The best thing to do, is start by reading the sticky threads above. They contain tools and ideas, how-to's to make most anything for a mod.

Welcome to TLR.

http://eoa.seriouszone.com

get sdk1.3 .. put it in mods folder and rename

then get fl_explorer .. recommend this util, has gui and it`s very easy to start with systems ..

next would be looking at ini files and trying to figure out what those files consist of and what can be changed ..
fl_explorer does a few bugs but with some knowledge you`ll be able to fix them all .. and make really nice looking systems .. no problem


greetz

Edited by - RimShot on 8/10/2004 7:55:06 AM

ok, I'm building a system with freelance Explorer, but whenever I create a new system and save it, the base names appear on the sun(s) and the bases have no names...in fact, nothing has any names....what's going on here? I can go in a put the names back, but again, when I save it it all dissapears...

that`s just one of those bugs made by fl_explorer ..

simply goto your freelancer directory, look in EXE folder and copy "freelancer.ini" to your mod (same folder EXE)

then open it up and look for this:

[Resources
DLL = InfoCards.dll ; Contains all infocard text resources
DLL = MiscText.dll ; Contains other bulk text resource: rumor, offer, and mission text
DLL = NameResources.dll ; Contains names of things, primarily.
DLL = EquipResources.dll ;Contains names of equipment (in string table) and infocards for equipment (in HTML resources)
DLL = OfferBribeResources.dll ; Contains random mission offers and bribes
DLL = MiscTextInfo2.dll ;Contains MP UI elements as well as other misc. text
DLL = newstuff.dll ;Contains new name+info ids

all those are just entries with dll names so freelancer knows where to get the info from .. you have to sign up your dll here ..

see
DLL = newstuff.dll ;Contains new name+info ids
that`s my new custom dll

give it the name of your dll .. and after ";" it`s just info for you which the game doesn`t read ..

i also moved my dll from main folder to EXE as there are the other dll files located as well .. but heard flmm will put it into exe folder automatically so you probably don`t need to do this ..

only need freelancer.ini and add a single line .. good luck

Edited by - RimShot on 8/11/2004 7:44:26 AM

To avoid any worrying, this bit:

DLL = newstuff.dll ;Contains new name+info ids


The part behind the ; is called the comment. It has NO bearing on the game at all - it can be removed to just be:
DLL = newstuff.dll

The ; stops the game engine reading what is behind it - kinda like <!-- --> for php and html etc. OR // for C++ is it? There we go anyways, the text behind semi colons was just for devs to communicate and let each other know what the files are for.

Compiled:


Ummm...maybe I did somethin wrong(highly likely), or something's funky(less likely)....but it didn't work...same-o same-o.....oh ya, it also gives me a "cannot open file : C:\Program Files\Microsoft Games\Freelancer\DATA\UNIVERSE\systems\St01\St01.ini" twice when I open freelancer explorer and a "Cannot find the file "C:\TEMP"" when I save, then it says, changes saved....and all the names stay right where I put them, info cards too,....until I close explorer...do I just need to load a clean FL? oh ya, when I tried runnin the SDK thingy it gave a warning that it couldn't delete the long ini string I wrote above...do I just need to wipe and start from scratch? and if I do, will that delet my multiplayer characters? prolly most of this belongs in other forums, but oh well.....HELP!!!!!....oh ya...I can't activate the AC sliders mod...FLMM just locks up...go to FL explorer, looks like the mod loaded, but reopen FLMM, says it's not activated...and that was way off the string....

ok, I wiped all freelancer from my system, then did the whole SDK thingy....but it still won't save any of the names I give to the bases and planets and stars in my system...the only name that persisted was the new Unknown system I added...not suprised there...but my other systems are all blank again...I put the freelancer.ini file in my mod, I added the new dll string just like ya'll said...but it still won't save...and it still gives me a "cannot find file "C:\TEMP""....little help here?

oh, and by the way, it took forever to delete the St01 file...had to go into the task manager and end a couple bini processes before it would delete...didn't know if the system needed them so I reboot...didn't come back...

ok, shoulda looked around and posted these three as one, but oh well and sorry:-P I can't find a Nevada.dll anywhere(that's the name of my mod...and according to explorer that should be the name of the dll...) isn't there supposed to be one? I put the Nevada.dll string thingy in the freelancer.ini thing...but an exe file in my mod for it to sit it...but why isn't there a dll somewhere? am I missing something? should my hair blonde?:-P HELP!!!

Edited by - RTG593 on 8/11/2004 7:58:54 PM

sounds a little weird ..

for the error with c:/temp .. i heard this before but never happened to me, don`t know what`s that ..

so your nevada.dll should be in your mods folder ..
i hope you made a new folder in flmm/mods directory giving it your mods name, copied all the sdk files to it and then loaded in fl_explorer your mod .. then if you apply changes the program asks for the new name of new dll and puts it in your main directory of the mod .. (where DATA and EXE folders and as well the readme.txt file, maybe script.xml are placed ..)

if that`s not the the way it is, you did something seriously wrong ..

i also recommend to read the topic that says "it`s got it all" and look for a link to "creating a system" something .. there`s so much info there that will help ..


greetz

I did everything except copy the SDK files to my mod...didn't realize I had to do that...and it does ask me to name my new dll everytime I start adding the names back in, but whenever I save and close, then reopen, the names are all gone, and there's no nevada.dll on the hard drive....and yes, I click on save/apply changes before I exit:-P