How to Use Modding Tools in My Summer Car: A Beginner's Guide

My Summer Car offers a unique and deeply engaging experience, but for those looking to push the boundaries and customize their gameplay, modding is the answer. If you’re wondering How To Use Tools My Summer Car to create your own modifications, this guide is for you. We’ll walk you through the essential steps and tools to get started with modding this iconic game, even if you have no prior experience.

Getting Started with My Summer Car Modding Tools

So, you’re ready to dive into the world of My Summer Car modding? It might seem daunting at first, but with the right tools and guidance, you’ll be crafting your own game enhancements in no time. Let’s break down the initial steps and essential software you’ll need.

Essential Tool #1: Visual Studio – Your Coding Workshop

First and foremost, you need a robust Integrated Development Environment (IDE). Think of Visual Studio as your modding workshop. It’s where you’ll write, edit, and manage your code.

You can download the Community version of Visual Studio for free here: https://www.visualstudio.com/thank-you-downloading-visual-studio/?sku=Community&rel=15

Alt Text: Visual Studio Build Events settings showing how to add a post-build event command line to automatically copy mod DLL files to the My Summer Car Mods folder.

Essential Tool #2: MSCLoader – The Modding Foundation

MSCLoader is the backbone of My Summer Car modding. It’s a mod loader that allows you to inject your custom code into the game. Understanding how to use tools my summer car effectively starts with mastering MSCLoader.

Head over to the MSCLoader Wiki to download and learn how to set up your modding environment: https://github.com/piotrulos/MSCModLoader/wiki

Note: The wiki provides valuable information for both players and developers. You can choose to download either the x86 or x64 bit version of Unity, but reading the documentation for both perspectives is highly recommended.

Essential Tool #3: Developer Toolkit – Your In-Game Inspector

The Developer Toolkit plugin is an invaluable asset for any My Summer Car modder. It allows you to inspect and modify game objects directly within the game world in real-time. This saves significant time by eliminating the need to rebuild and restart the game every time you make a small change.

Download the Developer Toolkit here: http://www.racedepartment.com/downloads/plugin-developer-toolkit.17214/

Note: Some components and objects require references to the Assembly-CSharp.dll file, located in your My Summer Car game files (SteamsteamappscommonMy Summer Carmysummercar_DataManagedAssembly-CSharp.dll). This is particularly important for systems like the drivetrain to function correctly.

Making In-Game Modifications: Core Techniques

My Summer Car is built using the Unity engine, which provides a powerful framework for modding. Understanding basic Unity concepts is key to learning how to use tools my summer car for deeper modifications.

Accessing Game Objects: The Foundation

To modify anything in the game, you first need to access the game objects. Let’s start with the Satsuma, the iconic car in My Summer Car.

1. Declare a Game Object Variable:

GameObject satsuma; // Declaring a variable to hold the Satsuma object

2. Assign a Reference to the In-Game Object:

satsuma = GameObject.Find("SATSUMA(557kg, 248)"); // Finding the Satsuma object in the game world

Now, the satsuma variable holds a reference to the Satsuma game object. You can use this reference to access its properties, such as its position, rotation, and scale (using transform). You can also activate or deactivate the entire object.

Modifying Components: Changing Game Logic

To change how things work in My Summer Car, you’ll often need to modify components attached to game objects. Components are scripts that define the behavior of objects.

Accessing and Modifying a Component:

Let’s say you want to modify the Satsuma’s drivetrain.

drivetrain satsumaDriveTrain = GameObject.Find("SATSUMA(557kg, 248)").GetComponent<drivetrain>();

This code retrieves the drivetrain component attached to the Satsuma object. You can then access and modify variables and functions within the satsumaDriveTrain component to alter the car’s driving behavior.

Working with PlayMaker FSM: Advanced Game Logic

My Summer Car heavily utilizes PlayMaker, a visual scripting tool for Unity. PlayMaker Finite State Machines (FSMs) control much of the game’s logic. To make more advanced modifications, you might need to interact with PlayMaker FSMs.

Iterating Through PlayMaker Global Variables:

// Accessing and reading global PlayMaker variables
foreach (var flt in PlayMakerGlobals.Instance.Variables.FloatVariables) {
    switch (flt.Name) {
        case "PlayerCurrentVehicle":
            // This is actually a string variable, not a float
            string _carCurrent = flt.Value.ToString();
            break;
        case "PlayerFatigue":
            FsmFloat _fatigue = flt;
            break;
        case "PlayerThirst":
            FsmFloat _thirst = flt;
            break;
        case "PlayerHunger":
            FsmFloat _hunger = flt;
            break;
        case "PlayerStress":
            FsmFloat _stress = flt;
            break;
    }
}

This code snippet demonstrates how to loop through global PlayMaker float variables and access their values based on their names. You can adapt this for other variable types like BoolVariables, StringVariables, etc.

