How to change the uniform of an existing vanilla unit?

[p.jakub88]

Hello everyone,

I though about some re-texture mods for the ETW vanilla units, which are not working at all on my Empire: Total War.

I found the reason why: the mod.pack didn't overwrite the vanilla file/files from models.pack...

The unit/units is still using their generic vanilla uniforms (especially German States, Italian States, etc) which aren't historically accurate.

How to force the game to relate "new uniforms" with proper vanilla units using i.e Pack File Manager or DB Editor?

Thanks for help in advance!

P.S. It doesn't matter when i change the pack format from mod to patch..

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[p.jakub88]

I would like to explain my problem further, in more detailed way:

---> i don't want to change a model of an existing vanilla unit, only to apply a new texture (uniform, etc) to it,

---> the problem is, that the names of the *.dds files from some re-texture mods (units textures) are not the same

as the names of the vanilla *.dds textures (so it is not compatible...).


It makes a real confusion when comes to factions like i.e Hanover, Genoa, etc.

Those minor factions, use as default the euro_line_infantry unit (with the default model, stats), but with some different faction colors for each country.

So, i don't know, how to relate i.e new hanover line infantry skin with the default line infantry unit.

Making a completely new hanover line infantry unit (which will be a copy of the vanilla stats) is pointless...

There must be an easy way to "show" the game a path to new *.dds skin, without making mess in unit stats.

Any help will be appreciated!

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[ben5010]

Hi, it's me again. I've just been doing some work with textures similar to what you are inquiring about. It's kinda a doozy, but hopefully what I give is helpful. The way I use to change any unit's texture to a given texture is this:

First, make a mod.pack. Then name your textures, so you should have a my_unit_diffuse.dds, my_unit_gloss.dds, and a my_unit_normal.dds for any single unit. Using Pack File Manager, place these textures into the pack (there is a complicated process to this, which you probably know. In fact, you probably know all of this step; I am just reiterating it for the general benefit. If anyone would like more info about this, just ask).

Second, make a new units_stats_land table in your mod.pack. Add in the line for my_unit, which in your case is a vanilla unit and should have all the cells already filled out. In the soldier model cell (should be 8th cell from the left, including unit's name) type in the name of your texture, which would happen to be my_unit.

Third, in your mod.pack, make a new warscape_animated_lod table. This step is crucial, and the one I messed up on the most, it is where you set the variant weighted mesh that your texture will be applied to. Every texture should be created based on some weighted mesh, and it is important that this mesh is used (My experiences with not following this have been really really interesting). In your case I assume you are using a texture based off of a vanilla weighted mesh, so it should be simple as copying and pasting lines for your unit out of the original Creative Assembly warscape_animated_lod table. There are 4 lines for each unit, make sure you get all of them. When this is done, simply type in the name of your texture in the far right hand column of each line.

Fourth, make a new warscape_animated table in your mod.pack. Again, find the line for your unit (only 1 this time) in the Creative Assembly warscape_animated table. Copy and paste. In the middle column, type in this: UnitModels/Textures/My_Unit. The far left column should also be the name of the unit texture (not necessarily the unit's name), back in the my_unit format. The far right column should be animation . This table is in essence the midddleman between your raw texture in the pack and the units_stats_land table.

And you're done! Activate the mod.pack by means of mod manager and enjoy your new texture. If the game crashes, go through the steps again, making sure especially that the texture names you provided were all the same, etc.

Well, hopefully you found that helpful. Sorry for all the condensed text sans images, and I hope it's not too convoluted of an explanation.

Relating to your questions about the units of minor nations, they tend to use standard euro_unit textures/stats. The key is in the gloss.dds texture file, which tells the game where to splash on each nation's colors. To make a specific texture for any unit using a non-unique texture, the above steps are required. For example, for a new hannover line unit, you would make a hannover_line_infantry diffuse.dds, gloss.dds, and normal.dds etc.

[p.jakub88]

Thanks for your reply ben5010; i will try the above steps when i got some free time and i will tell you if this helped or not.

Most useful for me, will be to "enable" a new textures for minor factions units - so when comes to a land battle (i unlocked them for custom battles) i will enjoy a new realistic and historical look of their uniforms.

I read a few tutorials and i basically understand how to do that, but it is a bit complicated for me.

Yes, i made few mods myself, but no re-textures or re-modeling earlier (i 'm only using those mods, nothing more...).

Anyway, i will download a re-texture mod which previously didn't work and i will try to fix that (using your method).

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[ben5010]

To expand on what I said about minor faction units, using generic skins/models, if you wish to make a faction specific unit, e.g. a hannover or bavarian line infantry, which are by default simply euro_line_infantry variants, you essentially have to make an entirely new unit just for them, that is, make new lines in the units_stats_land table, units_table, unit_to_unit_abilites_junctions table, et cetera, et cetera