Creating Researchable Animals

hanes · Post by **hanes** » Fri Oct 29, 2004 4:48 pm

I have made some animals for my own use in A.P.E. Now I'm trying to make them into researchable animals. I have succeeded in having them show up in the research, however, the animals show up in the available animals at the beginning of the game, too. What am I doing wrong?

Post by **Jay** » Fri Oct 29, 2004 8:05 pm

Welcome to the Lounge.

I have not done anything with research. (I think research should be for scenarios and not freeform games.) So I do not know the actual answer. However, are you using a ".uca" file for your animal instead of a ".ai" file? I believe Zoo Tycoon will always open any ".uca" at the beginning of the game, whether or not it is researched. However, you cannot just rename the ".uca" to a ".ai" file. You would need message id numbers and a dll file, among other things. The process is not easy.

hanes · Post by **hanes** » Fri Oct 29, 2004 8:45 pm

Thanks for a quick reply. I forgot to add that I did create messaging with string id's and packaged it up nice and neat in a .dll file. I tried this project because there are user-created researchable buildings available and Quivaz's researchable whooping crane that made me realize all this was possible. If there are further suggestions on how to remove my animals from the available menu, let me know. I appreciate the help.

The whooping crane was also made by Casey. I apoligize for not giving credit where credit is due.

Post by **casey** » Fri Oct 29, 2004 10:02 pm

You will need to use a string ID for each of your animals, so you can refer to them in a manner that ZT can interpret. Once you have an ID, you will need to create and edit the files that are required for the research (there are 2 or 3 cfg files, that you will have to work with if I remember correctly).

hanes · Post by **hanes** » Sat Oct 30, 2004 5:47 pm

Thanks casey! I stayed up till 3am working with the info you and Jay gave me, and going over progex.cfg and catex.cfg files with a fine tooth comb. I also looked at your whooping crane and realized your .uca HelpID and NameID's corresponded with what was in the .dll file. I was able to make Tasmanian tiger's Thylacine and 4 of the CC foliage trees as successful researchable items. I couldn't quite figure out how to get the CC animals in though. That's Monday's project.
New question. Is there an easier way to create .dll files? I don't know if my way's politically correct or not but I get an existing .dll file that someone else spent the time to create and I look to see what ID string's are available on a particular file inside the .dll file. ( Each file is set up to accept 15 string id's). Example: one file in the whooping crane .dll file will accept String ID's 8976 thru 8991. I want to do all this myself. Suggestions?

Post by **Jay** » Sat Oct 30, 2004 9:27 pm

A single STRINGTABLE block in a dll file can hold up to 16 messages. (The whooping crane example is also 16 messages, not 15.) However, a dll file can hold many STRINGTABLE blocks. In fact, for buildings that follow Zoo Tycoon's approach, there should be at least 3 STRINGTABLE blocks in the dll.

As for using IDs, it depends on your ultimate goal. If you are going to be releasing something for others to use, then you should reserve a range of IDs. There are "String IDs" topics here and at Zoo Admin for that purpose. If you are doing something only for you, then your current approach of finding unused IDs is fine. But those IDs can be used at any time (and may have already been used for something else). People often reserve a consecutive range of 16 IDs at a time (plus the corresponding 30000+x and 55000+x IDs) since it is easier to deal with the dll files that way. Then they use up those IDs as they continue to make new things. Once they use that range, they reserve another range.

hanes · Post by **hanes** » Fri Nov 05, 2004 8:02 pm

OK, I figured it out. I'm able to make foliage, enrichment items (like jungle gyms) and animals- ZT, DD, MM, CC, zt downloadable and user-created- into researchable items with very little alteration to the freeform or config files. I don't know how to "make" a new .dll file but if someone could make it for me with a minimum of 16 string ID's (16 string ID's will make 8 in-game items or 5 user-made items), I will convert whatever you want into researchable items. For those people that want to make researchable user-made items, I can write step-by-step how-to article. BTW- user-made animals will not alter any current game files. I also found a red ball, kayak, boat, zookeeper training 3, chimp bars, and plateo that where originally research items. Some can actually be pulled back into the game like the bars, kayak, etc. Some I can't find extensions for. To the mod's- let me know if either offer interests you. This site has given me great help over the years. If I can give back, e-mail me at the address you have on file to let me know...