Workaround for Hardcoded Limit for Models

[Anarchon]

In descr_model_battle there seems to be a hardcoded limit of 256 models.
The limit for number of units is 500.
But it seems they must all be based upon 256 or fewer models.
And this 256 must also cover officers, mounts, animals etc etc etc.

Does anyone know a workaround for this?
It is driving me crazy.
Is it possible to set up a parallel file of some sort to give extra battle-models.
I have trimmed out musicians, officers, peasants etc.
But ideally would like another 256 to allow for variety of mounts, officers, musicians etc

[Aradan]

The limit is 255 and there's no way around it unfortunately. Unless you get Alexander, which allows 330(?) model slots.

[Bull3pr00f de Bodemloze]

Well, you could call DVK's merc_unit trick a workaround, but that still won't give you more models.

[Aradan]

What's "dvk's merc trick"? I know EB used the merc attribute to use a second skin for the same faction, but that's a very old trick. Is dvk's method different?

[Bull3pr00f de Bodemloze]

Nah, it's the same. I just know DVK has written a tutorial on it

edit - how typical; one afternoon you're browsing a tutorial you don't actually need, and then when you need it, you can't find it.

[Anarchon]

I have Alexander. 2 questions.
1. Do I need to do anything to enable the 330 odd models? I can't seem to get more than 255.
2. If I use the 330 models, will my Mod be playable by folk who do not have Alexander?

[Praetorian_BGX]

I have Alexander. 2 questions.
1. Do I need to do anything to enable the 330 odd models? I can't seem to get more than 255.
2. If I use the 330 models, will my Mod be playable by folk who do not have Alexander?

As i know, limit for Alexander is DMB - 512 models, EDU 500 units. ?

i have 420 models in dmb and everything is working normally.

http://www.twcenter.net/forums/showthread.php?t=263469

http://www.twcenter.net/forums/showt...03#post5771903

[Aradan]

I have Alexander. 2 questions.
1. Do I need to do anything to enable the 330 odd models? I can't seem to get more than 255.
2. If I use the 330 models, will my Mod be playable by folk who do not have Alexander?

1. As long as you use the Alex .exe the DMB limit will automatically increase to whatever the Alex limit is (511/512 sounds likely).
2. If they don't have the Alex .exe, they won't be able to play the mod, no.

[Anarchon]

Thanks Aradan & Praetorian.
This leads me to two further questions.
1. Does this mean I must move my Mod into the Alexander folder? And either launch as a mod from there or build on Alexander?
2. When I release my mod, could I release it with Alex.exe? If say all other Alex files were omitted?

[Aradan]

1. Moving to a different folder is not necessary, the mod's shortcut has to use the RTW-ALX.exe.
2. You are not allowed to distribute an executable with a mod.

[Anarchon]

Thanks again Aradan. And sorry, that leads me to another question.
I currently have my Mod installed in its own version of RTW and vanilla RTW and Alex each installed separately.
I would like to move to using the mod-switch.
How, where, and in what sequence, should I install all of vanilla RTW, patches, BI, Alex, my Mod, in order to be able to use all?
And easily launch my mod for testing?
Is there a tutorial/guide on this somewhere?

[Aradan]

Assuming you have RTW plain, and not a Gold Edition (which generally comes pre-patched) it goes:
RTW 1.0
BI 1.4 (auto-upgrades RTW to 1.3)
BI 1.6 patch (auto-upgrades RTW to 1.5)
Alex
your mod

If your mod is mod-foldered, you don't need a separate installation of the game for it.

I don't think the're a guide on that, no.

[Anarchon]

thanks again Aradan! I shall probably need to seek your advice again. But discovered I need a new copy of Alex and Paypal proving difficult for getting RTW Complete via Gamers Gate, a mere GBP12.95.

[Anarchon]

Please can someone point me to a tutorial on using Mod folders?

[Aradan]

There is none per se. You could try this... http://www.twcenter.net/forums/showt...75#post3833975

[Anarchon]

Thanks again Aradan. However, I am still not clear.
Especially as I need to build my Mod on/around Alexander to access the 511 models_battle.

