Modding - Revision history

Olive: /* Modkit */ wording

2026-08-26T21:49:14Z

Modkit: wording

← Older revision		Revision as of 21:49, 26 August 2026
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	As of v1.3.3, you can download the modkit [https://wick.itch.io/lancer-tactics via itch.io]. Please be sure you've reviewed and agree to the [https://lancertactics.com/modding-eula/ Modding EULA]		As of v1.3.3, you can download the modkit [https://wick.itch.io/lancer-tactics via itch.io]. Please be sure you've reviewed and agree to the [https://lancertactics.com/modding-eula/ Modding EULA]

	If you want to adapt a third-party supplement that you did not design, be sure to get explicit permission from the creator — for your convenience & safety, we've hosted a standard license you can refer to for ~~the terms of the adaptation here~~: [https://lancertactics.com/homebrew-mod-license/ Homebrew Mod License]		If you want to adapt a third-party supplement that you did not design, be sure to get explicit permission from the creator — for your convenience & safety, we've hosted a standard license you can refer to for that permission: [https://lancertactics.com/homebrew-mod-license/ Homebrew Mod License]

	== Background — how do Godot mods work? ==		== Background — how do Godot mods work? ==

Olive: /* Modkit */ Added links to the new modkit licenses

2026-08-26T21:48:21Z

Modkit: Added links to the new modkit licenses

← Older revision		Revision as of 21:48, 26 August 2026
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	To make mods, you'll first need to get your hands on the source of the game. It’s possible to decompile any game made in Godot which is what bootleg (affectionate) modders have been doing up til now, but we’re making the source available through official channels for convenience. Lancer’s TTRPG creator ecosystem is based on a belief that it should be hackable & extensible, and we want to carry that culture forward.		To make mods, you'll first need to get your hands on the source of the game. It’s possible to decompile any game made in Godot which is what bootleg (affectionate) modders have been doing up til now, but we’re making the source available through official channels for convenience. Lancer’s TTRPG creator ecosystem is based on a belief that it should be hackable & extensible, and we want to carry that culture forward.

	~~We (Wickworks) are talking to a lawyer to make sure we have all our hatches buttoned down legally to make sure we maintain ownership~~ of ~~the game code itself (and maybe like watermark some assets?)~~, ~~but once we get that squared away we’ll add~~ the modkit ~~alongside the rest of the downloads on~~ itch. ~~Until then,~~ you ~~can request early access~~ to ~~it on~~ [https://~~discord~~.com/~~invite~~/~~2t7Efg2Fbj Lancer Tactic’s Discord server~~].		As of v1.3.3, you can download the modkit [https://wick.itch.io/lancer-tactics via itch.io]. Please be sure you've reviewed and agree to the [https://lancertactics.com/modding-eula/ Modding EULA]

	~~Finally~~, ~~before getting started with~~ the ~~modkit~~, ~~please be sure you~~'ve ~~reviewed and agree~~ to the [https://lancertactics.com/~~modding~~-~~eula~~/ ~~Modding EULA~~].		If you want to adapt a third-party supplement that you did not design, be sure to get explicit permission from the creator — for your convenience & safety, we've hosted a standard license you can refer to for the terms of the adaptation here: [https://lancertactics.com/homebrew-mod-license/ Homebrew Mod License]

	== Background — how do Godot mods work? ==		== Background — how do Godot mods work? ==

Olive: EULA now hosted at https://lancertactics.com/modding-eula/

2026-08-26T21:41:13Z

EULA now hosted at https://lancertactics.com/modding-eula/

← Older revision		Revision as of 21:41, 26 August 2026
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	We (Wickworks) are talking to a lawyer to make sure we have all our hatches buttoned down legally to make sure we maintain ownership of the game code itself (and maybe like watermark some assets?), but once we get that squared away we’ll add the modkit alongside the rest of the downloads on itch. Until then, you can request early access to it on [https://discord.com/invite/2t7Efg2Fbj Lancer Tactic’s Discord server].		We (Wickworks) are talking to a lawyer to make sure we have all our hatches buttoned down legally to make sure we maintain ownership of the game code itself (and maybe like watermark some assets?), but once we get that squared away we’ll add the modkit alongside the rest of the downloads on itch. Until then, you can request early access to it on [https://discord.com/invite/2t7Efg2Fbj Lancer Tactic’s Discord server].

