Modding Help Anyone know a thing or two about dialog patches?

https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=1652120652 Check out this mod if anyone wants to give it a try. But I do have one problem I do not know how to fix. Is anyone good with dialog patches? If so, I would love the help. The problem I am having is this: For any Apex character (players of other races aren't affected), when speaking to an NPC, my dialog comes up fine and so does the vanilla dialog of the generic and default lines, but race specific dialog does not appear anymore, UNLESS I am speaking to a special NPC like a Floran Greenfinger.

An Apex character will get my dialog or generic hellos, welcomes, or random chit-chat but no more lines in reference to your race, i.e. I will get lines like "Eww, I swallowed a fly." but I no longer get "Oh, a talking monkey. Cool!" All NPCs (except special ones) I speak to as an Apex character now feel like they say far less due to it and it's strange. My patch is using the "add" command and not "remove" or "replace" so I don't know how my converse and spaceconverse files are preventing vanilla race specific dialog from appearing and only allowing vanilla generic and default to show. Can someone have a look for me? Here is the zip folder of my mod.

 

https://chbrown.github.io/rfc6902/

Great site for making patches. Input the original file on the left, and then on the right...how you want the file to look after it is done. Then click the button and it makes a patch file for you


This site will let you check your patches

https://json-schema-validator.herokuapp.com/jsonpatch.jsp

I do think it has something to do with your path in the patch file though....
I dont think you can just add multiple values like that.. try using a format like this...

Code:

[
  {
    "op": "add",
    "path": "/converse/apex/generic/-",
    "value": "Hello, traveler. Beware the Miniknog, they are dangerous. They could do tests on you next, especially if you break the rules."
  },
  {
    "op": "add",
    "path": "/converse/apex/generic/-",
    "value": "I sometimes wonder if Apex kind can be back to normal again, but it's unlikely due to constant Miniknog testing, like on Primatex."
  },
  {
    "op": "add",
    "path": "/converse/apex/generic/-",
    "value": "Tailed Apex were nicknamed Primatex by the Miniknog, due to tests involving the DNA of other primates. Offspring are born with various changes."
  },
  {
    "op": "add",
    "path": "/converse/apex/generic/-",
    "value": "The Apex as a race is slowly changing again. Now the Miniknog are testing the effects of primate DNA on our kind."
  }
]

You are telling it to put single additions into the converse/apex/generic/-
That last - mark is important, because it tells the patch to add it after everything else, so it wont bother the order of the original files. In the end, your entire patch file should look like this...

Code:

