10 new customisable BIF folders in VI !!!!!

[Wellington]

Guys,

ECS has just confirmed he is 'relaxing' the hardcoded BIF foler names in MTW and thus making 10 new BIF folders available for VI (customisable for new unit sprites), names custom0 to custom9.

Check the thread -

http://www.totalwar.org/cgi-bin....ry87167 (http://www.totalwar.org/cgi-bin/forum/ikonboard.cgi?act=ST;f=7;t=6080;st=50;r=1;&#entry87167)

For those who understand the implications of this, it's BRILLIANT news.

For those of us who don't, never mind Its still BRILLIANT news

Welly

[TosaInu]

Great news indeed. Are these extra empty bif folders or are they already used by the new VI units?

Edit: just read the topic, sounds great.

[Wellington]

Quote[/b] (TosaInu @ Feb. 20 2003,13:00)]Great news indeed. Are these extra empty bif folders or are they already used by the new VI units?

Edit: just read the topic, sounds great.
Entirely new customisable BIF folders, TosaInu, from what ECS says - he's described them as 'custom0' to 'custom9'.

Presumably the new VI add-on will have the original 34 BIF folders, several more for any new I units AND the new 10 customisable ones.

I only hope we don't buy VI and find these new 10 are not really customisable due to other hardcoded constraints.

The real problem with hard-coding things is that one tends to forget all the areas in which the hard-coding is effective. Good software people do NOT hard code things - as it tends to make their lives a nightware later.

It really is FAR EASIER NOT TO HARD CODE THINGS However, hard-coding is done for marketing reasons - not programming considerations.

Let's hope the VI add-on really does aspire to the lofty heights that CA are placing on it (as ECS seems to know his business, for modders and mod recipients requirements, I'm sure this will be the case).

Welly

[Lord Krazy]

Quote[/b] (Wellington @ Feb. 20 2003,14:31)]I only hope we don't buy VI and find these new 10 are not really customisable due to other hardcoded constraints.
I don't see many problems in that area.
The main problem we had was the fact that we
could have new bifs without removing existing ones.
Now we can have 10 unused slots.Weather they are called
coustom or newbif or moretoplaywith is not an issue.
The code will stay the same just with more slots

The fact that we can't give them new weapons though
will be a setback for some.

Overall it's a big improvement http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif

LK http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/smokin.gif

[Wellington]

Quote[/b] (Lord Krazy @ Feb. 20 2003,20:24)]The fact that we can't give them new weapons though
will be a setback for some.
I'm presuming thats just because ECS quickly tested using a mount BIF for a viking infantry unit - hence the weapons error message saying there is no "Weapons.txt" in the folder.

As CA have obviously increased the BIFs for the new Viking units it's seems the new custom0/9 folders will have exaxctly the characteristic as the new VI ones - weapons/shields and everything.

To relese 10 new customisable folders but with no support for weapons/shields would be a pointless exercise.

Hhhm ... whilst we're on a roll wonder if we ask ECS to increase the number of weapons and shields folders (from 8 and 5) http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/idea.gif

[Lord Krazy]

Quote[/b] (Wellington @ Feb. 21 2003,00:15)]
Quote[/b] (Lord Krazy @ Feb. 20 2003,20:24)]The fact that we can't give them new weapons though
will be a setback for some.
I'm presuming thats just because ECS quickly tested using a mount BIF for a viking infantry unit - hence the weapons error message saying there is no "Weapons.txt" in the folder.

As CA have obviously increased the BIFs for the new Viking units it's seems the new custom0/9 folders will have exaxctly the characteristic as the new VI ones - weapons/shields and everything.

To relese 10 new customisable folders but with no support for weapons/shields would be a pointless exercise.

Hhhm ... whilst we're on a roll wonder if we ask ECS to increase the number of weapons and shields folders (from 8 and 5) http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/idea.gif
No I meant that no new weapons slots
in projectile stats will be added.
The eight existing weapons folders will be enough
to deal with them.More would be nice but not
that important and not what I was talkig about.
With no new weapons slots in projectile stats
weans no new types of weapons may be added
to the existing ones.


