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Adding your assets to the Store in LE3

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Padme4000 edited this page Apr 18, 2023 · 4 revisions

First thank you to mrjack900 for helping with installing images into the store and teaching me how to lock something to Broshep or Femshep in the store. Without him some of this tutorial wouldn't have been possible.

So this tutorial presumes you have your new assets ready to be added to the store. For example if you followed this tutorial Adding your outfit armour for Shepard as a new asset to set up your PCC and now all you are planning on doing is adding an option for your stuff to be in the store or just want them in the store.

Why is this tutorial only for LE3?

Well simply put because LE3 is a lot easier to do this per modder. For LE2 if you want it added to the store it is more complicated as unlike LE3 it doesn't use conditionals instead it uses sequences. Which are much easier to clash with each other. Doesn't mean you can't try, just means be aware your store edits may clash with others. As I was told you have to work some magic as two items with the same store ID can cause conflicts even within your own mod.

Extra Tip

Before I get into the tutorial I want to mention keeping a record of what ID/conditional/plotbools/tlk numbers for your Name/Description you use really helps for example these are the ones I currently have;

  • as a side note please don't use these as it will clash with my mods then
  • but this is a good example of keeping track of everything so you know you won't accidentally clash with your own mods too

What you need for this tutorial

Start of the Tutorial

So this tutorial will be using Clothing/Armour as an example but it is pretty much the same for the other items too. Just compare against a similar item in the store.

  1. We want to make some conditionals for our store items.
  2. So we first open ME3 Tweaks Mod Manager and then go to Tools > Legendary Explorer
  3. Under Core Editors go to Conditional Editor (see Figure 01)

Figure 01

  1. Once conditional editor is open go to File > New (see Figure 02)

Figure 02

  1. Locate your DLC folder and name your conditional then click save (see Figure 03)
    • For naming, name it Conditionals and then your mod name directly after it this is so it works but also so it doesn't clash with other mods
    • For example mine is ConditionalsDLC_MOD_Jacobs_Armour
    • do not add a space or any value after the Conditionals except for your mods name otherwise it will not work

Figure 03

  1. Now lets add a new conditional. File > Add New Conditional or Ctrl + Shift + N (see Figure 04)

Figure 04

  1. Enter your Conditional ID (see Figure 05)
    • A high number is best not to clash with the games own conditionals
    • 4232 is the highest in the base game so anything above 5000 should be safe as long as its also unique to other mods

Figure 05

  1. Now we want to edit our conditional plot bools
  • If wanting the item unlocking for both Femshep and Broshep we will use (plot.bools[26000] == Bool false)
    • We use Bool false so it is not auto unlocked
    • plot.bools 30000 anything above this and unique should work. Don't go extremely too high as it will cause the save to bloat.
    • I say unique as if it isn't it will clash with another mod
  • For each item you need a new conditional + plot.bools
    • so if we add the first part to the conditional we are making the item only unlock for Broshep (bool false) or Femshep (Bool true)

so to recap just unlocking for Broshep we'd use

((plot.bools[17662] == Bool false) && (plot.bools[26000] == Bool false))

just unlocking for femshep would be

((plot.bools[17662] == Bool true) && (plot.bools[26000] == Bool false))

for both Femshep and Broshep

(plot.bools[26000] == Bool false)

For my mod personally that I am using in this example requires it for both so I will be using the (plot.bools[26000] == Bool false) conditional

  1. Once you've made your edits to your bool press Compile and Replace then save via File > Save or Ctrl + S (see Figure 06)

Figure 06

  1. Continue adding conditionals until you have enough for your items. Making sure you have one for each item. If a pair like with my mod that is for both femshep and broshep you only need one for the two of them.

Editing your DLC TLKs

The Highest TLK in base game LE3 is 817979 the very high end is 134217731 so in between these numbers means you should be safe.

