Using the editor to modify new system files

[djc664]

I'm using the Authoring Kit to create a new game system. It successfully made the sample game copy and when I try to use the Editor to modify the base files (such as: thing_attributes.dat) it tells me it can read them, but it's dangerous to modify so it's only read-only.

What do I have to set so that I can modify these base files using the editor?

[ShadowChemosh]

You don't. The Editor is used much later in the process to enter specific Things. You first have to build the "foundation" of the house per say. Without the foundation you can't put furniture into it (ie use the Editor). The foundation in this case being the components and component sets that make up those Things.

So you work in RAW XML using a text editor or different XML tools to edit the .dat files.

[djc664]

Dang it. I had hoped that in six years that answer had changed.

Thank you for the confirmation, SC. Probably will be too steep of a curve to bother...

[Mathias]

Change the file name from thing_attributes.dat to thing_attributes.user.

[djc664]

Originally Posted by Mathias

Change the file name from thing_attributes.dat to thing_attributes.user.

Sometimes the simple answer is best, thank you Mathias.

Question for the Editor Dev(s):
Is it feasible to create a checkbox that you can enable like the debugging to say "ignore read-only protection" for a particular game system's files? Seems like I would be MUCH more likely to get stuff done right in the editor than hand-coding XML.

[Mathias]

There's nothing wrong with leaving all the data files in your game system as .user, if you'd rather use the editor. Just remember that you'll need to be careful about keeping the editor up-to-date as you change the mechanics of the various elements of the game.

The .dat/.user differentiation is intended for when one person creates the core mechanics of a game system, and has helpers adding additional books, or filling in the rest of a section of content, after the primary creator creates the mechanics and a few examples. It means that the helpers have to be careful about changing the core elements of the game system, but they can keep working on their own parts of the content in .user files.

[KingFrog]

Originally Posted by Mathias

Change the file name from thing_attributes.dat to thing_attributes.user.

Well DUH. I've been wondering the same thing myself, and find that the obvious answer is one I had just not thought of. Thank you!