asked before but no response

Just 2 quick ideas:

Switch their ships in every encounter-file, don't know the names, but there are tutorials in the tutorial section

or (dirty version)

just edit your shiparch.ini and change the nicknames of the ships you want to switch, you can only switch the ships for all factions that use them.

I haven't tested any of those posibilities, but I think they should work

Craith

--------------------------
Cheating is for losers
Modding is for fun

No dont do that.
You will crash the game.

Its not a question ive seen asked before so I'll answer it here.

You need to edit several files so excuse me whilst i dig deep into Hostile Universe to find the answers for you, it will take some time to get it all. I'll paste examples of my ships so ignore my ship names.

First of all you need a working ship from the shiparch.ini. You may notice several ships are not pilotable in there, yet they still exist. This is why.

Heres my shadow cruiser config from the shipyard.ini.
(dont look for it in Hostile Universe, its not in Version 3 ) )

[Ship
ids_name = 589829
ids_info = 589844
ids_info1 = 589841
ids_info2 = 589842
ids_info3 = 589843
ship_class = 1
nickname = rs_shadowcruiser
msg_id_prefix = gcs_refer_shiparch_Libhf
mission_property = can_use_berths
LODranges = 0, 2000
type = FIGHTER
DA_archetype = SHIPS\NOMAD\NO_BATTLESHIP\shadowcruiser.cmp
material_library = SHIPS\NOMAD\NO_BATTLESHIP\shadowcruiser.mat
material_library = fx\envmapbasic.mat
envmap_material = envmapbasic
cockpit = cockpits\liberty\xwing.ini
pilot_mesh = generic_pilot
nanobot_limit = 20
shield_battery_limit = 20
mass = 150.000000
hold_size = 20
linear_drag = 1.000000
fuse = intermed_damage_smallship01, 0.000000, 400
fuse = intermed_damage_smallship02, 0.000000, 200
fuse = intermed_damage_smallship03, 0.000000, 133
max_bank_angle = 30
camera_offset = 8, 34
camera_angular_acceleration = 0.050000
camera_horizontal_turn_angle = 17
camera_vertical_turn_up_angle = 5
camera_vertical_turn_down_angle = 25
camera_turn_look_ahead_slerp_amount = 1.000000
hit_pts = 8000
explosion_arch = explosion_li_elite
surface_hit_effects = 0, small_hull_hit_light01, small_hull_hit_light02, small_hull_hit_light03
surface_hit_effects = 150, small_hull_hit_medium01, small_hull_hit_medium02, small_hull_hit_medium03
surface_hit_effects = 300, small_hull_hit_heavy01, small_hull_hit_heavy02, small_hull_hit_heavy03
steering_torque = 50000.000000, 50000.000000, 120000.000000
angular_drag = 25000.000000, 25000.000000, 40000.000000
rotation_inertia = 2900.000000, 2900.000000, 1100.000000
nudge_force = 30000.000000
strafe_force = 17000
strafe_power_usage = 1
bay_door_anim = Sc_open baydoor
bay_doors_open_snd = cargo_doors_open
bay_doors_close_snd = cargo_doors_close
HP_bay_surface = HpBayDoor01
HP_bay_external = HpBayDoor02
HP_tractor_source = HpTractor_Source
num_exhaust_nozzles = 4
shield_link = b_elite_shield01, HpMount, HpShield01
hp_type = hp_gun_special_6, HpWeapon01
hp_type = hp_gun_special_5, HpWeapon01
hp_type = hp_gun_special_4, HpWeapon01
hp_type = hp_gun_special_3, HpWeapon01
hp_type = hp_gun_special_2, HpWeapon01
hp_type = hp_gun_special_1, HpWeapon01
hp_type = hp_thruster, HpThruster01

Like all ships it needs a package from the goods.ini setting up.

Heres mine.

[Good
nickname = rsshadowcruiser_hull
category = shiphull
ship = rs_shadowcruiser
price = 1000
ids_name = 12015
item_icon = Equipment\models\commodities\nn_icons\cv_heavy.3db

[Good
nickname = rsshadowcruiser_package
category = ship
hull = rsshadowcruiser_hull
addon = shadowengine1, internal, 1
addon = ge_fighter5_power01, internal, 1
addon = ge_s_scanner_01, internal, 1
addon = ge_s_tractor_01, internal, 1

As you can see, there is no weapons in the goods.ini because this is the players config more than the AI's. The AI cannot choose its weapons so we need to use another file.

