[SCVanguard89]

So I've been looking thru the forums for about a day and I haven't found an easy answer to the question, "how do I make usable weapons?" I've seen some stuff on how to get weapons to work in-game, but what about the visual aspect of them? How do I make a laser look the way I want it to, or get a missile model to show up? If anyone could post a start-to-finish on weapons making and implementation that would really help me, and future modders.

[Shivan Hunter]

You'll need a mod folder, for one thing. Make a folder in .../FreeSpace2/ called "MyMod" or something. What you'll need to do is make a tbm file in .../Freespace2/MyMod/data/tables/ called "*-wep.tbm". The ".tbm" extension tells the game to add to an existing table file, and the "-wep" tells the game that it adds to the file on weapons.

Then, start out with this:

Code: [Select]

#Primary Weapons

; Your weapon code goes here

#End
All the fields for weapon stuff are found here. Some fields, like all the "Laser" fields starting with '@', "$Model File", "$Piercing Impact *", "$Trail" and its subfields, and "$Pspew" and its subfields all modify what the weapon looks like- usually, by giving the name of an image file stored in FS's VP files.

If you want, I could do several tuts on weapon modding. I have some free time

[The E]

And yet, you forgot the most important link of all.

http://www.hard-light.net/wiki/index.php/Weapons.tbl

Learn to love that page. It's your one-stop-reference for all weapon settings.

[Galemp]

Yep. Take a look at the Subach HL-7 table entry at the bottom of the page for a good overview of what you should end up with.

Now this will make the weapon available in FRED but you won't be able to use it as a player. You'd have to enable it as an allowed weapon in the ships.tbl entries of your fighters and bombers, and then enable them in the team loadouts of your missions.

If you just want to test things out, though, you can use the name of a current weapon (like the Lamprey) and just change its stats to whatever you like. Then you can play existing campaign missions with no further modifications.

[Shivan Hunter]

And yet, you forgot the most important link of all.

All the fields for weapon stuff are found here.

Forgot about the ships.tbl and the FRED thing, though. Good catch. I might just provide a shp tbm and a mission if I make that tutorial.

[SCVanguard89]

Thanks, I missed that page. Just kept going to http://www.hard-light.net/wiki/index.php/Weapon_expl.tbl

If you want, I could do several tuts on weapon modding. I have some free time

That would be really great!

That still leave my question tho, how do I set up the visual part of it? I know theres settings for laser color and length, but can I use an actual image file?

EDIT: And a 3D model? Like a 20mm cannon

[Snail]

Use the @Laser Bitmap: and $Model File: parameters for that.

[SCVanguard89]

ahh, I see. Thanks

[Snail]

Just a tip, if there's a bit of swirly! distortion with your bitmap, make sure the @Laser Head Radius: and @Laser Tail Radius: are the same.