Unpacker and Tools Needed For Modding?

[ArtillerySmoke]

Hey guys...

Over on TWcenter they said that with Empire, one can't just go into the files and start editing unit stats etc. They said that you need a special unpacker and hex tool or else nothing you change applies.

Is this true?

[Sir Beane]

Hey guys...

Over on TWcenter they said that with Empire, one can't just go into the files and start editing unit stats etc. They said that you need a special unpacker and hex tool or else nothing you change applies.

Is this true?

Yep, fraid so. It's making modding much, much more difficult than in previous games.

[ArtillerySmoke]

Yep, fraid so. It's making modding much, much more difficult than in previous games.

Understood.

Let me ask you though - because I was looking around in the folders early this morning: I couldn't even accidently change unit stats now because of this right?

In other words - There are no unit stats to change without using a special program?

Just to clarify, because I want to know how this all works while it's still early.

I got on the M2 train too late and had no clue about modding, etc.

[Sir Beane]

Understood.

Let me ask you though - because I was looking around in the folders early this morning: I couldn't even accidently change unit stats now because of this right?

In other words - There are no unit stats to change without using a special program?

Just to clarify, because I want to know how this all works while it's still early.

I got on the M2 train too late and had no clue about modding, etc.

I'm pretty sure that no one has been able to edit anything at all without unpacking and using a hex editor. I'm no expert though. You want someone like pevergreen for the details .

[ArtillerySmoke]

I'm pretty sure that no one has been able to edit anything at all without unpacking and using a hex editor. I'm no expert though. You want someone like pevergreen for the details .

Cool thanks Beane...

I'll track this thread and check back later. I don't think I did anything either, but it's got me wondering how difficult it really is to edit anything.

[pevergreen]

I cant be on long, as Im at work. Shhhh....

Basically there is limited textpad editing you can do straight into the .pack files, but the size must remain the exact same. Add a single character and the game will not load.

You need to unpack, then use a hex editor for most of the files (even then you have no idea what you are looking at most of the time) but there are a few text files for scripts.

gotta go!

[ArtillerySmoke]

I cant be on long, as Im at work. Shhhh....

Basically there is limited textpad editing you can do straight into the .pack files, but the size must remain the exact same. Add a single character and the game will not load.

You need to unpack, then use a hex editor for most of the files (even then you have no idea what you are looking at most of the time) but there are a few text files for scripts.

gotta go!

Thanks for sneaking on

Yeah this looks far more complicated than in the past. I was just worried that I might have (it was a really late night) accidently edited some files when I was looking around. It doesn't even sound like it's possible that I could have.

I'm by no means a modder, but I'd like to start getting into it lightly...so just trying to learn as much as I can about it as Empire is so new.

[Mailman653]

There is a new tool out, modder created, that lets you view, add and remove things from the .pack files without having to extract them which would save you the trouble of having to unpack everything. In regards to the unit stats etc, I haven't gone near them, I think they are past my modding potential, I've just been playing with the textures.

[pevergreen]

Is it that new tool?

I know one lets you view files before unpack, but this sounds like a repacker as well...

pm me the link? maybe it won't be word filtered that way.

[ArtillerySmoke]

Is it that new tool?

I know one lets you view files before unpack, but this sounds like a repacker as well...

pm me the link? maybe it won't be word filtered that way.

So you guys are saying that without this tool, an unpacker, and/or a hex tool - simply going into the files and attempting to change unit stats will not work?

What will happen? They'll just be overwritten again when you close the folders and try to run the game?

Thanks

[Sir Beane]

So you guys are saying that without this tool, an unpacker, and/or a hex tool - simply going into the files and attempting to change unit stats will not work?

What will happen? They'll just be overwritten again when you close the folders and try to run the game?

Thanks

That could happen. I believe it can also result in the game deleting about half your files and ruining your game. I wouldn't try it unless you have made back ups and are prepared for consequences .

[pevergreen]

The game files for ETW are stored in .pack files.

