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Author Topic: [0.9.1a] Faceless - vanilla and mod portrait removal  (Read 4727 times)

Jaghaimo

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[0.9.1a] Faceless - vanilla and mod portrait removal
« on: August 15, 2020, 12:17:35 PM »


Faceless
tool to remove all portraits from all factions




What does it do?

Spoiler
Before: Vanilla + Mod + Portrait pack of my choosing




After: Just portrait pack of my choosing




Mod load order (notice changed name on portrait pack):

[close]


How does it work?

This tool creates a mod that will remove all vanilla and all mod-introduced portraits. Portraits portion of faction file normally gets merged together. When the merging array is empty though, either as a bug or deliberate behaviour, the resulting array is empty as well.

Using this behaviour it is possible to reset all factions to have no portraits at all. By loading a custom portrait pack after this reset has happened the game will only see newly added portraits.


How do I use it?
  • Run `generate.sh` (Linux/Mac users are set to go, Windows users will need WSL1/WSL2, Cygwin, or Git Bash)
  • If this is your first time using it, it will complain about lack of `faction.list` - a file that contains all vanilla and modded factions - generate it
  • Next it will complain about lack of `player.faction` - a list of male and female portraits to use - pick it from the mod you want to have in your game
  • Now it will finally run and generate `faceless-1.0.0.zip` mod and `data/` folder
  • Install and enable `ZZZ Faceless` mod
  • Starsector will now crash if you try to start a new game as there are no portraits to use
  • Now copy `data/` into the portrait pack of your choice
  • Edit `mod_info.json` of that portrait pack and add `zzzz_` in front of id and `ZZZZ ` in front of the name - this ensures that the mod is loaded after the initial purge done by `Faceless`
« Last Edit: August 16, 2020, 10:13:17 AM by Jaghaimo »
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Terethall

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Re: [0.9.1a] Faceless - vanilla and mod portrait removal
« Reply #1 on: August 15, 2020, 06:24:58 PM »

I'm trying to imagine a more niche mod, but I can't. Still, I'm sure you just made someone's game vastly better.
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Jaghaimo

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Re: [0.9.1a] Faceless - vanilla and mod portrait removal
« Reply #2 on: August 16, 2020, 10:08:38 AM »

You're probably right, it is very niche. I would assume mods are born out of need and this one was no different - I just wanted portrait consistency in my playthroughs.
Anyway, added a before and after as that probably shows the functionality better than my explanation.
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majorfreak

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Re: [0.9.1a] Faceless - vanilla and mod portrait removal
« Reply #3 on: August 16, 2020, 11:49:10 AM »

awesome. eventually, once i figure out what the heck mods contain which favorite portraits. lol
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e

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Re: [0.9.1a] Faceless - vanilla and mod portrait removal
« Reply #4 on: August 16, 2020, 03:51:01 PM »

What happens on instances where the game needs a specific portrait like for example: faction leaders, IBB bounties and Vayra's HVB.
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Jaghaimo

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Re: [0.9.1a] Faceless - vanilla and mod portrait removal
« Reply #5 on: August 17, 2020, 02:54:51 AM »

What happens on instances where the game needs a specific portrait like for example: faction leaders, IBB bounties and Vayra's HVB.
All portrait files are still visible to the game, so they will be used if they are referenced directly. Only random people (Comms Directory, random fleets, etc) should be affected.

Edit: HVBs spawn without portraits.
« Last Edit: August 28, 2020, 04:54:59 AM by Jaghaimo »
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Devrailis

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Re: [0.9.1a] Faceless - vanilla and mod portrait removal
« Reply #6 on: August 18, 2020, 06:42:36 PM »

My first reaction to this mod: "Why would I use this?"  ???

After a couple seconds: "Ah, I NEED this!"  :o

This is super niche. My kind of niche.

Kudos and thanks.
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Feuerfox

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Re: [0.9.1a] Faceless - vanilla and mod portrait removal
« Reply #7 on: July 19, 2021, 01:30:49 PM »

Hello,
I tried to run the script with the newest version but it doensn't work. I used git bash to run the script but it doesn't generate the list even if i run it inside the starsector folder. Is it for the game update or am i doing something wrong?
« Last Edit: July 19, 2021, 02:28:17 PM by Feuerfox »
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Profit Prophet

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Re: [0.9.1a] Faceless - vanilla and mod portrait removal
« Reply #9 on: July 19, 2021, 03:03:09 PM »

thank you for this mod, will come in very handy in my future games where I run anime portrait packs since they don't mix well with vanilla.
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Jaghaimo

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Re: [0.9.1a] Faceless - vanilla and mod portrait removal
« Reply #10 on: July 20, 2021, 01:21:55 AM »

Hello,
I tried to run the script with the newest version but it doensn't work. I used git bash to run the script but it doesn't generate the list even if i run it inside the starsector folder. Is it for the game update or am i doing something wrong?
Nothing should have changed, as far as I know. You will need to change version in `mod_info.json` to `0.95a` in the resulting mods.

Please do note that this mod is abandoned. Feel free to fork it and be a maintainer if you like. Do note, however, that the implementation is wrong - the correct way of replacing vanilla / mod portraits with your own ones is via file replace mechanism. Here's a short guide:
  • Build a list of all portraits present in your modded game - males, females.
  • Pick a list of the portraits you want to replace them with (also split into males and females).
  • For each portrait in 1, pick a random portrait in 2 and copy it using 1s' name.
  • For each portrait in 3 add a line in mod_info.json that your mod replaces this file.

Why it's incorrect, and replacement is needed - hardcoded portraits (not present in faction lists). Also regarding point 1 - build the list of portraits from faction files, then build a unique list of folders that those files live in, then search for any missing files in each of those folders (reference files in those folders against a list of portraits from faction files - you are searching for hardcoded portraits, hopefully modders will not put them elsewhere).
« Last Edit: July 20, 2021, 01:25:52 AM by Jaghaimo »
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