[Guide]Stainless Steel General Modding Topic

[bɑne]

bane_tw - can we add this thread to the stickied one please?

As in merge it with Stainless Steel 6.3 Modding thread ? Sure.

Huh? Why? :o

To avoid duplicate discussions I'd say. Or because I have to reach my daily quota, whichever you prefer Merged.

[Gorrrrrn]

cheers bane_tw

hopefully people will check here first before starting new discussions

[Paladin94610]

I am trying to restore the AP attribute of Venetian Stradiots and their maces which have been taken out in 6.3. I believe I have to edit EDU and model-db to achieve this. I can handle with EDU but I am messing up with the model_db. I have walked around the mod workshop searching for a general info thread on model_db.
I don't know how the model_db file is constructed especially I am confused with the numbers before each entry. Hope someone will help me either giving info or doing the work for me (would deserve rep of course no.. maybe bribing)

[Ishan]

I am confused with the numbers before each entry.

Each number represents the no. of characters present in that line like
"7 england" etc.

More more detailed info download and read:-
Unit Makers Tome of Knowledge

Good Luck !

[Paladin94610]

I edited the model_db file copying the gothic_knight's mace and replacing Stradiots' M2TW_HR_sword 1 with it. But the mace didn't appear in the game and when I edited the animation section, the game crashes at start and even worse Alt+tab, Control+Alt+Delete and Control+Esc. don't work, the stubborn black screen persists and I have to kill it via RESTART the computer. I will update the stradiot section of the model_db shortly.
EDIT2: I also don't have my EDU edited. Does it associate with the crash.
EDIT3: As I failed, I restored the backup files and still it is crashing.... so reinstalling the game again...

[Ishan]

You can't change the weapon of a unit by BMDB or EDU text editing. It's entirely 3D Modelling and u need Milkshape 3d for it to do it i.e. changing a mace to sword etc in a unit.

[Mojo582]

Roz how can i change the byzantine campain models (ie emperor,faction heir and captain models) as its the one thing preventing me from playing them at the moment (i really dont like them lol) useing shoryns enhanced lithuania mod but i dont think it will interfer with any changes made to byz strat map models

[The Byzantine]

Hello everyone, i am new to the twcenter forums but i have been following this excellent mod since version 6.0. First of all i would like to congratulate and thank the creators for giving us such an excellent mod.

The reason which made me register to the forum is my disappointment of the 6.3 version Byzantine general, emperor and family member models as well the flags. Despite i was very happy and pleased with the new byzantine units i must say that i dident liked the new models and flags at all. (No offense meant to the creators but it totally ruined playing as the Byzantines for me.)

I was hoping if someone familiar with modding could restore the byzantine 6.2 general, family members and emperor models and also flags to 6.3 both in campaign map and inbattle.

6.2 Byzantine models (The ones i like and i believe are more realistic)

Emperor

Family member

General

6.3 Byzantine Models (The ones i want replaced)

Emperor

Family member

General

Again i would be very much glad and in debt to whoever can do that because i believe there are many people who would like the previous models restored.
Thanks in advance and please forgive me if this is in the wrong forum section.

[Gorrrrrn]

the files for the strat models are in the SS6.3/data/models_strat folder.

the byzantine ones are clearly labelled, so if you can find the ones in your SS6.2 folder if you copy them over they should replace the SS6.3 models.
(I'd post them here but I've only got the SS6.3 byz models.)

Have to say the new models do look like fish on legs to me.

[The Byzantine]

I can see from what you are telling me that the process of replacing them doesent require any specific modding knowledge and i am glad for that. But there is a problem. While i can find the byzantine models in the ss6.3 models_strat folder, i am unable to find the ss6.2 byzantine models, they simply dont exist in their models_strat folder....

[bɑne]

I can see from what you are telling me that the process of replacing them doesent require any specific modding knowledge and i am glad for that. But there is a problem. While i can find the byzantine models in the ss6.3 models_strat folder, i am unable to find the ss6.2 byzantine models, they simply dont exist in their models_strat folder....

