Adding ships into FL Vanillia

To change the weapon class of hardpoint that can hold, make changes in DATA\SHIPS*shiparch.ini* file for particular [Ship] with adjusting hp_type = entry!

Just compare two different ships or copy from one that has desired results.

Here is one MOD that does exactly that!

Welcome to TSP, DragonRider ^^

Hi DragonRider, and welcome to the starport!

Have a look here, that should cover your hardpoint related questions. If not, feel free to ask!
Need Help with First Time Editing: Ships and Weapons

About new ships: Are you more interested in the modeling side, or in the coding part of it? Maybe this helps:
drizzt4.0 ship creating tutorialv1.5 This tutorial already is a bit older, and by now there might be some better alternatives to the tools used. I am pretty sure there are newer exporters available, and instead of fl_ids you might want to try other tools like flDev. On top of that I suggest you don’t edit the files directly in your Freelancer installation folder though, but make use of the mod manager tool instead.

DragonRider wrote:
I’m more into just adding ships in the game. Like for example I want to add a ship from Discovery mod to my SP game (in such case I will ask the owners of the ship itself). And, as I mentioned, changing the hardpoints.
Another thing. When I want to add a ship from an existing mod, what files do I need to copy and where do I need to put them?

Hiyo. “Ship” in game contains section in ships/shiparch.ini, 3 files of model itself (cmp, mat, sur), and 2 entries in equipment/goods.ini.
By the logic, you have to use HardCMP to be able to view CMPs (3d model files) (it is also a program to add/edit hardpoints), find your model [get a files], copy filename, use search in shiparch.ini for this string [get a shiparch section of ship], then get a ship nickname, then search for it in goods.ini for 2 entries left. Copypaste all of this to your mod and edit as you want. And last thing you need is to make ship selling somewhere, try using something like Freelancer Explorer for this purpose.
Good luck in your useless intention, feel free to ask anything.

DragonRider wrote:
When I want to add a ship from an existing mod, what files do I need to copy and where do I need to put them?

You will need the following parts and files:

shiparch.ini
[ship], optionally multiple [CollisionGroup], if present directly below, and the referenced [simple] entrys
You will also need the referenced model (cmp), textures (mat) and collision box (sur) files.

Goods.ini
[Good] named “<yourshipnameabbrhere>_hull”
Also copy the referenced hud icon model file (3db).
[Package] named “<yourshipnameabbrhere>_package”
Depending on whether custom ones are used, you will also need the equipment stuff referenced in the package, usually a power and an engine, you will find those in the …_equip.ini files, usually misc_equip.ini and engine_equip.ini some of this equipment stuff might also have/need a [Good] entry from one of the …_Goods.ini files

I don’t have Freelancer installed currently so I can’t check whether that is all. I would suggest you try to create a working modified copy of a vanilla ship’s entries first to get used to what stuff you need for a working ship.

edit:

NovaII wrote:
try using something like Freelancer Explorer for this purpose.

Be careful with this tool, it likes to restructure your files and sometimes messes up, at least that is my experience. Create a backup of yout files before you use it, or do it by hand like it is done in the ship creating tutorial I linked before.</yourshipnameabbrhere></yourshipnameabbrhere>