Adding a Creature Variant

Written by JasonFJ - Original Post
Updated by MorkOz

Here's a step-by-step breakdown of how to add your own dino variants in the game. This is a no-frills approach using the GenericMod as a starting point.. but it will get you up and running on both solo and dedicated server hosted games and allow spawning of your new variant.

(re-created the thread because I couldn't remove the 'in-progress' from the old thread title)

CREATE THE DINO ENTRY

• Copy PrimalEarth/CoreBlueprints/DinoEntries/DinoEntry_Para to your mod folder
• Rename your copy to "DinoEntry_MyPara"
• Edit the file and change Dino Name Tag from "Para" to "MyPara".
• In the same file, change Dino Descriptive Name to "Parasaur Ingame Name"
• Compile and Save.

REFERENCE DINO ENTRY IN YOUR PRIMALGAMEDATA

• Edit PrimalGameData_BP in your mod folder.
• Locate Additional Dino Entries and click the + sign
• Click the dropdown and select your new "DinoEntry_MyPara"
• Compile and Save.

CREATE YOUR DINO VARIANT AND REFERENCE IT VIA TAGS

• Copy PrimalEarth/CoreBlueprints/Dinos/Para/Para_Character_BP to your mod folder
• Rename your copy to "MyPara_Character_BP" and edit it

Don't change tags if you want the Vanilla saddle or other modded saddles to work with your Variant

• Locate Dino Name Tag and change it to "MyPara". Make sure it sticks (if you tab out it can revert)
• Locate Custom Tag and change it to "MyPara". This is used by PrimalItemArmor_(dino name)Saddle.. leave it default if you want to share saddle engram. Make sure it sticks (if you tab out it can revert).
• Locate Descriptive Name and change it to "Parasaur Ingame Name"
• Do whatever stats/colors/stuff you want to make it unique a bit.
• Compile and Save.

ADD YOUR DINO VARIANT TO SPAWN GROUPS

TODO: Update this part of the guide to use PrimalGameData spawn entry addition, rather than remap the spawnentries

• Copy PrimalEarth/CoreBlueprints/Spawners/DinoSpawnEntriesGrasslands to your mod folder
• Rename your copy to "DinoSpawnEntriesGrasslands_MyMod" and EDIT it
• Locate NPCSpawnEntries and click +
• Click on the newly created entry (11 if this is the first time) and expose the fields
• For An Entry Name put "MyPara (1)" - where 1 is just a text value to remind you it's 1 dino spawning only
• For NPCs to Spawn, click + .. then in the newly create 0 field, click the dropdown and choose "MyPara_Character_BP"
• For NPCs Spawn Offsets, click + ... and leave everything default. Note: if you are spawning more than 1, make X value 300.
• For NPCs to Spawn Percentage Chance, click +... and add 1 into the field
• For Entry Weight put in a value between 0.0 and 1.0. e.g. 0.12 = 12% to spawn
• Leave all other entries default.
• Locate NPCSpawn Limits and click +
• Click on the newly created entry (11 if this is the first time) and expose the fields
• For NPCClass dropdown select "MyPara_Character_BP"
• For Max Percentage Of Desired Num to Allow enter 0.5
• Compile and Save.

LINK THE UPDATED SPAWNER TO YOUR MOD

• Go back to your PrimalGameData_BP_MyMod and edit it
• Locate Remap NPCSpawn Entries and click +
• Under 0, change From Class dropdown to "DinoSpawnEntriesGrasslands"
• Under 0, change To Class dropdown to "DinoSpawnEntriesGrasslands_MyMod"
• Compile and Save

COOK AND SAVE YOUR MOD

NOTE: Existing worlds will take time to re-populate new spawners. If you want instant visibility of your new dino/spawner... and are comfortable resetting all tamed and wild dinos on your map (bad for public servers!).. you can issue the "cheat destroyallenemies" command. This will delete *all* dinos including tamed ones. As you move around the map you will start to see your new dinos appear as configured in your spawner definition.