Cavalry for Britons?

[vastator]

I've pretty much finished modding RTW to my satisfaction (thanks to a LOT of help from the .org! ), but I'd like to give the Britons some non-chariot cavalry. Adding ballistas to the Seleucids and Carthaginians wasn't hard, as they already have artillery crew skins, but what about the barbarian/noble cavalry? I don't think I have the software or the ability to reskin them myself - is there a downloadable mod?

[skeletor]

This is very easy to do yourself.

Just make a new unit. (copy the textfiles from some barbarian cavalery) change the model-files (cas) to an apropriate british eksisting unit (spear/sword?).

I'm not sure if you have a horseskin for the britons, but you could comprimize with using the same skin-file as the pontic lighthorses.
Just see what horses the pontic cavalery uses, and change the mount in the textfile.

Then give it to the brit's...

Good luck

-Skel-

[vastator]

Thanks, I'll give it a try - AFTER backing up my files!

[Epistolary Richard]

I wouldn't worry about the horses, all the horses will automatically have the right colours for the faction they're recruited by because they're defined for all factions in dmb.

You will have to create a new entry in dmb for the rider, however, if you're not going to define an existing one for the britons. Copy the existing one for the unit you want to use and change the skeleton to a mounted one, for example:

fs_spearman, fs_swordsman

to

fs_hc_spearman, fs_hc_swordsman

[barocca]

for a complete novice at modding Rome,

what would i have to do to make a suitable medium to light cavalry unit for the britons,
(using an unarmoured rider)
(FAST and light, tired of routing troops outrunning me)

and a suitable medium to heavy cavalry using the heavy charioteer rider (or similar)

edit which files? (and where are they?)

thanks
B.

[vastator]

I tried it last night, and it worked! All I did was copy the Dacian light cavalry files and substitute "Briton" for "Dacian". The barbarian light cavalry are just spear warbands on horses, and the Britons already have the right horse model, so I now have spear-armed British light cavalry. I've had to use the Pontic light cavalry sprites, and there's no proper unit card, but what the heck? At least the British stables can turn out something besides warhounds!

As a matter of interest, if I combined the chariot crew skin with the Gothic cavalry skeleton would that result in British noble cavalry, or is it a bit more complicated than that?

[barocca]

HERE is your unit card - CLICK the picture and a zip download will start,
in the zip is the tga file

MAKE a folder in Rome/Data directory,
CALL folder ui
make a subfolder in ui
CALL folder units
make a subfolder in unts
CALL folder BRITONS - in capitals
put the TGA in that folder,
as long as you called the unit BARB CAVALRY BRITON it will work

now,
please, what files have to be duplicated and renamed,
what edits in text files have to be made

cheers,
B.

[vastator]

Wow! Thanks for the unit card!
Now, I'm not at home at the moment so I'm working from my swiss-cheese memory, but I think it's as follows:

In export_descr_unit, copy and paste any of the barbarian light cavalry descriptions. Substitute "briton/britons" for original faction name as appropriate.

In export_descr_unit_enums, copy and paste any barabarian light cavalry description, again substituting "briton" for the original faction.

In descr_model_battle, find the section relating to barbarian light cavalry, and add a new textures line using the British spear warband details. For the sprites line, copy and paste the line from the Pontic light cavalry.

Sorry if that's a bit hazy, but it's a lot clearer once you're actually looking at the files. Heck, if I can do it, anyone can!

[Epistolary Richard]

The problem with that is that the britons use different models for their infantry to account for their spikey hair, so you're horsemen won't have the spikes but will have metal 'plaits'. To do it really properly you'll have to define a new model in descr_model_battle. I'm not at my copy of RTW right now, so hopefully someone else can give you the entries.

[vastator]

I'll have to check when I get home, but I'm sure my cavalry were bareheaded with lime-spiked hair. I think I'd have noticed if they had plait like the Gauls.

[barocca]

how do i get to looksee at the tga.dds files?

(remember complete noob at rome here)

and what is the diff between models/textures
and sprites?

(and where is the actual model???)

B.

[Epistolary Richard]

To view the tga.dds files you need the Nvidia DDS Utilities and Photoshop Plugins from the NVIDIA Official Site.

The models (which are .cas files, typically in the level above the .tga.dds files) are the frame of the soldier - kind of like a stone statue. The textures (also known as skins) are 2D graphics which are applied to the model like a paint-job.

Sprites are 2D images which are used in place of the full models when the soldier is a certain distance away, to allow the game to still run at a fair pace when there are a lot of soldiers on screen.

Some tutorials for basic skinning work are here:
https://forums.totalwar.org/vb/showthread.php?t=39092

Sprites can be created through the Sprite Generator included within the game, details here:
https://forums.totalwar.org/vb/showthread.php?t=44180

[vastator]

Thanks, ER, you can explain it all much better than I can.

The unit card works fine, and I've just checked the onscreen unit; they're definitely Britons with spiked hair - no steel plaits. Wow, I must have done something right for once!

[Epistolary Richard]

Oh, okay. Great then.

