Name: Skilled Survivors Stay Home Series
Version: 1.04
Author: Mystyk (star-mystyk)
Release Thread: https://forums.undeadlabs.com/threads/mod-skilled-survivors-stay-home.40460



Description:
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Prevents those survivors with essential skills from leaving your base and having the status Away From Home. There are still plenty of other people available for those missions that may need them.

Essential skills include Medic, Chef, Mechanic, Gardener, Counsellor, among others.
*New* Cowards and slackers now don't leave home, either. What coward goes out and hunts freaks? I know I wouldn't :-)


There are three flavours for Breakdown. Choose only one to install.

1 - Heroes Stay Home - All heroes only, no one else.
2 - Skilled Survivors Stay Home - Only skilled survivors and skilled heroes.
3 - Heroes & Skilled Survivors Stay Home - Both mods merged into one. All Heroes and all skilled survivors.
4 - Storymode - For storymode only. Can be installed at the same time as another flavour above due to it being in a different directory.
5 - Lifeline - For Lifeline only. Can be installed at the same time as another flavour above due to it being in a different directory.

Flavours 2, 3 and 4 have been updated to version 1.04 to incorporate the minor change. But, the entire mod (except Lifeline) is now version 1.04 as well.

If installing for the first time, or wanting to switch to a different flavour, it's best to start a new game to have the changes take effect properly.
It used to be that mods that edited files in the rts folder required a new game but, now, not necessarily. As long as the altered characters have not spawned yet any changes should apply once they have appeared in the game.
It's untested (by me) but even going to the next Breakdown level might be enough, rather than starting a new game entirely.
For storymode, that's a bit different, due to not having levels. If any skilled characters are away from home then simply updating the characters file won't do anything. You may need to start a new game depending on what type of characters have already spawned.


There's also a separate download added, partially by request, that prevents Skilled people going missing. The main times people go missing are due to Too Many Hordes and Too Many Infestations events. It doesn't prevent people leaving due to a food shortage or bad community reputation, though.
If there are any issues with this file let me know.
The install path for that one is the same as the other files here. But, due to the coding its best used in conjunction with a Breakdown or Storymode Stay Home file listed above (flavours 2 or 3 & 4). I haven't yet done the Lifeline file, but it might not be needed. Have you seen anyone have the Missing status in Lifeline? I haven't so far.


Installation:
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1. Back up your characters.win.bmd and fatecards.win.bmd* files (If there are any. If not, go to step 2)
2. Extract the files to a temporary location.
3. You'll end up with 4 folders (plus this Readme file)
4. Pick a flavour - (1-3 are for Breakdown only). Inside each folder is a Game folder.
5. Add the contents of a Game folder to *your* Game folder (Steam--SteamApps--common--State of Decay--Game)
6. If there are no changes to your current game, start a new one, or go to the next Breakdown level (flavours 1-3 only).
(*fatecards is from the optional file on the download page)


Uninstall:
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Simply delete characters.win.bmd and fatecards.win.bmd then restore your backup, if you needed to make one.
Location for Storymode: Steam--SteamApps--common--State of Decay--Game--libs--class3--rts--characters.win.bmd
Location for Breakdown: Steam--SteamApps--common--State of Decay--Game--libs--class3.1--rts--characters.win.bmd, fatecards.win.bmd
Location for Lifeline: Steam--SteamApps--common--State of Decay--Game--libs--class3.2--rts--characters.win.bmd


Requirements:
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Flavours 1-3 are for Breakdown only.
Flavour 4 is for Storymode only.
Flavour 5 is for Lifeline only.


Notes:
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Due to recent events, in case it's not clear for new players, or those who have never modded before - my mods are not modders resources. They may not be edited and re-uploaded. You can do it for your own game (merge them with other mods, tweak things to your liking, etc) but re-releasing is not allowed.
If any such knock-offs are found they'll be reported and removed fairly quickly. When uploading any mod there are two sections covering permissions as well as a check box. But, those who blindly check that box without reading the text likely wouldn't be reading this readme, anyway :-)
Every modder is different but, mine have been the same since 2006 (when I first started modding with TES IV Oblivion).



Tools Used:
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SoDET
xml2bmd
Notepad++
WinMerge
Readme Generator


Lastly, I mod for myself and upload them for others to use if they wish to. If you don't like something I've done I don't really care, just hit the back button and leave quietly, lest your troll comment be deleted and reported.