Mod:Edit a main character

This tutorial explains how to edit your starting character in The Sum.

This tutorial uses the Entity Editor.

Required tools

• Entity Editor

Before you start

Take some time to learn how the Entity Editor works by checking out the "readme" file of the Fallout Tactics Editor.

  Characters are referred to as "Actors" in the document. 

Choosing your starting character

Character selection screen

1. Open the Game/ folder then FT Improver.EXE.
2. Pass the videos by clicking on them.
3. Click on
   ⦿  PLAY 
   then
   ⦿  NEW 
   .
4. Click
    < 
    > 
   to choose a character. Keep their name in mind for later.

  The start position and story are fixed to the character. So best might be to pick a start position you prefer, or a character that looks most sympatic to you (though you can change their portrait and name.) 

Opening the starting character file

1. Open the Game/ folder then FT Improver.EXE.
2. Pass the videos by clicking on them.
3. Click on
   ⦿  MORE 
   .
4. Click
   ⦿  ENTITY EDITOR 
   .
5. Navigate to the
    File 
   menu then
    Open 
   .
6. Open the desired starting character which must end with .ent (stored in Game/core/entities/Actors/prefab).

Character name	Picture	File name		Character name	Picture	File name
Mara		prefab1.ent		Marais		prefab2.ent
Veille		prefab3.ent		Dann		prefab4.ent
Chance		prefab5.ent		Monréal		prefab6.ent
Nouvelle		prefab7.ent		Basque		prefab8.ent
Franche		prefab9.ent		Hiverse		prefab10.ent
Isabette		prefab11.ent		Géorgy		prefab12.ent
Kadi		prefab13.ent		Tempo		prefab14.ent
Épi		prefab15.ent		Brave		prefab16.ent
Amérique		prefab17.ent		Leg		prefab18.ent
Talée		prefab19.ent		Read		prefab20.ent
Mercie		prefab21.ent		Vaillant		prefab22.ent

Editing the character

Change the portrait

In game

1. Choose your starting character.
2. Click on
   ⦿  MODIFY 
   .
3. Click
    < 
    > 
   on the top right corner to browser through various portraits.

Manually

Using the code name (or file name) of your character, it is easy to change their portrait.

  This method give access to ALL the game's 1000+ portraits. 

1. Open the folder Game/core/gui/char/ then choose a portrait in the list.
   
     If you can't see the portraits by double-clicking on them, install Red!Viewer 
   
   
   
2. Delete or rename the .zar associated with your starting character: ex: prefab1.zar.
3. Copy/paste the portrait .zar file you want for a portrait, renaming it "prefabX.zar". ex: prefab1.zar.

Rename the character

In game

1. Choose your starting character.
2. Click on
   ⦿  MODIFY 
   .
3. Click on their name on the top left corner and change it.
4. Click on
   ⦿  OK 
   .

Manually

1. Open the file characters.txt located in Game/core/locale/game/.
   1. Press
       ctrl 
      +
       f 
      and search for name_prefabX (X being the number in your prefab character code name).
   2. Change the name between the "{}" brackets

      name_prefab1 = {character name}

2. Go to the
    File 
   menu and then
    Save 
   .

Change characteristics

There are an infinite number of possible variations for the characteristics of the starting character, you can even change their starting Level of autonomy.

In game

1. Choose your starting character.
2. Click on
   ⦿  MODIFY 
   .
3. Use the
    + 
   and
    - 
   buttons to relocate the stats, or the ☻ and ☻ buttons to reassign the traits.
   
     There is a maximum of two traits at all time, and sometimes one is hidden, letting you only reasign the visible one. 
   
   
   
4. Click on
   ⦿  OK 
   .

Manually

Manually altering the starting character offers the most possibilities of change. Instead of relocating the points, perks and skill points, you can choose them freely, and modify many other character's elements like the Level au autonomy. Keep in mind that you can make a God-like character, but it might spoil the game.

1. Choose your starting character.
2. Open the character file.
3. Expand any tab (
    XXXX 
   ) to the left to edit its values (
    XXXX 
    #       
   ). Follow the steps below for more specific modifications.
4. Navigate to the
    File 
   menu and then
    Save 
   .

Tips on character customization

• Do not modify the values under - Modifiers - field.
• Do not change the character's equipment or inventory there. To give your starting character items or weapons, use this method instead.
•  Stats 
  : Stats can be set from 1 to 10.
  
    • Most armors need at least 2 of Charisma to be worn, and weapons 2 of Intelligence.
  • Luck = Instinct (In the editor, the orginal Fallout Tactics terms are used, so they can vary from The Sum game. Use the

   Make 

  /

   Level 

  buttons on top to check if you edited the right element. 
  
  
  
•  Traits 
  : Only change
   age 
  and
   sex 
  there.
•  Derived 
  : If you add
   maxHitPoints 
  , your actual Life points stays the same. Follow these steps to change that.
  •  maxCarryWeight 
    can be negative.
    
      It is not recommanded to change any other

     Derived 

    values. 
    
    
    
•  Skills 
  : You can add or substract any value to any skill skills.
  
    In the editor, the orginal Fallout Tactics terms are used, so they can vary from The Sum game. Use the

   Make 

  /

   Level 

  buttons on top to check if you edited the right element. 
  
  
  
•  Tag Skills 
  : They are not used for any starting character in The Sum, so using them is not recommended.
•  Optional Traits 
  :
  
    • Do not uncheck

   Human 

  ,

   Ghoul 

  ,

   Mutant 

  and

   Deathclaw 

  
  • In the editor, the orginal Fallout Tactics terms are used, so they can vary from The Sum game. Use the

   Make 

  /

   Level 

  buttons on top to check if you edited the right element. 
  
  
  
•  Perks 
  : Perks can be applied multiple times.
  
    In the editor, the orginal Fallout Tactics terms are used, so they can vary from The Sum game. Use the

   Make 

  /

   Level 

  buttons on top to check if you edited the right element. 
  
  
  

Add levels

To add levels of autonomy to the starting character:

1. Open the character file.
2. Click the
    Level 
   button to the right of the menu at the top.
3. Press the
    + 
   button to the right of "Autonomy" the number of times you want.
4. Select a Perk when prompted.
5. Assign all points earned from the Skills on the right using the
    + 
   and
    - 
   buttons.
   
     Holding down the

    shift 

   key by clicking on these buttons adds or subtracts 10 points for each click 
   
   
   
6. Ajust the starting character's Life points (see below)
7. Press
   ⦿  OK 
   .

Life points

If you added Autonomy Levels to your character, it is important to adjust their Life points to ensure that they are not injured (and therefore potentially hostile) as soon as the player encounters them.

1. Calculate the number of Life Points the character needs using the following form.
   
     Get the character's Strength, Endurance and Autonomy Level by clicking the

    Level 

   button at the top of the page in the Entity Editor. 
   
   
   
2. In the Entity Editor, expand the very last tab
    ActorStatus 
   .
3. To the right of
    hitPoints 
   , replace the current number with the calculated number of Life Points.
4. Go to the
    File 
   menu then
    Save 
   .

Change the character colors

1. Open the character file.
2. Expand the
    Image 
   tab.
3. 4 menus allow you to change the character's colors, with two dimmers, the first controlling the saturation and the second the color level.
   
     Changing the first color (

    Base 

   ) will affect the character blood color... 
   
   
   

Equipment (Entity editor)

To give your starting character items or weapons, see Mod:Starting items.