Updated formatted modeldb file and associated syntax checker

**MikeV** · 05-13-2008, 03:09

How about siege units and their crews? Here's a Greek Trebuchet crew's definition:

Code:

20 greek_trebuchet_crew 
1 4 
70 unit_models/_Units/ES_Greek_Greek_Heavy/greek_trebuchet_crew_lod0.mesh 121 
70 unit_models/_Units/ES_Greek_Greek_Heavy/greek_trebuchet_crew_lod1.mesh 900 
70 unit_models/_Units/ES_Greek_Greek_Heavy/greek_trebuchet_crew_lod2.mesh 2500 
70 unit_models/_Units/ES_Greek_Greek_Heavy/greek_trebuchet_crew_lod3.mesh 6400 
1 
9 byzantium 
80 unit_models/_Units/ES_Greek_Greek_Heavy/textures/mtw2_es_greek_byzantium.texture 
77 unit_models/_Units/ES_Greek_Greek_Heavy/textures/mtw2_es_greek_normal.texture 
53 unit_sprites/byzantium_Greek_Ballista_Crew_sprite.spr 
1 
9 byzantium 
70 unit_models/AttachmentSets/Final European Light_byzantium_diff.texture 
70 unit_models/AttachmentSets/Final European Light_byzantium_norm.texture 
0  
1 
4 None 14 MTW2_Trebuchet 0  
1 18 MTW2_Knife_Primary 
0 
16 -0.090000004 0 0 -0.34999999 0.80000001 0.60000002

They have only a Knife for a Primary weapon animation, and no Secondary -- clearly, no match for a serious melee unit!

But note that their Primary weapon is listed as a Trebuchet. Hmm...

Over in the export_descr_units.txt ("EDU") file, this entry references the Greek_Trebuchet_Crew:

Code:

type             GR Trebuchet
dictionary       GR_Trebuchet      ; Trebuchet
category         siege
class            missile
voice_type       Heavy
banner faction   main_missile
banner holy      crusade
soldier          Greek_Trebuchet_Crew, 16, 2, 1
engine           trebuchet
attributes       sea_faring, can_withdraw, hardy, artillery
formation        1.5, 1.5, 3, 3, 3, square
stat_health      1, 0
stat_pri         7, 3, no, 0, 0, melee, artillery_mechanical, piercing, knife, 25, 1.8
;stat_pri_ex      0, 0, 0
stat_pri_attr    no
stat_sec         55, 3, trebuchet, 285, 30, siege_missile, artillery_mechanical, blunt, none, 25, 1
;stat_sec_ex      0, 0, 0
stat_sec_attr    ap, bp, area, launching
stat_ter         12, 3, cow_carcass, 215, 3, siege_missile, artillery_mechanical, blunt, none, 25, 1
;stat_ter_ex      0, 0, 0
stat_ter_attr    ap, bp, area, launching,
stat_pri_armour  2, 5, 0, leather
;stat_armour_ex   2, 0, 0, 0, 5, 0, 0, leather
stat_sec_armour  0, 0, flesh
stat_heat        1
stat_ground      0, 0, 0, 0
stat_mental      9, disciplined, highly_trained
stat_charge_dist 30
stat_fire_delay  0
stat_food        60, 300
stat_cost        1, 430, 250, 60, 140, 430, 1, 120
armour_ug_levels 1
armour_ug_models Greek_Trebuchet_Crew

The Trebuchet is one of the few EDU entries to have a 3rd (tertiary) weapon (the cow_carcass -- so much fun!

).

And we have this comment in that file about the stat_pri entry:

Details of unit's primary weapon. If the unit has a missile weapon it must be the primary

So, apparently, the "_crew" unit type is a special case.

**MikeV** · 05-13-2008, 03:19

Here's another interesting example, the basis for General units:

Code:

16 northern_general 
1 4 
78 unit_models/_Generals_and_Captains/Northern_General/northern_general_lod0.mesh 121 
78 unit_models/_Generals_and_Captains/Northern_General/northern_general_lod1.mesh 900 
78 unit_models/_Generals_and_Captains/Northern_General/northern_general_lod2.mesh 2500 
78 unit_models/_Generals_and_Captains/Northern_General/northern_general_lod3.mesh 6400 
18 
7 england 
89 unit_models/_Generals_and_Captains/Northern_General/textures/late_general_england.texture 
88 unit_models/_Generals_and_Captains/Northern_General/textures/late_general_normal.texture 
0  
 ... 
18 
7 england 
61 unit_models/AttachmentSets/Final General_england_diff.texture 
61 unit_models/AttachmentSets/Final General_england_norm.texture 
0  
 ...
4 
4 None 15 MTW2_Non_Shield 0  1 18 MTW2_Sword_Primary 0 
5 horse 18 MTW2_HR_Non_Shield 0  1 18 MTW2_Sword_Primary 0 
8 elephant 18 MTW2_Elephant_Crew 0  1 18 MTW2_Sword_Primary 0 
5 camel 18 MTW2_HR_Non_Shield 0  1 18 MTW2_Sword_Primary 0 
-1 0 0 0 0 0 0

Note that there are no sprite files. And the animation section has a List of 4 entries -- one for dismounted, and one for each known type of mount. But no animation timing. Looks like another special case, or a stub of earlier work no longer used?

