How to create a custom unit - a complete guide

[moisesjns]

maybe we should forget the last post i was just mad sigh. but really i dont understand this that much their is no localisation_tab i exported it and imported it to my mod and it wont work also just please can you post pics? mrthibs did and that made everything much easier

[Aldgarkalaughskel]

maybe we should forget the last post i was just mad sigh. but really i dont understand this that much their is no localisation_tab i exported it and imported it to my mod and it wont work also just please can you post pics? mrthibs did and that made everything much easier

If you can do it only with picture guidance, take a look at here:
http://www.twcenter.net/forums/showthread.php?t=239103

[Bladerunner]

I try to add new models to the ships (cloned existing models to be able to include more texture variants). Any experiance with naval_model_tables and warscape_naval_lod_tables yet?

I can alter the rigid_naval_models and rigid_model_animations, but atm i could do this just with existing ships to make texture variants, so i'm limited to those, who have already different variants for br, fr, ru and sp.

i would like to add more variants and for all ships, but any time i try to integrate altered versions of naval_model_tables and warscape_naval_lod_tables, i got CTD when starting ETW (can't be the models as if there is a prob, i got CTD when starting battle not starting game - tested already).

[moisesjns]

alright i made my unit but im having trouble giving them a name i put this unit_on_screen_name_patriots_unit Patriots False but it wont let me import gives me error ill re try in a while

MUCh easier way to name units and powerwiz you should tell people this no need to even export the localisation tab or anything just open pack file manager then open up the patch.en.pack and go to the localisation tab their now look for a row that says units_on_screen_name_games_unit_name (for example) then clone thsi row now rename it to what you named your unit for me it was unit_on_screen_name_patriots_unit then on the right column next to it change the name to say WIld patriots and you ge tthe name . much easier and faster


also does anyone know how to change my character models? kind of like texturing him but i just want him to look like another unit is that possible? i want to make my poland line infantry use this model

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

[moisesjns]

i found out how YES i made my custom units have sword and shields but they look native american with tattoes YES

[jarnomiedema]

Has anyone been able to succesfully mod the textures for the marines?

I've been modding the textures for a while now (see the last link in my signature for details) and it's all going fantastically well, but for some reason when I go through the motions with the marines, nothing happens! I made some minor changes to the diffuse file (turned the orange to red and the white to dark blue), made the alpha channel in the gloss file black so that the diffuse colours would show through and removed some of the details from the normal map the way I had edited them in the diffuse file.

But no matter what I do, the changes don't seem to show up.. The strangest thing is that when I do the exact same thing with any of the land units, it works like a charm..

Any suggestions / ideas on what I might be doing wrong or what could be different about the two types of units? If anyone has the time, could they perhaps do some testing themselves and see if they can get it to work and let me know what they did? (There would definitely be some +rep involved, because I could use a little hand here.. )

[MephisK]

Hm.. I have a question. What's the name of the "Elite Infantry" on the US side? I'm goign to try and see if I can copy the unit then .. yeah.

ALSO, is it possible to copy a WHOLE ROW and paste it into another row on a seperate manager?

[Vanquisher]

I'd like to know more about gloss files, they are what annoy me. I use the green channel, it seems to add the shine. The red channel seems to add some kind of bump effect. Is this right? I wish to use these to their full effect. Also the faction colour the alpha channel deals with... it seems to me to be more vibrant than my plain diffuse file's colour. Is this something I am doing wrong in the diffuse or what.

[dougmadman]

the alpha channel does add better more vibrant color than the diffuse does for the faction color ive noticed it.

[vadik_1st]

nice.... but i am not so good.. at it ... so a have a qustion ... ho can create or edit a faction ... to aather name and flag.... pls.. whrite me in privat... pls

[muffinhead]

im trying to make my own howitzer, including customizing my own range for all of the types of shots. I thought it would be simple like replacing an infantry unit with a different projectile IDRef, but there is no projectile IDRef and there are multiple ammo types for the howitzer. Is it ALL in the projectiles_tables and if so what do i have to mod in order to give my new howitzer its own ammo type?

Edit: Just found out that it doesnt work, regardless. if anyone has ever created an artillery unit or knows how, please let me know.

[just]

I'd like to know more about gloss files, they are what annoy me. I use the green channel, it seems to add the shine. The red channel seems to add some kind of bump effect. Is this right? I wish to use these to their full effect. Also the faction colour the alpha channel deals with... it seems to me to be more vibrant than my plain diffuse file's colour. Is this something I am doing wrong in the diffuse or what.

Gloss maps
red = specular sharpness, how spread out the highlight is, metal should have a narrow / low / dark value, plastic or shiny wood a higher value.
green = specular level, how shiny the highlight is, higher is brighter. Metal should have a high value, shiny plastic less, matte (bark, cotton) should be black on the green channel.
blue = cloth dirt mask, gets combined with info from the game about dirtiness for the specified model and the default dirty map (color and alpha), the higher, the dirtier it can get.
alpha = faction color strength, more alpha means the faction color gets more priority over the diffuse color.

[klesh]

I decided to take the plunge this morning and try to make a new unit. I am completely confused with the several different tutorials and how they all seem to be referring to different files or demo mods etc. Its does not bode well that I can't even get past step two in this process, but I'd like to try, so please be patient.




Step 1) I have downloaded the DemoModTemplate. I have place my_pack.pack in the \data folder.

Step 2) My comments are below in RED

STEP 2. Creating a new unit (Based on The Phenom's excellent guides)

• Open my_pack.pack with the Pack File Manager (It is in the /data folder of within installation directory). Done

• Choose the unit you want to clone (use as a template), f.e. euro_line_infantry_austria. Okay, the unit I know I want to work with is called euro_militia_infantry_minutemen.

• The files you need to edit are:
  
  building_units_allowed
  unit_stats_land
  unit_to_unit_abilities_junctions
  units
  units_to_exclusive_faction_permissions
  units_to_groupings_military_permissions Yes, I see these listed in my_pack.pack but they are all listed with "my_" as a prefix?

• The first file we are going to edit is "building_units_allowed". In order to do this, select and expand the "building_levels_tables" under the "db" directory. After this select "building_units_allowed". You will see a tab. Find your chosen unit to clone. Again, I only see a "my_buildings_units_allowed" and it does not contain an entry for euro_militia_infantry_minutemen...

I guess I'll stop here until I can get some help. Sorry for being so n00btastic.

[klesh]

Okay, I think I'm making headway. I am up to here (I think):

• For "units_to_gov_type_permissions", open the main.pack using Pack File Manager. Expand the "db" directory under the "main.pack". Then select "units_to_gov_type_permissions_table". After that, right click on it and select "Extract Selected..." Import it in the my_pack.pack.

Now, I can export the "units_to_gov_type_permissions" as a .tsv file no problem. However, I don't see an "Import" function anywhere. When I select "add file" from right clicking "my_pack.pack" on the left hand side and browse to the extracted "units_to_gov_type_permissions.tsv" file, the PFM crashes.



Okay, in an effort not to triple post, I will just add my next hurdle here.



I managed to add the "units_to_gov_type_permissions"... it seems it needs to be in the same folder as your working .pack in its appropriate subdirectories "\db\units_to_gov_type_permissions_tables". By chance, what number needs to be in the 1st "unknown" column, I see several variations for other units. Also, I presume I'm making the 2nd "unknown" column say "enabled"? Right now I have:

unit_name gov_republic                           1 enabled
unit_name gov_constitutional_monarchy 1 enabled
unit_name gov_absolute_monarchy        1 enabled

Anyway.

I pretty much finished Step 2 and therefore I believe my unit should be available in the custom battle. Alas, it is not. Should I upload the .pack here for review, or would anyone like to take a look at it with me and help a n00b along?


Please see the thread I made for my foray into modding. Its an effort not to clog up this sticky:

http://www.twcenter.net/forums/showthread.php?p=4966010

[turkgun]

i cant understand please help me where is sample mod pack and how i will chose unit step 2? i cant chose unit(euro_line_infantry_austuria)

[klesh]

i cant understand please help me where is sample mod pack and how i will chose unit step 2? i cant chose unit(euro_line_infantry_austuria)

The Demo Mod Template is found in the first post in this thread. it is the attachment at the bottom of the first post.

I don't really understand the 2nd part of your question. You dont have to use euro_line_infantry_austria, you can use any unit you like, you just need to find the name the game code uses for that unit.

[turkgun]

thanks your answer where can i find step by step making 3d modelling unit guide in photoshop?

[Bladerunner]

you can't make 3d models with photoshop. for this you need 3dmax, maya or another 3d modeling programm. And first of all we all need an ex- and importer for the etw-engine. at the moment there is just a converter to view parts of the models and as long as all can't make new ones, i doubt you will find a tutorial here.

What you can do is altering textures for units with photoshop. that's all!

But if you are not aware of what can be done with PS, you might google for tutorials for PS in the web first and learn the basics of the programm.

[Der_kaiser]

Can someone simplify this for those of us who rely on modders to do the modding?

[turkgun]

allright,thank lots how can i change appearance of a unit(uniform,bonnet...etc)in dds with photoshop?for example i want this appearance http://img299.imageshack.us/img299/8...775202we21.png how i can convert to dds?i search tutorial about this