export_vnvs.txt.strings.bin, makes disappear the traits!

[Arcimaestro Antares]

hello, I wanted to modify the description of some traits... but whenever I place in the folder text a export_vnvs.txt.strings.bin, the traits do not appear in the characters' sheet (however, their effect are still applied)
And, you know what? I tried also to place there the original export_vnvs.txt.strings.bin (the one exported with the unpacker), and I got the same effect!!

Does this happen also to someone else? and what can I do?

[Squid]

What do you mean by placing a export_VnVs.txt.strings.bin into the text folder? Typically the two ways to change the file are to edit the corresponding export_VnVs.txt file and have the game regenerate the strings.bin version if its done correctly or directly edit the strings.bin file. Also editing the strings.bin does not actually change the traits, only their descriptions so actually changing a trait requires modifying export_descr_characters_traits.txt.

[Arcimaestro Antares]

I know how to edit the traits effects, but I want to edit the trait description, i.e the description that appears in the character's card.
It should be done by modifying the export_VnVs.txt.strings.bin directly Or exporting it to txt and then back to string.bin.
Consider now that my text folder is empty, because I moved somewhere else the files unpacked, to keep them safe.
Now I have to modify this export_VnVs.txt.strings.bin and place it in the data/text folder. But whenever I place it there, the descrption of the traits disappear from the character's card. Same if I place there the original export_VnVs.txt.strings.bin file I unpacked using the unpacker.



However, if I use a MyMod folder (you probably know what I mean), the traits appear as they should.

[irishron]

What happens if you put the export_vnvs.txt in the folder and let it generate the strings.bin file?

If it does not generate, something wrong with the ,txt and should show in the log.

Even in vanilla,

[io]
filefisrt = true has to be in the .cfg to keep it from reading the vanilla.

[Arcimaestro Antares]

any txt or xml file modified by me and placed in Medieval II Total War/data is correctly working (I have modified descr_campaign_ai_db.xml, export_descr_character_traits.txt etc)
but any txt file I place in the Medieval II Total War/data/text folder, is not converted. When I placed there the original export_VnVs.txt.strings.bin, the traits of the characters disappeared.

the txt files are correctly converted and funtioning if placed in Medieval II Total War/MyMod/Data/Text folder.
but if I copy the export_VnVs.txt.strings.bin generated in the Medieval II Total War/MyMod/Data/Text to the Medieval II Total War/data, the traits of the characters disappear.

I tried to have
[io]
file_first = true

and tried also

[io]
file_first = 1

in the cfg file. But as mentioned, it reads the other files modified by me, but does not convert txt files in the default text folder. BUt it does in the mymod/data/text.
The only file I always find in the default text folder is FactionIntroSubTitles.txt.strings.bin that is autogenerated even if I delete it.

[Squid]

any txt or xml file modified by me and placed in Medieval II Total War/data is correctly working (I have modified descr_campaign_ai_db.xml, export_descr_character_traits.txt etc)
but any txt file I place in the Medieval II Total War/data/text folder, is not converted. When I placed there the original export_VnVs.txt.strings.bin, the traits of the characters disappeared.

the txt files are correctly converted and funtioning if placed in Medieval II Total War/MyMod/Data/Text folder.
but if I copy the export_VnVs.txt.strings.bin generated in the Medieval II Total War/MyMod/Data/Text to the Medieval II Total War/data, the traits of the characters disappear.

First you'd have to copy it M2TW/data/text not M2TW/data, second why would you want to modify vanilla when you already have it working properly in your mod folder. You should never, ever modify vanilla as it can cause problems with other mods that you install.

I tried to have
[io]
file_first = true

and tried also

[io]
file_first = 1

in the cfg file. But as mentioned, it reads the other files modified by me, but does not convert txt files in the default text folder. BUt it does in the mymod/data/text.
The only file I always find in the default text folder is FactionIntroSubTitles.txt.strings.bin that is autogenerated even if I delete it.

If you config file specifies your mod folder and you have the corresponding file in the corresponding location of your mod folder (i.e. you have export_vnvs.txt in both the data/text and mymod/data/text) then the one in the base folder will never regenerate because it is never being looked at. This again goes back to my question of why mod vanilla when you have it working in a mod folder, which is where you should be doing all your modifications.

[Arcimaestro Antares]

Using the mod folder, makeS disappear the screenshots while the game loads.
In their place, I see a black screen. (the phrases are normally displaied though).

Does this happen only to me?

[irishron]

I have not tried modding vanilla since game release so you have one on me. Good luck on this venture.

[irishron]

Have you looked in the .tgas folder for your screenshots?