[barocca]

got a cav unit for british,
but i made a mistake and it used gaul spearband

here's the line from descr_model_battle

texture briton, data/models_unit/textures/unit_barb_warband_briton.tga

SO i had a look around the file, and found what i should have been using and changed it
texture britons, data/models_unit/textures/unit_barb_warband_briton_.tga

WORKS FINE
BUT
they have pigtails???
??

now to track down all the "unlocalised text"
??
B.

Wow! Thanks for the unit card!
Now, I'm not at home at the moment so I'm working from my swiss-cheese memory, but I think it's as follows:

In export_descr_unit, copy and paste any of the barbarian light cavalry descriptions. Substitute "briton/britons" for original faction name as appropriate.

In export_descr_unit_enums, copy and paste any barabarian light cavalry description, again substituting "briton" for the original faction.

In descr_model_battle, find the section relating to barbarian light cavalry, and add a new textures line using the British spear warband details. For the sprites line, copy and paste the line from the Pontic light cavalry.

Sorry if that's a bit hazy, but it's a lot clearer once you're actually looking at the files. Heck, if I can do it, anyone can!

[barocca]

oki

thanks to all for advice and links and such

here's the next one

Briton Female Cav


(thanks to ER's link to skinning tute - most helpfull)

more to come,
then i will upload the skins for them

B.

[barocca]

almost as good as mud wrestling - but not quite...

B.

[barocca]

here is the maiden skin

link

here is the unit card

download unit card


now a more difficult question

if i wanted to duplicate a model, because i want the same model with 2 different skins for the same faction - how would i do that?

B.

[Epistolary Richard]

You'll find the unlocalised placement text in the export_unit file within the text folder. The unit description has to be defined for the britons as well as whatever unit you've copied.

There's two ways of doing that actually, the basic one is just to copy the entry in descr_model_battle and change the name, and change the name of the soldier type in the new edu entry to correspond.

The second way is to define the merc skin for the unit, but that gets a little more complicated and only allows two different skins on the same model for the same faction. But it's useful if you're hitting the model limit.

[barocca]

sadly the model i want to give a second skin to already has a merc skin,

There's two ways of doing that actually, the basic one is just to copy the entry in descr_model_battle and change the name, and change the name of the soldier type in the new edu entry to correspond.

tried that - um... "edu entry"??

[barocca]

export description unit

thats one of the files show_err was complaining about

[barocca]

here is what i did

export_descr_unit.txt
type barb cavalry briton woad
dictionary barb_cavalry_briton_woad ; Woad Barbarian Cavalry
category cavalry
class medium
voice_type Heavy_1
soldier barb_cavalry, 27, 0, 1
mount medium horse
mount_effect elephant -8, camel -4
attributes sea_faring, hide_forest, hide_improved_forest, hardy, frighten_foot
formation 1.5, 4, 3, 6, 4, square, wedge
stat_health 1, 0
stat_pri 14, 7, no, 0, 0, melee, simple, piercing, sword, 25 ,1
stat_pri_attr no
stat_sec 0, 0, no, 0, 0, no, no, no, none, 25 ,1
stat_sec_attr no
stat_pri_armour 0, 3, 3, leather
stat_sec_armour 0, 0, flesh
stat_heat 2
stat_ground 0, -2, -4, 2
stat_mental 12, impetuous, untrained
stat_charge_dist 40
stat_fire_delay 0
stat_food 60, 300
stat_cost 2, 400, 150, 40, 60, 600
ownership britons

export_descr_unit_enums.txt
barb_cavalry_briton_woad
barb_cavalry_briton_woad_descr
barb_cavalry_briton_woad_descr_short


descr_model_battle.txt
type woad_cavalry
skeleton fs_hc_swordsman ; combat spear
indiv_range 40
texture britons, data/models_unit/textures/unit_barb_warband_briton_woad.tga
model_flexi data/models_unit/unit_woad_warband_cavalry_high.cas, 8
model_flexi data/models_unit/unit_woad_warband_cavalry_med.cas, 15
model_flexi data/models_unit/unit_woad_warband_cavalry_low.cas, 30
model_flexi data/models_unit/unit_woad_warband_cavalry_lowest.cas, max
model_sprite briton, 60.0, data/sprites/dacia_barb_cavalry_sprite.spr
model_tri 400, 0.5f, 0.5f, 0.5f



for that last bit,
unit_woad_warband_cavalry_lowest.cas
i duplicated the barb cav cas files

B.

[vastator]

Love the British headhunting maidens - sex and violence in one convenient package!
It looks like I'm going to have to buy Photoshop in the near future - I have some British chosen archers just crying out for a unit card, and I'm really starting to enjoy this modding lark.

[barocca]

here are the archer unit cards




download unit cards


any clues on duplicating a model?
the model already has two skins for the faction, but i want to give it a third skin and change it from spear to sword,
so i think i need to duplicate the entire model

(and then i have another model i want to duplicate too)

so this is something i need to figure out

cheers,
B.

[Myrddraal]

So basically, you want to use the same model for a different unit using a different skin.

