M2TW data text files

Caliban from CA Oz has sent me the following data files to release:
(go Caliban! :medievalcheers:)

- The best way to use these files are to set up a mod folder using the mod switch.

- Find info as to how these files work can be found here.

From the data folder - download HERE
config_ai_battle.xml
custom_locations.txt
descr_campaign_db_ai.xml
descr_campaign_db.xml
descr_character.txt
descr_climates.txt
descr_cultures.txt
descr_faction_standings.txt
descr_formations.txt
descr_formations_ai.txt
descr_missions.txt
descr_models_strat.txt
descr_names.txt
descr_names_lookup.txt
descr_rebel_factions.txt
descr_religions.txt
descr_religions_lookup.txt
descr_settlement_mechanics.xml
descr_ship.txt
descr_skeleton.txt
descr_sm_factions.txt
descr_sm_resources.txt
export_descr_advice.txt
export_descr_ancillaries.txt
export_descr_buildings.txt
export_descr_character_traits.txt
export_descr_guilds.txt
export_descr_unit.txt
weather_db.xml


From the text folder - download HERE
NB - Remember, these need to go in a text folder in the data folder.
campaign_descriptions.txt
expanded.txt
export_advice.txt
export_ancillaries.txt
export_buildings.txt
export_units.txt
export_VnVs.txt
imperial_campaign_regions_and_settlement_names.txt
names.txt
rebel_faction_descr.txt
shared.txt
strat.txt

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BTW before you ask 'Where's the descr_model_battle.txt file?' - I tell you now - there is no dmb file used in the game.

Thanks ER. The .xml files in particular look very interesting.

Thanks Caliban. But I thought the game wouldn't work with unpacked files which is one of the reasons for the patch?
So using a mod folder might be useless :P

well, these files rock neway :P

Quote:

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Originally Posted by alpaca

Thanks Caliban. But I thought the game wouldn't work with unpacked files which is one of the reasons for the patch?
So using a mod folder might be useless :P

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I believe it is the unpacker which won't work properly without the patch - I used some of the files myself in Brisbane to change the game.

Fantastic!!!! I will not go sleep today maybe ..... Thanks a lot. This is almost all what I have want from CA ....

was hoping for the projectiles file, but this'll be a good start for now! :book:

cheers ER... its good to be researching this kinda stuff again and cool that you aren't completely gone :thumbsup:

Heck yes! No sleep tonight!

CA rock!! ER, please be sure to tell them that.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Epistolary Richard

I believe it is the unpacker which won't work properly without the patch - I used some of the files myself in Brisbane to change the game.

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I've made a couple of simple changes to the EDB and EDU, which aren't showing in a new campaign. Perhaps it does require the patch... something to play with in the meantime, though.

I think you need to use the mod switch(link in ERs first post) to get them to work.

Ah, thanks - that works. I was being lazy and thought "best" meant "ideally...".

Lost the loading screens, but I'll live. :)

Guys, a short reminder. Please post any not-yet-finalized research in the research wiki section and not anywhere else. Thank you

I believe there is another way of using them in your main data folder, but I can't recall it at the moment, which is why I said best... :embarassed:

Using the mod switch there is no campaign or any sort of sound or music, do i need to copy over all the data?

Quote:

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Guys, a short reminder. Please post any not-yet-finalized research in the research wiki section and not anywhere else. Thank you

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Alpaca, just so you know lime green text does not show up well on the The Guild forum skin option. It may show up wellon the skin your using, but i dont think it does on others.

It looks like the .xml files will need a lot of research done into them, as well as the missions and faction standing files.

Quote:

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Using the mod switch there is no campaign or any sort of sound or music, do i need to copy over all the data?

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If you read the thread ER linked to in the first post you would have noticed this:

Quote:

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As with Rome, the mymod folder needs to include certain game files from the world folder to function. Currently, it also requires sounds/events.dat and sounds/events.idx to function. This should be borne in mind when writing mod installers or alternatively in install instructions.

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Repost:

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Mod Switch

Another vital feature for modders from Rome is in Med2 but again in a slightly different way. The Mod Switch allows you to have a separate directory of your modded files in your main Medieval 2 Total War directory and by launching the game with the right cfg line the game will access the files within the mod folder before looking in the main game directory – allowing you to supercede even packed files without problem.

The best way to set this up is as follows:

Create a new bat file in the top level Medieval 2 Total War folder (the one with the .exe in it) called Launch_MyMod.bat

Inside it should read:

medieval2.exe @mymod.cfg


Then create copy your medieval2.preference.cfg file and rename it mymod.cfg and include the following lines:

[features]
mod = mymod

Then create a folder in that directory called mymod and in that have your data folder with its modded files exactly mimicking the directory structure in the main game folder.

