Q. I've Installed a set of scripts but they dont seem to be doing anything in my game, what am i missing?
A. As well as installing scripts, you also need to enable the script editor in the game. No scripts will run without the script editor enabled. To enable the editor, simply rename your pilots name to "Thereshallbewings", typing it exactly, including the captial T and the double ll's. Then save and reload your game for the scripts to take effect. For more information, check here
Q. I want to reinstall the scripts i have, is it ok just to install them over the top or do i need to uninstall them first?
A. You dont need to uninstall the scripts first, the Installer can handle just installing over the top, it will also remove any files that are no longer being used in the new version so it will clean everything up for you.
Q. Im trying to open up the Install but it doesn't start, how can i get it loaded?
A. This usually happens if you have a firewall or something thats blocking local sockets from opening, this will prevent the program from running. To fix it, you can disable the sockets from the program. To do this, simply run the program with the -nosocket switch.
Q. In the Installer theres a troubleshooting option to disable sockets, do i need this and what does it do?
A. When the installer runs, it opens a socket to detect other instances of the program that might be running, so if you double click on an package file to install and you already have the program running, it will install it into the current program rather than opening a new one. If you disable this, a new program will open each time.
Q. Does this program work for games from stream?
A. Yes, the version from steam is no different and the program will work just fine, the only different is that the steam version is installed to a different directory so you need to make sure the program is set to the correct directory otherwise it wont work. Games from steam are installed in the steamapps directory inside the main steam directory. However the program should be able to auto detect the correct directory from the registery. If your unsure, you can run the configuration wizard, which will tell you if it has detected a steam installation.
Q. When i use a mod as the base mod, the mod catalog file that is produced is sometimes smaller than the base mod, how is this possible, shouldn't it be bigger?
A. The program compresses all the model and text files when it creates the mod, sometimes the base mod wont have all its files compressed so the plugin manager mod ends up being smaller due to the compression.
Q. I've searched the universe and still been unable to find anywhere that sells the ships that i've installed, where can i find them?
A. There are usually 2 causes of this, the first is that the ships you have installed havn't been set to any shipyard so they wont be added for sale, to check this you will have to open the XSP file in the Ship Creator. The other problem is that the scripts might not be available so they dont add the ships, to fix this, just reselect the X3 Directory to force it to copy the scripts over, you need to goto browse and select the directory rather than simly selecting it again from the drop down box.
Q. I have merged this with another mod but only the original mod ships are showing up
A. Make sure that you select the "PluginManager" mod from the X3 start and not the original mod, the Plugin Manager mod will contain both the installed ships and the base mod. The program doesn't alter any of the existing mod files.
Q.I removed the PluginManager mod so i can start again with the ships, but the ships are listed and showing up without models in the game.
A. If you remove the PluginManager mod files on thier own, then the ships no longer have the scene and models files but will still be listed in the installer. You have to also delete the ships.dat file in the x3/ShipInstall directory. This will remove the installed ships from the program so you can start again from the begining. However, the better way, is to goto the backup menu, and select, "Reset Ships", this will remove everything correctly so you can start again
Q.I've deleted a ship and now my save game crashes each time i try to load it
A. This usually happens if you try to remove your current ship, you cant do this, if you uninstall a ship, make sure you not in it in your saved games
Q. Where do i get ships from to install?
A. You need to download the ships in XSP format, you can find them from the egosoft forums. A big source of ships is available from Tensin's site which can be found in the Links section. There is also a section on this site for ships, Here
Q. Theres a new version of the mod im using as the basse mod, how do i update it?
A. Install the new version of the mod like usually, then in the Installer, select the base mod as "Standard Game" this will remove all the old mod files from the Plugin Manager mod. Then when its done, select the new version of the mod. You can also select the option "Redo Base Mod" which will copy the new version of the mod over
Q. I installed a few ships and now all my save games are curropt.
A. If your save games have been using another mod, you need to make sure you select this as your base mod, otherwise they wont load as there missing files from the original mod.
