[Phoib]

And try to guess what's what for...

DISCLAIMER: Since Generals isn't publicly released and therefore not available for modding, these are but wild guesses!!! Information to be used/corrected freely.

PlayerTemplate.ini

Please note the notes:

;//////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
;Note Note Note Note Note Note Note Note Note Note Note Note Note
;//////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
; There is a dependency between the player template member Side and the ControlBarScheme.ini
; files side. If you add a new side here, make sure the ControlBarScheme.ini contains a new
; control bar with that new side as its side. Otherwise it will use the Observer8x6 control bar.
; Talk to CLH if there's issues with this.
;//////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
;Note Note Note Note Note Note Note Note Note Note Note Note Note
;/////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

Keep this in mind.

I'm using both America and Observer as example:

PlayerTemplate FactionObserver
Side = Observer
PlayableSide = No
IsObserver = Yes
StartMoney = 0
PreferredColor = R:255 G:255 B:255
IntrinsicSciences = None
DisplayName = INI:FactionObserver
ScoreScreenImage = MutiPlayer_ScoreScreen
BeaconName = MultiplayerBeacon
SideIconImage = GameinfoOBSRVR
End

PlayerTemplate FactionAmerica
Side = America
PlayableSide = Yes
StartMoney = 0
PreferredColor = R:0 G:0 B:255
IntrinsicSciences = SCIENCE_AMERICA
PurchaseScienceCommandSetRank1 = SCIENCE_AMERICA_CommandSetRank1
PurchaseScienceCommandSetRank3 = SCIENCE_AMERICA_CommandSetRank3
PurchaseScienceCommandSetRank8 = SCIENCE_AMERICA_CommandSetRank8
DisplayName = INI:FactionAmerica
StartingBuilding = AmericaCommandCenter
StartingUnit0 = AmericaVehicleDozer
ScoreScreenImage = America_ScoreScreen
;HeadWaterMark = SCTempSelectPortrait ; don't use unless we add a "generalshead for non selected generals
FlagWaterMark = WatermarkUSA
EnabledImage = SSObserverUSA
BeaconName = MultiplayerBeacon
SideIconImage = GameinfoAMRCA
End

PlayerTemplate:Tells the parser that after this there is a side starting, with after this the name. This name is also used for the CFG file.
Side Tells the Parser what it should look for in other files. (eg owner= tag in RA2)
PlayableSide Selectable as player?
IsObserver Is this side an observer? Default is no.
StartMoney Money to start with. Where? I don't know.
PreferredColor The colour to be used as default by this side. Consists of an RGB value.
IntrinsicSciences Which Sciences scheme to use?
PurchaseScienceCommandSetRank1 Which Science set can be purchased at Rank 1?
PurchaseScienceCommandSetRank3 Which Science set can be purchased at Rank 3?
PurchaseScienceCommandSetRank8 Which Science set can be purchased at Rank 8?
DisplayName Which name to be displayed? (Look in CFG file)
StartingBuildingWhich Building should be considered the starting building? (eg CY in previous games)
StartingUnit0 Which unit to be considered the starting units when beginning with 0 units? Typicly a Dozer/worker type of unit.
ScoreScreenImage Which image to be used in score screen?
FlagWaterMark No clue yet
EnabledImage No clue yet
BeaconName What Beacon should I look for in FactionProp.ini? Use MultiplayerBeacon as default.
End End the Faction data.

[Sleipnir]

StartingUnit0 =

For those in the know, can you just go StartingUnit1 = X ,StartingUnit2 = Y , StartingUnit3 = Z etc to make default starting forces? or is it not that simple....

[jimmy_jo]

that would belike,kool beans

[Phoib]

Sleipnir, I didn't find a starterunit1, starterunit2 yet, but I think it will be possible

On to armor.ini
This file states the armors, and the verses of the warheads. Unless I'm mistaken, there seems to be a fixed number of damageTypes, being:

• EXPLOSION
  CRUSH
  ARMOR_PIERCING
  SMALL_ARMS
  GATTLING
  RADIATION
  FLAME
  LASER
  SNIPER
  POISON
  HEALING
  UNRESISTABLE
  WATER
  DEPLOY
  SURRENDER
  HACK
  KILL_PILOT
  PENALTY
  FALLING
  MELEE
  DISARM
  HAZARD_CLEANUP
  INFANTRY_MISSILE
  AURORA_BOMB
  LAND_MINE
  JET_MISSILES
  STEALTHJET_MISSILES
  MOLOTOV_COCKTAIL
  COMANCHE_VULCAN
  PARTICLE_BEAM
  KILL

I'm using HumanArmour as an example, it's just the easiest example:

Armor HumanArmor
Armor = CRUSH 200% ;humans are easily crushed ["I'm crushing your head"]
Armor = ARMOR_PIERCING 10% ;humans don't get hit by tank rounds.
Armor = INFANTRY_MISSILE 10%
Armor = FLAME 150% ;humans don't like fire
Armor = PARTICLE_BEAM 150% ;humans don't fare well against orbital beams...
Armor = SNIPER 200%
Armor = LASER 50% ;LASERs are anti-personel and anti-projectile only (for point defense laser)
Armor = HAZARD_CLEANUP 0% ;Not harmed by cleaning weapons
Armor = KILL_PILOT 0% ;Jarmen Kell uses against vehicles only.
Armor = SURRENDER 100% ;Capture type weapons are effective only against infantry.
End

You start by the Armor tag, followed by the name of the armor. (To be used in FactionUnit.ini, FactionBuilding.ini and other unit/building related objects).
Then, the verses.
Armor = followed by one of the warhead types, and a percentual number. Please note that the default is 100 %, so it's useless to type that into it.
If you have defined all the possible warheads, and skipped the defaults, you should close it with End.

