Oh, that's good @emerald ingot, good a lot!
Hope Druwind can help you, so you can help him working on this.
The issue I keep running into is that every time I try to clone an entry in CAI_World_Building_Slots, EditSF crashes when I try to save. I've let it sit an try to process for more than an hour and it still fails to save the changes. So, I tried using Dresden's tutorial here http://www.twcenter.net/forums/showt...nto-Text-Files to unpack the startpos.esf and make changes to the raw XML files. While I can make all the changes I need, when I try to re-pack the XML files (including the new one I just added) into a startpos, that new startpos doesn't have the new XML file I created. So, if the key to unlocking that slot is in the CAI section, I can't seem to make any changes stick, so I can't test them out.
Nah, this needs right order of tools Firstly use PFM (have not tried it with EditSF but it should be same except i cannot confirm it) to clone entries. It will take long time, but PFM will eventually process it. It could be up to 30-60 minutes just wait for it. To save time, clone multiple entries and then try to save, donīt bother with editing. Save the startpos. Problem is, PFM is saving wrong structure of new entries anyway. So now unpack the startpos with script and ispect the entries. You will notice their wrong structure, so copy another entry and manually make all changes. Now pack it back. With this order, things should be in working state now.
Basically:
PFM good for adding new entries at right place!!
Script good for correcting the entries
Last edited by Daruwind; February 11, 2019 at 02:25 PM.
Last edited by Daruwind; February 11, 2019 at 06:27 PM.
Yeah, in the CAI_World_Settlements, theres a row with four unique numbers, rome's unique number is 23588. The new CAI_World_Building_Slot needs this number, plus a unique ID of it's own. I've assigned it to 25000, with is higher than the highest unique ID I was able to find (24005).
I'm waiting for PFM to process the cloned CAI_World_Building_Slot right now. Once that's done, I'll unpack the starpos and edit the XML files.
While you're on, I have another quick question; If I only want a virtual slot, with no representation on the Campaign map, do I still need to add entries in the map_data region slot array and the settlement_expansion_secondary_slot array? Because I've already plotted out everything for Roma.
Spoiler Alert, click show to read:
Sprawl blocks are only parts of graphic and that is completely independent layer. You can plot all slots at the same place, you can remowe walls and other things or draw multiple things over itself like having half city on water or like having whole city (all slots) on one spot see video down. ZOE are actually zone of city, that is controlling when army will garison city itself. But you dont need any of those for actual virtual slot. Slot footprint is basically marking place for building, building animation liek for dismantling, erecting building...
Spoiler Alert, click show to read:
Last edited by Daruwind; February 11, 2019 at 07:42 PM.
Well. Even with the changes to CAI_World_Building_Slots and corresponding changes to CAI_World_Settlements, I keep running into the "A character is blocking..." issue.
Is it possible that there is an existing army or an emergent army that is holding on to those same coordinates for your building slots? Not necessarily occupying them but holding them in a table.
I wish that was the case, but I've changed it so that all slots in the city use the same coordinates (incuding the new one I added) and my new slot is still the only one that gets that message.
If this became a reality I would be so happy. Something lacking from all TW games since M2tw
Well, I've made one interesting discovery; you don't have to duplicate cai_world_building_slots in PFM anymore to get them in the right spot. Once the startpos is done unpacking, you can edit the cai_world_building_slot xml file, save it under a different name, then open cai_interface/cai_world0000.xml, collapse the nodes until you come to cai_building_slots. Once there, you can copy one of the rows that will say something like "<xml_include path="cai_building_slots/0700.xml"/>", then simply create a new line, paste, and change the 0700.xml part to match the new cai_world_building_slot xml file you just created.
With this process, you can create one slot at a time in the XML files, pack the startpos, import it into a pack file, and test it out. It should help save time. Or, if you want to be crazy, you can make many different slots all at once.
Now if only I could figure out how @Daruwind cracked the "A character is blocking you from constructing a building here" problem.
Edit 1: This method also works for other places one might have to duplicate. For example, if one wanted to create rom_italia_latium_5.xml (which would normally mean duplicating an entry in World/Region Manager/Regions Array/Regions Array-xxx/Region/Region Slot Manager/Region Slot Array-x in the startpos using PFM), you could instead simply edit the XML files. Open compressed_data/region_slot/rom_italia_latium_4.xml, make changes, and save as rom_italia_latium_5.xml, then open compressed_data/region/rom_italia_latium.xml. A few rows down, you should see Region_Slot_Array, with entries that'll look something like "<xml_include path="region_slot/rom_italia_latium-4.xml"/>". Copy that entry, make a new line, paste, then change the '4' to '5', and save the file.
This tells the XMLtoESF packer to include the new file you've just created. It should help save time when creating many new entries.
Last edited by the emerald ingot; February 16, 2019 at 10:23 AM.
No, really, I dunno s..t about these things, I was only trying to stimulate Daruwind through smiles.
Hope you can team up.
If I knew how to do I'd already started doing this, but I imposed myself not to mess up with startpos and such things.
Had no response from other DeI devs, btw.
I know about blocking character. Sorry for not telling you ahead but letīs say you confirm us that Iīm not making some kind of silly mistake in process. :-)
Anyway I know how to bypass this blocking. However by doing so it is making game unstable and it will crash in matter of a few turns so it is not solution we are seeking.
Last edited by Daruwind; February 19, 2019 at 06:28 AM.
Sorry, double post :/
I just wanted to say you're doing holy work here. I've been following this thread for a while just watching with bated breath. The suspense is immense and it feels like I'm waiting for an entirely new Total War game that I'm hyped for.
This is absolutely incredible. It would make growth buildings so much more valuable, make it so you can continue to develop provinces, make so many underused or never used buildings useful again etc.
I never understood why they decided to go with the current setup for buildings and building slots. Most buildings are completely worthless or extremely suboptimal with the heavily restrictive building slot about the game currently has. Would be far more fun and immersive to not have to choose between having a sewer system and a church. Like what is city planning doing?