Saving .pack in movie mode mod units are in game, saving in mod mode does not put units in game.

[bjc435]

I am using PFM the latest version 3.5.1 because it is the only one i can get to work, without getting errors.

The only issue I have with WORKING in this PFM is when trying to rename units, the PFM doesen't like this .loc file and will crash many times before the name will actually save in the table, however even in the game the names do not go through. I can live with that (for now).

The issue I was having for a few days is the units i made would not show up in game. I tinkered and tinkered with things (I have only been modding for about a week), until finally i changed the mode from "mod" to "movie". This finally put my units in game. I am guessing i could just save the pack as movie, but i have a feeling later on down the road with bigger mods this could turn into a problem, so I guess my question is; why wont my modded units appear in game when save as mod?

I assumed it was my user.script, and I guess it could be but there is not a lot that can go wrong in there. the script which is saved in appdata of the creative assembly script folder, and saved as user.empire_script.txt (unicoded) and the text of the file is:

Mod "empire_test_mod.pack";

Any help would be much appreciated!! Thanks

[Alwyn]

Hello bjc435.

You mentioned that PFM 3.5.1 cannot edit a modded pack file containing the localisation file to rename units. I have had the same problem. The only PFM which (sometimes) works for me when editing a modded localisation file is PFM 1.9. I made it available here. You asked about activating mods and in particular using a user script file. There are, as far as I know, three ways to activate mods for Empire Total War:-

Three ways to activate mods for Empire Total War

Most mods (except for startpos.esf and scripting.lua files) need to go in your C:/ProgramFiles(x86)/Steam/steamapps/common/Empire Total War/data folder. In addition to that, you need to use one of the following methods to activate a mod. (If you have downloaded a mod which someone else made and if it it a 'movie' type mod, then you don't need to do anything. Some hosted mods have launchers which automatically create user script files for you. The only downside of that is that, if you are using a hosted mod and want to add another mod, such as a mod which you made yourself to unlock a particular unit, then you have to make your mod a 'movie' type mod unless the launcher gives you the option of editing the user script file.)

1. Using a mod manager. Some people have managed to make this work. I am not one of them, so I cannot tell you about this option.

2. Making the mod files into the 'movie' type. (If anyone doesn't know how to do this - you can do this by opening the file in Pack File Manager and selecting the option to change the type of the file - one of the options will be 'movie'. The latest version of PFM is available from the Mod Workshop for Total War: Attila.[Edit in 2019: the current PFM is now available from the Mod Workshop for Total War: Three Kingdoms, here.)

3. Using a user script file to activate the mods. This method, like a mod manager, allows you to give mods higher priority than others (by changing the order of mods in the list in your script file.) A example of a mod which uses this method is 'Of Kaiser, Tsar, Kayser and Gaysar', a unit pack by Sir Digby Chicken Caesar and Ahiga, here. If you use a user script file, you need to include the correct names of the mods, in the following format:

mod "name of your mod";

You need to save the user script file as unicode. You need to put the user script file in the right place, C:/Users/[your user name]/AppData/Roaming/The Creative Assembly/Empire/scripts. By default, some of the folders are hidden, so you might need to search online for 'how to reveal hidden folders in [your operating system]'.

If you did all of that and it did not work, I have one more suggestion. The first time that I tried using a user script file, I simply created a new document on Notepad, entered the name of the mod in the correct fomat (as above), saved it in unicode and put it in the correct folder. It did not work. When I downloaded a user script file which poa had kindly made available (thank you, poa!) and edited that user script file, then it worked. (I have a theory that the original user script file was an edited preferences script file with all of the preferences script taken out, and that the game can tell the difference between a file which was originally a preferences script file and a file which wasn't, but that it is a complete guess.)

So, if you have done everything right and if your user script does not work, then I suggest downloading the user script which I provided for the 'Of Kaiser' mod, here, editing it and saving it in the correct place.

(I mentioned startpos.esf and scripting.lua files earlier. I'll explain how to install those mod files, in case in the future someone who finds this post is looking for information on how to install those types of mod files. These types of files do not need to be activated using one of these three methods. To install a modded startpos.esf or scripting.lua, you need to:
- firstly, visit C:/ProgramFiles(x86)/Steam/steamapps/common/Empire Total War/data/campaigns/main - assuming that the startpos is for the Grand Campaign, not the late campaign
- secondly, move the vanilla (unmodified) files into a safe place, for example a new sub-folder of campaigns/main called 'vanilla files'
- thirdly, move your modified startpos.esf and scripting.lua (if there is one - sometimes there is just a startpos.esf, in which case you can use the unmodified scripting.lua) into C:/ProgramFiles(x86)/Steam/steamapps/common/Empire Total War/data/campaigns/main)


My other basic guides to modding ETW are listed here.