All Player-Built Station Mercs are Recon

[jador]

Just noticed that all the mercs i can hire from my player-built station are all recon mercs. Is there a way to either make mercs of other types or to randomize the types available?

[Daering]

You can navigate to you pilot save folder > stations and find your station file, open it with simple text editor (Notepad ++ is great) and add more mercs or edit existing one to you desire. The line you need to find is something like <MERC> or something, you can't miss it. Just pay attention to formating and you will be fine, its pretty easy.
Ships that can be used as merc ships can be found within ship_npc folder.

Also, you can check my ATC NPC Ship Pack mod from Nexus , those are ships that also can be used as merc ships.

[jador]

Ooh. I'll grab the ATC NPC pack. Always willing to try out new ships. Soljourne has some really nice ones too. Not sure if they're up on Nexus...

[Daering]

I am sure you probably know that and sorry for being Capt. Obvious, but just to be sure - ATC NPC Ship Pack are designed primary as merc ships and they can't be used as regular ships for player to use them. Without editing i mean. The ATC Ship Pack is the one that gives players additional ships to fly with.

btw, if you already have merc that you like, but didn't like his ship Role, you can change it. Say you like that red-haired merc you already recruit and she gained good amount of levels under your command, but you just don't use her Recon role. You can find her ship file in ...Astrox Imperium\Astrox Imperium_Data\MOD\saves\PILOTNAME\ships. It will have some numbers after its name. You can safely edit her ship and change the ship role from Recon to say - Pirate, so she can collect the loot for you. Any change you made in this file will not affect the corresponding ship from the "ship_npc" folder.

[SolJourn]

As jador mentioned, I had designed a few ships but all except one were lost when my PC was stolen a couple years ago. I just recently got back into Astrox to work on re-creating the MOD I was designing before I lost my PC. Here is the file for my Hive ship.