[
  {
    "op": "add",
    "path": "/converse/apex/generic/-",
    "value": "Hello, traveler. Beware the Miniknog, they are dangerous. They could do tests on you next, especially if you break the rules."
  },
  {
    "op": "add",
    "path": "/converse/apex/generic/-",
    "value": "I sometimes wonder if Apex kind can be back to normal again, but it's unlikely due to constant Miniknog testing, like on Primatex."
  },
  {
    "op": "add",
    "path": "/converse/apex/generic/-",
    "value": "Tailed Apex were nicknamed Primatex by the Miniknog, due to tests involving the DNA of other primates. Offspring are born with various changes."
  },
  {
    "op": "add",
    "path": "/converse/apex/generic/-",
    "value": "The Apex as a race is slowly changing again. Now the Miniknog are testing the effects of primate DNA on our kind."
  },
  {
    "op": "add",
    "path": "/converse/apex/human/-",
    "value": "Hey, did you know that humans are also apes like us Apex? Tailed Apex aren't full apes anymore though, due to primate DNA testing."
  },
  {
    "op": "add",
    "path": "/converse/apex/human/-",
    "value": "In truth, humans have as many hair follicles as other primates, but their hair is much thinner in many areas so they appear mostly hairless."
  },
  {
    "op": "add",
    "path": "/converse/apex/human/-",
    "value": "The Apex past is gone thanks to the Miniknog. I wonder what we looked like before we got fur and some of us got tails and athletic builds?"
  },
  {
    "op": "add",
    "path": "/converse/apex/human/-",
    "value": "Beware the Miniknog, they might wanna test humans next, due to also being primates. A human with a tail like a Primatex would be funny though."
  },
  {
    "op": "add",
    "path": "/converse/apex/apex/-",
    "value": "Your fur is soft and fluffy. But many of us wonder what we used to look like before Miniknog tests changed us permanently."
  },
  {
    "op": "add",
    "path": "/converse/apex/apex/-",
    "value": "A Primatex having things like a tail and softer fur must be great, but it's still bad that the Miniknog won't stop messing with our species' DNA."
  },
  {
    "op": "add",
    "path": "/converse/apex/apex/-",
    "value": "Some of our kind have tails, more athletic bodies, and softer fur now. Other Apex get jealous not having an extra limb to use as a hand and all."
  },
  {
    "op": "add",
    "path": "/converse/apex/apex/-",
    "value": "I wonder if our kind will ever reach a point were we stop evolving. The Miniknog keep doing tests on our race."
  },
  {
    "op": "add",
    "path": "/converse/apex/avian/-",
    "value": "I wonder if your feathers are as soft as our fur. Primatex, or tailed Apex, have the softest fur no doubt though."
  },
  {
    "op": "add",
    "path": "/converse/apex/avian/-",
    "value": "Miniknog testing could give Avians wings like how they gave some of us tails. Not that I want you to be a victim of their horrid tests though."
  },
  {
    "op": "add",
    "path": "/converse/apex/avian/-",
    "value": "Miniknog tests permanently changed our race. They even use DNA of other primates in more tests to change others of our kind."
  },
  {
    "op": "add",
    "path": "/converse/apex/avian/-",
    "value": "Big Ape and Kluex are both powerful deities who demand sacrifice. For Apex however, it's through brutal testing or forced evolution."
  },
  {
    "op": "add",
    "path": "/converse/apex/floran/-",
    "value": "Seeing the pelts of Floran kills is unsettling to Apex, especially to the softer furred Primatex. Soft fur is highly prized."
  },
  {
    "op": "add",
    "path": "/converse/apex/floran/-",
    "value": "You can look at my fur, but please don't touch. I don't trust you enough to know if you wanna skin me or not....."
  },
  {
    "op": "add",
    "path": "/converse/apex/floran/-",
    "value": "Florans haven't evolved much over time. It's good in a way. Apex were forcibly changed via Miniknog tests and some of us gained tails."
  },
  {
    "op": "add",
    "path": "/converse/apex/floran/-",
    "value": "If you see a tailed Apex, you'll be shocked. Our kind is always changing from the tests of the Miniknog."
  },
  {
    "op": "add",
    "path": "/converse/apex/glitch/-",
    "value": "Hello Glitch. If you see an Apex with a tail, don't short-circuit in surprise. The Miniknog is changing even more of our kind with tests."
  },
  {
    "op": "add",
    "path": "/converse/apex/glitch/-",
    "value": "If you think our fur is soft, wait until you feel the fur of a Primatex, or tailed Apex. No fake hair you can make would match it."
  },
  {
    "op": "add",
    "path": "/converse/apex/glitch/-",
    "value": "I hear you Glitch are interested in furry creatures. You can touch my fur if you like, it's really soft."
  },
  {
    "op": "add",
    "path": "/converse/apex/glitch/-",
    "value": "I imagine it would be hard for your kind to perform athletic stunts, being robots. The tailed Primatex are especially athletic."
  },
  {
    "op": "add",
    "path": "/converse/apex/hylotl/-",
    "value": "I wish us Apex kind had as peaceful a life as you Hylotl. I am jealous. The Miniknog are cruel to all of our kind."
  },
  {
    "op": "add",
    "path": "/converse/apex/hylotl/-",
    "value": "I wonder what a Hylotl with a tail would look like. But if Hylotls are amphibious, shouldn't they too have tails? Some Apex have tails now."
  },
  {
    "op": "add",
    "path": "/converse/apex/hylotl/-",
    "value": "Our race is still changing due to the Miniknog. Don't be surprised if you see an Apex with a tail. They are often nicknamed Primatex."
  },
  {
    "op": "add",
    "path": "/converse/apex/hylotl/-",
    "value": "Your skin is about as smooth as my fur is soft. But wait until you feel a tailed Apex's fur. You'd wanna use it to weave your lovely fabrics."
  },
  {
    "op": "add",
    "path": "/converse/apex/novakid/-",
