Ok, please be patient with me as I am new to these forums and not sure how to write these fancy tutorials, but I will do my best
First of all i'd like to thank l33tl4m3r for the information on the localisation.loc file here and the boys who created the Pack File Manager and ESF Editor (without them we'd be lost)
Ok, first things first, please BACK-UP your files before changing them, just in case.
You will need Pack File Manager (here) and the ESF Editor (here).
Step 1) Open up local_en.pack in your data folder using PFM (Pack File Manager) and click on local_en.pack then click on text and highlight the file named: localisation.loc
At the top right side of the pack file manager you'll see: Add New Row, Clone Current Row, Delete Current Row | Export TSV Import TSV.
Click on Export TSV into a NEW folder named "text" INSIDE your data folder. Also RIGHT mouse click on localisation.loc on the LEFT side under text and choose Extract Selected to the same "text" folder inside your Data folder.
EDIT: You can just open up the localisation.loc file inside the local_en.pack or patch.pack using the Pack File Manager and highlight a line (I.E. names_name_names_piratesJoseph Joseph False) that you would like to copy and click on CLONE up at the top to make it easier than step 1. Thank you Zanno
Step 2) Open up your text folder that you created inside your Data folder and RIGHT mouse click on localisation.loc.tsv, then choose Edit or simple open it up with notepad.
Now you have to find what type of unit you want to rename, I will use an example in this tutorial:
names_name_names_piratesJoseph Joseph False
names_name_names_piratesCofresi Cofresi False
Now COPY these lines and PASTE them at the BOTTOM of this file so that it adds 2 new lines at the very bottom.
Now rename them to what you wish your Admiral's / General's name to be, for this tutorial I will choose my name:
names_name_names_piratesJamie Jamie False
names_name_names_piratesBrannen Brannen False
Choose File then Save at the top right hand corner of your notepad / not save as.
Step 3) Now at the top right hand corner of your Pack File Manager, choose FILE - NEW and choose a folder (doesn't matter which).
Rename the new pack file to whatever you wish but make sure you click on "Choose a Pack Action" and select MOVIE TYPE!
Now, RIGHT mouse click on the name of the pack file and choose Add Directory and choose the text directory inside your Data file that you created.
It should add 2 files under the subfolder text, you need to DELETE the localisation.loc.tsv from here, but KEEP the localisation.loc file.
Choose FILE at the top and SAVE.
Next, highlight localisation.loc and it should open up on the right side of your Pack File Manager, then at the top choose IMPORT TSV and choose the localisation.loc.tsv file inside your text folder inside your Data folder.
Choose FILE at the top and SAVE.
(NOTE: Make sure it is saved inside your DATA folder with the other pack files).
NOTE: Make sure to BACK-UP your saved game before this step!! You can also use the startpos.esf file under Data\Campaigns\Main to permanently make these changes, no matter how many games your start.
Step 4) Open up your Esf Editor and choose a saved game you have.
(Mine is here: C:\Documents and Settings\Administrator\Application Data\The Creative Assembly\Empire\save_games)
Ok, now click on your saved game then CAMPAIGN_SAVE_GAME, then CAMPAIGN_ENV, then CAMPAIGN_MODEL, then WORLD, then FACTION_ARRAY and find your faction in here under FACTION, it could take a bit.
Once you've found your faction for this saved game, click on CHARACTER_ARRAY and find the unit (Admiral / General / Captain / etc) you'd like to rename and choose CHARACTER, then CHARACTER_DETAILS, then you'll see 3 (THREE) lines that state: CAMPAIGN_LOCALISATION.
Choose the FIRST CAMPAIGN_LOCALISATION and copy/paste the line you added inside the localisation.loc.tsv file as your forename (FIRST NAME).
Like this:
names_name_names_piratesJamie
Next click on the SECOND CAMPAIGN_LOCALISATION and copy/paste the line you added inside the localisation.loc.tsv file as your surname (LAST NAME).
Like this:
names_name_names_piratesBrannen
Leave the THIRD CAMPAIGN_LOCALISATION alone.
Now choose FILE / SAVE at the top.
Also you can click on PORTRAIT_DETAILS and change the looks of your unit by choosing a different picture. NOTE: You should unpack the ui.pack portraits to view them all or you can even add one yourself. EXAMPLE: ui\portraits\middle_east\cards\imam\young\014.tga --- ui\portraits\middle_east\info\imam\young\014.jpg
Click on DATE (the first DATE listed) and change the year your unit was born to set their age.
EDIT: You can go into FAMILY under Faction and change your Family Tree / King names / etc. YOU MUST edit the FAMILY , ORDINAL_PAIR and CHARACTER_ARRAY to change your king / ministers. Just click and find their name on both and change.
EDIT: I found this and thought i'd add it to the tutorial
If your King has I,II,III,IV,V, etc. in his/her name, then you need to change this section as well.
Step 5) Log into your game, choose your saved game and enjoy ~
It should look like this: SCREENSHOT , SCREENSHOT2 , SCREENSHOT3 , SCREENSHOT4 , SCREENSHOT5, SCREENSHOT6 , SCREENSHOT7
NOTE: I am back tracking all my steps to make sure I didn't miss anything