[A12d] More Mechanoids (v1.07b - updated 31.12.2015)

[Scottnov]

I don't know your technical skills but I'm sure willing to give it a shot.

Only thing I've ever actually made anything in (and nothing complicated) is in Python, which I was taking a class for. Because of that, I'm able to understand and pick up concepts from other languages easier. Aside from that, I've had a bit of experience in lua, although that's mostly from just looking at Don't Starve files and trying to understand them.

I mostly need someone to take care of some planning (like you did for the research) and the handling of the related XML files. For research it's pretty straight forward. Check the file ResearchProjects_Mechanoids.xml in Mods/MoreMechanoids/Defs/ResearchProjectDefs.
(codespeak.exe)

Yeah, that seems  simple enough. I mostly seem to be "altering templates" here if you will.

As you can see, every tag, like <ResearchProjectDef> has a matching closing tag, like </ResearchProjectDef>. The // are meant to be comments that I just added and are actually not valid in XML. In XML comments look like this: <!-- comment --> and can span multiple lines.

Obviously meticulous attention to detail is required with these files. If a tag is misspelled (capitalization matters too) it will not work and RimWorld will show some kind of (usually seemingly unrelated) error when you start it. As an editor for xml files I am using Notepad++. It's free and works well enough. But if you find something better that's cool too.

Yeeeaaah, syntax is probably what I'll have the most issues with at first here. I guess over time I'll probably be getting better at it, though. In the meantime, you'll probably have to be patient with my learning process. Also I've used Notepad++ before for Don't Starve "modding", so that's taken care of.

Now what I generally find tedious is taking care of the matching language defs. They're required in case someone wants to create a localization. At this point there is only an outdated Korean one, which I obviously can't fix myself
With the research example, there's a matching file ResearchProjects_Mechanoids.xml in Mods/MoreMechanoids/Languages/DefInjected/ResearchProjectDef.

Here the entry looks like this:
(codemaster.exe)
Basically it's just a copy of the original text - it overwrites it when this language is active. If any other language is active, the original text will be used, so it's important that that one is the same.

Yeah, that seems pretty simple if not slightly time consuming.

So if you're willing to tackle this, I think we can best take further instructions to direct messaging. If you think this is too much to handle, do tell me. Obviously, in order to actually save me some time, you'll need to dig up a lot of information yourself about how some things work. But when you're stuck, let me know.

Sounds fine to me. And don't worry, for now the task you've given me seems pretty simple anyway, so I shouldn't have too much I need to do. Of course, I too have other matters to attend to, but whenever I have the time (which I should USUALLY, since it's summer now) I'll help work on what I can. Like I said, you'll have to be patient with my learning however, as I'll probably make mistakes along the way.
I'm glad to be able to help!

[AllenWL]

I read all the stuff you guys wrote and I do like the general notion. My idea for the mechanoids was to exploit the inventory / clothing system to upgrade the mechanoids. So where I want to go is that when you chip a mechanoid, you don't choose a function yet - it just makes it stand around, essentially. Then you can plop in a function chip (given that it's compatible with the mechanoid type) and possibly various upgrades that have been researched.

Implementing extra research items is indeed not very difficult. The trouble lies in the effects of the research / chip. For some things, like changing existing stats, it's no problem. For new things it will be more work (sometimes significantly / unpredictably much more).

Since both of you seem to have some pretty good ideas and strong motivation for this, I hereby extend the offer to help me with the mod and temporarily share ownership of the mod. I don't have much time for it, so for example someone to plan / test / balance research and upgrades would be very helpful. Also someone to take care of the corresponding XML files just as well.

There are also several new mechanoid types in the pipe that Joey has prepared. Adding some more of them would also be a lot of work but add a lot to the mod. So that'd be a question of prioritization - upgrades or new mechanoid types?

And of course there's also the neverending task of upgrading to the latest version of RimWorld.



