I was recently pleased to see this forum is still active, and I am hoping if anyone in the kind and friendly modding community can help me with a geomod problem that has been distracting me for days.
Background: A week ago I thought adapting RTW files to use in geomod would be fun - has anyone done this before? If so I would like to know how they got on!
I am importing vanilla RTW files for use with geomod, as I have used it before (M2TW) and it's a great mapping tool. It cuts down mapping time compared to using GIMP etc. Due to geomod only needing 33 files, and given the similarity between RTW and M2TW, I thought this would be achievable.
After some work I managed to get the geomod program to open and run. Every time at 10% load it flashes up a message the
descr_regions.txt file has been debugged. It contained one or more errors.
Spoiler Alert, click show to read:
I have checked this file and it's in exactly the same format as m2tw. It contains every single province. All the info appears to be correct (it certainly works in game!). Each rebel is also contained in descr_rebel_faction. I have also gone through each file individually with a fine tooth comb and everything appears to be in order.
It then continues to complete load - all the maps are there. regions and characters appear, but the factions and cultures are all blank. Although they are blank, it is possible to identify factions from the faction colours.
the option to Generate maps worked (religions, agriculture, creators, factions, mercenaries, population) but for rebels, and resources maps were blank
Upon saving it goes to 1% and then crashes without an error message. It doesn't save successfully.
It also wipes two files -
1. descr_regions
2. imperial_campaign_regions_and_settlement_names.txt.strings.bin
Spoiler Alert, click show to read:
To simplify, I have imported only the barebones files geomod needs to run. Due to the differences with RTW eg. religion, & other syntax changes, I have had to change a few files. All the files are now in the same format as m2tw, but with rtw content.
KEY
* format needs change
@ new file
# uncertain whether format change is required.
1. descr_cultures *
2. descr_names *
3. secr_sm_resources
4. descr_sm_factions *
5. descr_rebel_factions *
6. descr_religions @
7. export_descr_ancillaries *
8. export_descr_buildings # (m2tw has different system of castle & city type)
9. export_descr_character_traits #1
10. export_descr_unit #2
Note on descr_strat: To simplify things I deleted all faction characters except faction leaders, leaving rebel characters untouched. I made all settlements into villages (800 pop.), without altering ownership. I have removed all the traits and ancillaries from descr_strat. all ai_label entries are "default", except slaves (slave_faction). I have removed super_faction from romans - as I don't think this feature is used in m2tw. I have made all the factions pagan with northern european music.
Every image in maps\base is the correct size, the colors match to descr_regions, all the rebel factions in descr_regions are also listed in descr_rebel_factions.There are some rebels in descr_rebel_factions that don't appear in descr_regions.
I haven't added any new regions / factions / cultures. I am simply trying to get geomod to work with rome.
Has anyone done something similar and run into this error before? How might I resolve? I have always found this forum incredibly helpful and this is my first post in total war centre. To solve this would be awesome.
Before I read further - I have tried adapting Geomod to work with RTW but there are simply too many small differences that the tool isn't able to handle. You basically end up porting the RTW mod into M2TW compatibility.
Second thing: if the tool freezes\crashes on save then it will wipe files, always. It's because when you click 'validate' the data gets written to memory plus the fact that the tool 'rewrites' every file it uses every time (see timestamps).
Major differences between RTW and M2TW is religion. RTW has no string.bin files (from which the tool reads), you need to generate them first. Some of their formatting is different - see the lack of faction name display in your picture.
It is generally easier to transfer the required files into my Bare Geomod set up or to copy their content. And make a back up of the whole set up before you even start with the tool.
The manual will give you some clues what might be wrong, a freeze\crash at 1% is a problem with the loading\saving of maps or missing entries in descr_regions. RTW has no religion entries in descr_regions so will be the most likely reason why this fails.
It will also point to the 'debugging descr_regions' explanation: in M2TW trading resources do not get listed in descr_regions (they are in descr_strat) and if present have no function - the tool removes them. Only hidden resources from the EDB are valid.
Last edited by Gigantus; October 20, 2018 at 04:33 AM.
After I started, I thought it might be the case that everything needs tweaking slightly, I have ended up getting immersed in the issue and if a complete port of the mod is necessary I would still like to try to do that eventually.
So from what you said, I understand faction name blank could be a format problem with the string.bins in data\text? I will have a look at those again.
descr_regions - I had added the religion entry already but I've now also changed all the resources to just "none". It now loads without the descr_regions error message but still crashes at 1% on saving. So I think the crash issue is unrelated. From looking at another thread it perhaps has something to do with the rebels?
There could be an issue with the victory value, the tool sets it at 5 because it has no influence in M2TW - it's the value under the resource line in descr_regions. A badly formatted text\rebel_factions could also be the reason if the entries in descr_regions are fine.
Geomod save crashes on 1%, factions blank
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Re: Geomod save crashes on 1%, factions blank