    "value": "Your race looks pretty athletic. Are you as athletic as Primatex I wonder? They are Apex with tails and a more athletic body type."
  },
  {
    "op": "add",
    "path": "/converse/apex/novakid/-",
    "value": "Some of our kind have tails now. Miniknog experiments continue on our race. The Primatex may eventually be the Apex of the future."
  },
  {
    "op": "add",
    "path": "/converse/apex/novakid/-",
    "value": "You're gaseous beings so I doubt you evolve much, but cherish it. Apex had change forced on them and eventually, the tailed Apex were created."
  },
  {
    "op": "add",
    "path": "/converse/apex/novakid/-",
    "value": "I wonder if tests can be done on the gaseous Novakid. Just curious, I wouldn't want anyone to be tests subjects of the brutal Miniknog......"
  },
  {
    "op": "add",
    "path": "/converse/hylotl/apex/-",
    "value": "Would you mind if I stroked your fur? It looks really soft, and it smells clean and fresh. You take care of it really well."
  },
  {
    "op": "add",
    "path": "/converse/hylotl/apex/-",
    "value": "Some of your kind have tails now? Wow, I wonder if there are books about this yet, I would love to read them!"
  },
  {
    "op": "add",
    "path": "/converse/hylotl/apex/-",
    "value": "The Primatex are a fascinating addition to you Apex kind. I am against what the Miniknog do, but at the same time, Apex are cute and fluffy."
  },
  {
    "op": "add",
    "path": "/converse/hylotl/apex/-",
    "value": "I wish you the best of luck on your pursuit of peace against the dreaded Miniknog. They could learn a thing or two about love and peace. "
  },
  {
    "op": "add",
    "path": "/converse/avian/apex/-",
    "value": "I got the shock of my life the other day when I spotted an Apex with a tail. I guess not all Apex are apes anymore. Is it due to testing?"
  },
  {
    "op": "add",
    "path": "/converse/avian/apex/-",
    "value": "Tell me about this Primatex folk. They are Apex with tails you say? It a blessing of Kluex or is it due to the Miniknog?"
  },
  {
    "op": "add",
    "path": "/converse/avian/apex/-",
    "value": "In a way, your culture is similar to ours. Big Ape is a deity like Kluex who demands sacrifice, although your means of sacrifice is scientific."
  },
  {
    "op": "add",
    "path": "/converse/avian/apex/-",
    "value": "The Apex must be warm in cold environments with all that fur. Looks really soft and warm. Our feathers are not as good for insulation sadly."
  },
  {
    "op": "add",
    "path": "/converse/human/apex/-",
    "value": "If I was as furry as you, I could pass off as an Apex! Well, the tailless kind anyway. I wonder what a human with a tail would look like."
  },
  {
    "op": "add",
    "path": "/converse/human/apex/-",
    "value": "See no evil, hear no evil, and speak no evil is a saying of the wise monkeys. The Miniknog do just the opposite, but most of all, they DO evil."
  },
  {
    "op": "add",
    "path": "/converse/human/apex/-",
    "value": "I saw an Apex with a tail before. A Primatex I was told. So now the Apex aren't just an ape species, now they are also monkeys."
  },
  {
    "op": "add",
    "path": "/converse/human/apex/-",
    "value": "Cool! A talking ape! Or is it talking monkey? Or wait, maybe both, as I hear some Apex have tails now due to Miniknog experiments."
  },
  {
    "op": "add",
    "path": "/converse/floran/apex/-",
    "value": "Floran once sssee ape man with a tail. Makesss ape man a monkey man. Monkey man'sss ssoft fur would make a nice pelt, but Floran nice to monkey man."
  },
  {
    "op": "add",
    "path": "/converse/floran/apex/-",
    "value": "What'sss a Miniknog? Iss that a ssspecial feasst for after a hunt? What'ss a Primatex? Ssounds like Apex, but different."
  },
  {
    "op": "add",
    "path": "/converse/floran/apex/-",
    "value": "Usss Floran love peltss from hunted meatss, but nice Floran won't try to ssskin ape man. Apex got sssoft fur though, esspecially onesss with tailss."
  },
  {
    "op": "add",
    "path": "/converse/floran/apex/-",
    "value": "Apex fur lookss really warm and sssoft. Floran ssskin peltss from hunted meatsss, but Floran not sskin new ape friend!"
  },
  {
    "op": "add",
    "path": "/converse/glitch/apex/-",
    "value": "Shocked. I have heard some Apex have tails. Are the Miniknog really that into doing tests on their own kind?"
  },
  {
    "op": "add",
    "path": "/converse/glitch/apex/-",
    "value": "Jealous. Apex fur is so soft, especially that of the tailed Primatex. Fake hair worn by Glitch doesn't come close to your fur quality."
  },
  {
    "op": "add",
    "path": "/converse/glitch/apex/-",
    "value": "Hopeful. I hope it isn't too much to ask but....mind if I can have a few locks of your soft fur? I can give you something in exchange."
  },
  {
    "op": "add",
    "path": "/converse/glitch/apex/-",
    "value": "Irate. The Miniknog truly are brutal to the Apex race. But I gotta admit, Apex are a cute race, especially your athletic, tailed relatives."
  },
  {
    "op": "add",
    "path": "/converse/novakid/apex/-",
    "value": "Howdy there pardner! Hope ya like our village. Stay as long as ya like, ain't no brutal Miniknog here terrorisin' these parts!"
  },
  {
    "op": "add",
    "path": "/converse/novakid/apex/-",
    "value": "I tell ya, imagine mah shock when I saw an Apex with a tail! I am guessin' the Apex don't stop changin', due to that Miniknog I heard about."
  },
  {
    "op": "add",
    "path": "/converse/novakid/apex/-",
    "value": "Us Novakids don't get hair, bein' star people an' all. What is it like, being covered in a coat of fur like yours?"
  },
  {
    "op": "add",
    "path": "/converse/novakid/apex/-",
    "value": "Well saddle my back an' call me a mule! Another Apex folk visits our fine town! We been seein' yer kind with tails recently!"
  }
]

