GodsPetMonkey
12-03-2006, 03:33
(or how to break the game while getting nowhere and have fun while doing it)
Anyone who has had a little poke around in various .pack files (go hexeditor!) will have noticed a strange new sort of file – the .bin. The most important currently is probably imperial_campaign_regions_and_settlement_names.txt.strings.bin, which seems to be the file we need to play with in order to start adding those provinces to the campaign map (and it’s the file which inspired me to work out how these things work!). Seeing as there doesn’t seem to be a imperial_campaign_regions_and_settlement_names.txt file in the packs (but there is a audiotest_regions_and_settlement_names.txt and a norman_prologue_regions_and_settlement_names.txt, neither of which have a .bin file to go with them).
Working on the simple theory that the structure of imperial_campaign_regions_and_settlement_names.txt would be the same as it is in RTW, and that the game will obviously run on them as well as the .bin equivalent (otherwise the tutorial campaign wouldn’t work now would it?), I set about trying to get the game to load a campaign off of my own .txt file and ignore the .bin file. As I am sure others that have already tried this will know, this results in a crash with a useless error message along the lines of “an unknown error has occurred”. You would think this would kill this particular line of inquiry, but I am a modder... and I am very stubborn, so I don’t take no for an answer when it comes to some uppity computer game.
But I had noticed something interesting, when I put my imperial_campaign_regions_and_settlement_names.txt in data/text, the game generated a .bin file based on it (if you open it up, it’ll contain any additions you made). So the first rule of .bin files is –
1) If you don’t have one, the game will make one!
Handy to know.
Now I figure that something has changed from RTW to M2TW that is causing the game to crash. Perhaps it’s something in the format of the .txt file that has changed, no way really to tell, as the two sample files are compressed inside of those .packs, and thus totally human unreadable. So I figure I’ll do some more experimenting.
First up, I think maybe the game doesn’t like it when there is a .txt file and it’s equivalent .bin file, and that it is actually the .txt, not the .bin, causing the crash. Would explain why there is never both of them for one campaign in the .pack files. So I generate a .bin file with an altered province name, quit, delete the .txt file leaving only the .bin file in my data/text folder, open M2TW, start a new campaign, and – SUCESS! Well, sorta, I get the campaign to load, but my edit has had NO effect. It would seem then rule number two of .bin files is –
2) The game won’t load a .bin file external to a pack unless the .txt is also there
So how do we get the game to ignore the .bin file in the pack without having a .txt file present? Why, we ‘delete’ the file from the .pack! I change the name of the file in the .pack header (thanks again Hexeditor!), load the game, start a campaign, and – CRASH! Same one as before when we had the .txt file there. This gives us rule three of .bin files –
3) Just because the game generates a .bin file doesn’t mean the game will run with that .bin file
Not one to be put down so easily by a mere computer game, I go at it again, this time from a different angle. I wonder if all .bin files generated are broken? Well, there are other .bin files, and one, climate.txt.strings.bin is small enough that it has had no compression applied to it, which means it’s readable! YAY. It’s internals look something like this – (note, many 'special' characters have been stripped to make it forum compatible - it is a binary file, not a text file, after all!)
____
_____a_l_p_i_n_e___A_l_p_i_n_e___h_i_g_h_l_a_n_d___H_i_g_h_l_a_n_d_
_m_e_d_i_t_e_r_r_a_n_e_a_n_
_M_e_d_i_t_e_r_r_a_n_e_a_n_
_r_o_c_k_y___d_e_s_e_r_t_
_R_o_c_k_y_ _D_e_s_e_r_t_
_s_a_n_d_y___d_e_s_e_r_t_
