Shipstyle problems with new DLC

Shipdefs you say? My computer doesn't seem to think it is new nor does it show it as having any changes since last year let alone the recent patch.

hm... i thought it is new because it is not in my mod folder and i modded every xml file for the ships. this is the only xml file related to ships thats missing in my mod folder, and yesterday my mod worked like it should.

You're not alone.

Booted up game to find I had the exact same problem.

I'm having problems... but my ship sets are working.... just having problems with other aspects of my mod.

Correction: Preview ships not showing, but starting ships are fine.

Fixed Preview Ships:

You now need both a copy of the preview object file in the Designs/Startup folder, and, inside a new .zip file located there called objgfxcfg.zip

Same goes for the Mercs Bazaar File, and likely mercenary ships.

Hey Gauntlet,

Could you specify with screenshots please?

EDIT* I also don't have my starting ships show up:

Sending off a ticket as we type.

hi gauntlet,

i added the files to the archive. I didnt even noticed the problem with the preview. My survey ship is displayed in the preview window now.

BUT, my main problem is still present. My ships wont show up in game. I checked now every file line for line. There was only one change in the staticshipblueprintdefs.  <DisplayName>Starting Colony (Terran)</DisplayName> I added this line to my ships but no change. Starting ships are not there and when i open my shipyard, no ships at all. Every xml file is there with all the entries that are needed. the mod worked yesterday perfectly. I dont see any reason why my shipstyle is broken now. BTW i deleted my modded Shipdefs file so i can start the game at least. Is there a possibility to get in contact with the devs, so they can explain what they changed?

Hey man... the devs don't often speak about such things, so I don't know. I also don't know what the problem would be, since my sets are all still operable. I host a suite of modded content...

1) Shipsets

2) Modded Mercs, Bazaar, and Mines

3) Modded Pirates

4) Modded Game Content (ship components/etc.)

#1 was working except the previews, 2-4 were broke. I think I've fixed 2 and 3 using the same method I used to fix the previews. When I have everything fixed on my end, and have reuploaded, I'll be happy to help with yours. I might need you to email me all your design files to do so, you can always email me via Gauntlet@gmail.com

Here is a screen shot of the preview issue.

The folder on the left is the designs folder, where I have preview files. I've highlighted the new zip file. The Folder on the right shows the inside of the zip file, where I have also added my preview files.

Hey Nimrod13,

The following link will tell you how to get in touch with the devs via creating a support ticket. I just sent one off.

https://esupport.stardock.com/index.php?/default_import/Knowledgebase/Article/View/496/161/general-galactic-civilizations-iii-troubleshooting

Hey Gauntlet,

Thank you for the reply. Seems the problem goes a bit further on my end. I am at a bit of a loss as to what is causing it.

thx to both of you!

well, just copied my shipfiles into the zipfolder in designs like i did with the startup folder but now the game is not even starting.

EDIT: just reloaded local data, game starts now again but preview is gone and problems still present. one more interesting thing i recognized, if you check your lokal data in steam, after you close your game, there are always two damaged files. why is the game damaging his own files?

anyway, it seems to me that the devs screwed up something with the new DLC and the file structure. its like in the beta phase when you couldnt display a preview of your shipstyle. the fact that the xml files are unchanged and simply stopped working after the update looks like a bug to me.

Its... object files... not .ship files you know?

I've just updated my mod here:

http://www.nexusmods.com/galacticcivilizations3/mods/18/?

Version 4.8

Maybe you can download it and see if my files work fine for you, if so, then you can use them as a baseline to repair your own. Feel free to email me your own files and I'll take a look this afternoon.

Thanks!

ok i will do, thx.

i try your mod as soon as possible.

EDIT: problem seems to be solved. as asumed they screwed up the file structure with this zip folders. now its working again. thx gauntlet!!!

AND FOR THE DEVS: guys you should make it easier to mod not harder! no setbacks to beta phase!

Hey Gauntlet,

Sent an email your way.

If anyone from SD takes a peek in here, my ticket is:

RTD-795-82211

EDIT*

OK, I seem to have sorted out most of the issue on my end. 

I want to leave a bit more info here in case anyone else runs into the same problem. 

As has been mentioned above, the hint is within the Startup folder, which can be located in the GalCiv 3 Designs folder. This is where you have to place a copy of the relevant obj file into the zip folder labelled objgfxcfg.

The second and third thing I had to do was go back to the Designs folder and find both the objgfxcfg zip folder and Ship zip folder. Grab your designs and place copies of their obj and ship files respectively and add them to the zip files.

It was tedious and I do not understand why this is suddenly required to get a basic custom shipset functioning again, especially when they worked fine prior to the update. If any dev could provide some clarification and insight, that would be greatly appreciated!

If anyone needs a hand, feel free to pm/reply and I'll do my best to walk you through.

I didn't have to do that second part... were you putting your ship designs for your ship set in the Game Directory and not your own My Games/GalCvi3/Designs folder?

Yes, the basic templates for the custom set would go in there.

They don't have to. They can go into your my games design folder instead.

Which, may be beneficial to you, because you then don't have to care about the zip file and updating/replacing the file whenever GC3 updates a little bit. Basically, when the game updates, its going to overwrite that zip file even if in general, nothing changes.

You may well be right there.

I'm flummoxed, though -- this was not an issue at all until the last update. I did not not need to update those zip files.

thats because there wasnt such a zip file in designs folder. its new. like the fact that all the standard designs from the original game seem to appear now also in your mod folder. i tryed to keep this folder clean to better manage the shipdesigns im downloading via steamworkshop. now my folder is full of redundant files. and gauntlets point affects your game not just on a new update, even if you click on repair files in steam, when you have some trouble with the game, the zipfiles will be replaced and you have to do the work again. i put my custom designs in the core designs folder to prevent from the stupid warning window in shipdesigner when i changed a hull... now i think about putting my designs back to mods... cant understand why the dont use the DLC file architecture for custom races or mods. this way it would be possible to keep every race separately in his own folder with all the xml files and shipdesigns needed. the filestructure now is really chaotic and with every update it gets worse... this game needs a cleanup...

I tried the mod your own ship style thing and failed miserably.  So, I have deep admiration for those of you who got it to work even once.

As far as I am concerned, the only proper answer is a working in-game tool.  I am ready to be patient about things like incremental AI development, but making the game use my crazy and cute designs should not require modding skills.  I gave up on coding when I stopped getting paid for it!  Now, I remember why.

Letting me design these cool things and then making it a pain to use them as defaults is just being a tease.  Just like my cats, I hate being teased.

I can do the xml's for if you post your designs in a zip/rar for me and a document saying what designs go with what hulls . Had so much practice now it is no bother to do shipsets.

What I did was take the two files from the game folder and made copies of them.

I then deleted all but one faction and removed the Tutorial and campaign ships.

Then I made a single ship and swapped it for one of the other ships (Colony).

This worked, so I had all the default ships except for the one colony ship. 

This is the best way I think for newbies as it's the easiest to do. (what would be nice if we had a "template" file for each race/ship style. That way a new user can start with that, but again it wasn't hard removing the other faction styles.)

Then I just add one ship at a time as I work through them.