UE String Classes page, more Open Source Examples, discord ref fix

modules/ROOT/nav.adoc

@@ -56,6 +56,7 @@
 *** xref:Development/UnrealEngine/Editor/index.adoc[Unreal Editor]
 **** xref:Development/UnrealEngine/Editor/MainWindow.adoc[Main Window]
 *** xref:Development/UnrealEngine/CoreRedirect.adoc[Core Redirects]
+*** xref:Development/UnrealEngine/StringClasses.adoc[String Classes]
 
 ** xref:Development/Satisfactory/index.adoc[Satisfactory]
 *** xref:Development/Satisfactory/Inventory.adoc[Inventories and Items]

modules/ROOT/pages/Development/BeginnersGuide/SimpleMod/gameworldmodule.adoc

@@ -26,7 +26,7 @@ For this documentation example, you can use `DocMod` as the mod reference.
 When you start on your own mod, you will have to create a new plugin
 with a mod reference other than this.
 
-You can fill out the "Descriptor Data", or leave it blank, as we can edit that later.
+Optionally, fill out the "Descriptor Data" section, or leave it blank since it can be edited later.
 
 [WARNING]
 ====

modules/ROOT/pages/Development/OpenSourceExamples.adoc

@@ -121,3 +121,109 @@ _Notable Satisfactory Features Used:_
 _Notable Mod Loader Features Used:_
 
 * Access Transformers, to be able to change otherwise inaccessible member variables.
+
+[id="CableChoicesPlus"]
+== Cable Choices {plus}
+
+Adds a number of new variants of existing buildings (power cables and poles) as well as some buildings with custom functionality.
+
+_Source Code_: Linked on the https://ficsit.app/mod/AB_CableMod[Mod Page]
+
+_Mod Type_: Hybrid Blueprint/{cpp}
+
+_Notable Techniques Used:_
+
+* Custom models that follow the Satisfactory style
+* Building icons generated with xref:CommunityResources/IconGenerator.adoc#_beavers_icon_generator[Beaver's Icon Generator]
+* GitHub repository that contains additional files (the source models) in a clean structure
+* Custom UI/UX
+** Settings panel to reorganize build menu
+* Base game content modifications
+** Adds an additional recipe for the existing FICSMAS powerline lights
+** Injects some unlocks into existing milestones
+
+_Notable Satisfactory Features Used:_
+
+* Customizer
+** Skins (Power Cables)
+** Building Materials (Power Cables)
+* xref:Development/Satisfactory/BuildableHolograms.adoc[Buildable Holograms] with custom logic
+** Snapping a power connector to spline based rail tracks
+** Snapping power towers to each other with simple rules
+** Behaviors for well aligned wall/foundation snapping (Delay Switch)
+* Building interaction UIs
+** Completely new UIs with source (Delay Switch)
+** Retrofitted vanilla UIs to function elsewhere (Rail Power Box)
+
+_Notable Mod Loader Features Used:_
+
+* Mod Configuration
+** Settings panel to reorganize build menu
+
+[id="FluidExtras"]
+== Fluid Extras
+
+Adds a number of new variants of existing fluid junctions as well as several buildings with custom functionality.
+
+_Source Code_: Linked on the https://ficsit.app/mod/AB_FluidExtras[Mod Page]
+
+_Mod Type_: Hybrid Blueprint/{cpp}
+
+_Notable Techniques Used:_
+
+* Custom models that follow the Satisfactory style
+* Building icons generated with xref:CommunityResources/IconGenerator.adoc#_beavers_icon_generator[Beaver's Icon Generator]
+* GitHub repository that contains additional files (the source models) in a clean structure
+* Custom Building Logic
+** Custom fluid building that deletes input and animates based upon it (Exhaust)
+** Custom building that detects input and selects recipes based on it (AI Packager)
+* Custom UI/UX
+** Settings panel to reorganize build menu
+
+_Notable Satisfactory Features Used:_
+
+* xref:Development/Satisfactory/BuildableHolograms.adoc[Buildable Holograms] with custom logic
+** New and expanded behaviors for Junctions (in development)
+** Modified Water Extractor that can snap to foundations (in development)
+** Building that can snap to pipes and walls (Exhaust: Unreleased but pushed)
+** Complex placement tolerance rules (Exhaust: in development)
+* Building interaction UIs
+** Completely new UIs with source (Exhaust)
+
+_Notable Mod Loader Features Used:_
+
+* Mod Configuration
+** Settings panel to reorganize build menu
+
+[id="Beavers Ficsmas Booster"]
+== Beaver's Ficsmas Booster
+
+Adds a number of new customizer building material and complex decorative parts. Uses seasonal toggles and several new from scratch materials.
+
+_Source Code_: Linked on the https://ficsit.app/mod/AB_XMASBooster[Mod Page]
+
+_Mod Type_: Hybrid Blueprint/{cpp}
+
+_Notable Techniques Used:_
+
+* Seasonal development each year
+* Custom models that follow the Satisfactory style
+* Building icons generated with xref:CommunityResources/IconGenerator.adoc#_beavers_icon_generator[Beaver's Icon Generator]
+* GitHub repository that contains additional files (the source models) in a clean structure
+* New Content
+** Complex shader/mesh combo to create seamless gingerbread pieces when built
+** Freeform spline buildings unlike other decorative parts (Icing)
+
+_Notable Satisfactory Features Used:_
+
+* Seasonal Events
+** Many schematics and recipes are hidden behind the event check
+* Customizer
+** Building Materials (Gingerbread)
+** Custom render material that still respects foundation decals (Gingerbread)
+* xref:Development/Satisfactory/BuildableHolograms.adoc[Buildable Holograms] with custom logic
+** Multi stage, Multi mode; Spline drawing hologram (Icing)
+
+_Notable Mod Loader Features Used:_
+
+* None

