Basics of Module Creation - Revision history

Potatocubed: adding images

2026-07-31T15:34:44Z

adding images

← Older revision		Revision as of 15:34, 31 July 2026
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	== Expositions ==		== Expositions ==
			[[File:A Sample Exposition Moment.png\|thumb\|How it looks in the editor...]]
			[[File:Exposition In-engine.png\|thumb\|...and in the game.]]
	Expositions allow you to display blocks of text for players to read, and also show them deliberate branching choices. Aside from the usual options expositions have:		Expositions allow you to display blocks of text for players to read, and also show them deliberate branching choices. Aside from the usual options expositions have:

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	Note that although the button says 'add choice' you can totally have just one choice. This is useful for certain edge case scenarios where you need to chain two beats together but because you can't do that directly, you can put a quick exposition in between. If you never encounter this problem, don't worry about it.		Note that although the button says 'add choice' you can totally have just one choice. This is useful for certain edge case scenarios where you need to chain two beats together but because you can't do that directly, you can put a quick exposition in between. If you never encounter this problem, don't worry about it.
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	== Dialogues ==		== Dialogues ==
	I keep calling these 'chats' in my internal notes so you'll probably see me slip into that vernacular.		I keep calling these 'chats' in my internal notes so you'll probably see me slip into that vernacular.
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	== Combats ==		== Combats ==
			[[File:A sample combat briefing moment.png\|thumb\|How it looks in the editor...]]
			[[File:Combat Briefing In-Engine.png\|thumb\|...and in the game.]]
	Much like with conversations, before you can add a 'combat briefing' moment to your module, you have to have a combat for it to brief you about. Head to those icons in the top-left, and the second one will take you to your (probably empty) list of combats.		Much like with conversations, before you can add a 'combat briefing' moment to your module, you have to have a combat for it to brief you about. Head to those icons in the top-left, and the second one will take you to your (probably empty) list of combats.

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	'''Important:''' In theory the outputs from a combat can be linked to anything. In practice, at the time of writing, this doesn't work. '''A combat moment can only output directly to a beat.''' If you try anything else it'll go wrong. ''Yes, this includes endpoints''. Beats only.		'''Important:''' In theory the outputs from a combat can be linked to anything. In practice, at the time of writing, this doesn't work. '''A combat moment can only output directly to a beat.''' If you try anything else it'll go wrong. ''Yes, this includes endpoints''. Beats only.
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	== Congratulations ==		== Congratulations ==
	This is all you actually ''need'' to know to get a module up and running. Lancer Tactics' module editor has great testing features for conversations, and a playtest button on the metadata tab that lets you skip fights and deliver a win or loss outcome as you like.		This is all you actually ''need'' to know to get a module up and running. Lancer Tactics' module editor has great testing features for conversations, and a playtest button on the metadata tab that lets you skip fights and deliver a win or loss outcome as you like.

	For next steps, I would suggest learning about '''module states''', which let you track events which happen both at the module level and in combats within a module, and how to use them with '''branch''' moments to have the module start feeling more responsive. You can already respond to player choices through exposition scenes with choices added, but module states let you react to things in a more organic sort of way.		For next steps, I would suggest learning about '''module states''', which let you track events which happen both at the module level and in combats within a module, and how to use them with '''branch''' moments to have the module start feeling more responsive. You can already respond to player choices through exposition scenes with choices added, but module states let you react to things in a more organic sort of way.

Potatocubed: First draft complete.

2026-07-31T15:06:09Z

First draft complete.

← Older revision		Revision as of 15:06, 31 July 2026
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	[[File:The module editor button.png\|alt=The module editor button from the Lancer Tactics main page.\|thumb\|The scary button.]]		[[File:The module editor button.png\|alt=The module editor button from the Lancer Tactics main page.\|thumb\|The scary button.]]
	An informal ~~walkthrough of how~~ to ~~get~~ the ~~basics of a~~ module ~~up and running~~.		An informal guide to the basic building blocks in the module editor.

	'''Remember:''' Any module you have downloaded can be opened in the module editor so you can see how it works. (This is true of combats also.) If there's a particular trick you liked and want to replicate, and you can't figure out a way to do it yourself, crack open the module you played and see how they did it.		'''Remember:''' Any module you have downloaded can be opened in the module editor so you can see how it works. (This is true of combats also.) If there's a particular trick you liked and want to replicate, and you can't figure out a way to do it yourself, crack open the module you played and see how they did it.
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	== Combats ==		== Combats ==
	x		Much like with conversations, before you can add a 'combat briefing' moment to your module, you have to have a combat for it to brief you about. Head to those icons in the top-left, and the second one will take you to your (probably empty) list of combats.

	~~== Module States and Branches ==~~		''Making'' a combat is well beyond the scope of this module-making tutorial; you'll have to work out how to do that somewhere else. The good news is that using the 'import' button right next to it, you can pull in ''any map you have ever downloaded'', including ones from within other modules. The bad news is that most maps are dependent on settings from Instant Action or the module context they were originally supplied within, so they won't work out of the box. But at least you'll have the terrain drawn in?
	~~This~~ is the ~~wizard stuff~~ that ~~turns a~~ module ~~from a series~~ of ~~fights into something fancy~~. ~~A little can go a long way if~~ you ~~use it right.~~

	x		Once you've got a combat ready to go, you can create a combat briefing moment. The elements of a combat briefing are:

			* A '''dropdown''' where you select which combat this briefing will launch you into.
			* A '''text box''' which becomes the text box shown on the right-hand side of the combat briefing screen.
			* A selection of possible '''media''' to display in the middle of the combat briefing screen. This is usually set to 'combat' which shows that funky rotating map of the battlefield you're about to fight on, but you can set it to a variety of different things -- including a funky rotating map of a completely different battlefield, if for some reason you want to do that. Probably something metavault-related.
			* You can '''skip briefing screen''' if you want to go straight from the beat into the fight.
			* You can '''autoplay''' a combat briefing, which won't normally have much effect because the player can use the Esc key or right mouse button to back out to the beat screen again, but I guess in combination with skip briefing screen you could drop the player right into the action this way.

			A key thing to note about combat briefings is that they have '''two outputs.''' One unlabelled for if the PCs win, and one labelled 'on PC defeat' for if they lose. If you leave either unlinked then a victory (or defeat, as appropriate) loops them back to the beat and they can try the fight again -- but it'll also trigger any level-ups or full repairs the beat allows, which can lead to some weird shenanigans. Best to remember to hook it up to something else.

			Speaking of which:

			'''Important:''' In theory the outputs from a combat can be linked to anything. In practice, at the time of writing, this doesn't work. '''A combat moment can only output directly to a beat.''' If you try anything else it'll go wrong. ''Yes, this includes endpoints''. Beats only.

			== Congratulations ==
			This is all you actually ''need'' to know to get a module up and running. Lancer Tactics' module editor has great testing features for conversations, and a playtest button on the metadata tab that lets you skip fights and deliver a win or loss outcome as you like.

			For next steps, I would suggest learning about '''module states''', which let you track events which happen both at the module level and in combats within a module, and how to use them with '''branch''' moments to have the module start feeling more responsive. You can already respond to player choices through exposition scenes with choices added, but module states let you react to things in a more organic sort of way.

Potatocubed at 14:27, 31 July 2026

2026-07-31T14:27:36Z

Show changes

Potatocubed at 11:55, 31 July 2026

2026-07-31T11:55:27Z

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	You've already created a beat (which technically isn't a moment, but a container for moments, but that doesn't matter right now). This tutorial will now cover the rest of them, in a different order to the way they're presented, and excepting triggers and receivers. Those are for more complex setups than this intro is meant to cover.		You've already created a beat (which technically isn't a moment, but a container for moments, but that doesn't matter right now). This tutorial will now cover the rest of them, in a different order to the way they're presented, and excepting triggers and receivers. Those are for more complex setups than this intro is meant to cover.

