Creating a Mod

To create a mod that can be loaded by the game, you need to follow a few steps to set up the necessary files and structure.

1. Create a Mod Directory

   I’d recommend starting by copying the example mod thats already in the mods directory. It contains the mod.cextreme file that is required for the game to recognize it as a mod. Rename the directory to your desired mod name.

2. Edit the mod.cextreme File

   Open the mod.cextreme file in a text editor. This file contains metadata about your mod. You should update the following fields with the appropriate information: - name - version - author - description

It’s very basic, but it works. This is all you need to actually start a mod, if you want to actually add custom content, go to the pages below:

• \sprites.ini
  • Piece Codes
  • [DEFAULT]
• \explosions.ini
  • Piece Codes
  • [PIECE_EXPLOSIONS]
  • [EXPLOSIONS]
  • [NUKE_FINISH]
• SFX Editing
• Utilities
  • Setting Up
  • Using the Utility

General Knowledge

There are a couple things to keep in mind that should help out when editing any of the .ini files.

Ini File Basics

Skip this if you are already familiar with .ini files and their structure.

• Comments in the .ini files are denoted by a semicolon ;. Anything following a semicolon on a line is ignored by the game.

• Each section in the .ini files is defined by square brackets []. The text within the brackets indicates the specific piece or animation state being defined.

• Key-value pairs within each section are formatted as key=value. The key represents a specific attribute, and the value defines its setting.

• Ensure there are no spaces around the equal sign = in key-value pairs, as this can lead to parsing errors.

• File paths in the .ini files should use backslashes as directory separators, as this is the standard for Windows file paths. If you dont have a key on your keyboard for it, you can just copy the backslashes from other sections.

Chess Extreme Specifics

• When specifying file paths, ensure they are relative to the location of the executable (e.g., ChessExtreme.exe). This is just so its easy to keep the game portable.

• Always double-check the spelling and case sensitivity of file names and paths, as incorrect entries can lead to missing assets or errors.

• Chess piece identifiers follow a specific format, such as W - P for White Pawn. Exceptions to this rule is the Knight (N), which use different letters to avoid conflicts.