Unused DMB entries

[Hannibal Smith]

I'm trying to find out if there is a list of unused entries in the DMB that can be deleted inorder to save spaces? I have removed a couple of entries like east musicians, Ive already searched but came up clean. I figure that lots of people must have done this before I thought I would ask for the benifit of their experience

Also have tried to remove the cheat oliphants and have run into problems with sound files does anyone know a way around that?

[florin80]

Also have tried to remove the cheat oliphants and have run into problems with sound files does anyone know a way around that?

Yes, you remove the mount(elephant oliphant) from all the sounds files that mention it. This is valid for the removal of any mount. The files concerned should be:
descr_sounds_units_ambient
descr_sounds_units_anims
descr_sounds_units_idle
descr_sounds_units_march
descr_sounds_units_run

[dvk901]

I'm trying to find out if there is a list of unused entries in the DMB that can be deleted inorder to save spaces? I have removed a couple of entries like east musicians, Ive already searched but came up clean. I figure that lots of people must have done this before I thought I would ask for the benifit of their experience

Also have tried to remove the cheat oliphants and have run into problems with sound files does anyone know a way around that?

That elephant is also referrenced in 'descr_mount.txt'.......you have to remove it from there. The reason for the sound file error is because the game referrences animal sounds from the existance of an animal in this file, if it isn't there...instant error. For some reason the game won't object nearly as much if you remove a unit (except for an occasional weird 'exit error'), but animals are a different matter. As Florin80 says, remove the referrence from all those sound files AND this one, and you should be good.

[Hannibal Smith]

Thanks for the replies. Have removed the cheat oliphants and indian elephants (they dont seem to be used).

Does anyone know of any units that are unused in the DMB? I have removed the east_musician and east_heavy_musician. I understand that if I alter the descr_lbc_db.txt I can then remove the female_peasant models, I also intend to remove the arcani and druid fantasy models.

[florin80]

You can put anything you want in descr_lbc_db(the name of the DMB entry) instead of the peasants so you can remove those. The only downside is that you`ll see hoplites holding their shields and running childishly around the streets. Which is a bit weird, but other than that....
Bottom line, there aren`t that many units in the vanilla DMB. You can just take them all one by one and see which are used in EDU or in descr_character(generals) and which not. I`ve done that for bi and it didn`t take too much time. The vanilla BI file is full of unused stuff and not only entries, but simple chunks of text with no proper format.

[dvk901]

You can put anything you want in descr_lbc_db(the name of the DMB entry) instead of the peasants so you can remove those. The only downside is that you`ll see hoplites holding their shields and running childishly around the streets. Which is a bit weird, but other than that....
Bottom line, there aren`t that many units in the vanilla DMB. You can just take them all one by one and see which are used in EDU or in descr_character(generals) and which not. I`ve done that for bi and it didn`t take too much time. The vanilla BI file is full of unused stuff and not only entries, but simple chunks of text with no proper format.

Boy that's the truth!!

[Subrosa Florens]

Many of the artillery crews can be removed and substituted with Peasants.

I have also found that with 1.5 at least all of the Mercenary entries can be reclaimed, and the merc skins placed with the regular DMB entries (and the EDU soldier line updated to point to the new DMB entry of course). I am not sure if it works with 1.3 or earlier. There is a note in the DMB saying not to do it, but I have seen no problems after doing it.

[dvk901]

I believe it was LT1956 who once told me that the important thing about coding mercs in DMB.txt was to make sure they looked like this:

type pictones_swordsman
skeleton fs_semi_fast_javelinman, fs_s1_barbswordsman ; combat spear
indiv_range 40
texture thrace, data/models_unit/textures/tone/merc/pictones_swordsman_merc.tga
texture slave, data/models_unit/textures/tone/merc/pictones_swordsman_merc.tga
texture merc, data/models_unit/textures/tone/arverni/pictones_swordsman_arverni.tga <<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<
model_flexi data/models_unit/pictones_swordsman_high.cas, max
model_sprite 50.0, data/sprites/RS_pictones_swordsman_sprite.spr <<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<
model_sprite thrace, 50.0, data/sprites/RS_pictones_swordsman_sprite.spr
model_sprite slave, 50.0, data/sprites/RS_pictones_swordsman_sprite.spr
model_tri 400, 0.5f, 0.5f, 0.5f

The merc line for the texture always last in the texture list, and the sprite for that unit texture always first in the sprite files list with no 'merc' in front of it.
I had a heck of a time with sprites in RS1.5 until I did this to all of the mercs. After that, never had an issue.

[MasterOfNone]

I've never coded them rigidly along these lines and have never had a problem with sprites - if by "problem" you mean battle CTDs (?).

btw, I noticed that the above sample block has extra subfolders for the textures. This is something I would advise against for modders. Not only is it longer to code, but also adds to the possibility of errors emanating from incorrect coding or incorrect placing of texture files.

If textures are named wisely they will list in an order based on faction, type, creator etc.

It also takes a lot longer to view and check textures when you have to check mutliple folders. Same goes for sprites.

[dvk901]

I've never coded them rigidly along these lines and have never had a problem with sprites - if by "problem" you mean battle CTDs (?).

btw, I noticed that the above sample block has extra subfolders for the textures. This is something I would advise against for modders. Not only is it longer to code, but also adds to the possibility of errors emanating from incorrect coding or incorrect placing of texture files.

If textures are named wisely they will list in an order based on faction, type, creator etc.

It also takes a lot longer to view and check textures when you have to check mutliple folders. Same goes for sprites.

You are SOOOOOO correct, sir!! I wish we had done this differently. For the 'most part' it works fine...but it was a nightmare tracking down the models that refused to find the textures because they weren't just in 'models_unit\textures'. (merc, slave and AOR units being the hardest to track down) Had I to do this over again, I would've been smarter.

[cocobongoclub-DJ]

Interesting. I never had problems while using a particular order for the skins and sprites (and i usually still have only one "generic" sprite entry for all the skins above... sometimes weird graphic bugs like not sprites at all for a given distance or a strange "metallic" effect). The real problem is not coming from DMB, i think of Tone and his versatile models, but from EDU and relations with descr_strat. You are really limited to 550 units, making you merging together all owners onagers, barbarian warlord cavalry, etc... And even that done, that's still not enough, although there is another limitation of 30 units per faction, roughly usable when using common entries (ie "thorakitai" for all factions that used them), and double entries/descriptions (i'm on the way to have 1000 spec units by this way)...

[florin80]

The merc line for the texture always last in the texture list, and the sprite for that unit texture always first in the sprite files list with no 'merc' in front of it.
I had a heck of a time with sprites in RS1.5 until I did this to all of the mercs. After that, never had an issue.

Sorry to insist, but what kind of issues are we talking about?