[MOD][WIP] FTL: Overdrive
Posted: Sun Sep 23, 2012 7:09 pm
Graphics by Kaimar
Modding in FTL consists of unpacking resources.dat or data.dat, altering the contents, repacking and redistributing the data file or instructions on how to install it. Tools now exist to simplify this process, but it's still not ideal and is alot of work for the end user (and indeed the modder). It's also easy to make a mistake and screw everything up. Adding new content is impossible; all you can do is modify existing graphics and add new events. Enter Overdrive.
Overdrive is a complete rewrite of the game engine with a focus on moddability. In this sense, Overdrive isn't really a mod. The goal is for it to work and play out exactly like the original (with a few extra improvements such as a resolution setting), but allow easy modding. The rewrite uses the original game assets but won't come packed with them, so you must still have bought the game in order to use Overdrive - it will automatically search for your FTL folder and mount the resources for you.
Overdrive will be moddable via Lua scripting. Lua scripts are used by hundreds of games (including World of Warcraft) and are a very popular option for modding. If you've ever played or modded Garry's Mod, you'll know what I'm talking about. Installing a mod will be as simple as dropping a folder or archive inside the "mods" folder. A (very) early version of what the script code will look like can be found at the Overdrive repository (see below).
The project is still in an early state and by no means playable, but visible progress is being made.
The project is open source and written in C# using SFML 2.0. I am looking for programmers to help me out with both the engine itself and the "Vanilla" Lua scripts. I am focusing on just Windows currently but the project will support Mono and hence will run on Linux, Mac OS and any other operating systems Mono supports.
Open source repo (git): https://github.com/thomasfn/ftl-overdrive
There is no release date as of yet, you can assume the release date to be "when it's done". Check out the progress and make your own conclusions!
Since it won't be distributed with the assets and will require the base game to run (thus requiring the end user to have bought the game to use it), it should be perfectly legal. If anything, it will get the devs more money! The developers are aware of and have sanctioned the project's existance.