"(Race).ini File" refers to the primary .ini file that defines an alien race.1 The "(race)" part is replaced in an actual file, usually by the name of the race it defines. For example: zorg.ini.
The (race).ini file is but one of several files you need in your mod to create a new alien race. For more information about the other files, see the Races page.
The (race).ini file is like other .ini files in that it's a plain text file the game accesses to load and generate a component of the game - in this case, alien races, their homeworlds, and their fleets of ships.
The (race).ini file must be placed in the gamedata/races folder.
List of Codes
The following list of codes and commands includes everything that should appear in a (race).ini file. The ones in bold are the things you probably need in the file in order for it to work properly. Skip those at your own risk.
- NAM1
- NAM2
- FLAG
- PNAM
- PTYP
- SNAM
- STYP
- GFXP
- MUSC
- MUSV
- COLR
- NFLT
- NSTR
- SCRE
- SCRF
- SCRD
- TEXT description
- END
- TEXT demeanor
- END
- TEXT trade
- END
- TEXT hometrade
- <color> - for more information, see color
- END
- TEXT greetfriendly
- END
- TEXT greetneutral
- END
- TEXT greethostile
- END
Then the following SHIP block is repeated for each ship type they have.
After all the SHIP blocks, you get the FLET block:
- FLET
- FORM
- SHP0
- SHP1 (on up to SHP9 if you'd like)
- FLT0
- FLT1 (on up to FLT9 in most cases, and then FLTA to FLTF if you'd like to expand it further.)
- HFL0 - only required if your alien race has a homeworld.
- HFL1 - only required if your alien race has a homeworld.
- HFL2 - only required if your alien race has a homeworld.
- HFL3 - only required if your alien race has a homeworld.
- HFL4 - only required if your alien race has a homeworld.
- DIF0
- DIF1
- DIF2
- DIF3
- DIF4
- END