Rookie's guide on how to mod unit specs with PFM 1.9.9

[Sir. Cunningham]

This thread is meant to encourage a master modder to post a rookie guide on how to mod unit specs in ETW using PFM 1.9.9.

A step by step guide for people who have never modded a game before is the goal.

Many many many thanks in advance, I hope this will help all us rookies better understand

I can start out with the obvious:

Step 1 = Download Pack File Manager 1.9.9 or newer here: http://www.twcenter.net/forums/showthread.php?t=234546
Step 2 = unzip and install PFM.

Now I'll leave the rest for the pros

[Mikhail Tomasovic]

+rep lol nice start m8.

just make sure you have .net framework 3.5 installed, run the executable file and find your data folder in your steam folder. then open patch.pak. everything is laid out very very nice for you, you can edit unit size, accuracy, melee, charge bonuses etc... just play around and you will find it is simple simple simple. there is actually another program that allows you to edit units in the db folder. just run that one and it makes it even easier happy modding folks.

you can edit anything in there, not just units. buildings, technology reqs, anything... in order to mod the .esf files you must have a hex editor. lester has created a new mod for 4 turns per year, works like a charm.

[MrThib]

If you're planning to mod your patch.pack, make sure you make a backup of it in another folder (important!).
When you're more confident with the editor follow the guides here to make your owne mod files.
Have fun!

[Sir. Cunningham]

Yeah very true MrThib.

Now we just need a chronologic order of how to achieve various things

Once the program has been explained I'd probably divide the rest into categories such as:

Modding Unit abilities: bla bla bla...
Modding Weapon range: bla bla..
Modding Unit accuracy, reload rate: bla bla..

And so on

[Sir. Cunningham]

Ok here's my simple guide on how you do it (The pros here will know if you need to change other stuff):

Well here's what you have to do:


1. Download Pack File manager 1.9.9 from here: http://www.twcenter.net/f.../showthread.php?t=234546


2. Unzip and install it


3. Once installed open the program


4. Now you need to find the PACK file which you need to modify, this you do by clicking on the "file" button inside PFM 1.9.9 on the upper left corner and choosing "Open". You then go here "C:\Program Files\Steam\steamapps\common\empire total war\data". Once there you will find the PACK file named "Patch.Pack". Choose to open it.

NOTE: Make a copy of the Patch.Pack folder before you start modding, just incase you should happen to get something wrong.

5. Now that you have the Patch.Pack file open you will need to do the following (Explained by Jam79 ): In the left of the screen click the plus sign by patch.pack and again by the db folder. To edit unit stats you need to scroll down to the unit_stats_land_tables heading, click it's plus and the click on unit_stats_land. Now on the right you'll see a large table (like excel) scroll down to the unit of your choice and check the column headers to find what you would like to alter.

And here are the folders you'll most likely be the most interested in with an indicator on what they contain:

For modding unit accuracy, enter: unit_stats_land
For modding unit abilities (rank fire, platoon fire etc etc), enter: unit_to_unit_abilities
For modding weapon range, enter: projectiles_table


And then once you finished doing the changes remember to click "save" up at files in the upper left hand corner.

When done saving, then exit PFM and start up the game.

[MrThib]

Note that the copy of the patch.pack should be in a different folder or it may load anyway, or just rename it patch.back.
On that note, if you're really planning to mod a lot of things, consider to leave the patch.pack alone and to create your own mods.pack, that's an easy way to make some testing and tweaking, just read the threads on this forum concerning modding, almost all of them will give you instruction on how to do it.
That's a lot easier do edit too once you understand how the mods in this game are supposed to work.

[Southman]

Man I'm sick of trying. Followed your guide. Changed for example, euro_line_infantry_sweden. I changed the moral, the reloading skill and many other things. But in the game, the specs still remains the same as the original ones. What am I doing wrong? plz

My steps:

1. Open pack file manager.
2. Choosing a folder for "make packed files relative to which directory" Don't know what it does?
3. File-> open -> patch.pack with file pack manager.
4. Clicking my way to the unit_stats_land.
5. Changing some specs by clicking in a box and typing the value that I desire.
6. File-> Save.

7. Playing game, specs remain the same.

[MrThib]

When you re-open it I'm almost sure your value are back to default too.
make sure the box you're editing isn't active anymore when saving (click somewhere else).

[Southman]

When you re-open it I'm almost sure your value are back to default too.
make sure the box you're editing isn't active anymore when saving (click somewhere else).

Nope. The values are edited when i re-open... Feels like the game don't even use the patch.pack i edited.

[MrThib]

did you change the patch.pack format, the default one is patch.
You usually change this with right click choose pack Type.
the patch.pack should be keeped in patch format, that's because you're not doing a mod there, just playing directly with the native files (I don't know if that's your case through).
Else, just explain what you have modded exactly so we can find where the problem come from.

[Southman]

did you change the patch.pack format, the default one is patch.
You usually change this with right click choose pack Type.
the patch.pack should be keeped in patch format, that's because you're not doing a mod there, just playing directly with the native files (I don't know if that's your case through).
Else, just explain what you have modded exactly so we can find where the problem come from.

I righclicked on the patch.pack in the Pack file manager and in packtype it said "release". Can that be the case? I'm going to try this. Thx a lot!

Didn't work. =/ The things i modded was the euro line infantry sweden, their morale and the reloading skill. Just as a test.

[MrThib]

You're working on the patch.pack right?
You've changed it back to a patch type file (not mod!).
So, just be sure that the copy of the patch.pack you've made as a backup is not in the same folder because it will load anyway and might be overwriting your patch.pack.

[Southman]

You're working on the patch.pack right?
You've changed it back to a patch type file (not mod!).
So, just be sure that the copy of the patch.pack you've made as a backup is not in the same folder because it will load anyway and might be overwriting your patch.pack.

Yeah, working with the patch.pack.

The backup is in another folder, yes.

[MrThib]

And changed in "patch" type and still not working???
Try to post it there so I can take a look.

[Southman]

And changed in "patch" type and still not working???
Try to post it there so I can take a look.

Yeah, changed to patch type. Not working...
You mean I should upload the patch.pack file on a site and link it here?

[MrThib]

Yes, I mean that.
Or try some more serious/safer way than editing the patch.pack wich is a native file:
http://www.twcenter.net/forums/showthread.php?t=239933

[Southman]

Yes, I mean that.
Or try some more serious/safer way than editing the patch.pack wich is a native file:
http://www.twcenter.net/forums/showthread.php?t=239933

Actually I just did that. Gonna try now!

Did not work! Haha, I'm cursed!

Here it is! --> http://www.megaupload.com/?d=9FUEEYT3

See what you cando! appreciate your help so far!
btw, I have the special forces edition. But that shouldn´t make a difference right?

[Southman]

PROBLEM SOLVED! HOLY !

Man I was suprised!

I removed 2 other mods. patch_mod_smoke.pack & patch_tighter_formations.pack. Now it's working!

[MrThib]

Yes, that's because there using the sames db than you and overwrite them.
This mods where here long before we found how to use the proper mod format so they use the whole db files.
On that note I think the smoke mod should work since it don't affect the same file.

[Southman]

Yes, that's because there using the sames db than you and overwrite them.
This mods where here long before we found how to use the proper mod format so they use the whole db files.
On that note I think the smoke mod should work since it don't affect the same file.

Yeah, the smoke mod works. Is there anyway to get the tighter formations to work then?

Guess I can Extract the units_stats_land and put it in my original patch.pack?! That should work