Ok, maybe I am just stupid, but...

[Laridus Konivaich]

What exactly do I do with the files created by xpack? When I put the entire /DATA/ folder into the Rome - Total War/Data/ directory, the game crashes during loading.

I tried just moving UI, since that has most of what I want, but when I move ui_0.pak and ui_1.pak, the game crashes.

Very sorry for the trouble, but this just doesn't seem to make sense to me .

[Narayanese]

You could try repacking the files into ui_1.pak, works for me (I run version 1.0). Someone posted this file somewhere else, I don't remember where or who so I post it again.
www.k.kth.se/danielra/pak_generators.zip, extract to packsfolder
Create a .bat-file in packs folder with this content:
xpak.exe -pf ui_1.txt
Run the bat, wait a little, and delete (simply renaming is enough) your old ui_1.pak and rename the new one to ui_1.pak.

__
Narayanese

Citadel Total War

"Agains the coming of May / That is ful of lustyness, / Let us leve al hevynesse, / As fer as we can or may." - the duke of Orléans

[Myrddraal]

you shouldn't move the pak files themselves. Just the folders created....

Don't move ui_0.pak and ui_1.pak, move the folder UI.

[Laridus Konivaich]

If I don't do anything to the .pak files, then the changes that I make in UI don't show up in the game, even when I have moved it into the Rome - Total War/Data/ directory

So how do I get the changes that I make to show up, such as switching building cards, or editing them?

[Uncle Dave]

OK, here's how it works.

There are tons of files that are effectively invisible, and the unpacker makes them visible.

The file structure that is created when you unpack is:

C:\Program Files\Activision\Rome - Total War\Data\packs\DATA\UI........

OK, basically ignore all these files. They are just there for raw materials. What you want to do is to copy, paste, rename or whatever you want to do with these files, to create NEW files. But the NEW files go someplace different. You have to create a NEW directory structure for the new files to go into.

Create:

C:\Program Files\Activision\Rome - Total War\Data\UI.........

[Notice the absence of the word "packs" in this path.]

So any new files you create go in the new directory, not the old one (i.e., not the one with "packs" in the path).

========================================

Example: You want to add "Amazon Chariots" to the Egyptians, and you've already made the appropriate changes to the data files. But you want the SLAVE unit card for Amazon Chariots added to the Egyptians. Here's what you do:

(1) Copy "AMAZON_CHARIOTS_INFO.TGA" from C:\Program Files\Activision\Rome - Total War\Data\packs\DATA\UI\UNIT_INFO\SLAVE.
(2) Create a new "UI" folder under "Data".
(3) Create a new "UNIT_INFO" folder under "UI".
(4) Create a new "EGYPT" folder under "UNIT_INFO".
(5) Your new path should now be: C:\Program Files\Activision\Rome - Total War\Data\UI\UNIT_INFO\EGYPT. [Again, notice the absence of the word "packs" in the path.]
(6) Paste the "AMAZON_CHARIOTS_INFO.TGA" into this new "EGYPT" folder.
(7) The ONLY THING in this folder is now the amazon file. NOTHING ELSE. Leave everything else in packs.

========================================

Pretty much anything else you want to do with the files from the packs you can do this way.

Don't both to repack anything. Ever. You never need to do this - it's a waste of time.

========================================

The building cards are in: C:\Program Files\Activision\Rome - Total War\Data\packs\DATA\UI\EGYPTIAN\BUILDINGS ...and... \CONSTRUCTION

They new files go in: C:\Program Files\Activision\Rome - Total War\Data\UI\EGYPTIAN\BUILDINGS ...and... \CONSTRUCTION

========================================

Does this help?

[Laridus Konivaich]

Pretty much anything else you want to do with the files from the packs you can do this way.?

So I should do the same type of thing to make new skins? Just using the unit directory instead of buildings? (just yes or no, I don't need any more specific instructions, I think...)

Don't both to repack anything. Ever. You never need to do this - it's a waste of time.

The only reason you would probably want to repack things would be if you were trying to change existing files, such as changing the building icons for a faction, but I think then you would use the .pak patcher... Sorry, I got off topic.

Does this help?

Yes, this is exactly what I needed to hear.