For comparison, here's the entry for a Northern European Bodyguard unit:

Code:

12 ne_bodyguard 
1 4 
56 unit_models/_Units/EN_Lmail_Hmail/ne_bodyguard_lod0.mesh 121 
56 unit_models/_Units/EN_Lmail_Hmail/ne_bodyguard_lod1.mesh 900 
56 unit_models/_Units/EN_Lmail_Hmail/ne_bodyguard_lod2.mesh 2500 
56 unit_models/_Units/EN_Lmail_Hmail/ne_bodyguard_lod3.mesh 6400 
10 
7 england 
73 unit_models/_Units/EN_Lmail_Hmail/textures/EN_Lmail_Hmail_england.texture 
72 unit_models/_Units/EN_Lmail_Hmail/textures/EN_Lmail_Hmail_normal.texture 
44 unit_sprites/england_NE_Bodyguard_sprite.spr 
 ...
7 england 
60 unit_models/AttachmentSets/Final Heater_england_diff.texture 
60 unit_models/AttachmentSets/Final Heater_england_norm.texture 
0  
 ...
1 
5 Horse 13 MTW2_HR_Lance 13 MTW2_HR_Sword 
2 21 MTW2_HR_Lance_Primary 14 fs_test_shield 
2 18 MTW2_Sword_Primary 14 fs_test_shield 
16 -0.090000004 0 0 -0.34999999 0.80000001 0.60000002

This time there's an entry for a sprite file, and sensible values for Primary and Secondary (Horse Rider) weapon animations.

**MikeV** · 05-13-2008, 03:25

Finally, you should know that there are various "test" entries in the file. Here's one example, for a 2-handed Swordsman unit:

Code:

19 baltest_2hswordsman 
1 4 
63 unit_models/_Units/EN_Lmail_Hmail/baltest_2hswordsman_lod0.mesh 121 
63 unit_models/_Units/EN_Lmail_Hmail/baltest_2hswordsman_lod1.mesh 900 
63 unit_models/_Units/EN_Lmail_Hmail/baltest_2hswordsman_lod2.mesh 2500 
63 unit_models/_Units/EN_Lmail_Hmail/baltest_2hswordsman_lod3.mesh 6400 
2 
7 england 
73 unit_models/_Units/EN_Lmail_Hmail/textures/EN_Lmail_Hmail_england.texture 
72 unit_models/_Units/EN_Lmail_Hmail/textures/EN_Lmail_Hmail_normal.texture 
0  
6 france 
72 unit_models/_Units/EN_Lmail_Hmail/textures/EN_Lmail_Hmail_france.texture 
72 unit_models/_Units/EN_Lmail_Hmail/textures/EN_Lmail_Hmail_normal.texture 
0  
2 
7 england 
60 unit_models/AttachmentSets/Final Heater_england_diff.texture 
60 unit_models/AttachmentSets/Final Heater_england_norm.texture 
0  
6 france 
59 unit_models/AttachmentSets/Final Heater_france_diff.texture 
59 unit_models/AttachmentSets/Final Heater_france_norm.texture 
0  
1 
4 None 16 MTW2_2HSwordsman 0  
1 24 MTW2_2HSwordsman_Primary 
0 
16 -0.090000004 0 0 -0.34999999 0.80000001 0.60000002

It's useful as a starting "blank," adding your own factions, textures, etc. You'll need to add the right sprite file, though.

--
That's it, for now. If anyone deciphers other details of this file, please feel free to add your comments.

Happy modding ...

**KnightErrant** · 05-13-2008, 05:47

Hi MikeV,

Thanks for the bump, this post has slept for a long time.
You probably know this but up at the top is a unit count as well,
that's the 701. When you add entries you need to increment this
or they don't get read. That is, if you add at the bottom.
You can cut and paste entries in the middle and those baltest
units roll off the bottom and you don't get in trouble until you add
enough units to hit those in game. Also, check out descr_skeleton.txt
which defines the animation families that the modeldb file uses for the
units.

Anyway, not the point of the reply. Your user name carries programmer
under it. Do you have any experience with binary files? What do you like
to program in? C, Java, Python, any of the above? I have a question in
mind, would you be interested in looking at settlement files, specifically
the .world files that define the structures you see on the battlefield like
villages, towns, large towns, etc. I've spent several months looking at these
but just don't have the time to carry it through. Don't commit now but
have a look at these threads to look at the issue.

https://forums.totalwar.org/vb/showthread.php?t=88241

https://forums.totalwar.org/vb/showthread.php?t=89573

No kidding, these .world files are huge and complex so I don't think any
sort of complete understanding is possible. However, they do define the
the structures used by the game for making the buildings and this is
understood. The hope is to pull this information out, import to 3ds Max
and modify it, export out again, and reassemble the .world file. A lot of
modders would love to be able to get at this data and mod it so see
what you think.

Best Regards,

KE

**Lusted** · 05-13-2008, 10:45

-0.34999999 0.80000001 0.60000002

Those are the torch offset values(hence why set to 0 for mounts).

**KnightErrant** · 05-14-2008, 04:33

Ah, thanks Lusted. Yes, that reminds me, we were given the
xml layout for this. It's in ER's thread:

https://forums.totalwar.org/vb/showthread.php?t=74083

This gives the way CA views the creation of modeldb entries
and shows what those termination floats represent for offsets.