_S_a_n_d_y_ _D_e_s_e_r_t_ _s_e_m_i___a_r_i_d_ _S_e_m_i_-_a_r_i_d___s_t_e_p_p_e___S_t_e_p_p_e___t_e_m_p_e_r_a_t_e___c_o_n_i_f_e_r_o_u_s___f_o_r_e_s_t___T_e_m _p_e_r_a_t_e_ _C_o_n_i_f_e_r_o_u_s_ _F_o_r_e_s_t___t_e_m_p_e_r_a_t_e___d_e_c_i_d_u_o_u_s___f_o_r_e_s_t___T_e_m_p_e_r_a_t_e_ _D_e_c_i_d_u_o_u_s_ _F_o_r_e_s_t___t_r_o_p_i_c_a_l___T_r_o_p_i_c_a_l___v_o_l_c_a_n_i_c___V_o_l_c_a_n_i_c_
___
_m_e_d_i_t_e_r_r_a_n_e_a_n_
_s_a_n_d_y___d_e_s_e_r_t_
_r_o_c_k_y___d_e_s_e_r_t_ _u_n_u_s_e_d_1___s_t_e_p_p_e___t_e_m_p_e_r_a_t_e___d_e_c_i_d_u_o_u_s___f_o_r_e_s_t___t_e_m_p_e_r_a_t _e___c_o_n_i_f_e_r_o_u_s___f_o_r_e_s_t_ _u_n_u_s_e_d_2___h_i_g_h_l_a_n_d___a_l_p_i_n_e___t_r_o_p_i_c_a_l___v_o_l_c_a_n_i_c_ _s_e_m_i___a_r_i_d_
Once again, working on the theory that the base .txt file hasn’t changed much from RTW, I decide to generate a .bin file based on it and see what difference there is. Which is exactly what I do, I copy the climates.txt from RTW, put it in my M2TW data/text folder, launch the game, bingo, brand new climates.txt.strings.bin file! I open it up, and this is what I find –
____
_____a_l_p_i_n_e___A_l_p_i_n_e___h_i_g_h_l_a_n_d___H_i_g_h_l_a_n_d_
_r_o_c_k_y___d_e_s_e_r_t_
_R_o_c_k_y_ _d_e_s_e_r_t_
_s_a_n_d_y___d_e_s_e_r_t_
_S_a_n_d_y_ _d_e_s_e_r_t_ _s_e_m_i___a_r_i_d_ _S_e_m_i_-_a_r_i_d_
_s_u_b___a_r_c_t_i_c_
_S_u_b_ _a_r_c_t_i_c___s_w_a_m_p___S_w_a_m_p___t_e_m_p_e_r_a_t_e___f_o_r_e_s_t___d_e_e_p___D_e_e_p_ _t_e_m_p_e_r_a_t_e_ _f_o_r_e_s_t___t_e_m_p_e_r_a_t_e___f_o_r_e_s_t___o_p_e_n___O_p_e_n_ _t_e_m_p_e_r_a_t_e_ _f_o_r_e_s_t___t_e_m_p_e_r_a_t_e___g_r_a_s_s_l_a_n_d___f_e_r_t_i_l_e___F_e_r_t_i_l_e_ _t_e_m_p_e_r_a_t_e_ _g_r_a_s_s_l_a_n_d___t_e_m_p_e_r_a_t_e___g_r_a_s_s_l_a_n_d___i_n_f_e_r_t_i_l_e___I_n_f_e_r_t_i_l_e_ _t_e_m_p_e_r_a_t_e_ _g_r_a_s_s_l_a_n_d_
_t_e_s_t___c_l_i_m_a_t_e_
_M_e_d_i_t_e_r_r_a_n_e_a_n___v_o_l_c_a_n_i_c___V_o_l_c_a_n_i_c_
___
_m_e_d_i_t_e_r_r_a_n_e_a_n_
_s_a_n_d_y___d_e_s_e_r_t_
_r_o_c_k_y___d_e_s_e_r_t_ _u_n_u_s_e_d_1___s_t_e_p_p_e___t_e_m_p_e_r_a_t_e___d_e_c_i_d_u_o_u_s___f_o_r_e_s_t___t_e_m_p_e_r_a_t _e___c_o_n_i_f_e_r_o_u_s___f_o_r_e_s_t_ _u_n_u_s_e_d_2___h_i_g_h_l_a_n_d___a_l_p_i_n_e___t_r_o_p_i_c_a_l___v_o_l_c_a_n_i_c_ _s_e_m_i___a_r_i_d_
Looks strangely familiar no? Not 100% the same, but close enough to be acceptable. Also, the campaign loads fine with this newly generated from RTW txt file version of the .bin. So .bin generation is not totally borked? Rule number four –
4) But not all bin files are generated in a game breaking fashion
Ok, I get thinking, and it turns out I am heaps smarter than the game, and I think, what if I put the imperial_campaign_regions_and_settlement_names.txt text into climates.txt (structurally they are the same, they just deal with different parts of the game), generate a climate.strings.bin file, rename it to imperial_campaign_regions_and_settlement_names.txt.strings.bin, and try to launch a campaign with it? Long story short, doesn’t work, but here is the REALLY interesting thing, I open up the bin file (to make sure it generated the same stuff) – the material on the provinces is EXACTLY the same as what had been generated in the imperial_campaign_regions_and_settlement_names.txt.strings.bin right at the start, but at the bottom of the file, there is this –
[...]
_Y_o_r_k___P_r_o_v_i_n_c_e_
_Y_o_r_k___P_r_o_v_i_n_c_e___Z_a_g_r_e_b___Z_a_g_r_e_b___Z_a_g_r_e_b___P_r_o_v_i_n_c_e___Z_a_g_r_e_b ___P_r_o_v_i_n_c_e___Z_a_r_a_g_o_z_a___Z_a_r_a_g_o_z_a___Z_a_r_a_g_o_z_a___P_r_o_v_i_n_c_e___Z_a_r_a _g_o_z_a___P_r_o_v_i_n_c_e_
___
_m_e_d_i_t_e_r_r_a_n_e_a_n_
_s_a_n_d_y___d_e_s_e_r_t_
_r_o_c_k_y___d_e_s_e_r_t_ _u_n_u_s_e_d_1___s_t_e_p_p_e___t_e_m_p_e_r_a_t_e___d_e_c_i_d_u_o_u_s___f_o_r_e_s_t___t_e_m_p_e_r_a_t _e___c_o_n_i_f_e_r_o_u_s___f_o_r_e_s_t_ _u_n_u_s_e_d_2___h_i_g_h_l_a_n_d___a_l_p_i_n_e___t_r_o_p_i_c_a_l___v_o_l_c_a_n_i_c_ _s_e_m_i___a_r_i_d_
Which makes me go... WTF?!?!?!?
Why, the exact same thing is at the bottom of the climates.txt.string.bin that I pasted the internals of above.
