Assembly Kit Guide

[Kurisu Paifuaa]

I've manage to sort it out, seems like the renaming was the way to go about it. Now however I get caught at the loading screen when I launch the game after I've copied the mod into rome 2:s [...]/data folder. I somewhere recall that I've read the reason and the solution for this assembly kit mod problem but I can't seem to find the comment.

Edit: What do you mean with db references btw? I believe that I'm not familiar with this.

Any reference made in a table contained in a sub-directory of db. I guess you'd only see this looking at a pack file through PFM, which considers the game's entire directory structure. That path is implicit when you look at tables in DAVE. Have a look at DAVE's status window which shows the connected database...

So the tables unit_variants, variants, land_units or anything else you view in DAVE is contained within the game's primary database (db directory). By "db references", I mean column entries in those tables referring to external files... like your custom variant definition. There are also internal references, but here we're concerned only with your new definition file.

If the game won't load, you may be missing a required reference to your definition in some table (or be missing the referenced file, as named). Double check that you have assigned your newly renamed definition file in unit_variants and also declared it separately in variants.

Anyone know where/how to edit the shield decals? I am not talking about the color, I mean the designs. I want to change the color of the Roman Legionary decals on their shields. Thanks!

Have a look at ..\variantmeshes\_variantmodels\man\patterns in both models and models_rome2 packs (in the data directory). Models_rome2 is more recent, but there may be unchanged files in the base models pack that aren't in the former, so extract both... using PFM. There are all of the diffuse textures in dds format.

[HunterWolf]

I understand summit postponed indefinitely. Until this moment whether you can keep something out of a constructive dialogue with the CA. I would simply like to clarify their policy towards modders.
For me, I think for many who are engaged in serious modding, one important question: "Will technicals full documentation (not tutorials crossdress unit), or they will do the exact same tools and technical support modding as to the Shogun." For me it is important to know whether modding Rima2 regarded as a perspective direction

[Le_Swede]

Any reference made in a table contained in a sub-directory of db. I guess you'd only see this looking at a pack file through PFM, which considers the game's entire directory structure. That path is implicit when you look at tables in DAVE. Have a look at DAVE's status window which shows the connected database...

So the tables unit_variants, variants, land_units or anything else you view in DAVE is contained within the game's primary database (db directory). By "db references", I mean column entries in those tables referring to external files... like your custom variant definition. There are also internal references, but here we're concerned only with your new definition file.

Ah okay.

If the game won't load, you may be missing a required reference to your definition in some table (or be missing the referenced file, as named). Double check that you have assigned your newly renamed definition file in unit_variants and also declared it separately in variants.

That's the original problem tho. My custom made/renamed files doesn't show up in those tables. All I got to choose between is the vanilla ones.

[person needing help]

This was very helpful, however im still having trouble saving my file and linking it to a new unit... For example when I open BOB the variantMeshes doesn't have a VariantMeshDefinitions thingy.

[Le_Swede]

Yes, finally I managed to get it to work! Great and many thanks to you Kurisu Paifuaa. Seems like the fault lie in me missing your suggestion about also filling out the table battle_personalities aswell as the fact that I happened to have missed filling out one vital column in another table.

However, now that I've finally gotten my unit into to the game I can see that its animations are wrong. Both the shields and swords are stuck inside the individual soldiers bodies resulting in them not being animated properly. Does anyone know what causes this?


Edit: Ops I forgot, rep aplenty for Kurisu Paifuaa!

[AngryTitusPullo]

Is the raw data been automatically updated as of patch 9 ? I remember having the Kit updated few days ago, not sure what it is.

[Kurisu Paifuaa]

Is the raw data been automatically updated as of patch 9 ? I remember having the Kit updated few days ago, not sure what it is.

Everything in my raw_data folder is still timestamped from the 17th. Not sure what the update included, but it wasn't that.

It makes sense that they'd wait for a patch to exit beta status before pushing that out to the kit, since it's an opt in. But I wish they'd make the data from that available separately so DAVE isn't useless for weeks at a time for those doing the beta.

[Le_Swede]

Do anyone know of a tutorial for editing unit cards in the Assembly Kit? I've been looking but I can't find one.

[Jarvgrimr]

Hey all! I am attempting to get right into the art pipeline of the TW tools, and I need a bit of guidance. I have put a thread up on the official forums, but thought I might post here too and see if anyone can help me. My overall goal is to gain access to mesh and map files, use them as a polycount, UV and scale reference, and then build my own assets, including new gear and weapons. I have been unable to get very far with this so far and was looking for guidance...


So, in a step by step way, this is what I want to do:


Step 1. Gain access to all the meshes that make up the in-game units, (Bodies, Tunics, Pants, Weapons, Hair, Beards, etc...) as well as their accompanying maps (diff, spec, norm, etc...). I read that this was something one could do with PFM - extract the raw data from the packed files. Is that the only way to get these assets available? Can the Assembly Kit (Bo(o)B and/or TWeaK) be used to extract these files?


