A modders request for Rome 2: Please make vanilla entries overwritable again!

[Yarkis de Bodemloze]

One of the biggest problem with modding S2 is the way the game handles vanilla data entries. Unlike Empire and NTW you can't overwrite whole tables by creating a table with the same name. I don't know why CA changed this in S2, but it is a big problem when trying to mod buildings or the tech tree beside other things. Let's give you an example: You want to change the build order of the vanilla building tree. No problem in Empire or NTW: Just find the table with the building dependencies, change them in a mod, and see the result in the game. Do that in S2 and you are in for a surprise, because your modded file will not overwrite the vanilla data entries. If you play the game you will find your new building dependencies plus the vanilla ones you wanted to change. Another example: You want to make a vanilla unit buildable at a higher level building only. It won't work because you can't mod the vanilla entries out. Same with the tech tree and other stuff. Granted, there are still ways to achieve your goals, but it is a pain in the butt. To create your own building dependencies you basically have to create a copy of the whole vanilla building system and completely remove the vanilla buildings from the game. This means editing any single building related entry in the whole game including the esf campaign files, the campaign scripts, and the localization. Same if you want to change the tech tree. If you want to achieve more then just modifying or adding some stuff you have to spent hours trying to implement workarounds for even the simplest of changes.

So, please CA, make vanilla entries overwritable again in RTW 2 like it was in Empire and NTW. It would help us modders a lot and pave the way for cooler stuff than just a few adjustments here and there.

[Emperordh]

its all about the money

[Greve Af Göteborg]

Why did they change it for shogun 2?

[spartan_warrior]

Why did they change it for shogun 2?

Likely it was easier for them to make adjustments for patches, as every patch came with a completely new DB directory. Near the end this caused some difficulties as there were like 20 patch packs, each with duplicates of the database files. However, I found the issue was ultimately fixed with the optimization patch, as everything was condensed down to a single pack file. At which point the solution was simple, just completely delete the vanilla DB files, that way the game game couldn't ignore my modded files and revert back to the originals, as they no longer existed.

[DogSoldierSPQR]

Rome is the era where modders really go to town on. CA knows this. I personally feel that we will get the most moddable TW yet because of the potential of this era. However, things may remain locked until every bit of DLC is released or the game goes Gold.

[weirdoascensor]

Agreed, there are some things that the game simply refuses to be changed even if it modded, not sure why...

its all about the money

Rome is the era where modders really go to town on. CA knows this. I personally feel that we will get the most moddable TW yet because of the potential of this era. However, things may remain locked until every bit of DLC is released or the game goes Gold.

No, No, No, The real point of this Thread is not about Modder Support, but about how DataBase Tables works.

From what I see, This potentially poses problems to CA themselves: Quick, Simple Patches on some particular DB Tables can only ADD, not REMOVE.

[T.C.]

Agreed, there are some things that the game simply refuses to be changed even if it modded, not sure why...


No, No, No, The real point of this Thread is not about Modder Support, but about how DataBase Tables works.

From what I see, This potentially poses problems to CA themselves: Quick, Simple Patches on some particular DB Tables can only ADD, not REMOVE.

And as their database design would have been one of the very first thing they finalized, it's about two years too late to change this.

[the_mango55]

Rome is the era where modders really go to town on. CA knows this. I personally feel that we will get the most moddable TW yet because of the potential of this era. However, things may remain locked until every bit of DLC is released or the game goes Gold.

The argument that mods hurt DLC sales seems suspicious at best. I don't believe they do, and I doubt studios believe they do either. Mods most likely actually help DLC sales (if it's good DLC) by keeping people interested in your game. Do you think Dragonborn would have been super popular almost a year and a half after the Skyrim's release if modding hadn't kept the game on people's hard drives for that long?

[HinFoo]

bur shogun 2 had the best moddability evurr!

[Aeneas Veneratio]

A little late to ask for this... The development on the game is probably over by now and the hard copies are in the process of being made and shipped to retailers. I doubt they could change how the tables work by a post launch patch.