Modding FUZZ_Crimes.xtbl The Wrong Way And The Right Way

[Unapologetic Miscreant]

When modding I will sometimes take a shortcut instead of doing things properly
and it almost always causes me more trouble in the end then just doing
the job correctly would have.

I cite as my example: FUZZ - specifically the roller skaters. I really dislike that
particular assignment. So I thought I'd just mod it out.

To do so I opened up the 'fuzz_crimes.xtbl' Then I searched for skaters and when I found
the entry:

<Crime>
        <Name>(L3) Skaters</Name>
        <Crime_Type_ID>37</Crime_Type_ID>
        <Crime_Level>3</Crime_Level>
        <Dispatch_Audio>dispatch - fuzz skateboarders</Dispatch_Audio>
        <Crime_Description>ACT_FUZZ_CRIME_SKATERS</Crime_Description>
        <Flags>
            <Flag>perps_never_cower_or_flee</Flag>
            </Flags>
        <Group_1_Characters>
            <Group_1_Character>
                <Name>npc_skater</Name>
                <Spawn_Chance>100</Spawn_Chance>
                </Group_1_Character>
            </Group_1_Characters>
        <_Editor>
            <Category>Entries:Level 3</Category>
            </_Editor>
        <Bonus_Complications>
            <Bonus_Complication>
                <Chance>1.0</Chance>
                <Weapon>satchel</Weapon>
                <Ammo>-1</Ammo>
                <Cameraman_Persona_Situation>fuzz - use weapon satchel charges</Cameraman_Persona_Situation>
                <Ignore_Max_Complications>False</Ignore_Max_Complications>
                </Bonus_Complication>
            </Bonus_Complications>
        </Crime>

I just deleted it and remade my patch.

Since I had already completed the Suburbs FUZZ activity I went on the the one in The Projects
and it turns out my little editing job had an unintended consequence. Sometimes I couldn't complete
my assignments. Even though I had finished the objective (IE killing the postal worker or the steroid
pusher, the activity kept showing a red marker for them on the map and the next assignment wouldn't trigger.

This was an annoyance, but nothing that restarting couldn't fix so I was going to leave it alone and
write a tutorial about it, but then I thought about ImpulseOfSword2007's mod
https://www.saintsrowmods.com/forum/threads/fuzz-crimes-restoration-mod.15604/#post-135316
and decided to mention how missing objectives were added back into the activity. That was when
I discovered that my thinking was all wrong on how to add and remove certain crimes from the activity.

Instead of deleting a whole chunk of code and causing the activity to glitch in the process I only needed to change
1 number in the script.

<Crime>
        <Name>(L3) Skaters</Name>
        <Crime_Type_ID>37</Crime_Type_ID>
        <Crime_Level>3</Crime_Level>
        <Dispatch_Audio>dispatch - fuzz skateboarders</Dispatch_Audio>
        <Crime_Description>ACT_FUZZ_CRIME_SKATERS</Crime_Description>
        <Flags>
            <Flag>perps_never_cower_or_flee</Flag>
            </Flags>
        <Group_1_Characters>
            <Group_1_Character>
                <Name>npc_skater</Name>
                <Spawn_Chance>100</Spawn_Chance>
                </Group_1_Character>
            </Group_1_Characters>
        <_Editor>
            <Category>Entries:Level 3</Category>
            </_Editor>
        <Bonus_Complications>
            <Bonus_Complication>
                <Chance>1.0</Chance>
                <Weapon>satchel</Weapon>
                <Ammo>-1</Ammo>
                <Cameraman_Persona_Situation>fuzz - use weapon satchel charges</Cameraman_Persona_Situation>
                <Ignore_Max_Complications>False</Ignore_Max_Complications>
                </Bonus_Complication>
            </Bonus_Complications>
        </Crime>

Just change the <Crime_Level>3</Crime_Level line to a level that is not present in the activity. For instance:

<Crime_Level>99</Crime_Level

then the "crime" just won't be activated.

NOTE: Even though I read through ImpulseOfSwords2007's 'Fuzz_Crimes.xtbl' this is from my own file instead of theirs.
(The reason I am not "quoting" their mod is that I haven't asked for permission)

-Observation-

When I write a tutorial, I try to anticipate all questions and scenarios and sometimes those scenarios include
What did I do wrong? or Is there a better way to do this? So this little tutorial was written in those goals in mind.

 

[reina3]

Honestly, most guides just go over very niche stuff like replacing model or sound assets, few go into changing specific aspects of gameplay since they're usually released as their own mods, with or without explanation on how it was done.
As long you're consistent with forum titles like having the .xtbl names you're on a good track!