Empire Mod Architecture Primer

[alpaca]

You can use mod my_mod.pack as a command line for shortcuts etc.

Heya Jack, how are you doing

Thanks for the info that should be useful. Unfortunately I'm still stuck at adding traits which is a real bummer

Edit: Found some strings in the exe:

Exclude pack file from the virtual file system..
exclude_pack_file <pack file name>..exclude_pack_file...
lhs pack precedes rhs pack (lhs < rhs): lhs will be searched before rhs for files...
set_pack_file_precedence <pack file name> <pack file name>..
lhs pack is required by rhs pack (lhs < rhs): lhs will be loaded first and used by rhs pack.
set_pack_file_dependency <pack file name> <pack file name>..set_pack_file_dependency....
Add a mod to the startup list...mod <file name>.mod.
Import all mod packs....import_all_mods

[waronmars]

So mod installs will be putting a config file in the uder data folder, and a .pack file in the data folder. Sounds easy enough

[Birdofilo]

Here's a "step-by-step" :

- find your preferences.empire_script.txt file (in Application Data on an XP machine)
- create a new text file next to it called user.empire_script.txt
- inside there, list your mods like this, one line per mod:
mod my_pack.pack;

This is not enough for me. I'm not an expert modder. Could someone write a more detailed "step-by-step" tutorial?

[Krieg_Boy]

Truly Inspiring!

All hail CA support!!

[Ketzerfreund]

Burdofilo, the application data folder can be found under:
C:\Users\YOURUSERNAME\AppData\Roaming\The Creative Assembly\Empire\scripts
for Vista and
C:\Documents and Settings\YOURUSERNAME\Application Data\The Creative Assembly\Empire\scripts
for XP.
Take care that you have "Show hidden files" enabled in Windows' folder options.

That's the only piece of detail one could possibly add.

[l33tl4m3r]

This is not enough for me. I'm not an expert modder. Could someone write a more detailed "step-by-step" tutorial?

Creating a user.empire_script.txt.
The folder you seek does reside at the address given but it is a hidden system folder and you need to be logged on as an administrator and have set the view properties to show system files/folders.
This is done by opening My Computer >> Tools menu >> Folder Options >> View tab >> select Show Hidden Files and Folders and deselect Hide Protected Operating System Files.

Click on the Apply button then click on the OK button, and close the window in use. When you reopen the My Computer window and follow the path this should enable you to see the folder.

C:\Users\YOURUSERNAME\AppData\Roaming\The Creative Assembly\Empire\scripts
for Vista
C:\Documents and Settings\YOURUSERNAME\Application Data\The Creative Assembly\Empire\scripts
for XP

Inside one of these folders you should find preferences.empire_script.txt.

Once you find this file, right click and select "New" then "Text Document".

name this new file user.empire_script.txt.

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Once you have created this file, edit it and add whatever mods you have inside your Empire data folder.

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Hope this helps!

[l33tl4m3r]

Haha! Sorry Ketzerfreund, I finished mine right after you!

[Birdofilo]

l33tl4m3r and Ketzerfreund, thanks for your help , but I still have a problem. I created a pack file, changed the fifth byte to 03, and then I created the user.empire_script.txt in the script folder. But, I don't know why, the game doesn't recognize my mod . What have I done wrong?

[LtChambers]

What do you have modded in there?

[l33tl4m3r]

New version of FPM;

http://www.twcenter.net/forums/showthread.php?t=234546

has now included the mod bit in the pack actions.

[l33tl4m3r]

Birdofilo - I had been testing a lot of stuff, so I used steam to replace all my data files and had what I want kept in their own patch packs... (named for the changes.)

Now, like you, my mods are not loading.

--

If you or anyone else has this problem and/or figures this out, let me know. I'm not sure what i am missing, might bethat I've been up since 5am, haha!

[GroupofSpearmen]

Thank you for this Infomation oh-great CA Developer(s)!

[Ketzerfreund]

Nope, that's not it, l33tl4m3r. Although I'm also far overdue for bed, I did as told here. Tried this with a small pack, it's the only mod pack and it has the correct bit set and contains just one file (the projectiletrail.fx with the emptied functions that worked flawlessly with main.pack unpacked); with only one mod pack the entry in that user script file shouldn't be needed, anyway, but I've put it in for completeness.

No dice. I'm seeing the trails again.

[l33tl4m3r]

Nope, that's not it, l33tl4m3r. Although I'm also far overdue for bed, I did as told here. Tried this with a small pack, it's the only mod pack and it has the correct bit set and contains just one file (the projectiletrail.fx with the emptied functions that worked flawlessly with main.pack unpacked); with only one mod pack the entry in that user script file shouldn't be needed, anyway, but I've put it in for completeness.

No dice. I'm seeing the trails again.

Okay, yeah, that's exactly what is happening to me, I've done as you have, but I've made a few changes to one in game unit.

I've tried loading it in the mod as unit_stats_land with one entry and also tried giving my modified single entry table a unique name. Neither has worked for me.

[Iaius Statius Laurentius]

It doesn't work for me either. I've moved all my stuff from the unpacked files as well as patch.pack over to a single new .pack file (for ease of transition). I made it a mod type using the PFM, and then I made the user.empire_script.txt file in the proper Vista directory next to the preferences. I declared it in the following fashion: "mod mymod.pack;"

And it doesn't work. Does there need to be an empty line after the semicolon or something odd like that?

I made mymod.pack into a "movie" pack and now my changes show up exactly like they should. Weird.

[l33tl4m3r]

Okay, thanks to MrThib for pointing this out to me;

I set bit 4 to 04 (same as setting it to a movie type pack inside FilePackageManager) and things are loading up fine.

Ketzerfreund -- Let me know if this works for you.

[Ketzerfreund]

It doesn't. Crashes while loading a custom battle (using the flicker-bar variant) to see if the trails are gone.

[l33tl4m3r]

Very odd, I have a trail mod that is still set to 03 and it works, but all my new mods have to be set to 04 in order to work.

Try this Ketz;
http://rapidshare.com/files/21133661...o_tracers.pack

*EDIT*

Oh! I did not remove the tracers, I lightened them, fyi.

Just empty them out if you want to make sure they are truely gone.

[waronmars]

SO it you can make mods load up correctly without making a userdata file if you set the variable to 4? Or is the user data file essential?

[Rorarii]

Jerome / Alpaca, i hope CA will be releasing some nice frontends which do all this Dirty work so people won't have to edit binary files etc etc. i know some like to get dirty and have total control but most won't, one small mistake AND ...

Also, I hope Milkshape tools will be available to create / edit meshes!

R

And what this I read if you create a Pack and it doesn't load because of some error, the system won't tell you the error!! WTF!!! No-NO-NO! you trying to kill modders!!


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