System Submission Guidelines

[Igiss]

AVOIDING USUAL MISTAKES

Please review this section no less attentively than others. This will help you to avoid mistakes that were made in previous submissions. All examples below are based on mistakes that I had to fix, there's nothing "theoretical" in this post.

0) Necessary software

I assume you already have latest versions of Freelancer Explorer and Freelancer SDK 1.5.

You'll need it many times to compare objects you are adding with those originally present. For example, you are adding a planet in Freelancer Explorer. You should have Freelancer SDK 1.5 in a separate folder for reference, and original Discovery files (unzipped) in another separate folder.

I use Servant Salamander for quick searching inside entries. Link:

http://www.altap.cz/download.html

CSDiff

http://www.componentsoftware.com/Product.../index.htm

Absolute must-have. You must compare your files with Discovery files before you submit anything. Compare with this program (it can compare whole folders of documents and separate documents). It will provide a full list of files that were changed, and list of new files that you've created (new bases and rooms, mostly).

When you open "modified" document, it will highlight the part of the ini that you've added. Copy it in a text document, like described in rules.

Make sure that your submission contains ALL files that were changed, and not containing anything you meant to delete.

Always test everything you add in the game. After activating your addon and before playtesting, it's a good idea to test files with FLScan 1.3. You can get it here:

http://lancersreactor.com/t/Download/Dow...sp?ID=2126

While testing, keep server console open and track all messages that are yellow or red. Those messages must never appear (except for one generic yellow message) and presence of those messages means that there are bugs in your system that should be fixed prior to submission.

1) System general layout. Zones.

If you are not sure what you are doing, leave the star(s), light(s) and ambience originally present in the system. If you are changing, compare to original systems and make sure that it works.

Don't make zones too large. Exceeding system border is acceptable, but not for too much. Fields (encounters, nebulas, asteroid fields, ...) should be of sensible size.

No objects should be placed outside of system border (seen in FLSO as edges of system display when you first open the system). Not even wrecks or secret objects.

Zones of one type should not overlap. For example, you shouldn't have two asteroid fields overlapping, but you might have an asteroid field inside a nebula.

Exclusion zones for each zone must be unique. If there are two zones from which you want to exclude something, create two similar zones. For example, this should be done if you are excluding a large zone from a nebula and asteroid field at once. Note that you generally don't need to exclude anything from nebulas.

Exclusion zones can be of two types - round (created by Exclusion function in FLEx) and square (created by Lane Access tool in FLEx). Lane Access is the best to create pathways. Normal Exclusion is better for bases and other areas.

Star MUST NOT be within asteroid field! If there's a star within, make an exclusion zone as large as the sun's atmosphere (a bit larger).

2) Planets

Adding non-populated planets is generally a good idea, but avoid using archetypes of populated planets. Leeds has cities on its skin, won't be very logical if your infocard will say it's not populated.

Same for populated planets (when you create non-faction systems). If you add a small moon with craters, players won't understand this to be populated with anything human.

Check atmosphere entries! Size of death zone must be smaller than size of atmosphere, but larger than the planet (size of planet is seen in its archetype, if it's something like redmoon_800, size is 800).

Generally, death zone is planet size plus 100, and atmosphere range is death zone puls 100.

Damage of the death zone is set to 5000 by Freelancer Explorer. This value is incorrect and must be changed to 2000000 (2 mil) for all planets.

If adding a populated planet, make sure you add a mooring fixture in the right location with the same reputation as docking ring.

3) Bases

NPCs

If you want me to set up bases for you, provide basetemplates.txt file listing from which base the template should be copied (more information in the checklist). In this case, do not place any base or room files in your submission.

You may add base and room files yourself, along with mbases.txt chunk. This will save some time, but please make sure that base is set up correctly and does not show any errors while testing.

If you are customizing NPCs, leave all room files where they are, and submit mbases.txt with changes for mbases.ini. However, BEFORE you edit the base in Freelancer Explorer you need to delete all room entries, if there are some (created by me before, for example, and not needed for your needs).

4) Weapon Platforms

These objects are present in large numbers in faction systems (due to their Guard origin).

First of all, use loadouts and archetypes that I use for weapon platforms in same system. If you are making an empty system into a faction sys, refer to other guardian systems for archetypes and loadouts. They are mostly similar, differing only for lawful/unlawful setups.

Don't forget that weapon platforms should be affiliated with the Guard.

Don't use asteroid weapon platforms with no asteroids in nearest vicinity (or inside a nebula).

5) Loadouts for all objects

Loadouts for all objects are based off the hardpoints that are present on the archetype. You cannot use loadout for one base type for another base type, for example, and cannot use loadouts for one weapon platform for another. If you are creating a new loadout, base it off the loadout that's used elsewhere for same object. Search through other systems using Salamander or anything you prefer, find same object, and see what loadout it uses.

Loadouts for bases, static objects and wrecks are placed in SOLAR\loadouts.ini
Loadouts for ships (including battleship stations) are placed in SHIPS\loadouts.ini or SHIPS\loadouts_special.ini

Check all loadouts for wrecks, they tend to cause server crashes. Do not base your wreck loadouts upon ship loadouts, better use other wrecks as templates.

6) Infocards for all objects

All infocards MUST be included in the following format:

497502
Name of your base

497503
Decription of your base in XML format

Make sure you include ids_name and ids_info so that I know what type of entry is it.

All descriptions must use XML encoding, including the rumors. Only exception are the news, but you shouldn't be adding them.

Templates for all XML are in the zip file linked in the 1st post.

Make sure all your descriptions are entered in the text file without line breaks. Make sure you don't delete any XML codes. View all your infocards in-game before submitting the system to me.