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	=== Endpoints ===		=== Endpoints ===
	[[File:Endpoint Example.png\|alt=An endpoint moment connected to a beat in the module editor.\|thumb\|How it looks in the editor...]]		[[File:Endpoint Example.png\|alt=An endpoint moment connected to a beat in the module editor.\|thumb\|How it looks in the editor...]]
	[[File:An Endpoint In-game.png\|thumb\|...and in the game.]]		[[File:An Endpoint In-game.png\|thumb\|...and in the game.]]
	The easiest one to explain. When you connect an endpoint, it creates an option in the attached beat to end the game and return to the main menu. ''They do not offer the user a chance to save their game''. Endpoints have no settings to tweak, and cannot be made to autoplay: they always provide the ''option'' to quit out but do not compel it.		The easiest one to explain. When you connect an endpoint, it creates an option in the attached beat to end the game and return to the main menu. ''They do not offer the user a chance to save their game''. Endpoints have no settings to tweak, and cannot be directly made to autoplay: they always provide the ''option'' to quit out but do not compel it. I don't know what happens if you chain an autoplaying e.g. dialogue into an endpoint. Nothing good, probably.

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	=== Expositions ===		=== Expositions ===
	x		Expositions allow you to display blocks of text for players to read, and also show them deliberate branching choices. When you attach one to a beat by connecting the beat's output to the exposition's input, it appears as a selectable bar on the right of the beat labelled with the title of the exposition. If the exposition has no title, it appears as a thin yellow bar instead. Don't do that.

	=== Dialogues ===		=== Dialogues ===

Potatocubed: Potatocubed moved page First Module to Basics of Module Creation: Got the name wrong when I created the page.

2026-07-31T11:44:05Z

Potatocubed moved page First Module to Basics of Module Creation: Got the name wrong when I created the page.

← Older revision	Revision as of 11:44, 31 July 2026
(No difference)

Potatocubed at 11:35, 31 July 2026

2026-07-31T11:35:54Z

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 * '''Background''' lets you set something to display while the beat is... beating. You can noodle around with this to see what you can select, but the important thing is that files in your module's media folder have to start with "bg_" or they won't be selectable here.
 The important thing to understand about beats is that they act as 'containers' for all the stuff that follows them. In practical terms this means that whatever background image you pick will be the background for any other elements connected to the beat (unless that element has a background of its own) and that if players have a chance to pause (e.g. at a combat briefing screen or between conversations) they will be able to go back and adjust their lancers based on the permissions granted by the kind of beat. So if you have a combat briefing after a full repair, they can go back and tune their builds specifically for that combat because they're still 'in' that full repair beat.
 === Expositions ===

2A00:23C6:9C78:8701:E155:E30:F12F:3F61 at 11:18, 31 July 2026

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 * A '''custom''' seat requires the player to create a new character for the module, or load an already-created character. Note that if you've set a starting license level for the module and left the 'enforced' checkbox active, this new character will have to be in that level range. I don't ''think'' enforced LL applies to origin characters but I haven't checked.
 * And a '''flex''' seat can be an origin character or a custom one as the player sees fit.
 === Beats ===
-Okay, back to that beat you created.
+[[File:A Sample Beat 2.png|alt=A sample beat, as seen in the module editor.|thumb|How it looks in the editor...]]

Potatocubed at 10:05, 31 July 2026

2026-07-31T10:05:40Z

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	=== Beats ===		=== Beats ===
	~~[[File:A Sample Beat.png\|alt=A beat, as viewed in the module editor.\|thumb]]~~
	Okay, back to that beat you created.		Okay, back to that beat you created.

Potatocubed: WIP

2026-07-31T10:05:18Z

WIP

← Older revision		Revision as of 10:05, 31 July 2026
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	placeholder ~~while I do~~ other stuff		== Basics of Module Creation ==
			[[File:The module editor button.png\|alt=The module editor button from the Lancer Tactics main page.\|thumb\|The scary button.]]
			An informal walkthrough of how to get the basics of a module up and running.

