Sebidee's Complete Guide to Unit Creation

[JohnComnenos]

I'm new to pfm modding and was wondering if anyone knew that if your mod doesn't work and crashes the game on start up (as mine frequently do) is there any way of finding out what caused it not to work? At the moment, for me, it's like looking for a needle in a haystack and I basically have to start the whole thing again.

[JohnComnenos]

I'm doing everything you say and yet it just keeps crashing on start up and I just can't for the life of me work out what's wrong.

[ode289]

I'm doing everything you say and yet it just keeps crashing on start up and I just can't for the life of me work out what's wrong.

I'm having the same issue. Did you ever figure out what was wrong? I've been working on this for a week now and same result every time. The game freezes on the first startup screen and I have to completely reboot my PC.

Help from anyone would be much appreciated!

[Commissar Caligula_]

Sebidee's tutorial is pretty clear, it shouldn't be causing you this much trouble. It taught me to mod.

I don't want to blow my own trumpet, but maybe watching someone create a unit from start to finish will help you. Its for Attila, but should be like 80% applicable to Rome 2.
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?lis...H0vp-h__FirQZw
Episode 5 would probably be the most helpful. Watch the video, pause it at times and do what I say in your own version of PFM so you can see how it all works.

[Inspexor]

Hello,
i recently sucesfully created my first melee unit (it was pikes) and today i'm trying to create an archer unit for Rome.

Everything works just fine but for some reason the bows of the archers are invisible.
They can shoot tho, it then just shows another bow while they shoot; when they are done shooting the bow disappears again and they stand there with empty hands.

Don't really know what i'm supposed to do, i mean i created a custom bow + custom arrows because otherwise you can't change the most important stats of archer units.
My guess is that the game doesn't have a model for the name i gave it (it's a custom name afterall).

I compared my mod with other mods but they are the same as my mod but still work for some reason.

Can somebody help me?

[Commissar Caligula_]

Hello,
i recently sucesfully created my first melee unit (it was pikes) and today i'm trying to create an archer unit for Rome.

Everything works just fine but for some reason the bows of the archers are invisible.
They can shoot tho, it then just shows another bow while they shoot; when they are done shooting the bow disappears again and they stand there with empty hands.

Don't really know what i'm supposed to do, i mean i created a custom bow + custom arrows because otherwise you can't change the most important stats of archer units.
My guess is that the game doesn't have a model for the name i gave it (it's a custom name afterall).

I compared my mod with other mods but they are the same as my mod but still work for some reason.

Can somebody help me?

Did you create a custom bow and arrow models, or just database entries?
If you just created custom database entries, you may be using the wrong bow model and animation. Eg using a longbow with "composite bow" animations.
If you created a custom 3D model for the bow and arrows, you'll have to check out this tutorial. http://www.twcenter.net/forums/showthread.php?734600

[lonelylight001]

could some one help me please. I finished a mod pack but when I loaded is and getting in the game --> it crashed (It said that "VFS error: could not load this mods. look like your mods you have in your data directory don*play well together. consider withdrawing them and reintroducing them one by one to see what the offending combination is Don*forget to share your findings on the forum!") any one know any option to fix this error ???

[phazer]

Hi, can you change dimensions of a vanilla unit when an ability is activated? Say if the want to be able to control vanilla unit formations freely,

[Vanda]

hey,
i really have a strange problem with the shields during the battle.
iam advanced in modding PFM, but this problem i never cant solve it.
During battle i move the camera and the pattern/symbol from the shield change her pictures, and thats during the battle... i'm leaving my mind.

created with the vanilla stuff - Assembly Kit for Atilla

U see https://imgur.com/a/J5h4rMl

best regards


Edit: solved for me

I changed the model for shield in Variant Mesh Definition. For that i use one from the mod Ancient empire. <> principes_scuta_03.variantmeshdefinition
Probleme is gone, but its not a resulotion for the main problem. But solved for me.. that's enough for my plans.
I think its a problem with the choosen orginal from the Variants Editor, i dont understand why or so..

<SLOT name="shield" attach_point="weapon_03" >
<VARIANT_MESH_REFERENCE definition="VariantMeshes/_VariantModels/man/shield/principes_scuta_03.variantmeshdefinition" />
</SLOT>

principes_scuta_03.variantmeshdefinition

u see: we have 5 different variants of patterns for the shields also 5 different shields for the fighting model.