[Uncle Dave]

Sorry, haven't quite figured out skins yet (as you can probably see from my occasional cries for help on the forum). So far, the things I've done with the pack files are:

(1) Moved cards for units from one faction to another.
(2) Copied cards for units, and changed their names, to make cards for new units.
(3) All the same stuff for the "in-description pictures" (I'm sure there's a better name for those).
(4) Moved cards for buildings from one faction to another.

Also, I think you should leave all the pack files untouched. Use them for resources, but leave the originals as they are. Don't know what happens if you delete or modify the files in the pack directory structure - might be nothing, might be catastrophic. No idea. So play it safe.

[Laridus Konivaich]

Same, the new unit tutorials are all... difficult to follow.

Maybe someone else can tell me: How do I, if it is possible, change the skin of an existing unit? Say I want to make Briton Generals wear pink polka dots, what files do I need to change to point at my new .tga.dds shin file? I can make the skin file easily, I just don't know how to get it to show up in game.

[Monkwarrior]

Same, the new unit tutorials are all... difficult to follow.

Maybe someone else can tell me: How do I, if it is possible, change the skin of an existing unit? Say I want to make Briton Generals wear pink polka dots, what files do I need to change to point at my new .tga.dds shin file? I can make the skin file easily, I just don't know how to get it to show up in game.

If I remember well, in case you have another texture for the briton general, you should give a different name to the texture, let's say pink_polka_dots_briton_general.tga.dds, placed in Data\models_unit\textures folder.
Then you must modify descr_model_battle: you have this entry

type celt_general
skeleton fs_dagger
skeleton_horse fs_hc_swordsman
skeleton_elephant fs_forest_elephant_rider
skeleton_chariot fs_chariot_sword
skeleton_camel fs_hc_swordsman
indiv_range 40
texture gauls, data/models_unit/textures/officer_barb_general_gaul.tga
texture britons, data/models_unit/textures/officer_barb_general_briton.tga
;texture spain, data/models_unit/textures/officer_celt_general_spain.tga ;SHOULD USE CARTHAGINIAN NOW?
model_flexi data/models_unit/officer_barb_general_high.CAS, 8
model_flexi data/models_unit/officer_barb_general_med.CAS, 15
model_flexi data/models_unit/officer_barb_general_low.CAS, 30
model_flexi data/models_unit/officer_barb_general_lowest.CAS, max
model_sprite 60.0, data/sprites/celt_general_sprite.spr
model_tri 400, 0.5f, 0.5f, 0.5


and you should change it by

type celt_general
skeleton fs_dagger
skeleton_horse fs_hc_swordsman
skeleton_elephant fs_forest_elephant_rider
skeleton_chariot fs_chariot_sword
skeleton_camel fs_hc_swordsman
indiv_range 40
texture gauls, data/models_unit/textures/officer_barb_general_gaul.tga
texture britons, data/models_unit/textures/pink_polka_dots_briton_general.tga
;texture spain, data/models_unit/textures/officer_celt_general_spain.tga ;SHOULD USE CARTHAGINIAN NOW?
model_flexi data/models_unit/officer_barb_general_high.CAS, 8
model_flexi data/models_unit/officer_barb_general_med.CAS, 15
model_flexi data/models_unit/officer_barb_general_low.CAS, 30
model_flexi data/models_unit/officer_barb_general_lowest.CAS, max
model_sprite 60.0, data/sprites/celt_general_sprite.spr
model_tri 400, 0.5f, 0.5f, 0.5


Only be sure that britons are using the soldier type celt_general as general.
You can find it in descr_character:

faction britons
dictionary 2
strat_model sm_barb_general
battle_model celt_general
battle_equip gladius, chainmail shirt helmet and rectangular shield


Thus, with this change it should work.
I hope this helps to you.
Cheers.

[Laridus Konivaich]

See, I made a skin called 'UNIT_GREEK_PELTAST_MACEDON2.tga.dds' and placed it in: \Data\models_unit\textures\

and then I changed the entry in descr_model_battle.txt to:

type greek_peltast
skeleton fs_fast_javelinman, fs_fast_swordsman ; throwing spear
indiv_range 40
;texture macedon, data/models_unit/textures/unit_greek_peltast_macedon.tga ;The original path, in case I want to revert.
texture macedon, data/models_unit/textures/UNIT_GREEK_PELTAST_MACEDON2.TGA
texture seleucid, data/models_unit/textures/unit_greek_peltast_seleucid.tga
texture greek_cities, data/models_unit/textures/unit_greek_peltast_greek.tga
texture thrace, data/models_unit/textures/unit_greek_peltast_thrace.tga
texture slave, data/models_unit/textures/unit_greek_peltast_slave.tga
model_flexi data/models_unit/unit_greek_peltast_high.cas, 15
model_flexi data/models_unit/unit_greek_peltast_med.cas, 30
model_flexi data/models_unit/unit_greek_peltast_low.cas, 40
model_flexi data/models_unit/unit_greek_peltast_lowest.cas, max
model_sprite slave, 60.0, data/sprites/slave_greek_peltast_sprite.spr
model_sprite thrace, 60.0, data/sprites/thrace_greek_peltast_sprite.spr
model_sprite greek_cities, 60.0, data/sprites/greek_cities_greek_peltast_sprite.spr
model_sprite seleucid, 60.0, data/sprites/seleucid_greek_peltast_sprite.spr
model_sprite macedon, 60.0, data/sprites/macedon_greek_peltast_sprite.spr
model_tri 400, 0.5f, 0.5f, 0.5f

But I got this result:

It looks to me like this might actually be a problem with the save options that I used?

[Monkwarrior]

Mmmh, it seems to me as the texture has some problem with the alpha channel or something related to the format.
In fact the descr_models_battle file seems to be correct.
I would check the texture or rename the unit as ghost peltasts.
(sorry for the joke )
I hope you solve this problem.
Best wishes.

[Laridus Konivaich]

Thanks, I did solve the problem, it turned out that I did not read carefully enough and clicked "yes" when I loaded the file instead of "no", the way that I should. Then I ended up with these (yes, different unit from the peltasts):

(I titled this picture, "Holiday Archers")

My only problem was that I couldn't seem to find the entry for cretan archers. I tried changing the mercs entry under archer_greek, but there was no change in the Cretan Archers, as evidenced by my screenshot, which shows the effects of this entry in desc_model_battle.txt:

type greek_archer
skeleton fs_fast_archer, fs_fast_dagger
indiv_range 40
texture macedon, data/models_unit/textures/unit_greek_archer_macedon.tga
texture seleucid, data/models_unit/textures/unit_greek_archer_seleucid.tga
;texture greek_cities, data/models_unit/textures/unit_greek_archer_greek.tga
texture greek_cities, data/models_unit/textures/UNIT_GREEK_ARCHER_REDCRETANS.tga
texture thrace, data/models_unit/textures/unit_greek_archer_thrace.tga
;texture merc, data/models_unit/textures/unit_greek_archer_mercs.tga
texture merc, data/models_unit/textures/UNIT_GREEK_ARCHER_REDCRETANS.tga
model_flexi data/models_unit/unit_greek_archer_high.cas, 15
model_flexi data/models_unit/unit_greek_archer_med.cas, 30
model_flexi data/models_unit/unit_greek_archer_low.cas, 40
model_flexi data/models_unit/unit_greek_archer_lowest.cas, max
model_sprite thrace, 60.0, data/sprites/thrace_greek_archer_sprite.spr
model_sprite greek_cities, 60.0, data/sprites/greek_cities_greek_archer_sprite.spr
model_sprite seleucid, 60.0, data/sprites/seleucid_greek_archer_sprite.spr
model_sprite macedon, 60.0, data/sprites/macedon_greek_archer_sprite.spr
model_tri 400, 0.5f, 0.5f, 0.5f

Do Cretan Archers come from somewhere besides the merc greek archer?

[Epistolary Richard]

Cretan archers are sourced from the following edu entry:

type             merc cretan archers
dictionary       merc_cretan_archers      ; Cretan Archers
category         infantry
class            missile
voice_type       Light_1
soldier          greek_archer_merc, 40, 0, 0.8

So you need to adjust greek_archer_merc in dmb rather than greek_archer... they did separate dmb entries so that the green sprites would show up when using them with other greek culture nations (the merc line in greek_archer was left in by accident), and many mods have taken great pleasure in ripping them out again to free up space in dmb.