Welcome to the X2CommunityHighlander Github project. This is where the work happens. This file will be very bare-bones as of now, but should be filled up quickly.
- Prepare first release
- Get work done on the Highlander
A Highlander is a XComGame replacement, which replaces the code of the Vanilla game, without requiring any ModClassOverrides to do so. As implied by the name, there can only be one Highlander, so it's important to make a highlander address as many modding use cases as possible, as well as incorporating bugfixes that would require class overrides to implement.
The X2CommunityHighlander is built off of the hard work of the Pavonis Interactive team and their Long War 2 Highlander. We will endeavour to maintain compatibility with all hooks the Long War 2 depends on, however for now the Community Highlander and Long War 2 are mutually exclusive because the LW2 Highlander is built into the mod, and there can only be one.
The base repository has two branches: master and LWReleases (for now).
Changes to the Community Highlander should be developed on a new branch (which can be a fork) and will be merged into master.
Updates to the LWS Highlander will get added to the LWReleases branch (which should be renamed), and then merged into master.
This should help to ensure that the Highlander stays generally compatible with LW2 and can be used as a replacement Highlander.
- use the code style that is generally used in the XCOM 2 codebase:
- use tabs
- use new lines for braces
- use appropriate spacing
- use braces even for one-line if/else bodies
The following code should illustrate all of this:
static function CompleteStrategyFromTacticalTransfer()
{
local XComOnlineEventMgr EventManager;
local array<X2DownloadableContentInfo> DLCInfos;
local int i;
UpdateSkyranger();
CleanupProxyVips();
ProcessMissionResults();
SquadTacticalToStrategyTransfer();
EventManager = `ONLINEEVENTMGR;
DLCInfos = EventManager.GetDLCInfos(false);
for (i = 0; i < DLCInfos.Length; ++i)
{
DLCInfos[i].OnPostMission();
}
}
Generally Highlander Changes will be weaved through vanilla code in ways that require us to keep close track of what code changes what vanilla behaviour, and for what purpose. To do this, we comment code precisely to match with issues created on Github at:
https://github.com/X2CommunityCore/X2CommunityHighlander/issues
Before committing code it must belong to some issue, either check for an issue it is relevant to, or create a new issue.
Any code you write should be marked with the issue it addresses, either as a single line comment, or as a start and end block. Don't forget to mark any variables added for that issue as well.
static function CompleteStrategyFromTacticalTransfer()
{
// Variables for Issue #928
local XComOnlineEventMgr EventManager;
local array<X2DownloadableContentInfo> DLCInfos;
local int i;
UpdateSkyranger();
CleanupProxyVips();
ProcessMissionResults(); // Issue #345 - does an extra thing
SquadTacticalToStrategyTransfer();
EventManager = `ONLINEEVENTMGR;
// Start Issue #928
DLCInfos = EventManager.GetDLCInfos(false);
for (i = 0; i < DLCInfos.Length; ++i)
{
DLCInfos[i].OnPostMission();
}
// End Issue #928
}
We should be able to find every line of code related to an issue by searching for "Issue #928" (or whatever) through the codebase. In addition, any commits related to that issue should also have the issue number marked in the same way.
Building for development and final release requires additional work beyond the standard build process using ModBuddy, because XComGame replacements only work with -noseekfreeloading enabled, or what's called a cooked release package.
All references to the root steam directory will made as %STEAMLIBRARY%, you should replace them with your actual steam directory, such as: "D:/SteamLibrary" or whatever.
Most of this information comes from Abe Clancy's excellent post on the Nexus Forums:
It goes into far more detail than this guide if you're interested.
Before using noseekfreeloading a few things need to be done to ensure it actually runs without crashing.
