How to make a weapon and put it on a custom ship in Superluminal

[MagicBadger]

Hey all!

As a newbie to modding I've made a ship but I'm looking to make a weapon for it, more specifically an Ion Beam. I've designed the strip image and glow for it but there are no up to date tutorials on how to go about making a weapon and using it in superluminal, would anyone be able to help me out.

Thanks

[AnAngryMantis]

First of all, an ion beam may not work the way you want it to. If you put an ion setting on a beam, it will ion and pierce an infinite amount of shields, making it very op unless the beam length is set to very low, which is why other mods haven't tried it yet. But if you insist, this is the stuff I typed up.

First step would be to learn a bit about weapon modding. Just search ftl weapons modding guide or something and find what each of the variables mean on a weapon blueprint, how to add custom images, stuff like that. Then come back.

Now that you have some knowledge of how to make weapons, I'll show you the beam code, which is slightly different. Feel free to change any of this.

Code: Select all

<weaponBlueprint name="BEAM_ION">
   <type>BEAM</type>
   <tip>tip_beams</tip>
   <title>Ion Beam</title>
   <short>Ion B.</short>
   <desc>A powerful beam capable of dealing Ion damage.</desc>
   <tooltip>Fires a beam that does 1 ion damage per room hit with a small chance of stun.</tooltip>
   <damage>0</damage>
   <ion>1</ion>
   <sp>0</sp>
   <fireChance>0</fireChance>
   <breachChance>0</breachChance>
   <stunChance>1</stunChance>
   <cooldown>15</cooldown>
   <color>(Color only works for beams)
      <r>133</r>
      <g>231</g>
      <b>237</b>
   </color>
   <speed>2</speed>
   <power>4</power>
   <cost>80</cost>
   <bp>12</bp>
   <rarity>5</rarity>
   <image>beam_contact</image>
   <length>30</length>
   <launchSounds>
      <sound>beam1</sound>
      <sound>beam1_2</sound>
   </launchSounds>
   <weaponArt>beam_ion</weaponArt>
   <iconImage>beam</iconImage>
</weaponBlueprint>


Next, follow the instructions on the weapon modding guide of how to put it in the game. Then, open superluminal, and add the weapon to your ship! this may have made no sense to you, as I'm trash at explaining things, but this is the best I can do to help.

[MagicBadger]

First of all, an ion beam may not work the way you want it to. If you put an ion setting on a beam, it will ion and pierce an infinite amount of shields, making it very op unless the beam length is set to very low, which is why other mods haven't tried it yet. But if you insist, this is the stuff I typed up.

First step would be to learn a bit about weapon modding. Just search ftl weapons modding guide or something and find what each of the variables mean on a weapon blueprint, how to add custom images, stuff like that. Then come back.

Now that you have some knowledge of how to make weapons, I'll show you the beam code, which is slightly different. Feel free to change any of this.

Code: Select all

<weaponBlueprint name="BEAM_ION">
   <type>BEAM</type>
   <tip>tip_beams</tip>
   <title>Ion Beam</title>
   <short>Ion B.</short>
   <desc>A powerful beam capable of dealing Ion damage.</desc>
   <tooltip>Fires a beam that does 1 ion damage per room hit with a small chance of stun.</tooltip>
   <damage>0</damage>
   <ion>1</ion>
   <sp>0</sp>
   <fireChance>0</fireChance>
   <breachChance>0</breachChance>
   <stunChance>1</stunChance>
   <cooldown>15</cooldown>
   <color>(Color only works for beams)
      <r>133</r>
      <g>231</g>
      <b>237</b>
   </color>
   <speed>2</speed>
   <power>4</power>
   <cost>80</cost>
   <bp>12</bp>
   <rarity>5</rarity>
   <image>beam_contact</image>
   <length>30</length>
   <launchSounds>
      <sound>beam1</sound>
      <sound>beam1_2</sound>
   </launchSounds>
   <weaponArt>beam_ion</weaponArt>
   <iconImage>beam</iconImage>
</weaponBlueprint>


Next, follow the instructions on the weapon modding guide of how to put it in the game. Then, open superluminal, and add the weapon to your ship! this may have made no sense to you, as I'm trash at explaining things, but this is the best I can do to help.