	Finally, before getting started with the modkit, please be sure you've reviewed and agree to the [[Modding EULA]].		Finally, before getting started with the modkit, please be sure you've reviewed and agree to the [https://lancertactics.com/modding-eula/ Modding EULA].

	== Background — how do Godot mods work? ==		== Background — how do Godot mods work? ==

Olive: use definitions instead of lists

2026-07-06T03:01:40Z

use definitions instead of lists

← Older revision		Revision as of 03:01, 6 July 2026
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	'''TODO INSERT IMAGE'''		'''TODO INSERT IMAGE'''

	To help manage this, Lancer Tactics distinguishes between three mod types~~: Asset Packs, Content Packs and "Substantial" mods~~:		To help manage this, Lancer Tactics distinguishes between three mod types:

	* '''Asset Pack:~~''' just~~ images and tres files. Doesn't even have a mod_main.gd; just a json manifest and images in various places to get picked up by the appropriate resources. These can be required by combats/modules and they'll be treated as safe since not having scripts makes them risk-free. We allow tres files to be in asset packs as long as they do not contain any inline scripts.		; Asset Pack
	** Mods that do not contain any .gd files (including mod_main.gd) will be treated as Asset Packs.		: Just images and tres files. Doesn't even have a mod_main.gd; just a json manifest and images in various places to get picked up by the appropriate resources. These can be required by combats/modules and they'll be treated as safe since not having scripts makes them risk-free. We allow tres files to be in asset packs as long as they do not contain any inline scripts.
			: Mods that do not contain any .gd files (including mod_main.gd) will be treated as Asset Packs.

	* '''Content Pack:~~''' can~~ have scripts and a mod_main.gd to do non-standard things, but are responsible for making sure anything off-standard they do is reversible without a restart. Since these allow arbitrary code execution, they will prompt additional warnings to the player before they are enabled.		; Content Pack
	** Mods that contain .gd files and are marked as <code>requires_restart</code> as "false" in their manifest will be treated as Content Packs.		: Can have scripts and a mod_main.gd to do non-standard things, but are responsible for making sure anything off-standard they do is reversible without a restart. Since these allow arbitrary code execution, they will prompt additional warnings to the player before they are enabled.
			: Mods that contain .gd files and are marked as <code>requires_restart</code> as "false" in their manifest will be treated as Content Packs.

	* '''Substantial Mod:~~''' as~~ above, but the changes are not cleanly reversible so require a restart to turn off or on.		; Substantial Mod
	** Mods that contain .gd files and are marked as <code>requires_restart</code> as "true" in their manifest will be treated as Substantial Mods.		: As above, but the changes are not cleanly reversible so require a restart to turn off or on.
			: Mods that contain .gd files and are marked as <code>requires_restart</code> as "true" in their manifest will be treated as Substantial Mods.

	An area for future growth, given substantially more resources, would be to add the ability to script game content in a nice sandboxed environment by setting up an internal .lua API for new abilities to use. This would allow new mechs and whatnot to count as asset packs, but the time-benefit tradeoff isn’t favorable given our current time and labor constraints.		An area for future growth, given substantially more resources, would be to add the ability to script game content in a nice sandboxed environment by setting up an internal .lua API for new abilities to use. This would allow new mechs and whatnot to count as asset packs, but the time-benefit tradeoff isn’t favorable given our current time and labor constraints.

Olive: minor edit to trigger seo script

2026-07-05T19:22:17Z

minor edit to trigger seo script

← Older revision		Revision as of 19:22, 5 July 2026
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	Get help: [https://wick.itch.io/lancer-tactics/community wick.itch.io/lancer-tactics] or [https://discord.com/invite/2t7Efg2Fbj Discord]		Get help at [https://wick.itch.io/lancer-tactics/community wick.itch.io/lancer-tactics] or [https://discord.com/invite/2t7Efg2Fbj Discord]

	== Modkit ==		== Modkit ==

Olive: Add images to modding introduction

2026-07-05T18:00:41Z

Add images to modding introduction

← Older revision		Revision as of 18:00, 5 July 2026
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	Godot projects have an internal filesystem much like the one on your computer; a series of folders and files. The root is referred to as <code>res://</code>		Godot projects have an internal filesystem much like the one on your computer; a series of folders and files. The root is referred to as <code>res://</code>

	~~'''TODO INSERT IMAGE'''~~		[[File:Godot_filesystem.png]]

	However, to run the game Godot needs assets (images, music, etc) to be in a different format than you’d find with them sitting in your filesystem. It compiles these files into a big pile of files that look like this, all jumbled together in one folder:		However, to run the game Godot needs assets (images, music, etc) to be in a different format than you’d find with them sitting in your filesystem. It compiles these files into a big pile of files that look like this, all jumbled together in one folder.

