Yihka's Zombie Modding Guide

If you've never modded before, I suggest you to read Saverous' modding guide for newbies first.

Even though I doubt I know everything, this guide will tell you where you can find the basics. First of all, if you are going to mod a lot and you don't have a good program for doing so, I suggest something like NotePad++. That program is only for Windows-Users. You don't need the program you can also use a normal plain-text editor such as Notepad.

I'm going to categorize every file and going to pretty much say which piece of code does what. I don't know everything, so I'm only going to list the most important ones for ZombieMode-Modding

I strongly urge you to make your own file/folder for every file/folder. If you don't do so, make back-ups because an update may overwrite them! Make sure to change the paths inside the files, or it will still link to the default zombie_survival folder

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/Base/Rules/Zombie_Survival/gamemode.cfg

Spoiler

Most things make sense in this file, so I won't go in detail.

This links to the Teams.

Name and description of your gamemode.

The amount of time a day takes and at what part it should start.

Didn't test it out but I assume this helps you with respawning in Zombie-Mode.

Change the paths to the correct files. ( Your own version of the files. )

How much resources you gain from each hit. Stone gives you 2 stone per hit, but you can change it to 50 and it will give 50 per hit.

Actors - /Base/Entities/Actors/Skeleton.cfg

Spoiler

Note: There are very much settings here but they're pretty self-explainatory. Most actors have the same settings. I'm just going to say the most-important bits.

Textures and sounds for the unit. I'd suggest just copy the other .cfg files and make your own version of the zombie /Zombieknight / skeleton that way.

Different movement speeds. I haven't played much with this , but it pretty much describes itself. The speed when you climb a ladder or when you jump etc.

Self explainatory. Destruction_power determines the amount of hits a block gets with one hit.

Also, @u8_destructible_blocks determines which blocks an actor can destroy.

Each block is a number. It basically links to /Base/Sprites/World.png. Open this file with paint or a similar program.

The first block is 0, the second block is 1, the third block is 2 etc.

Every row ( as of writing this ) has 16 blocks. Since it starts counting at 0, that means the first row is 0; 15;

Can you see the castle blocks? It's on the fourth row. 3 * 16 = 48. (3 rows * 16 ) Since it starts counting at 0, 48 -1 = 47. The first three rows are 0 till 47. The first castle block is number 48. 48 + 15 = 63. 63 is the last block of the row.

So to let skeletons destroy the castle blocks, fill in 48; 63;

I hope this explains it well enough.

This seems to control the behaviour of your actor, haven't played with it enough to understand what it exactly does. I usually put visible_distance_tiles and attack_init_distance_tiles high, as I assume this makes them come for you, even if you're far away.

/Base/Entities/Managers/ZombieDirector.cfg

Spoiler

This basically controls the spawning.

The most important bit of the file. I have no idea what increase_boss nor on_breach_dungeon does. I assume the diffculty goes higher if you destroy one of those portals (dungeon setting) ?

This spawns the enemies. Note that the order is very important. It will spawn those on the beginning of the file first. the variables determine the "diffculty cost" . if you have 50 diffculty, and you spawn a wraith ( 15 diffculty ) you'll only have 35 diffculty left. As you can see, a ZombieKnight needs 40 diffculty, so it can't spawn.

This system isn't very good but it does it's job. Do note that extra NPCs on the beginning will higher the diffculty as well.

/Base/Entities/Rooms/Portal.cfg

Spoiler

This basically does everything that has to do with spawning monsters from portals.

The health of the portal.

This determines the monsters that spawn. Just change the names to the right actors and it should spawn those.

/Base/Entities/Rooms/Zombie_room.cfg

Spoiler

The workshops you can build as a builder.

Amount of health for workshop and tooltip.

This controls what you can make and the prices for each workshop. See the room syntax so see what everything means. you can also set the different kinds of items.

The items you can buy. You can change their price here.

How to add wooden structures to zombie mode?

Spoiler

Copy /Base/Rules/FullCTF/Builder_blocks.cfg and place this file in your rules folder ( /Base/Rules/*Gamenamehere*/ )

Open your builder.cfg file. ( /Base/Rules/*Gamenamehere*/builder.cfg )

Change actor_config = to actor_config = Rules/*gamenamehere*/builder_blocks.cfg

You should now have every block unlocked that's found in FullCTF. If you open builder_blocks.cfg, you can change the costs of every block there.