Thnaks for the help! I think I'll change how it works so not to be an ion beam but for the sake of getting it working lets continue with the idea of the weapon. I've been faffing around with trying to get this working and putting it into superluminal but for some reason it never works. I've been through 3 guides and all of their comment sections and none have illuminated me. Could you take a look and see what's the issue? The file below is the mod, obviously changed to a .ftl to be used but I've put it as a zip so you can easily access it.

http://www.mediafire.com/file/19w4vd9ch7gi6d6/IonBeam.zip/file

Thanks

[AnAngryMantis]

What exactly isn't working? I notice that you have put these in the title and short

Code: Select all

<title id="weapon_ION_BEAM_title"/>
   <short id="weapon_ION_BEAM_short"/>
   <desc id="weapon_ION_BEAM_desc"/>
   <tooltip id="weapon_BEAM_tooltip"/>

However, I see no text_blueprints file, which could lead to a weird title. Also, ion weapons usually don't have a fire chance, but that's not an error, just something I wanted to point out. Finally, try using the color setting to change the color of the beam from red to ion blue, but that's just aesthetics-wise. If you're having problems getting it to load into superluminal, instead, just go to blueprints.xml of your ship, find the weapons, and add it there. For example, this would be the kestrel with the ion beam. (The description is a bit modified)

Code: Select all

<shipBlueprint name="PLAYER_SHIP_HARD" layout="kestral" img="kestral">
   <class id="ship_PLAYER_SHIP_KESTREL_class"/>
   <name id="ship_PLAYER_SHIP_KESTREL_name"/>
   <desc>This standard Federation cruiser has a balanced arsenal, and is able to install most systems, allowing it to support almost any role.</desc>
   <systemList>
      <pilot power="1" room="0" start="true" img="room_pilot">
         <slot>
            <direction>right</direction>
            <number>0</number>
         </slot>
      </pilot>
      <doors power="1" room="2" start="true" img="room_doors">
         <slot>
            <direction>up</direction>
            <number>1</number>
         </slot>
      </doors>
      <sensors power="1" room="3" start="true" img="room_sensors">
         <slot>
            <direction>down</direction>
            <number>1</number>
         </slot>
      </sensors>
      <medbay power="1" room="4" start="true" img="room_medbay">  <!-- F????-->
         <slot>
            <number>1</number>
         </slot>
      </medbay>
      <clonebay power="1" room="4" start="false"> <!-- T????-->
         <slot>
            <number>1</number>
         </slot>
      </clonebay>
      <oxygen power="1"  room="13" start="true" img="room_oxygen"/>
      <shields power="2" room="5" start="true" img="room_shields"/>
      <engines power="2" room="14" start="true" img="room_engines"/>
      <weapons power="4" room="10" start="true" img="room_weapons"/>
      <drones power="2" room="1" start="false"/>  <!-- F-->
      <teleporter power="1" room="15"   start="false"/>  <!-- F-->
      <cloaking power="1" room="8" start="false" />  <!-- F-->
      <battery power="1" room="11" start="false" img="room_battery"/>    <!-- F-->
      <mind power="1" room="7" start="false" img="room_mind"/>  <!-- F-->
      <hacking power="1" room="12" start="false" img="room_hacking"> <!-- F-->
         <slot>
            <direction>down</direction>
            <number>0</number>
         </slot>
      </hacking>
   </systemList>
   <weaponSlots>4</weaponSlots>
   <droneSlots>2</droneSlots>
   <weaponList count="2" missiles="8">
      <weapon name="BEAM_ION"/>(This is the part to look out for)
      <weapon name="LASER_BURST_3"/>
   </weaponList>
   <droneList count="1" drones="2">
   </droneList>
   <health amount="30"/>
   <maxPower amount ="9"/>
   <crewCount amount = "3" class="human"/>
</shipBlueprint>


I havent' gotten around to checking the animations, but I'm guessing those work fine?