	'~~''TODO INSERT IMAGE'''~~		[[File:Mod_background_imports.png\|thumb\|A scattering of processed image files from Godot's .import folder. ]]

	To keep knowing where things are, it maintains a skeleton of the original filesystem with all the orignal files swapped out with “.remap” placeholders that just point to where in that big pile the asset they represent went. Furthermore, whenever the game attempts to load a specific asset at a location (e.g. <code>res://assets/icons/mech.svg</code>), it caches whatever it loaded into memory. Whenever we ask it to load that asset again, it doesn’t have to go ask the .remap file where the original one went and load it up — it just returns whatever it ended up loading from there last time. This cache is like a ghost sitting on top of a skeleton.		To keep knowing where things are, it maintains a skeleton of the original filesystem with all the orignal files swapped out with “.remap” placeholders that just point to where in that big pile the asset they represent went. Furthermore, whenever the game attempts to load a specific asset at a location (e.g. <code>res://assets/icons/mech.svg</code>), it caches whatever it loaded into memory. Whenever we ask it to load that asset again, it doesn’t have to go ask the .remap file where the original one went and load it up — it just returns whatever it ended up loading from there last time. This cache is like a ghost sitting on top of a skeleton.
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	For modding, this gives us an opportunity. Instead of needing to actually copy in modded files and override the originals, we can manipulate this ghost-filesystem-cache by lying about what files are at what locations. Here’s what a mod looks like for Lancer Tactics (using a modified system from Godot Mod Loader):		For modding, this gives us an opportunity. Instead of needing to actually copy in modded files and override the originals, we can manipulate this ghost-filesystem-cache by lying about what files are at what locations. Here’s what a mod looks like for Lancer Tactics (using a modified system from Godot Mod Loader):

	~~'''TODO INSERT IMAGE'''~~		[[File:ModBackgroundUnpacked.png]]

	We have a special folder where we put the actual mod files: “unpacked”, then another folder with the specific mod’s identifier “Wickworks-Sawhorse”. Within that, we have a “res” folder, and that’s where the lying starts. When loading up the mod, we can grab everything inside of the mod’s “res” and tell the ghost-cache that the mod’s files are the ones that are actually at that location. In this example, by the end of it when we ask Godot to load <code>res://assets/frames/horus/mf_sawhorse.png</code>, it will return the file that’s actually over in <code>res://unpacked/Wickworks-Sawhorse/res/assets/frames/horus/mf_sawhorse.png</code>.		We have a special folder where we put the actual mod files: “unpacked”, then another folder with the specific mod’s identifier “Wickworks-Sawhorse”. Within that, we have a “res” folder, and that’s where the lying starts. When loading up the mod, we can grab everything inside of the mod’s “res” and tell the ghost-cache that the mod’s files are the ones that are actually at that location. In this example, by the end of it when we ask Godot to load <code>res://assets/frames/horus/mf_sawhorse.png</code>, it will return the file that’s actually over in <code>res://unpacked/Wickworks-Sawhorse/res/assets/frames/horus/mf_sawhorse.png</code>.

Olive: link to the modding cookbook

2026-07-05T15:31:45Z

link to the modding cookbook

← Older revision		Revision as of 15:31, 5 July 2026
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	=== Implicit Overrides ===		=== Implicit Overrides ===
	Instead of having to manually declare each asset you want to override in code (via an overwrites.gd that the Mod Tools would generate and put into an extensions/ or overwrites/ sub-directory), assets and resources are overridden implicitly by matching file paths and names from a mod's res/ directory. See ~~the "~~replacing resources~~" section below~~ for details. This should allow people to make texture asset pack mods fully outside the Godot editor by downloading a template, dropping images into a folder, and zipping it up.		Instead of having to manually declare each asset you want to override in code (via an overwrites.gd that the Mod Tools would generate and put into an extensions/ or overwrites/ sub-directory), assets and resources are overridden implicitly by matching file paths and names from a mod's res/ directory. See [[Modding Cookbook#Replacing Resources\|replacing resources]] for details. This should allow people to make texture asset pack mods fully outside the Godot editor by downloading a template, dropping images into a folder, and zipping it up.

