Modding[]
Modding within blockscape is being designed in order that the end-user will be able to control the look and feel of the world, Currently there are three ways in which a user can change their experience in blockscape.
The three ways users can modify the game[]
Models[]
Users can make models of anything they build in the world of blockscape and then use them as shapes to create copies of that design, examples of this include lamp post and walls.
Texture packs[]
Texture packs enable you to change the look of each block (minus the plastic blocks) into another texture, this will not change the naming of the block I.E cobble, grass, brick but instead will change how it looks in the world.
External editors and viewers[]
Some of the blockscape users with programming experience have designed tools to use in relation to blockscape, these tools enable the user to more easily design in the world of blockscape, those include but are not limited to model editors that export the needed file to use a model, or overlays which gives the user a window to use while within blockscape.
Editing your game[]
Below is a list of files and folders that can be customized with a short description of its use:
- Blockscape\Tools ~ This folder found where you installed blockscape holds all the model shapes both default and custom
- {User}\Application Data\Blockscape ~ this folder can vary in location and naming depending on the OS and can be hidden from normal users if you have system files hidden. as far as naming goes {User} is the username that you are using on the computer, and Application Data can also be named as App Data depending on OS (Best way to find this folder is doing a search for Blockscape which will list both this folder and the one where blockscape is installed). This folder is needed to be edited in order for any changes to take effect like textures and skies.
- Stone2.png ~ This file found where you installed blockscape is the current texture pack, editing this will alter what each block looks like.
- sky_base.png, sky_night1.png, sky_night2.png ~ These files found where you installed blockscape are the current files being used to render the sun and the moon along with the stars around the moon during night.
- special.png ~ This file found where you installed blockscape is the electricity blocks textures, editing this will alter what each block looks like.
- blockmodeldump.xml ~ is found in your Blockscapes Users Application Data is were you model get copied to if you made a model ingame that you were trying to save with Ctrl+S, this file gets overwritten each time you hit Ctrl+S so it is suggested that when you capture a model that you make a copy of this once you exit the game.
- assets_cache.version ~ is found in your Blockscapes Users Application Data is what stores the current texture pack, this is one of the files that needs to be deleted if you want to use a custom stone2.png file.
- savegame#.blockscape ~ these are found in your Blockscapes Users Application Data is one of your saved maps, with # being the number save that it is, it is suggested that you name your save files in game with a number at the end in relation to which save file as it will make it much easier to locate as save games do not show the name you game them here.
- _________.bin ~ are found in your Blockscapes Users Application Data and need to be deleted if you add a custom sky and sometimes needed to be deleted if the custom texture pack does not show. there are about 110 of them within this folder.
Making Models[]
Unless using a outside program models are created by users building something in game like a wall, standing in front of the design and pressing Ctrl+S on the keyboard (topically the character with jump back a little) which builds the blockmodeldump.xml file inside the application data folder, the user then goes out of blockscape takes this file out of the application data folder and copies it to the Blockscape\Tools folder and then renames the file in the tools folder whatever they wish in order to identify the model in game. once you restart the game the model will me in your shapes section when you press E in game.
Making Texture packs[]
Texture packs are currently used with one or many of the following files:stone2.png, sky_base.png, sky_night1.png, sky_night2.png, and special.png (for a description of each see Editing your Game)
Each file contains items that can be replaced, the stone2.png and special.png have blocks in it that are 128x128 overlaying another block that is 128x128 will replace the one underneath and show your block in game instead. once you save your file replace your old files with the new ones in the blockscape folder where your game is installed and then go into the Application Data folder and delete assets_cache.version, this will refresh your textures on the next start up, if that does not work you will need to delete assets_cache.version again and all the .bin files in the folder as well.
Making use of external editors and viewers[]
Model editors made by the community are used to make models outside of the game, they create the .xml file in order for you to play it in the blockscape/tools folder, these editors differ in how they are used but can be found in the modding area of the official forum along with some instructions on how they are used, this is the case for viewers also.