Lang File Instructions
The language file (lang for short) is a file from which all text is referenced in-game. This can be freely edited by the player.
Editing the lang is actually a simple process:
- Locate your folder for Nuclear Throne. On Steam this is by default located at 'C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps\common\Nuclear Throne'
- There will be a file called 'lang-example', which is the template. Make a copy and rename it to just 'lang'.
- If the lang-example is missing, it's also included when installing NTT.
- If file extensions are showing, this will be saved as 'lang.ini'. If file extensions are off, then just having it saved as 'lang' is fine.
- The lang file can be opened with any text editor program, such as Notepad, to be edited. The sections below will further detail specific editing.
- Once saved, any changes will be seen in-game the next time it is launched. Be sure to create a backup of the game files to not lose your work.
Localization support: There are a few fan-made translations that can be used in NT by simply placing it within your games folder.
For NTT usage: Running the command '/loadloc lang' will load the lang file into that session. If you want the lang to load every time the game is launched create a file called 'startup.txt.' in the mods folder. Write in this folder the same command you would use in-game, being '/loadloc lang', and save.
Lang File Editing
The lang file is split up into categories, with each category name in brackets. While anything in the lang file can be edited, only edit things AFTER the = (equal sign) on any line, as this is all the text that actually appears in game - everything before the equal sign is classification which directs the game on when to display that text.
Additional lines for screen tips can only be added in the 2023 beta forwards, which should include v100. In older versions the game will simply not register extra lines. To add more tips simply make a line break, copy the line from above and paste it onto the new line, increasing the tip number on it by one.
The font used in-game is the 'Press Start' font, though likely a modified version. This is a font that only supports base ASCII characters, so any text edits using other unicode will not appear in-game. Only 'Press Start 2P' font supports other unicode which is used in fan projects, but not within NT itself.
Text can be highlighted with a few colors. Use @ then a letter from the list below to signify what color it should be. @s is used to end the highlight there - though what it's actually doing is resetting the color to the default, being Silver. Multiple colors can be used within the same line.
- @s for the color silver (default color)
- @d for the color dark gray
- @w for the color white
- @r for the color red
- @b for the color blue
- @g for the color green
- @y for the color yellow
- @p for the color purple
There are a few other non-color effects which can also be used. These may not function in every part of text editing, but definitely will for loading screen tips.
- @q will make text shaky, it is used for cursed weapon screen tips. Putting @q repeatedly will increase the shakiness.
- @0 for a weird fish symbol.
- @(sprite) inserts a sprite into the text. A full list of sprites can be found here.
- Advanced options for sprite usage can be found here.
- # can be used as a line break, but only if the entire line is surrounded in quotation marks e.g. "A BARE HEAD#IS A FAIR HEAD"
Lang File Categories
The following list will cover many categories from the lang file, though not fully comprehensive. Ctrl+F can be used to search the text document and quickly jump to a category, this list is not in order of how they appear in the lang file.
- [Races] refers to mutants.
- Name, Passive & Active are all seen from the character select screen.
- TB & Ultras are shown during mutation select screens.
- (ID 0 is used for Random character, while its ultras are used to store the co-op options.)
- Text seen during level transitions:
- [Tips] includes most screen tips, which appears during level transitions.
- (Screen tips for Skills, Crowns & Weapons are all listed in their respective categories instead.)
- [GenCont] is the loading screen text.
- Text seen in-game:
- [Weapons] will list all the weapon names upon walking over them and their screen tips. Not all weapons have screen tips by default.
- [Ammo] specifies the ammo type whenever ammo is gained.
- [HUD] is for on-screen text when on low/no pickups, and other misc. elements.
- 0 is Melee, 1 is Bullets, 2 is Shells, 3 is Bolts, 4 is Explosives and 5 is Energy.
- [Pickups] is used for the on-screen text when at full pickups, and what numbers appear when gaining pickups visually.
- [Bosses] is the text that appears during boss intros, if toggled on in settings.
- Text seen on selection screens:
- [Skills] is for mutations. This includes the name/text on the mutation select screen, as well as their screen tips.
