Modding Outpost 2

[lordpalandus]

I have a question about modding Outpost 2 via sheets.vol

I've noticed that if there is a syntax error or a problem with tabs not being saved, in multitek.txt then it will refuse to play ANY colony games. However, there isn't a syntax error in it right now, but it isn't loading the multitek.txt file. I know because I changed, among other things, Hypnomedia benefit from 3750 to 2000 for Eden, yet ingame it is still 3750.

I mention this oddity because the file was working yesterday after I had finished making changes to it. But when I made a few changes today, it now refuses to load the file. It still loads all the other .txt files from sheets.vol, but is ignoring multitek.txt for some reason. By load, I mean it launches the game, allows me to start a colony/starship game, and doesn't have a runtime error. All the other file changes are still applied, but it skipping multitek.

I do notice that there is a line at the end of the file called "garbage" for checksum purposes. So, I am wondering if I changed some variables from say 75 to 100, but left the other values alone, would the game see that the multitek file is... "too large"? and thus ignores it for some reason?

I am wondering if there is anything I can do to fix it? Otherwise, I've had a blast lately replaying Outpost 2, in years. Way more micromanagement than I remember, but anywho.

[Sirbomber]

Could you post your changes here?

[lordpalandus]

Sure, here is the file in question.

EDIT: I think I found the issue.

I had a version of the modded file, that I made yesterday, stashed away. It still works. So on a hunch I decided to compare file sizes, and I think I found the culprit.

The file I uploaded is of 106,888 bytes.
The backup modded file that works is of 100,869 bytes.
The original unmodded file is 100,870 bytes.

Somehow by editing the uploaded file, it gained 6,000+ bytes from the most recent editing. I edited the file in the same manner as the modded backup; through open office's excel equivalent, keeping a tab-delimited effect going on.

Not sure where the 6,000 bytes came from, but I'd say it is likely that this is causing the game to ignore it as the size is a significant margin in size different than the original.

[Sirbomber]

The techtree files are just plaintext; you should be using plain old Notepad to edit them.  The conversion to TSV is probably causing your problem.