Modding Help Interested in modding, but I'm not sure where to begin with these changes.

FYI: I already know about JSON, but little about lua. For some of these changes though, (In particular the Matter Manipulator Hotbar and watering crops with alternative liquids), I have a sinking feeling I'd need to have access to the C# (It was C# and not C++, right?) code itself instead of the scripts. I'm not afraid to code (I did Software Engineering before getting laid off), but something like the hotbar seems like it would be really ingrained into the core of the game, and most of the modding tutorials seem like they just cover adding content.

Honestly, this is probably more of a suggestion list than anything, but in order of "most annoying things I want to change at the top":

* Remove the delay on crafting, cooking, healing, generally anything that involves a menu and doesn't depend on an asynchronous process. These delays are akin to unskippable cutscenes... only without the animation.
* Have the tech upgrade menu accessible from anywhere (as opposed to strictly at the outpost) similar to the matter manipulator upgrade menu.
* Have an augment in an EPP carry over when upgrading.
* Have augments of the same type combine.
* Have blueprints and codexes be instantly used/memorized on pickup instead of taking up space in inventory.
* Consolidate Tech cards, Manipulator Modules, and Upgrade Modules into the same generic "Upgrade Module" item to free up inventory slots.
* Have NPCs actually show the quest rewards instead of having them be randomly generated. I don't want to bother with a quest if I'm just going to get 15 silver ore when I already have access to Violium.
* Eliminate the cooldown on the wooden watering can. It's kinda weird that my character just stands there like an idiot waiting for more water to come out.
* Add crops that need to be watered with alternative liquids, (Think: You don't water mechanical plants like the Automato. You oil them.) add a slot to watering cans/sprinklers for said liquid.
* Add a "Derottenizer", meant to be a kind of time-manipulating fridge so powerful that it reverses the rotting process of food and eventually converts that food into the components that created it. Just in case you regret what you made and let it rot because you didn't use it.
* Make NPCs in villages stop caring if you have your weapon out and only take measures when you kill someone.
* Instead of making you put your weapon away, have outlaws only betray you when you walk up to them and press E to continue the interaction. The help they spawn should surround you, with the outlaw whipping out a melee weapon and attacking shortly after. This and the change to villages frees up the Z key.
* Have a "Matter Manipulator Hotbar" that activates the matter manipulator upon opening, preferably bound to Z. Pressing Z while the Matter Manipulator hotbar is displayed toggles mining mode/placement mode for the MM. X switches back to the normal "use" hotbar.
* Make it so that when opening up the "Inventory" menu, it switches to a tab that corresponds with the current hotbar selected: If it's the normal hotbar, it displays usable items. If it's the Matter Manipulator Hotbar, it displays placable objects.

 

If you really need help I can provide insight, since I've done quite a bit of poking around the game files. Even though most of my work was with armor and weapons, thanks to a special set of armor I made I had to go through a lot of files and modify some Lua. I am a engineering student in programming, so I don't see why I would deny what little help I can give. Just ask, I will help.

 

Ah, cool. Thanks for the answers, all. Now I just need to muster the motivation to actually bother modding instead of just suffering through the game as-is. Is modded multiplayer a popular thing here?