Questions on Modding Alternate Start Bloodlines

[EscagirlUK]

so i love the alternate starts, playing as randomised religions and cultures and kingdoms, marrying my people off to humans and cats and elephants. but the alternate start bloodlines are kind of... really goddamn terrible. there's only 3. repeated several times.

so i've found where the alternate bloodlines live in the "bloodlines" file and where they exist in the "scripted events alternate start" file, and i've copied out and mostly edited the 3 "normal game" bloodlines i want to add into the alternate start bloodlines. (those being niall for tanistry, ragnarr because viking, and baldouin because why not?)

only. i don't really understand the scripted events stuff? it's not as straight-forward as when i just edited files back in the days of only base game where if i wanted equality for women all i needed to do was change a no to a yes or remove/copy&paste a line of text. i'm not great at coding, so i don't really know what i'm doing or what would affect other things or not.

so onto the questions.

1) The Scripted Events File

what the heck do the numbers before each of the random event options mean? the percentage chance of getting that specific bloodline, presumably?

if it is percentage chance, will adding new bloodlines adversely affect the event? like, if it has more than 50% total will it crash? or can i just add 3 new bloodlines with "5=create bloodline=bloodline ?" without worrying that the unused 50% is Somehow Magically Important?

random_list = {
20 = {
create_bloodline = {
type = random_world_bloodline_female_1
}
new_bloodline = {
set_description = "bloodline_description_random_world_1"
}
set_character_flag = random_world_bloodline

}
20 = {
create_bloodline = {
type = random_world_bloodline_female_2
}
new_bloodline = {
set_description = "bloodline_description_random_world_2"
}
set_character_flag = random_world_bloodline

}
5 = {
create_bloodline = {
type = random_world_bloodline_female_3
}
new_bloodline = {
set_description = "bloodline_description_random_world_3"
}
set_character_flag = random_world_bloodline
remove_trait = chaste
remove_trait = ugly
add_trait = seductress
add_trait = lustful
add_trait = fair
give_nickname = nick_the_fair
}

2) The Random Bloodlines

so the normal random bloodlines look like this

random_world_bloodline_male_1 = {
combat_rating = 5
monthly_character_prestige = 0.25
vassal_opinion = 5
bloodline_effect_great_heroes_appear = 1
inheritance = patrilineal
allow_bastards = yes
picture = GFX_bloodlines_symbol_lion
flags = { bloodline_heroes }
}

and one of the bloodlines i want to add is Ragnarr Lodbrok's. here i've removed the opinion modifiers, as a random game won't have those cultures/religions.

i am assuming the always viking effect is the bit that affects the "can always raid" thing his bloodline has. will a random game even recognise that line?

and the flags? should i leave them as-is or remove the two historical ones, leaving the bloodline_viking tag alone?

ragnarr_lodbrok = {
combat_rating = 8
pirate_opinion = 5
ravager_opinion = 5
seaking_opinion = 5
sea_queen_opinion = 5
bloodline_effect_always_viking = 1
inheritance = patrilineal
allow_bastards = yes
picture = GFX_bloodlines_symbol_norse
flags = { historical_bloodline bloodline_viking bloodline_historical_norse }

i just. have absolutely no idea what i'm doing. and would really appreciate some advice on this stuff.

 

[Whizzer]

1) The Scripted Events File

what the heck do the numbers before each of the random event options mean? the percentage chance of getting that specific bloodline, presumably?

if it is percentage chance, will adding new bloodlines adversely affect the event? like, if it has more than 50% total will it crash? or can i just add 3 new bloodlines with "5=create bloodline=bloodline ?" without worrying that the unused 50% is Somehow Magically Important?

The numbers determine the chance each option has. The likelihood any option is randomly picked is a weighted chance, meaning it's that option's weight divided by the sum of all weights.

2) The Random Bloodlines

i am assuming the always viking effect is the bit that affects the "can always raid" thing his bloodline has. will a random game even recognise that line?
and the flags? should i leave them as-is or remove the two historical ones, leaving the bloodline_viking tag alone?

To the best of my knowledge, bloodline_effect_always_viking = 1 is only there for the tooltip, but doesn't do anything mechanically. Effects of bloodlines are checked for, by means of their flags. Note that Ragnarr's bloodline doesn't allow characters to raid no matter what. Instead, it lets characters who can raid get the Viking traits, instead of the Pirate trait. You can find various checks for has_bloodline_flag = bloodline_viking in oldgods_various_events.txt and the Viking trait definitions.