Do note that you have to host a golden server to unlock them!

If course there are many more settings in each file but these are pretty much the most important ones for Zombie Mode. I'd suggest to try things out and you'll pretty much figure out what each setting does. Most are self-explainatory.

 

This is quite cool! Does this work for Multiplayer Zombies if everyone changes their files? I did want to have wooden structures on Zombie Multiplayer. Do we need to manually set their cost and durability or does the game do that automatically?

What I really wanted to know is if you can add the Red team as well for some Red vs Blue vs Zombies!

 

Only the server needs the modified files, the rest goes automatically. builder_blocks.cfg holds the material costs of each block one can make. So if you copy the one from fullCTF you'll have the default costs for every block from that game-mode. You cannot change the durability of blocks (As far as I know, atleast not in that particular file.) and you cannot let modified texture files work over multiplayer, unless you send it to each player manually.

Hmm, I haven't actually tried nor do I have any experience in adding extra teams. Perhaps it is possible, you'd just need 3 teams, a red team, a blue team and a zombie team ( Team1, team2 and team3.)

Perhaps you don't even need a specific zombie team but I can't say that for sure. Someone needs to try it out if they haven't already.

Cool idea though!

 

Hm, I see. Well, in my particular case, I have someone host a server for me for my videos. So, in this case, only the server hoster needs to change his block files when he hosts?

Well, I have no clue as to how even begin on doing that xD Regardless, I would love to do that. Could definitely be interesting video material.

 

All files that are part of a game-mode can be modified and work over multiplayer. So if you change the builder_blocks of a game-mode, those blocks will be used on the server and will thus be available for everyone. This can be as simple as different prices and as advanced as different blocks.

 

Ok, so the server being the only one to change it would work. Also, I tried doing it on Sandbox mode, but it didn't work as it was already directing itself to the FullCTF builder_blocks.cfg Any ideas?

 

You need to host a golden server for it to work. Sandbox is not "premium/gold" so it doesn't work.

 

Is there a way to make Zombie Fortress work with custom maps

 

Yes, well atleast it does support custom generated maps, so I'd assume it also supports fully custom maps.

You'd have to change ZombieMapCycle.cfg located in your "Rules" map for your gamemode.

That and if you're going to host, make a copy of ZombieFortress.gm, (Located in the "Maps" folder), change the name it to your game-mode and point it to your ZombieMapCycle.cfg. and gamemode.cfg inside the file

Then at the server settings, load the file you've just created in it. (The .GM file) It should work.

 

Since wood is impossible to obtain in singleplayer, I'm just gonna halve the price of castle walls, besides, it's too expensive anyway

 

Wood is possible to obtain in singleplayer...

 

Isn't he talking about premium wood blocks being unable to obtain in singleplayer?

Unless you know a way to activate them in singleplayer but then I'd like to know as well

 

Yes, I was talking about wood blocks, you didn't know?

 

I posted a link in the Sandbox+ forums, let me dig it up.
http://www.2shared.com/file/cQziuTZu/SandboxPrem.html
This is replaces Zombie_Survival with a premium sandbox in which I have activated wood.
But it might be wise backing up the stuff it replaces in case you want to revert them to the original.

Roughly explained:
Builder.cfg
actor_config = Rules/Zombie_Survival/builder_blocks.cfg

Take builder_blocks.cfg from the WAR rule folder.
If I forgot to mention something just check out the folder above and see it for yourself.

 

I replaced all contents of your folder into my Zombie_Survival folder but it doesn't seem to add wood blocks.

It does give me infinite resources so it is loading that folder.

Only if I host it as a server, I'd get them. I must be missing something if you say it works

 

Weird, it doesn't seem to add wood blocks for me anymore.
Ill ask JackD if it still works for him (same method, he only adds even more stuff).
The recent "bugfix" seems to have messed it up...

 

You going to have to make the server premium first. I think you have type something but i forgot. I'll try and find it. Anywho, Nice guide Yihka.

 

Type "sv_gold_only 1" without quotes to make a server GOLD

 

That was precisely what i was looking for

 

But that's not for singleplayer, that way you make a server?