 

Oh thank you, this is helpful!

 

[
{
"op": "replace",
"path": "/converse/glitch/apex",
"value": "Joyful. I love banana bread! Do you have some with you."
},
{
"op": "add",
"path": "/converse/glitch/apex",
"value": "Joyful. I love banana bread! Do you have some with you?"
}
]
I used that website to also make replacements. I am thinking of adding replacement codes to my patch files as well to correct mistakes and add to some of the dialog. It says it's a valid json but I also never made replacements before. This is how a replacement looks right? Followed by adding?

 

The website should give you a patch file for replacements. Lets say in the converse.dialog file you want to change the very first comment which is

Code:

{
  "greeting" : {
    "default" : {
      "default" : [
        "Hello."
      ]
    },

We can change it like this...

Code:

[
  {
    "op": "replace",
    "path": "/greeting/default/default/0",
    "value": "This is now changed!"
  }
]

So the path goes into greeting, then default, then default again... after that we use 0. In java indexes always start at 0. So if there were three dialog choices, they would be numbered 0, 1 and 2.

That website is really simple to use. Just open up your file you want to change, do a search for "//" because you cant have comment marks on the website, you have to remove all the comments. I always save my files after removing comments so i dont have to do it again later. After that, just copy/paste that whole file into the website. Then go back to the file, change it however you want. For example, in the text above, I removed Hello. and put "This is now changed!". Then once I clicked the buttons, it gave me the patch that you see above.

 

Ahh I see how it works now. I'll give that a go, thanks!

 

Damn, not sure what's going on now, the game keeps crashing after I updated my JSONs for the dialog patches. I dunno if there is something wrong with it or one of my other patches, I am not understanding my log. There shouldn't be anything wrong with the dialog patches now though as I used that website to make them and it says they are all valid.