After you've installed the XCOM 2 SDK, it's important you ensure symlinks from the main XCOM2 folder point to the same folders within the SDK. Delete the following folders/links if they exist:
%STEAMLIBRARY%\steamapps\common\XCOM 2\XComGame\Content
%STEAMLIBRARY%\steamapps\common\XCOM 2\XComGame\Script
%STEAMLIBRARY%\steamapps\common\XCOM 2\Engine\Content
%STEAMLIBRARY%\steamapps\common\XCOM 2\Engine\EditorResources
...and then open a command line as an administrator and run the following commands:
mklink /J "%STEAMLIBRARY%\steamapps\common\XCOM 2\XComGame\Content" "%STEAMLIBRARY%\steamapps\common\XCOM 2 SDK\XComGame\Content"
mklink /J "%STEAMLIBRARY%\steamapps\common\XCOM 2\XComGame\Script" "%STEAMLIBRARY%\steamapps\common\XCOM 2 SDK\XComGame\Script"
mklink /J "%STEAMLIBRARY%\steamapps\common\XCOM 2\Engine\Content" "%STEAMLIBRARY%\steamapps\common\XCOM 2 SDK\Engine\Content"
mklink /J "%STEAMLIBRARY%\steamapps\common\XCOM 2\Engine\EditorResources" "%STEAMLIBRARY%\steamapps\common\XCOM 2 SDK\Engine\EditorResources"
Finally, you must take some additional steps to ensure the DLC doesn't crash XCOM whilst using -noseekfreeloading. You have a few options:
- disable the DLC
- remove the cooked maps from the templates, you can do so using a mod zipped in this folder (RunUncookedWithDLC.zip)
- copy DLC packages from CookedPCConsole to the uncooked content folder
Ensure while running uncooked you never run DLC armors or promote a spark, because the game will lock up.
Once you have handled the DLC, you're ready to go. Build the mod as usual through ModBuddy. The Highlander mod can be loaded uncooked by running XCOM with the following command (in the command prompt):
"%STEAMLIBRARY%\steamapps\common\XCOM 2\Binaries\Win64\Launcher\ModLauncherWPF.exe" -allowconsole -log -autodebug -noseekfreeloading
If all goes well, you should get the usual XCOM Launcher, so you can enable X2CommunityHighlander (and RunUncookedWithDLC if required) and run the game like normal.
A few files need to be copied into the SDK for you to successfully cook the
Highlander. Check the folder
%STEAMLIBRARY%\steamapps\common\XCOM 2\XComGame\CookedPCConsole
and copy the following files to
%STEAMLIBRARY%\steamapps\common\XCOM 2 SDK\XComGame\Published\CookedPCConsole:
GuidCache.upk
GlobalPersistentCookerData.upk
PersistentCookerShaderData.bin
*.tfc
Start off building the mod through ModBuddy as per normal. After that, you need to enter the command line and run the following commands:
"%STEAMLIBRARY%\steamapps\common\XCOM 2 SDK\Binaries\Win64\XComGame.exe" make -final_release -full
"%STEAMLIBRARY%\steamapps\common\XCOM 2 SDK\Binaries\Win64\XComGame.exe" CookPackages -platform=pcconsole -final_release -quickanddirty -modcook -sha -multilanguagecook=INT+FRA+ITA+DEU+RUS+POL+KOR+ESN -singlethread
The process will create a cooked pair of files for your XComGame replacement at
%STEAMLIBRARY%\steamapps\common\XCOM 2 SDK\XComGame\Published\CookedPCConsole:
XComGame.upk
XComGame.upk.uncompressed_size
Copy those files into a folder called CookedPCConsole inside the mod's output
folder. You will need to delete Script\XComGame.u, now that we've put the
cooked script file in it's place.
Once you've done all that, the mod should now run in vanilla XCOM. Note that all logging statements will be stripped from the Cooked version, so don't expect to see any of your script logs.
Sound like a lot to do manually every time you build? Sure is, so we've put together a little batch file that will do it all for you. Copy CookCommunityHighlander.bat to the SteamLibrary folder (the folder that contains steamapps), and provided both XCOM 2 and the SDK are in that library you're good to go. You will need to close the extra window that shows for the two build tasks though.
Making new mods against the Highlander needs a small amount of work done to
ensure you can use any new classes or methods implemented. The SDK uses the
contents of XCOM 2 SDK\Development\SrcOrig to compile against files not in the
mod itself.
Backup that folder as it contains the vanilla source files, and then copy the highlander's Src folder into it. Be aware that if you make a mod that uses any new functions or variables, it will crash Vanilla XCOM 2, guaranteed.
If your mod uses the methods or functions provided by Long War 2's Highlander, things should still work fine.