Q. I've got the base mod selected but i still cant load my saved games.
A. Its possible not all the files have been copied so its still causing the game to crash, select the option "Redo Base Mod", to recopy over the base mod files
Q. I've installed a ship and it seems fine but the model doesn't show up in the game when it create or buy one.
A. Its possible when installing the ship it didn't quite install correctly but the program didn't detect it. You can try reinstalling the same ship again and it should work, if not, then its possibly a problems with the Ship File itself. Another method you can try, is to uninstall the ship, goto the options and change the "File System" mode to Extract to Directories. Then try to reinstall the ship, this will overcome any problems with putting the ship into the mod files
Q. Some ships have cockpits, but i dont like to use cockpits in my game, how do i get rid of them?
A. You can disable all cockpits from the installed ships in the installer. Go into the options menu, and select the cockpits options to "None"
Q. I opened the script packager and it looks scary, so many options, do i need to fill in all these?
A. No you dont have to, infact you can create a package with only 2 fields filled in, the Script Name and the Script Author. But you should also add at least some files to the package as well. The rest of the options are optional but allow you to add more advanced features if you wish.
Q. I have some scripts i have downloaded but there not in SPK format, how do i get them to install?
A. Basically you need to create these scripts into SPK files to be able to install them. There are 2 ways in which you can do this, either extract the scripts then use the Packager to create a new script package adding all the files that you need then saving it to a SPK file. The other way is to use the convertion wizard, goto tools then import scripts. You need to enter in the external programs used to extract files. Then select the archive file and it will extract all the files and display the list and attempt to auto detect the file type based on the directory, view help for more information.
Q. As a scripter, what advantage is there for using the script packager over a standard program like winrar or winzip?
A. There are several advantages for both the users and the scripter.
For the users, it will make it easier to installer, as they can simply download and open the file, and the rest is done for you. Also, it prevents old files overrighing new ones to make sure all the scripts are at the latest version. IE, installing and older script later that has some shared files for other scripts in, it wont overright the current files with the old ones.
The packager can also be much easier for the scripter to create and update thier scripts. Via the use of packager scripts you can create a complete upto date package with very little effect. The packager can get the scripts from your X3 directory to put in the package. Once you have created a package script, all you need to do to update the script package is set the version and creation date correct and run the script. The package will then be created automatically for you using the latest script files.
Packager scripts can also be used to automatically upload the created spk files directly onto your server ready to be hosted.
Q. I have created a ship file but when i install it and try it in my game, the cockpit is all messed and/or the turrets dont work.
A. This usually happens if you have missed any componant entries that are needed to position the cockpit and guns correctly, usually the wizard will select them automatically for you but sometimes can miss some entries. Double check you have everything you need to include and also when in game try flying through a gate to see if it fixed itself.
Q. I've made a ship using the ship creator but i want it to be added to a certain shipyard instead of all the shipyards owned by that race, how can i do this?
A. To get it to add to just 1 or a few certain shipyards in the universe, you need to select all the shipyards to off so the scripts dont add them to all shipyards of the race. Then you need to create a custom script that finds and adds the ship to the shipyard.
To do this you need to know the Ship Id that you used in the ship creator and call the "getship" script in the ship creator package to get the ship type in the script editor.
An Example how to add a ship to only the shipyard in Argon Prime, the ships id is SS_SH_MYSHIP:
$sector = get sector from universe, x = 1, y = 4
if $sector -> exists
$race = $sector -> get owner race
$station = find station, sector = $sector, type = Shipyard, jumps = 0, race = $race
if $station -> exists
$shiptype = call script 'plugin.shipcreator.getship', ship id = 'SS_SH_MYSHIP'
if $shiptype
skip if $station -> trades with ware $shiptype
$station -> add product to station/dock $shiptype
end
end
end
Saving that as a setup script and including it in the ship package will make sure your ship is added to the shipyard.
Q. I have a ship file, but it has a cockpit that i dont like, how do i change the cockpit?
A. You need to edit the ship file in the ship creator, and change the cockpit scene to something else. There are 2 boxes for the cockpit scene, the top one is a darker colour. This is the one you must edit, you just type in a new cockpit entry to change it. To find what cockpit entry to use, u could use the X3 Editor to open the current TShips file and select the ship which cockpit you like, and then enter that in the cockpit scene.