A good place to start is INI editing.
It takes a while to get used to the way the game works, but it is pretty easy.
As long as you know how to use mods, you should pick it up rather quickly.

Leedude's short guide to INI Editing:

Most of the game aspects are stored in INI files, for instance:

FAMOUS INI'S C:\Program Files\Microsoft Games\Freelancer\Data\Equipment:

Weapon_equip.ini = All of the information for weapons eg: refire rate, hull damage
Weapon_good.ini = Information regarding the sale of weapons eg: price, icon
ST_equip.ini = Like Weapon_equip.ini except for shields and thrusters
ST_good.ini = Information regarding the sale of shields and thrusters
Market_misc = Information regarding where these things are sold

Tags will only have one bracket thing round them due to this website's coding for example:
[gun
remember to add the end bracket

Weapon_equip.ini Torpedo Example:

[Motor ; Actual propulsion system of torpedo
nickname = torpedo01_mark01_motor ; Name of motor
lifetime = 7.500000 ; How long does the torpedo go before stopping (seconds)
accel = 4.444400 ; Speed of torpedo (metres per second I think)
delay = 0 ; ??????

[Explosion ; Torpedo's explosion
nickname = torpedo01_mark01_explosion ; Name of explosion
effect = li_torpedo01_impact ; Explosion effect (defined in DATA\FX\effects.ini)
lifetime = 0.000000, 0.000000 ; How long does explosion last (Min,Max seconds)
process = disappear ; Leave this
strength = 100 ; ???
radius = 25 ; Radius of damage (metres)
hull_damage = 2424 ; Hull damage induced by explosion
energy_damage = 0 ; Shield damage (calculated by formula: Shield damage = energy damage+Hull factor damage*Hull damage)
impulse = 0 ; Kinetic effect on ships

[Munition ; Amunition
nickname = torpedo01_mark01_ammo ; Name of amunition
explosion_arch = torpedo01_mark01_explosion ; Reference to explosion
loot_appearance = ammo_crate ; Leave this
units_per_container = 1 ; How many units of ammo are in each lootable container
hp_type = hp_torpedo ; Leave this
requires_ammo = true ; Leave this
hit_pts = 2 ; Leave this
one_shot_sound = fire_torpedo ; Sound effect of firing the weapon
detonation_dist = 6.250000 ; Distance to object before it explodes
lifetime = 37.500000 ; How long can the projectile go without exploding (seconds)
Motor = torpedo01_mark01_motor ; Reference to motor
force_gun_ori = false ; Can the gun rotate
const_effect = li_torpedo01_drive ; Look of the torpedo
HP_trail_parent = HPExhaust ; Leave this
seeker = LOCK ; Does it seek targets (LOCK=yes, DUMB=no)
time_to_lock = 0 ; Leave this
seeker_range = 1500 ; Seekers home in to objects within this range
seeker_fov_deg = 35 ; Seeker's field of view
max_angular_velocity = 0.580670 ; Seeker's agility
DA_archetype = equipment\models\torpedoes\ge_torpedo.3db ; Look of torpedo
material_library = equipment\models\ge_equip.mat ; Torpedo material
ids_name = 265163
ids_info = 266163
mass = 1 ; Mass of projectile
volume = 0.000000 ; Amount of cargo space used

[Gun ; Launcher
nickname = torpedo01_mark01 ; Name of launcher
ids_name = 263163
ids_info = 264163
DA_archetype = equipment\models\torpedoes\ge_torpedo.3db ; Look of gun
material_library = equipment\models\ge_equip.mat ; Gun material
HP_child = HPConnect ; Leave this
hit_pts = 1405 ; How much can the gun stand up to before being destroyed
explosion_resistance = 1.000000 ; Immune to explosions (1=true)
debris_type = debris_normal ; Leave this
parent_impulse = 20 ; ???
child_impulse = 80 ; ???
volume = 0.000000 ; Amount of cargo space used
mass = 10 ; Mass of gun, added to mass of ship
hp_gun_type = hp_torpedo_special_1 ; Type of gun and class
damage_per_fire = 0 ; Leave this
power_usage = 0 ; Power taken from powerplant
refire_delay = 2 ; How many seconds can 2 shots be fired in
muzzle_velocity = 16.700001 ; How fast does projectile leave the gun
toughness = 12.100000 ; ???
projectile_archetype = torpedo01_mark01_ammo ; Reference to munition
dry_fire_sound = fire_dry ; Sound of gun when fired without ammo
separation_explosion = sever_debris ; Explosion when gun is destroyed
auto_turret = false ; Leave this
turn_rate = 90 ; Turn rate of weapon (degrees per second)
lootable = true ; Can be tractored in after ship is destroyed
LODranges = 0, 20, 60, 100 ; Level of detail ranges, Leave usually


Weapon_good.ini for this Weapon:

[Good ; Launcher
nickname = torpedo01_mark01 ; Name of good
equipment = torpedo01_mark01 ; Name of gun
category = equipment ; Type of weapon, Leave usually
price = 7460, price of equipment
item_icon = equipment\models\commodities\nn_icons\EQUIPICON_torplauncher.3db ; Item Icon
combinable = false ; Stackable
free_ammo = torpedo01_mark01_ammo, 1 ; How much free ammo comes with the gun
ids_name = 263163
ids_info = 264163
shop_archetype = equipment\models\torpedoes\ge_torpedo.3db ; Model of gun
material_library = equipment\models\ge_equip.mat ; Gun material

[Good ; Munition
nickname = torpedo01_mark01_ammo ; Name of good
equipment = torpedo01_mark01_ammo ; Name of ammo
shop_archetype = equipment\models\torpedoes\ge_torpedo.3db ; Munition model
material_library = equipment\models\ge_equip.mat ; Munition material
category = equipment ; Type of equipment; Leave usually
price = 373 ; Price of ammo
item_icon = equipment\models\commodities\nn_icons\EQUIPICON_torpedo.3db
combinable = true ; Stackable

Market_misc.ini for this weapon:

[BaseGood
base = Li01_12_base ; This refers to a base
MarketGood = missile01_mark01, 0, -1, 10, 10, 0, 1
MarketGood = missile01_mark01_ammo, 0, -1, 50, 50, 0, 1

<Package>, <Min player level>, <Min rep>, <???>, <???>, <Leave this>, <Price multiplier>

<???>=10 for guns, 50 for ammo

IDS NAMES ARE A FAR TO BROAD SUBJECT TO DISCUSS RIGHT NOW, WHEN THERE ARE SOOOO MANY THREADS ON THEM.


hope this helps

hi i am new to this forum and i have been trying to make a mod via fl explorer, i made it but it is pretty messed up [kind of funny really this is more of somthing funny than a prob, i made a planet but it is spinning superfast.

but then i wanted to be able to edit it without having to go thru the first mission so i put my changes in the no story mod on the flmm and now all the different mods i play mess up

such as when i go to the main menu the background has no planets or astroids and only ships and stars and when i am able to get to my save i cant leave the station without lock ups. what do i do?

If you can't leave a solar without lockups, that usually means that you are using a piece of equipment or a ship from a different MOD that is no longer active. You may also be in a starsystem that is part of an inactive MOD.

yea i think that might be it cause when it locked up i was trying out a new mod maby that is the prob

The superfast spinning on your planet can be 2 things, putting a '.' instead of a ',' between the numbers for the spin speeds or you've entered a very fast spin speed to start with.

In FL Explorer, to change the speed, right-click the Planet and look for its Spin (rotation) value. Change it to 0.02. Don't know if anyone read this anymore, though, lol.