	=== Hooks and class_name scripts ===		=== Hooks and class_name scripts ===

Olive: add link to godot

2026-07-05T07:28:35Z

add link to godot

← Older revision		Revision as of 07:28, 5 July 2026
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	== Background — how do Godot mods work? ==		== Background — how do Godot mods work? ==

			Lancer Tactics is made in the [https://godotengine.org/ Godot] game engine; at time of writing on version 4.7. In order to make mods for anything besides asset packs, you'll need to become comfortable working in its editor. I hope this doesn't scare you off; of all the major game engines, it has a reputation of being easy to pick up.

	Godot projects have an internal filesystem much like the one on your computer; a series of folders and files. The root is referred to as <code>res://</code>		Godot projects have an internal filesystem much like the one on your computer; a series of folders and files. The root is referred to as <code>res://</code>

Olive: /* Modkit */ link to modding eula

2026-07-05T07:22:01Z

Modkit: link to modding eula

← Older revision		Revision as of 07:22, 5 July 2026
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	To make mods, you'll first need to get your hands on the source of the game. It’s possible to decompile any game made in Godot which is what bootleg (affectionate) modders have been doing up til now, but we’re making the source available through official channels for convenience. Lancer’s TTRPG creator ecosystem is based on a belief that it should be hackable & extensible, and we want to carry that culture forward.		To make mods, you'll first need to get your hands on the source of the game. It’s possible to decompile any game made in Godot which is what bootleg (affectionate) modders have been doing up til now, but we’re making the source available through official channels for convenience. Lancer’s TTRPG creator ecosystem is based on a belief that it should be hackable & extensible, and we want to carry that culture forward.

	We (Wickworks) are talking to a lawyer to make sure we have all our hatches buttoned down legally to make sure we maintain ownership of the game code itself (and maybe like watermark some assets?), but once we get that squared away we’ll add the modkit alongside the rest of the downloads on itch. Until then, you can request early access to it on [https://discord.com/invite/2t7Efg2Fbj ~~LT’s~~ Discord server].		We (Wickworks) are talking to a lawyer to make sure we have all our hatches buttoned down legally to make sure we maintain ownership of the game code itself (and maybe like watermark some assets?), but once we get that squared away we’ll add the modkit alongside the rest of the downloads on itch. Until then, you can request early access to it on [https://discord.com/invite/2t7Efg2Fbj Lancer Tactic’s Discord server].

			Finally, before getting started with the modkit, please be sure you've reviewed and agree to the [[Modding EULA]].

	== Background — how do Godot mods work? ==		== Background — how do Godot mods work? ==

Olive: Add security section

2026-07-05T07:18:56Z

Add security section

← Older revision		Revision as of 07:18, 5 July 2026
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	Godot projects have an internal filesystem much like the one on your computer; a series of folders and files. The root is referred to as <code>res://</code>		Godot projects have an internal filesystem much like the one on your computer; a series of folders and files. The root is referred to as <code>res://</code>

	TODO INSERT IMAGE		'''TODO INSERT IMAGE'''

	However, to run the game Godot needs assets (images, music, etc) to be in a different format than you’d find with them sitting in your filesystem. It compiles these files into a big pile of files that look like this, all jumbled together in one folder:		However, to run the game Godot needs assets (images, music, etc) to be in a different format than you’d find with them sitting in your filesystem. It compiles these files into a big pile of files that look like this, all jumbled together in one folder:

	TODO INSERT IMAGE		'''TODO INSERT IMAGE'''

	To keep knowing where things are, it maintains a skeleton of the original filesystem with all the orignal files swapped out with “.remap” placeholders that just point to where in that big pile the asset they represent went. Furthermore, whenever the game attempts to load a specific asset at a location (e.g. <code>res://assets/icons/mech.svg</code>), it caches whatever it loaded into memory. Whenever we ask it to load that asset again, it doesn’t have to go ask the .remap file where the original one went and load it up — it just returns whatever it ended up loading from there last time. This cache is like a ghost sitting on top of a skeleton.		To keep knowing where things are, it maintains a skeleton of the original filesystem with all the orignal files swapped out with “.remap” placeholders that just point to where in that big pile the asset they represent went. Furthermore, whenever the game attempts to load a specific asset at a location (e.g. <code>res://assets/icons/mech.svg</code>), it caches whatever it loaded into memory. Whenever we ask it to load that asset again, it doesn’t have to go ask the .remap file where the original one went and load it up — it just returns whatever it ended up loading from there last time. This cache is like a ghost sitting on top of a skeleton.
Line 21:		Line 21:
	For modding, this gives us an opportunity. Instead of needing to actually copy in modded files and override the originals, we can manipulate this ghost-filesystem-cache by lying about what files are at what locations. Here’s what a mod looks like for Lancer Tactics (using a modified system from Godot Mod Loader):		For modding, this gives us an opportunity. Instead of needing to actually copy in modded files and override the originals, we can manipulate this ghost-filesystem-cache by lying about what files are at what locations. Here’s what a mod looks like for Lancer Tactics (using a modified system from Godot Mod Loader):

