Guide for adding a new building to the campaign map

**uanime5** · September 17, 2012, 07:50 AM

This guide explains how to add new towns, farms, or resources to the campaign map (I refer to these as a new building in the explanation). This method cannot be used to add new regions, settlements, or ports.

This guide explains how to add new buildings using the current version of taw's esf2xml converter. So you'll need to convert the Pathfinding.esf, Region.esf, and Startpos.esf to XML format in order to use this guide. It also involves using DB tables so I recommend learning how to create a mod pack.

http://www.twcenter.net/forums/showthread.php?t=239575

Pathfinding.esf

If a campaign has multiple theatres it will have multiple grid_data and pathfinding_area files. Below is a list of the various files and the theatre they correspond to.

Spoiler Alert, click show to read:

Grid data part 1

At present it's not possible to add traits to grid_cells so the only way to add a new building is to replace the traits in an existing grid_cell with the traits for your new building.

1) Find a grid_cell close to where you want your new building to be that only contains a path_type="2 (transition area)" and a path_type="0 (passable area)". It is possible to add a new building using a grid_cell that has 2 passable areas and a road but it's much more complicated.

In this example I'll be editing the following grid_cell.

Code:

  <rec type="grid_cells">
   <bin6>a8 72 72 6e ; ab ab ab ab</bin6>
   <ary type="boundaries">
    <boundaries passable_part="255 (of 255)" unknown2="331794 (51012)" path_type="0 (passable area)" path_id="23 (cherokee_territory)" vertex_index="69866"/><!-- 3; 16362 (-615.377696037292,244.0); 16345 (-615.426207542419,243.967456817627); 16361 (-615.490156173706,244.0); 1; 0; 2 -->
    <boundaries passable_part="0 (of 255)" unknown2="0 (00000)" path_type="2 (transition area)" path_id="-1 (transition)" vertex_index="69874"/><!-- 16362 (-615.377696037292,244.0); 16361 (-615.490156173706,244.0); 16345 (-615.426207542419,243.967456817627) -->
   </ary>
  </rec>

2) Figure out the coordinates of the center of this grid_cell. As each grid_cell is 2 pixels by 2 pixels this will be an odd number. In the example the grid_cell is 614-616 by 242-244, so the center is 615,243.

Enter these coordinates into the attached a spreadsheet and it will calculate the coordinates for all the files you need to edit.

Pathfinding areas

1) In the pathfinding_areas the <vertices> tags contains a long list of all the coordinates used in this theatre. Each coordinate is assigned a number; so the first coordinate is 0, the second is 1 and so forth.

Add the new coordinates for your building to the end of the <vertices> group. They're the Pathfinding axis coordinates in the spreadsheet.

In the example the new coordinates are listed below. They are entries 41686 to 41693.

Code:

-615.35358,243.98994
-614.64642,243.98994
-614.01007,243.35355
-614.01007,242.64645
-614.64642,242.01005
-615.35358,242.01005
-615.98993,242.64645
-615.98993,243.35355

2) Add the following code to the end of <u4_ary>. You'll need to replace the parts in bold with the entries that corresponds to your new coordinates.

Code:

  12 <!-- vertices count -->
  3
  1
  41686 <!-- -615.353580474853,243.989950180054 -->
  41687 <!-- -614.646419525146,243.989950180054 -->
  41688 <!-- -614.010069847107,243.353549957275 -->
  41689 <!-- -614.010069847107,242.646459579468 -->
  41690 <!-- -614.646419525146,242.010060310364 -->
  41691 <!-- -615.353580474853,242.010060310364 -->
  41692 <!-- -615.989930152893,242.646459579468 -->
  41693 <!-- -615.989930152893,243.353549957275 -->
  0
  2
 
  8 <!-- vertices count -->
  <!-- closed line -->
  41693 <!-- -615.989930152893,243.353549957275 -->
  41692 <!-- -615.989930152893,242.646459579468 -->
  41691 <!-- -615.353580474853,242.010060310364 -->
  41690 <!-- -614.646419525146,242.010060310364 -->
  41689 <!-- -614.010069847107,242.646459579468 -->
  41688 <!-- -614.010069847107,243.353549957275 -->
  41687 <!-- -614.646419525146,243.989950180054 -->
  41686 <!-- -615.353580474853,243.989950180054 -->

The parts marked with a  tell ETW where I trait ends and another begins. In the grid_data each grid_cell with a trait has a vertex_index which tells ETW which part of the pathfinding to use in this grid_cell. To determine what the vertex index of your new building you need to count the number of <u4_ary> entries in the theatre (blank lines and  should be ignored).

