Modification Modules

• Module Settings

  Describes how to set up additional features for a modification using an info.ini file

Introduction to Modification Modules

Path: Fleet Operations\Data\Mods

Version 3.2.3 of Fleet Operations introduced so-called "Modification Modules".

Modification Modules allow you to include mods independent of altering or copying base files in Fleet Ops, as well as maintain multiplayer compatibility, among many other useful capabilities.

What this system is not capable of is combining small mods automatically, since this would be less user friendly, as inexperienced users would probably get crashes if combining the wrong mods.

Creating a Modification Module

To make such a module, you will first need to create the Mods directory in your Fleet Operations installation. Within this folder you can then create subfolders that will allows you to keep your mods separate.

Once a modification directory has been created (Data\mods\[my-mod]), you will be able to access it within Fleet Operations. Navigation: Main Menu -> Options -> Mod Settings

Modifications that are currently loaded (including Fleet Operations proper) will display that they are active. Only one modification may be active at a given time, but this does not stop you from chaining mods together for a "compilation mod".

Files (text and non-text) placed within your modification folders must retain the same structure as Fleet Operations. For instance, if you wish to make some changes to ODFs, you must create an odf\system hierarchy within the modification's folder in which to place your altered ODFs. Fleet Operations\Data\Mods\[my-mod]\odf\system

If you place files within the correct folders of the Modification Module which have the same file name as the stock Fleet Operations' files, the stock files will be overwritten.

ODF and FPQ Manipulation

All Fleet Operations ODFs are now packaged within an archive system, odf.fpq. These files can be accessed by running the FPQEdit.exe and loading ODF.fpq. The ODFs can then be viewed and manipulated within the ODF/System subfolder. ODFs can also be extracted from the editor for faster manipulation.

Using the FPQ editor, it is possible to add additional files to the base Fleet Operations ODF folder, as well as create new FPQ packages that are separate ('New' -> 'Add Files' and select the ODFs to add to the archive). Adding additional files is not recommended however, as these may be overwritten as official Fleet Ops patches are applied. Note that creating your own FPQ archives for use in a modification folder usually only provides a benefit when thousands of additional modded ODFs are generated (as they will eventually increase load times and Multiplayer Asset CRC checking. It is thus often simpler to use unarchived ODFs.

The Include Instruction

The #include parameter usually makes it possible to include another file in a configuration file, however pointing it to itself would lock up the game when started. This is still true with the extended modding support unless you use that command in a modification using files of a parent mod.

If you only require a change to a few lines, it can be very useful to use the include instruction. Instead of copying the entire file into your Modding Module and adding the relevant lines, you can just point the new modded file to use the commands within the old file as well. It will overwrite any of the same commands within the stock Fleet Ops installation then as well.

This works for all file types that can handle the #include (or @include) instruction in Armada II: .tt, .odf (except for AllCommands.odf and Stars configuration .odfs), .h (except for dynamic_localized_strings.h), .cfg, .aip, .frm, and .spr.

This thus makes it a lot easier to add or modify just a few lines of the techtree files, add new build items to shipyards, add new weapons, and much much more with only the included information that has really changed.

Saved Games and User Settings

Modifications have their own saved game folder in %appdata%\star trek armada ii fleet operations\mods and settings specific to the mod are saved there as well.