As you can see using a bat file to launch the game using different .cfg files allows you to easily swap between different mods and game configurations without wholesale duplication of your data folder, risking direct file overwrites or copying and overwriting your original .cfg file.

As with Rome, the mymod folder needs to include certain game files from the world folder to function. Currently, it also requires sounds/events.dat and sounds/events.idx to function. This should be borne in mind when writing mod installers or alternatively in install instructions.

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Make sure you have the campaign and base folder in from the world folder - and the above named sound files.

Woops was too busy editing stuff to read that far down, thanks for the response!

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Lusted

If you read the thread ER linked to in the first post you would have noticed this:

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Read that; copied everything under data just in case (but of course, a lot of files aren't there): still no screens, sound etc. Then noticed that under the 'mymod' folder, you get a blank folder created by the game called "packs". Copied the pack files across the higher level packs folder - no joy.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Epistolary Richard

Repost:

__________

Mod Switch

Another vital feature for modders from Rome is in Med2 but again in a slightly different way. The Mod Switch allows you to have a separate directory of your modded files in your main Medieval 2 Total War directory and by launching the game with the right cfg line the game will access the files within the mod folder before looking in the main game directory – allowing you to supercede even packed files without problem.

The best way to set this up is as follows:

Create a new bat file in the top level Medieval 2 Total War folder (the one with the .exe in it) called Launch_MyMod.bat

Inside it should read:

medieval2.exe @mymod.cfg


Then create copy your medieval2.preference.cfg file and rename it mymod.cfg and include the following lines:

[features]
mod = mymod

Then create a folder in that directory called mymod and in that have your data folder with its modded files exactly mimicking the directory structure in the main game folder.

As you can see using a bat file to launch the game using different .cfg files allows you to easily swap between different mods and game configurations without wholesale duplication of your data folder, risking direct file overwrites or copying and overwriting your original .cfg file.

As with Rome, the mymod folder needs to include certain game files from the world folder to function. Currently, it also requires sounds/events.dat and sounds/events.idx to function. This should be borne in mind when writing mod installers or alternatively in install instructions.

____
Make sure you have the campaign and base folder in from the world folder - and the above named sound files.

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I did exactly that and the game wont show up my Greek localisation alterations!!!!!!!!
Its all still in english I have the entire sound folder and text and world like
C:\Program Files\SEGA\Medieval II Total War\mymod\data\text
I run the bat file the game boots fine but its all still in english ignoring ANY changes I did!!!!!!
What might be the problem???????

Well, I have a bat file in my M2TW folder which points at a new config file which has the features line in.

Then there's a mymod folder with a data folder inside - which in turn has a sound folder with the two files I specified and a world folder with the normal tree down to the base and campaign folder.

Then I added a modded edu file - and launched it through the bat and the changes showed up...

All it should be doing is reading the files in the mod folder in preference to the (packed) files in the main data folder.

I removed peasants and added armoured sergeants to england, campaign works fine. No loading screens though.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Epistolary Richard

Well, I have a bat file in my M2TW folder which points at a new config file which has the features line in.

Then there's a mymod folder with a data folder inside - which in turn has a sound folder with the two files I specified and a world folder with the normal tree down to the base and campaign folder.

Then I added a modded edu file - and launched it through the bat and the changes showed up...

All it should be doing is reading the files in the mod folder in preference to the (packed) files in the main data folder.

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so should the config file be in the mymod folder or in the main M2TW one?

Nevermind I fixed it....however i have a huge obstacle to my Greek localisation:
there are NO medieval fonts (like the menu text and the City overheads) in Greek just the Arial small text!!!!!!!!
Is there any way to edit the fonts?

Quote:

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Originally Posted by hellenes

so should the config file be in the mymod folder or in the main M2TW one?

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The two files, xxx.bat and xxx.cfg must be in the main folder, ie "C:\Program Files\SEGA\Medieval II Total War"

Looks very interesting and it'll be nice to get a chance to play around with some more files now, promising news :2thumbsup:

Good news indeed though still a far cry from a full unpacker. My guess is the patch has been delayed even farther back and this is CA's way of trying to smooth it over with us. Oh well.

From what i understand they were just send to ER so we colud familiarise ourselves with them before the patch came out, not because the patch is delayed(which i do not think it is).

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Epistolary Richard

BTW before you ask 'Where's the descr_model_battle.txt file?' - I tell you now - there is no dmb file used in the game.

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I figured someone would ask about this, but no one did.

After checking out the files, I wonder, if they don't use a DMB, then what file is used to check models paths, etc? Or is it a secret that will be unveiled with the patch?