Help needed (Adding new units)

**michael123** · July 30, 2009, 07:42 PM

Hi, I am trying to make my first mod, a submod for Third Age: Total War, and have encountered a problem. I'm just trying to add in some other units from the Kingdom's expansion as mercenaries, but hit a brick wall when I try to sort out the "battle_models.modeldb" file. I have modded in the new units in "export_descr_unit", "export_units.txt" and the "descr_mercenaries" files, following these guides:

http://www.twcenter.net/forums/showt...ht=mercenaries
http://www.twcenter.net/forums/showthread.php?t=221097

And I'm pretty sure I've done that right. However, the problem comes when I am told:

(if you do not know how to edit the battle_models file please read this tutorial: http://forums.totalwar.org/vb/showthread.php?t=79455)

I downloaded the script and ran it on python in the right directory, but get the error "****** String count error at line 806, count says 0 but string has 1 characters " in a new text document. I assume this is because I'm not modding a vanilla file?

PLZPLZPLZPLZ help

**michael123** · July 30, 2009, 07:47 PM

:O managed to get the file open finally, was being a bit stupid really

keep watching the thread though, I may need more help soon

**michael123** · July 31, 2009, 04:17 AM

Back again

could use some help. I've just tried adding the Hobiguir unit from the expansion as a mercenary in TATW, with a few changes, but I'm still getting a crash on starting the game. The system log goes as follows (the important bit):

Spoiler Alert, click show to read:

It won't find the models, so I suspect the problem is with the battle_models file, where my "new" Hobiguirs unit goes like this:

Spoiler Alert, click show to read:

Help appreciated, I am a modding noob.

**Gigantus** · July 31, 2009, 05:03 AM

I am surprised it runs at all (no offence) - the numbers in front of the line represent the amount of characters that follow:

8 Hobiguir
1 4
55 unit_models/_Units/EN_Peasant_Padded/hobiguir_lod0.mesh 121
55 unit_models/_Units/EN_Peasant_Padded/hobiguir_lod1.mesh 900
55 unit_models/_Units/EN_Peasant_Padded/hobiguir_lod2.mesh 2500
55 unit_models/_Units/EN_Peasant_Padded/hobiguir_lod3.mesh 6400
2
5 slave
79 unit_models/_Units/EN_Peasant_Padded/textures/en_peasant_padded_ireland.texture
79 unit_models/_Units/EN_Peasant_Padded/textures/en_peasant_padded_ireland.texture
38 unit_sprites/slave_Hobiguir_sprite.spr
4 merc
79 unit_models/_Units/EN_Peasant_Padded/textures/en_peasant_padded_ireland.texture
79 unit_models/_Units/EN_Peasant_Padded/textures/en_peasant_padded_ireland.texture
38 unit_sprites/slave_Hobiguir_sprite.spr
2
5 slave
68 unit_models/AttachmentSets/Final European Light_ireland_diff.texture
68 unit_models/AttachmentSets/Final European Light_ireland_norm.texture 0
4 merc
68 unit_models/AttachmentSets/Final European Light_ireland_diff.texture
68 unit_models/AttachmentSets/Final European Light_ireland_norm.texture 0
1
5 Horse
13 MTW2_HR_Spear
12 MTW2_HR_Mace 2
21 MTW2_HR_spear_Primary
14 fs_test_shield 2
17 MTW2_Mace_Primary
14 fs_test_shield
16 -0.090000004 0 0 -0.34999999 0.80000001 0.60000002
12 Hobiguir_ug1
1 4
56 unit_models/_Units/LN_Lmail_Hmail/hobiguir_ug1_lod0.mesh 121
56 unit_models/_Units/LN_Lmail_Hmail/hobiguir_ug1_lod1.mesh 900
56 unit_models/_Units/LN_Lmail_Hmail/hobiguir_ug1_lod2.mesh 2500
56 unit_models/_Units/LN_Lmail_Hmail/hobiguir_ug1_lod3.mesh 6400
2
5 slave
73 unit_models/_Units/LN_Lmail_Hmail/textures/LN_Lmail_Hmail_ireland.texture
75 unit_models/_Units/LN_Lmail_Hmail/textures/LN_Lmail_Hmail_normal.texture
42 unit_sprites/slave_Hobiguir_ug1_sprite.spr
4 merc
73 unit_models/_Units/LN_Lmail_Hmail/textures/LN_Lmail_Hmail_ireland.texture
75 unit_models/_Units/LN_Lmail_Hmail/textures/LN_Lmail_Hmail_normal.texture
42 unit_sprites/slave_Hobiguir_ug1_sprite.spr
2
5 slave
68 unit_models/AttachmentSets/Final European Light_ireland_diff.texture
68 unit_models/AttachmentSets/Final European Light_ireland_norm.texture 0
4 merc
68 unit_models/AttachmentSets/Final European Light_ireland_diff.texture
68 unit_models/AttachmentSets/Final European Light_ireland_norm.texture 0
1
5 Horse
13 MTW2_HR_Spear
12 MTW2_HR_Mace 2
21 MTW2_HR_spear_Primary
14 fs_test_shield 2
17 MTW2_Mace_Primary
14 fs_test_shield
16 -0.090000004 0 0 -0.34999999 0.80000001 0.60000002

Make sure you add one number in the topline of the file, eg
22 serialization::archive 3 0 0 0 0 854 0 0

**michael123** · July 31, 2009, 05:25 AM

No offence taken, I am not known for my modding ability (this is my first try). Thanks for your assistance. With your help I have graduated to my next error

(probably the first of many more) and I'd be very grateful if you could lend a hand again. Here's the new log file:

Spoiler Alert, click show to read:

The unit is meant to be a slave/mercenary unit - in fact Ireland doesn't come into it at all, it was just the original owner of the unit. The problem is all the mesh/texture files I could find for Hobiguirs in the original British Isles mod folder pertain to Ireland. The original battle_mod file entry, in the BI mod folder, for hobiguirs, runs like this:

Spoiler Alert, click show to read:

But I couldn't find any files labled with merc/slave so I tried to use the Ireland ones. All the files I could find regarding Hobiguirs are in this screenshot:

Spoiler Alert, click show to read:

plus the files "final european light_ireland_diff.texture", "final european light_ireland_norm.texture", "en_peasant_padded_ireland.texture" and "ln_lmail_hmail_ireland.texture". These were the files mentioned in battle_models which I could find.

