Modding.

[GeneralTildor]

What tools and instruction do I need to mod the campain map and units, and the factions.

I have made basic units and understand the basics, but I need a little more links to stuff.

Some help?

[Aenarion]

There are loads of tutorials on this section, the 'Alchemist lab' and on the 'Repository'. For the campaign map u can use Wellington's tool the Automatic LukMap Script Creator.

As for units, u can check out about 3 tutorials made by Duke John. There he also lists the tools needed and has provided a link to download them. Not all links work though, because they have become outdated. This is but one tutorial the rest I guess u can find them yourself in the 'Repository':-
Unit Graphics

Also by Duke John in the 'Repository' there is another guide on how to create a campaign map.

There are much more tools in the main site of The Org, in the 'downloads' section.

Hope this helps!

Thanks,
Aenarion

[Kekvit Irae]

So you want to play around with units, eh?

5.2 Adding an unit
Original author: Kekvitirae
Original article: (dead link)

To be edited and formatted

BACKUP YOUR FILES

To create a new faction, read this thread in its entirety: (dead link)

To create new units follow these steps:
1. Open up your unit_prod11.txt file in Notepad and search for a unit that is a close match to what you want to create. To create a new heavy spear chucker, simply find the Bonnachts (found in the Viking's unit_prod11.txt file).
2. Highlight it all, right down to the beginning of the next unit under it.
3. Select Copy.
4. Scroll down to the point where the unit list ends and emptiness begins. If you have word wrap off, it wont be too far down.
5. On the line under the last unit, hit Paste. You now have an exact copy of the Bonnacht unit in the file. Save the file.
6. Download and install Gnome's editor from the Org's download tools.
7. Open up the unit_prod11.txt file with Gnome editor and edit the stats of the new unit (all the way down at the bottom of the list) however you please.
8. Rename the unit to something other than Bonnacht. Just dont put any spaces in the name. In this example, we'll choose the name SpearChuckers. Save the file.
9. Open up Windows Explorer and go to your MTW directory. Go to the Battle\UnitIcons\ directory and copy the file Bonnachts.LBM and paste it in a temporary directory.
10. Rename the file to SpearChuckers.LBM (remember, the file names must match that of the unit name) and move it back into the UnitIcons directory.
11. Go to the campmap\ directory and do exactly the same thing with Bonnachts.bif files in the Info_Pics\Units\ directory and the Review_Panel\Units\ directory, copying/renaming/moving.
12. In the Textures\Men\ directory, search every directory in there for references to Bonnachts*.txt and repeat the above. In this example, you should have a SpearChuckers.txt in the ActionsPage\ directory, and a SpearChuckers_W.txt and SpearChuckers_S.txt file in the NewPeasants\ directory.
13. Because the weapons are hidden from view until they fire, Bonnachts dont require files in the Items\ directory. However, If you choose to create a unit that has their weapons and shields visable at all times in battle, repeat the above by copying and renaming the directories of the unit you are imitating to the unit you are creating. Example: In the ArabInfantry_S.txt file, you will see the number 2. Look in Items\Shields2 (note the 2), and you'll see ArabInfantry directory. Copy and paste it into a temp directory, rename it to your new unit, and move it back. Do exactly the same thing with ArabInfantry_W.txt (which has a 5 in it, so you should look in Items\Weapons5\.
14. Go back to the root MTW directory and look in the Loc\Eng directory. Open up Names.txt in Notepad. Scroll down (or run a search) until you find this:
["Bonnachts_Singular"] {"Bonnacht"}
["Bonnachts_Plural"] {"Bonnachts"}
15. Copy it and paste it at the end of the unit list, just a few more lines down. Rename Bonnanchts_Singular to SpearChuckers_Singular. In fact, rename all four Bonnachts references to SpearChuckers. Again, watch the spelling and capitalization. Save the file.
16. Open up Descriptions.txt in the same directory with Notepad and run a search for ["Bonnachts_desc"]. Copy the whole line and paste it at the end of the unit list just a few lines down, exactly the same way you did with the Names.txt file.
17. Rename Bonnachts_desc to SpearChuckers_desc, and then edit the description however you please. Just remember that since the unit description box in the game has to sliding bar, you have to limit the description of the unit. Otherwise the game will cut off the excess part, leaving you with an incomplete description when you view the unit. Save the file.
18. Open up the DEADPAGE COORDS.txt file with Notepad in the Textures\Men directory.
19. Run a search for Bonnachts, and highlight and copy that line and the numbers under it, and paste it at the bottom of the list. Rename the now-pasted Bonnachts to SpearChuckers. Save the file.

Now, with any luck, you will have a new unit, the Spear Chuckers, at your beck and call. Just remember to assign it to a faction by tinkering with the Gnome editor and the unit_prod11.txt file.


To transfer a building from the VI campaign over to the original campaign (or vice versa), repeat steps 1-7. Open up the VIKINGS_build_prod13.txt, copy the lines relevant to the building you want, open up CRUSADERS_build_prod13.txt and paste the lines in. Then just tinker with the Crusader build_prod13.txt file until you get the right requirements set.


(I think think should be eligable for a sticky somewhere here or the Dungeon, since I havent seen a step-by-step for making new units)

If you just want to EDIT units (not create new ones), open up the unit_prod file in the Gnome editor and edit away. The majority of the stuff in there is pretty self explanitory such as Charge Bonus, Attack, Faction, Building Requirements, etc

[GeneralTildor]

Hmm. Links are gone. Exactly what downloads to I need to edit the Unit's graphics.

Hmm?

[Kekvit Irae]

http://www.totalwar.org/Downloads/Tools.shtml

My personal suggestion is the Gnome Editor for now to get your feet wet with modding. Then move on to something like graphics or whatever. Dont be afraid to open up someone else's mod and see how they do it. That's how I learned, I reversed engineered everything from WesW's MedMod to find out how this works and how that works.