How to start modding

**dulsin** · 12-20-2006, 20:19

I am new to the modding game and would like to just start by changing a few buildings around.

I have downloaded the export_descr_buildings.txt file and want to apply that to my game. How?

Do I need to build an entire Mod or can it be applied to the game one file at a time? I do not see any of these files in the game directory for MTW2.

**dulsin** · 12-21-2006, 02:52

I have found the unpacker in the MTW2 folder and moved it to the correct directory acording to the readme file. After running the unpacker and deleting the files
data\descr_geography_new.txt
data\descr_geography_new.db

running the bat file

medieval2.exe --io.file_first

The game crashes on bootup.

Any ideas?

**mor dan** · 12-21-2006, 22:51

from the Wiki:

https://forums.totalwar.org/vb/showthread.php?t=70892

i think this a much easier way to go about starting a mod. if you are dead set on using your current system without a mod folder, check the last few lines of your system.log.txt file in the main directory, or post it here so we can review it if you don't understand what you see.

**Ungor** · 12-22-2006, 16:17

I also followed the instructions in the readme and unpacked everything in the world into my data folder like a sucker.

After deleting the two files recommended (and making no other changes) I get a crash on startup when using --io.file_first

Log reads:
10:02:40.375 [system.rpt] [always] CPU: SSE2
10:02:40.375 [system.rpt] [always] ==== system log start, build date: Oct 5 2006 version bld-medieval2-final-52 (29455) ===
10:02:40.390 [system.io] [always] mounted pack packs/data_0.pack
10:02:40.390 [system.io] [always] mounted pack packs/data_1.pack
10:02:40.390 [system.io] [always] mounted pack packs/data_2.pack
10:02:40.390 [system.io] [always] mounted pack packs/data_3.pack
10:02:40.390 [system.io] [always] mounted pack packs/data_4.pack
10:02:40.390 [system.io] [always] mounted pack packs/localized.pack
10:02:45.593 [data.invalid] [error] Expected localised string 'generic_repair'

That last line would seem to be the problem. "generic_repair" also happens to be the first line in export_desc_buildings_enums.txt, which makes me think I might not have any localised strings. Any idea how to fix this?

Also, is there an easier way than reinstalling to undo this mess of files and start over with a mod directory?

**mor dan** · 12-24-2006, 21:34

i don't know. i had to uninstall and reinstall. i just made sure to take out all the files i knew i needed before doing so. will it launch WITHOUT the io.file_first batch file?

**Ungor** · 12-25-2006, 08:50

Yeah, worked fine by default. I ended up uninstalling and reinstalling as well, after which I was able to add a couple files in data and run with the batch file okay. I'm not sure what it didn't like about the "unpack all into data" deal, but it seems like a bad scene all around.

**Valentine82** · 12-26-2006, 09:36

Originally Posted by dulsin

I am new to the modding game and would like to just start by changing a few buildings around.

I have downloaded the export_descr_buildings.txt file and want to apply that to my game. How?

Do I need to build an entire Mod or can it be applied to the game one file at a time? I do not see any of these files in the game directory for MTW2.

I would like to know this as well. What the hell do I do with the file? Where the hell do I put it? Why is it so hard to get this basic information?