So I think, why don’t I make climates.txt empty, and see what it does? Why, it generates a file which looks like this –
________
___
_m_e_d_i_t_e_r_r_a_n_e_a_n_
_s_a_n_d_y___d_e_s_e_r_t_
_r_o_c_k_y___d_e_s_e_r_t_ _u_n_u_s_e_d_1___s_t_e_p_p_e___t_e_m_p_e_r_a_t_e___d_e_c_i_d_u_o_u_s___f_o_r_e_s_t___t_e_m_p_e_r_a_t _e___c_o_n_i_f_e_r_o_u_s___f_o_r_e_s_t_ _u_n_u_s_e_d_2___h_i_g_h_l_a_n_d___a_l_p_i_n_e___t_r_o_p_i_c_a_l___v_o_l_c_a_n_i_c_ _s_e_m_i___a_r_i_d_
That’s right folks, from an empty file, it somehow is still able to work out the various climate names from SOMEPLACE ELSE. So rule number five is –
5) .bin files are not simply conversions of one .txt file, it is pulling in data from elsewhere
Then I do one more thing, I decide to generate a imperial_campaign_regions_and_settlement_names.txt.strings.bin from a blank .txt file. And what does it do? Well, trying to start a campaign still crashes, but, it generates a .bin file with the following contents –
________à___
_N_o_r_t_h___A_m_e_r_i_c_a_
_M_i_c_c_o_s_u_k_e_e___I_n_v_e_r_n_e_s_s___P_r_o_v_i_n_c_e_ _I_n_v_e_r_n_e_s_s_
_O_s_l_o___P_r_o_v_i_n_c_e___O_s_l_o___S_t_o_c_k_h_o_l_m___P_r_o_v_i_n_c_e_ _S_t_o_c_k_h_o_l_m___H_e_l_s_i_n_k_i___P_r_o_v_i_n_c_e___H_e_l_s_i_n_k_i___N_o_v_g_o_r_o_d___P_r_o_v _i_n_c_e___N_o_v_g_o_r_o_d___M_o_s_c_o_w___P_r_o_v_i_n_c_e___M_o_s_c_o_w___V_o_l_g_a_-_B_u_l_g_a_r___P_r_o_v_i_n_c_e___B_u_l_g_a_r_
_R_i_g_a___P_r_o_v_i_n_c_e___R_i_g_a___A_r_h_u_s___P_r_o_v_i_n_c_e___A_r_h_u_s___E_d_i_n_b_u_r_g_h__ _P_r_o_v_i_n_c_e_ _E_d_i_n_b_u_r_g_h___V_i_l_n_i_u_s___P_r_o_v_i_n_c_e_ _V_i_l_n_i_u_s___S_m_o_l_e_n_s_k___P_r_o_v_i_n_c_e___S_m_o_l_e_n_s_k___D_u_b_l_i_n___P_r_o_v_i_n_c_e ___D_u_b_l_i_n_
_Y_o_r_k___P_r_o_v_i_n_c_e___Y_o_r_k___C_a_r_i_b_b_e_a_n___I_s_l_e_s_ _C_a_r_i_b_b_e_a_n___R_y_a_z_a_n___P_r_o_v_i_n_c_e___R_y_a_z_a_n___C_a_e_r_n_a_r_v_o_n___P_r_o_v_i_n _c_e_
_C_a_e_r_n_a_r_v_o_n___T_h_o_r_n___P_r_o_v_i_n_c_e___T_h_o_r_n___N_o_t_t_i_n_g_h_a_m___P_r_o_v_i_n_c _e_
_N_o_t_t_i_n_g_h_a_m___S_t_e_t_t_i_n___P_r_o_v_i_n_c_e_ _S_t_e_t_t_i_n___H_a_m_b_u_r_g___P_r_o_v_i_n_c_e_ _H_a_m_b_u_r_g___T_l_a_x_c_a_l_a___P_r_o_v_i_n_c_e___T_l_a_x_c_a_l_a___S_a_r_k_e_l___P_r_o_v_i_n_c_e ___S_a_r_k_e_l___A_n_t_w_e_r_p___P_r_o_v_i_n_c_e_ _A_n_t_w_e_r_p___M_a_g_d_e_b_u_r_g___P_r_o_v_i_n_c_e_ _M_a_g_d_e_b_u_r_g___H_a_l_y_c_h___P_r_o_v_i_n_c_e___H_a_l_y_c_h___C_r_a_c_o_w___P_r_o_v_i_n_c_e___C _r_a_c_o_w___L_o_n_d_o_n___P_r_o_v_i_n_c_e___L_o_n_d_o_n___B_r_e_s_l_a_u___P_r_o_v_i_n_c_e_ _B_r_e_s_l_a_u_
_K_i_e_v___P_r_o_v_i_n_c_e___K_i_e_v___B_r_u_g_e_s___P_r_o_v_i_n_c_e___B_r_u_g_e_s___F_r_a_n_k_f_u_r _t___P_r_o_v_i_n_c_e_ _F_r_a_n_k_f_u_r_t_
_M_e_t_z___P_r_o_v_i_n_c_e___M_e_t_z___C_h_o_l_u_l_a___P_r_o_v_i_n_c_e_ _C_h_o_l_u_l_a_
_C_a_e_n___P_r_o_v_i_n_c_e___C_a_e_n___P_r_a_g_u_e___P_r_o_v_i_n_c_e___P_r_a_g_u_e___R_h_e_i_m_s___P _r_o_v_i_n_c_e___R_h_e_i_m_s___N_u_r_e_m_b_u_r_g___P_r_o_v_i_n_c_e_ _N_u_r_e_m_b_u_r_g___R_e_n_n_e_s___P_r_o_v_i_n_c_e___R_e_n_n_e_s___P_a_r_i_s___P_r_o_v_i_n_c_e___P_a _r_i_s___H_o_h_e_n_s_t_a_u_f_f_e_n___P_r_o_v_i_n_c_e_
_H_o_h_e_n_s_t_a_u_f_f_e_n_
_I_a_s_i___P_r_o_v_i_n_c_e___I_a_s_i___T_e_n_o_c_h_t_i_t_l_a_n___P_r_o_v_i_n_c_e_
_T_e_n_o_c_h_t_i_t_l_a_n___B_u_d_a_p_e_s_t___P_r_o_v_i_n_c_e___B_u_d_a_p_e_s_t___A_n_g_e_r_s___P_r_o _v_i_n_c_e___A_n_g_e_r_s_
