Modding impossible?

[Alecci]

I think I've managed to figure out why none of the editing I've attempted is working.

It's perfectly alright to edit any files not originally contained in the GamePath\Data\text folder. For example, I can edit the descr_strat.txt or the descr_senate.txt without any issues, and the game still works as intended (including the modifications I've made), but then again, those files belong to other folders.

When I move on to edit any of the files within the text-folder, like for example the names.txt or the export_VnVs.txt, that always result in some error (in the sense that the edit doesn't do the job) or errorless CTD's.

I've noticed that however small adjustment I make to these files, it has great effect upon the size of the file.

For instance like adding an extra s to the surname Julius in the right column of names.txt reduces the file size from 165 kB to 81 kB. The change is not visible in-game.

Adding an extra dot to one of the trait description lines in export_VnVs.txt reduces the file size from 358 kB to 180 kB. When right-clicking a character portrait I get errorless CTD's.

Taking out one of the i in "Roman (Julii) Spy" in the right columns of expanded.txt and/or expanded_bi.txt has similar effects. This change results in an errorless CTD when about a quarter of the campaign loading is done.

After the file size of any of the files in the text-folder is changed, it's like the game doesn't recognize it anymore.

A support for this conclusion would be my experiences with the Name Verifier tool. Prior to making any changes in names.txt, it works like I guess it's supposed to. After making any change, however small, to the names.txt (effecting a reduction in the file size), the tool cannot find any names in that files, even though they are clearly there.

I've tried filling up the files with gibberish, and then commeting that out using the ¬ in order to get the file to the appropriate size, but that doesn't work either.

Last experiment I did was like this:

1: I added two traits with associated triggers to export_descr_character_traits.txt and then the appropriate lines to export_descr_VnVs_enums.txt. I then commented out my changes by putting ; in front of everything I added.

2: I restored the vanilla version of export_VnVs.txt to the text-folder.

3: I ran the game, started a new campaign and right-clicked my faction leader's portrait. Everything works fine, so I quit the campaign and shut down the game completely.

4: I added the appropriate lines to export_VnVs.txt in the text-folder, and commented out those changes as well using the ¬ sign. I then saved the file and noticed the above-mentioned reduce in size.

5: I ran the game, started a new campaign and right-clicked my faction leader's portrait. Immediately I receive an errorless CTD.

The point in commenting out my changes was to check if the game behaved the same way even though I removed all possibilities of me making any errors in editing the files. Since I commented out all the changes I had made, the files should correspond to the vanilla versions.

Still the game CTD.

This basically render me impossible to make any mentionable modifications to the game (at least the ones I want), since there's lot of fun stuff to edit within the files located in the text-folder.

Does anyone know why the game/files behave like this? Is there any way to go around it? Should I look for a cracked version of the game's executable and hope that this would mean the game accepts none-original files?

I'm officially out of ideas on how to proceed. I'd be very, very grateful for any help in solving this matter.

[AqD]

What editor are you using to edit those text files? They're in UCS-2/UTF-16 encoding and your editor may have saved them as UTF-8.

[Squid]

Now we're getting somewhere, all files in the data/text folder must, must, MUST be saved in unicode format, if they don't you will always get an errorless CTD. The file size dropping by half indicates you are saving the file in ascii format not unicode.

[Alecci]

Interesting... I'll see if I can save them in Unicode using the EditPad. If not, is there any other text editor you might recommend?

I think the ones included with Windows are a little bit "stone age".

[Squid]

Even the notepad will allow you chose between ascii and unicode. I personally use notepad++.

[Alecci]

This has solved all of my problems. I've now been able to add offices, custom names, new traits, etc. Many thanks!

You may close my two other threads.

[Aradan]

We don't usually close threads, unless they violate rules. It's great that the reason behind all this weirdness has been identified!

[Alecci]

I agree, Maybe you should put notes in the tutorials that all files in the text-folders need to be saves as Unicode.

Not that anyone else seems to have had a problem with it, but you never know when a newbie like myself show up.

[AqD]

I agree, Maybe you should put notes in the tutorials that all files in the text-folders need to be saves as Unicode.

Not that anyone else seems to have had a problem with it, but you never know when a newbie like myself show up.

Because all editors are supposed to save everything in the same format and encoding (it's a basic notepad feature!). If it doesn't, don't use it