|
Thread: Heroes V Modding | This thread is pages long: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 · «PREV / NEXT» |
|
trier

 
Tavern Dweller
|
posted June 22, 2006 04:53 PM |
|
|
Vlaad:
Quote: A short explanation by LongDarkBlues, the author of the Purple Zombie mod :
I actually swapped out the texture.
good day
big thanx for You answer
obviously my english is very very poor
but i've asked about 3d models, not about textures.
by the way, there are textures with _LOD_ suffix, what are they for?
____________
|
|
Valeriy


Mage of the Land
Naughty, Naughty Valeriy
|
posted June 24, 2006 07:09 AM |
|
|
Sfidanza, the man behind a lot of the recent HOMM5 content on AOH, including the modding section, is now a moderator of the Modders Workshop! 
I've modded the mod forum to make this modder into a mod so that he can mod the mods board A Modder Moderator in the Mod Squad
____________
You can wait for others to do it, but if they don't know how, you'll wait forever.
Be an example of what you want to see on HC and in the world.
http://www.heroesofmightandmagic.com
|
|
sfidanza

  
    
Promising
Supreme Hero
|
posted June 24, 2006 10:22 AM |
|
|
Thanks Val.
To answer trier's question, _LOD_ refers to adventure models and textures, as opposed to combat models.
Now, let's try to tell more about 3D models, which textures are clearly a part, btw:
there are different elements necessary for the 3d representation of a creature:
- the Model, composed of
* the Skeleton
* the Geometry
* the Material, that is, ultimately, the Texture(s)
- the AnimSet, pointing for various situations (idle, cast, ...) to
* the BasicSkeletonAnim
There are two models/animsets per creature, one for combat, one for adventure map (_lod). Each has an entry point:
- for combat, it is
/GameMechanics/CreatureVisual/Creatures/FACTION/CREATURE.xdb
containing the CreatureVisual object. This links to the 4 icons sizes, and most importantly has an <AnimCharacter> property, referencing the Character object itself, usually in
/Caharacters/Creatures/FACTION/CREATURE.(Character).xdb
This one is the real stuff: it links to the <Model> and <ArenaAnimSet> files. I'll let you follow the links. These contains what I wrote above (skeleton, geometry...).
Note that Materials ultimately reference to a Texture .xdb file, describing a .dds.
While Skeleton, Geometry, BasicSkelAnim... are identified by a UID, which is a resource located in bin/FOLDER, where FOLDER is Skeletons, Geometries, animations... respectively. I guess you'l figure out which is which. 
- for the adventure map, it is
/MapObjects/FACTION/CREATURE.xdb
containing the AdvMapMonsterShared object. This links to the _lod files, <Model> and <AnimSet>.
== What files can you modify to make your mod work?
Well, if you just replace the orginal files, everything should work. H5 will use your modified files. That's useful in the first phase of developping your mod, and playing around, however that's not something you want to ask your users to do.
When your mod is compiled as a .pak file, some files will be used instead of the game's orginal ones, some won't. And that depends wether you play a new map, or load a previously saved game.
Basically, on a new game, the 2 entry points are read by the game (CreatureVisual and AdvMapMonsterShared).
On a saved game, the AdvMapMonsterShared file is ignored (leading to the same advmodel problems as for Treants), and the game directly picks:
- the Model object, for Skeleton, Geometry and AIGeometry
- the Texture object
- the UID resource for the BasicSkelAnim
And that's where it gets tricky: some files won't just let themselves be replaced: the UID resources and the Texture .xdb files.
So if you just want to swap models, like exchanging Unicorns and Silver Unicorns, no problem. You're just swapping references, not actually adding textures and 3D models.
But if you want to add new stuff (like the beta Treant or Cleric), you'll have to use new UIDs for resources and new names for Texture files. Just replacing the "old" ones won't work (again, in .pak file, it will work if you overwrite your orginal files).
Of course, this is still under investigation, and I may be overlooking something here. There also are many remaining questions, like "is there a rationale for UIDs (checksum...)?", or "how can I change the adv anim if I can't change UID?".
So I'm very much interested in anything you'll have to add or correct in this. Feel free to do so!!
|
|
Zeldor

 
  
Known Hero
The Bringer of Pestilence
|
posted June 24, 2006 07:27 PM |
|
|
sfidanza:
I think that modding tutorial should be created, explaining everything possible to explain So how to edit things, where to find certain things and so on...
|
|
sfidanza

  
    
Promising
Supreme Hero
|
posted June 24, 2006 08:08 PM |
|
Edited by sfidanza at 20:08, 24 Jun 2006.
|
Zeldor, you're right. I just threw some notes here, and I won't have much time to write a complete tutorial soon. Would you be able to run that?
Of course, you'll be more than welcome to borrow anything from my post above. You could start a specific working thread to organize ideas and gather information if you need.
And when ready, we'll put the tutorial in a sticky thread of course. If it's too big and detailed, I'll make a page on AoH.
I guess after explaining the basics of modding, we could be differents sections:
- changing textures, models and sounds
- balancing stats (not my favorite by far, but the concern of many)
- changing texts
- UI additions
...
These are just starting ideas of course. I'll let you start that topic if you're up to it.
@toya: yes, that should be possible.
|
|
Zeldor

 
  
Known Hero
The Bringer of Pestilence
|
posted June 24, 2006 08:28 PM |
|
|
sfidanza:
I am not expert in modding and certainly not in all that technical stuff 
I hope xManiax can help as a lot when he has more time [I have already spoken to him, it seems he has biggest knowledge about modding].
And have you seen the place where exp levels are stored? I wanted to make it like h3 with disabling level cap [so you can have 100lvl hero if map allows that].
|
|
sfidanza

  
    
Promising
Supreme Hero
|
posted June 25, 2006 12:08 AM |
|
|
To my knowledge, exp levels are hard-coded. They're not in data.pak.
|
|
Ma_trix

 
 
Adventuring Hero
Carpe Diem
|
posted June 25, 2006 12:59 AM |
|
|
I've translated five mods to Polish:
- sev (adding to stacks' descriptions' range of quantityy)
- newbuttons_waitloadsave (created by sfidanza - adding new options to battle menu)
- laconoc_artifacts_descriptions (changing artifacts' descriptions from f.ex. 'this gives your hero three point of attack' to '+3 attack')
- ClericMod
- DarkKinghts-Mod (created by Arstahd)
I'm looking for somebody to test my translation.
I hope that after short tests they could be hosted at AOH mods page.
|
|
Zeldor

 
  
Known Hero
The Bringer of Pestilence
|
posted June 25, 2006 02:02 AM |
|
|
sfidanza:
Got any idea how to change it? IT is one of the most idiotic things in h5 [along with artifact equipment system]
Matrix:
Poslij na mejla, zerkne
|
|
Ma_trix

 
 
Adventuring Hero
Carpe Diem
|
posted June 25, 2006 10:14 AM |
|
|
In the subject of exp levels, temporary solution would be increasing/multipying xp that beaten creatures give to hero.
It could be modified in folder \data\data\GameMechanics\Creature\Creatures\
|
|
sfidanza

  
    
Promising
Supreme Hero
|
posted June 25, 2006 10:31 AM |
|
|
Yes, Ma_trix, you're right!
Instead of changing levels (which I don't think can be done), increase exp gain!!
However, there may be a quicker way than changing each creature exp gain: change the exp coef defined in the difficulty level. These could work only against neutrals, that's not clear, but that's only one location:
/GameMechanics/RPGStats/DefaultStats.xdb
Look for the <ExpCoefs> tags. The four items are the four difficulty levels.
|
|
Zeldor

 
  
Known Hero
The Bringer of Pestilence
|
posted June 25, 2006 02:07 PM |
|
|
sfidanza, matrix:
That will not work, there are 2 problems:
1. I dont want to get exp faster, with faster exp I will get to lvl 30 too fast [till level 27-28 it is ok, I want to change it later].
2. You will not get by lvl40 in that way, as lvl40 is max level.
And where could it be hidden? Only data.pak is big, other files are very small..
|
|
millsy

 
Tavern Dweller
|
posted June 25, 2006 02:37 PM |
|
|
within (for example) \data\maps\multiplayer\l4.xdb, the over-arching map information for the map "rise to power", there is a line:
<HeroMaxLevel>0</HeroMaxLevel>
------------------------------------
if you compare that with the file c3m3.xbd (presumably campaign 3 map 3) you will find the line
<HeroMaxLevel>26</HeroMaxLevel>
------------------------------------
if you change the lines:
<MinResource>1</MinResource>
<MaxResource>3</MaxResource>
in \mapobjects\chest.xdb to numbers along the lines of 6000-6000, you'll get 6000*500 xp from each chest you pick up (30mil xp), this should be enough to get you to lvl 40 (i think, otherwise simply increase the numbers) very quickly on any map you can find an unguarded chest (eg rise to power). This can be useful for testing the limitations, if you can be bothered, of max hero levels. also useful for tinkering with anything that requires levelling up (eg changing prerequisites for the ultis).
____________
|
|
Staried

 
Tavern Dweller
|
posted June 25, 2006 04:41 PM |
|
|
Hero Skill Mod
Hi I was looking through the data files and am trying to figure out how to change the attack tactics skill for the Hero Findan to the Battle Frenzy skill. There are like 20 Findan files in the characters heros directory from the main directory and I don't even know if that is the right place to start looking. Does anyone understand how and where the skills are stored in relation to assigning them to heros.
(I am trying to do this because I want to get the ultimate skill in the range class in the campain game)
____________
|
|
sfidanza

  
    
Promising
Supreme Hero
|
posted June 25, 2006 04:53 PM |
|
|
/MapObjects/Preserve/Heam.(AdvMapHeroShared).xdb
is where you want to look.
Change: <Item>HERO_SKILL_TACTICS</Item>
in <perkIDs>
into: <Item>HERO_SKILL_FRENZY</Item>
|
|
Staried

 
Tavern Dweller
|
posted June 25, 2006 05:08 PM |
|
|
Thank you that seems easy enough Looking at the structures for a few directories I figured the skills were all going to be hexed or some other mind bender.
____________
|
|
Zeldor

 
  
Known Hero
The Bringer of Pestilence
|
posted June 25, 2006 06:58 PM |
|
|
millsy:
I can add any amount of exp with console, so your idea isn't usefull 
There is lvl40 limit for all maps, but it is practically impossible to go beyond lvl30 even on big maps [after level 27 you start to need tons of exp to gain next level, lvl 40 is few billion if I remember well].
|
|
Staried

 
Tavern Dweller
|
posted June 25, 2006 07:06 PM |
|
|
It sort of worked just not for what I was trying to do. When I changed tactics to frenzy, the tactics skill remaned on Findan and the Frenzy took the second slot of the attack segment. Since I am trying to get the flaming arrows skill I thought of adding arrows or flamingarrows but neither of these worked. Does anybody know the command line of add flaming arrows skill or how to remove the first skill?
|
|
alcibiades

    
      
Honorable
Undefeatable Hero
of Gold Dragons
|
posted June 25, 2006 10:56 PM |
|
|
CREATURE ABILITIES
I have a question about Creatyre Abilities and how to mod them. Some of the abilities are listed in the creature STAT file - like the Angel's Ressurection, that will appear in <SPELLS>.
However, other abilities, like the Lich's Death Cloud Attack and the Death Knight's Death Touch are not listed in the file specifying the creatures stats. Can anyone tell me where those abilities are specified, so that one can possibly change them - and do anyone have a complete list of creature abilities? I seem to remember, that someone once listed them on the Nival forum, and that some of the abilities are not yet in use with the current creatures.
|
|
sfidanza

  
    
Promising
Supreme Hero
|
posted June 26, 2006 12:01 AM |
|
Edited by sfidanza at 00:02, 26 Jun 2006.
|
@Zeldor:
actually, level 40 requires 1215939194 exp.
In fact, after some testing, the experience is coded on a 32bit longint capped at 2147483647. So if you just get more experience, you'll cycle down to -2147483646!!
That's why you can't go over 40. As I said already, these values (exp required for levels) are nowhere in data.pak, which makes it impossible to change them directly. Of course, I could be wrong, and if anyone finds them, please leave a note here.
@Staried:
I guess you played on C5M1, 1st map of Sylvan campaign. There, the map file itself gives Tactics to Findan, so you have to edit another file in data.pak:
/Maps/Scenario/C5M1/C5M1.xdb
find "Heam" (that's the section where Findan is redefined), and scroll down to
<perkIDs>
<Item>HERO_SKILL_TACTICS</Item>
<Item>HERO_SKILL_MASTER_OF_CREATURES</Item>
</perkIDs>
Again, replace HERO_SKILL_TACTICS by HERO_SKILL_FRENZY.
That should do it this time.
@alcibiades
The creature abilities are listed here:
http://www.heroesofmightandmagic.com/heroes5/creature_abilities.shtml
unless you mean the code for them. You can find those in
GameMechanics/RefTables/CombatAbilities.xdb
IIRC, 6 are missing in that file though (including Lay Hands).
To answer your question more directly, creature abilities are not specified in data.pak, but hardcoded in the game binary files, so there's no easy way to change them. A few requiring "activation" (like Resurrection) could be added as spells (don't forget to add mana as well, cf the Archangel.xdb file).
|
|
|
|