there is a simple solution to this that require simple editing. It will have limits, but it will work. Taking the weapon hardpoints as example: Choose a class of gun out of 10 that you would like to use. Say you decide to use 10. Go into the shiparch.ini. Search for that weapon level using the find option. Delete them all. This will prevent any existing ship from using that weapon type. Now, in order to make the old weapon 10 guns available, go to weapon_equip.ini and locate all guns that are level 10. Change them to Level 9. After you change them to level 9, than insert the new entries for the new ship and new weapons. Make the new weapons for that ship level 10. If you want the ship to only be able to use the new weapons, than in Shiparch.ini, only keep the line for level 10 weapons, and not 1-9. You can do this several time and for different types of equipment, but don't forget that eventually old guns like the Cerberus or Nomad Guns could end up being level 2 guns or something.
Wow! didnt expect this many replies! Thanks to everyone who gave up some ideas!
We have tried a few of these ideas (except re-classing), some worked to a certain degree, I think there are really only a few choices though:
1. Re-class the weapons as mentioned above - Time consuming and would allow a lower class of ship to use better weapons, which in turn means increasing power to these lower level ship so they can fire them!
2. Change the common.dll to add a new class level - we tried everything with this one, but nothing worked! Unless someone know how to edit the common.dll and recompile it so that freelancer doesnt get all stroppy over it!
3. Use the HP_gun - this does work for weapons but not for shields... so far
4. BEG for the source code! - tried bill@microsoft.... didnt get a reply! lol
5. Allow people to be able to use these new weapons on other ships... - The game is supposed to be about FREEdom of choice!!
We are gonna go for option number 5 as its quickest! but we havent given up on the other's! we'll keep hammering away at it and will post any success that we get!
If anyone has any more ideas we will appreciate it and give them a go!
we should be completing our mod in the next week so will post asap. (unofficial name: Pirates and Freighter Captains mod - on evilro.org Uk)
Thanks again to everyone that posted!
Max_X_Fire
Edited by - max_x_fire on 2/4/2005 1:05:03 PM