Detecting Player Driving Mode:

if (FsmVariables.GlobalVariables.FindFsmString("PlayerCurrentVehicle").Value != "") {
    // Player is in drive mode (in a vehicle)
}

This code checks the PlayerCurrentVehicle global PlayMaker string variable to determine if the player is currently driving a vehicle.

Incorporating Custom Assets: Expanding the Game

Modding isn’t just about tweaking existing game elements; it’s also about adding new content. Here’s how to use tools my summer car to import and use custom assets.

Loading and Using Custom Assets:

// Declare variables for the AssetBundle and GameObject
AssetBundle assets;
GameObject turbo;

// Load assets in the OnLoad method
assets = LoadAssets.LoadBundle(this, "turbo.unity3d"); // Load the AssetBundle
turbo = assets.LoadAsset("turbo_prefab.prefab") as GameObject; // Load a specific prefab from the bundle
assets.Unload(false); // Unload the AssetBundle to free up memory

// Instantiate and place the custom asset in the game world
turbo = GameObject.Instantiate(turbo); // Create an instance of the prefab

// OPTIONAL: Parent the new object to another object in the scene
turbo.transform.SetParent(GameObject.Find("satsu").transform, false); // Make it a child of "satsu"

// Set position, rotation, and scale
turbo.transform.localPosition = new Vector3(0.3f, 0.16f, 1.02f);
turbo.transform.localRotation = Quaternion.Euler(0f, 0f, 0f);
turbo.transform.localScale = new Vector3(0.0005f, 0.0005f, 0.0005f);

This code demonstrates how to load custom assets from an AssetBundle (turbo.unity3d), instantiate a prefab from that bundle (turbo_prefab.prefab), and place it in the game world.

Finding the Player Object: Accessing the Avatar

Locating the player object is crucial for many mods, but it can be slightly different from finding other objects because the player spawns later in the game loading process.

Finding the Player Object:

GameObject player = GameObject.Find("PLAYER"); // Simple way to find the player after OnLoad

This simple line of code, when executed after the OnLoad method has been called in your mod, will successfully find the player object. In earlier versions of MSCLoader, finding the player was trickier and often required workarounds like coroutines or update loops.

Older Methods for Finding the Player (Less Recommended Now):

1. Coroutine Method (Delaying Player Search):

void Something() {
    // Start a coroutine to delay the player search
    StartCoroutine(setup());
}

IEnumerator setup() {
    yield return new WaitForSeconds(15f); // Wait for 15 seconds
    ModConsole.Print("Success!"); // Player should be spawned by now
}

2. Update Method (Polling for Player Spawn):

public override void Update() {
    // Continuously check for the player object until it's found
    if(player == null)
        player = GameObject.Find("PLAYER");

    if(player != null) {
        // Run your mod code here once the player is found
    }
}

These older methods are generally not necessary with current MSCLoader versions, as OnLoad is called after the game is fully loaded and the player has spawned.

Streamlining Mod Development: Tips and Tricks

Modding can be iterative, and certain annoyances can slow down your workflow. Here are some tips to make your mod development process smoother.

Automating Mod File Copying

Manually copying your mod DLL file to the Mods folder every time you build can become tedious. Automate this process using Visual Studio’s Post-Build Event.

Setting up Post-Build Event in Visual Studio:

Right-click on your mod project in the Solution Explorer.
Select Properties.
Go to the Build Events tab.
In the Post-build event command line text area, add the following command:

copy /Y "$(TargetDir)$(TargetName).dll" "C:UsersYOURUSERNAMEDocumentsMySummerCarMods"

Remember to replace YOURUSERNAME with your actual Windows username. This command will automatically copy the compiled DLL file to your My Summer Car Mods folder after each successful build.

Game Restarts and Iteration

Unfortunately, there’s currently no way to avoid restarting the game to test your mods. This is just part of the My Summer Car modding workflow.

Handling User Feedback: Staying Positive

When you release your mods, you might encounter negative feedback, sometimes due to incorrect installation, pirated game copies, or unrealistic expectations. The best approach is to brush off unwarranted negativity and focus on constructive feedback. If you enjoy creating, keep creating!

My Modding Journey and Resources

My personal modding experience has been incredibly rewarding. While my focus has shifted recently, I wanted to share this guide to help others get started.

MySummerMultiMod: http://www.racedepartment.com/downloads/mysummermultimod.19405/

Useful Links for My Summer Car Modding: