Creating a World – Adding a new Faction

[prekabreki]

You can disregard the messages about the traits, that is normal and most of the time applies to custom traits that do not have the full set of conditions (and don't need them).
It appears the first two factions got processed (descr_strat) and then the crash happened. Guess which faction is the third one in the descr_strat?

You said you didn't do anything with traits, but then I see this:
character Thengel, named character, male, leader, ....
traits Thengel 1 , Factionleader 1 , GoodCommander 3 ......

Your family tree is a bit messed up: characters listed in the family tree that are alive and of age have to appear somewhere. Adult males have to appear as generals. Adult females have to be either married or be listed as princesses.

relative Thengel, Morwen, Theoden, Theodwyn, Gleowyn, Dernwyn, end
relative Theoden, Elfhild, Theodred, end
relative Eomund, Theodwyn, Eomer, Eowyn, end

Have you removed the original garrison from the city you have now allocated to your new faction?

Yeah, I removed the original garrison, and changed the family tree to something simpler:

character_record Morwen, female, age 49, alive, never_a_leader

relative Thengel, Morwen, end

I'm no good at family trees...

Still crashes of course...and I don't even get a log.
edit: Log popped up.

[Gigantus]

Still the same in this log - first two factions processed, afterward crash.

Did you add Eonim to the top of the descr_strat?
Did you sort out the trait I marked (Thengel 1)?

[prekabreki]

Yeah, I added it to the faction list at the top, but I'm not sure what you mean by sorting out the trait, I tried erasing it, that didn't work.
So i'm fresh out of ideas...

[Gigantus]

I was talking about the trait entry in the descr_strat:

character Thengel, named character, male, leader, ....
traits Thengel 1 , Factionleader 1 , GoodCommander 3 ......

[prekabreki]

I was talking about the trait entry in the descr_strat:

character Thengel, named character, male, leader, ....
traits Thengel 1 , Factionleader 1 , GoodCommander 3 ......

Sorry for being so dimwitted about this ... But what should I do with the trait in the descr_strat?
I don't understand what's wrong with it..
Is it because the new faction doesn't have that trait available?

[Gigantus]

If the trait is not defined in descr_character_traits you will get an error if you try to give it to a character.
Simple remove the red marked entry from descr_strat if the trait does not exist in the d_c_t file.

[prekabreki]

Oh but the trait is marked there, I just copied the whole character from another faction, but just to be safe I erased the trait from descr_strat and changed the name of the general to something from the names.txt file...
So I dont think that's the reason for the crash....any other ideas oh mighty Gigantus?

[Gigantus]

That is the problem with adding a new faction: You just can't do it one file at a time.
Hunting errors is a night mare then.

I am sad to say that the best way would be to start again. Keep it very simple, only the really necessary things (no fancy traits or family trees for example). Once it works you can put the finer touches to it.

I haven't yet tried if TATW2 is Geomod 'compliant' otherwise it would be a lot easier to check.

[prekabreki]

What better use for a summer vacation, right?
Thanks for your help so far, I'll probably come back here real soon with some petty problem. But maybe not! Hopefully I'll get it going soon.

[Gigantus]

You are welcome any time.

[prekabreki]

Just wanted to thank you for making that tutorial and starting me off, check out some screenshots of my new faction!

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

Rohan and Gondor cavalry, hand in hand!

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

Two cultures, one faction! Whee!

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

Now that's pretty cool, Rohan bodyguards. Gondorian general!

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

The three cities, modified!

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

A family member.

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

Capital made to look like Edoras, aint that cool?

Thanks again, Gigantus!

[Gigantus]

Glad you got it fixed.

What do you mean by: "Two cultures, one faction!" - because that is not possible and there is only one (out of focus) picture in all the spoilers.

Tip regarding screen shots: when you press the PrtScr button a numbered TGA file will be created in the tgas folder of the game. Simply open this file with an editor that can work with this format and then save it as JPG and upload. If you delete tga files in that tgas folder folder after working on them, DELETE ALL! If the numerical sequence is not kept, pictures will not be saved.

[prekabreki]

Glad you got it fixed.

What do you mean by: "Two cultures, one faction!" - because that is not possible and there is only one (out of focus) picture in all the spoilers.

Tip regarding screen shots: when you press the PrtScr button a numbered TGA file will be created in the tgas folder of the game. Simply open this file with an editor that can work with this format and then save it as JPG and upload. If you delete tga files in that tgas folder folder after working on them, DELETE ALL! If the numerical sequence is not kept, pictures will not be saved.

Well I just meant the faction has both units from Gondor and Rohan

And the pictures are fine, if there's something I know it's image editing
Well they work everywhere else at least...

[Ishan]

Well I just meant the faction has both units from Gondor and Rohan

And the pictures are fine, if there's something I know it's image editing
Well they work everywhere else at least...

I saw the pics and they are beautiful.+rep to you boy.

@gigantus
The kid is good.

[Gigantus]

Now I can see the pics, maybe a server hiccup. Nice to see that initial failure didn't stop you.

Two more tricks:

- custom screenshot resolution - you can set the width in the cfg file, the height gets automatically set. Your hard drive is the limit in setting the numbers, the example will give a 6MB pic of 1650*1237 resolution. Check here for samples.
[video]
tga_width = 1650

- removing the UI in the campaign map - this little monitor in the campaign script lets your UI disappear every time you press Scroll Lock (and re-appear). Needs a new game to become active:

;=== StratMap UI verstecken, Scroll Lock druecken ===
declare_counter ui_showing
monitor_event ShortcutTriggered ShortcutTriggered object_manager hide_gui
    wait 0.1
        if I_CompareCounter ui_showing = 0
            hide_ui
            disable_movie_view
            set_counter ui_showing 2
        end_if

        if I_CompareCounter ui_showing = 1
            show_ui
            set_counter ui_showing 0
        end_if

        if I_CompareCounter ui_showing = 2
            set_counter ui_showing 1
        end_if
end_monitor

You combine the two and the guys and girls at the AAR hang outs are going to love you.

[prekabreki]

I saw the pics and they are beautiful.+rep to you boy.

@gigantus
The kid is good.

Thanks Ishan! Coming from you that means a lot!

and Gigantus those are very good screenshot tips you got there, I was really disappointed with the aspect and quality of the default screenshots.

[Gigantus]

One is glad to be of service

[Alex-ander]

Nice guide thanks.

One thing i find Notepad++ a lot better for editing text than notepad

[Gigantus]

I am mostly using Notepad++ myself. For tutorial purposes it is better to use the simple Notepad, the more experienced modders will use the ++ version anyhow.

[Chocolate]

Thanks giantus! I'm using SS, so since it has max factions I should just rename one and give it new colors, regions, etc, correct? I assume most of this guide will apply except I just switch things instead of adding them?