Editing the descr_campaign_db file

[child_of_air]

Okay, I've spent hours and friggin hours trying to find out exactly how to do this. All I simply wanted to do was edit this particular file to make my princesses come of age at 14, rather than 16, and my generals come of age at 15, rather than 16. I also wanted to lower the age of death so that it does not go beyond 55- because I just feel that 61 is way too old to be around in the middle ages.

Anyway, I followed the directions in this thread:

http://forums.totalwar.org/vb/showthread.php?t=76289

But since the particular file I want to edit isn't in bin format, I skipped this step. However, I did everything else in this thread. Then I started up a new campaign and low and behold, nothing changed. The young Danish princess did not come of age when I wanted her to. So tell me, is this something that is hard coded into the game, or did I do something wrong? What must I do to get this file to work?


Also, can someone please explain to me everything in the ''family tree'' part of this file? Because no matter what I can't seem to get much accurate information about this particular part of the file. Especially the way aging works.

Much appreciated.

[Emperor of The Great Unknown]

edit it with notepad. and make sure you do [io] file=first.

[child_of_air]

Right, did those two things. Anything else I'm overlooking?

[child_of_air]

I tried doing this again completely last night, and none of my changes took place. Not even the aging of the generals- he lived to 65! WTF?!? Can't anyone help me with this? This is my first time modding anything, I'm just a clueless girl.

[Emperor of The Great Unknown]

im sorry but i can't help you you mgiht get better results in the modding forums.

[Legio]

Moved to text editing and scripting.

[Gigantus]

This the stuff you changed?

<family_tree>
<max_age uint="90"/>
<max_age_for_marriage_for_male uint="75"/>
<max_age_for_marriage_for_female uint="40"/>
<max_age_before_death uint="105"/>
<max_age_of_child uint="10"/>
<old_age uint="60"/>
<age_of_manhood uint="16"/>
<daughters_age_of_consent uint="16"/>
<daughters_retirement_age uint="40"/>
<age_difference_min int="-10"/>
<age_difference_max int="30"/>
<parent_to_child_min_age_diff uint="12"/>
<min_adoption_age uint="20"/>
<max_adoption_age uint="30"/>
<max_age_for_conception uint="50"/>
<age_of_manhood_close uint="14"/>
<max_number_of_children uint="4"/>
</family_tree>

Some of the lines are hard coded like the one in blue = it is at max

[child_of_air]

Yup, those are the ones. I wasn't really interested in changing anything else, except the max age for conception. Here is my slightly altered version.

<family_tree>
<max_age uint="60"/>
<max_age_for_marriage_for_male uint="36"/>
<max_age_for_marriage_for_female uint="36"/>
<max_age_before_death uint="58"/>
<max_age_of_child uint="10"/>
<old_age uint="50"/>
<age_of_manhood uint="15"/>
<daughters_age_of_consent uint="14"/>
<daughters_retirement_age uint="38"/>
<age_difference_min int="-10"/>
<age_difference_max int="30"/>
<parent_to_child_min_age_diff uint="14"/>
<min_adoption_age uint="20"/>
<max_adoption_age uint="30"/>
<max_age_for_conception uint="40"/>
<age_of_manhood_close uint="14"/>
<max_number_of_children uint="4"/>
</family_tree>

[Gigantus]

It should work, but you need to start a new campaign. Please remember that most of these figures just set an average number. Actual numbers may fluctuate.
I guess the oldest guy you will get now might make to 80. Otherwise I had some that made three figures.

[child_of_air]

Just averages, huh? That, I did not know. So I guess "max'' doesn't really mean maximum in this case? I guess that would explain it. Still don't know why my princesses won't come of age at 14 though. Has anyone sucessfully changed the default age?

[Emperor of The Great Unknown]

princesses part is left over from rome where woma ncame of age at 14. princesses follow the age of manhood(i know soudns stupit). the max age unit im not sure about i just know i have never had a general over that age. I do know tho that it can't be at or less than the old age unit.

[Annon]

ok iv unpacked everthing and I cant find the descr_campaign_db file can anyone tell me the location of it

[Aikanár]

Hi Annon and welcome to TWC, enjoy your stay

The descr_campaign_db.xml should be located in your "name_of_your_medieval_II_install_folder\data\" folder.

Enjoy modding

[Annon]

I have checked but it doesn't seem to be there......could it be anywhere else?

[Aikanár]

Depends on where your unpacker points them to..

Please create a new text file in your \unpacker folder and past this into it:

unpacker --source=..\..\packs\*.pack --destination=c:\packs\ --filter=descr_campaign_db.xml

save the file and rename its extension from .txt to .bat, run the .bat and the descr_campaign_db.xml will be unpacked into c:\packs\ .

[Gigantus]

Could have ended up in the virtual store - check this tutorial.