How to use the Official Modding Tools

[daniu]

First write-up of how to create a mod with the modding tools. I'll limit it to db editing for now until we have a better understanding.

1. Installation

In Steam, go to "Library"; in the drop-down box underneath, select "Tools".
Find "Total War: Shogun 2 - Assembly Kit".
Right-click, choose "Install Game".
When the download is finished and you select "Play game", a directory is opened, containing a file "modding.zip".
Unzip the file to C:\Official_Mod_Tools. If you unzip it anywhere else, you'll probably run into problems with too long filenames; also, don't use spaces in the folder name; the tools will have a problem with it.

2. Tools Directory Overview

The tools themselves are located in the folder called "binaries". The ones meaningful to you are "TWeak.Release.exe" and "BOB.Release.exe". TWeak consists of DaVE (the DB editor) and the Unit Editor.

There is a folder "raw_data" which contains the xml files being worked on. In raw_data/db, you find the ones representing the database. If you use the database editor and open the corresponding files, you'll see the changes you made applied.

The subfolder raw_data/BattleTerrain contains battle map template data used by in the campaign. I don't know the exact structure of how the tgas for each template work together yet.
raw_data/art contains several files with, well, art-related stuff.
raw_data/Localization has support for different languages.

max_exporter contains scripts for 3Dmax to export it into the format needed by the game.

working_data is where the stuff you created and exported to binary (i.e., the format used by the game; basically what we've been working on with pre-official modding).

The folder "retail" will not exist immediately after installation; it's where the final mod packs will be put.

3. Toolchain

TWeak
First off, you want to start TWeak, then from the Tools menu, "DAVE - Database Visual Editor".
It asks you whether to connect to raw_data/db, you say "yes".
From the menu "View", select "Table Launcher". It will open the list of available db tables.
Doubleclick one from the list and an editor for it will open.
Do the changes you want to apply; when finished, select the "Apply" button in the editor window.

BOB
Now that your changes are done, you want to put them into a pack file.
From the binaries folder, run BOB.Release.exe.
In the list on the left, expand the "database" tree item and select the table you edited.
In the list in the middle, find the table again (under "db") and select it. Select both the Provider and Consumer action; the Provider will convert the xml to binary, and the Consumer will put the binary into the pack.
In the list on the right under data, select "mod.pack".

Now, in the bottom right, press "Start". A result window will open, and you'll get messages about what has happened. Note that even if everything went right, there will be warning messages for the Create Pack action; that's because you only edited a subset of the available file so it tells you the others aren't in... don't worry about it.

Go check in the retail folder now; it should contain a folder "data" now with your "mod.pack".
Copy it to your shogun2/data directory and the mod is available next time you start Shogun 2.

4. ModManager: Select Active Mods and Upload to Workshop

When you start Shogun 2 from Steam, it will first open the ModManager with a list of mods you put into the data folder. Select the one you want to start the game with.
If you doubleclick the entry for your mod, an additional window will pop up, allowing you to enter a name and description for your mod. Once you've done that, you can "Upload to Workshop", and your mod is released. You'll need to set it to Visible from the Workshop if you want others to be able to access it.

Helpful links to documentation in the Wiki:

• ToolDataBuilder command line options
• BOB file documentation

That's it for now, hope it helped
I'll keep this updated when we find out more stuff.

[Dago Red]

Thanks for doing this, I avoid steam at all costs and haven't turned it "online" in months. I would never have found where these tools are.

It's taking a good bit to download and the anticipation builds. Have you found the DB editor to be better than our DBEditor we already have?

[Shankbot de Bodemloze]

Congratz on posting the first one.

[zhiphius]

Thanks daniu, was worried when i couldnt find the new toolkit pack, i still cant find it but i guess steam havent updated my librabry - tools list yet

guess ill be patient

[Radious]

I have a little issue with workshop. It downloads all my mods automaticaly every time istart the game. I didnt subscribed any of my mods and i cant delete any of them from mod manager. Any help with this?

[AngryTitusPullo]

Is your internal version different from what you have uploaded ? It may try to 'downgrade' your mod.

[Radious]

No its the same, point is every time i remove it from data directory it start downloading it, i do not want to keep all my mods in data directory, no point for me and takes more unneeded space. My point is i just want stop it from autodownloading the mod, it seems when it was once in mod manager it always downloads it if the mod is not present in data directory no matter if i subscribed it or not. Thats quite annoying.

[Jack Lusted]

Is the mod listed in your user script?

[Radious]

Is the mod listed in your user script?

No its not, mod manager makes it always empty till i choose any mod and start the game. Then it auto creates script entry there for mod i choosed to play.

But i cant remove the mods from mod manager, once i placed some mod in data and it was loaded by mod manager (and its uploaded to my steam workshop) it will always redownlaod the mod if i dont have it in data folder.

This makes things bit messy and there is missing button to remove mod from mod manager. If its not in data its just grey till its downlaoded from workshop. And i didnt subscribed any of mine mods so they should not be downloaded.