In Data/ships you will find a file called loadouts.ini. This is the configuration for the ships the AI uses and should include all weapon loadouts and other things that are usually listed in the goods.ini for the player ships.

Heres the Shadow Cruisers AI loadout.

[Loadout
nickname = rsshadowcruiser_loadout
archetype = rs_viper
category = ship
hull = rsviper_hull
equip = shadowengine1
equip = infinite_power
equip = shadowthruster1, HpThruster01
equip = ge_s_scanner_01
equip = ge_s_tractor_01
equip = armor_scale_4
equip = shadowgun01, HpWeapon01

BTW shadowthrusters1 and shadowgun1 are custom items, you wont have them. Lets face it, a shadow ship with an after burner would look like its set a light a fart, very unnatural hehehe.

Next we go to /data/missions/npcships.ini

Here we collect all the information from the above configs into 1 file so the AI can fine them.

[NPCShipArch
nickname = shadowcruiser_d1-20
loadout = rsshadowcruiser_loadout
level = d1
ship_archetype = rs_shadowcruiser
pilot = MSN13_Nomad_Fighter
state_graph = FIGHTER
npc_class = lawful, class_fighter, d1, d2, d3, d4, d5, d6, d7, d8, d9, d10, d11, d12, d13, d14, d15, d16, d17, d18, d19, d20

This is a use at all levels settings. Anything zone in any system rated 1 to 20 will see these babys appearing. However usually you have several different loadouts for the same ship to make the ship become tougher at higher levels.

For example heres my starfury entries. Well 3 of them anyway. They should give you a good idea of how the ncpships.ini works.

[NPCShipArch
nickname = starfury_d1-2
loadout = rsstarfury1_loadout
level = d1
ship_archetype = rs_starfury
pilot = pilot_police_med
state_graph = FIGHTER
npc_class = lawful, class_fighter, d1, d2

[NPCShipArch
nickname = starfury_d3-4
loadout = rsstarfury2_loadout
level = d3
ship_archetype = rs_starfury
pilot = pilot_police_hard
state_graph = FIGHTER
npc_class = lawful, class_fighter, d3, d4

[NPCShipArch
nickname = starfury_d5-7
loadout = rsstarfury3_loadout
level = d5
ship_archetype = rs_starfury
pilot = pilot_police_hard
state_graph = FIGHTER
npc_class = lawful, class_fighter, d5, d6, d7

The importat parts are an original nick name, can be anything. Loadouts that match your entry in the loadouts.ini. Level, the level of the AI ship. Ship_archtype, name of your ship from the shiparch.ini. Pilot, they go from XXX_XXX_easy to XXX_XXX_hard to XXX_XXX_Ace. Theres a config file somewhere with them all listed. Im sure you will find it on your own.

Next we need the file /data/missions/faction_prop.ini

A typical entry looks like this.

[FactionProps
affiliation = fc_n_grp
legality = unlawful
nickname_plurality = plural
msg_id_prefix = ignore
jump_preference = jumpgate
npc_ship = shadowcruiser_d1-20
npc_ship = MSN13_Nomad_Fighter_Populator
npc_ship = fc_n_no_fighter_d19
mc_costume = mc_fc
firstname_male = 229608, 229608
firstname_female = 229608, 229608
lastname = 229608, 229608
rank_desig = 197140, 197140, 197140, 10, 15
formation_desig = 197808, 197820
formation = fighters, fighter_guild

To add a new ship simply add your ships nickname from the ncpship.ini file like this.

npc_ship = shadowcruiser_d1-20

You can see where it goes in the example above.

Then your ships will automatically get used when a system requires and AI ship of the stated level in it. Any ships you want to remove can be removed by deleting the NPC_SHIP = line for that ship.

This is how Liberty police fly starfurys and Xwings and Liberty Rogues fly Cylon raiders in my mod but not any other ships.

If your swapping existing ships you probably do not need all of this info, however, if your adding your own, you will. So I will post it all to save readers posting further questions on this matter.

Giskard

Thanks mate!

"Innocence Proves Nothing!"

- Lord Commander Ragnar