  • you may notice mine fall under that number, I was lucky I ended up using ones that the game doesn't use for whatever reason. So if you're not checking the vanilla TLK's yourself it is best to stick between or higher than the numbers above.
  • if you wish to look at the games TLK's to find whether one you want to use is used or not use the TLK editor in Lexplorer and locate BioGame_INT.tlk in the CookedPCConsole of LE3

  1. Drag and drop each TLK one by one over the me3 tweaks mod manager (batch conversion does not work)

    • you need to do them all otherwise your mod won't run for these languages. DEU, ESN, FRA, INT, ITA, JPN, POL, RUS
    • you can use an online translator if you wish or just paste your English versions from INT into the others if you prefer not using an online translator
    • Or if you know someone willing to translate in one of the other languages that's great too

  2. Once done you will have 8 xml's (see Figure 07)

Figure 07

  1. Open them all in NotePad ++ or program of your choice. Though I advise NotePad ++ as it helps find errors that may pop up
  2. Go to the one called DLC_MOD_YOURMODNAME_INT.xml this is the international one, though if not translating the others you are safe
  3. Under the String with the word Male add two new strings (see Figure 08)
    • one you will use for the name of your outfit and the second for its description
    • do not edit any of the other string IDs
    • again anything in between 817979 and 134217731 should be safe, anything above will be safe too.
    • some mod pages will list the TLK's they use so you won't clash (mine are at the top in my example spreadsheet and again I was very lucky mine didn't clash with vanilla TLK's)
<String id="TLK Number goes here">writing goes here</String>

Figure 08

  1. Copy the lines to each xml under Male in order for your mod to work in those languages.

    • again choose whether you translate them with an online translator or leave them in English
    • or find someone who may be willing to translate your TLKs into another language

  2. Once you have finished adding all the ids you need, repack them. So Drag and drop each xml over me3 tweaks mod manager to repack them into .tlk

  3. Congrats your TLKs are now done, if you plan on not adding anymore lines right now you can delete the xml versions or move them somewhere else

Adding the Store as an alternative option to your mod

If the store mod is going to be the base mod you can ignore this section

  1. So first what we want to do is make a new folder in the very first folder of your DLC mod (see Image 01)
  • so where the DLC_MOD_YOURMODNAME folder is and the moddesc.ini

Image 01

  1. Now Open ME3 Tweaks Mod Manager, right click on your mods name and go to Moddesc.ini editor (see Image 02)

Image 02

  1. In the moddesc.ini editor go to Alternate Files (Custom DLC) Tab and click Add New Alternate File twice (see Image 03)
  • mine already has alternate for it as a Chest piece and the default installation so you can ignore the chest piece as we are adding an alternate for the store + our default installation

Image 03

  1. First we'll make our default installation show up (see Image 04)

Condition = COND_ALWAYS

  • means it will always show up

MoDOperation = OP_NOTHING

  • this is due to being our default file

FriendlyName = Jacobs Armour Casual Only - Auto Unlock

  • what you want it show up as

Description = Installs the armour as a Casual and automatically unlocked to the locker

  • description of the mod if like mine your default installs Casual to locker

ImageAssetName = JacobsArmour.jpg

  • this shows the image JacobsArmour.jpg that is located in the M3Images folder in the first folder of our DLC folder

ImageHeight = 1000

  • what the height of the image will be

Image 04

  1. Now we want to add information to the second form for the store (see Image 05)

Conditional = COND_MANUAL

  • meaning the user manually ticks it if they want to use it

ModOperation = OP_SUBSTITUTE

  • meaning the bin will replace a specific file

Altfile = Store\Default_DLC_MOD_Jacobs_Armour.bin

  • Store being the folder we made and the .bin being the replacement we want to use

Modfile = DLC_MOD_Jacobs_Armour\CookedPCConsole\Default_DLC_MOD_Jacobs_Armour.bin

  • This directs the new version to override the base version in our DLC mod

Friendlyname = In the Kassa Fabrication Store

  • as this both explains that the this optional adds it to the store but also which store I added it to

Description = Installs the outfits as store bought only so you can pick and choose what you want in the locker. Found in the Kassa Fabrication Store both on the Normandy and Citadel

Image 05

  1. Press Serialize at the bottom right (see Image 06)

Image 06

  1. Now click Save moddesc.ini to mod (see Image 07)

Image 07

  1. Now when installing your mod it will give the user two options the default of your mod and the Store version

Setting up your Images for the Store

If you don't want to add images skip onto the next section.

