So i just found out by chance that we can add a 20 digit number after /spawnnpc command to get more specific setting for the npc we spawn. For example if you use the command /spawnnpc human villager 1 234 you get the same looking npc again and again the value can even be negative, which doubles the possibility But sofar i havent found out what the numbers mean. Anybody tinkered enough with them to be able to tell me more?
The number (seed) is literally what it is, a "seed" that determines a character/npc looks. For example, the "Human-Clothed" Floran's seed is 33, the Avian Explorer's seed is 20 etc. Although the seed for dungeon-spawned npcs is determined in the dungeon file, not the .npctype json file. As for specific numbers for specific characters, the only appearances I have are the ones in the outpost, anything else is either by chance OR the use of a certain npc creation mod in the steam workshop that let's you customise npc's and you see their seed. Well from the screenshots I've seen anyways.
there must be a pattern though, it can't be that crew member medic with a seed value of 987654321987654321 is a preset...
Well, since crewmembers are based on what their "original" non-crew appearances are, I dunno actually wot. Well for "presets", we've 18 digits here, which is a massive number, which is a "code" for "prepping" every single combination in the character creation screen. A seed is every combination, every colour, every hairstyle times by another, times by another, times by another. I haven't counted how many "styles" for every character creation option but its options (i.e hairstyle) x (another option, like pants) x (Another one, like shirt colour) etc are combined to create a "base seed". It just keeps going until all those numbers are punched in and you get what this is. And then you add that number to the times'ed number of another species. Going off basic math here. Despite the character creation's large pool of option, there WILL always be a CHANCE that an exact copy of your character can meet itself if you are lucky, since ALL npc's spawn in randomly unless there is a seed specified. Yes, ANY seed is a technically a "preset" as punching in those numbers will always yield the same results. It's not like Starbound has a "slider" option (but even then, that would just add in a couple more digits to the seed system if there were). what I mean that a seed is technically a preset. Very much so m8.
I think you may have the wrong idea about what a seed is http://stackoverflow.com/questions/14914595/what-is-a-seed-in-terms-of-generating-a-random-number in particular this answer So you see, there is no pattern to figure out.
what the seed means depends on how the program uses it. if you were to go to 1 random number generator and put in a seed, it gives you a number. using the same seed on a different generator will likely give you a different number
Alright, and what if I need a specific seed in my npc spawner? I want to maintain a specific palette on the npc's generated weapon, and it depends on npc's seed as well, as long as it is in NPC's hands, not on weapon's seed. Best, of course, if I can avoid setting a specific seed, just a palette, but any solution will do.
