Question About Strings

[ObscureGamer]

I opened strings.txt and tried copying some of the description stuff for El Diablo, and I changed the name and the descriptive text to one of my custom characters, and it won't display.   Is it only possible to change this data for campaign characters?   

[Lunarman]

you have to turn the strings.txt file in to a strings .dat file using the .txt to .dat converter built into FFedit.

[Previsionary]

in addition, i believe descriptions only work for built-in characters since custom characters are spawned differently.

[ObscureGamer]

Ah, thanks guys, I appreciate it.

[stumpy]

Generally, yes: only built-in characters have their in-game text set in the language files. The names for custom characters are taken from their HERO files, as set when you made them. The names and descriptions in the strings.txt/.dat files used by FFEdit are for built-in characters, objects, attributes, powers, FX, etc.

There is actually a trick that will let you add some descriptions to custom characters in the strings.txt file that will work for custom characters used in a campaign mission, but it's not especially straightforward. Basically, you need to find the template name for the custom and use that as the name in the strings.txt file. E.g. if the character's internal template name is 'custom_template_53' then you might have a strings.txt entry like

Code Select Expand

custom_template_53_01, capacitor
custom_template_53_DESC_01, hard-charging brawler, storing energy for quick release
v_DESC2_01, max bromwell was fascinated by the ability to store a charge between two metal plates.  in an experiment to similarly store energy-x, max was changed to a strong, fast, energy storage unit himself.  thus was born CAPACITOR!

I don't know that this would work for customs in the Rumble Room. If it does, it's more of a pain, because I think the RR can choose a different number for the # part of 'custom_template_#' every time you do restart the RR. In a campaign, once a custom is recruited, his template name stays fixed throughout the campaign.