_B_r_a_n___P_r_o_v_i_n_c_e___B_r_a_n___V_i_e_n_n_a___P_r_o_v_i_n_c_e___V_i_e_n_n_a___C_a_f_f_a___P_r _o_v_i_n_c_e___C_a_f_f_a_
_B_e_r_n___P_r_o_v_i_n_c_e___B_e_r_n___D_i_j_o_n___P_r_o_v_i_n_c_e___D_i_j_o_n___I_n_n_s_b_r_u_c_k__ _P_r_o_v_i_n_c_e_ _I_n_n_s_b_r_u_c_k___B_o_r_d_e_a_u_x___P_r_o_v_i_n_c_e___B_o_r_d_e_a_u_x___T_b_i_l_i_s_i___P_r_o_v_i _n_c_e_ _T_b_i_l_i_s_i___B_u_c_h_a_r_e_s_t___P_r_o_v_i_n_c_e_ _B_u_c_h_a_r_e_s_t___V_e_n_i_c_e___P_r_o_v_i_n_c_e___V_e_n_i_c_e___S_o_f_i_a___P_r_o_v_i_n_c_e___S_o _f_i_a___T_o_u_l_o_u_s_e___P_r_o_v_i_n_c_e___T_o_u_l_o_u_s_e___M_i_l_a_n___P_r_o_v_i_n_c_e___M_i_l_a _n_
_L_e_o_n___P_r_o_v_i_n_c_e___L_e_o_n___Z_a_g_r_e_b___P_r_o_v_i_n_c_e___Z_a_g_r_e_b___R_a_g_u_s_a___P _r_o_v_i_n_c_e___R_a_g_u_s_a___V_a_l_l_a_d_o_l_i_d___P_r_o_v_i_n_c_e_
_V_a_l_l_a_d_o_l_i_d___P_a_m_p_l_o_n_a___P_r_o_v_i_n_c_e___P_a_m_p_l_o_n_a___G_e_n_o_a___P_r_o_v_i_n _c_e___G_e_n_o_a___B_o_l_o_g_n_a___P_r_o_v_i_n_c_e_ _B_o_l_o_g_n_a___T_r_e_b_i_z_o_n_d___P_r_o_v_i_n_c_e_ _T_r_e_b_i_z_o_n_d___M_a_r_s_e_i_l_l_e___P_r_o_v_i_n_c_e_ _M_a_r_s_e_i_l_l_e___F_l_o_r_e_n_c_e___P_r_o_v_i_n_c_e___F_l_o_r_e_n_c_e___Y_e_r_e_v_a_n___P_r_o_v_i _n_c_e_ _Y_e_r_e_v_a_n___Z_a_r_a_g_o_z_a___P_r_o_v_i_n_c_e___Z_a_r_a_g_o_z_a___L_i_s_b_o_n___P_r_o_v_i_n_c_e ___L_i_s_b_o_n___C_o_n_s_t_a_n_t_i_n_o_p_l_e___P_r_o_v_i_n_c_e___C_o_n_s_t_a_n_t_i_n_o_p_l_e___T_h_e _s_s_a_l_o_n_i_c_a___P_r_o_v_i_n_c_e_
_T_h_e_s_s_a_l_o_n_i_c_a___A_j_a_c_c_i_o___P_r_o_v_i_n_c_e_ _A_j_a_c_c_i_o___N_i_c_a_e_a___P_r_o_v_i_n_c_e___N_i_c_a_e_a___R_o_m_a_n___P_r_o_v_i_n_c_e___R_o_m_e ___N_a_p_l_e_s___P_r_o_v_i_n_c_e___N_a_p_l_e_s___C_a_e_s_a_r_e_a___P_r_o_v_i_n_c_e___C_a_e_s_a_r_e_a ___B_a_g_h_d_a_d___P_r_o_v_i_n_c_e_ _B_a_g_h_d_a_d___C_o_r_d_o_b_a___P_r_o_v_i_n_c_e_ _C_o_r_d_o_b_a___D_u_r_a_z_z_o___P_r_o_v_i_n_c_e_ _D_u_r_a_z_z_o___V_a_l_e_n_c_i_a___P_r_o_v_i_n_c_e___V_a_l_e_n_c_i_a___I_c_o_n_i_u_m___P_r_o_v_i_n_c _e_ _I_c_o_n_i_u_m___A_d_a_n_a___P_r_o_v_i_n_c_e___A_d_a_n_a___M_o_s_u_l___P_r_o_v_i_n_c_e___M_o_s_u_l__ _C_a_g_l_i_a_r_i___P_r_o_v_i_n_c_e___C_a_g_l_i_a_r_i___E_d_e_s_s_a___P_r_o_v_i_n_c_e___E_d_e_s_s_a__ _S_m_y_r_n_a___P_r_o_v_i_n_c_e___S_m_y_r_n_a___A_n_t_i_o_c_h___P_r_o_v_i_n_c_e_ _A_n_t_i_o_c_h___G_r_a_n_a_d_a___P_r_o_v_i_n_c_e_ _G_r_a_n_a_d_a___B_r_a_z_i_l_ _F_o_r_t_a_l_e_z_a___A_l_e_p_p_o___P_r_o_v_i_n_c_e___A_l_e_p_p_o___J_e_d_d_a___P_r_o_v_i_n_c_e___J_e _d_d_a___P_a_l_e_r_m_o___P_r_o_v_i_n_c_e_ _P_a_l_e_r_m_o___C_o_r_i_n_t_h___P_r_o_v_i_n_c_e_ _C_o_r_i_n_t_h___M_a_r_r_a_k_e_s_h___P_r_o_v_i_n_c_e_ _M_a_r_r_a_k_e_s_h___I_s_l_e___o_f___C_y_p_r_u_s_ _N_i_c_o_s_i_a___D_a_m_a_s_c_u_s___P_r_o_v_i_n_c_e___D_a_m_a_s_c_u_s___A_l_g_i_e_r_s___P_r_o_v_i_n_c _e_ _A_l_g_i_e_r_s___T_u_n_i_s___P_r_o_v_i_n_c_e___T_u_n_i_s_
_A_c_r_e___P_r_o_v_i_n_c_e___A_c_r_e___I_s_l_e___o_f___R_h_o_d_e_s___R_h_o_d_e_s_
_I_s_l_e___o_f___C_r_e_t_e___I_r_a_k_l_i_o_n___J_e_r_u_s_a_l_e_m___P_r_o_v_i_n_c_e_ _J_e_r_u_s_a_l_e_m_
_G_a_z_a___P_r_o_v_i_n_c_e___G_a_z_a___T_r_i_p_o_l_i___P_r_o_v_i_n_c_e_ _T_r_i_p_o_l_i___A_l_e_x_a_n_d_r_i_a___P_r_o_v_i_n_c_e_
_A_l_e_x_a_n_d_r_i_a___A_r_g_u_i_n___P_r_o_v_i_n_c_e___A_r_g_u_i_n___T_i_m_b_u_k_t_u___P_r_o_v_i_n_c _e___T_i_m_b_u_k_t_u___C_a_i_r_o___P_r_o_v_i_n_c_e___C_a_i_r_o___D_o_n_g_o_l_a___P_r_o_v_i_n_c_e_ _D_o_n_g_o_l_a_
Yep, this is a weird one alright!
