Difference between NTW and STW2 modding

[Steph]

I'd liek to know the feasability of porting a mod from NTW to STW2 (supposing the campaign map tools from CA allow creating easily a European map).
I'd like to know what is already possible and what is not.

What are the differences between modding STW2 and NTW?
Can we use the same uniform meshes? The textures?
Can we import ships or guns?

Are there some things which have been removed and cannot be modded (bayonets for example?)

[weirdoascensor]

From my little experience of modding, between ETW, NTW, and S2TW, since they all warscape, are the same in principle.
I've learned several tricks from reverse-engineering existing ETW-NTW mods, which are more established than S2TW mod scene.

DB-wise, its basically the same...just more "developed"

Meshes format are already changed from NTW. So no, it wont work. Uses pretty much same Variantmodel system, but nowadays post-FoTS, atlas files are no longer needed for textures.

Guns, Cannon models...S2TW primarily uses v2 models, but still accepts old ETW-NTW models...actually many of the rigidmodels are reused ETW-NTW rigidmodels. In Fact, for my own Artillery Mod, I use NTW models still in S2TW pack files...no need to port them...added with several ACW enginemodels from ACW mod for ETW.

Some of the reused models are Limber & Caisson, Gabionades, Earthworks, Stakes, Naval Cannons...

Funny thing is, even though i enable Gabionades, Earthworks, Chevaux...Only The AI could use it...since the buttons are missing from Player's UI! Stakes works though, but textures are missing.

Abilities like Square Formation, FBR, fire_volley, mass_fire,light infantry behavior still there. Most Artillery and Ship abilities sadly not...what we could do with it is just replacing existing S2TW abilities.

Ships...S2TW ships are made from more rigidmodels than ETW and NTW ones, so not only masts get replaced by "damaged" models, but also parts of hull, rather than just "damaged" textures. Not sure if portable or not, all we know is old rigidmodels works, but nobody decoded models_naval. The Textures for old ship models still remains deep buried inside S2TW pack files, but not the meshes.

Bayonets...Vanilla FoTS shipped without bayonet combat, but IGdood pointed out there is some soldiers in a cinematic holding Bayoneted rifles...he contacted kungfuserge, who even though cannot edit the models, can easily views them. They Exists.
Its not bayonets like in ETW or NTW, a warscape equipment of its own, but its a bayoneted rifle warscape equipment.
For the animations we simply use modified spear animations.

Strangely, even though we need to make a new entry for the FoTS bayoneted rifles, NTW warscape equipments (the bayonets, muskets, sables, backpacks, flagpole, drumsets, etc) are still in the tables. It just dont show up in-game when we experimented with it. Japanese Nobori are static, unlike the waving European flags.

Drummer and Flutist positions are in the unit_stats_table, but no animation for them. Foreign Troops still play their marching music without them.

I hope adapting CA's new S2TW tools to NTW and ETW would be easy...porting an overhaul campaign takes too much work...In My Humble Opinion...

[Dynamo11]

Seems adaptation of the tools will be easier in the long run