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[Trainzack]

This thread is for dumping all your discovered information about modding the new version of dwarf fortress.

Working with mods

The correct way to load mods (other than through the Steam Workshop) is to place the folder or zip file in the mods folder. The format for this folder is described here. Once a world is created that uses that mod, then the game will copy the mod to the data/installed_mods folder. That is the version that the game actually uses. If you make any changes to your mod, you must delete the folder in the installed_mods directory first, otherwise the changes will not load.

When testing mods, it is very important to test saving and loading a world. There are some pitfalls that can cause a mod to brick any saves, namely overwriting things without using CUT.

Graphics

There is a palette of colors that can be tinted (depending on what it's used on). You can find this palette in the top row of data\vanilla\vanilla_descriptors_graphics\graphics\images\palettes.png. Those colors can be tinted, but no others will be.

You cannot save the image as a PNG with indexed color, otherwise any transparency will be rendered as black. Paint.net's default mode is Auto-detect, which will save valid images if you have any semi-transparent tiles, but will save images with indexed color if there are only fully-transparent tiles.

Thumbnail

You can create a thumbnail for your mod by creating an image called preview.png in the same level as your info.txt file. This image will become the thumbnail when the mod is uploaded to steam workshop.

[voliol]

The preview image is a nice find!

otherwise: PTW

[Meph]

Now that it's officially release, you can also feel free to ask me about tileset/mod-related stuff. 

[Trainzack]

Now that it's officially release, you can also feel free to ask me about tileset/mod-related stuff.

Do you happen to know if there's a way to set graphics for specific pre-defined instruments? I couldn't figure out how to set graphics for anything but general categories.

[voliol]

You can make changes directly to the installed_mods folder without the folder, and the change gets loaded. Or at least they do when they're about graphics, have not tested any other kind of objects.

[DogsRNice]

(Don't have the steam version yet but I plan on getting it soon) How easy is it to convert a small mod like mine (linked in my signature) for upload on the workshop? Is it basically the same format or would there need to be some work to get it to work right?

[Eric Blank]

Any advise on how to go about making all these sprites we need?

[voliol]

(Don't have the steam version yet but I plan on getting it soon) How easy is it to convert a small mod like mine (linked in my signature) for upload on the workshop? Is it basically the same format or would there need to be some work to get it to work right?

It is pretty much the same format, you just need to add an info.txt file. It will look more wood-ish than the description implies if you don't add any graphics, since the default tree graphics are for... well, trees, but that much is ultimately up to imagination.

Any advise on how to go about making all these sprites we need?

Maybe not the best of answers, but I've got my hopes on Bitlands gaining more popularity once it's updated to 50.0x, to the point of being some kind of modding standard. Making graphics for that is so much quicker than other sprite art, and doesn't have the same kind of skill floor either.

[Eric Blank]

Meph/Putnam, since you guys know whats going on, would either of you be willing to explain each step/file in the process of attaching the graphical images to the workshops? I'm still struggling to get mine to show up.

I've done only a couple rudimentsry ones so far, i havent gotten any of them to work, did some retexturing of games in the past like skyrim and Oblivion, but I don't know much about drawing pixel art

[brolol.404]

Meph/Putnam, since you guys know whats going on, would either of you be willing to explain each step/file in the process of attaching the graphical images to the workshops? I'm still struggling to get mine to show up.

I've done only a couple rudimentsry ones so far, i havent gotten any of them to work, did some retexturing of games in the past like skyrim and Oblivion, but I don't know much about drawing pixel art

check tile_page_buildings.txt (that points to the image file)
then graphics_workshops.txt (that uses the file above to define the graphic)

[Eric Blank]

Thanks, I figured out what I did wrong. I can say for certain this setup works:

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

Code: (building_eb_cheats.txt (in objects folder)) [Select]

building_eb_cheats

[OBJECT:BUILDING]

[BUILDING_WORKSHOP:CHEATING_SPOT] <- The workshop ID
[NAME:Free Space]
[NAME_COLOR:7:0:1]
[DIM:1:1]
[WORK_LOCATION:1:1]
[BUILD_KEY:CUSTOM_SHIFT_E]
[BLOCK:1:0]
[TILE:0:1:9]
[COLOR:0:1:0:7:0]
[TILE:1:1:9]
[COLOR:1:1:MAT]
[BUILD_ITEM:1:NONE:NONE:NONE:NONE][BUILDMAT][WORTHLESS_STONE_ONLY]


Code: (graphics_cheatmode.txt (in graphics folder)) [Select]

graphics_cheatmode

[OBJECT:GRAPHICS]

[TILE_GRAPHICS:CHEATING_SPOT_PAGE:0:0:WORKSHOP_CUSTOM:CHEATING_SPOT:1:0:0]
[TILE_GRAPHICS:CHEATING_SPOT_PAGE:0:1:WORKSHOP_CUSTOM:CHEATING_SPOT:1:0:1]


Code: (tile_page_cheatmode.txt (in graphics folder) [Select]

tile_page_cheatmode

[OBJECT:TILE_PAGE]

[TILE_PAGE:CHEATING_SPOT_PAGE]
[FILE:images/building_cheatmode_freespace.png]
[TILE_DIM:32:32]
[PAGE_DIM_PIXELS:32:64]

+ the building_cheatmode_freespace.png in the graphics/images folder, which is 32 pixels wide by 64 pixels high (I just duplicated the mill from workshops_1x1.png.