Anyone who has had a little poke around in various .pack files (go hexeditor!) will have noticed a strange new sort of file – the .bin. The most important currently is probably imperial_campaign_regions_and_settlement_names.txt.strings.bin, which seems to be the file we need to play with in order to start adding those provinces to the campaign map (and it’s the file which inspired me to work out how these things work!). Seeing as there doesn’t seem to be a imperial_campaign_regions_and_settlement_names.txt file in the packs (but there is a audiotest_regions_and_settlement_names.txt and a norman_prologue_regions_and_settlement_names.txt, neither of which have a .bin file to go with them).
Working on the simple theory that the structure of imperial_campaign_regions_and_settlement_names.txt would be the same as it is in RTW, and that the game will obviously run on them as well as the .bin equivalent (otherwise the tutorial campaign wouldn’t work now would it?), I set about trying to get the game to load a campaign off of my own .txt file and ignore the .bin file. As I am sure others that have already tried this will know, this results in a crash with a useless error message along the lines of “an unknown error has occurred”. You would think this would kill this particular line of inquiry, but I am a modder... and I am very stubborn, so I don’t take no for an answer when it comes to some uppity computer game.
But I had noticed something interesting, when I put my imperial_campaign_regions_and_settlement_names.txt in data/text, the game generated a .bin file based on it (if you open it up, it’ll contain any additions you made). So the first rule of .bin files is –
1) If you don’t have one, the game will make one!
Handy to know.
Now I figure that something has changed from RTW to M2TW that is causing the game to crash. Perhaps it’s something in the format of the .txt file that has changed, no way really to tell, as the two sample files are compressed inside of those .packs, and thus totally human unreadable. So I figure I’ll do some more experimenting.
First up, I think maybe the game doesn’t like it when there is a .txt file and it’s equivalent .bin file, and that it is actually the .txt, not the .bin, causing the crash. Would explain why there is never both of them for one campaign in the .pack files. So I generate a .bin file with an altered province name, quit, delete the .txt file leaving only the .bin file in my data/text folder, open M2TW, start a new campaign, and – SUCESS! Well, sorta, I get the campaign to load, but my edit has had NO effect. It would seem then rule number two of .bin files is –
2) The game won’t load a .bin file external to a pack unless the .txt is also there
So how do we get the game to ignore the .bin file in the pack without having a .txt file present? Why, we ‘delete’ the file from the .pack! I change the name of the file in the .pack header (thanks again Hexeditor!), load the game, start a campaign, and – CRASH! Same one as before when we had the .txt file there. This gives us rule three of .bin files –
3) Just because the game generates a .bin file doesn’t mean the game will run with that .bin file
Not one to be put down so easily by a mere computer game, I go at it again, this time from a different angle. I wonder if all .bin files generated are broken? Well, there are other .bin files, and one, climate.txt.strings.bin is small enough that it has had no compression applied to it, which means it’s readable! YAY. It’s internals look something like this – (note, many 'special' characters have been stripped to make it forum compatible - it is a binary file, not a text file, after all!)
____
_____a_l_p_i_n_e___A_l_p_i_n_e___h_i_g_h_l_a_n_d___H_i_g_h_l_a_n_d_
_m_e_d_i_t_e_r_r_a_n_e_a_n_
_M_e_d_i_t_e_r_r_a_n_e_a_n_
_r_o_c_k_y___d_e_s_e_r_t_
_R_o_c_k_y_ _D_e_s_e_r_t_
_s_a_n_d_y___d_e_s_e_r_t_
