DB files created + request to CA

[Lord Adherbal]

I just found out that if you delete the descr_vegetation.db files, and then run the game it'll create a new db file based on descr_vegetation.txt.
The same goes for descr_items.db and descr_items.txt.

The problem with the latter is that it imports a lot of files that do not exist (di_spot_items.txt, di_slot_fillers.txt, di_wooden_walls.txt, ...). So my request to CA is: can we please have those files ?

This would make it VERY easy to add new building and battlemap models to the game, without the need to replace existing RTW models and using a Hex editor to edit descr_items.db (which is very chaotic).

we need the following files:

include di_spot_items.txt

include di_slot_fillers.txt

include di_wooden_walls.txt
include di_walls_roman.txt
include di_walls_greek.txt
include di_walls_eastern.txt
include di_walls_egyptian.txt
include di_walls_barbarian.txt

include di_nicks_roman_buildings.txt
include di_nicks_egyptian_buildings.txt
include di_nicks_greek_buildings.txt
include di_nicks_eastern_buildings.txt

include di_barbarian_buildings.txt

include di_wonders.txt
include di_foliage.txt

include di_kevins_buildings.txt
include di_bens_buildings.txt
include di_andrews_buildings.txt
include di_pauls_buildings.txt
include di_johns_buildings.txt
include di_joss_buildings.txt

include di_roads.txt

include di_animals.txt

include di_gates.txt

include di_ambient.txt

[Duke John]

When it generates the vegetation DB it also makes new .vege files and sprites.

Did anyone have any luck with the geography DB?

[Dead Moroz]

Aren't these files stored in data/building_descr_battle folder?

[Lord Adherbal]

no, those define something different.

[Oromë]

You really expect that the CA devs will read this request and actually contribute something worthwhile to the mod community? I doubt it.. The devs havent taken any initiatives to help us out, and in fact there wouldnt even be a mod community for this game if it wasnt for Vercingetorix.

[Lord Adherbal]

actualy they provided us with the evt (https://forums.totalwar.org/vb/showthread.php?t=44433) files, so I'm hoping they notice this thread and give us these files too.

[Oromë]

I agree that Jerome Grasdyke has been particularily helpful towards the community, but he is the only exception I've noticed.

[Epistolary Richard]

Check out the credits, Jerome was the lead programmer on RTW and therefore the best placed person to help modders like ourselves. That's why he in the past has co-ordinated CA's communication with the modding community.

BTW Adherbal that's a great signature but it's way, way bigger than the forum rules (https://forums.totalwar.org/vb/faq.php?faq=new_faq_item#faq_faq_sigpic) allow. Can you change it please - and perhaps use it in the body of your Chivalry promotional posts?

EDIT: Many thanks, Adherbal :thumbsup:

[Lord Adherbal]

hm if Jerome is lead programmer then I fear he'll be too busy with BI right now :/

the only other way would be to complete the items.txt file based on the content of items.db but that's near impossible...

[Epistolary Richard]

Yes, unfortunately we've not seen much of him or anyone else around for a while now. I'm sure they'll be back when BI is wrapped.

[Vercingetorix]

The descr_items.db is really easy to add new entires with in a hex editor (you have to do this to add new buildings). If people want a really basic program to edit this file I could write one, it should take not more then half an hour.

Thanks Oromë for the recognition but many other modders have made modding possible and Jerome has been very helpful.

[Myrddraal]

I noticed this too when attempting to add a new climate, desc_geography.db does not get regenerated. Odd....

[Vercingetorix]

It actually took me a few hours and I'm pretty sure it works... but here it is due to popular demand :wideeyed:

http://www.totalwar.org/Downloads/Rtw_Uploads/RTWupload/dbedit_v2.zip

[Lord Adherbal]

looks very Verc, will give it a try asap - and thanks !

[SigniferOne]

Any luck?

[Myrddraal]

Hope it works......

[Myrddraal]

hm, you don't think you could do the same for descr_geography.db Verc :smile:

[SigniferOne]

So did you try it out, Myrddraal?

[Myrddraal]

I had a quick look at it, long enough to see that it is for editing items. I never tested it though.

[Lord Adherbal]

I added a model, which seemed to work fine (altho the interface of adding and removing entries seems a bit confusing so far) but when I loaded the battle it crashed. I'm almost sure it's a problem with the model tho, not the editor. Will do more testing asap (today if I can be arsed :))

[JeromeGrasdyke]

Hi folks, you're right in supposing that we're a little busy at the moment with Barbarian Invasion (and other things in the long term), but i'll look into sorting out a package for you at some point, providing of course that "the powers that be" are ok with it. It'll probably end up being quite substantial, because those files reference other files which are finally built into the .db file.

[Epistolary Richard]

Thanks, Jerome. As always, we appreciate it.

[Myrddraal]

Thanks again Jerome, we owe you yet another one :smile:

[Lord Adherbal]

update on this: Adding items with Verc's tool seems to work fine - and it generates .item files, but currently my new models are invisible ingame (it doesn crash tho). This probably has nothing to do with Verc's tool tho. I'll report back when I found out why this happens.

[Vercingetorix]

Import a comparable building and see where it is located in 3ds max. The scale and positioning is different then the units. I know I had problem with my teapot not being visible until I realized it was underground in the game.

[Lord Adherbal]

scale or location shouldn't be the problem, I made them "on top" of an RTW building model. I imported the item files in 3DSmax and they showed up perfectly, so I don't have a clue why they're invisible ingame.

my search continues...

[Vercingetorix]

You can edit the values that tell the game at what distance does the game load that LOD (actually this is only a guess at what the values are, they may be for something else). http://www.totalwar.org/Downloads/Rtw_Uploads/RTWupload/dbedit_v2.zip

[Lord Adherbal]

excellent Verci ! That fixed the invisible models problem - happy to see my guess was right :)

BTW your editor shows 3 values in each LOD box. I noticed the last values are in fact the LOD distances. So if a model has 2 LODs, then the editor shows a total of 6 values: 0.00 10.96 0.00 for the first LOD, 10.96 A B for the second, were A and B are the LOD distances, A for LOD1, B for LOD2.
I think it will without problem the way it is now, but you might wanna change it so it only shows the LOD distances in a later release, and not the obsolete values.

[Tittils]

Could someone please upload a functional link to the editor?
Btw, does this editor work with the geography file too?

- Tittils -

[Tux]

Here's the link: link (http://www.totalwar.org/Downloads/Rtw_Uploads/RTWupload/bak-jun-2005/dbedit_v2.zip)

[Tittils]

Thanks!

[PROMETHEUS]

The descr_items.db is really easy to add new entires with in a hex editor (you have to do this to add new buildings). If people want a really basic program to edit this file I could write one, it should take not more then half an hour.

Thanks Oromë for the recognition but many other modders have made modding possible and Jerome has been very helpful.


Did u make this tool?

[Dromikaites]

dbEdit works fine for descr_items.db of RTW 1.2 - 1.5 but gives a buffer overrun error when trying to load descr_items.db for BI.