Questions here: an inquiry thread! [Updated Sep 15th, 2014]

[Levgre]

Got FTL Dat Manager to work, used commands instead of drag and drop, or maybe did something else different.

Getting a runtime error when I run FTL, guess it's trial and error time. If it's not a syntax error, my top guesses are:

Changing the limit of systems (like cloak down to 1). Might just have to make them ludicrously expensive.

Changing charge weapons and and chain weapons to too high a number.

Nope, wasn't either of those. Time to start pasting in my modifications piecemeal to see which ones are kosher.

[NarnKar]

What does the <hullBust> tag do?

[RAD-82]

Deal double hull damage when hitting rooms without systems.

[NewAgeOfPower]

Can you make a Defense drone that can target both Lasers/missiles and Drones?

Maybe try <level> tag to 2, and enter DRONE in <target> tag?

[NarnKar]

What's the difference between BURST and LASER type weapons? As far as I can tell, the <radius> tag works on both?

[RAD-82]

Can you make a Defense drone that can target both Lasers/missiles and Drones?

Maybe try <level> tag to 2, and enter DRONE in <target> tag?

I've tried this, and it wouldn't shoot at drones.

What's the difference between BURST and LASER type weapons? As far as I can tell, the <radius> tag works on both?

Projectiles are handled differently. BURST allows you to clump a bunch of projectiles into one shot, while also including fake projectiles. Unfortunately, you can't fire multiple multi-shots with BURST. My Hydra Missile is an example of what it does when you try. You still get all the projectiles, but they aren't clumped together except for the last shot.

[Fluorine-Indium]

ok guy, here's the most embarassing, noobish question you will ever see asked. How do I access the .dll, etc, files in the FTL program folder? there we are. sorry for lowering the overall IQ of the thread.

[kartoFlane]

Well, the .dll files are compiled C++ libraries, so unless you have some programming knowledge, I don't see why you'd want to access them... Not that they're that useful anyway, since they're just the libraries FTL uses (sound handling, graphics, .zip packing...).
The game logic that would be useful in modding is located inside FTLGame.exe, which you'd have to decompile first, and then reverse engineer the assembly, which is more trouble than rewriting the game from scratch.

Other than that, the usual modding is done via the data.dat and resource.dat archives that can be unpacked using SMM.

[NewAgeOfPower]

Reverse engineer the assembly, which is more trouble than rewriting the game from scratch.

^

There are reasons why most hardcore FTL modding efforts focused around making an FTL clone.

Query:

Is there a way to change Zoltan Shield Colors?

[NarnKar]

As far as I'm aware, the Zoltan Shield is actually just a greenish tint that's applied in-game, rather than an image that's supplied by a resource. So to get a different colored Zoltan Shield, you'd have to create a differently-colored shield graphic; and even then, if your ship doesn't start with shields, the Zoltan Shield will appear as green as usual.