_S_a_n_d_y_ _D_e_s_e_r_t_ _s_e_m_i___a_r_i_d_ _S_e_m_i_-_a_r_i_d___s_t_e_p_p_e___S_t_e_p_p_e___t_e_m_p_e_r_a_t_e___c_o_n_i_f_e_r_o_u_s___f_o_r_e_s_t___T_e_m _p_e_r_a_t_e_ _C_o_n_i_f_e_r_o_u_s_ _F_o_r_e_s_t___t_e_m_p_e_r_a_t_e___d_e_c_i_d_u_o_u_s___f_o_r_e_s_t___T_e_m_p_e_r_a_t_e_ _D_e_c_i_d_u_o_u_s_ _F_o_r_e_s_t___t_r_o_p_i_c_a_l___T_r_o_p_i_c_a_l___v_o_l_c_a_n_i_c___V_o_l_c_a_n_i_c_
___
_m_e_d_i_t_e_r_r_a_n_e_a_n_
_s_a_n_d_y___d_e_s_e_r_t_
_r_o_c_k_y___d_e_s_e_r_t_ _u_n_u_s_e_d_1___s_t_e_p_p_e___t_e_m_p_e_r_a_t_e___d_e_c_i_d_u_o_u_s___f_o_r_e_s_t___t_e_m_p_e_r_a_t _e___c_o_n_i_f_e_r_o_u_s___f_o_r_e_s_t_ _u_n_u_s_e_d_2___h_i_g_h_l_a_n_d___a_l_p_i_n_e___t_r_o_p_i_c_a_l___v_o_l_c_a_n_i_c_ _s_e_m_i___a_r_i_d_
Once again, working on the theory that the base .txt file hasn’t changed much from RTW, I decide to generate a .bin file based on it and see what difference there is. Which is exactly what I do, I copy the climates.txt from RTW, put it in my M2TW data/text folder, launch the game, bingo, brand new climates.txt.strings.bin file! I open it up, and this is what I find –
____
_____a_l_p_i_n_e___A_l_p_i_n_e___h_i_g_h_l_a_n_d___H_i_g_h_l_a_n_d_
_r_o_c_k_y___d_e_s_e_r_t_
_R_o_c_k_y_ _d_e_s_e_r_t_
_s_a_n_d_y___d_e_s_e_r_t_
_S_a_n_d_y_ _d_e_s_e_r_t_ _s_e_m_i___a_r_i_d_ _S_e_m_i_-_a_r_i_d_
_s_u_b___a_r_c_t_i_c_
_S_u_b_ _a_r_c_t_i_c___s_w_a_m_p___S_w_a_m_p___t_e_m_p_e_r_a_t_e___f_o_r_e_s_t___d_e_e_p___D_e_e_p_ _t_e_m_p_e_r_a_t_e_ _f_o_r_e_s_t___t_e_m_p_e_r_a_t_e___f_o_r_e_s_t___o_p_e_n___O_p_e_n_ _t_e_m_p_e_r_a_t_e_ _f_o_r_e_s_t___t_e_m_p_e_r_a_t_e___g_r_a_s_s_l_a_n_d___f_e_r_t_i_l_e___F_e_r_t_i_l_e_ _t_e_m_p_e_r_a_t_e_ _g_r_a_s_s_l_a_n_d___t_e_m_p_e_r_a_t_e___g_r_a_s_s_l_a_n_d___i_n_f_e_r_t_i_l_e___I_n_f_e_r_t_i_l_e_ _t_e_m_p_e_r_a_t_e_ _g_r_a_s_s_l_a_n_d_
_t_e_s_t___c_l_i_m_a_t_e_
_M_e_d_i_t_e_r_r_a_n_e_a_n___v_o_l_c_a_n_i_c___V_o_l_c_a_n_i_c_
___
_m_e_d_i_t_e_r_r_a_n_e_a_n_
_s_a_n_d_y___d_e_s_e_r_t_
_r_o_c_k_y___d_e_s_e_r_t_ _u_n_u_s_e_d_1___s_t_e_p_p_e___t_e_m_p_e_r_a_t_e___d_e_c_i_d_u_o_u_s___f_o_r_e_s_t___t_e_m_p_e_r_a_t _e___c_o_n_i_f_e_r_o_u_s___f_o_r_e_s_t_ _u_n_u_s_e_d_2___h_i_g_h_l_a_n_d___a_l_p_i_n_e___t_r_o_p_i_c_a_l___v_o_l_c_a_n_i_c_ _s_e_m_i___a_r_i_d_
Looks strangely familiar no? Not 100% the same, but close enough to be acceptable. Also, the campaign loads fine with this newly generated from RTW txt file version of the .bin. So .bin generation is not totally borked? Rule number four –
4) But not all bin files are generated in a game breaking fashion
Ok, I get thinking, and it turns out I am heaps smarter than the game, and I think, what if I put the imperial_campaign_regions_and_settlement_names.txt text into climates.txt (structurally they are the same, they just deal with different parts of the game), generate a climate.strings.bin file, rename it to imperial_campaign_regions_and_settlement_names.txt.strings.bin, and try to launch a campaign with it? Long story short, doesn’t work, but here is the REALLY interesting thing, I open up the bin file (to make sure it generated the same stuff) – the material on the provinces is EXACTLY the same as what had been generated in the imperial_campaign_regions_and_settlement_names.txt.strings.bin right at the start, but at the bottom of the file, there is this –
[...]
_Y_o_r_k___P_r_o_v_i_n_c_e_
_Y_o_r_k___P_r_o_v_i_n_c_e___Z_a_g_r_e_b___Z_a_g_r_e_b___Z_a_g_r_e_b___P_r_o_v_i_n_c_e___Z_a_g_r_e_b ___P_r_o_v_i_n_c_e___Z_a_r_a_g_o_z_a___Z_a_r_a_g_o_z_a___Z_a_r_a_g_o_z_a___P_r_o_v_i_n_c_e___Z_a_r_a _g_o_z_a___P_r_o_v_i_n_c_e_
___
_m_e_d_i_t_e_r_r_a_n_e_a_n_
_s_a_n_d_y___d_e_s_e_r_t_
_r_o_c_k_y___d_e_s_e_r_t_ _u_n_u_s_e_d_1___s_t_e_p_p_e___t_e_m_p_e_r_a_t_e___d_e_c_i_d_u_o_u_s___f_o_r_e_s_t___t_e_m_p_e_r_a_t _e___c_o_n_i_f_e_r_o_u_s___f_o_r_e_s_t_ _u_n_u_s_e_d_2___h_i_g_h_l_a_n_d___a_l_p_i_n_e___t_r_o_p_i_c_a_l___v_o_l_c_a_n_i_c_ _s_e_m_i___a_r_i_d_
Which makes me go... WTF?!?!?!?
Why, the exact same thing is at the bottom of the climates.txt.string.bin that I pasted the internals of above.