			'''Remember:''' Any module you have downloaded can be opened in the module editor so you can see how it works. (This is true of combats also.) If there's a particular trick you liked and want to replicate, and you can't figure out a way to do it yourself, crack open the module you played and see how they did it.

			When you create a new module you'll need to give it a name. This will serve as a filename and also its identifier on mod.io if you ever upload it. Don't be scared to give your module a placeholder name, though -- when it's done you can use the 'save as' button to duplicate the whole thing under a more sensible name.

			Aside from that, remember that ''everything here can be changed later''. You don't have to get things right first time.

			=== First Time in the Module Editor ===
			[[File:New Module Screen.png\|alt=An image of the new module screen. Almost everything on the screen is greyed out, except for the 'new beat' button, which is aggressively highlighted.\|left\|thumb]]
			When you open the module editor for the first time, or when you click the 'new' button within it, this is what you're going to see. You'll note one button here is aggressively highlighted, which is the 'create beat' button. You need to click this first because modules are structured in beats which 'contain' all the other stuff. No container, no module. Anyway, click the button to get a beat into your module, then ignore it and look over at the left.

			==== Module Metadata ====
			I think this is metadata? I've never been super-certain about what metadata is. Anyway, this is where you put down all the details about your module. The key things you'll need to think about for a working module are:

			* '''Module Title.''' I don't think this is ''strictly'' necessary, but you should put something in here anyway.
			* '''Starting Beat.''' Players who fire up this module will start here. This is automatically set to the first beat you just created, but can be changed later. I found switching it around was really useful for bug-testing later on, but remember to change it back to your actual starting beat before release!
			* '''Starting License Level.''' What level range is this module meant for? At the time of writing I don't think this data is ''surfaced'' anywhere, but it's useful metadata anyway and you can enforce it to prevent players bringing LL12 demigods into a LL0 scrub module. Or not!
			* '''Lancers.''' This bit gets it's own subheading.

			===== Lancers =====
			Right now this module is for zero Lancers. I don't know what happens if you try to run a combat scene with no Lancers but it probably isn't good. You'll want to 'add seat' until you have the number of Lancers this module is for -- there's a maximum of four and, let's say, a practical minimum of one. If in doubt, go with four. Each Lancer with a 'seat' will be fully player-controlled during combats and level-ups. Lancer seats all have an index (0-3) which is how the game will refer to them in triggers, and are set to one of four states: flex, origin, custom, or fixed. To understand these, you'll need to know what an 'origin character' is.

			====== Origin Characters ======
			(Really testing how low the sub-headings can go on MediaWiki here.)

			An origin character is basically a fixed NPC that can join the player's squad and can level up and such. The distinction between them and 'module NPCs' is that origin characters can level up, that level up is controlled by the player, and they have the full range of PC level up options. They have consistent portraits, and are easy to refer to in triggers, so they fill the role of NPC squadmates who have consistent characters throughout the storyline. A module can have as many origin characters as you like, and there are triggers which can add and remove them, but I'm not getting into that in this tutorial.

			====== Lancer Seats ======
			So, back to Lancer seats.

			* A '''fixed''' seat is set to a particular origin character for your module. When a player fires up this module, that seat will always be filled with that character.
			* An '''origin''' seat requires the player to pick an origin character from the list your module contains, but could be any of them.
			* A '''custom''' seat requires the player to create a new character for the module, or load an already-created character. Note that if you've set a starting license level for the module and left the 'enforced' checkbox active, this new character will have to be in that level range. I don't ''think'' enforced LL applies to origin characters but I haven't checked.
			* And a '''flex''' seat can be an origin character or a custom one as the player sees fit.

			=== Beats ===
			[[File:A Sample Beat.png\|alt=A beat, as viewed in the module editor.\|thumb]]
			Okay, back to that beat you created.

2A00:23C6:9C78:8701:E155:E30:F12F:3F61: page created

2026-07-31T09:12:22Z

page created

New page

placeholder while I do other stuff