[MagicBadger]

What exactly isn't working? I notice that you have put these in the title and short

Code: Select all

<title id="weapon_ION_BEAM_title"/>
   <short id="weapon_ION_BEAM_short"/>
   <desc id="weapon_ION_BEAM_desc"/>
   <tooltip id="weapon_BEAM_tooltip"/>

However, I see no text_blueprints file, which could lead to a weird title. Also, ion weapons usually don't have a fire chance, but that's not an error, just something I wanted to point out. Finally, try using the color setting to change the color of the beam from red to ion blue, but that's just aesthetics-wise. If you're having problems getting it to load into superluminal, instead, just go to blueprints.xml of your ship, find the weapons, and add it there. For example, this would be the kestrel with the ion beam. (The description is a bit modified)

Code: Select all

<shipBlueprint name="PLAYER_SHIP_HARD" layout="kestral" img="kestral">
   <class id="ship_PLAYER_SHIP_KESTREL_class"/>
   <name id="ship_PLAYER_SHIP_KESTREL_name"/>
   <desc>This standard Federation cruiser has a balanced arsenal, and is able to install most systems, allowing it to support almost any role.</desc>
   <systemList>
      <pilot power="1" room="0" start="true" img="room_pilot">
         <slot>
            <direction>right</direction>
            <number>0</number>
         </slot>
      </pilot>
      <doors power="1" room="2" start="true" img="room_doors">
         <slot>
            <direction>up</direction>
            <number>1</number>
         </slot>
      </doors>
      <sensors power="1" room="3" start="true" img="room_sensors">
         <slot>
            <direction>down</direction>
            <number>1</number>
         </slot>
      </sensors>
      <medbay power="1" room="4" start="true" img="room_medbay">  <!-- F????-->
         <slot>
            <number>1</number>
         </slot>
      </medbay>
      <clonebay power="1" room="4" start="false"> <!-- T????-->
         <slot>
            <number>1</number>
         </slot>
      </clonebay>
      <oxygen power="1"  room="13" start="true" img="room_oxygen"/>
      <shields power="2" room="5" start="true" img="room_shields"/>
      <engines power="2" room="14" start="true" img="room_engines"/>
      <weapons power="4" room="10" start="true" img="room_weapons"/>
      <drones power="2" room="1" start="false"/>  <!-- F-->
      <teleporter power="1" room="15"   start="false"/>  <!-- F-->
      <cloaking power="1" room="8" start="false" />  <!-- F-->
      <battery power="1" room="11" start="false" img="room_battery"/>    <!-- F-->
      <mind power="1" room="7" start="false" img="room_mind"/>  <!-- F-->
      <hacking power="1" room="12" start="false" img="room_hacking"> <!-- F-->
         <slot>
            <direction>down</direction>
            <number>0</number>
         </slot>
      </hacking>
   </systemList>
   <weaponSlots>4</weaponSlots>
   <droneSlots>2</droneSlots>
   <weaponList count="2" missiles="8">
      <weapon name="BEAM_ION"/>(This is the part to look out for)
      <weapon name="LASER_BURST_3"/>
   </weaponList>
   <droneList count="1" drones="2">
   </droneList>
   <health amount="30"/>
   <maxPower amount ="9"/>
   <crewCount amount = "3" class="human"/>
</shipBlueprint>


I havent' gotten around to checking the animations, but I'm guessing those work fine?

I appreciate the ongoing technical support
I've re made the weapon so it's no loner an ion beam but a projectile that does system and crew damage. However, I still can't get it working. Superluminal keeps saying the .ftl file dosen't contain animations, blueprints or text_blueprints and if I bypass it and put it directly into the ship when I launch the game it can't find any of the assets for it and just shows a basic laser with no description at all and no charge bar. It might be a very fundamental error but I have no idea what I've screwed up on. If you could take a comprehensive look and see if you can find the issue then I'd be very grateful!
http://www.mediafire.com/file/cb7s6pwozqvgfg8/Short_Circuit.zip

[AnAngryMantis]