If you try to open these huge files in notepad, it won't give you anything.

You need to unpack them. Theres a tool over at TWC that does pretty much everything for you, just still need a hex editor to make sense of the files though. Even if you have a hex editor, its hard.

If the game can find the .pack files, it will run them. If you change main.pack to sadhgkj;ahsdglka.pack it will still find it. However, if you change it to main.back_backup it won't find it.

To edit unit stats, you have two options. The new unpacker, or the older way.

New unpacker is easier, will do work for you, older way is harder and longer. But both require hex editing, which isnt easy anyway.

Have time on your hands, have backups and be prepared for it not to work.

[ArtillerySmoke]

The game files for ETW are stored in .pack files.

If you try to open these huge files in notepad, it won't give you anything.

You need to unpack them. Theres a tool over at TWC that does pretty much everything for you, just still need a hex editor to make sense of the files though. Even if you have a hex editor, its hard.

If the game can find the .pack files, it will run them. If you change main.pack to sadhgkj;ahsdglka.pack it will still find it. However, if you change it to main.back_backup it won't find it.

To edit unit stats, you have two options. The new unpacker, or the older way.

New unpacker is easier, will do work for you, older way is harder and longer. But both require hex editing, which isnt easy anyway.

Have time on your hands, have backups and be prepared for it not to work.

Thanks for the response Pevergreen.

1) It seems next to impossible that I could have accidently edited a unit then huh? (it used to be so easy...just one .txt line)

2) Thanks for explaining this, it makes more sense. This is almost similar to editing World in Conflict. It needs a special tool or else the game will just overwrite your changes as soon as it's loaded up.

3) I wonder why they are forcing us to use a hex editor and not just edit the .txt files. It's not a major issue with me, as you guys will figure out how to mod it anyway, but I just don't see the upside to that decision considering how the community is always asking for more moddability.

[Sir Beane]

3) I wonder why they are forcing us to use a hex editor and not just edit the .txt files. It's not a major issue with me, as you guys will figure out how to mod it anyway, but I just don't see the upside to that decision considering how the community is always asking for more moddability.

More moddability doesn't neccesarily equal easier moddability. Empire is more moddable than any previous TW game, we can change far more due to the removal of hardcoded limits. However it is harder to do so (at the moment at least).

[ArtillerySmoke]

More moddability doesn't neccesarily equal easier moddability. Empire is more moddable than any previous TW game, we can change far more due to the removal of hardcoded limits. However it is harder to do so (at the moment at least).

Ah ok, I understand.

Well, as said - I'm sure given some time you guys will figure everything out.

I'm not that guy lol. If I was to attempt modding I would definitely mess something up ...I need to learn a lot more first.

I was just looking around the files to see how they are laid out compared to M2 and when I woke up was worried that I might have fudged something considering how easy it was to change things in the past.

[ArtillerySmoke]

I just did some more looking around in the files...

For the record, it seems ANYTHING that you want to edit has to be unpacked. Everything is in a .pack file or in some other strange named extension.

I don't see any .txt files.

[Polemists]

I'm sure CA will release some tools, but with bugs, multiplayer campaign, downloadable content, and other demands, not sure how long it will take them.

[Jazzy]

I have the naive assumption that there must be somewhere in the files a multiplicator for unit sizes allowing you to chose the unit size setting.

Does such a multiplicator exist and could it be altered with a modding tool?

[Sir Beane]

I have the naive assumption that there must be somewhere in the files a multiplicator for unit sizes allowing you to chose the unit size setting.

Does such a multiplicator exist and could it be altered with a modding tool?

Altering unit sizes in the demo was possible, and a unit of 9000 grenadiers was created. I'm not so sure about the actual game.

[Jazzy]

Yes, it was possible in the demo. What I am lucking for is a method to alter the multiplicator that results in the size classes "small", "medium", "large", "ultra". You could observe that in the demo the multiplactor was set to "2". - I had the idea it would be much painless if we could operate with a multiplicator instead of altering individual unit stats.

But that's just an idea.