 

I removed your files one by one, and when I removed the treasure file, the game loaded. Here is what the treasure patch should look like

Code:

[
  {
    "op": "add",
    "path": "/apextestfacilityLore/0/1/pool/-",
    "value": {
      "weight": 0.33,
      "item": "apexhistory11-codex"
    }
  },
  {
    "op": "add",
    "path": "/apexbaseLore/0/1/pool/-",
    "value": {
      "weight": 0.33,
      "item": "apexhistory11-codex"
    }
  },
  {
    "op": "add",
    "path": "/apexcampLore/0/1/pool/-",
    "value": {
      "weight": 0.33,
      "item": "apexhistory11-codex"
    }
  },
  {
    "op": "add",
    "path": "/apexcityLore/0/1/pool/-",
    "value": {
      "weight": 0.33,
      "item": "apexhistory11-codex"
    }
  }
]

 

I had no idea it was the treasure file until last night when I did the same thing you did. I wish the logs were more specific to me. I am code stupid. I never had the crash issue before so that's the part that confused me as to what the issue was, until I found out it was the treasure file. Beforehand, the codex simply didn't appear in dungeons. And thank you for your code example it looks similar to how I made it using that patch creating website. But I think I will use your code instead, it looks better than mine, even though I finally got it to where the game doesn't crash now.

[
{
"op": "add",
"path": "/apextestfacilityLore/1/pool/-",
"value": {"weight" : 0.33, "item" : "apexhistory11-codex" }
},
{
"op": "add",
"path": "/apexbaseLore/1/pool/-",
"value": {"weight" : 0.33, "item" : "apexhistory11-codex" }
},
{
"op": "add",
"path": "/apexcampLore/1/pool/-",
"value": {"weight" : 0.33, "item" : "apexhistory11-codex" }
},
{
"op": "add",
"path": "/apexcityLore/1/pool/-",
"value": {"weight" : 0.33, "item" : "apexhistory11-codex"}
}
]

 

Yeah, the problem with your code was the path. Not sure if you understand exactly how the path part works, if not, I can try to explain is better...but basically your first file was trying to put the codex into the first array...which is why your error had json array error. Most the time, your error log will be a lot more specific and tell you exactly which file caused the issue and what line the issue is on. That's the first time ive seen that type of error.

 

The part that confused me most was those numbers in the path, (i.e. ../0/1/..) but I had the Starbound assets unpacked and looked at the treasure pools with the lore codes and saw a 1 so I figured I needed that number plus "pool" in my path and that it would be what would fix it. It seemed to have fixed it as the game didn't crash, but I wasn't sure yet if the codex would actually appear, but I copied your codes and used them to overwrite my codes anyway, yours seemed to look more specific than mine. But yeah, I am not very good with coding and certain paths in patches confuse me, depending on the path that needs to be used. The numbers in a path confuse me the most, and it's unusual that my log produced that kind of error then without being more specific.

 

http://helmet.kafuka.org/sbmods/json

This should help understanding some.

https://community.playstarbound.com/threads/basic-patching-now-with-path-guide-v1-9.84496/

This is also really good.

https://chbrown.github.io/rfc6902/ Is what you should use to make all your patches. Take the original file and put it into the left box (you may have to remove //coments because it gives it an error) Then...change the file to look like you want and paste the new file in the right side. Once you click the button it will give you your patch, which is how I got the one I posted above

 

That patch website has been helpful in validating my patches and showing what mistakes are in my original file as far as it being a valid JSON format. I'm still in the process of getting the hang of using it, as once I put in my file in the left box, it will say it's a valid JSON when the brackets, commas, values, etc. and such are in the right place so what got me confused is what was within the wording itself that crashed the game (in this case, the path). It was when I looked into the Starbound assets and found the treasure pools that I realized I needed the number 1 and the word "pool" in the path name as well. I hadn't worked on that file in a fair while so I nearly forgot about it until I found out it crashed the game. I used the website to create the new patch for me after I fixed the path name, then it didn't crash the game, but I still thought your result looked better than how I rearranged and patched it. Also thank you for the links, I will read up on them. Hopefully they won't be too confusing to a code stupid person like me.

 

Lemme visually show you the difference...

Here is your patch for the first part

Code:

{
    "op": "add",
    "path": "/apextestfacilityLore/-",
    "value": {
      "weight": 0.33,
      "item": "apexhistory11-codex"
    }
  }

And this is what the patch does.

Code:

 "apextestfacilityLore" : [
 [ 1, {
    "pool" : [ 
     { "weight" : 0.33, "item" : "apexhistory2-codex" },
     { "weight" : 0.33, "item" : "apexhistory6-codex" },
     { "weight" : 0.33, "item" : "apexhistory9-codex" }
     ],
    "poolRounds" : 1,
    "allowDuplication" : false
        }
 ], 
    { "weight" : 0.33, "item" : "apexhistory11-codex" }
 ]

As you can see... the new codex isnt inside the pool.

the second patch you tried I can't get to even validate. there was probably an error in your log file, and it you ever tried to access that treasure pool the game probably would have crashed.