Voila, another armor type.

[DeeZire]

Originally Posted by Sleipnir

For those in the know, can you just go StartingUnit1 = X ,StartingUnit2 = Y , StartingUnit3 = Z etc to make default starting forces? or is it not that simple....

Yes, you can, although I cant recall the limit.

[Phoib]

MusicTrack Track3
Filename = CHI_08.mp3
End

;MusicTrack Track4
; Filename = Boom.wav
;End

MusicTrack States the beginning of a music track data.
Type the name after this.
FilenameWhat sort of MP3 should I look for. The file should be in Generals directory\Data\Audio\Tracks.
It is possible that other formats may be used too, not sure yet.
Volume Which volume should I play? Can be ommited (see other data).
End Ends the music track data.

This means you can *most probably* play your own music in Generals

[DeeZire]

MUSIC.INI;-

Filename= as above
Volume= from 0 (silent) to 100 (loud)
Ambient= yes (play eerily in background), no (default, play as normal)

You can use any format for music tracks as long as your native media player supports the format - unfortunately, because WMP does not natively support OGG then Vorbis is out for your tracks

I dont know about the final build, but I've used WAV earlier - 'Boom' was the best track IMHO - BOOM! Here comes da BOOM, ready or not, hehehe.

[Phoib]

Tonight I will (try to) do Specialpower.ini, locomoter.ini and Weapon.ini, but for now, upgrade.ini:

Upgrade Upgrade_Nationalism
DisplayName = UPGRADE:Nationalism
BuildTime = 60.0
BuildCost = 2000
QueueImageEnabled = SSNationalism
ResearchSound = RedGuardVoiceUpgradeNationalism
End

Upgrade Upgrade_AmericaRadar
DisplayName = UPGRADE:Radar
Type = OBJECT
BuildTime = 10.0
BuildCost = 500
QueueImageEnabled = SARadarUpgrade
ResearchSound = NoSound ;Doesn't need a sound because this upgrade is granted immediately!
End

;------------------------------------
;America Cold Fusion Reactor Upgrades
;------------------------------------

Upgrade Upgrade_AmericaAdvancedControlRods
DisplayName = UPGRADE:ControlRods
Type = OBJECT
BuildTime = 30.0
BuildCost = 800
QueueImageEnabled = SSControlRods
End

Upgrade Upgrade_ComancheRocketPods
DisplayName = UPGRADE:ComancheRocketPods
Type = PLAYER
BuildTime = 40.0
BuildCost = 800
QueueImageEnabled = SSCommancheMissiles
ResearchSound = ComancheVoiceUpgradeRocketPods
End

Upgrade What for upgrade is this?
DisplayName What for name does this upgrade has?
Type What is affected by the upgrade? The default is nothing. This means that multiple objects from different sorts benefit from it, eg Nationalism affects a lot of units. The second is OBJECT. This means only one object (eg AdvancedControlRods) benefit from this. The third is PLAYER. This means that all objects from a single type benfit from it, eg the ComancheRocketpods.
BuildTime How long does it take to "build" it? In seconds
BuildCost How much does it cost?
QueueImageEnabled What for image does it has?
ResearchSound What for sound to play when the upgrade is complete?
End Ends the Upgrade data

[ixray]

This should be on the tutorial's page!

[DeeZire]

It will be soon

OK, back to PlayerTemplate.INI having 'phoned a friend' to jog my memory

PlayableSide= yes/no

StartMoney= how much ca$h to start with but should remain at 0 for single player use. Multiplayer money is specified by InitialCreditsMin= and InitialCreditsMax= in Multiplayer.INI

StartingUnitN= - you can set 'N' from 0 - 9 thus only possible to start game with a maximum of 10 units. Just to clear that bit up. And you can only start with one building before you ask!

ProductionCostChange=
ProductionTimeChange=
ProductionVeterancyLevel=
Now is not the time for this

IntrinsicSciencePurchasePoints= make 'em pay for their default science (default = 0) used in single player.

FlagWaterMark= image to stick in the Control Bar where the icons go when theres nothing else there (usually country flag)

HeadWaterMark= image to stick in the Control Bar where the big ('object selected') icon goes when theres nothing else to put there (this was used to show which Generals you were).

In Armor.INI, BOMB, EMP, MONOWIRE, RAILGUN are no longer used as DamageTypes since they come under ones that already exist (e.g. no need to define BOMB as its technically same as EXPLOSION).