Way to add more power levels?

[XOIIO]

Hello all, first post here, and I was wondering, is there a way add more power levels for a system? I checked on the wiki and enemy ships can have up to 10 weapon power bars, and other systems have more that users get as well. I think it would be fun to be able to put 10 or more for us as well. I have searched but could not find anything so apologies if this has been discussed before.

[5thHorseman]

Yes you can, though it doesn't work well for every system.

I need to know a little more how familiar you are with modding before I explain. This is your first post so I assume you have none? You're going to be editing xml files and creating FTL files and loading them with a mod manager, all of which are necessary skills before you start a more advanced exercise like modifying total power levels. However, it is totally doable with weapons (and drones) with no problems at all so long as you set all the files correctly.

That said, you should at least have made a modded ship or two before you think about this. It is a pretty advanced topic with a lot of pitfalls.

[XOIIO]

Yes you can, though it doesn't work well for every system.

I need to know a little more how familiar you are with modding before I explain. This is your first post so I assume you have none? You're going to be editing xml files and creating FTL files and loading them with a mod manager, all of which are necessary skills before you start a more advanced exercise like modifying total power levels. However, it is totally doable with weapons (and drones) with no problems at all so long as you set all the files correctly.

That said, you should at least have made a modded ship or two before you think about this. It is a pretty advanced topic with a lot of pitfalls.

Well I've played for a long time and used mods for this game several times (as well as editing ships, just not the xml files), and I have modded for a lot of other games, so just give me the instructions and I'm sure I can do it, I'm comfortable modifying xml files.

[5thHorseman]

Yes you can, though it doesn't work well for every system.

I need to know a little more how familiar you are with modding before I explain. This is your first post so I assume you have none? You're going to be editing xml files and creating FTL files and loading them with a mod manager, all of which are necessary skills before you start a more advanced exercise like modifying total power levels. However, it is totally doable with weapons (and drones) with no problems at all so long as you set all the files correctly.

That said, you should at least have made a modded ship or two before you think about this. It is a pretty advanced topic with a lot of pitfalls.

Well I've played for a long time and used mods for this game several times (as well as editing ships, just not the xml files), and I have modded for a lot of other games, so just give me the instructions and I'm sure I can do it, I'm comfortable modifying xml files.

Okay here goes, I'll keep it top-level for now, give you enough to be dangerous

Find the blueprints.xml that you unpacked from the game files. Find the blueprints.xml.append for your mod. Get them both open in your file editor of choice.

Search for the weapon system parameters in blueprints.xml. Just look for the string <systemBlueprint name="weapons"> Copy all of it and paste it into your blueprints.xml.append. Then you can edit it there. Don't edit the original blueprints, just use it to get the data you need.

What you want to change is <maxpower> and the various <upgradecost> things. For weapons and drones, it should be obvious. If you change <maxpower> to 10 you'll be able to put 10 power into weapons or drones. For things like a Medbay and Piloting it's not so clear what adding more will do and generally (always?) it won't actually do anything beneficial and could possibly cause the game to crash.

And that's it, really. When you load your mod into the game with Slipstream you'll be able to upgrade your weapons or drones or whatever to the amount you set in your blueprints.xml.append file.

[Sleeper Service]

For things like a Medbay and Piloting it's not so clear what adding more will do and generally (always?) it won't actually do anything beneficial and could possibly cause the game to crash.

I think I read once somewhere that more energy in the medbay actually increases healing speed even further. Further for your consideration: Increasing cloak works, but messes up the UI and increasing engines is bugged and leads to zero evade at nine engine power.

There also was a mod that implemented all that quite nicely into the game: Advanced Battle Systems You might want to have a look a that to see how the stuff is done.

Oh and welcome to the forum.

[XOIIO]

Yes you can, though it doesn't work well for every system.

I need to know a little more how familiar you are with modding before I explain. This is your first post so I assume you have none? You're going to be editing xml files and creating FTL files and loading them with a mod manager, all of which are necessary skills before you start a more advanced exercise like modifying total power levels. However, it is totally doable with weapons (and drones) with no problems at all so long as you set all the files correctly.

That said, you should at least have made a modded ship or two before you think about this. It is a pretty advanced topic with a lot of pitfalls.

Well I've played for a long time and used mods for this game several times (as well as editing ships, just not the xml files), and I have modded for a lot of other games, so just give me the instructions and I'm sure I can do it, I'm comfortable modifying xml files.

ah, that worked perfectly. Nothing like a ship with four mark III burst lasers to ruin someone's day

Okay here goes, I'll keep it top-level for now, give you enough to be dangerous

Find the blueprints.xml that you unpacked from the game files. Find the blueprints.xml.append for your mod. Get them both open in your file editor of choice.

Search for the weapon system parameters in blueprints.xml. Just look for the string <systemBlueprint name="weapons"> Copy all of it and paste it into your blueprints.xml.append. Then you can edit it there. Don't edit the original blueprints, just use it to get the data you need.

What you want to change is <maxpower> and the various <upgradecost> things. For weapons and drones, it should be obvious. If you change <maxpower> to 10 you'll be able to put 10 power into weapons or drones. For things like a Medbay and Piloting it's not so clear what adding more will do and generally (always?) it won't actually do anything beneficial and could possibly cause the game to crash.

And that's it, really. When you load your mod into the game with Slipstream you'll be able to upgrade your weapons or drones or whatever to the amount you set in your blueprints.xml.append file.