Restoring the original Southern nation models - a work in progress

[edders]

Hi guys, you may have noticed me asking around for help with seeing if the old models for Southern generals and captains could be restored. Well, after a rather dissapointing response I had another go and made a minor breakthrough - the strat models and textures for both are still in the game files and by editing the desc_model_strat file they can be restored.

Go to the "southern_general" and "southern_captain" sections. Then have a look in the models_strat folder to find the corresponding textures and models for each. So, for example in the texture line for spain it originally read something like "late_general_spain_strat". You would replace this with "southern_general_castile". Then do the same for the rest of the texture lines. Finally change the "model_flexi_m" entry from "late_general_northern" to "southern_general" and voila! - All the southern nations will now have their original general models on the Strategy map. Repeat this process on the captains for the same result.

The only "bug" with this is that the southern captains don't carry a sword, which may look odd if you look closely, but it's up to you.

Now the dissapointing part: Nowhere in the data files could I find any of the textures, models etc. for the battle map versions of the Southern generals/captains. This means that they'll still appear as normal northern generals during battles. Still, if anyone has found these files I'd be very grateful. For the moment I'll ask Lusted if he could kindly request CA release these old files to let us have Southern generals and captains as they were originally intended. (I know they were made - the captain is in an old screenshot and the general is in a video that was playing at E3 or somewhere similar (I saw it on youtube).

Fingers crossed

[Gautar]

Do the meshes use the same skeleton?
If they do, maybe you can try to replace the battle map general with the one used in campain map.

[edders]

Not sure, at my girlfriend's right now. I sincerely doubt it though .

[dr_plaugexl]

what did they look like anyway?

[edders]

The captains are basically like any late-knight model except with a cap on top and no helm, the cap being the colour corresponding to your faction. Generals are pretty much the same idea; late era armour with a bronze-to-goldish hue and a plumed helmet. You can see both in the event windows; for example in the "x comes of age" event you see what is basically a general knighting a captain.

[Methoz]

dont work for me

[dr_plaugexl]

is there a pic anywhere? of the southern model working in game?

[misfitsfiend138]

can u show us the text u put in the files? i edit the text like u said, just for venice but it crashes when the game loads.

[edders]

Not at my flat right now but I'll paste the relevent sections of the txt file when I am. And yes it definately works.


Remember you need to change ALL the entries for Southern generals because they are all governed by the model_flexi_m bit. Also remember to enable and check error logs to see why the game crashed.

[misfitsfiend138]

yea i did that but it still crashes.

[edders]

Very strange. This is what my desc_model_strat file looks like in the "southern_general section:


type southern_general
skeleton strat_named_with_army
scale 0.7
indiv_range 40
texture spain, models_strat/textures/southern_general_castile.tga
texture portugal, models_strat/textures/southern_general_portugal.tga
texture venice, models_strat/textures/southern_general_venice.tga
texture milan, models_strat/textures/southern_general_milan.tga
texture papal_states, models_strat/textures/southern_general_papacy.tga
texture sicily, models_strat/textures/southern_general_sicily.tga
texture byzantium, models_strat/textures/southern_general_byzantium.tga
texture slave, models_strat/textures/southern_general_sicily.tga
; spain
; portugal
; venice
; milan
; papal_states
; sicily
; byzantium
model_flexi_m models_strat/southern_general.CAS, max
shadow_model_flexi models_strat/shadow_sword.CAS, max



I've also uploaded the whole file, but I don't recommend you simply cut and paste into your own data folder - I've made other changes to princesses that may rely on other files. You can try, though. Just make sure you have a backup.


P.S. The "; spain" etc. bits shouldn't be necessary - I just left them in to preserve the general layout of the file.

[Gondor Warrior]

You mean like :
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vlm4_pJZFvU

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QIPEQUvWRTQ

[misfitsfiend138]

wow they look sweet. so now ur just awaiting for them to release the old tectures and stuff. i hope they do.

[Lusted]

There is also an identical model and textures for the northern factions with a disused northern_general and northern_captain models.

[Tsar Stefan Dusan IV]

Yuo can even go one step further and add faction-based generals.
One for each faction with your own .cas and texture.

[misfitsfiend138]

Gondor, the 2nd video shows the southern general.

lusted do think this is the northern counterpart? or is it the southern captain?
http://www.twcenter.net/forums/showthread.php?t=83004

[Lusted]

It's both, both have exactly the same textures and models but for some reason there are northern and southern named versions, despite the fact they look exactly the same.

[misfitsfiend138]

do u think its possibly for CA (btw who is CA) to release the skins or watever that edders asked for?

[Lusted]

do u think its possibly for CA (btw who is CA) to release the skins or watever that edders asked for?

CA = Creative Assembly. You know the guys who make the game. And no i don't think they would do it as they've likely got rid of them as they appear to be from an early version fo the game.

[misfitsfiend138]

o ok, man that sucks. did he or yourself already ask or would that just be a lost cause.