[B19] Editable Backstories

[Kiame]

Are you tired of running into characters in your game with horribly overpowered or just plain silly backstories? Are you frustrated by the number of colonists you have to feed who aren't willing to work to earn their keep because their backgrounds prevent them from doing manual labor? Does it annoy you when you find a backstory you like with the "Prepare Carefully" mod, only to notice that the gender pronouns or even the pawn's name don't change to fit your character? Do you just hate not being able to do anything about typos that you spot in backstories?

Well, fret no more! Your worries are over!

"Editable Backstories" replaces RimWorld's default backstories with a completely editable set of backstories contained in convenient XML files. Yes, that's right. It doesn't just add editable backstories to the vanilla database. It completely replaces that database.

(Well, it *does* have a "lite" option that allows you to just add to the database, but by default, it replaces it.)

You can use the mod "straight out of the box," so to speak, as I've included a set of "cleaned up" basic backstories which will be used if all you do is just install and run the mod. None of them are unreasonably powerful or, in my opinion, lore-breaking, none have hard-coded pronouns or names, and I'm pretty sure that they're mostly free of typos.

But the real point of "Editable Backstories," of course, is that it allows you to edit and add stories yourself. In the "XML Raw Data" folder within the mod's directory, you'll find files containing the full collection of backstories from the vanilla game. In the "Documentation" folder, you'll find detailed instructions to help you put together your own "perfect" backstory collection.

As I already noted, unless you're using the "lite mode" option, the mod removes all vanilla backstories from the game, so no pawn bios will ever again include material that you don't have the option to edit. This means that you won't meet any of the "Pirate King" characters, those characters created by RimWorld Kickstarter backers, whose childhood and adulthood stories are linked. However, "Editable Backstories" allows you to create your own linked stories, so if you happen to like a particular "Pirate King" pawn, you can easily add him or her back into your world, complete with any edits or fixes you deem appropriate.

Additionally, while it doesn't remove any potential pawn names from the game, "Editable Backstories" does let you to add as many new names (first names, surnames, nicknames, and/or full names) to your game as you desire.

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Compatibility:

"Editable Backstories" requires a new game. If you try to add it to (or remove it from) a game in progress, every pawn in the world will end up with new randomly-assigned backstories. (On a related note, don't try to switch between regular and "lite mode" in the middle of a game, for the same reason.)

The mod is compatible with both "EdB Prepare Carefully" and "Verify Start."

It is also fully compatible with any mods that utilize Erdelf's "Humanoid Alien Races" framework.

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Special Note:

I completely understand why backstories aren't editable by default. And I mean absolutely no disrespect to those who backed RimWorld on Kickstarter back in 2013 (or have purchased the "Name in Game Pack" since then) and got their stories written into the game as a result. But at the same time, I'm a modder. Changing things I don't like about the game is what I do. And the fact that backstories can't be edited, even though I understand it, is something that I don't like.

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Credits:

Rainbeau Flambe - original author

Some of the C# code in "Editable Backstories" (specifically, the code that allows data to be read from XML files) derives from code in Erdelf's "Humanoid Alien Races."

The mod utilizes Pardeike's "Harmony Patch Library." (No additional download is required, as the library is included with the mod.)

sumghai for updating the defs to B19

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License:

If you're a modpack maker and want to include "Editable Backstories" in your pack, or if you're a modder and want to use it as the basis of a derivative mod, please feel free to do so. I ask only that you let me know about it.

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If you have any (helpful) suggestions for improvement, please let me know!


Steam

Direct Download:
B19

GitHub

[Tenshi~Akari]

NICE! I've been waiting for this one... thanks for the hard work in getting mods updated! 

However, are there supposed to be duplicate backstories? I'm noticing what seems to be many of the Vanilla ones showing up multiple times, especially in Prepare Carefully. (And yes, backstory descriptions/stats are exactly the same for each of them, so I'm kind of avoiding choosing any duplicates in case an update changes that... but not too many choices that aren't doubled up unfortunately.)

[attachment deleted due to age]

[bigheadzach]

That situation existed in B18 as well, though there are also some instances where there are two variations of the same titled backstory (which also makes sense, since at their core they are just explanations of specific skill tweaks / task forbids).

[Tenshi~Akari]

Strange... I was under the impression those were either overridden or hidden in some way. I really don't remember having 2-3 sets of the same backstory. I was sure I only had one of each when I had this mod before...must not have been paying attention much. 

