STARTPOS.ESF analysis and modifications. HYBRID startpos.esf

[Pikemen]

How do you go about adding character Portraits? I have A picture I want to add to the game but don't know how.

Thanks,
Pikemen

[husserlTW]

How do you go about adding character Portraits? I have A picture I want to add to the game but don't know how.

Thanks,
Pikemen

Open the image with a program like paint.net (it is free). Make 2 files, one 66X88 pixels (icon, mostly the head, tga format) and one 204X272 (info_card as much as whole portrait, jpg format). Make a mod.pack or add in an existing the folder ui. See another or vanilla one how is the tree (ui\portraits\cards\....\myicon.tga and ui\portraits\info\....\myicon.jpg). Then open startpos.esf find the character record ([...]WORLD\FACTION_ARRAY\FACTION\CHARACTERS), go in PORTRAITS_DETAILS and place in 1st line the path for tga and in 3rd the path for jpg (ui\portraits\...\myicon.tga or .jpg). If it is the faction leader you have to do the same in FACTION\FAMILY record and in [...]CAMPAIGN_PREOPEN_MAP_INFO\FACTION_INFOS second line only the .tga path.

[LEMONAIDS]

so i replaced all the CA faction iDs on the characters and the armies but i got a crash. do i need to copy and past the ministers and rakes into the new faction also? or just the armies and the generals/colonels? and should i delete the ministers and rakes out of the old faction even if I dont paste them in the new faction?

[husserlTW]

so i replaced all the CA faction iDs on the characters and the armies but i got a crash. do i need to copy and past the ministers and rakes into the new faction also? or just the armies and the generals/colonels? and should i delete the ministers and rakes out of the old faction even if I dont paste them in the new faction?

You have to delete them from the old faction. Also you have to make the ownership change in CAI_WORLD without delete or copy anything except id's.
1. Go in CAI_WORLD_FACTION and using faction ID check CAI_WORLD_FACTION\CAI_FACTION and get cai faction ID (it is the number of of the CAI_WORLD_FACTION) old and the new owner.
2. Go in CAI_CHARACTERS and using cai faction ID (CAI_WORLD_CHARACTERS\OWNER_INDIRECT) of old owner and character id (in CAI_WORLD_CHARACTERS\CAI_CHARACTER) spot the characters. When you do place in OWNER_INDIRECT the new cai faction id. Also in CAI_WORLD_CHARACTERS\CAI_CHARACTER in 1st line is cai army id. Grab them and go in CAI_WORLD_RESOURCE_MOBILES spot the records and in OWNER_INDIRECT enter the new owner's cai faction id. Keep the armies cai id you gonna need them if you decide later to change the location.

If you need more help to spot where are the right entries in the several cai records you can check them in my tutorial, in Analysis section.

[LEMONAIDS]

I did all that. still crash.

when I paste the character array into new faction, do I need to past all the characters or just generals/colonels and the respective armies? because i didnt paste the rakes or ministers and im wondering if thats the problem.

[husserlTW]

I did all that. still crash.

when I paste the character array into new faction, do I need to past all the characters or just generals/colonels and the respective armies? because i didnt paste the rakes or ministers and im wondering if thats the problem.

You'll copy/paste/delete only the characters you change ownership. I suggest to do this first only for one army which have one colonel, until you succeed it. If you get a ctd upload your startpos here (you have to zip it first) so I can check it. Post all the relative id's also. Keep the startpos you've worked so far, don't deleted yet.

[husserlTW]

LEMONAIDS which campaign is that were 13 Colonies and US are appeared the same time? Are you trying to unlock US in Early Campaign?

[LEMONAIDS]

it was early campaign but i would like to unlock it for all campaigns.
heres the ESF
http://www.megaupload.com/?d=NQ4VF8QW

[husserlTW]

it was early campaign but i would like to unlock it for all campaigns.
heres the ESF
http://www.megaupload.com/?d=NQ4VF8QW

Bad news man.. If you unlock an emergent (like US) and give it the armies of an existing faction (like 13 col.) these armies and the characters must stay alive in all the campaign or you'll get a ctd. Practically this is impossible for the characters and the armies must never involve in a battle. I insist to follow the hybrid technique which is much easier and quicker. Also you have to know that U.S is playable in my Late Campaign startpos mod (there you can find also all emergent).

Anyway my suggestion still stands, if you want to check your startpos, under the conditions I've posted above.

[LEMONAIDS]

is there anyway i can just delete the 13 colonies armies so as to let the US make their own?

[husserlTW]

is there anyway i can just delete the 13 colonies armies so as to let the US make their own?

Start the game as 13 col. disband all armies, do nothing else. Save, exit and make a hybrid startpos. After that you'll have a normal startpos without armies for 13 col. Hybrid is the only way to delete or add elements in the game.

[LEMONAIDS]

ok, so i am about to release a napoleonic mod and everything is done except for the startpos.esf. i have already done a ton of things such as date change, region exchange and victory conditions without crashes. if i do the hybrid esf along with all my changes, would i be able to release it without people having problems?

[husserlTW]

ok, so i am about to release a napoleonic mod and everything is done except for the startpos.esf. i have already done a ton of things such as date change, region exchange and victory conditions without crashes. if i do the hybrid esf along with all my changes, would i be able to release it without people having problems?

You'll have no problem from hybrid.

Tip:
If you use early campaign startpos you must change the date of characters birth or after 3-4 years all they will die and replaced.

[LEMONAIDS]

if I save the game in short campaign then the hybrid will be short camapaign only?

what if i want to use long campaign, will i have to save the game in long campaign?

[husserlTW]

if I save the game in short campaign then the hybrid will be short camapaign only?

what if i want to use long campaign, will i have to save the game in long campaign?

Late campaign starts in 1783 so it is better for Napoleonic era.

[LEMONAIDS]

ok. so the hybrid thing is working perfectly except it seems that even though i have disabled 13 colonies the flag is still at the top when factions are taking their turns. and even stranger is that they seem to be controlling some of my units in what used to be their capitol (pennsylvania). they will move units that i just got done moving somewhere else. lol. how do i resolve this?

nevermind, its in your tutorial.

[LEMONAIDS]

sorry i keep bothering you but i gave all of the 13 colonies regions to the US with succes. no crashes.
but when i gave upper and lower louisianas to france the exact same way (hybrid) it crashes after the pirates take their turn.
it does this when playing for any faction. whats the deal?

[Shroomi]

I've followed the steps to make the 3 protectorates playable and it seemed to be working fine (deleted the hand over missions, got them allied instead of protectorate/patron etc) except that I can't seem to declare war?

Could someone enlighten me as to what i've missed please?

[husserlTW]

I've followed the steps to make the 3 protectorates playable and it seemed to be working fine (deleted the hand over missions, got them allied instead of protectorate/patron etc) except that I can't seem to declare war?

Could someone enlighten me as to what i've missed please?

Go in [...]WORLD/FACTION_ARRAY/FACTION of every x-protectorate and replace the x-patron id that lays in the 21st line (just under the 2 AI strategies) with 0.

[Shroomi]

All sorted, thanks a lot