In this example the first trait's vertex_index is 173318 (area around the building) and the second is 173331 (building).

Grid data part 2, passable version

1) Replace both of the existing vertex_index entries with your new vertice_index. Ensure that the path_id="0 (passable area)" entry has the vertice_index for the area around the building.

2) Replace the <boundaries passable_part="0 (of 255)" unknown2="0 (00000)" path_type="2 (transition area)" part with <boundaries passable_part="32 (of 255)" unknown2="8448 (02100)" path_type="7 (slot)".

3) Replace the -1 (transition) part with the region the new building is in. In this example it's 23 (cherokee_territory)

Thus your code should look like this.

Code:

  <rec type="grid_cells">
   <bin6>a8 72 72 6e ; ab ab ab ab</bin6>
   <ary type="boundaries">
    <boundaries passable_part="255 (of 255)" unknown2="331794 (51012)" path_type="0 (passable area)" path_id="23 (cherokee_territory)" vertex_index="173318"/>
    <boundaries passable_part="32 (of 255)" unknown2="8448 (02100)" path_type="7 (slot)" path_id="23 (cherokee_territory)" vertex_index="173331"/>
   </ary>
  </rec>

Grid data part 2, impassable version

If you find that after adding your new building ETW keeps crashing whenever a unit moves near it I recommend using an impassable building instead. This building is less likely to crash but can't be entered.

1) Replace both of the existing vertex_index entries with your new vertice_index. Ensure that the path_id="-1 (transition)" entry has the vertice_index for the area around the building.

2) Replace the path_type="0 (passable area)" part with path_type="7 (slot)".

Thus your code should look like this.

Code:

  <rec type="grid_cells">
   <bin6>a8 72 72 6e ; ab ab ab ab</bin6>
   <ary type="boundaries">
    <boundaries passable_part="255 (of 255)" unknown2="331794 (51012)" path_type=7 (slot)" path_id="23 (cherokee_territory)" vertex_index="173331"/>
    <boundaries passable_part="0 (of 255)" unknown2="0 (00000)"  path_type="2 (transition area)" path_id="-1 (transition)" vertex_index="173318"/>
   </ary>
  </rec>

Regions.esf

1) Go to the regions-1 folder.
2) Open the region that you want to add a new building to. In this example it's the cherokee_territory.xml.
3) In the slot_descriptions ary add your new building. For example if you want to add a new corn farm to the Cherokee region you'd add the following code.

Code:

<xml_include path="slot/corn-cherokee_territory-natives_only.xml"/>

4) Go to the slot folder, clone an existing xml that's the same type as your new building, and rename this xml with the name of your new building. In this example I clone the corn-cherokee_territory-north.xml and rename it corn-cherokee_territory-natives_only.xml.

5) Open your new xml.
6) Rename the <s> part with the name of your new building. In this example I change corn:cherokee_territory:north to corn:cherokee_territory:natives_only.
7) Replace all the coordinates in the v2 and v2_ary with the coordinates of your new building. They're the V2 axis coordinates in the spreadsheet.
8) Replace all the v2_ary coordinates with the coordinates of your new building. They're the Pathfinding axis coordinates in the spreadsheet. These coordinates have to be entered in the same order they've been entered in the pathfinding_areas of the pathfinding.esf.

Startpos.esf

World

These files tell ETW what level the new building is. It is nearly identical to the Regions.esf entry.

1) Go to the regions folder.
2) Open the region that you want to add a new building to. In this example it's the cherokee_territory.xml.
3) In the REGION_SLOT_ARRAY ary add your new building. For example if you want to add a new building to the Cherokee region you'd add the following code.

Code:

<xml_include path="region_slot/corn-cherokee_territory-natives_only.xml"/>

4) Go to the region_slot folder, clone an existing xml that's the same type as your new building, and rename this xml with the name of your new building. In this example I clone the corn-cherokee_territory-north.xml and rename it corn-cherokee_territory-natives_only.xml.

