Custom-Status-Effects-&-Chambers.md

+# Effects
+
+StarMade's modern effect system is based around `ConfigGroup`s containing `EffectConfigElement`s. These config elements in turn contain properties describing what your effect should do.
+
+You can create your own ConfigGroups like so, with a lowercase string tag that will be used to identify them.
+
+```java
+ConfigGroup weaponsRangeUpgrade = new ConfigGroup("my_fancy_new_effect");
+```
+
+You also have to create and initialize the `EffectConfigElement`s that define what the config group does, and add them to the group.
+
+```java
+EffectConfigElement weaponRangeIncElement = new EffectConfigElement();
+
+float rangeBuffAmt = 2.0f; //2x
+
+weaponRangeIncElement.init(WEAPON_RANGE); //determines what the element modifies
+weaponRangeIncElement.stackType = ModifierStackType.MULT; //multiplicative modifier (other options are ADD or hard SET)
+weaponRangeIncElement.priority = 0; //determines execution order of effect vs. others modifying the same value
+StatusEffectFloatValue rangeBuffValue = new StatusEffectFloatValue();
+rangeBuffValue.value.set(rangeBuffAmt);
+weaponRangeIncElement.value = rangeBuffValue;
+
+weaponRangeUpgrade.elements.add(weaponRangeIncElement); //add the element to the group.
+// groups can have multiple elements, e.g. a shield capacity increase ConfigGroup can also include a reciprocal shield upkeep reduction to keep the overall upkeep rate constant.
+```
+
+Finally, the `ConfigGroup` has to be enqueued for registration within StarMade itself, within the `RegisterConfigGroupsEvent` that StarLoader provides:
+
+```java
+//in main mod
+    @Override
+    public void onEnable() {
+        registerListener(RegisterConfigGroupsEvent.class, new Listener<RegisterConfigGroupsEvent>() {
+            @Override
+            public void onEvent(RegisterConfigGroupsEvent event) {
+                        event.getModConfigGroups().enqueue(weaponsRangeUpgrade);
+            }
+        }, modInstance);
+
+    }
+```
+
+Once you have your `ConfigGroup` set up and registered in the queue, you can simply add its name to the `chamberConfigGroupsLowerCase` list in your chamber block's `ElementInformation`:
+
+```java
+myChamberBlockInfo.chamberConfigGroupsLowerCase.add("my_fancy_new_effect");
+```
+
+...and its effect(s) will be applied to a ship or station whenever the chamber is added.
+
+\-
+
+**NOTE:** Unfortunately, due to their enum nature, it appears that you cannot create custom `StatusEffectType`s. Instead, you can have your custom functionality poll the chamber tree directly to enable or disable itself based on whether or not the relevant chamber is present:
+
+```java
+        ReactorElement someChamberEle = SegmentControllerUtils.getChamberFromElement(theEntitysManagerUsableSegmentController, chamberBlocksElementInformation);
+
+        boolean myChamberIsPresentAndActive = (someChamberEle != null && someChamberEle.isAllValid());
+```
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