Editing saved games with ESF editor no longer viable

[Lucius_Vorenus]

Brothers in arms, I am experiencing difficulty editing the most rudimentary elements of a saved game file using the Edit ESF program. I was formerly able to tweak certain lines of data and thus, in effect "mod" my existing game file. The turns per year and the number of total units in an army's stack were both amenable to this crude form of modding. However, I have returned to ETW after a two year hiatus and notice that ESF has no discernible impact on saved game files. Either that or the game crashes while loading. I think this has something to do with Steam reallocating the saved game files to a different location then the previous folder (located within "data"). Hopefully one of you grand masters of sagacious modding wisdom will come along and illuminate my ignorance. I want very badly to return to the glory days of the 18th century. Thanks for reading.

[TuranianGhazi]

I recently too came back to modding ETW and NTW.

The latest ESF Editor 1.1.1 DOES NOT work for editing ESFs of ETW and NTW.

You'd ahve to use an older Esf Editor. Here's a thread to a link to 1.4.5

http://www.twcenter.net/forums/showt...d-Oct-24-2009)

I myself am using an old undated (I don't know which version, but definitely an older) Edit ESF that I had saved since 2009 on my Terabyte hard drive. Otherwise, I would have been stumped.

I found the link to this older version EsfEditor 1.4.5 just recently.

Here's proof:

Hey,

It looks like it has to do with the version of ESF editor that I was using and I assume is your issue also. I thought I was using the newest version but it turned out that it was not the case. Version 1.4.5 of ESF editor should work.

Link to download
http://www.twcenter.net/forums/showthread.php?t=303205

from this other thread: http://www.twcenter.net/forums/showt...ily-Tree/page4

I hope that helps you

[Lucius_Vorenus]

You are a scholar and a gentleman sir. I fully anticipated that a meaningful and constructive response to this thread would be occasioned by much greater delay, as I'm sure you and I are among very few members of this community who are still nostalgic for the good old days of Empire. I'm at work right now but will certainly try to utilize the program which you've linked above when I have an opportunity. Thank you again for your invaluable assistance.

[Lucius_Vorenus]

OK I can confirm that the version of ESF which you referred me to (1.4.5) does in fact work on ETW files. Thank you again for your invaluable assistance sir without which, Empire would be unplayable and non-viable for me as a game.

[TuranianGhazi]

OK I can confirm that the version of ESF which you referred me to (1.4.5) does in fact work on ETW files. Thank you again for your invaluable assistance sir without which, Empire would be unplayable and non-viable for me as a game.

Why thank you kindly, sir. Cheers!

SUPERB! Fantastic! We BOTH learned something.

I haven't had a chance to try the 1.4.5 version yet, so you testing it and reporting back that it works is valuable information for me as well. I've placed that version in the WORKING folder bins. Yeah I'm OCD/anal about keeping track of which versions work or don't and such. Of course, when I get some free time again, I'll double check that version myself. For now, I'll take your word for it

[TuranianGhazi]

Lucius_Vorenus,

Also, I'd HIGHLY highly suggest/recommend Easy ESF by husserITW here: http://www.twcenter.net/forums/showt...or-ETW-(15-12)

With a simplified GUI, it has actions for most of the things we modders TYPICALLY want to change/tinker around with.

Also, it supports diplomacy and adding more BUILDING slots to towns, which is hard/tedious/overly long to do manually. I've successfully been able to add 3 more slots to the Little Tatary region in NTW. Otherwise, it's just a one building slot town which makes it very tough early game.

The installation is a bit of an issue. Make sure Administrator privileges are set and everything.

For me, Easy ESF wouldn't actually save or update the ESF file until I ran the Nokogiri BAT script. For others, it's other issues.

To save you some installation foibles. Here are the TWO TIP POSTS (Minas Moth and Biggus Splenus) which I found most helpful in installing husser's Easy ESF:

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

Minas Moth
http://www.twcenter.net/forums/showt...(15-12)/page18
Re: EasyEsf for ETW (15/12)

Suggestions for the noobs, by the noobs and of the noobs!

as a title says it, I have been eager to use this tool to add two more building slots to the major cities in American Civil War: Brother vs. Brother in order to make room for the new building chains I made. As I am a complete noob when it comes anything like java or jruby or ruby you can imagine my frustration when I couldn't make it work. before you even consider installing this awesome tool there are a few preparations that are recomended to be made:


· The Java : head to the following page if you are not sure whether you use a 32bit or 64bit Windows. Even if you could swear on the lovely sister of yours that you use 64bit/32bit I would strongly recomend you go here(LINK) here you will find java downloads for both 32bit and 64bit Windows and a way how to determine which of those two your browswers use. you can go to the official Microsoft page (LINK), but good people at java have a nice little feature: it is a yellow window that will appear (and you shouldn't miss it) where they will warn you that they suspect your system uses 32bit. this is beacuse (as I understand it), some internet browsers use 32bit even though your system is 64bit to open certain web applications as the 32 is better or stable. in this case download and install both. one will be probably installed in the C:\Program Files (x86)\Java and the other in the C:\Program Files\Java

· The EasyEsfEditor: now install this wonderful tool... at the end of installation I would recomend skipping the installation of offerd jruby version as it is now an obsolete version. also, be sure to update EasyEsf with both patches provided in the OP, even though you plan to use it only for ETW (as I do).

· The jruby: now comes the important part. it took me a greater part of the afternoon to solve this cracker and it would be impossible without the husserlTW's help. open up google and type in jruby 1.6.8. you will be offered several internet pages, but go to this one(LINK). here you have info on theat version and two links (Homepage and Download). choose the download page. now a whole bunch of things appear: a current up-to date version of jruby, the one you were looking for and all previous releases (LINK). Scroll down to your chosen version (1.6.8.) and look at the files. In case you are the one of those that had to install javafor both 32bit and 64bit operating system be sure to download the appropriate version. it will be called something like this: JRuby 1.6.8 Windows Executable (x64) in the extension you have (md5, sha1) But we don't need those. click on the long one[JRuby 1.6.8 Windows Executable (x64)] and download it. when downloaded run the installation of the jruby. when asked by the installer if you want your paths to be automatically set (or something like that) be sure that the box is thicked. since you are a noob, better don't overestimate your own abilities[IMG]file:///C:/Users/Anuar/AppData/Local/Temp/msohtmlclip1/01/clip_image001.gif[/IMG]. now whe the installation is over, check you have done it ok by choosing start>all programs>jruby 1.6.8 and run either irb (1.8.7)/irb (1.9.2). if a jruby console shows up, you have done it.

· The nokogiri> this one was the [IMG]file:///C:/Users/Anuar/AppData/Local/Temp/msohtmlclip1/01/clip_image002.gif[/IMG]. there are two ways you can install this. but you being a noob, you need to know only about the simpler one (don't worry about things you don't understand). again go start>all programs>esyesf for NTW and there choose install_nokogiri. a command window will open, you just wait it out until the program does its own course. in case you already have a nokogiri (which I doubt you do 'cause you are a noob) then you already know how to remove the existing one and install the one you need. as the easy install icon is in EasyEsf for NTW now you see why is paramount to upgrade the easyesf editor all the way.

now you are ready to use the easyesf editor. I don't claim that the jruby 1.6.8 version will work for everyone, but you can easily download other (newer versions) at the provided link and try them out. then be sure to repeat steps jruby and nokogiri. although you probably don't need to install nokogiri again...

In the first post it is said tha some problems come from UAC (User Account Control). I will not give directions on how to edit the UAC itself. there is a great deal of good info on the net. just google it and you will see. also, it is important (or it can't hurt) to start the EasyEsf Editor with administrator privileges (right click on the easyesf editor either on the desktop[shortcut] or in the easyesf directory [where you installed it] and choose run as administrator.

Finally, it will not hurt if you add jruby, nokogiri, EasyEsf Editor to Windows Firewall exception list. I remember reading on several other sites that firewall doesn't really like manipulations with xml files; especially on large scale as is the case with this program.


This is written from one noob to all the others who want to use this, but can't get it work. It would be impossible to make this "guide" without husserlTW's support and help. keep in mind that if the EasyEsf Editor doesn't work for you, there is 99.9999999% chance you messed up the installation. trust me I know... I got it to work only on the 8. try.


[IMG]file:///C:/Users/Anuar/AppData/Local/Temp/msohtmlclip1/01/clip_image003.gif[/IMG]


MM
http://jruby.org/2012/09/18/jruby-1-6-8

[IMG]file:///C:/Users/Anuar/AppData/Local/Temp/msohtmlclip1/01/clip_image005.jpg[/IMG]

BIGGUS SPLENUS
http://www.twcenter.net/forums/showt...11-2011)/page5
[IMG]file:///C:/Users/Anuar/AppData/Local/Temp/msohtmlclip1/01/clip_image007.jpg[/IMG]
Re: EasyEsf for NTW (30/11/2011)

To everyone having troubles, follow these steps. It's what I did (went through every possible thing that could have been causing the problem) and it solved it:

OK, I uninstalled jruby and easy esf, then followed these steps:

1) Downloaded the latest version of 64-bit Java from their website and installed it.
2) Downloaded all Easy Esf installers and the new patch.
3) Ran all installers as admin in the default installation path, then manually installed the new patch for ETW (it installed jruby too in the default path, and I also left the "set path" option on)
4) Made sure my Easy ESF NTW folder had all editing privileges, which it did in my user name and for admin (both the same anyways)
5) Ran nokogiri.bat file in the easy esf folder folder, and it done it's job
6) Made sure all the files in the folder easy esf was installed in had no "read only" settings
7) Edited the settings for standards users to have full privileges on the folder
8) Ran the ntw easy esf .exe file as admin
9) Put the regions.esf and startpos.esf files in the correct folder for editing
10) Clicked on the "Slots" tab at the top
11) Waited for it to do its thing
12) Selected the region I wanted to edit from the drop down menu
13) Tick the boxes for the slots you want
14) Selected what buildings I wanted in each slot
15) Selected set startpos.esf, then set regions.esf
16) Clicked build esf, and the date saying when it was last edited was not changed

And then finally success !!!

Everyone who is having problems should try all this too

[Lucius_Vorenus]

TuranianGhazi, Than you again for yet another highly informative and very helpful reply. I may indeed attempt to utilize this program, as I'm always looking for relatively painless ways to make alterations to the base files. I was once quite the modder though the demands of work and life have superseded my former devotion to the TW franchise and I've had to restructure my priorities in a way which leaves little time for gaming and even less for modding. Notwithstanding this unfortunate situation, I will at least look at the features associated with that which you referenced above and if it is as easy as it sounds to use, I may end up doing some very basic tweaking of relevant game parameters. Thank you again for the assistance and gracious follow-up sir, it is much appreciated. Cheers.

[vavrinko]

Thanks man. I was getting furious trying to edit my save game till I found this threat.
Many years later it still helps XD