5) Open your new xml.
6) Increase the  by 50. Each slot needs a unique slot number.
7) Replace the  with the slot number.
8) Rename the <s> part with the name of your new building. In this example I change corn:cherokee_territory:north to corn:cherokee_territory:natives_only.
9) Replace the coordinates in the v2x with the coordinates of your new building. They're the Pathfinding axis coordinates in the spreadsheet.

CAI_world

These files tell the AI where the new building is.

1) Go to the cai_building_slots folder and clone a building slot that is the same type as your new building, preferably in the same region.
2) Change the  number to a new number. This ID represents this building_slot and has to be unique. I recommend adding 9 to the building_slot ID in the xml file you cloned, for example changing "3294" to "93294".
3) Change the  number to the  you added to your new region_slot. This number links the World and CAI_World entries.
4) Change the  number to a new number. This ID is used to tell ETW which Region_slot ID or Settlement ID corresponds to this building_slot. It has to be unique. I recommend adding 9 to the Settlement or Region_slot ID in the xml file you cloned, for example changing "3295" to "93295".
5) Delete all the BDI information. DO NOT delete the <u4_ary> or </u4_ary> parts, only the numbers between these tags.

Below is a list of building slots' XML number and what they correspond to.

Spoiler Alert, click show to read:

1) Go to the cai_region_slots folder and clone a region slot that is in the same region as your new building.
2) Change the cai_situated coordinates to the coordinates of your new building. They're the V2 axis coordinates in the spreadsheet.
3) Change the  number to the Settlement ID you used in the building slot file. Any other number will cause ETW to crash.
4) Change the  number to the Building ID you used in the building slot file. Any other number will cause ETW to crash.
5) Delete all the BDI information. DO NOT delete the <u4_ary> or </u4_ary> parts, only the numbers between these tags.

Below is a list of region slots' XML number and what they correspond to.

Spoiler Alert, click show to read:

1) Go to the cai_regions folder and open the region you're adding a new building to.
2) Add your new region_slot ID to the <u4_ary> marked .
3) Delete all the BDI information. DO NOT delete the <u4_ary> or </u4_ary> parts, only the numbers between these tags.

Below is a list of regions' XML number and what they correspond to.

Spoiler Alert, click show to read:

1) Go to the cai_interface folder and open the cai_world.xml.
2) Add your new building_slot and region_slot to the list of building_slots and region_slots.

DB tables

1A) To add a new town make a mod pack that contains the campaign_map_towns_and_ports_tables from the main.pack.
1B) Clone an existing town that's the same type as your town.
1C) Rename the cloned town with the name of your new town.

2A) To add a new farm or resource make a mod pack that contains the campaign_map_slots_tables from the main.pack.
2B) Clone an existing farm or resource that's the same type as your farm or resource.
2C) Rename the cloned farm or resource with the name of your new farm or resource.

Localiation.loc

1) Make a mod pack that contains the localiation.loc from the local_en.pack (this pack may have a different name in the non-English version of ETW).
2) Clone a building that's the same type as your new building. For farms and resourced the entry will begin campaign_map_slots_onscreen and for towns it will begin campaign_map_towns_and_ports_onscreen_name_town.
3) Rename the cloned building with the name of your new building.

Testing

1) Use Taw's esf converter to turn your modified XML files into the Pathfinding.esf, Region.esf, and Startpos.esf.

2) Add the new Region.esf and Startpos.esf to your ETW folder, enable the mod pack with the new DB tables, and start ETW. If you've done eveything correctly you should be able to start a new campaign. However your new building won't have a name and it will have the pathfinding bug.

3) Enable the mod pack that contains the Localiation.loc. The name of the new building should now appear.

4) Add the new Pathfinding.esf to your ETW folder and start ETW. If you've done everything correctly you should be able to make units walk to your new building and they should be able to exit it.

Please let me know if you have any problems.

**Explorer_R** · September 17, 2012, 04:26 PM

Thank you!!!!!

**JaM** · December 11, 2012, 06:40 AM

Is this also valid for creating a clone buildings? for example if I want to create a duplicate Army building for major cities, do i have to adjust startpos as well?

My intention is to create several different tiers for military building slot, which could be activated by research.

**uanime5** · December 13, 2012, 12:58 PM

It might be easier to turn an existing building into your new military building. The UI isn't designed for a settlement with additional buildings.

**husserlTW** · January 09, 2013, 07:15 AM

Enter these coordinates into the attached a spreadsheet and it will calculate the coordinates for all the files you need to edit.