VARIANT_MESH model : Ancient Empires
Diffuse: Vanilla Original
Decal: Vanilla Original
Imposter: Vanilla Original

<VARIANT_MESH>
<SLOT name="shields" >
<VARIANT_MESH model="VariantMeshes/_VariantModels/man/shield/legpolybian_roman_shield_02.rigid_model_v2" decal_diffuse="VariantMeshes/_VariantModels/man/patterns/roman/roman_blank_diffuse" decal_normal="VariantMeshes/_VariantModels/man/patterns/roman/roman_blank_normal" imposter_model="VariantMeshes/_VariantModels/man/shield/roman_early_scutum.rigid_model_v2" />
<VARIANT_MESH model="VariantMeshes/_VariantModels/man/shield/umc02polybian_roman_shield2.rigid_model_v2" decal_diffuse="VariantMeshes/_VariantModels/man/patterns/roman/roman_blank_diffuse" decal_normal="VariantMeshes/_VariantModels/man/patterns/roman/roman_blank_normal" imposter_model="VariantMeshes/_VariantModels/man/shield/roman_early_scutum.rigid_model_v2" />
<VARIANT_MESH model="VariantMeshes/_VariantModels/man/shield/legpolybian_roman_shield_26.rigid_model_v2" decal_diffuse="VariantMeshes/_VariantModels/man/patterns/roman/roman_blank_diffuse" decal_normal="VariantMeshes/_VariantModels/man/patterns/roman/roman_blank_normal" imposter_model="VariantMeshes/_VariantModels/man/shield/roman_early_scutum.rigid_model_v2" />
<VARIANT_MESH model="VariantMeshes/_VariantModels/man/shield/umc03polybian_roman_shield1.rigid_model_v2" decal_diffuse="VariantMeshes/_VariantModels/man/patterns/roman/roman_blank_diffuse" decal_normal="VariantMeshes/_VariantModels/man/patterns/roman/roman_blank_normal" imposter_model="VariantMeshes/_VariantModels/man/shield/roman_early_scutum.rigid_model_v2" />
<VARIANT_MESH model="VariantMeshes/_VariantModels/man/shield/umcofpolybian_roman_shield1.rigid_model_v2" decal_diffuse="VariantMeshes/_VariantModels/man/patterns/roman/roman_blank_diffuse" decal_normal="VariantMeshes/_VariantModels/man/patterns/roman/roman_blank_normal" imposter_model="VariantMeshes/_VariantModels/man/shield/roman_early_scutum.rigid_model_v2" />
</SLOT>
</VARIANT_MESH>

Best regards thx for tutorials @all

[Skotos of Sinope]

Hmm. Was having trouble with this and I went to a modder I have great respect for. He told me the tutorial is out of date and the tables have changed in the latest patches. Maybe that's the reason for all the above posts by those who've had their games crashing at startup using this...?

[DMahoux]

Seriously, I don't understand why my game crash when I start, I add prefixes to all the files change, change some unit variant already created in the game, the only things I do, it's created 2 officer and 3 standard bearer and change a unit sword/shield to 2handedweapon, can you help me please

[JohnComnenos]

Just out of interest is building a unit in Attila the same as Rome II? I used this guide successfully with Rome II but not with Attila, is there something else you have to do?

[Morticia Iunia Bruti]

There could be additional tables because of the autoupgrade in Attila.

[ithinkitsdead]

I'm stuck with two issues I've not had to deal with until this new version of PFM, so... I'm finally asking for help.

I can't seem to extract anything, so I can't make new unit cards. It allows me to extract, but I can't select where it goes and then the file just seems lost to oblivion within my computer. Any ideas why this would be happening?

And, more annoyingly, I can't get the variantmeshdefinitions to add the way they used to. Now every time I select the file to add it into a pack it just falls under the variantmeshes rather than variantmeshdefinitions as it should.

I'd love any help you fine folks can give!

[ithinkitsdead]

Apologies, but... it's not letting me edit my post. So. This is a screen of the variantmesh issues.
https://imgur.com/a/8peEHhM

[adclaw]

hello, if I wanted to duplicate a gentleman in order to create + gentlemen with different skins / mount on which tables I should work (for the startposts I will try to find what to do) thanks
hello, if I wanted to duplicate a gentleman in order to create + gentlemen with different skins / mount on which tables I should work (for the startposts I will try to find what to do) thanks

[JohnComnenos]

I really wish there was something on the PFM that could tell you what's making your mod not work. You can spend hours & hours building a mod only for it not to work and you have no idea why, then having to spend hours and hours looking through it to try and work out what's missing only to find nothing. Does anyone have an hints or tips on this because I've had to restart this same mod 4 times now and despite following this guide to the letter it still won't work.

[Jason Wolf]

I want to add text to the encyclopedia at the bottom and I would like to know how I should go about doing that? Thanks.

[NorthernXY]

Why are models not showing up that I downloaded and extracted into the appropriate VariantMeshes subfolder? On the errors window most are "Modifier" errors, most having to do with vffx or Warscape.

[Ulfhedinn_]

Please, how I can add attach points in new helmets? (ROME II)


I added a new corinthian helmet to the game and it worked perfectly. However, I cannot place crests. The codes are correct in the variantmeshdefinitions, but within the game, the crest appears on the units' body and not above the new helmets. Can you help me?

I noticed that this also happened with the helmet hellenic_thracian_1