So the graphics format, correct me if im wrong, works like this:


[TILE_GRAPHICS:CHEATING_SPOT_PAGE:0:0:WORKSHOP_CUSTOM:CHEATING_SPOT:1:0:0]

The orange bit is the page file's ID to format it, the teal values are the square coordinates from the TILE_DIM line (that somehow relates to the PAGE_DIM_PIXELS line? im not clear on that relationship yet), the green is the object definition of the building, and the pink Im not clear on either. What does that do, exactly?

[Man0warable]

Thanks, I figured out what I did wrong. I can say for certain this setup works:

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

Code: (building_eb_cheats.txt (in objects folder)) [Select]

building_eb_cheats

[OBJECT:BUILDING]

[BUILDING_WORKSHOP:CHEATING_SPOT] <- The workshop ID
[NAME:Free Space]
[NAME_COLOR:7:0:1]
[DIM:1:1]
[WORK_LOCATION:1:1]
[BUILD_KEY:CUSTOM_SHIFT_E]
[BLOCK:1:0]
[TILE:0:1:9]
[COLOR:0:1:0:7:0]
[TILE:1:1:9]
[COLOR:1:1:MAT]
[BUILD_ITEM:1:NONE:NONE:NONE:NONE][BUILDMAT][WORTHLESS_STONE_ONLY]


Code: (graphics_cheatmode.txt (in graphics folder)) [Select]

graphics_cheatmode

[OBJECT:GRAPHICS]

[TILE_GRAPHICS:CHEATING_SPOT_PAGE:0:0:WORKSHOP_CUSTOM:CHEATING_SPOT:1:0:0]
[TILE_GRAPHICS:CHEATING_SPOT_PAGE:0:1:WORKSHOP_CUSTOM:CHEATING_SPOT:1:0:1]


Code: (tile_page_cheatmode.txt (in graphics folder) [Select]

tile_page_cheatmode

[OBJECT:TILE_PAGE]

[TILE_PAGE:CHEATING_SPOT_PAGE]
[FILE:images/building_cheatmode_freespace.png]
[TILE_DIM:32:32]
[PAGE_DIM_PIXELS:32:64]

+ the building_cheatmode_freespace.png in the graphics/images folder, which is 32 pixels wide by 64 pixels high (I just duplicated the mill from workshops_1x1.png.

So the graphics format, correct me if im wrong, works like this:


[TILE_GRAPHICS:CHEATING_SPOT_PAGE:0:0:WORKSHOP_CUSTOM:CHEATING_SPOT:1:0:0]

The orange bit is the page file's ID to format it, the teal values are the square coordinates from the TILE_DIM line (that somehow relates to the PAGE_DIM_PIXELS line? im not clear on that relationship yet), the green is the object definition of the building, and the pink Im not clear on either. What does that do, exactly?

The game divides PAGE_DIM_PIXELS by TILE_DIM to create a grid of tiles that it can reference. As for the pink bit, it is :BUILDSTAGE:X:Y. X and Y are the coordinates of the tile you are defining.

[Trainzack]

Transparency can cause issues if the image is not in the correct mode. I had this issue with one of my mods, and a kind steam user discovered the issue.

I've fixed the black background issue! Through Photoshop, I could see that your color mode for the image was set to "Indexed Color", which I just had to flip to RGB mode.

[Telgin]

Is there any way to cut graphics so they can be replaced in a mod?  So far as I can tell, there's no CUT_CREATURE_GRAPHICS token like there is with CUT_CREATURE, so I assume the answer is no.  In short, I'm trying to replace kobold graphics.  As far as I can tell my only option is to cut the original kobold creature since I also changed parts of it, and create a new creature with a new name and a new creature graphics file to go with the new name instead of trying to reuse KOBOLD.

[Deon]

There are two big problems with graphics.

1) You cannot cut graphics it seems like.

2) you cannot ADD to existing graphics on default layer.
If I make another graphics file for humans and call it MYHUMAN_WIELDABLES, no matter what I write there, it doesn't load as long as I unload vanilla graphics.
The problem is that it seems like we cannot make weapons visible in hands or new armor worn unless we overwrite full graphics for each creature that can wield it. It seems to be a problem. Has someone found workaround??