modules/ROOT/pages/Development/UnrealEngine/StringClasses.adoc

@@ -0,0 +1,65 @@
+# Unreal String Classes
+
+Unreal offers different storage types for strings, each with its own use case.
+
+This page serves as a brief overview of the 3 main string classes available in Unreal Engine 5
+and how they relate to modding.
+
+For more detailed information about these classes, check out the
+https://dev.epicgames.com/documentation/en-us/unreal-engine/string-handling-in-unreal-engine?application_version=5.2[Unreal Engine documentation].
+
+## String Classes
+
+### FText
+
+If you are displaying a string to the end user, 99% of the time you want to be using this string type.
+It is mutable, provides nice formatter methods, and has built in engine localization support.
+In memory, FTexts store localization keys that point to external data providing the string's contents.
+
+Special edits have been made to the modding engine to enable mods to take advantage of Unreal's localization system at the per-plugin level.
+Read more about how to use it on the xref:Development/Localization.adoc[Localizing Mods] page.
+
+Read more on the
+https://dev.epicgames.com/documentation/en-us/unreal-engine/ftext-in-unreal-engine?application_version=5.2[UE docs page for FText].
+
+In modding, FText should be used for any string you plan to display to the user.
+For example, schematic names, item descriptions, UI text, predefined chat messages, etc.
+
+### FName
+
+FNames are designed to be more efficient in cases where you are using a string as an identifier.
+They are case-insensitive and immutable.
+The actual string contents of an FName are stored once in a global data table.
+In memory, they are a 4 byte identifier that can be used with this table to retrieve the related string.
+
+FNames are useful as keys in maps because checking their equality is fast regardless of the length of the string.
+
+Read more on the
+https://dev.epicgames.com/documentation/en-us/unreal-engine/ftext-in-unreal-engine?application_version=5.2[UE docs page for FName].
+
+In modding, FNames should be used in identifier, keys, or any other string you deem its optimizations beneficial.
+
+### FString
+
+FStrings are generic mutable strings with no additional context.
+They take up as much memory as they have characters and offer the "typical" string operations like find and replace, substring, concatenation, comparison, etc.
+
+Read more on the
+https://dev.epicgames.com/documentation/en-us/unreal-engine/fstring-in-unreal-engine?application_version=5.2[UE docs page for FString].
+
+In modding, FString is generally used for log messages, strings that change contents often, or strings that doesn't benefit from the features of FText or FName.
+
+## Conversion
+
+Although **it is possible to convert between all of the string types**,
+doing so usually results in **missing out on features or optimizations** offered by that type,
+and you lose the information about the original type of the string.
+For example, going from an FText to an FString loses you the context of its localization key,
+meaning you can't go "back" to the same FText you started with, even if you never changed the underlying string.
+
+To perform "typical" string operations on FText and FName you may need to convert them to FStrings first
+- just remember that going back is either unsafe or impossible.
+
+If you're trying to make a hardcoded value in one of these types,
+make sure to use the "Literal" syntax for creating it rather than one of the conversion functions.
+For example, use the `Make Literal Name` blueprint node instead of the `String to Name` conversion function.

modules/ROOT/pages/index.adoc

@@ -62,7 +62,7 @@ or Lua xref:Development/BeginnersGuide/overwriting.adoc#_tweakit[(TweakIt)].
 If you're looking to write your own mods, we suggest you start with
 making blueprint mods first rather than C++ mods.
 Check out the xref:Development/BeginnersGuide/index.adoc[Getting Started Guide]
-and consider picking up the `Aspiring Modder` role in our https://discord.ficsit.app[Discord]'s `#rules` channel.
+and consider picking up the `Aspiring Modder` role in the "Channels & Roles" section of our https://discord.ficsit.app[Discord].
 
 If you're looking to make models, it's best to learn how to put a mod together first.
 Once you've completed the `Buildable` step in `Beginners Guide`, then check out our xref:Development/Modeling/index.adoc[Modeling Guide].