I think you have forgotten to attach the spread sheet?

**uanime5** · January 10, 2013, 02:18 PM

It seems you can't upload spreadsheets, so I put the spreadsheet in a rar file.

**husserlTW** · January 11, 2013, 04:20 PM

I've experimented a little with your method and had some very encouraging results. I've added a corn farm in Acadia region of the grand campaign map.

1. The best results where met when the slot was added on a former non passable area:

There I could control directly the new farm, upgrade and downgrade it without problems. I moved an army in and out successfully. The only thing was that I had first to move the army close to the farm and then get it inside. But other than there were met no other issues.

2. I tried also to add the slot in a previous passable area:

But here, there were a couple of serious problems. First I could not access the slot directly by clicking on it, but only by browsing the slots of the region, using the arrows of the hud. Second the army could move there but not get inside the slot. It was staying on the slot as the farm was not there. It seems that the game keeps consider it just as an empty passable area.

3. I tried to add new grid_cells in the pathfinder.esf, instead if using an existing one, but as you noted, it CTD on campaign load. However when I increased the rec\u:3 value (number of traits + number of empty cells) the campaign loaded but then I received the CTD on the first AI turn (on the Great Plains flag). Perhaps here something can be done...

It seems that editing the pathfinding.esf, produces some good results when the addition is on former non passable areas. On former passable areas the new advantage is that the army is not lost inside the slot as it happened before. But it does not station inside the facility so it seems that editing pathfinding needs something more or it is not enough.

In any case I was impressed from the results and your efforts, considering the difficulty on working with less known esf files. I had some time (rather long) to check the Guide to the ETW map thread, but now I think I'll have a look again...

Great work on a very difficult project! And of course grate work from Taw in his esf2ml development which let us edit such esf files.

+rep

**TotalWarBuff** · February 18, 2013, 08:28 AM

Very interesting. Hopefully, sooner or later we will be able to add regions and change borders etc.... Nice Work uanime5 and HusserlTW!

**uanime5** · February 21, 2013, 11:27 AM

Originally Posted by husserlTW

I've experimented a little with your method and had some very encouraging results. I've added a corn farm in Acadia region of the grand campaign map.

1. The best results where met when the slot was added on a former non passable area:

There I could control directly the new farm, upgrade and downgrade it without problems. I moved an army in and out successfully. The only thing was that I had first to move the army close to the farm and then get it inside. But other than there were met no other issues.

Congratulation on getting your new farm to work.

2. I tried also to add the slot in a previous passable area:

But here, there were a couple of serious problems. First I could not access the slot directly by clicking on it, but only by browsing the slots of the region, using the arrows of the hud. Second the army could move there but not get inside the slot. It was staying on the slot as the farm was not there. It seems that the game keeps consider it just as an empty passable area.

That's a pathfinding problem. Basically if the new farm isn't added correctly to the pathfinding.esf then ETW doesn't know where the farm is. So while units can enter it they can't exit it because ETW doesn't know which region it's in.

3. I tried to add new grid_cells in the pathfinder.esf, instead if using an existing one, but as you noted, it CTD on campaign load. However when I increased the rec\u:3 value (number of traits + number of empty cells) the campaign loaded but then I received the CTD on the first AI turn (on the Great Plains flag). Perhaps here something can be done...

I tried something similar and encountered the same problems. I suspect that the rec\u:3 value for each theatre is also contained in another file (probably the startpos) so if you change this number in the pathfinding.esf but not the other file ETW will crash when you end your turn because these number don't match. I suspect that the other number is the startpos because save files are nearly identical to the startpos, so the startpos is the most likely file to contain this number.

**Port** · July 15, 2013, 08:51 PM

hi! And where can I download esf2xml converter from taw?

**wangrin** · July 17, 2013, 02:25 AM

You can download taw's tools here : etwng depository

**Port** · December 09, 2013, 08:21 AM

hi! really need to know how to run. not start converter esf2xml. if we may be able to run the new province to do! write in a personal message!

**BraselC5048** · June 06, 2019, 02:38 PM

I can't seem to find the attached .rar. Is it no longer there, or is it still there and I'm a little dense, and in that case where in the post do I go to download said file? If it really is gone, does anyone still have a copy of the spreadsheet? Was thinking of adding a new resource, and it would be needed. Thanks.