So I think, why don’t I make climates.txt empty, and see what it does? Why, it generates a file which looks like this –
________
___
_m_e_d_i_t_e_r_r_a_n_e_a_n_
_s_a_n_d_y___d_e_s_e_r_t_
_r_o_c_k_y___d_e_s_e_r_t_ _u_n_u_s_e_d_1___s_t_e_p_p_e___t_e_m_p_e_r_a_t_e___d_e_c_i_d_u_o_u_s___f_o_r_e_s_t___t_e_m_p_e_r_a_t _e___c_o_n_i_f_e_r_o_u_s___f_o_r_e_s_t_ _u_n_u_s_e_d_2___h_i_g_h_l_a_n_d___a_l_p_i_n_e___t_r_o_p_i_c_a_l___v_o_l_c_a_n_i_c_ _s_e_m_i___a_r_i_d_
That’s right folks, from an empty file, it somehow is still able to work out the various climate names from SOMEPLACE ELSE. So rule number five is –
5) .bin files are not simply conversions of one .txt file, it is pulling in data from elsewhere
Then I do one more thing, I decide to generate a imperial_campaign_regions_and_settlement_names.txt.strings.bin from a blank .txt file. And what does it do? Well, trying to start a campaign still crashes, but, it generates a .bin file with the following contents –
________à___
_N_o_r_t_h___A_m_e_r_i_c_a_
_M_i_c_c_o_s_u_k_e_e___I_n_v_e_r_n_e_s_s___P_r_o_v_i_n_c_e_ _I_n_v_e_r_n_e_s_s_
_O_s_l_o___P_r_o_v_i_n_c_e___O_s_l_o___S_t_o_c_k_h_o_l_m___P_r_o_v_i_n_c_e_ _S_t_o_c_k_h_o_l_m___H_e_l_s_i_n_k_i___P_r_o_v_i_n_c_e___H_e_l_s_i_n_k_i___N_o_v_g_o_r_o_d___P_r_o_v _i_n_c_e___N_o_v_g_o_r_o_d___M_o_s_c_o_w___P_r_o_v_i_n_c_e___M_o_s_c_o_w___V_o_l_g_a_-_B_u_l_g_a_r___P_r_o_v_i_n_c_e___B_u_l_g_a_r_
_R_i_g_a___P_r_o_v_i_n_c_e___R_i_g_a___A_r_h_u_s___P_r_o_v_i_n_c_e___A_r_h_u_s___E_d_i_n_b_u_r_g_h__ _P_r_o_v_i_n_c_e_ _E_d_i_n_b_u_r_g_h___V_i_l_n_i_u_s___P_r_o_v_i_n_c_e_ _V_i_l_n_i_u_s___S_m_o_l_e_n_s_k___P_r_o_v_i_n_c_e___S_m_o_l_e_n_s_k___D_u_b_l_i_n___P_r_o_v_i_n_c_e ___D_u_b_l_i_n_
_Y_o_r_k___P_r_o_v_i_n_c_e___Y_o_r_k___C_a_r_i_b_b_e_a_n___I_s_l_e_s_ _C_a_r_i_b_b_e_a_n___R_y_a_z_a_n___P_r_o_v_i_n_c_e___R_y_a_z_a_n___C_a_e_r_n_a_r_v_o_n___P_r_o_v_i_n _c_e_
_C_a_e_r_n_a_r_v_o_n___T_h_o_r_n___P_r_o_v_i_n_c_e___T_h_o_r_n___N_o_t_t_i_n_g_h_a_m___P_r_o_v_i_n_c _e_
_N_o_t_t_i_n_g_h_a_m___S_t_e_t_t_i_n___P_r_o_v_i_n_c_e_ _S_t_e_t_t_i_n___H_a_m_b_u_r_g___P_r_o_v_i_n_c_e_ _H_a_m_b_u_r_g___T_l_a_x_c_a_l_a___P_r_o_v_i_n_c_e___T_l_a_x_c_a_l_a___S_a_r_k_e_l___P_r_o_v_i_n_c_e ___S_a_r_k_e_l___A_n_t_w_e_r_p___P_r_o_v_i_n_c_e_ _A_n_t_w_e_r_p___M_a_g_d_e_b_u_r_g___P_r_o_v_i_n_c_e_ _M_a_g_d_e_b_u_r_g___H_a_l_y_c_h___P_r_o_v_i_n_c_e___H_a_l_y_c_h___C_r_a_c_o_w___P_r_o_v_i_n_c_e___C _r_a_c_o_w___L_o_n_d_o_n___P_r_o_v_i_n_c_e___L_o_n_d_o_n___B_r_e_s_l_a_u___P_r_o_v_i_n_c_e_ _B_r_e_s_l_a_u_
_K_i_e_v___P_r_o_v_i_n_c_e___K_i_e_v___B_r_u_g_e_s___P_r_o_v_i_n_c_e___B_r_u_g_e_s___F_r_a_n_k_f_u_r _t___P_r_o_v_i_n_c_e_ _F_r_a_n_k_f_u_r_t_
_M_e_t_z___P_r_o_v_i_n_c_e___M_e_t_z___C_h_o_l_u_l_a___P_r_o_v_i_n_c_e_ _C_h_o_l_u_l_a_
_C_a_e_n___P_r_o_v_i_n_c_e___C_a_e_n___P_r_a_g_u_e___P_r_o_v_i_n_c_e___P_r_a_g_u_e___R_h_e_i_m_s___P _r_o_v_i_n_c_e___R_h_e_i_m_s___N_u_r_e_m_b_u_r_g___P_r_o_v_i_n_c_e_ _N_u_r_e_m_b_u_r_g___R_e_n_n_e_s___P_r_o_v_i_n_c_e___R_e_n_n_e_s___P_a_r_i_s___P_r_o_v_i_n_c_e___P_a _r_i_s___H_o_h_e_n_s_t_a_u_f_f_e_n___P_r_o_v_i_n_c_e_
_H_o_h_e_n_s_t_a_u_f_f_e_n_
_I_a_s_i___P_r_o_v_i_n_c_e___I_a_s_i___T_e_n_o_c_h_t_i_t_l_a_n___P_r_o_v_i_n_c_e_
_T_e_n_o_c_h_t_i_t_l_a_n___B_u_d_a_p_e_s_t___P_r_o_v_i_n_c_e___B_u_d_a_p_e_s_t___A_n_g_e_r_s___P_r_o _v_i_n_c_e___A_n_g_e_r_s_
_B_r_a_n___P_r_o_v_i_n_c_e___B_r_a_n___V_i_e_n_n_a___P_r_o_v_i_n_c_e___V_i_e_n_n_a___C_a_f_f_a___P_r _o_v_i_n_c_e___C_a_f_f_a_
_B_e_r_n___P_r_o_v_i_n_c_e___B_e_r_n___D_i_j_o_n___P_r_o_v_i_n_c_e___D_i_j_o_n___I_n_n_s_b_r_u_c_k__ _P_r_o_v_i_n_c_e_ _I_n_n_s_b_r_u_c_k___B_o_r_d_e_a_u_x___P_r_o_v_i_n_c_e___B_o_r_d_e_a_u_x___T_b_i_l_i_s_i___P_r_o_v_i _n_c_e_ _T_b_i_l_i_s_i___B_u_c_h_a_r_e_s_t___P_r_o_v_i_n_c_e_ _B_u_c_h_a_r_e_s_t___V_e_n_i_c_e___P_r_o_v_i_n_c_e___V_e_n_i_c_e___S_o_f_i_a___P_r_o_v_i_n_c_e___S_o _f_i_a___T_o_u_l_o_u_s_e___P_r_o_v_i_n_c_e___T_o_u_l_o_u_s_e___M_i_l_a_n___P_r_o_v_i_n_c_e___M_i_l_a _n_
_L_e_o_n___P_r_o_v_i_n_c_e___L_e_o_n___Z_a_g_r_e_b___P_r_o_v_i_n_c_e___Z_a_g_r_e_b___R_a_g_u_s_a___P _r_o_v_i_n_c_e___R_a_g_u_s_a___V_a_l_l_a_d_o_l_i_d___P_r_o_v_i_n_c_e_
_V_a_l_l_a_d_o_l_i_d___P_a_m_p_l_o_n_a___P_r_o_v_i_n_c_e___P_a_m_p_l_o_n_a___G_e_n_o_a___P_r_o_v_i_n _c_e___G_e_n_o_a___B_o_l_o_g_n_a___P_r_o_v_i_n_c_e_ _B_o_l_o_g_n_a___T_r_e_b_i_z_o_n_d___P_r_o_v_i_n_c_e_ _T_r_e_b_i_z_o_n_d___M_a_r_s_e_i_l_l_e___P_r_o_v_i_n_c_e_ _M_a_r_s_e_i_l_l_e___F_l_o_r_e_n_c_e___P_r_o_v_i_n_c_e___F_l_o_r_e_n_c_e___Y_e_r_e_v_a_n___P_r_o_v_i _n_c_e_ _Y_e_r_e_v_a_n___Z_a_r_a_g_o_z_a___P_r_o_v_i_n_c_e___Z_a_r_a_g_o_z_a___L_i_s_b_o_n___P_r_o_v_i_n_c_e ___L_i_s_b_o_n___C_o_n_s_t_a_n_t_i_n_o_p_l_e___P_r_o_v_i_n_c_e___C_o_n_s_t_a_n_t_i_n_o_p_l_e___T_h_e _s_s_a_l_o_n_i_c_a___P_r_o_v_i_n_c_e_
_T_h_e_s_s_a_l_o_n_i_c_a___A_j_a_c_c_i_o___P_r_o_v_i_n_c_e_ _A_j_a_c_c_i_o___N_i_c_a_e_a___P_r_o_v_i_n_c_e___N_i_c_a_e_a___R_o_m_a_n___P_r_o_v_i_n_c_e___R_o_m_e ___N_a_p_l_e_s___P_r_o_v_i_n_c_e___N_a_p_l_e_s___C_a_e_s_a_r_e_a___P_r_o_v_i_n_c_e___C_a_e_s_a_r_e_a ___B_a_g_h_d_a_d___P_r_o_v_i_n_c_e_ _B_a_g_h_d_a_d___C_o_r_d_o_b_a___P_r_o_v_i_n_c_e_ _C_o_r_d_o_b_a___D_u_r_a_z_z_o___P_r_o_v_i_n_c_e_ _D_u_r_a_z_z_o___V_a_l_e_n_c_i_a___P_r_o_v_i_n_c_e___V_a_l_e_n_c_i_a___I_c_o_n_i_u_m___P_r_o_v_i_n_c _e_ _I_c_o_n_i_u_m___A_d_a_n_a___P_r_o_v_i_n_c_e___A_d_a_n_a___M_o_s_u_l___P_r_o_v_i_n_c_e___M_o_s_u_l__ _C_a_g_l_i_a_r_i___P_r_o_v_i_n_c_e___C_a_g_l_i_a_r_i___E_d_e_s_s_a___P_r_o_v_i_n_c_e___E_d_e_s_s_a__ _S_m_y_r_n_a___P_r_o_v_i_n_c_e___S_m_y_r_n_a___A_n_t_i_o_c_h___P_r_o_v_i_n_c_e_ _A_n_t_i_o_c_h___G_r_a_n_a_d_a___P_r_o_v_i_n_c_e_ _G_r_a_n_a_d_a___B_r_a_z_i_l_ _F_o_r_t_a_l_e_z_a___A_l_e_p_p_o___P_r_o_v_i_n_c_e___A_l_e_p_p_o___J_e_d_d_a___P_r_o_v_i_n_c_e___J_e _d_d_a___P_a_l_e_r_m_o___P_r_o_v_i_n_c_e_ _P_a_l_e_r_m_o___C_o_r_i_n_t_h___P_r_o_v_i_n_c_e_ _C_o_r_i_n_t_h___M_a_r_r_a_k_e_s_h___P_r_o_v_i_n_c_e_ _M_a_r_r_a_k_e_s_h___I_s_l_e___o_f___C_y_p_r_u_s_ _N_i_c_o_s_i_a___D_a_m_a_s_c_u_s___P_r_o_v_i_n_c_e___D_a_m_a_s_c_u_s___A_l_g_i_e_r_s___P_r_o_v_i_n_c _e_ _A_l_g_i_e_r_s___T_u_n_i_s___P_r_o_v_i_n_c_e___T_u_n_i_s_
_A_c_r_e___P_r_o_v_i_n_c_e___A_c_r_e___I_s_l_e___o_f___R_h_o_d_e_s___R_h_o_d_e_s_
_I_s_l_e___o_f___C_r_e_t_e___I_r_a_k_l_i_o_n___J_e_r_u_s_a_l_e_m___P_r_o_v_i_n_c_e_ _J_e_r_u_s_a_l_e_m_
_G_a_z_a___P_r_o_v_i_n_c_e___G_a_z_a___T_r_i_p_o_l_i___P_r_o_v_i_n_c_e_ _T_r_i_p_o_l_i___A_l_e_x_a_n_d_r_i_a___P_r_o_v_i_n_c_e_
_A_l_e_x_a_n_d_r_i_a___A_r_g_u_i_n___P_r_o_v_i_n_c_e___A_r_g_u_i_n___T_i_m_b_u_k_t_u___P_r_o_v_i_n_c _e___T_i_m_b_u_k_t_u___C_a_i_r_o___P_r_o_v_i_n_c_e___C_a_i_r_o___D_o_n_g_o_l_a___P_r_o_v_i_n_c_e_ _D_o_n_g_o_l_a_
Yep, this is a weird one alright!