
npc = li1003_001_m
npc = li1003_002_m
npc = li1003_003_m

[BaseFaction]
faction = li_n_grp
weight = 48
npc = li1003_004_m
npc = li1003_005_m
npc = li1003_006_m

Oh wait, we only add up to 96! The world will end! *Runs around with his head on fire.* Or, we can add 2 to each one to get 50 each. Obviously you would do this with just 2 factions, but when you're dealing with something like Manhattan, where you have 12 factions and 30 NPC's, you can see where it can get complicated.

Next up: Making funky bases in Freelancer.

So, place your base in FLE, and then place "Other Objects" nearby. Things like bio_dome, space_research etc are base components, that will make your base more interesting, and allow you to build it up a bit like lego. Now, in order to place them properly compared to your base, you need to make sure that the base is the parent of the objects you want to use to make up your base, then right click on the base, and select "edit base layout".

Next up: Asteroids an Nebulae.

To place an Asteroid, use FLE, and it will appear in your system INI file as a Nebula or Asteroids. Like so:

[Asteroids]
file = solar\asteroids\LI10_prisonminefield_01.ini
zone = Zone_LI10_prisonminefield_01

It will also appear further down in the system ini, in a "zone" tag.

[Zone]
nickname = Zone_LI10_prisonminefield_01 Nickname
ids_name = 462818 Link to .dll
pos = -26055, 0, -25410 Position in the system (X, Y, Z) So, the middle one is up/down
rotate = 0, 11, 0 Self explanatory
shape = ELLIPSOID
size = 11176, 12275, 12275
property_flags = 274 The thing that shows up on the minimap, see Igiss's spreadsheet.
ids_info = 462819 Link to .dll
visit = 36
spacedust = asteroiddust Dust that appears in the zone
spacedust_maxparticles = 50 Density
sort = 20

Right, a file will appear in DATA/SOLAR/ASTEROIDS or /NEBULA

This file contains the various bits and pieces that make up the density of your asteroid field/Nebula. If you wanted to add in passages through it (That code is for a mine field), you add a Lane Access zone as so to the main system ini:

[Zone]
nickname = Zone_LI10_05_lane_access
pos = -26397, 0, -25080
rotate = 0, -128, 0
shape = BOX
size = 4988, 4988, 3323
property_flags = 131072
sort = 99

Then, you edit the SOLAR ini as so:

[TexturePanels]
file = solar\asteroids\mine_shapes.ini
[Field]
cube_size = 350
fill_dist = 1200
diffuse_color = 110, 110, 100
ambient_color = 255, 255, 255
ambient_increase = 20, 20, 30
[properties]
flag = mine_danger_objects
flag = danger_density_high
[Exclusion Zones]
exclusion = Zone_LI10_05_lane_access
exclude_billboards = 1
exclusion = Zone_LI10_06_lane_access
exclude_billboards = 1
exclusion = Zone_LI10_07_lane_access
exclude_billboards = 1
exclusion = Zone_LI10_08_lane_access
exclude_billboards = 1
exclusion = Zone_LI10_09_lane_access
exclude_billboards = 1
exclusion = Zone_LI10_10_lane_access
exclude_billboards = 1
exclusion = Zone_LI10_11_lane_access
exclude_billboards = 1
exclusion = Zone_LI10_12_lane_access
exclude_billboards = 1
exclusion = Zone_LI10_13_lane_access
exclude_billboards = 1
exclusion = Zone_LI10_14_lane_access
exclude_billboards = 1
exclusion = Zone_LI10_15_lane_access
exclude_billboards = 1
exclusion = Zone_LI10_16_lane_access
exclude_billboards = 1
exclusion = Zone_LI10_17_lane_access
exclude_billboards = 1
exclusion = Zone_LI10_18_lane_access
exclude_billboards = 1
exclusion = Zone_LI10_19_lane_access
exclude_billboards = 1
exclusion = Zone_LI10_01_lane_access
exclude_billboards = 1
exclusion = Zone_LI10_02_lane_access
exclude_billboards = 1
exclusion = Zone_LI10_03_lane_access
exclude_billboards = 1
exclusion = Zone_LI10_04_lane_access
exclude_billboards = 1
[Cube]
xaxis_rotation = 8, 40, 90, 158
yaxis_rotation = 5, 45, 100, 135
zaxis_rotation = 355, 45, 78, 145
asteroid = mine_spike1, -0.900000, 0.000000, 0.050000, 110, 0, 10, mine
asteroid = mine_spike1, 0.750000, 0.100000, 0.000000, 0, 45, 20, mine
asteroid = mine_spike1, 0.050000, -0.750000, -0.100000, 50, 35, 40, mine
asteroid = mine_spike1, 0.000000, 0.850000, 0.100000, 150, 15, 12, mine
asteroid = mine_spike1, 0.100000, 0.000000, -0.850000, 40, 0, 50, mine
asteroid = mine_spike1, -0.100000, 0.050000, 0.900000, 30, 15, 60, mine
[Band]
render_parts = 10
shape = asteroid_belt_mines
height = 7000
offset_dist = 6000
fade = 0.800000, 1.000000, 10, 11
texture_aspect = 0.750000
color_shift = 0.600000, 0.600000, 0.700000
vert_increase = 1
[AsteroidBillboards]
count = 600
start_dist = 900
fade_dist_percent = 0.500000
shape = spike_mine_tri
size = 200, 200

And thus we have our Nebulas sorted.

Suns are pretty simple, place one and look up the system ini to see how it changed.

(MAKE SURE YOU SAVE YOUR CHANGES AND THEN GO TO FILE>SAVE CHANGES/UPDATE MOD IN FLE!!!!

Knock yourself out.

Make sure you've followed Igiss's guidelines and done his checklist, and when you're ready, submit it.

Have fun, and READ THIS BIT: IF I HAVE MISSED STUFF (Which I most likely have) PLEASE POST HERE AND ASK ME TO UPDATE IT!!!!

Seth Karlo

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