AI War 2:Features From DLCs
Contents
Q: What ship graphics or designs from DLCs can be used in mods?
A: Any of them! However, one thing to know is that the models and graphics ship with the DLCs, so you are free to use those in mods as much as you want, but you need to then set your mod to depend on that DLC. OR you need to make those parts of your mod turn off if the DLC is not installed.
There are various starting fleets, for example, that cross several DLCs. If you don't have all of them installed, they are set to not show up even if you have the mod on. Those are examples of something that can be selectively turned off.
When it comes to something more fundamental, like a ship using a mechanic or graphic from a DLC in a way that is not optional for the mod (this is a core part!), but at the same time should be there, then you set the mod itself to have a dependency. Anyone who has the DLC(s) in question can use your mod, but anyone else would need to buy those to use it.
You can also set dependencies on other mods, so that they have to enable XYZ other mode that yours depends on. All of SirLimbo's mods depend on AMU, for instance.
As far as any graphics or similar, that gets sorted out automatically when you're referencing stuff, it should be pretty clear. If it says exp1 in the bundle name, you are going to know that the end user won't have that file if they don't own DLC1 AND also have it presently installed and enabled. It's possible for players to disable DLCs, and those graphical assets are treated as absent if the DLC is off.
Q: What unit mechanics or other code features are tied to DLCs?
There are a lot of maps that are tied to specific DLCs, and there's some AI-specific code that is as well. Those are enforced by xml more than anything else, because you would not have the controlling xml that makes them work if the expansion in question is not installed.
That said, there are other features that do require DLCs to work:
