Tut: How to create a new faction (using the Normans/Saxons)

[serenius4tsd]

I already posted this on TWC - some people wanted to know how to do this, so I thought I'd put them out of their misery. :P

Files that will be edited:
descr_strat.txt
export_descr_buildings.txt
*OPTIONAL*
descr_win_conditions.txt
descr_sm_factions.txt
expanded.txt
campaign_descriptions.txt

Make sure you back these files up.

Right, lets get started.

ADDING THE FACTION INTO THE GAME - descr_strat editing
1. First off, go to descr_strat and add 'normans' or 'saxons' to the playable list. Like so:

playable
	england
	france
	hre
	spain
	venice
	sicily
	milan
	scotland
	byzantium
	russia
	moors
	turks
	egypt
	denmark
	portugal
	poland
	hungary
	normans
end
unlockable
end
nonplayable
	papal_states
	aztecs
	mongols
	timurids
	slave
end

2. Then, scroll down until you get below hungary's list. Add the following lines:

faction	normans, trader henry
denari	10000
denari_kings_purse	5000

3. Now you will need to add a settlement for them. The easiest thing is to take a settlement from the slaves/rebels and add it to them. For example:

settlement
{
	level village
	region York_Province

	year_founded 0
	population 800
	plan_set default_set
	faction_creator venice
	building
	{
		type hinterland_farms farms
	}
}

This is found under slaves.
[B]Make sure that this settlement does not appear twice (i.e. under normans and slave factions - delete the one under the slave settlement list).[B]

4. Next, you will need to add characters and armies to your faction. Use another faction's character/army as an example. I.e:

character	Rufus, named character, male, heir, age 30, x 106, y 164
traits GoodCommander 2 , Intelligent 2, VictorVirtue 3
army
unit		NE Bodyguard			exp 0 armour 0 weapon_lvl 0
unit		Spear Militia				exp 0 armour 0 weapon_lvl 0

to this:

character	Robin, named character, male, leader, age 40, x 106, y 164
traits GoodCommander 2 , Intelligent 2, VictorVirtue 3
army
unit		Duke William				exp 0 armour 0 weapon_lvl 0
unit		Archer Militia				exp 0 armour 0 weapon_lvl 0
unit		Archer Militia				exp 0 armour 0 weapon_lvl 0
unit		Archer Militia				exp 0 armour 0 weapon_lvl 0
unit		Archer Militia				exp 0 armour 0 weapon_lvl 0
unit		Armored Sergeants			exp 0 armour 0 weapon_lvl 0
unit		Armored Sergeants			exp 0 armour 0 weapon_lvl 0
unit		Armored Sergeants			exp 0 armour 0 weapon_lvl 0
unit		Armored Sergeants			exp 0 armour 0 weapon_lvl 0
unit		Mailed Knights				exp 0 armour 0 weapon_lvl 0
unit		Mailed Knights				exp 0 armour 0 weapon_lvl 0
unit		Mailed Knights				exp 0 armour 0 weapon_lvl 0
unit		Mailed Knights				exp 0 armour 0 weapon_lvl 0
unit		Mailed Knights				exp 0 armour 0 weapon_lvl 0
unit		Mailed Knights				exp 0 armour 0 weapon_lvl 0
unit		Armored Sergeants			exp 0 armour 0 weapon_lvl 0
unit		Armored Sergeants			exp 0 armour 0 weapon_lvl 0
unit		Archer Militia				exp 0 armour 0 weapon_lvl 0
unit		Archer Militia				exp 0 armour 0 weapon_lvl 0

Make sure that your character's name appears under the faction's name list in names.txt. (This is one of the files that doesnt unpack, download them first)
Paste underneath when done.

Save your file as something other than descr_strat.txt for now. Then, an important step.
You need to load up the game -> start/load a campaign -> Go to the settlement/s that you wish to give this new faction -> Put your cursor over the settlement -> Then open up console (`/~) and type in show_cursorstat -> it will show the co-ords of your settlement, write it down -> Repeat for every settlement you wish to copy, then exit.
Now go back to your modded file and replace your new characters x y coordinates with the settlement's one. Then Search for that same x y co-ord. It might highlight your new character first -> select Find Next. It should show a rebel army. Delete this army's record. Repeat as necessary.

You may choose to add more characters and agents in; however, it is not required.

5. Once you have added in everything you wish, you will need to have a character record list that appears underneath. It is a record of wives, children and the family at the start of the game. It looks like this:

character_record		Cecilia, 	female, age 36, alive, never_a_leader

relative 	Robin, 	Cecilia,	end

6. This is an example of how it should all look:

faction	normans, sailor napoleon
ai_label		 catholic 
denari	10000
denari_kings_purse	2500
settlement
{
	level large_city
	region York_Province

	year_founded 0
	population 11800
	plan_set default_set
	faction_creator england
	building
	{
		type core_building large_stone_wall
	}
	building
	{
		type tower ballista_towers
	}
	building
	{
		type professional_military military_academy
	}
	building
	{
		type port shipwright
	}
	building
	{
		type siege catapult_range
	}
	building
	{
		type smith heavy_armourer
	}
	building
	{
		type sea_trade warehouse
	}
	building
	{
		type admiralty naval_academy
	}
	building
	{
		type hinterland_farms farms+2
	}
	building
	{
		type taverns coaching_house
	}
	building
	{
		type barracks militia_barracks
	}
	building
	{
		type temple_catholic abbey
	}
	building
	{
		type city_hall city_hall
	}
	building
	{
		type market great_market
	}
	building
	{
		type hinterland_roads paved_roads
	}
}

character	Robin, named character, male, leader, age 40, x 106, y 164
traits GoodCommander 2 , Intelligent 2, VictorVirtue 3
army
unit		Duke William				exp 0 armour 0 weapon_lvl 0
unit		Archer Militia				exp 0 armour 0 weapon_lvl 0
unit		Archer Militia				exp 0 armour 0 weapon_lvl 0
unit		Archer Militia				exp 0 armour 0 weapon_lvl 0
unit		Archer Militia				exp 0 armour 0 weapon_lvl 0
unit		Armored Sergeants			exp 0 armour 0 weapon_lvl 0
unit		Armored Sergeants			exp 0 armour 0 weapon_lvl 0
unit		Armored Sergeants			exp 0 armour 0 weapon_lvl 0
unit		Armored Sergeants			exp 0 armour 0 weapon_lvl 0
unit		Mailed Knights				exp 0 armour 0 weapon_lvl 0
unit		Mailed Knights				exp 0 armour 0 weapon_lvl 0
unit		Mailed Knights				exp 0 armour 0 weapon_lvl 0
unit		Mailed Knights				exp 0 armour 0 weapon_lvl 0
unit		Mailed Knights				exp 0 armour 0 weapon_lvl 0
unit		Mailed Knights				exp 0 armour 0 weapon_lvl 0
unit		Armored Sergeants			exp 0 armour 0 weapon_lvl 0
unit		Armored Sergeants			exp 0 armour 0 weapon_lvl 0
unit		Archer Militia				exp 0 armour 0 weapon_lvl 0
unit		Archer Militia				exp 0 armour 0 weapon_lvl 0

character_record		Cecilia, 	female, age 36, alive, never_a_leader

relative 	Robin, 	Cecilia,	end

THE FACTION'S UNITS, AND HOW TO ENABLE THEM IN export_descr_buildings.txt

You will notice that if you start up a campaign with the Normans now, they will not be able to recruit some units that you are normally supposed to be able to e.g. Ships, cannons, trebuchets etc.

You can change this by doing the following:

1. Open export_descr_buildings. You will see information about which factions are able to recruit which units:

recruit_pool "NE Trebuchet"  1   0.4   3  0  requires factions { england, scotland, france, hre, denmark, spain, portugal, milan, venice, papal_states, sicily, }

2. Notice that neither the normans nor the saxons are not in this list. To do this, change the line to:

recruit_pool "NE Trebuchet"  1   0.4   3  0  requires factions { england, scotland, france, hre, denmark, spain, portugal, milan, venice, papal_states, sicily, normans, saxons}

3. Do this with all the units you want enabled and then save the file.

EDIT: Check here (http://www.twcenter.net/forums/showthread.php?t=74945) for more help with this.

*OPTIONAL CHANGE* GIVING YOUR FACTION WIN CONDITIONS
1. Open descr_win_conditions.
2. Notice there are none for Normans/Saxons. You can add them in by putting in the following lines at the bottom:

normans
hold_regions Jerusalem_Province
take_regions 45
short_campaign hold_regions ;Jerusalem_Province
take_regions 15
outlive scotland england

*OPTIONAL CHANGE* RENAMING YOUR FACTION

1. Open expanded.txt.
2. Scroll down to the faction you are changing. You should see this:

{NORMANS}Normans

DO NOT EDIT ANYTHING THAT IS INSIDE {}. E.g. To change the name to 'English Outlaws', do this:

{NORMANS}English Outlaws

3. You will then need to replace every mention of the word 'Normans' in this file, but leaving anything in {} untouched. E.g:

{EMT_NORMANS_FACTION_LEADER}English Outlaws Faction Leader

Use the Replace option only if you know what you are doing.

*OPTIONAL CHANGE* ADDING A CAMPAIGN DESCRIPTION

1. Open campaign_descriptions.txt. You will see there is no campaign description for the Normans.
2. To change this, add the following lines

{IMPERIAL_CAMPAIGN_NORMANS_TITLE}Normans
{IMPERIAL_CAMPAIGN_NORMANS_DESCR}Edward the Confessor's death saw England fall into a bitter power struggle. With no heirs to the English throne, three competing powers arose to stake their claim. Harold Godwinson was quick to seize power, with the support of the English Witan. However, the King of Norway, Harald Hardrada, felt the land his birthright and sailed from the North. The two kings clashed at Stamford Bridge in a bloody battle.\n\nBut the late King Edward had promised the throne to the Duke of Normandy, who sought Papal blessing to launch an invasion of his own.

3. You can then put in your own faction description in the space given. Also, dont forget to rename 'Normans' to your faction's new name. E.g.

{IMPERIAL_CAMPAIGN_NORMANS_TITLE}English Outlaws
{IMPERIAL_CAMPAIGN_NORMANS_DESCR}After the successful Norman invasion in 1066, King William the Conqueror set in place a system of taxes. Many common folk were against this, and some decided to take action. They formed a small band of outlaws, hiding in the English forests around Sherwood and Nottingham. Their current leader, Robin Hood, ordered the uprising against the new English rulers and successfully manged to grab the town of York from them. Time has passed since then, and these English Outlaws now face tension on all of its borders. To the north, the Scots have ambitions of their own. To the south, the English are now ready to reclaim York. Courage and strength will be needed if the English Outlaws are to survive...

I hope you had fun reading the story. :P

*OPTIONAL CHANGE* MORE FACTION OPTIONS

I say again - this is an optional change - it will still work without this.

If you want to change the banner colour of your faction:
1. Open descr_sm_factions, scroll down to the norman/saxon section.

2. Change the RGB primary/secondary values to whatever colour you want. (Use photoshop/gimp to see RGB values -> as colour)

primary_colour				red 215, green 220, blue 20
secondary_colour			red 255, green 210, blue 10

Adding faction to custom battles:
1. Change the custom_battle_availability from no to yes.
2. You then need to remove another faction to make room for them on the screen.

___

If you want to do this same thing, except for the saxons instead of normans, simply swap the names.
(Make sure first that your characters' names are under the relevant faction in names.txt.)

Heres an example that Ive quickly done:

Britain will be a hotspot for sure. :)
Btw I was using InSaNiTy MiNi mOd --> explains the slightly odd income counts and faction colours. :P

Another example - Created Ireland (For use in Aevum Fidei mod )


Any questions, please PM me. Hope this helps!