  1. So first we need to make our new PCC for our images so we need package editor in Legendary Explorer (see Figure 09)
    • naming your new PCC SFXImages_Store_somethingunique
      • for example mine is SFXImages_Store_PALS_JacobArmour

Figure 09

  1. Now open a new window of Package Editor and locate SFXImages_Store.pcc in the games directory

    • for example mine is in C:\Program Files (x86)\Origin Games\Mass Effect Legendary Edition\Game\ME3\BioGame\CookedPCConsole

  2. Now with both windows open drag and drop the folder gui_codex_images from the games SFXImages_Store.pcc to the top line of your new pcc and on the window that pops up click Add only gui_codex_images (see Figure 10)

Figure 10

  1. Now from the games SFXImages_Store.pcc drag and drop the store folder on top of the gui_codex_images folder in our DLC pcc (see Figure 11)

Figure 11

  1. Now we drag and drop the amount of images we need into the Store folder and click on Clone All References (Experimental) (see Figure 12)

Figure 12

  1. Once you have finished copying over the amount of images you need now we can rename them using Tools > Add Name or Ctrl + Shift + A (see Figure 13)

Figure 13

or go to the MetaData tab type in the new name in 0x0C Object Name and press Enter then OK on the message that pops up saying the name for your file does not exist (see Figure 14)

Figure 14

  1. Once you've entered the name click Save all changes
  2. Repeat for all the images you added and then save your PCC if you haven't already
  3. Now go to the texture Tab Change Texture Cache to Create new TFC and then Import from File importing the image you created for the store to show off your item (see Figure 15)
  • I do this as a precaution but it seems the textures get added directly to the PCC rather than any tfc so don't worry if the cache name changes

Figure 15

  1. Make sure to name your TFC the same as your mod (see Figure 16)

Figure 16

  1. Repeat for all your store images
  2. Now we need to edit our dlc BioEngine.xml so the game will use our images
  3. under the section
  	<Property name="seekfreepcpaths">
  		<Value type="2">..\..\BIOGame\DLC\DLC_Shared\CookedPCConsole</Value>
  		<Value type="2">..\..\BIOGame\DLC\DLC_MOD_Jacobs_Armour\CookedPCConsole</Value>
  	</Property>
  </Section>

Add

  <Section name="sfxgame.sfxengine">
  	<Property name="dynamicloadmapping">
  		<Value type="3">(ObjectName="gui_codex_images.Store.STO_JacobsArmour_512x256",SeekFreePackageName="SFXImages_Store_PALS_JacobArmour")</Value>
  	</Property>
  </Section>

If you already have dynamicloadmapping just add this under the last line under that property;

  		<Value type="3">(ObjectName="gui_codex_images.Store.STO_JacobsArmour_512x256",SeekFreePackageName="SFXImages_Store_PALS_JacobArmour")</Value>

So lets break this line down

(ObjectName="gui_codex_images.Store.STO_JacobsArmour_512x256",SeekFreePackageName="SFXImages_Store_PALS_JacobArmour")

ObjectName="gui_codex_images.Store.STO_JacobsArmour_512x256"

  • This section is both the first and second folder we copied over + the name of our image

SeekFreePackageName="SFXImages_Store_PALS_JacobArmour"

  • This section is the name of your PCC we made for our images

Replace the sections for your own and if you have multiple additions to the store remember to make a new line like above for each image

So for my BioEngine.xml it looks like this (see Figure 17)

Figure 17

Now are images are set to work with our BioUI

Editing the BioUI.xml

  1. Now we are going to make the edits needed to our BioUI.xml

If you haven't already unpack your Default_DLC_Mod_YOURMODNAMEHERE.bin by dragging and dropping it over the ME3 Tweaks Mod Manager (see Figure 07)

Figure 07

So in the BioUI this line is what determines what store your item goes into:

  <Section name="sfxgamecontent.sfxguidata_store_human">

So before I continue first choose which store you want to add your item to. Here are a list of what each one is.

