Hi there, here's another tutorial that the Mod Workshop misses and some modders wonder how to really tweak mounts. From my personal tests, I'll enumerate and explain what each entry do as well creating a new mounts (coding speaking).
What is the Descr_Mount.txt file?
This file is an important one, it includes all the coding part (aside the battlemodel.db file) for the mounts. The file is located into your Data folder. Here's an entry sample.
Now I will explain you what each line does. Also to note, do not write in Capital letter when you had an entry.
type barded horse
This line is the name of the mount.
class horse
This is the mount type. There's three type of mounts in the game, you must choose from either Elephant, Camel or Horse. I have never tested it but it may be possible to add a fourth type but I'll need confirmation about it.
model Mount_Barded_Horse
This entry is the model of the mount. That name is located into your battlemodel.db file. The file is in Data/Unit_models. Basically, this is the code needed to make your mount into game(mesh speaking).
radius 1.2
This is the radius of the horse. The higher the number, the larger the distance between horsemen is high. That radius is "side-by-side" speaking.
x_radius 0.8
This one is a bit tricky, the higher the value is, the widen the axis of the unit is large. It makes weird results on high values (like 50) from the tests, the axis is simply splitted, forming 4 mini groups of horsemen that do not nothing and their pathfinding is really confused, I suggest to not really play with it, at least not with drastic value but slight difference may happens but almost not really visible. the best example would be the elephant, combined with the vanilla value of both x_radius and radius, it will gives the formation they do have.
y_offset 0.7
This line affect the "killing" radius of the rider. The higher it goes, more the "reach" of the horsemen will be large..And surrealistic. From the tests, I've put a value of 20.0 and the horsemen were killed or were killing before making a "real" contact with a unit. This entry doesn't need to be changed really.
height 2.5
This is the height of the mount. You can change it but you also need to change the scale size of the mount to really see the difference, this value doesn't need to be changed really unless you want to create a totally new mount (maybe a fantasy one).
mass 3.0
That line is important, the higher the value, the more devastating the cavalry charge is. Careful tough, it is also linked to the damage value of the cavalry charge. This IS the line you are looking for for balancing cavalry charge.
banner_height 0
This is the distance of the banner from the unit. Unless you want to make the banner fly in the sky, do not touch it.
bouyancy_offset 1.8
This is mostly related to animation again. This is bouyancy offset of mount above root node. I strongly suggest to not play with this unless you want weird results like floating mounts.
water_trail_effect horse_water_trail
This is the mount's animation for water trail. Again, either horse, camel or elephant.
root_node_height 1.0
This is the distance from the ground and the mounts, the 1.0 value is the standard one and you shouldn't change it, use vanilla setting.
rider_offset 0.0, 0.38, 0.70
This is the distance between the rider and the mounts. Again do not tough these unless you want weird results, use vanilla setting.
The following are for the "Elephant" mounts.
attack_delay 1
This is the attack speed of elephant's tusks.
dead_radius 2.5
This is how wide the elephant corpse take place, the higher it is, the widen the corpse take place.
tusk_z 3.0
This is the distance in front of the elephant's tusks, in other word, the reach.
tusk_radius 2.0
This is the tusk's radius, the higher it is, the larger the attack radius is.
How to increase the cavalry charge effectiveness?
You will need to play with these lines in order to change your cavalry charge as you wish and needs.
The radius and mass are the primary entries that affect cavalry charges.
The x_radius and y_offset are secondary entries that can affect the cavalry charges but not as much as the above ones.
How to create a new mount entry?
I love easy and dirty ways, so basically you will need two files; the Descr_Mount.txt and the battlemodel.db.
First of all, copy an entry and paste it and do this change as below:
The Red part is the new name entry, the Blue one is the name entry of the model in the battlemodel.db. If you have a new mount type, you will have to add the BMDB codes before adding it to the Descr_Mount.txt file.
You want to add your new mount into game? Easy, just find this entry in the Export_Descr_Unit.txt file (Located into your Data Folder):
And change it to this:
That's it, you have all the required information to play with your mounts. Happy modding.
A Guide on the Descr_Mount.txt
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