Some mentoring would be highly appreciated (with modelling this time)

[Leggeron]

As it is, I would like try my hand at modding.  My main problem is time limitation, I can barely give it more than say an hour a day or two in good days.  I would really rather spend that time more productively than seeping through loads of threads that have a good chance of ultimately not answering my question.  So, I would very much appreciate it if someone takes the time to answer without having me to bugger off and use search.  I will try to ask short and sensible questions sensible questions, which I hope have relatively simple answers.  So here goes...

1.What should I use for creating a new map?
2.How to remove horses?
3.How to remove all items to get a fresh start? (is it a good idea?)
4.How to remove all troops and troop trees to get a fresh start? (is it a good idea?)

 

[DarkAnd]

1: Torgrisms's map editor (sp?)
2: What do you mean be remove horses?
3: It is a bad idea, because you would have to delete many quests that include itens and consequently dialogs and scripts, and also removing every single item from troops.
4: Again, bad idea, because you would need to delete all scripts quests lords partyes and scripts.

 

[Leggeron]

I want to make a setting without horse combat; remove many items - such as plate, mail with surcoats, most weapons; create new troops and their trees.

 

[jik]

The first thing you should do is go through the tutorial steps that where posted a while ago.  I have been doing the same (an hour this day, a lunchtime that day) for about a week now and I am just finishing it off.  I am also adjusting it to more suit the newer version of M&B since some of the content is no longer in game.

You shouldn't be this anxious to jump into making your mod, as you may end up disappointed in the fact it will take A LOT longer than you think it might.  The tutorial goes over things that you ask about (indirectly) so it's a great start (troops, troop trees, items for units-including horses), and that's just the first half of the tutorial.

Look at this thread:

http://forums.taleworlds.com/index.php/topic,48405.0.html

when I am done my updates (hitting a bit of a snag in part I will post it.

 

[janlulhannes]

It is way easier to just not use them, then to completely delete them from the game.

 

[Leggeron]

*snip*

Thanks for the link, it should get me started!
I ll start going through it.
And thanks for the other answers.

 

[wickedshot]

To achieve your desired results, I'd recommend you:
Disable horse merchants (would need to disable access to them in the Town menus [module_game_menus.py] and in the script [module_scripts.py] that adds them inscene at towns)
Limit what is put into the armour merchants (in module_triggers.py their inventories are added to, youd need to alter whats added)
Remove all offending items (so all mentions of horse and plate armours) from the troops in module_troops.py

I think that would be the simplest least-side-effect way of achieving your goals.

 

[jik]

*snip*

Thanks for the link, it should get me started!
I ll start going through it.
And thanks for the other answers.

It sounds painful at first and I held off for a few days, but as I gathered code from other people, I found that it didn't do what I wanted, so in order to alter it, I need to understand it.  Since I have a few different programming languages under my belt, it's just learning syntax really.  The good thing about the tutorial, is that when you get to the actual coding, they give you a good idea on a bit of the structure.  Also, the header files have info on the various commands.

 

[Leggeron]

I downloaded the tools from the link and took a brief look at them.  And I dont know where to start.  I ll lay out a brief example of some things I want to do.
- a map a quarter of the size of native
- on the map - only 4 towns - no castles and villages
- four factions each with a town
- armour and weapons - about X - XI century
- no native quests

How would I go about doing that?

 

[jik]

I downloaded the tools from the link and took a brief look at them.  And I dont know where to start.  I ll lay out a brief example of some things I want to do.
- a map a quarter of the size of native
- on the map - only 4 towns - no castles and villages
- four factions each with a town
- armour and weapons - about X - XI century
- no native quests

How would I go about doing that?

Not very easily.  There was more on that link I offered then just the mod system.  There's a link there to the "outdated" tutorial.  Most of it is still quite valid, though playing with the overall map size would most likely mean getting the unofficial map editor.  I too want to change the map a bit.  I don't like the mountainous combat.

Putting down just 4 towns would mean commenting out the others (with a '#' infront of thier declaration) and then adjusting thier starting co-ordinates.  That can be found in Part 2 of the tutorial, in a way.  The format is a bit different than it used to be, but the concepts are the same.  you would be editing module_parties.py (I don't think you'll need to edit module_maps.py as the towns on the map are like parties)

The assigning of factions is a bit different too.  It seems that all towns/castles/villiages are define as fac_neutral in module_parties.py, but they still belong to someone once the game starts.  Still looking into that, since I too will be doing something similar.

Weapons and amour will be quite a bit of work commenting them out, then going through all the troops and making sure they don't use them.  Not going to be fun.

Removing the native quests may be a bit tough too, and I too am looking to do that, and replace some.  Could be just commenting out the dialogs that start the quests, then leave the code alone...  My best guess.

As you can see, it will be quite a bit of work, especially if you are not familliar with what you are doing.  I only know what I know from going through the tutorial.  Also, if you start there, people are more likely to help out, since you won't be asking about the basics.

That all said, if you still want to try and take short cuts, the unofficial editors are there, though I don't know how they function with the current version.  With them, you should be able to do all but play with quests, though I still think you should take the time and learn the systems.

 

[Deathknight13]

That is a mighty task there. 

-There are problems with this, as many refrences exist to parties on the map, but you could make a map that small
-Many quests and other such things may rely on some of these things, so you would have to do some fiddiling.
-That depends on if you wanted to use the factions that were already there.
-Some of OSP Armor and weapons are good for that.
-Deleting all the quests would be difficult and tedious, most likely.

Sounds like you are trying to jump into the deep end before you learn how to swim, 
I recommend you start alittle smaller first, perhaps with some troops and items that have to do with this setting you plan on creating.

Edit: Eh you beat me too it. 
Not too sure about all of this, but my reasoning would say that you might have to go through and comment out alot of extra stuff.
*End Edit*

 

[Leggeron]

Okeeeyy. I cant help feeling like an idiot.  So I decided to start with something (maybe?) like modelling. So I downloaded the video tutorials and gave it a go.
The fruit of my morning's labor

When I import it to brf edit I get this:

got to be doing something wrong...

I ll be damned if I can get this in game.  Any short tip?

 

[FrisianDude]

Sorry, no idea, I just wanted to say that that first picture looks pretty cool.

 

[jik]

It's been a couple of years since I did modelling and imports for M&B, though I used 3D Max, as I own a copy from when I used to freelance in character creation. (days long gone...)

Anyway,  Here's a tip:

Keep the poly count low (probably stated many times in the tutorial), especially on items that will be widely used.

as to your problem.  Again, it's been a long time, but it would seem that you don't have a texture applied to the object, or upon exporting it, you have the normals backwards.  Not sure if wings uses that terminology, but it's pretty generic.  It means the "skin" of the shapes you have made.  think of it as turning a bag inside out.  That would be my first 2 guesses.  Nice job though.

 

[Shik]

Did you make sure you have an entry for your materials and texture used in BRFedit? Whenever you make a new texture, you have to define it in BRFedit (under the textures tab, just create a new texture, and give it the same name as your .dds file used.) Once you do that, you have to define a material - just create a new material under the materials tab, and have it use your new texture. You should give it an appropriate shader as well. (like iron shader). After that, you have to have your mesh assigned to use the material, and then save. You can then edit module_items and get your mesh in game.

Also, do you have your .dds file in the right folder? (modules/blah/textures)

 

[Leggeron]

Texture and material are ok, but I cant seem to be able to asign the material to the mesh...
Ok thats done and everything added to modul.ini
now what?