SFXGUIData_Store_Asari = Nos Astra Sporting Goods

SFXGUIData_Store_Batarian = Batarian State Arms

SFXGUIData_Store_Hanar = Kanala Exports

SFXGUIData_Store_Hospital = Sirta Supplies

SFXGUIData_Store_Human= Kassa Fabrication

SFXGUIData_Store_Salarian = Aegohr Munitions

SFXGUIData_Store_Spectre = Spectre Requisitions

SFXGUIData_Store_Turian = Cipritine Armory

SFXGUIData_Store_Volus = Elkoss Combine Arsenal Supplies

  1. So first I advise to turn on Word Wrap to NotePad ++ go to View > Word Wrap and click Word Wrap this means any lines that go beyond your screen will be compact so you don't have to side scroll

  2. This is what we will start with in our BioUI.xml (see Figure 08)

Figure 08

  1. We want to change make some edits/additions (see Figure 09) Changing

<Sections />

to

<Sections>

  • Adding the line
  <Section name="sfxgamecontent.sfxguidata_store_human">
  • making sure to reference the store we want to add our item to
  • and then under this line add
  	<Property name="storeitemarray">

Figure 09

  1. Now we add the line that is for our item in the store (see Figure 10)
  		<Value type="3">(ItemType=TYPE_QUEST,ArmorID=110007,BaseCost=0,PlotUnlockConditionalID=516849,PlotPurchaseID[0]=29399,ChoiceEntry=(srChoiceName=400002,srChoiceDescription=400003),LargeImage="gui_codex_images.Store.STO_JacobArmour_512x256",SmallImage="GUI_Icons.Notifications.NT_Store_256x1286")</Value>
  	</Property>
  	<Property name="storename" type="0">Human</Property>
  </Section>

Now breaking down each part of the above which is using my mod edits as an example

  • Value type="3" so it is added as a new item
  • ItemType=TYPE_QUEST I found works best for Casuals

ItemType=TYPE_WEAPON ItemType=TYPE_SHOULDERS ItemType=TYPE_ARMS ItemType=TYPE_LEGS ItemType=TYPE_TORSO ItemType=TYPE_Helmet

  • ArmorID=110007
    • must be the same as your ID for your item in the BioGame.xml
  • BaseCost=0
    • what you want your item to cost in the store, if you want to use the store to sort between Broshep and femshep only clothing by being in the store then I usually put the cost at 0
  • PlotUnlockConditionalID=516849
    • this should match the ID you gave your conditional at the beginning of this tutorial (see Figure 10)
  • PlotPurchaseID[0]=29399
    • this should match the plot.bool ID you gave in your conditional at the beginning of this tutorial (see Figure 10)
  • srChoiceName=400002
    • this should match the tlk ID you gave your item name in your TLKs in your DLC's CookedPCConsole
  • srChoiceDescription=400003
    • this should match the tlk ID you gave your item description in your TLKs in your DLC's CookedPCConsole
  • LargeImage="gui_codex_images.Store.STO_JacobsArmour_512x256"
    • this dictates the image you added earlier in 'Setting up your Images for the Store' if you opted out of adding images just remove this line or leave between the "" blank
  • SmallImage="GUI_Icons.Notifications.NT_Store_256x1286"
    • this you can just leave like the vanilla line in the vanilla BioUI.xml

Figure 10

So now our BioUI.xml is ready

Editing your BioGame.xml

So if you followed the tutorial Adding your outfit armour for Shepard as a new asset you will already have a base BioGame.xml setup for your outfit/armour

  1. If wanting to make this is an optional choice for your users do not edit your CookedPCConsole bin. Instead make a new folder called Store and copy/paste your DLC.bin there and edit those.

All you need to edit is the PlotflagID= to match the plot.bool in your conditionals and the PlotPurchaseID[0]= in your BioUI.xml (see Figure 11)

Figure 11

Remember as always to remove loose files before publishing your mod.

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