Modding the Retrofit Mod

**Caledonian Rhyfelwyr** · July 18, 2008, 02:22 PM

I know several M2TW files are incompatible with the retrofit mod due to it using the kingdoms.exe, but I thought the only incompatible files would be the ones you can see in the data files of the retrofit mod.

Files like EDU are obviously incompatible due the the recruitment_priority_offset issue, but I am getting crashes when trying to go to the Custom Battle screen having added new files into the retrofit folder.

These files were fine with M2TW, and I do not understand why the game will not work. Basically, I added into the retrofit data folder (in their appropriate locations):

DATA FOLDER:
descr_banners_new.xml
descr_character.txt
descr_lbc_db.txt
descr_model_strat.txt
descr_offmap_models.txt
descr_sm_factions.txt
I edited retrofits EDU rather than adding the old one

DATA/TEXT FOLDER:
campaign_descriptions (Text and BIN files)
Expanded (Text and BIN files)
Imperial_Campaign_Region_and_Settlement_Names (Text and BIN files)
Descr_names (Text and BIN files)

+ the fully replaced the Base and Imperial_Campaign folders

Does anyone know if my problem is due to files being incompatible with kingdoms.exe, or if this is a mod folder issue?

EDIT: I think this problem could be related to character names. Since I added some names when following the tutorial on adding factions, I think I may be onto something. Out of the 3 files I mean there are

descr_names.txt (in the data folder)
names.txt (in the data/text folder)
names.txt.strings (BIN file, in the data/text folder)

Now, I mucked up a little here. Basically, I put descr_names.txt along with names.txt.strings in the data/text folder, and didn't put any of these files in the data folder. In this situation, the campaign work (none of my new factions with new characters names were added yet), but I got crashes trying to load the Custom Battle screen.

Since I presumed only the names.txt.strings file was needed in the data/text folder, I moved descr_names.txt into the data folder. But this gave an unexpector error message loading the retrofit mod.

So I am wondering if this file is incompatible with kingdoms.exe for some reason. Would that explain crashes at the custom battle screen?

IMPORTANT EDIT: I tried out the Barebones mod folder instead of Retrofit this time. And, Custom Battles work! As do battles on the battlemap. But one strange problem remains...

Putting descr_names.txt where it belongs in the data folder still causes a crash when the game is loading. It is the same file that worked for the in M2TW, and I am worried not having it will mean that I cannot implement my new factions into the campaign.

I've no idea why it is causing a crash, any ideas?

**Gigantus** · July 18, 2008, 09:52 PM

The error with the names is most likely because you do not have a descr_names_lookup file in the data folder.

Entry in text\names.txt:
{A_id}A'id

Entry in data\descr_names_lookup:
A_id

The game gets the name from descr_strat, looks it up in descr_names, compares with entry in lookup and gets the display data from names.txt

**Caledonian Rhyfelwyr** · July 19, 2008, 06:57 AM

Ah, I will test that out.

EDIT: AAAAAAARRJHGHGGHHHG

I unpacked M2TW to get the vanilla files, and now for some reason it crashes when loading battles. As does my Barebones game now.

Why is this happening! I've had a whole week wasted trying to get this mod working in Kingdoms are there's always something wrong. It doesn't make sense, it wasn't crashing before it was unpacked.

EDIT: Reinstalled, for about the fifth time this week. So, things are working, but descr_names.txt just will not be accepted. Doesn't matter if the lookup file is with it or not, and I even double checked the BIN file in the text folder for names.

Is this an issue with the Barebones mod folder and the Retrofit mod somehow? I can't see why the game won't accept it.

**Gigantus** · July 20, 2008, 01:39 AM

If you make changes in one name file you will have to put these changes into the other files as well. For example:
Descr_names:

Code:

faction: england		

	characters	
		Humperdinck

descr_names_lookup:

Code:

Humperdinck

names.txt:

Code:

{Humperdinck}Humperdinck

Interconnection is the buzzword!

**Caledonian Rhyfelwyr** · July 20, 2008, 06:43 AM

But I'm sure I did all that.

Unless I'm doing something stupid with convert_all.at for the BIN file.

**Gigantus** · July 20, 2008, 07:53 AM

But I'm sure I did all that.

If you have, then your problem is not with the names files.

~~Dummy~~ question no1: did you check the log for the error?
~~Dummy~~ question no2: did you follow the ReadMe file and deleted the files (2) in the data folder with 'geography' in their name?

**Caledonian Rhyfelwyr** · July 20, 2008, 10:34 AM

The readme doesn't say anything about deleting geography files.

And I can't see any in the data folder...

EDIT: Talking about Barebones BTW.

**Gigantus** · July 21, 2008, 06:34 AM

1. The ReadMe in the tools\unpacker directory tells about the geography files but you might have to scroll down a bit.
2. If you can't see any in the data folder, then you might have to look in the root (game) unmodded directory, because that's were the unpacker puts it.
3. And if you don't answer questions fully, then you might not get full response (did you check the log for the error)

**Caledonian Rhyfelwyr** · July 21, 2008, 07:09 AM

I haven't unpacked M2TW yet, because I've had to reinstall it twice due to unpacking causing crashes during battles.

I did however copy the entire unpacked data folder from a previous installation, so I can get all the vanilla files I need.

I'll see if I can find the geography files...

EDIT: Yes I always check the log BTW, but it didn't reveal anything.

EDIT 2: Wait, its the unpacker that wants me to delete the geography files? And I suppose not doing this caused the crashes during battles? Man, I am a dummy.

Could you confirm this for me before I go ahead and unpack again? Also would this be related to the problem with the names files in my Barebones folder?