ECF File Editing

Playable Files Install Info:

Don't bother changing files where we used to, the only place these mod files need to go is your save game. Leave all other ECF file locations alone for master copies and backups, despite what other mods may tell you to do.

Start a new game, select any non-scenario normal survival start. Akua and friends, Ashen II Orbit, or the hard random desert start are all acceptable normal games for these files. Scenarios and the experimental playfields will not likely work, and you may erase important things in such cases using this mod on them.  Choose a name for the game. Be sure to turn off the mass or volume limitations if you want to use the 9k stack size of this mod to the fullest. Turn off CPU limitations if you plan on making supersized builds this mod allows. Choose other settings and Start. Be sure to add the dark faction elements to your game by saying yes to the pop up. Once you have started the game and save and exit at any time. Copy the playable mod files to your save location (... Empyrion - Galactic Survival\Saves\Games\NewGame\Content\Configuration where "NewGame" is the name you choose at start just a minute ago.) You only need to copy over Items.ecf, Blocks.ecf and Templates.ecf to your save game cofig location. Config.ecf does nothing and is a backup file of edits and instructions on editing, so accidentally adding it to the save game is fine, it is ignored now and has the same edits even if it wasn't.

The folder for original files in the download is an unedited backup for uninstalling the mod, copy over to the save game again to stop using the mod, such does not need a new game.  The safest way to make sure your game is good is to make your own backups before modding or updating.  These are vanilla files for that version of the game that are provided (should you forget to backup), and should undo other modifications to said files too.

If you have a game you are already playing you should be able to modify that save the same way as a new install. CPU and Mass limitations will still be an issue if they are turned on in your current game.

When the game version changes, your update install is as follows: The procedure to update config files that are not edited in a current save is best done by making a new game and calling it Update. Change all the start settings to match your desired save game to update to use new items that came out with any new release that does not state a new game is required.  Once difficulty and optional settings are correct, click yes for dark faction elements and start the new game called Update.  Once the game starts, you can save and exit.  Modify any ECF files in the "Update" save game location to your liking or add modded files downloaded from here. Copy command all ECF files from the Update save location to your desired save game you wanted to keep that you copied start settings from earlier. Using the wrong start or wrong scenario may cause errors when making the config files for a new game called Update for your intended save.  Copying Dark Faction scenario files for a normal game single-player start with Dark Faction elements is not the same set of files, your universe will mostly disappear if you update that way. Thus, the easiest way to get the correct start files for your game is to make a new game with the same settings. Then you can mod them and go enjoy the new items that updated ECF files provide.  (Copy over your downloaded new version's mod files once your save is updated to the latest version of the game for all other files as described in the install info.)  Once your desired save game is updated you may delete the donor "Update" save game in game or from the list of folders in the Empyrion directory \saves\games area, it is no longer needed, and if you mistakenly moved all ECF files out of this save when copying, it will no longer work anyway.

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Update 1. 19. 2 5150 Update instructions for save game still valid.

No changes to modified entries so no master backup file config.ecf to update. Update for mod 1. 19. 2 only adds new posters and poster fixes for playable files.

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Update 1. 18. 2 5116  Update of an existing game seems to work as described above just fine, still. A new game is not needed.

Still no new block entries. Enjoy the many changes in status effects they put out with this mod's same changes as before. Had to update mod due to massi