Creating a World – Adding a new Faction

[removeduser_34528374213]

there isnt any file named m2tw.int in the Bare_Geomod folder

i'm not sure i done the sdfile correctly

oh, nevermind i solved it

the problem was that i forgot to replace OTTOMANS with ROMANIA at the end of strategy.sd

[Gigantus]

I got the spelling wrong: data\menu\mtw2.lnt

Glad you got it fixed.

.

[meliritos]

Gigantus, once again i would like to congratulate you on the great work you are doing here.

I was reading your series to get my mod going. I noticed though (maybe i am mistaken-correct me if i am wrong and point me the link) that you havent got a tutorial on the work management of a mod. I mean there is valuable info on how to do maps, portraits, put factions etc, but i havent find a guide saying how a modder should delegate work.

For example i replaced 6 vanilla with the 6 factions of my mod and i am planning to do their faction banners. So far so good, but what next? Should i go for changing the units with place holders, should i do portraits, should i do traits? Maybe some info on what is logical, and more crash free, path to create a world would be a lot appreciated, especially for beginner coders like me.

Thanks again

[Gigantus]

Most of the work is somehow connected to each other - meaning for instance that you will want to create the actual unit first before adding it into the EDB.
Generally speaking: You should start with adding your new faction(s) into the game. Then units (which can be tested in custom battles without further integration into your mod). Organize your EDB will be the next step: first add new buildings if required, then add your units. Last not least work on eye candy. If your map is finalized, start working on descr_strat as the last step (before eye candy).
Apologies if I forgot something.

[meliritos]

Since you mentioned the units i have another question. Since some mods tend to use completely new factions and units what are the steps of effectively deleting factions and units that you dont want to see in your mod? If someone follows this "create a faction" guide backwards will one delete without crashes the spare factions and units or is there other places one should look for in order to completely eliminate redundant factions?

For example i am working on a comics hero mod. I converted some factions and the rest i want to get rid off with their units. What do i do?

[Gigantus]

Pretty much every TXT file mentioned needs to be edited and a couple more need to be checked.
To remove a faction requires removing the faction reference from the following files:
EDB
EDU
descr_sm_factions
descr_strat
descr_characters

Possible entries can be found here:
campaign_script
descr_character_traits
descr_ancillaries
and a few more that can be found by running a 'file content' search for the faction name.

The procedure is so time consuming that it is seldom performed, instead modders usually 'clone' an existing faction by changing the database files (data\text folder). The only faction that makes sense to replace completely would be the aztecs due to the battlefield building models. And maybe the papal states, although that one just needs a small edit because of the special functions and then it would be ready for 'cloning'

Summary: don't remove things if you don't have to!

[meliritos]

I understand but if not deleting, does this mean that i will have to have 23 factions in my mod? I would like to have only 6 how can i change that?

[Gigantus]

As long as you don't enter them in the descr_strat file they will not show up in the game in any way.

[meliritos]

and if my new faction requires less units than the vanila its ok again to delete the redundant ones or is there a trick to cover that too? And if i should delete from which parts i should delete vanilla units entries?

[Ishan]

and if my new faction requires less units than the vanila its ok again to delete the redundant ones or is there a trick to cover that too? And if i should delete from which parts i should delete vanilla units entries?

Haven't been keeping track on your progress but the hard-coded limit is 500 units and you can free up slots from EDU by simply deleting them from EDU and removing them from EDB you can leave the entries in the BMDB file though.

[Gigantus]

Work from this point of view: as long as you don't exceed hard coded limits (some of them below) then you shouldn't remove basic entries (EDU, descr_sm_factions).

AgentTypes 12
Building Trees 128
Buildings in Tree 9
Cultures, number of 7
Factions 31
Regions 200
Resources, desc_sm_resources.txt 26
Resources, Hidden 64
Units in export_desc_units.txt 500
Religions 10

[meliritos]

i dont want to free up slots. I just dont want cataphracts showing up with my units. How can i ensure that?

[Gigantus]

Remove the recruitment entries for that unit in the EDB.

[Gigantus]

Update 29th January 2011
Attachment
- added mtw2 file with 26? slots for CoA in faction screen, extract into data\menu

[Mikhail]

SO I followed this tutorial (thank you soooo much for making this by the way Gigantus) and have been fixing little errors as I come across them. Currently I am trying to add Cilician Armenia (from Broken Crescent) to SS6.3. I finally have got to the point where afterI select armenia as my faction the game goes to the loading screen, but I get a crash now. This is the error log:
11:45:16.852 [data.missing] [error] data/ui/shared.sdfile not found
11:45:17.611 [data.missing] [error] data/ui/strategy.sdfile not found
11:47:36.602 [script.err] [error] Script Error in mods/Bare_Geomod/data/export_descr_ancillaries.txt, at line 5, column 11
Could'n find ancillary name string <heir_crown>.
11:47:36.659 [script.err] [error] Script Error in mods/Bare_Geomod/data/export_descr_ancillaries.txt, at line 9, column 17
Could'n find ancillary description string <heir_crown_desc>.
11:47:36.659 [script.err] [error] Script Error in mods/Bare_Geomod/data/export_descr_ancillaries.txt, at line 10, column 24
Could'n find ancillary effect description string <heir_crown_effects_desc>.
12:36:25.127 [data.invalid] [error] Insufficient video memory to load requested texture set.

I dont know about the first two errors as the ui files are there. The ancillaries one is I think cause I have the the 'choose next heir' submod installed (only thing I did with ancillaries). But the last error is the puzzling one for me. Any tips??

[Gigantus]

12:36:25.127 [data.invalid] [error] Insufficient video memory to load requested texture set.

That's the culprit. One of your strat characters has got no texture. To find out which one, change your log to trace, start again and then check in the line above this error for the model and add the necessary texture.

[Mikhail]

Thank you!!! once again...

But.... how do I set the log to trace??

[Gigantus]

Open your mod's cfg file with notepad and make sure the line in the [log] section looks like this:

[log]
level = * trace

[Mikhail]

well thank you!!! I fixed a lot of stuff, now the game works....

BUT!!!

All the scrolls are white and messed up. The settlement info windows are huge and only have the settlement names on them. And the main window on the bottom where you choose and see everything, is missing... kind of.... parts of it are there but white. Any help??

[Gigantus]

Have you copied the SD (and XML) files into data\ui ?