Make a backup of them to another folder and then delete them.
The game should then use default models which _might_ be the ones you want.

[The Byzantine]

Make a backup of them to another folder and then delete them.
The game should then use default models which _might_ be the ones you want.

That was the first thing i tried but the game crashed when i was starting a byz campaign. The good news is that i figured the problem out completely by myself and i have absolutely zero modding experience.

All i had to do was edit the descr_character text folder and change it to fit the one of version 6.2. The results were that the horrible models of 6.3 were changed back to the nice ones of version 6.2.

BUT the emperor's model in battle did not change and i have no idea how to change it. I was lucky enough to figure how to change the campaign map models but now i need some professional help.

I give to you my edited descr_character text for anyone interested in the 6.2 byz models but is unable or dont know how to change them.
descr_character.txt

[Mojo582]

Fantastic news!!! ive been waiting for a fix to this problem as ive resisted playing the romans for the same reason,tho im useing shoryns enhanced lithuania mod which has a different decr_charater txt i think? ill have a look at your posted file and see if i can see your changes so i can make the similar changes to my file,i cannot reintroduce the old files from 6.2 as i deleted it to make room in my gaming folder,i hope i can fix this with your help

[The Byzantine]

Fantastic news!!! ive been waiting for a fix to this problem as ive resisted playing the romans for the same reason,tho im useing shoryns enhanced lithuania mod which has a different decr_charater txt i think? ill have a look at your posted file and see if i can see your changes so i can make the similar changes to my file,i cannot reintroduce the old files from 6.2 as i deleted it to make room in my gaming folder,i hope i can fix this with your help

Oh i see you are using another mod which changes the txt. Well just open it then press ctrl+f and search for byzantium you must change the second find and third to look exactly like that

faction            byzantium
dictionary        2
strat_model        aztec_general
strat_model        aztec_general                    ; heir
strat_model        northern_generic_king                    ; leader
battle_model    andronicus
battle_equip    gladius, chainmail shirt helmet and rectangular shield

faction            byzantium
dictionary        2
strat_model        crusader_captain
battle_model    Teutonic_Captain
battle_equip    gladius, chainmail shirt helmet and rectangular shield

The strange thing as i said before is that despite i've changed the txt and as you can see the battle model is set to andronicus which is the one we want, in battle the 6.3 emperor model remains and this time i have no idea how to change it.
Its not a major problem but it still looks ridiculously funny, he even has a painted red-yellow eagle on his cape and boots, like a superhero.....

[Caesar Clivus]

Its not a major problem but it still looks ridiculously funny, he even has a painted red-yellow eagle on his cape and boots, like a superhero.....

It's historically accurate, just so you know.

[newt]

It's historically accurate, just so you know.

show me

[The Byzantine]

It's historically accurate, just so you know.

Really? you just totally killed the way i imagined the emperor would be like....
I always thought that as a Roman emperor his armor would remind that of a more modernized version of an ancient roman armor. (thats just my imagination)

As i said before i don't mean to offend the people who created these models, i do understand that they have worked hard. Its just that compared with any other factions models and even the in battle byzantine unit models the 6.3 byzantine family member models look like they were done in a hurry....

[Caesar Clivus]

Reconstruction of the last Palaeologian emperor:

Note the boots and the emblem on the cloak. The boots never changed. You can see them on statues of Byzantine emperors.

[The Byzantine]

I don't claim to be correct but here's my evidence.
Note that only the first picture is of the correct timeframe.

1

2

(thats how i thought the emperor would be like, but its an early era picture)

3

Anyhow you are probably correct Ceasar Clivus i found more pictures depicting your theory. But still the way the models are done is not realistic. The quality just looks fake compared to any other models in the game.

4

[Mojo582]

Hey thanks byz,was looking at the same changes when i seen the descr_character.txt the first time but was sure i would have had to change other files around also so never even experimented,just as well you did i switched the file over and worked fine except generals (armies without a leader) are still those of the 6.3 update,will look at changing that soon.