 

I am guessing that it's why those numbers are needed in the path before the minus sign so that it actually adds it to the pool after the other codexes. And as for my second patch not validating, are you talking about this patch? (pasted below) I replaced it with yours so I wouldn't have known if it would crash with my patch, but at least it didn't crash on startup. In fact, speaking of treasure pools, I never used to get crashes from killing Parasprites, but some mod is causing it to crash and my log says it's a treasure pool error with Parasprites but I use a lot of mods, I wish the log would just tell me which mod the error came from. I feel bad making you go through the trouble patching stuff for me just to show me examples though, coding just isn't my forte. But at least I am learning a little at a time.
[
{
"op": "add",
"path": "/apextestfacilityLore/1/pool/-",
"value": {"weight" : 0.33, "item" : "apexhistory11-codex" }
},
{
"op": "add",
"path": "/apexbaseLore/1/pool/-",
"value": {"weight" : 0.33, "item" : "apexhistory11-codex" }
},
{
"op": "add",
"path": "/apexcampLore/1/pool/-",
"value": {"weight" : 0.33, "item" : "apexhistory11-codex" }
},
{
"op": "add",
"path": "/apexcityLore/1/pool/-",
"value": {"weight" : 0.33, "item" : "apexhistory11-codex"}
}
]

 

You are semi-correct, its the minus sign itself that tells it to put your codex at the end. When you use that website to make patches, try to make sure to always put your added items/code at the end of things, you cause less errors that way when dealing with multiple mods.

And don't worry about the trouble, even starts somewhere, and when I was learning everyone here was so helpful. I just return the favor

 

That's what I like about this website, there are people here that are really helpful, you as an example. If sometime down the road I learn enough about modding, I am hoping to get other modders on the wagon to help me make this into a mod: https://community.playstarbound.com/threads/prey-2017-sprites.145117/ It would start off small at first but right now it's only an idea. Also in the process now of picking apart the mods I have installed to find out which annoying mod is causing the game to crash when I kill Parasprites. It's a treasure pool error for sure. Not a lot of my installed mods would look like they have treasure pool alterations but I am unpacking them all for good measure. Maybe I'll find and fix the problem file and let the mod author know so they can fix it.

Edit: I found the bastard. It's the Murdercraft mod causing the killing of Parasprites to crash the map. I found it when reinstalling the mod and spawning in a Parasprite and killing it. Booted me back to the ship. I gotta contact the mod author about this, as it says that the monster treasure pools and hunting treasure pools are regular files and not patch files like they should be, and there is no mention of a Parasprite in either file. This must be what's causing the crash. It's not applying these to the normal treasure pool files and is instead replacing them altogether.

 

Yeah, taking a look at murdercraft now... he uses what is called a "dirty edit" , instead of patching the treasure files, he just rewrites them. When you save your file and name it normally like hunting.treasurepool then that "becomes" the file. It overwrites the vanilla asset. So lets say you have a mod that adds something to the treasurepool... whatever path they are using, like /hunting/0/1/pool/- would no longer be valid, because he has changed the structure of the file. Are you using a steam version of the mod, or from this website? I could probably fix the files if you want

 

I managed to fix the problem files by pasting the Parasprite treasure pools from the vanilla hunting and monster treasure files into the Murdercraft treasure pool files, and it fixed the crash issue. I still think the mod author needs to patch those files or give someone permission to do it instead and re-release the mod. I looked up dirty edits and they are incompatible with any mod that wishes to alter the original file and it wouldn't be able to with a dirty edit replacing it. Also, I am using the Steam version of the mod. I am gonna check Steam right now to see if I have a new reply from the author, as I had contacted him about the issue. If the author doesn't know how to make proper patches, I will let him know about your offer to help if it's not too much trouble to you and if he decides to make them patch files instead.
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=731633704&tscn=1554555405

 

I posted a fixed hunting treasurepool file on his mod page, so if he wants to use it he can, I havent gotten around to fixing the other treasurepool yet