Unpacking: The very first steps & simplest method for new modders

[Userpro]

Prior to modify (modding) the various M2TW files, you need to extract (unpack) them from the original M2TW pack files! The following method is only one of many, but it is the easiest for beginners and will show you how to prepare your original M2TW/Kingdoms installation for your first modding experience!

The folders mentioned in this tutorial will work 100% with windows xp. Other systems may vary a bit. Check out the later discussions in this thread for other systems like win 7 or vista!

(Minimum requirement M2TW Patch 1.02 or newer)

Important note: Remember, that you are altering your original-installation files - so be cautious and make backups of the original files your about to change!

Note: If you are using the Gold-Edition you need to download and add the missing files below into your
...\Medieval II Total War\tools\unpacker directory!

Go into your M2TW directory ...
...\Medieval II Total War\tools\unpacker

Run the appropriate bat-file for whatever campaign you will unpack (example) ...

- unpack_all.bat = (for unpacking your original M2TW game installation)
- unpack_americas.bat = (for unpacking the original americas campaign installation)
... and so on for the others kingdoms campaigns!

Confirm the 3 unpacker standard questions with "Yes" and be prepared to wait a long time, whilst you can observe the unpacking-process.

After unpacking you are able to find all unpacked modding files in the ...
...\Medieval II Total War\data directory (if you've unpacked the M2TW-game)
...\Medieval II Total War\mods\americas\data directory (if you've unpacked in this case the Kingdoms-america campaign)

After unpacking you must absolutely follow the next two steps mentioned in the unpacker readme...

Due to a timestamp check, the following unpacked files will
   cause the game to crash and must be deleted before the game is
   launched:

    data\descr_geography_new.txt
        data\descr_geography_new.db

This 2 files are located in the M2TW main-data directory
...\Medieval II Total War\data\
... delete them!

Also very important- in order to use any modification you are doing with unpacked files, you must onetime goto the following file located in ...
...\Medieval II Total War\medieval2.preference.cfg
Now open this file with notepad and add the following section into the medieval2.preference.cfg file...

[io]
file_first = true

Now save it with this new parameter (note 1: make sure the file hasn't the "read-only" attribute when you save it)!
(note 2: in some cases this cfg-file will be overwritten from the game after every gamestart, this can be fixed by opening properties and re-set the file as read-only after the modification)!!

And now you can use a simple text editor like the windows standard notepad editor (not Wordpad!) in order to begin your coding work and finally enjoy your modding results!


At this point I wish you good luck with modding, coz sometimes it is really frustrating, also for advanced modders! And now don't hesitate to say thanks in some manner

[Peteriscoolz]

Thanks man,espacally the gold edition missing stuff

[Archaon]

+REP i lost the the missing files from GOLD on a reformat - thx!

[Bboy4life91]

ty soooooo much the missing stuffs helped me a lot!!!

[Old Geezer]

Just what I need, when I need it! Many thanks!

[shautora]

If you're running Vista, the files unpack to C:\Users\[UserName]\AppData\Local\VirtualStore\Program Files\SEGA\Medieval II Total War\data.

Should this then be moved to C:\Program Files\SEGA\Medieval II Total War\data?

[irishron]

Just copy the you need to your mod folder keep those "clean" just in case need them, again.

[nedensiz1]

Thanks friend. Here are the "list contents" files for Kingdoms mods:

Spoiler for list_contents_americas.bat: 

unpacker.exe --source=..\..\mods\americas\packs\*.pack --destination=pack_contents_americas.txt --verbosity=1 --mode=1 --base_pack_path=mods/americas/data/

Spoiler for list_contents_britannia.bat: 

unpacker.exe --source=..\..\mods\british_isles\packs\*.pack --destination=pack_contents_british_isles.txt --verbosity=1 --mode=1 --base_pack_path=mods/british_isles/data/

Spoiler for list_contents_crusades.bat: 

unpacker.exe --source=..\..\mods\crusades\packs\*.pack --destination=pack_contents_crusades.txt --verbosity=1 --mode=1 --base_pack_path=mods/crusades/data/

Spoiler for list_contents_teutonic.bat: 

unpacker.exe --source=..\..\mods\teutonic\packs\*.pack --destination=pack_contents_teutonic.txt --verbosity=1 --mode=1 --base_pack_path=mods/teutonic/data/

Files attached.

[z7o]

ive run the unpacker but the files i need to delete are not appearing, help please? thank you

[z7o]

okay, i fixed the first issue, it was cos i have vista lol. i can now play custom battles without the game crashing, however if i try clicking on a character while im in the campaign the game crashes and tells me its had an unspecified error, help please. thank you muchly

[Nihirizumu no tsumetai ame]

i need help, no change that i have done on the game works, on the first try i click run on medieval 2, it ctd's to desktop, i click it again, it works fine, except for that in preferences [io]
file_first = true , this gets deleted, it has been very frustrating, to have hours of work erase as if nothing happened

[Ishan]

i need help, no change that i have done on the game works, on the first try i click run on medieval 2, it ctd's to desktop, i click it again, it works fine, except for that in preferences [io]
file_first = true , this gets deleted, it has been very frustrating, to have hours of work erase as if nothing happened

Set the .cfg file to read only and changes in it will remain permanent. And if it's crashing then it's coz any of your core file may be corrupt.

[Nihirizumu no tsumetai ame]

ooh thank you
i will try that as soon as i can, and tell you if it works

ooh sorry to bother you, perhaps can you look at my other problem please..
http://www.twcenter.net/forums/showthread.php?t=403994

[gamer025]

I'm confused by the instructions here. If all I want is to modify some unit stats, what files do I unpack? I have MTW2: Gold Edition. I have Britannia and Retrofit mod installed. I only want to modify the vanilla game, none of the expansions. I don't care about retrofit mod and only installed Britannia to use the Retrofit mod.

So, I want to modify unit stats for MTW2: Gold only.

[Swagger]

unpack_all.bat

[The Bruce]

If you have Gold edition you will need the files in the first post.

[gamer025]

Forgive me. I figured it all out and modified the file I wanted to. Everything works now. Just have to make a few adjustments. Can we repack the files though, or are they stuck all open like that? If we do, will they still work?

[The Bruce]

You don't have to repack anything.

Did you add

[io]
file_first = true


to your medieval2.preference.cfg ? If so try making this file read only.

[gamer025]

Strangely after all this my game now reads v1.02 instead of v1.03. Actually I have Britannia installed and is patched to v1.05 or w/e the kingdoms patch is. I didn't make any changes except to unpack, delete those two files mentioned, change some unit stats, save the file (and a backup in separate folder,) add the line in the preferences file, and save that. Everything works, is it just that the game thinks it's running an older version?

[Ishan]

Right click the medieval2.exe and select properties and go in details tab and check the version there.