To do this you need to edit:
descr_model_battle.txt in Data

Here is where the "soldier" in export_descr_unit.txt is declared

So say you wanted to use the barbarian crew, but with a different texture

Copy the entry here:

type	barb_crew
skeleton   fs_dagger
indiv_range   40
texture	gauls, data/models_unit/textures/unit_barb_infantry_gaul.tga
texture	britons, data/models_unit/textures/unit_barb_infantry_briton.tga
texture	germans, data/models_unit/textures/unit_barb_infantry_german.tga
texture	dacia, data/models_unit/textures/unit_barb_infantry_dacia.tga
texture	scythia, data/models_unit/textures/unit_barb_infantry_scythia.tga
model_flexi   data/models_unit/unit_barb_peasant_high.cas, 8
model_flexi   data/models_unit/unit_barb_peasant_med.cas, 15
model_flexi   data/models_unit/unit_barb_peasant_low.cas, 30
model_flexi   data/models_unit/unit_barb_peasant_lowest.cas, max
model_sprite  scythia, 60.0, data/sprites/scythia_barb_crew_sprite.spr
model_sprite  dacia, 60.0, data/sprites/dacia_barb_crew_sprite.spr
model_sprite  britons, 60.0, data/sprites/britons_barb_crew_sprite.spr
model_sprite  germans, 60.0, data/sprites/germans_barb_crew_sprite.spr
model_sprite  gauls, 60.0, data/sprites/gauls_barb_crew_sprite.spr
model_tri   400, 0.5f, 0.5f, 0.5f

And change it to:

type	barb_crew_new
skeleton   fs_dagger
indiv_range   40
texture	data/models_unit/textures/my_texture.tga
model_flexi   data/models_unit/unit_barb_peasant_high.cas, 8
model_flexi   data/models_unit/unit_barb_peasant_med.cas, 15
model_flexi   data/models_unit/unit_barb_peasant_low.cas, 30
model_flexi   data/models_unit/unit_barb_peasant_lowest.cas, max
model_sprite  60.0, data/sprites/my_sprite.spr
model_tri   400, 0.5f, 0.5f, 0.5f

As your only going to use this model for the britons, you don't need to specify the faction before the texture and sprite.

Now use barb_crew_new for your new model.
Note: Just in case you didn't know, the sprites are like the 2D units in MTW, but they are only used for model in the distance. There is a sprite generator by CA at the top of the General forum.

On the other hand, if you want to give this unit a spear, you have to edit the model itself using 3ds max or Gmax. Then you would use:

type	barb_crew_new
skeleton   fs_dagger
indiv_range   40
texture	data/models_unit/textures/my_texture.tga
model_flexi   data/models_unit/my_model_high.cas, 8
model_flexi   data/models_unit/my_model_med.cas, 15
model_flexi   data/models_unit/my_model_low.cas, 30
model_flexi   data/models_unit/my_model_lowest.cas, max
model_sprite  60.0, data/sprites/my_sprite.spr
model_tri   400, 0.5f, 0.5f, 0.5f

[vastator]

Barocca - thanks again for the unit cards. I only wish I knew enough about modding to help you out.

On the other hand, if you want to give this unit a spear, you have to edit the model itself using 3ds max or Gmax.

I take it you'd need the same software to replace the British chariot archer's bow with (historically accurate) javelins?

[barocca]

heh, this has gone a lot further than just adding a couple of cavalry units,

here is the replacement standard bearer


download the skin link..
you will need to rename it,
to keep track i add a suffix, simply delete the _barocca bit

this one has been really bugging me - why do all the barb factions have the same standard?
anyways, i got a headache from trying to duoplicate models,
so i took a break and made this

now to go back and try find what i am doing wrong

B.

[EvilNed]

Since you guys have already diverted off topic; i figured why not toss in some more skins?

I'm gonna make a small mod that'll just add some units to the world. Basicly, it'll add a few "Unique" units, scattered across the world. These units will be locked to a certain province, rather than a faction, like some units were in Medieval: Total War. I think that will make armies more diverse, and it'll be more fun to expand and conquer, since your armies will contain different units, depending on where you're fighting.

I came up with these today.



A hoplite for all those scattered greek city states! I mean, there's greek settlements in Gaul, Iberia, Scythia, Africa, Asia Minor, yet when you conquer them you can't hire any hoplites! I want to change that. :p



Iberian Tribesmen. Not much to look at really, or fight with. But hey.

Any other ideas? I was thinking a sarmatian mercenary or so, and Syrian Archers. But other than that, i can't really come up with much.

[barocca]

sarmatians and syrians sound good,
it is something missing from Rome,
the ability to recruit locals who have their own fighting style


here's the latest for the Britons

Naked Fanatics (and i would refrain from calling them "painted ladies", they get kinda aggro)


download the skin here
link...

B.

[barocca]

after starting out wanting to add an extra officer to a chariot (which i am still going to do )

i found all these great Briton skins that CA went to all the trouble of making, but not actually using,

so if i can assign the skins to other units

coming eventually for Briton faction,
horse archers, more cavalry types, 3 archer types and a couple of extra infantry units (hopefully axemen too)

B.