//; ASTROX IMPERIUM SHIP EDITOR
//; Jace Masula 2017
//; Ship copyright Soljourne 2019
//; -------------------------------SHIP MAIN VARS ----------------------------------
//; ---------------------------- Variable name, value ------------------------------
<STATS>
SHIP_skill_level;1
SHIP_filename;ship_data_(swarm)
SHIP_faction_id;0
SHIP_name;Alpha Swarm X6
SHIP_class;Escort
SHIP_base_shield;1200
SHIP_base_armor;990
SHIP_base_energy;1550
SHIP_base_cargo;200
SHIP_base_speed;0
SHIP_base_turn;0.69
SHIP_base_thrust;250
SHIP_base_mass;110
SHIP_collider_x;1.7
SHIP_collider_y;1.5
SHIP_collider_z;5
SHIP_active_slots;8
SHIP_passive_slots;4
SHIP_base_lifesupport;570
SHIP_base_engine_burn;0.16
SHIP_base_recharge;0.63
SHIP_base_scan_speed;5.00
SHIP_base_scan_max_targets;6
SHIP_base_scan_pulserange;1000
SHIP_base_scan_pulsespeed;10
SHIP_type;Combat
SHIP_base_price;100
SHIP_description;Borecraft Industries specializes in developing mining and salvage ships for the average laborer. Nothing fancy and bare to the bones,
SHIP_impact_resistance;0.3
SHIP_energy_resistance;0.0
SHIP_explosive_resistance;0.0
SHIP_engine_color; 0.1 ; 0.5 ; 0.7 ; 1.0
SHIP_manufacturer;Borecraft Industries
SHIP_manufacturer_icon;icon_borecraft.png
SHIP_shield;0
SHIP_armor;0
SHIP_energy;0
SHIP_ls_food;0
SHIP_ls_water;0
SHIP_ls_thermal;0
SHIP_ls_waste;0
SHIP_base_drones;0
//merc stuff
SHIP_owner;none
SHIP_xp;0
SHIP_next_level_xp;1000
SHIP_level;1
SHIP_talent;Mining
SHIP_loyalty;10
SHIP_payroll;100
//; --------------------------------- SHIP PARTS -----------------------------------
//; --------------- ITEM,type,catID,pfID,xp,yp,zp,xr,yr,zr-----------------------------
<ITEM>
ITEM;wing_2;0; 84 ;-4.52;-0.35;4.24;0.00;0.00;145.72
ITEM;wing_2;0; 84 ;4.66;-0.35;4.24;0.00;0.00;145.72
ITEM;wing_2;0; 84 ;-4.66;-0.36;4.24;0.00;0.00;34.29
ITEM;wing_2;0; 84 ;4.57;-0.36;4.24;0.00;0.00;34.29
ITEM;wing_5;0; 85 ;3.99;-0.01;5.68;0.00;0.00;0.00
ITEM;wing_5;0; 85 ;-5.19;-0.01;5.68;0.00;0.00;0.00
ITEM;wing_9;0; 74 ;-4.59;-0.29;4.56;0.00;0.00;270.00
ITEM;wing_9;0; 74 ;4.60;-0.29;4.56;0.00;0.00;270.00
ITEM;mast_4;0; 48 ;-3.75;0.07;5.45;270.00;180.00;0.00
ITEM;mast_4;0; 48 ;5.49;0.07;5.45;270.00;180.00;0.00
ITEM;mast_4;0; 48 ;5.49;0.29;5.45;270.00;180.00;0.00
ITEM;mast_4;0; 48 ;-3.74;0.29;5.45;270.00;180.00;0.00
ITEM;mast_4;0; 48 ;3.74;0.29;5.45;270.00;180.00;0.00
ITEM;mast_4;0; 48 ;-5.42;0.29;5.45;270.00;180.00;0.00
ITEM;mast_4;0; 48 ;3.73;0.07;5.45;270.00;180.00;0.00
ITEM;mast_4;0; 48 ;-5.42;0.07;5.45;270.00;180.00;0.00
ITEM;wing_11;0; 79 ;4.33;0.19;6.07;0.00;0.00;0.00
ITEM;wing_11;0; 79 ;-4.85;0.19;6.07;0.00;0.00;0.00
ITEM;engine_0;0; 30 ;4.59;0.13;4.64;0.00;0.00;0.00
ITEM;engine_0;0; 30 ;-4.59;0.13;4.64;0.00;0.00;0.00
ITEM;cargo_11;0; 40 ;4.59;-0.31;3.86;0.00;180.00;180.00
ITEM;cargo_11;0; 40 ;-4.58;-0.31;3.86;0.00;180.00;180.00
ITEM;command_6;0; 26 ;-4.59;0.00;5.20;0.00;0.00;0.00
ITEM;command_6;0; 26 ;4.59;0.00;5.20;0.00;0.00;0.00
ITEM;engine_7;0; 37 ;-1.09;0.00;7.35;0.00;0.00;0.00
ITEM;engine_7;0; 37 ;1.05;0.00;7.35;0.00;0.00;0.00
ITEM;cargo_9;0; 58 ;0.00;0.00;7.35;0.00;90.00;47.75
ITEM;cargo_9;0; 58 ;0.00;0.00;7.35;0.00;90.00;0.00
ITEM;cargo_9;0; 58 ;0.00;0.00;7.35;90.00;90.00;0.00
ITEM;cargo_9;0; 58 ;0.00;0.00;7.35;0.00;90.00;312.24