	TODO INSERT IMAGE		'''TODO INSERT IMAGE'''

	We have a special folder where we put the actual mod files: “unpacked”, then another folder with the specific mod’s identifier “Wickworks-Sawhorse”. Within that, we have a “res” folder, and that’s where the lying starts. When loading up the mod, we can grab everything inside of the mod’s “res” and tell the ghost-cache that the mod’s files are the ones that are actually at that location. In this example, by the end of it when we ask Godot to load <code>res://assets/frames/horus/mf_sawhorse.png</code>, it will return the file that’s actually over in <code>res://unpacked/Wickworks-Sawhorse/res/assets/frames/horus/mf_sawhorse.png</code>.		We have a special folder where we put the actual mod files: “unpacked”, then another folder with the specific mod’s identifier “Wickworks-Sawhorse”. Within that, we have a “res” folder, and that’s where the lying starts. When loading up the mod, we can grab everything inside of the mod’s “res” and tell the ghost-cache that the mod’s files are the ones that are actually at that location. In this example, by the end of it when we ask Godot to load <code>res://assets/frames/horus/mf_sawhorse.png</code>, it will return the file that’s actually over in <code>res://unpacked/Wickworks-Sawhorse/res/assets/frames/horus/mf_sawhorse.png</code>.
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	== Mod Types ==		== Mod Types & Security ==

	Lancer Tactics distinguishes between three mod types: Asset Packs, Content Packs and "Substantial" mods. Asset and Content packs' changes are standardized and reversible, so can be enabled and disabled without restarting the game. Substantial mods change the base scripts or scenes the rest of the game relies on so require a restart.		Mods are code that some rando wrote that the game downloads and then runs on your machine. Godot does not have built-in sandboxing for gdscript, so this code has just as much access as the game does, ie, can read or write any file on your computer and talk to the internet. Uh oh!

			To be fair, this is a issue with most mods for most games. It’s a very trust-based at-your-own-risk sort of country. This is fine if mods aren’t tightly integrated, but as soon as you as a developer start removing barriers and letting people accidentally stumble into downloading harmful code by just pressing buttons in-game, you start taking on the responsibility in the case of something bad happening.

			Slay The Spire 2, another game made in Godot, handles this by putting a big warning screen that it forces you to click through before you can start installing mods. We’ve done something similar:

			'''TODO INSERT IMAGE'''

			To help manage this, Lancer Tactics distinguishes between three mod types: Asset Packs, Content Packs and "Substantial" mods:

	* '''Asset Pack:''' just images and tres files. Doesn't even have a mod_main.gd; just a json manifest and images in various places to get picked up by the appropriate resources. These can be required by combats/modules and they'll be treated as safe since not having scripts makes them risk-free. We allow tres files to be in asset packs as long as they do not contain any inline scripts.		* '''Asset Pack:''' just images and tres files. Doesn't even have a mod_main.gd; just a json manifest and images in various places to get picked up by the appropriate resources. These can be required by combats/modules and they'll be treated as safe since not having scripts makes them risk-free. We allow tres files to be in asset packs as long as they do not contain any inline scripts.
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	* '''Substantial Mod:''' as above, but the changes are not cleanly reversible so require a restart to turn off or on.		* '''Substantial Mod:''' as above, but the changes are not cleanly reversible so require a restart to turn off or on.
	** Mods that contain .gd files and are marked as <code>requires_restart</code> as "true" in their manifest will be treated as Substantial Mods.		** Mods that contain .gd files and are marked as <code>requires_restart</code> as "true" in their manifest will be treated as Substantial Mods.

			An area for future growth, given substantially more resources, would be to add the ability to script game content in a nice sandboxed environment by setting up an internal .lua API for new abilities to use. This would allow new mechs and whatnot to count as asset packs, but the time-benefit tradeoff isn’t favorable given our current time and labor constraints.