If you are not an experienced modder this will be a big task. Use notepad++ "Find in Files" and "Compare" features.

Add the new planet entity to the entity.manifest and update the count.

Here is a look at the top of PlanetOcean.entity

TXT
entityType "Planet"
meshInfoCount 1
meshInfo
     typeNameStringID "IDS_PLANETTYPE_OCEAN" <--- String\English.str (planet name)
    asteroidTemplate "Sparse"
    dustCloudTemplate "IceSafe"
    meshName "Planet_Ocean_0" <--- Mesh\PlanetOcean.mesh ---> Textures\2 Planet textures
    cloudColor ff7f808a
    nullMeshRadius 0.000000
    nullMeshParticleEffect ""
    hudIcon "HUDICON_PLANET_OCEAN0" <---- Windows\Brush file ---> Textures\Planets
    smallHudIcon "HUDICONSMALL_PLANET_OCEAN0" <---- Windows\Brush file ---> Textures\Planets
    infoCardIcon "INFOCARDICON_PLANET_OCEAN0" <---- Windows\Brush file ---> Textures\Planets
    mainViewIcon "MAINVIEWICON_PLANET_OCEAN0" <---- Windows\Brush file ---> Textures\Planets
    undetectedMainViewIcon "MAINVIEWUNDETECTEDICON_PLANET_OCEAN0" <---- Windows\Brush file ---> Textures\Planets
    picture "PICTURE_PLANET_OCEAN0" <---- Windows\Brush file ---> Textures\Planets

Most planets have bonuses and not abilities which are in the planets entity file. The bonuses are also entities in the GameInfo folder and have to be added to the manifest.

yes you will need to keep the manifest files up to date

or the game goes boom

Harpo99999 has a tool for that

carl, here ia a link to the manifest maker thread, and my modding utilities thread.

the manifest maker was designed for a standalone mod, just so you know.

harpo

Are there any step by step tutorials out for adding planets?

Also make sure the mods you are trying to merge are for the same version of Sins. Simple, but depending on the version it can make a difference.

Otherwise Seleuceia's method seems like a good one.

GalaxyScenarioDef.galaxyScenarioDef

planetTypeCount 92
planetType
designName "TerranBinaryMoon"
designStringId "IDSGalaxyScenarioTypePlanetTerranMoon"
orbitBodyTypeCount 1
orbitBodyType "TerranBinaryMoon"

orbitBodyTypeCount 80
orbitBodyType
typeName "TerranBinaryMoon"
entityDefName "PlanetBinaryTerranMoon"
defaultTemplateName "Template:DefaultStart_Terran"

I play random maps and the planet does not appear until I add it to the

planetType
    designName "WeightedRandom"
    designStringId "IDSGalaxyScenarioTypePlanetWeightedRandom"
    orbitBodyTypeCount 53
    orbitBodyType "TerranBinaryMoon"
    orbitBodyType "TerranBinaryGas"

You still need gimp or photoshop to get the zoomed out Icons and Hud Display images into the Textures\Icons_planets.tga. Then add the coordinates to the appropriate brush files.

IIRC it just gave me missing brush file error "Skip" option. Lets say you are adding the binary planet like I showed above. I did not edit the brush files rather the planet.entity just points to the existing terran icons for now until I create an icon set.

PlanetBinaryTerranMoon.entity

meshInfo
 typeNameStringID "IDS_PLANETTYPE_TERRAN"
 asteroidTemplate "Sparse"
 dustCloudTemplate "Sparse"
 meshName "Planet_Binary_Terran_Moon"
 cloudColor ffffffff
 nullMeshRadius 0.000000
 nullMeshParticleEffect ""
 hudIcon "HUDICON_PLANET_TERRAN0"
 smallHudIcon "HUDICONSMALL_PLANET_TERRAN0"
 infoCardIcon "INFOCARDICON_PLANET_TERRAN0"
 mainViewIcon "MAINVIEWICON_PLANET_TERRAN0"
 undetectedMainViewIcon "MAINVIEWUNDETECTEDICON_PLANET_TERRAN0"
 picture "PICTURE_PLANET_TERRAN0"
  
All the bold are links to the brush files which tell the game on which texture sheet to look and the coordinates.

brush
 name "INFOCARDICON_PLANET_GRASS0"
 content "Simple"
 fileName "Icons_planets_m0d.dds"   <---Texture Sheet
 pixelBox [ 178 , 750 , 22 , 22 ]        <---Where on texture sheet and size
brush
 name "PICTURE_PLANET_GRASS0"
 content "Simple"
 fileName "Icons_planets_m0d.dds"
 pixelBox [ 1 , 721 , 167 , 75 ]
brush
 name "MAINVIEWICON_PLANET_GRASS0"
 content "Simple"
 fileName "Icons_planets_m0d.dds"
 pixelBox [ 205 , 724 , 50 , 50 ]
brush
 name "HUDICONSMALL_PLANET_GRASS0"
 content "Simple"
 fileName "Icons_planets_m0d.dds"
 pixelBox [ 175 , 724 , 28 , 23 ]
brush
 name "HUDICON_PLANET_GRASS0"
 content "Simple"
 fileName "Icons_planets_m0d.dds"
 pixelBox [ 205 , 724 , 50 , 50 ]
brush
 name "MAINVIEWUNDETECTEDICON_PLANET_GRASS0"
 content "Simple"
 fileName "Icons_planets_m0d.dds"
 pixelBox [ 260 , 724 , 50 , 50 ]

Here is a step by step of what I am doing:

1> Make a folder on desktop containing the folder structure of the mod, this includes GameInfo, Mesh, Textures.

2> Copy over the GalaxyDef File from Sacrifice of Angels Mod.

3> Find all the resources required by the planet RingWorld. Meshes, Textures, Entities, Planet Abilities.

4> Open up my Mods Galaxy Def File, and in a seperate Window, Open up the Planets Mods Def File.

5> Find the entries for Ringworld and Copy and paste them over, increasing the PlanetType and OrbitalBody counts by 1.

6> Copy and paste the mod into and over the SOA Mod.

7> Run the Manifest Maker.

8> Run the game using a map made in Galaxy Forge, using the new planet.

9> Minidump and disappointment .

So you are saying try adding it by removing all the Planet Bonuses for it, then add them in manually later?

Okay, that was my final attempt. I just cant do it. I cant figure out where I am going wrong. I make all the entries correctly, I copy all ability and bonus files, I copy all the Meshes over and the textures and...nothing. Minidump, after Minidump, after Mindump. I guess I just suck.

I appreciate the help. I do. Ill just wait till SOA incorporates Plus.