This guide is intended to provide a quick introduction to modding Goblin Storm, explain some of the data and assets, and provide a basic overview of how to modify your game.

We will start with an overview of modding possibilities and limitations.

• Change the stats, composition and strength of any company type.
  
• Change the stats for any soldiers type.
  
• Change the type, number and weight for beast spawns.
  
• Change the ai unit purchasing and grouping parameters.
  
• Change or replace any graphical assets in the game, including units, shields and UI graphics.

• You cannot currently add new maps.
  
• You cannot currently add new factions, although you can change or convert the graphics, stats and definitions for any existing faction.

Mods for Goblin Storm can be uploaded to the Steam Workshop.

To create a mod for Goblin Storm begin by locating the mod folder, you will place the required files for you mod here:
Users\Username\AppData\Local\Goblin\mods

A mod for Goblin Storm consists of three components. First, a .mod file, such as “Example.mod.” This file contains the title, description, tags, and relative file paths for uploading you mod. Second, a 1Mb or smaller picture in .jpg or .png format used as a picture for the mod on the Workshop, for example “Example.png”. Third, a folder with the game files to be uploaded.

An example mod demonstrating the required file structure can be found here:
http://www.ns2games.com/Example_Mod.zip

After locating the Goblin\mods directory create a text file and rename it “modname.mod.” Copy the following lines of code into this file and make any required changes for you mod.


Second, create a .png or .jpg file less than 1 Mb in size in the Goblin\mods directory and set the Picture= line in the .mod file to this file name.

Third, create a content directory for you mod in the Goblin\mods directory and place all of your mod files (discussed below in detail) into this directory. Finally, update the Directory= line in the .mod file to the name of the mod content directory.

Fourth, create a Mod_Title.txt file and place it in the content directory for you mod. Place the name of you mod, for example, “Example Mod” in this file. This title will be used in the mod list in game to identify your mod.

Once these steps are complete launch Goblin Storm, click “options” and press the “upload” button, a prompt will appear. Select the .mod file for you mod. Your mod will then be uploaded to the Steam Workshop.

Warning! Although it is possible to modify the base game files, these changes can be overwritten by game updates. Instead place copies of your modified files into the content directory for you mod. Mod files will automatically replace or update base files when the game is run.

The strength and stats of companies can be modified by changing the appropriate file in Goblin Storm\Data\arsenal. The unit_defenitions.ini contains information for every company type in the game. It defines the soldier types, base stats, stack weight, unit type and graphic for each company.


You can change the stats for any company type in the game, altering how they perform in game: how many of what type of soldiers are in each company, how far they move, and the company's type (hinf, linf, lcav, hcav, fire). You cannot add new company types, because the attachment types are defined by the faction data files. However, you can alter any existing company type in any way you want.

The weapons file defines the combat values for each strength point of men in a company. The wep[1-3] entry in the unit_defenitions.ini is coupled with an entry in the weps.ini file. You can modify or add weapon entries.


All soldier lore descriptions are found in Goblin Storm\Data\ui_text\descriptions

The file names for each soldier match their entry in the weps.ini file. The recommended maximum length for a lore description is 100-115 words to fit comfortably inside the soldier card text field.

In addition to modifying the unit stats for beasts you can also change which beasts spawn on specific maps, the number that will be spawned at a location and the relative weight assigned to each beast type in the randomized spawning script. This information is defined in the creatures.txt file, Goblin Storm\Data\arsenal\ creatures.txt.


This defines the map that you are creating a beast file for, the type of beast to spawn, must match the unitdefinitions.ini entry. The final % chance to spawn is calculated during the game by totaling the weight for all units defined for this map and then finding the percentage of the total weight that each unit has. Finally, number defines the number of units to spawn at a position if this creature is selected.

You can change the strategy used by the AI when purchasing units and building battle groups on each map. The required ai strategies are located in Goblin Storm\Data\ai\strategies. This file has two parts, the first section defines the available strategies for each game type. Each of these strategies is then defined below. If multiple strategies are defined for a given game type the ai will randomly select between them.


To add a new strategy simply add it to one of the game mode lists above. Each strategy listed above is given a definition which provides purchasing guidelines defining the percentage of each type of unit that the AI should attempt to buy and a list of battlegroup types which the AI will attempt to form.

Virtually any graphic in Goblin Storm can be modified using your preferred graphical editing program.

Goblin Storm\assets\units
Unit graphics are located in Goblin Storm\assets\units

You can edit existing graphics and assign different graphics to different types of units. A set of unused unit graphics are also provided to allow players to add completely new graphics without overwriting existing ones. These will be discussed later.

To edit a unit graphic:
To change a unit graphic simply locate the desired unit and edit it with a graphical editor or replace it with another graphic. Unit graphics in Goblin Storm are 42x45 pixel wide .png files, the color used in the bottom left pixel will be considered to represent the clear background color.

To change the graphic used by a unit.
To assign a different graphic to a unit locate the unit type definition file, Goblin Storm\Data\arsenal\unit_defenitions.ini. Locate the appropriate unit definition (unit definitions are company types) and change the counter key value to another graphic name.

For example:
counter=king can be changed to counter=knight, this would cause the king to use a knight graphic.

Finally, 10 “swap” graphics have been provided for the Humans, Goblins and Beasts, these graphics are provided for modding and will never be used by the base game. To use them simply replace the graphic in assets\units and then update the appropriate unit definition.

For example
Counter=swap_1

The shields shown in the game start screen and on the unit card can be changed.

To change a shield locate the desired graphic in Goblin Storm\assets\images\Goblin or Goblin Storm\assets\images\Human. Next open the graphic in an editor and make changes, or replace the graphic with another graphic. Remember that in order for your custom shields to be visible in multiplayer, both sides must have the same shields.

The interface graphics including, terrain display types, loadscreens, order graphics, cursors and interface can be modified.

To modify or replace a graphic simply locate the appropriate graphic in the assets folder and modify or replace it. Note that changing the size of a graphic can cause graphical issues when the game is played.

Although you cannot currently add new maps or totally new factions you can customize most other elements of the game. Including companies, soldiers, unit stats, beast spawns, ai strategies and graphics.

Can I add (Insert Favorite Fantasy World Creatures/Units to Goblin Storm)
Yes! You can take one of the existing factions and convert it. Although you cannot change the unit names you can replace their counter graphics, add or replace a shield and totally modify their stats and weapons to represent something from your favorite book, movie, television series or other fantasy universe.

Uploading your mod to the Steam Workshop
Once you have created the required files for you mod simply launch the game and open the options menu. From the options menu click “Upload” and select the .mod file for you mod. This will upload your mod to the Workshop, if this is the first time the mod has been uploaded it will create a new workshop file, otherwise it will update the existing mod. If the upload fails for some reason it will instead return an error code and message.

Please note that by default any uploaded mods will be set to private. Once you are ready to make your mod public you must login to the Steam Workshop on a browser, select the mod and change it’s visibility to public.

To use a mod in Goblin Storm simply subscribe to it on the Steam Workshop and enable it in game. Once you have subscribed to a mod and Steam has downloaded it, launch the game, select options and open the mod list. Select the name of the mod you wish to activate and press apply. Once you are satisfied close the mod list and restart the game. Any enabled mods will load at start up.