LK http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/smokin.gif

[Spino]

Quote[/b] ]No I meant that no new weapons slots
in projectile stats will be added.
The eight existing weapons folders will be enough
to deal with them.More would be nice but not
that important and not what I was talkig about.
With no new weapons slots in projectile stats
weans no new types of weapons may be added
to the existing ones.

This isn't completely true as there will be a new entry in Projectilestats for the Organ Gun. There should also be a new entry for the Flaming arrows CA mentioned. However neither entry gives us a new missile weapon slot for infantry or cavalry. I would love to hear from one of the developers on what we else we can expect to find in the expansion's Projectilestat file (and what else is moddable in the expansion).

[Lord Krazy]

Quote[/b] (Spino @ Mar. 23 2003,15:45)]
Quote[/b] ]No I meant that no new weapons slots
in projectile stats will be added.
The eight existing weapons folders will be enough
to deal with them.More would be nice but not
that important and not what I was talkig about.
With no new weapons slots in projectile stats
weans no new types of weapons may be added
to the existing ones.

This isn't completely true as there will be a new entry in Projectilestats for the Organ Gun. There should also be a new entry for the Flaming arrows CA mentioned. However neither entry gives us a new missile weapon slot for infantry or cavalry. I would love to hear from one of the developers on what we else we can expect to find in the expansion's Projectilestat file (and what else is moddable in the expansion).
Spino,
I'm sorry I think you missed my point.
I was speaking in terms of adding new as in
different to the ones that come with the game
and used by the unit's in the game so we can
add other weapons for the new custom units
without interfering with the existing unit and weapons.


Yes it is true that an organ gun will be added.
Yet I fail to see how that improves the situation.
They could add another 20 slots but if they create
another twenty units to go
with them, we are still in the same situation.
Granted if they did add another twenty
slots, then we probably would have
everything covered anyway http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif

So in the context of the topic
new customisable units, however badly put.

According to information from CA thus far.

So to clarify and what I should have said
in the first place.
No new customisable weapons slots will be added
in the projectile stats.txt,
for the Viking expantion


I am not implying this is true.
I am repeating what one of the CA guys
wrote in the main hall.

If don't mind messing around with the other units
you can do a lot of changing without new slots.
I know this, I have infantry that fire cannon balls
http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif

LK http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/smokin.gif

[WesW]

Have any of you guys made plans or started working on new bifs for the custom slots?

Also, can we copy existing bifs to the new folders, and only change the available weapons? If so, can we simply alter the 2D still image in the bif_* files?

[Stormer]

so does this mean you can start from scratch.

wont it be much harder?

[Lord Krazy]

Quote[/b] (WesW @ May 03 2003,14:48)]Have any of you guys made plans or started working on new bifs for the custom slots?

Also, can we copy existing bifs to the new folders, and only change the available weapons? If so, can we simply alter the 2D still image in the bif_* files?
yes ,yes ,yes. http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif

People are working on new bifs

You will be able use the existing bif as mentioned

and what the hell do you think we do? http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif

guess you never saw our roman or the napoleonic guys
or MR EGGS ECW units plus others.

I'm not surprised given the amount of other work
you do. http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/pat.gif

LK http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/smokin.gif

[WesW]

Well, I kinda understood the bif files last December when I delved into that area, but things are a little fuzzy now, and the really technical stuff always seem to make my head hurt and my eyes glaze over.

I also have a puny internet connection, so I can't get everything that's going on here. I did see some of the Napoleonic pics recently, and they looked great. Do you know how well the AI handles the new situation, or is this primarily for multiplay?

Anyway, I am glad to hear you are working in this area. I would just like to see some additional weapon choices available for existing armor types. If you can copy-n-paste that type of thing, it would be all I am looking for; primarily more axes. If you care to help me with this, I can give you some specific requests once I get into adding all the new units for the second version of my mod.

