Custom
A few elements of the Archipelago mod can be customised. This page explains how to set up and use these customisations.
The Vinyl shop menu, with no definition file present.
By default, items for other games in the Multiworld will have a generic Archipelago icon to represent them. This can be changed by creating item definition files for various games. To do this, create a directory with the target game's name in the mod_overrides\Archipelago\Sprites directory. For this example, we'll use Super Mario 64, so we'd create a directory called Super Mario 64.
Within our new directory, copy PNG files to serve as the sprites for the items in the game and then create a file called items.json. For each item, we want to add a definition. Let's add a definition for Super Mario 64's Power Stars, and another for the Cannon Unlocks found throughout the game (make sure the JSON begins with a [ character and ends with a ] character. An editor such as Visual Studio Code will highlight syntax errors).
{
"ItemNames": [
"Power Star"
],
"Description": "A large golden star with eyes. A large amount of radiant power can be felt within it.",
"SpriteName": "Power Star"
} {
"ItemNames": [
"Cannon Unlock BoB",
"Cannon Unlock CCM",
"Cannon Unlock JRB",
"Cannon Unlock RR",
"Cannon Unlock SL",
"Cannon Unlock SSL",
"Cannon Unlock THI",
"Cannon Unlock TTM",
"Cannon Unlock WDW",
"Cannon Unlock WF"
],
"Description": null,
"SpriteName": "Cannon Unlock"
},
{
"ItemNames": [
"Metal Cap"
],
"Description": "A hat made of solid steel, protecting the wearer from all but the strongest forms of damage.",
"SpriteName": "Metal Cap"
}The ItemNames key is an array of strings, which tells the game what items this entry is for. In the Cannon Unlock example, we've added the various different cannon unlock item names to this list, which will make each of them use this same entry.
The Descriptions key should contain a short message to display in the shop menu. If this is not present (or left null as in the Cannon Unlock example) then the shop will simply read `An item for [x]'s [y].".
Finally, the SpriteName key should contain the name of the PNG file for this item definition (minus the file extension). This is the sprite that will be used to replace the Archipelago logo for this item. If this is not present, left null or the file doesn't exist then the sprite will fall back on its usual Archipelago logo version.
The Vinyl shop menu, with a properly set up definition file present.
A template file can be created for any games present in the Archipelago Cache Directory (found at %localappdata%\Archipelago\Cache) by pressing the F9 key or Select button while on the connection menu. These template files can then be found in the mod_overrides\Archipelago\Template Sprite Definitions directory. Each item found in the game's cache will be given an entry with no description and an identically named sprite name reference.
The moon in the background of the Merga boss arena can be replaced with a sprite intended to represent another game within the multiworld. To set this up create a directory with the target game's name in the mod_overrides\Archipelago\Sprites directory. For this example, we'll use The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask, so we'd create a directory called Majora's Mask Recompiled (as that is the name of the game definition in the implementation).
Then we simply place a PNG file (ideally one that is 230x230 pixels large) into the new folder and call it merga_moon.png. With this in place, any multiworld sessions that also have Majora's Mask present will replace the moon with our custom image. If multiple games with a merga_moon.png file are present, then one will be selected at random each time the stage is loaded.
The custom sounds folder, with files for the Items To Bombs, Mirror Trap and Spike Ball Trap items.
In addition to the sound of the message label, a custom sound can be made to play for each type of item received. To set this up place WAV files with the name of the item into the mod_overrides\Archipelago\Sounds directory. The names of the files are case insensitive.
Any messages sent by players in a text client show up in game. By default the Archipelago logo will be used to represent them. If a PNG file with the player's name was found in the mod_overrides\Archipelago\Players directory then the icon will instead be replaced with the image loaded. For best results these images should be 76x76 pixels large, other sizes will end up offset from the dialog box, as the portraits the game uses have unusual origin points set.