- [Crowns] similarly lists the name/text on the crown select screen, as well as their screen tips.
- [LevCont] is all the other text that appears on mutation/crown select screens and level up text.
- Text seen on the pause menu:
- [PauseMenu] is the menu navigation buttons seen on pause.
- [Area] is the current area that appears on the pause menu and game over/victory screens.
- [ModeNotice] is to signify special runs on character select and the pause screen, such as hardmode.
- Text seen on the game end screen:
- [GameOver] includes all of the text seen on the game over and victory screens.
- [CauseOfDeath] is used on NTT. On the game over screen the death source can be hovered over to see its name.
- Text seen on the main menu:
- [MainMenu] is for all the buttons on the main menu.
- [PlayMenu] is the second menu pulled up upon hitting the 'Play' button.
- [Stats] is used for everything seen in the stats menu. The actual numbers can only be modified via save editing.
Screen Tips Classifications
The following tables are the requirements for each screen tip to appear in game, and how many tips are within the category by default.
Screen Tip Classification |
||
---|---|---|
General | Appears anywhere | 51 Tips |
Tutorial | When playing the tutorial | 4 Tips |
Daily | When playing the daily | 6 Tips |
Weekly | When playing the weekly | 5 Tips |
Hardmode | When playing hardmode | 8 Tips |
Coop | When playing co-op | 12 Tips |
Curse | Holding a cursed weapon | 5 Tips |
Low | When below 4 HP | 5 Tips |
Loop | When in loop | 8 Tips |
Tip Groupings |
||
Areas | Being in a specific area | 67 Tips |
Races | Playing as a specific mutant | 112 Tips |
Ultras | Having either ultra on a character | 49 Tips |
Skills | Having a mutation | 29 Tips |
Crowns | Having a crown | 16 Tips |
Weapons | Primary weapon held | 116 Tips |
Area # | Area Name | Tip Count | Area # | Secret Area Name | Tip Count |
Area:0 | Campfire (Loop) | 3 Tips | Area:100 | Vaults | 1 Tip |
Area:1 | Desert | 7 Tips | Area:101 | Oasis | 4 Tips |
Area:2 | Sewers | 8 Tips | Area:102 | Pizza Sewers | 2 Tips |
Area:3 | Scrapyards | 8 Tips | Area:103 | Y.V.'s Mansion | 4 Tips |
Area:4 | Crystal Caves | 6 Tips | Area:104 | Cursed Crystal Caves | 4 Tips |
Area:5 | Frozen City | 6 Tips | Area:105 | Jungle | 4 Tips |
Area:6 | Labs | 3 Tips | Area:106 | IDPD HQ | 0 Tips |
Area:7 | Palace | 2 Tips | Area:107 | Y.V.'s Crib | 5 Tips |
Race | Mutant | Mutant Tips Count | Ultra Tips Count |
Race 0 | Random | 7 Tips | 1 Tip |
Race 1 | Fish | 6 Tips | 2 Tips |
Race 2 | Crystal | 2 Tips | 2 Tips |
Race 3 | Eyes | 5 Tips | 3 Tips |
Race 4 | Melting | 6 Tips | 2 Tips |
Race 5 | Plant | 7 Tips | 1 Tip |
Race 6 | Y.V. | 16 Tips | 9 Tips |
Race 7 | Steroids | 8 Tips | 2 Tips |
Race 8 | Robot | 7 Tips | 4 Tips |
Race 9 | Chicken | 8 Tips | 3 Tips |
Race 10 | Rebel | 9 Tips | 2 Tips |
Race 11 | Horror | 8 Tips | 3 Tips |
Race 12 | Rogue | 6 Tips | 3 Tips |
Race 13 | Big Dog (Playable) | 2 Tips | 3 Tips |
Race 14 | Skeleton | 4 Tips | 3 Tips |
Race 15 | Frog | 9 Tips | 5 Tips |
Race 16 | Cuz (Unused) | 2 Tips | 1 Tip |