[Kiame]

I'm interested in this too. I had not touched this mod before i updated it. Tonight i will dig into each of the xml files and see what is duplicated in there

[sumghai]

Tenshi~Akari, are you running the default or lite mode?

By default, Editable Backstories completely strips out the vanilla backstory database and replaces it with a set of cleaned-up ones dburgdorf authored. If you are seeing duplicates, then it's most likely that you are running lite mode, which keeps the vanilla backstories while also appending the dburgdorf versions to the database.

I myself also run lite mode, and resolved this by moving all of dburgdorf's cleaned-up backstory XML files from the Defs folder to the XMLRawData folder. This means my game now only loads the original vanilla backstories, plus a custom backstory library I wrote myself for a Evangelion-themed playthrough.

[Kiame]

...plus a custom backstory library I wrote myself for a Evangelion-themed playthrough.

I want to see these backstories 

Shinji: No violence. Depressive
Asuka: +5 melee. Depressive
Rei: -5 Social. +2 Ranged? (Spear of Longinus comes to mind)

[bigheadzach]

Shinji

Incapable Of:

- getting in the goddamn robot

[Tenshi~Akari]

Tenshi~Akari, are you running the default or lite mode?

By default, Editable Backstories completely strips out the vanilla backstory database and replaces it with a set of cleaned-up ones dburgdorf authored. If you are seeing duplicates, then it's most likely that you are running lite mode, which keeps the vanilla backstories while also appending the dburgdorf versions to the database.

I myself also run lite mode, and resolved this by moving all of dburgdorf's cleaned-up backstory XML files from the Defs folder to the XMLRawData folder. This means my game now only loads the original vanilla backstories, plus a custom backstory library I wrote myself for a Evangelion-themed playthrough.

I've always ran it in default mode. This is probably why it's strange to me that it's happening, because I know it was overriding vanilla backstories before when I used it last version.

Still does it when I toggle lite mode on & off just to check and see if the game recognizes the difference... still the same deal, regardless of the mode. 

[Pyrce]

Hi Kiame,

Thanks for getting this mod updated!

I was working on a mod which add some new backgrounds for a faction (in particular some new spacers for a Space Raid incident) and wanted to use the lite version of this mod to enable adding those backgrounds easily. Any objections to including a modified version of the dll in the mod?

Thanks,

[rawrfisher]

I dont see why kiame would object.  Less work later

[dburgdorf]

I was working on a mod which add some new backgrounds for a faction (in particular some new spacers for a Space Raid incident) and wanted to use the lite version of this mod to enable adding those backgrounds easily. Any objections to including a modified version of the dll in the mod?

As it happens, I'm currently working on a moderately extensive update to "Editable Backstories," with what should be some noticeable simplification of the code. (Yes, I know I said I wasn't going to take back from Kiame the mods he's updated to b19, but, well, this one turned out to be an exception.) You're welcome to incorporate the mod into yours, but you might want to wait until I've gotten the update out. It shouldn't be too long. I'm trying to get "Fertile Fields" updated to release tomorrow, but "Editable Backstories" is basically next in line after it. 

[Pyrce]

That sounds great. This mod is going to take me several nights to get together anyway, so I'll leave the backstories all as Pirates until that comes along and work on the other aspects

[Kiame]

Just to add on here, I've viewed my role as mainly care-taker of Rainbeau's mods which i've updated. For now i will continue to support and enhance the mods i've updated with the exception being this one for now.

Rainbeau and I will need to discuss the best way to make sure his new version is distributed correctly.

My current thought being I can just update the steam version (or keep at current version and point to the new one via links in the desc) and change the d/l url in ModSync RW to point to wherever Rainbeau would like to host the updated version. Totally not set in stone though but we'll keep this post updated 

[dburgdorf]

My updated b19 version is now available, and can be found here: https://ludeon.com/forums/index.php?topic=45556.0

The update features some pretty significant rewriting, and also some enhanced functionality, especially where names are concerned.

There's nothing wrong with sticking with Kiame's version for now if you prefer not to mess with a game in progress, though you should be able to replace his version with mine seamlessly, as all the backstory defNames are the same.

I was never able to reproduce some of the errors that were reported since the b19 update. It's possible that I just never happened upon the right combinations of mods and settings, but it's also possible I just happened to fix whatever had been causing the problems in the course of my rewrites. Obviously, I'm hoping for the latter.