On the idea of limiting the amount of mechanoids: Since PAL is gone, I don't want to add a rigid limit to the amount, but rather make the player dependent on spare parts that are not always easy to find / expensive to create / needed in large quantities. So the amount of (functioning) mechanoids a player can have is limited by his supply of spare parts to keep fixing them up.
If he runs out of them, he'll soon have lots of piles of junk standing around the corners of his base. And the obvious source of new parts are mechanoid raids - so with increasingly tougher raids the players capacity for more mechanoids increases as well. A natural balancing mechanism.

I would try to help, but I don't really know about coding.
I am sorta familiar with the xml files because they are pretty straight forward and I sometimes messed with a mod a bit to make it more to my liking, but all I can really to is change stuff already made and stuff.

Also, real life sorta caught up to me, so I might be able to find a hour or so to read stuff and put up ideas and such, but not really much time to play and test.

[Orion]

I would try to help, but I don't really know about coding.
I am sorta familiar with the xml files because they are pretty straight forward and I sometimes messed with a mod a bit to make it more to my liking, but all I can really to is change stuff already made and stuff.

Also, real life sorta caught up to me, so I might be able to find a hour or so to read stuff and put up ideas and such, but not really much time to play and test.

No problem!

Scottnov offered to help. Now I just have to find the time to work on it myself

[Computica]

I would love to help you mod/test this; I saw the textures for the other mechs and would definitely like to help you work on this project.

[Orion]

Great! I could use a few testers to make sure I don't release broken stuff.

I'll send you a message when I have a version worth testing and we'll see how it goes!

[Orion]

Okay. I've uploaded a test version for the next release here. What needs checking is
- mechanoid attacks
- chipping mechanoids and have them work
- repairing mechanoids
- skullywags opening doors and incapping colonists
- mechanoids breaking down (and restoring) when damaged

Please send me screenshots of (expanded) error messages and explain when it happened. Thanks!

[Computica]

Sweet! On it!

[Orion]

I thought the day would never come, but after blood, sweat and tears, it's finally there. An Alpha 11 compatible version! Hopefully you guys can still enjoy it for a bit, before Alpha 12 is released.

It might not look like much of a change, but I had to make quite a lot of adjustments in the code and def files. So let me know if stuff breaks (from this mod), and don't forget to include output_log.txt or a screenshot of the full error description. Thanks and have fun!

Changelog
1.05 - 29.07.2015
- Converted to Alpha 11
- Centipede: now adoptable

[BangUDie]

Excellent! Going to download and give it a try right away...

[Computica]

The mod is working perfectly. What type of ideas did you have for the other mechanoids in the mod?

[dareddevil7]

will this work with superior crafting?

[Computica]

It works with SC and you don't need to create a new world.

[dareddevil7]

the rate of deterioration for crawlers seems a bit fast, they don't follow zone restrictions, and they crash every 5 seconds

[Orion]

the rate of deterioration for crawlers seems a bit fast

Right now all mechanoids deteriorate at the same speed. So those with less hitpoints will encounter problems earlier.

they don't follow zone restrictions

Good point. But since they're no listed in the zone manager tab, I'm not sure how I would actually let the player adjust this. And getting them onto that list seems like an "all or nothing" problem - if I put them on there, I'll run into tons of other things where I don't want them (by giving them full person status, so to speak).

and they crash every 5 seconds

Given their usefulness, I had to heavily nerf them. Having all your hauling and cleaning tasks done for you over night (without needing food or anything else) is a HUGE boost for your colony.
So this is the new way I try to go about it.

Next on the list is being able to upgrade your mechanoids - e.g. to lessen the crashes, speed them up, etc.

The mod is working perfectly. What type of ideas did you have for the other mechanoids in the mod?

Plenty. Unfortunately I just don't have the time I wish I could put into this mod (and it's already been more than 400 hours). So most likely many of the cool graphics Joey made for the mod won't see the light of day. I could put them in as just a slight variation of an existing type, but that won't do them justice.

Next one I want to finish is the armored guy with the built in guns (yeah, because mechanoids weren't already armored enough).


I am curious though: Are you guys more interested in the upgrade aspect or new types of mechanoids?

[kaptain_kavern]

Nice to see this one back.
Thx

Added to the [A11] up-to-date modlist.