Firstly can you tell me where to get whatever patches I need?
The patches page on this site seems to be devoted to patches for Mods.

More importantly...

Q1. Should I make my modfolder (hereafter called "MyMod") in the Rome Total War Gold Edition folder
or in the Alexander folder?

ie
Rome Total War Gold Edition/MyMod/data etc
or
Rome Total War Gold Edition/Alexander/MyMod/data etc

Q2
In either case, do I need to copy all the BI and Alexander files into MyMod folder?

Q3
Again in either case, what should I do about an exe file to launch the mod?
Do I need to recopy either the RTW or Alex exe?
And if so to where?
And what should they be named in the shortcut?

Sorry to trouble you and hoping you can help

[Aradan]

Firstly can you tell me where to get whatever patches I need?
The patches page on this site seems to be devoted to patches for Mods.

Just google "RTW patch 1.5" and you'll come across various sites where you can get the patch. Eg; http://games.softpedia.com/get/Patch...15-Patch.shtml

As for Alexander, that's not a patch, it's an expansion, so you need to buy it from a store, Steam, Amazon, wherever.

Q1. Should I make my modfolder (hereafter called "MyMod") in the Rome Total War Gold Edition folder
or in the Alexander folder?

ie
Rome Total War Gold Edition/MyMod/data etc
or
Rome Total War Gold Edition/Alexander/MyMod/data etc

It doesn't matter. Wherever you put the folder, what's important is that the text files within which point to modified files (eg you include a modified DMB in your modfolder, that points to a new model for some unit, which is of course also in the modfolder) have the correct paths. So instead of '[main rtw folder is implied/]alexander/data/models_unit/...' the DMB in your modfolder must have '[main rtw folder is implied/]my_mod/data/models_unit/...' or '[main rtw folder is implied/]alexander/my_mod/data/models_unit/...' or whatever the right path to your modfolder is.

Q2
In either case, do I need to copy all the BI and Alexander files into MyMod folder?

If you base the mod on alexander, no, you only bring in the modfolder files that you change, plus the chat_filter.san file.

Q3
Again in either case, what should I do about an exe file to launch the mod?
Do I need to recopy either the RTW or Alex exe?
And if so to where?
And what should they be named in the shortcut?

You don't do anything to the .exe. And the shortcut doesn't have to have a specific name either.
The way to launch a modfoldered mod (ie tell the game to load your files instead of the original ones) is to create a shortcut for the original .exe and simply add the appropriate command to the 'Target' line, which will tell the game to read files from your modfolder and not from the original. That's what the "-mod:my_mod" command does.

[Anarchon]

Thanks again Aradan.
I think it is gonna be best if I set out what I plan to do based on this and you tell me if that is right.
Before that however, patches.
I just purchased online through Gamers Gate "Rome Total War Complete Edition".
Which includes BI and Alexander.
I have installed a vanilla version of all.
And checked that they all run ok.
What I now want to know is what patches I need to get for this complete set.
Following your earlier instruction to install patches before my mod.

[Anarchon]

Hi Aradan,

OK this is what I have done and propose to do, following your post.

1. I have installed a new vanilla version of Rome Total War Complete Edition.
(Purchased online from Gamers Gate a few days ago).

2. I shall install whatever patches you advise for all 3 games.

3. I shall make a folder called "EmpiresInChaos" in the following position.

Rome - Total War Gold Edition
/Alexander
/BI
/EmpiresInChaos
/data
/miles
/preferences
/saves
/temp

4. I shall copy the folder structure from Rome Total War into the EmpiresInChaos folder.
So, to include all the files which I have amended, it will need to include almost every folder existing in RTW vanilla.

5. I copy the file "chat_filter.san" from the Alexander folder into the new directory EmpiresInChaos/data.

6. I select the RTW-ALX.exe file in the "Rome - Total War Gold Edition" folder.
Right click and select "Send to", then "Desktop". This should create another shortcut to launch Alexander.
But I then go to the icon on the desktop, right click and select properties.
Then amend the target line to read "-mod:EmpiresInChaos". (BTW should there be any spaces in this line?)