Step 2. Take the now accessible meshes and maps and export them in a way that I can then edit them in a 3d Program. I have read the thread about Ultimate Unwrap 3D, and using it as an importer to get the meshes from the game into a format that can then be edited in 3DS Max (and from there to any 3d program). Now, is there a way to do this that doesn't involve me spending $60?
Can Bo(o)B and/or TWeaK import/export the raw data files from step 1 into a .obj or .fbx type file for use in 3DS Max? If it can, can anyone direct me as to HOW I can get this to happen.


Step 3. Using CA's assets as a polycount base and scale reference, and then build my own assets to expand on the units in-game and change their weapons/gear. This part, I got this part. All I'd need to know is the way rigging works in R2, and to do that I just need an extracted mesh with skeleton. I remember doing a small bit of mod work with a group, and the rigging was somewhat fiddly, I wonder if it's still the same.

Any help or guidance would be greatly appreciated!

Cheers
Jarv

[person needing help]

I just created a new unit, I'm pretty sure I got all the right tables edited cause I was following a couple tutorial - though they were for PFM. Anyway I followed Mitch's guide and exported and did the BOB thing. Now when I launch the game with my mod it doesn't crash, but I also can't find my unit in custom battle... I noticed my mod file was pretty small still so I think for some reason - mabye cause I first created the mod folder with only a test change - my changes were not imput into my mod file.... Anyone know what im doing wrong, totally frustrated right now

[person needing help]

Update: I fixed part of the problem by deleting my mod file and just doing the tweak export and BOB thing again. Now my unit shows up as a generals unit, but not as a infantry unit even though I did all the unit type things identical to this other similar unit. Is this cause I haven't created a new unit card?? Because the unit whose unit card I am using is in the same category and I'm wondering if its masking my unit somehow.

[crzyrndm]

Update: I fixed part of the problem by deleting my mod file and just doing the tweak export and BOB thing again. Now my unit shows up as a generals unit, but not as a infantry unit even though I did all the unit type things identical to this other similar unit. Is this cause I haven't created a new unit card?? Because the unit whose unit card I am using is in the same category and I'm wondering if its masking my unit somehow.

Custom battles or campaign?

If custom battles, you need two entries per unit that you want to be selectable as a general in the unit_custom_battle_permissions table. One with general_unit = true, and one with general_unit = false

[person needing help]

Custom battles or campaign?

If custom battles, you need two entries per unit that you want to be selectable as a general in the unit_custom_battle_permissions table. One with general_unit = true, and one with general_unit = false

Crap, didn't know you needed two entries there too. Thanks man

[Murderin]

Trying to use this while following the custom unit guide for PFM. Its confusing for a first time modder.

I cant seem to find the land_units.loc in TWeak, just the one from data_rome2

[crzyrndm]

I cant seem to find the land_units.loc in TWeak, just the one from data_rome2

.loc files are in the local_en and local_en_rome2 packs

[Murderin]

.loc files are in the local_en and local_en_rome2 packs

I know where they are, but the Assembly Kit doesn't seem to have the .loc files. Or I'm missing something. I've done global searches in Tweak with no results.

[Murderin]

While I'm at it, does anyone have any tips for large mod creation. As far as I can tell I can't save my work on a mod in the assembly kit tools.

Maybe I just cant find it.

[crzyrndm]

I know where they are, but the Assembly Kit doesn't seem to have the .loc files. Or I'm missing something. I've done global searches in Tweak with no results.

Dammit, two tools is confusing...

Assembly kit combines both db and loc tables together in the xmls. Cook land units with BoB and you get the db table and the loc file. The second column in TWeak (onscreen_name) is the name that is used

While I'm at it, does anyone have any tips for large mod creation. As far as I can tell I can't save my work on a mod in the assembly kit tools.

Make changes in Tweak -> Hit apply -> Changes show up in the raw_data folder xml files
Exported files from TWeak -> Show up in working_data folder
Cooked packs in BoB -> End up in retail folder

[Murderin]

Dammit, two tools is confusing...

Assembly kit combines both db and loc tables together in the xmls. Cook land units with BoB and you get the db table and the loc file. The second column in TWeak (onscreen_name) is the name that is used

Make changes in Tweak -> Hit apply -> Changes show up in the raw_data folder xml files
Exported files from TWeak -> Show up in working_data folder
Cooked packs in BoB -> End up in retail folder

Awesome, that explained a lot of stuff for me. Thanks.

[Murderin]

Another question about the assembly kit if anyone can answer.

I've noticed that most mods have all of the unnecessary rows of data removed, and just have the relevant data to the mod in the pack, instead of the entire table. I can see how to do this in PFM, but is there any way to do this in the assembly kit?


Edit: Why does my middle list in BOB have everything instead of just the Working Data or stuff I've changed like the guide says? I have a ton of unnecessary stuff in my pack file afterwards that makes the file size huge. How do I export just the lines I've added or modified, into a pack file with the assembly kit?