I remade it with the same stats and images to make sure it would work and tested it. Here were my results:
-The images on your weapon are really good
-The charge image didn't work
-The slipstream description didn't work
Other than that, I tested it out with the kestrel and it worked fine. I don't know what your problem is. Maybe try packing the ship and weapon files together, or loading them in a different order? If you want to use my remade one and see if it works, download here:https://www.dropbox.com/s/6e7ofd4c4bwdnul/Short_Circuit.ftl?dl=0(I left in the test kestrel I used)

[mr_easy_money]

However, I still can't get it working. Superluminal keeps saying the .ftl file dosen't contain animations, blueprints or text_blueprints and if I bypass it and put it directly into the ship when I launch the game it can't find any of the assets for it and just shows a basic laser with no description at all and no charge bar. It might be a very fundamental error but I have no idea what I've screwed up on.

It looks like you created the mod file incorrectly. if the file you uploaded is the mod file, then

currently your mod looks like: short_circuit.zip -> short_circuit -> data, img, mod-appendix

but it should look like: short_circuit.zip -> data, img, mod-appendix

the problem is that you zipped up a folder containing your core folders, not the core folders themselves. you should select the data, img, mod-appendix folders and send them to a compressed zip folder. then this zip will be your mod file.
----
you should also look at the fixes AnAngryMantis made, because as they said,

-The charge image didn't work

as didn't the projectile image.

definitely agree with this:

-The images on your weapon are really good

lastly,

-The slipstream description didn't work

This is because the <threadUrl> field is empty. You can put literally anything to make the error go away and the description to show up. If you don't put a valid link then instead of a clickable "Link" it'll just list whatever's there. So then I guess you can put a message like "None yet" which will show up as "Website: None yet".

[MagicBadger]

Both of your help has been uber useful! I've managed to get the charge and shot animations working and the gun to be usable to Superluminal. It's cringable how small a thing my packing error into an .ftl file was but that seems to be the bulk of the issue. I'll work to get the mods on some ship and credit both of you with the amazing help!!

[MagicBadger]

However, I still can't get it working. Superluminal keeps saying the .ftl file dosen't contain animations, blueprints or text_blueprints and if I bypass it and put it directly into the ship when I launch the game it can't find any of the assets for it and just shows a basic laser with no description at all and no charge bar. It might be a very fundamental error but I have no idea what I've screwed up on.

It looks like you created the mod file incorrectly. if the file you uploaded is the mod file, then

currently your mod looks like: short_circuit.zip -> short_circuit -> data, img, mod-appendix

but it should look like: short_circuit.zip -> data, img, mod-appendix

the problem is that you zipped up a folder containing your core folders, not the core folders themselves. you should select the data, img, mod-appendix folders and send them to a compressed zip folder. then this zip will be your mod file.
----
you should also look at the fixes AnAngryMantis made, because as they said,

-The charge image didn't work

as didn't the projectile image.

definitely agree with this:

-The images on your weapon are really good

lastly,

-The slipstream description didn't work

This is because the <threadUrl> field is empty. You can put literally anything to make the error go away and the description to show up. If you don't put a valid link then instead of a clickable "Link" it'll just list whatever's there. So then I guess you can put a message like "None yet" which will show up as "Website: None yet".

The projectile of AnAngryMantis's version worked and despite copy/pasting the text from the animations.xml I can't get them to work on my mod. I've made a custom ship in Superluminal and it showed up there. The charge and firing animations both are working but I cannot fathom why the projectile don't work. This is pretty much the last issue in this regard so I'd appreciate it being resolved.

http://www.mediafire.com/file/524dw2423pk4jm9/chimera.ftl

[mr_easy_money]

The projectile of AnAngryMantis's version worked and despite copy/pasting the text from the animations.xml I can't get them to work on my mod ... I cannot fathom why the projectile don't work.

well you can create animations in animations.xml, but it's meaningless if you don't use them in your weapon.

the weaponBlueprint has the correct <weaponArt>, short_circuit, which references the weaponAnim that holds the weapon animation. however, the weaponBlueprint has the same value for the <image>, which is incorrect, as <image> should reference the animation of the projectile. so <image> should take the name of the projectile's anim... looks like it is short_circuit_laser_strip4