7. I then check all files for file-addresses of files I have changed.
Presumably this must include files which I have not modified but which include cross-references to files which I have changed?
For any files which I have changed, and are referenced in other files, I amend the address to the location in my Modfolder.

8. Any of other folks Mods which I install need to go in the "Rome - Total War Gold Edition" alongside mine and BI and Alexander.
And I need to construct a launch icon for them on the desktop?

Have I understood this correctly?

Also, Patches.
I have just found out how to check the version numbers.
In options I find the following
RTW 1.5
BI 1.6
Alex 1.9

Do I need any more patches or do I now have the latest patches for all 3?
Is there anywhere I can bookmark to regularly check for if any further patches are issued?

[Aradan]

1. I have installed a new vanilla version of Rome Total War Complete Edition.
(Purchased online from Gamers Gate a few days ago).

2. I shall install whatever patches you advise for all 3 games.

If you have complete (rtw 1.5, bi 1.6, alex 1.9), no patches are necessary.

3. I shall make a folder called "EmpiresInChaos" in the following position.

Rome - Total War Gold Edition
/Alexander
/BI
/EmpiresInChaos
/data
/miles
/preferences
/saves
/temp

4. I shall copy the folder structure from Rome Total War into the EmpiresInChaos folder.
So, to include all the files which I have amended, it will need to include almost every folder existing in RTW vanilla.

5. I copy the file "chat_filter.san" from the Alexander folder into the new directory EmpiresInChaos/data.

If you are already so far along that you've modded so many files, it would be better if you try and do it step by step, where possible, as it will help you find errors. Wrong paths (which is the main annoyance when modfoldering) usually generate error reports though, so you'll probably be fine.

6. I select the RTW-ALX.exe file in the "Rome - Total War Gold Edition" folder.
Right click and select "Send to", then "Desktop". This should create another shortcut to launch Alexander.
But I then go to the icon on the desktop, right click and select properties.
Then amend the target line to read "-mod:EmpiresInChaos". (BTW should there be any spaces in this line?)

The target line should look like this:

"E:\Games\Rome - Total War\RomeTW-ALX.exe" -show_err -mod:EmpiresInChaos

What follows after '-mod:' is the exact name of the folder where your mod is (along with a path if it's in not in the main RTW folder). Mods usually use acronyms for their modfolders, eg "eic", but that's up to you.

7. I then check all files for file-addresses of files I have changed.
Presumably this must include files which I have not modified but which include cross-references to files which I have changed?
For any files which I have changed, and are referenced in other files, I amend the address to the location in my Modfolder.

Some files do not have paths or their paths assume their current data folder as root directory. Those don't need re-pathing. Other files assume the vanilla data folder (or one of its subfolders) as their root; those do need re-pathing, yes, if you have edited them to point to models or textures in the modfolder instead of vanilla files. If a text file points to both a vanilla file (eg a texture) and an edited file (eg a model), then only the path to the edited file needs updating, of course, not everything.

8. Any of other folks Mods which I install need to go in the "Rome - Total War Gold Edition" alongside mine and BI and Alexander.
And I need to construct a launch icon for them on the desktop?

Have I understood this correctly?

Other mods go wherever their creators say they have to go. Some of them are meant to go in the main RTW directory (same as you plan to make this one), others in the 'bi' or the 'alexander' sub-directory, wherever the creators want, there is no rule. Generally the installer or the installation instructions of a mod will let you know where you need to install - the norm being the main RTW folder. In case of installers, they also auto-create a shortcut for you. If a mod doesn't have an installer, then you'll need to create a shortcut manually; if that's the case, you need to make sure the '-mod:' command includes the right path. For example, if a mod's data folder is in rtw/bi/my_mod/data, then you need "-mod:bi/my_mod"

Also, Patches.
I have just found out how to check the version numbers.
In options I find the following
RTW 1.5
BI 1.6
Alex 1.9

Do I need any more patches or do I now have the latest patches for all 3?
Is there anywhere I can bookmark to regularly check for if any further patches are issued?

These are the final versions, RTW 1.5, BI 1.6 and Alex 1.9, so you're set for patches.