So only way to stop auto download i have to keep all mods i placed on my workshop in data directory, which complicates things very much.

If you know any solution for this please tell me.

[MagicCuboid]

Wow this thing is big! Thanks daniu, I'm sure I will be referencing many a tutorial as I grapple with this new stuff.

[Jack Lusted]

No its not, mod manager makes it always empty till i choose any mod and start the game. Then it auto creates script entry there for mod i choosed to play.

But i cant remove the mods from mod manager, once i placed some mod in data and it was loaded by mod manager (and its uploaded to my steam workshop) it will always redownlaod the mod if i dont have it in data folder.

This makes things bit messy and there is missing button to remove mod from mod manager. If its not in data its just grey till its downlaoded from workshop. And i didnt subscribed any of mine mods so they should not be downloaded.

So only way to stop auto download i have to keep all mods i placed on my workshop in data directory, which complicates things very much.

If you know any solution for this please tell me.

Ah right I understand, and just talked to the tools guys this is how it is meant to work. If you can explain exactly why this complicates things for you and how you would prefer things to work we can possibly look at changing things in a future update.

This is the first time we've every done anything like this so I think a few teething troubles are to be expected.

[Radious]

Ah right I understand, and just talked to the tools guys this is how it is meant to work. If you can explain exactly why this complicates things for you and how you would prefer things to work we can possibly look at changing things in a future update.

This is the first time we've every done anything like this so I think a few teething troubles are to be expected.

Well simply i keep only that mod/overhaul in data folder which i play/test. My working place is completely outside of Shogun 2 folder so its not messed by other milion game files. With current situation i have to have each mod twice, once on my place where i work on them and second in data folder.

There is no reason to have each mod twice on pc and i guess you understand that working on mods outside data folder is much easier. Even on new TWC wiki it says i should be able to remove mods from manager and mainly they should be autodownloaded ONLY if i subscribed them.

I didnt subcribed any of them yet they are still download every time if they are not present in data folder and mod manager found them once already.

If this can be fixed it will make things easier, better and save some place aswell. Some mods can be over 1 gb big, keeping them on pc more then once is just unnecessary.

So simply i would love to see that i dont have to keep all my mods in data folder all the time, auto download only subcribed mods and problem will be solved.

[MagicCuboid]

Haha I feel like I just got used to managing all my various pack files and mod folders and here comes CA rocking the boat!!! Kudos to you Radious for jumping on the Steam Workshop so quickly.

[Jack Lusted]

Well simply i keep only that mod/overhaul in data folder which i play/test. My working place is completely outside of Shogun 2 folder so its not messed by other milion game files. With current situation i have to have each mod twice, once on my place where i work on them and second in data folder.

There is no reason to have each mod twice on pc and i guess you understand that working on mods outside data folder is much easier. Even on new TWC wiki it says i should be able to remove mods from manager and mainly they should be autodownloaded ONLY if i subscribed them.

I didnt subcribed any of them yet they are still download every time if they are not present in data folder and mod manager found them once already.

If this can be fixed it will make things easier, better and save some place aswell. Some mods can be over 1 gb big, keeping them on pc more then once is just unnecessary.

So simply i would love to see that i dont have to keep all my mods in data folder all the time, auto download only subcribed mods and problem will be solved.

Okay so it is a case of:

• Makes managing your data more difficult
• Takes up unnecessary disk space
• Duplicates mods on pc

I'll see if we can get this changed.

[Radious]

Okay so it is a case of:

• Makes managing your data more difficult
• Takes up unnecessary disk space
• Duplicates mods on pc

I'll see if we can get this changed.

Many thanks.

[daniu]

Okay so it is a case of:

• Makes managing your data more difficult
• Takes up unnecessary disk space
• Duplicates mods on pc

I'll see if we can get this changed.

That's pretty much what I wrote MMS for; won't help Radious yet probably because he doesn't work with the official tools for the time being (?).
Also won't help the autodownload issue of course, nor the not being able to remove items from ModManager

[Jack Lusted]

Copy paste from another thread:

I've added an extra page on our wiki listing the commands for ToolDataBuilder: http://wiki.totalwar.com/w/ToolDataBuilder_Commands

Will be putting up a page with some documentation for the rules.bob files which should help give more flexibility to modders, especially in relation to multiple mod packs.

On the mod auto-downloading issue we will have a look at that once things have settled down and we've looked at some of the more urgent issues such as the Unit Editor crashes.

[Radious]

That's pretty much what I wrote MMS for; won't help Radious yet probably because he doesn't work with the official tools for the time being (?).
Also won't help the autodownload issue of course, nor the not being able to remove items from ModManager

Yes so basicaly it wont help me at all

[Jack Lusted]

Here is the rules.bob documentation: http://wiki.totalwar.com/w/Rules.bob_Documentation

I will likely expand the page with more info at a later point.

[daniu]

Yes so basicaly it wont help me at all

It will

Here is the rules.bob documentation: http://wiki.totalwar.com/w/Rules.bob_Documentation

I will likely expand the page with more info at a later point.

Will add links to the OP.