Also, I looked in the bif folders today, and I didn't see any empty ones present. Can we just create our own using the names ECS provided (custom0 to 9)?

[Lord Krazy]

WesW we already have made some bifs with axes
and swords, depending on what was not present on the bif.

LBA compiled most of it, so I'm not 100% sure
which ones we finished.
I never uploaded them. It was an idea I did not follow up
but if you want them you can have them.
I believe they have all the camera angles
and so on sorted.

(LK goes looks in file cellar, below the dungeon,
beside the folder maze) http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/dizzy.gif

LK http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/smokin.gif

[WesW]

Quote[/b] (Lord Krazy @ May 08 2003,05:56)]WesW we already have made some bifs with axes
and swords, depending on what was not present on the bif.

LBA compiled most of it, so I'm not 100% sure
which ones we finished.
I never uploaded them. It was an idea I did not follow up
but if you want them you can have them.
I believe they have all the camera angles
and so on sorted.

(LK goes looks in file cellar, below the dungeon,
beside the folder maze) http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/dizzy.gif

LK http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/smokin.gif
Yeah, I would be interested in them. How many are there, and can you check them out to make sure they are finished? Not knowing much about making/altering bifs, I don't know if I could check them out myself properly.

[Lord Krazy]

WesW
Some bifs have been uploaded as betas

They just contain bifs with an extra weapon.
and the weapon.txt

get them for starters and have a look.

The Lords Axe addon 1 , 2 and 3
plus dervish and eeurocav bifs
with shields and weapons

Regards

LK http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/smokin.gif

[Lord Krazy]

I added a bif called CUSTOM1
it worked. http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif

Like it is suposed to.

LK http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/smokin.gif

[WesW]

Ok, thanks LK. I will try and get them one day when your bandwidth has not been exceeded. http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/frown.gif

[Lord Krazy]

Quote[/b] (WesW @ May 12 2003,23:30)]Ok, thanks LK. I will try and get them one day when your bandwidth has not been exceeded. http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/frown.gif
I only posted them on the org.
In the beta section.
It has been moved on to 3d now, so you can get it there.

BTW http://www.zen11872.zen.co.uk/

this a mirror for thelordz
if you have bandwidth probs in future.

LK http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/smokin.gif

[flip]

How it works to add new 10 units in VI? It is by game interface or as a mod? There is some barbarians in this version that will go nice with roman mods such as Patrician 1.2. mod. We need to edit the Unit prod files or others?

[Lord Krazy]

Quote[/b] (flip @ May 17 2003,13:13)]How it works to add new 10 units in VI? It is by game interface or as a mod? There is some barbarians in this version that will go nice with roman mods such as Patrician 1.2. mod. We need to edit the Unit prod files or others?
You just add the ten bifs and the files
that go with and that's it.

LK http://www.totalwar.org/forum/non-cgi/emoticons/smokin.gif

[WesW]

Ok, this is what I got from the Lords' mirror site:

06:26 01/04/2003

Title:The ORG Community Units Mod

From the Total War.org Community

For the Total War Community

Compiled by The Lords


e-mail:Lords@thelordz.co.uk

To Install:

C:\Program Files\Total War\Medieval - Total War

is the default directory.

If this is not where you wish to install it,

change it.

To uninstall just double click the uninstall icon
The uninstall WILL NOT restore the original MTW files

This pack cotains 72 units:

This is another file I got a couple of months ago:

16 November 2002

e-mail:rodaigh@yahoo.co.uk

This icon pack was brought to you by the Lords
These are for new units for MTW
The images are from everyware:D

You need one bif in review_panel
one bif in Info_pics
(these bifs are not the same so don't mix them up)

one lbm in UnitIcons
Pack 1 contains a set of 17
Pack 2 contains a set of 24(with base bmps for all files)

41 icon sets in total

Rename them as you wish.


Any problems mail us please

enjoy:D

LK:D/LBA:D


I would appreciate it if you would give a more detailed explanation of what is in these zips, both for me and others who are thinking about downloading them.