Heh, I just consider it an extra challenge. The odf seem kinda sloppy and out of order because there are no editor notes or antything, but the Flops Devs use an odf writing program, so they are just spit out in what ever order they add new features in.
The features that FO allows with all the new code is just amazing. One of the few mods that utilizes a ton of these features is Sigma, by The Undying Nephalim. His mod has like 5 completely unique races from a completely made up universe. It is pretty cool, but it isn't out of BETA yet. None of the FO mods really are since 3.1 when all those new features were added
I don't like the way weapons are handled in FlOps. Sure, it looks better, but it's horrible to mod. I love about A2 that you can just make something and drop it into the game without having to do a lot of work. (For example, try a new ship. I just need the SOD, texture and ODF. Put it into the map editor menu and voila - I can try it in-game and let it shoot stuff. Or trying weapon textures, just put them into the spr and change the reference in the ODF.)
I don't like how the new GUI is coded. It makes it hard to add stuff, because the GUI is so complicated. In A2, you can ignore the GUI. You don't necessarily need a wireframe, you can just put stuff into the game and make one later.)
I don't like the ranking system. (I know, I love it, but it's horrible!) Yeah, it's a cool addition to the game, but you need so many ODF files now for ONE single ship.
In general, FlOps is a great platform for extended modifications of the game, but it requires a lot of work. Much more work than your average A2 mod.
The weapons are dificult, but the end result, for me, is worth the effort. The Explosions and the quality of all the weapons is just outstanding. I only have a problem with the fact that they require a sod which I can't make.
I just have to reuse the ones they have.
Maybe I only like the GUI because I spend a few long hours to understand it all,
But I did write an explanatory guide which is in the modding section of the FO guide site. It does require some extra work, but you have to admit, it is easier than trying to recreate the
original armada2 wireframes.
We got around it by just making a picture, which you can still do for FO. If you just make a miniimage, the engine will just use it as the background image, and you don't have to do anything else. it will work just like a picture wireframe in Stock.
The actual UI frame is actually really east to edit since it is all in one file now.
But I have to agree with you about the ranking system. It is a love hate relationship, it is a really cool feature, but it is a modders nightmare. 6 odf's for every ship plus weapons!!!
I actually use it to make a realistic ace ranking system in my mod. I just skip all the other ranks, and when my fighters get a few kills, they become aces.
The one thing I can not stand in FO though, is the tooltips. And not just the tooltips in general, but the
Offencive
Defencive
and System values.
and its not even that the numbers are in a different format that is very difficult to edit, its the fact that only the devs in FO know how to calculate the values. We can guess based on ships in the game, and what values they have, but we have no idea exactly what you use to calculate these values. I do not use them in any mods except streight ship editions, and I can guarentee the values I add aren't correct.:x Drives me nutz...