Thanks again for the original help, if you could help me out here too it would be amazing I am a bit up the creek without a paddle

.

**michael123** · July 31, 2009, 05:45 AM

fixed that one, my fault for changing two things at once, but am now getting an unspecified error CTD.

UPDATE: CTD now fixed, and units recruitable and can fight, but there are no men on the horses.

**Gigantus** · July 31, 2009, 06:48 AM

If the units are recruitable, then they must be used for another faction in the EDB.
For the sake of argument (and to avoid confusion) I will assume it was Poland.
You will then have to enter a section for Poland in the modeldb file and give ownership to Poland in the EDU.
I am assuming there is no problem the latter.

This is what your modeldb will look like then:

8 Hobiguir
1 4
55 unit_models/_Units/EN_Peasant_Padded/hobiguir_lod0.mesh 121
55 unit_models/_Units/EN_Peasant_Padded/hobiguir_lod1.mesh 900
55 unit_models/_Units/EN_Peasant_Padded/hobiguir_lod2.mesh 2500
55 unit_models/_Units/EN_Peasant_Padded/hobiguir_lod3.mesh 6400
3
5 slave
79 unit_models/_Units/EN_Peasant_Padded/textures/en_peasant_padded_ireland.texture
79 unit_models/_Units/EN_Peasant_Padded/textures/en_peasant_padded_ireland.texture
38 unit_sprites/slave_Hobiguir_sprite.spr
4 merc
79 unit_models/_Units/EN_Peasant_Padded/textures/en_peasant_padded_ireland.texture
79 unit_models/_Units/EN_Peasant_Padded/textures/en_peasant_padded_ireland.texture
38 unit_sprites/slave_Hobiguir_sprite.spr
6 poland
79 unit_models/_Units/EN_Peasant_Padded/textures/en_peasant_padded_ireland.texture
79 unit_models/_Units/EN_Peasant_Padded/textures/en_peasant_padded_ireland.texture
38 unit_sprites/slave_Hobiguir_sprite.spr
3
5 slave
68 unit_models/AttachmentSets/Final European Light_ireland_diff.texture
68 unit_models/AttachmentSets/Final European Light_ireland_norm.texture 0
4 merc
68 unit_models/AttachmentSets/Final European Light_ireland_diff.texture
68 unit_models/AttachmentSets/Final European Light_ireland_norm.texture 0
6 poland
4 merc
68 unit_models/AttachmentSets/Final European Light_ireland_diff.texture
68 unit_models/AttachmentSets/Final European Light_ireland_norm.texture 0
1
5 Horse
13 MTW2_HR_Spear
12 MTW2_HR_Mace 2
21 MTW2_HR_spear_Primary
14 fs_test_shield 2
17 MTW2_Mace_Primary
14 fs_test_shield
16 -0.090000004 0 0 -0.34999999 0.80000001 0.60000002

I only did it for the first level, the next level (ug1) follows the same principle. You basically allocate a texture for each faction, else you will only get the model which is either invisible (no skin - hence the term for the texture) or looks like the silver surfer (thanks to marvel comics for such a cool hero). Change the faction name and the count in front of it to your needs.

PS: you can always alter the texture files, give them another name and then allocate them here accordingly - don't want them all have the same uniform now, do we?

**michael123** · July 31, 2009, 07:08 AM

Took your advice and cleared up a few discrepancies between the files, but I'm unfortunately still getting the bug. I've included a screenshot here:

Spoiler Alert, click show to read:

A few other changes have taken place in the course of my bug "fixings"

so I'll post the relevant parts of the battle_models and EDU files again:

Spoiler Alert, click show to read:

Your help is really appreciated, thanks for taking the time to post (and +rep of course)

Update: spotted a few problems there myself with line counts again, I'll get them sorted.
UPDATE: corrected not 75 to 72 in two cases, but still experiencing the bug

**Gigantus** · July 31, 2009, 08:06 AM

Have you tried tracing if the TEXTURE and MESH files listed in the modeldb are actually in the mod that you are playing? They are not 'vanilla' so they have to be there. E.g.:

data/unit_models/_Units/EN_Peasant_Padded/textures/en_peasant_padded_ireland.texture
data/unit_models/_Units/EN_Peasant_Padded/hobiguir_lod0.mesh

**michael123** · July 31, 2009, 08:12 AM

Yeah just checked thx anyway. I'm a bit out of ideas now

**Gigantus** · July 31, 2009, 08:41 AM

One more possibity: the number of units possibl ein the EDU has been exceeded. Move the entry a few places up in the EDU.

**michael123** · July 31, 2009, 09:12 AM

Excellent news

. Though the suggestion above didn't work, I decided to go back to basics and recopy the EDU entry for the units to start from scratch (though I left the models file intact). After a couple of alterations, I am now at the silver warrior stage

which is at least progress. Regarding the modelsdb I posted earlier, any thoughts on how to get some textures there (some shields are done correctly atm, but that's it).