ITEM;engine_4;0; 34 ;-9.49;0.11;7.04;0.00;0.00;0.00
ITEM;engine_4;0; 34 ;8.51;0.11;7.04;0.00;0.00;0.00
ITEM;engine_4;0; 34 ;-7.78;-3.32;7.04;0.00;0.00;0.00
ITEM;engine_4;0; 34 ;-7.78;3.11;7.04;0.00;0.00;0.00
ITEM;engine_4;0; 34 ;6.71;3.11;7.04;0.00;0.00;0.00
ITEM;engine_4;0; 34 ;6.71;-3.32;7.04;0.00;0.00;0.00
ITEM;command_5;0; 25 ;-7.78;-3.37;6.73;0.00;0.00;0.00
ITEM;command_5;0; 25 ;-7.78;3.06;6.73;0.00;0.00;0.00
ITEM;command_5;0; 25 ;8.51;0.06;6.73;0.00;0.00;0.00
ITEM;command_5;0; 25 ;0.92;0.00;10.40;0.00;0.00;0.00
ITEM;command_5;0; 25 ;0.00;-0.92;10.40;0.00;0.00;90.00
ITEM;command_5;0; 25 ;0.00;0.92;10.40;0.00;0.00;90.00
ITEM;command_5;0; 25 ;-4.59;-0.18;7.03;0.00;0.00;90.00
ITEM;command_5;0; 25 ;4.59;-0.18;7.03;0.00;0.00;90.00
ITEM;command_5;0; 25 ;-0.92;0.00;10.40;0.00;0.00;0.00
ITEM;command_5;0; 25 ;-9.49;0.06;6.73;0.00;0.00;0.00
ITEM;command_5;0; 25 ;6.73;3.06;6.73;0.00;0.00;0.00
ITEM;command_5;0; 25 ;6.73;-3.37;6.73;0.00;0.00;0.00
//; ----------------------------- SHIP CAMERA SLOTS --------------------------------
//; -------------- PILOTCAM,name,SLOTid,model_id,xp,yp,zp,xr,yr,zr--------------------
<PILOTCAM>
PILOTCAM;pilot_cam; 5 ; 98 ;0.00;0.56;7.72;0.00;0.00;0.00
//; ----------------------------- SHIP MODULE SLOTS --------------------------------
//; ----------------------- SLOT,slotID,xp,yp,zp,xr,yr,zr-------------------------------
<MODSLOT>
MODSLOT;module_slot;1; 99 ;1.31;0.00;7.35;0.00;0.00;270.00
MODSLOT;module_slot;2; 99 ;-1.38;0.00;7.35;0.00;0.00;90.00
MODSLOT;module_slot;3; 99 ;8.50;0.12;6.73;0.00;0.00;0.00
MODSLOT;module_slot;4; 99 ;-9.50;0.12;6.73;0.00;0.00;0.00
MODSLOT;module_slot;5; 99 ;-7.79;-3.31;6.73;0.00;0.00;0.00
MODSLOT;module_slot;6; 99 ;-7.79;3.12;6.73;0.00;0.00;0.00
MODSLOT;module_slot;7; 99 ;6.70;3.12;6.73;0.00;0.00;0.00
MODSLOT;module_slot;8; 99 ;6.70;-3.31;6.73;0.00;0.00;0.00
//; ----------------------------- SHIP MODULES --------------------------------------
//; ----- MODULE,slot,module_id
<MODULE>
//; ----------------------------- SHIP CARGO -----------------------------------------
//; ----- CARGO, qty, cargo_id
<CARGO>

It isn't really balanced, I had just finished designing it. It was a concept for a Mining vessel.

Soljourne

P.S. I will post more on my MOD when I have a few of the core scripts done (MOD is 90% scripting). The MOD is centered around story content including the following:

Combat Utility script that can be called from other scripts to put the player in combat with a variety of enemies and give random rewards (using a random number generator).

Random Number Generator script to generate random numbers between 0 - 99.

Ship Boarding Utility that allows the player to have a boarding combat option when talking to a NPC Ship. There will be a few ship layouts to give more variety plus secret objects/rooms that can be found for rare loot. Uses the Combat Utility script.

Food and Drink menus that give random effects.

New structures to explore (now much better with the new Structure editor).

I posted a few screenshots and will post more later.

[Daering]

Tested you ship, looks cool. But you seem to be using an old format for the text file, and there are some missing new options that was added resently.