System Submission Guidelines

[Igiss]

This thread contains rules for system submission. To successfully submit a system, all rules should be followed; if you need to violate some to improve your system's design, contact me and we'll see what can be done.

Before submitting a system, you must fill the checklist found here: http://discoveryfl.com/files/dsy_checklist.xls
Include the filled checklist with your submission. Use Microsoft Excel or OpenOffice Calc (latter is free) to fill the list.

These rules should be followed for everyone submitting new systems for Discovery. Please don't think that I'm too restrictive and trying to impose excess limits over your creativity (or laziness). Experience in inclusion Angel's and Dab's systems proved that it is a very lengthy and complicated process that takes more time than most other areas of modding. Please be patient, read the following two posts attentively, and make the life easier for yourself and for me.

Before submitting, include basic information on your system here: http://discoverygc.com/wiki/index.php/New_Systems

This file contains Discovery design information essential for system editing: http://discoveryfl.com/files/dsy_design.xls. This file also contains necessary infocard numbers that should be used for each system.

I will use CAPITALS for all folder names (not meaning that all folder names in your submission must be capital, just for convenience), and EW199 (ew199) as an example system name.

I. Files

DLL and EXE submissions are not accepted.
INI files that are present in original Discovery are not accepted.

Only INI files that were added by you should be included into submission. INI files should be placed in accordance to DATA directory structure (for example, if you are adding a new base, you should place it in DATA/Universe/Systems/SystemName/...).

Ship models, textures or other files should follow same pattern as INI files. Please do not submit modified Discovery models without an important reason. I have a right to use them in the mod, and modify to a certain extent (hardpoints), but I was not granted a right to use those models to create other models.

All other information should be collected into text files, one for each system you are submitting. The file should be named [system name].txt. More details below.

II. System files

System files reside in DATA\UNIVERSE\SYSTEMS\

Main ini file of the system (ew199.ini, for example) and main files for bases (SYSTEMS\BASES).

If you make exact copies of other bases in Freelancer Explorer, DO NOT submit any files from SYSTEM\BASES\ROOMS and DO NOT submit mBases.ini at all! You will find more details on this in the new checklist.

If you are changing mBases.ini and rooms, these files should be submitted too. All the rooms, and part of the mbases.ini you've changed. See how to submit partial files below.

III. INI changes

Usually Freelancer Explorer adds new entries to the end of your ini file. This is not true for main system file, that's why I ask you to submit it whole, not in parts.

For all other files, you can compare Discovery original inis (latest version) and your submission, and copy the part that you've added (or part that FLEx added for you). Copy MUST be precise and contain ALL entries for your submission. If you are not sure about some part, better include extra code than delete what might be needed.

For example, if you are adding a new base, the mBases.ini file that stores all NPC information will be changed. You should copy the part that's added by your base into a separate txt file. The file should be named mBases.txt and should be included in the same place where mBases.ini resides in DATA\...

IV. Infocards

Infocards are names and descriptions identified by a number. Infocards are usually referred to by
ids_name =
and
ids_info =
tags in the INI file.
Text that suits each number is entered in DLL files. I'm entering all DLL entries myself, that's why DLL submissions are not accepted.

Templates for the infocards with full XML synthax are here:
http://discoveryfl.com/files/infocards.zip
Use these to compile your own infocards.

For each new system, 100 infocard numbers are reserved. The first number is the system name (you can find the exact number in universe.ini). Second is description, later come other objects. Names and descriptions must have separate numbers and come with correct XML formatting.

For your system, use the numbers from XXXX11 and later. Numbers before XXXX10 are reserved. For example: you are editing Braunschweig system belonging to Rheinland Military Guard. The name ID of this system is 464000. Therefore, you can use numbers from 464011 to 464099 (preferably from the beginning). Remember, each infocard must have a different number, even if it's only a name.

Each base MUST have three infocards:

550505
name < the name

550506
stats < stats: population, amenities, gravity etc

550507
description < text entry for the base

stats and description are "tied together" with InfocardMap.ini file from DATA\INTERFACE. Part of this file that you've added must be included as well. description (490507) must not be listed in any files except for infocardmap.ini. In the system file, only ids_info = 490506 should be present.

Descriptions are not needed for all non-populated objects. For example, non-populated planets will have stats and description in one entry.

Let's follow our example.

In the EW199.ini file, following code should be included:

[Object]
nickname = EW199_01
ids_name = 550505
...
ids_info = 550506
...

In the ew199.txt, following text should be available:

550505
Name - simple string without any XML

550506
Stats in XML format

550507
Description in XML format

For the InfocardMap.ini, create a new InfocardMap.txt file and add following string:

Map = 550506, 550507

You don't need to add pre-existent infocards (like "Weapon Platform") name and description cause it's part of original DLL files. Freelancer Explorer will usually enter correct number in such situations.

V. How the whole submission should look like

Following files must be present in submission root:

infocards.txt
npcs.txt - optional, if there are NPC names
dsy_checklist.xls
comments.txt - optional, if you have comments
basetemplates.txt - file that lists base templates, in this format:

XX01_01_Base
Sample base name
copy from
Li01_01_Base
Manhattan

Following files must be present in DATA folder:

\DATA\Interface\InfocardMap.txt
\DATA\Universe\Universe.txt
\DATA\Universe\Systems\XX01\XX01.ini
\DATA\Universe\Systems\XX01\Bases\XX01_01_Base.ini
\DATA\Universe\Systems\XX01\Bases\(more bases here)

Following types of files are optional:

\DATA\Equipment\market_*.txt
When you add asteroid fields/nebulas:
\DATA\Solar\ASTEROIDS\
\DATA\Solar\NEBULA\
When you add custom bases:
\DATA\Universe\Systems\XX01\Bases\Rooms\
\DATA\Missions\mBases.txt

Once it's ready, read part V of these Guidelines, zip them all and send to igissmail@gmail.com.

VI. Submission Conditions

1. I cannot review or accept submissions that don't follow the pattern posted here. I'll spend less time adding content myself than trying to extract new content from free-form submissions.
2. I may delete, add, modify whatever I see fit. The only thing I can guarantee is that if a single line of your code will be used, you'll be listed in mod credits.
3. If you do not agree with these conditions, please avoid submitting anything for Discovery mod. Once submitting, you are automatically considered to fully agree with these rules.