FAO Modders: Changes to ESF/Save format

[CraigTW]

For Fall of the Samurai (and the patch deploying alongside for Shogun 2), we've made some alterations to the ESF and savegame format.

To optimise, we've added a degree of compression and have made some format changes. This does have implications for the modding community as it will cause tools designed to read in these formats to no longer work.

However, rather than leave it to time-consuming guesswork, we're releasing the information modders will need in order to read in these new formats.

It's been laid out in a blog, which you can read right here.

Thanks to Alan and Ed for putting this information together, and thanks to the modding community for your continued support.

[Akaie]

Thank you very, very, very, very, very, very...

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very...

very much for this.

Note that uncompressed files, in either previous format or new format, still work.

I think I'm reading it right, but best be sure: my modded startpos.esf from patch9.pack will still work, right? Obviously it won't have the features/updates as the one in the upcoming Shogun 2 patch, but it would certainly be nice to have a sort of placeholder while I recreate it .

Anyway, thank you very, ver- Ok, I won't do it again .

[♘Top Hat Zebra]

Well, twist my nipples and call me Shirley, will you look at that.


CA is helping out the community. Hopefully this will help quench all those comments about how you guys don't care about modders/ feel threatened by them.

Dear, where are my manners? I had forgotten you had taken a leave. Welcome back, Craig! I do look forward to hearingmore often from you now.

[Steph]

Welcome back Craig, and nice for you to release this.

Will we see you again regularly? We are missing your updates, and we still have plenty of answered question.

For instance, have you had a look at the result of the poll linked in my signature?

[CraigTW]

Welcome back Craig, and nice for you to release this.

Will we see you again regularly? We are missing your updates, and we still have plenty of answered question.

For instance, have you had a look at the result of the poll linked in my signature?

I've been here all along

We're going to be doing a series of video updates soon in a new community segment called Rally Point. Also, feel free to ask any questions whenever you see me on here - I'm popping in and out of threads all the time.

Thanks for the petition. It's been noted, but I wouldn't necessarily get your hopes up. It would be a big undertaking and not necessarily realistic, as much as we'd like to do it.

[leSith]

Hi Craig thank you for the modding community support.

I ve got this small question :

http://www.twcenter.net/forums/showt...=520091&page=2

( I know it s about Napoleon support but I just need to know where this data is )

[Steph]

I've been here all along
Thanks for the petition. It's been noted, but I wouldn't necessarily get your hopes up. It would be a big undertaking and not necessarily realistic, as much as we'd like to do it.

I'll restate a question I asked several times then. How would the community help you? If we draw the map, prepare tables for region, etc. Can it increase the chance you make it by decreasing your workload?
Can it be an opportunity to reinforce the link between CA and its modder community?
We could make a part of the work, you finalize and release a paying DLC. Everyone is happy.

Just tell us how we can help.

And we still have questions in this thread.
http://www.twcenter.net/forums/showt...6#post10860256

It would be nice if it could be visited by CA from time to time, we still have answered questions there

[CraigTW]

I'll restate a question I asked several times then. How would the community help you? If we draw the map, prepare tables for region, etc. Can it increase the chance you make it by decreasing your workload?
Can it be an opportunity to reinforce the link between CA and its modder community?
We could make a part of the work, you finalize and release a paying DLC. Everyone is happy.

OK, this is going way off topic and I don't want to hijack our own thread, but there would be a number of problems - not least that it would be a legal/IP minefield.

One of my goals is to bring CA closer to the community in any way possible, so we'll explore ways in which we can maybe work closer - but it has to be baby steps to begin with. We can't just jump in and commit to something massive like this - not least because it would have an impact on our schedule, even if it's not immediately apparent that it would.

I'm all ears if you have ideas on how we can close the gap.

[Steph]

OK, this is going way off topic and I don't want to hijack our own thread, but there would be a number of problems - not least that it would be a legal/IP minefield.

One of my goals is to bring CA closer to the community in any way possible, so we'll explore ways in which we can maybe work closer - but it has to be baby steps to begin with. We can't just jump in and commit to something massive like this - not least because it would have an impact on our schedule, even if it's not immediately apparent that it would.

I'm all ears if you have ideas on how we can close the gap.

I do. But I'm not sure it should be debated here in this thread, and you do not answer to PM.

[DARTH VADER]

Thank you a lot for this information. Does this also mean that previously modded ESF will no longer work and will have to be edited with a new compatible tool?

EDIT:
Sorry I just read that

Note that uncompressed files, in either previous format or new format, still work.

so that means that previously modded ESF should be compatible and will load fine?

[bernhaland]

Hey Craig, have you ever thought about getting future CA games into the new Steam Workshop?
It's been really good for both Skyrim and TF2.
Ca could ask people to make like maps, and if they are high rated or if u like them u can implement them in the game, or people could download mods from it, would be so epic!

And off topic:
will we be able to pre-download FOTS? 'cuse I want to play it after I come home from school on Friday
(I have preordered it).

[Birdofilo]

Hey Craig, have you ever thought about getting future CA games into the new Steam Workshop?

I have the same question.

[Belisarius]

Sticky Sticky Stuck. (Thread Pinned)

[Lord Dakier]

See CA, this is how you please the TWC majority

[CraigTW]

Sorry. PM isn't always the best way to reach me - I get a lot of them.

Regarding Steam Workshop, I can't really say anything about it at the moment other than we're aware of it.

[Steph]

Sorry. PM isn't always the best way to reach me - I get a lot of them.

Regarding Steam Workshop, I can't really say anything about it at the moment other than we're aware of it.

Then feel free to send me a PM tell me how I can give you my ideas, unless you prefer to have them in public in thread.

[DARTH VADER]

I think the topic is very specific to hold now other kind of conversations and I have asked something very important.
So please Craig, do you know if previously modded ESF will work after your upcoming patch?

[CraigTW]

Yes, it will load. Whether other changes made in code elsewhere will have an effect on your ESF will depend on what you've done to it.

[DARTH VADER]

So it depends? Hmmm... that it will load and not CTD is good news. That it will work as previously is not guaranteed, I understand from your answer.

[Deutschland]

Thumbs up for this move really