sorry if this is in the wrong place, didn't seem to fit anywhere else though

[Beezarandy]

If this is in the wrong place i apologies but it didn't seem to fit anywhere else.

Just a quick request really to modders in general. I've downloaded a few mods lately for Warband. 1257ad improved. warring nations and 15th century. i was just thinking that between those and the couple of osp? mods that i've downloaded i have found it very hard to add bits from each mod or osp that i have liked to other mods, or even have two osp mods work together. From my limited modding knowledge i think it's because too many mods are using identically named base meshes to hang thier models from, or that some are both trying to reference the same base item with thier brf Could somebody make sense of this for me?

 

[CryptoCactus]

I'm just an amateur modder myself, but I'll give it a crack I suppose.


Basically, it's a reference thing, yes. M&B and WB both draw from text files, for one thing, so if one mod adds a helmet, the default/native item_kinds1.txt is replaced. If you try to add another mod that adds a new shield, you'll have to manually go into item_kinds1.txt and edit it in by hand, because simply installing the second mod would overwrite the entire text file again, effectively removing the helmet from your game (even though the mesh and texture would still hypothetically be in the appropriate folders).

Similarly, if someone mods the textures to a piece of armor, and someone else mods a texture to a different armor, but the textures are part of the same .dds file, then the only way to use them both is either to edit the .dds file yourself or to rename one of the files and redirect the brf of the armor in question to use that texture.

Does that make sense? The same thing goes for scripts etc - basically, any text file that one mod touches cannot be touched by another mod, unless you go in and make all the changes yourself, which can be a painstaking process.

It's a lot easier to combine mods if their makers provide the source, but even then it requires familiarity with the module system (and a bit of Python in general) to do it effectively. The mod system cranks out all the text files for you, and is written in something much closer to normal English than the text files (many of which are basically just strings of numbers and such).

 

[SPD_Phoenix]

Mostly concern with resource files (texture, material, mesh).

Some modders do use tag name in their creations, others don't. The first thing I do before incorporate a mod into my personal mod is to rename all generic name to include the tag name (which I have to create for the modder) for every mesh, texture and material.

A couple of benefits:
- If I ever want to release my personal mod, I know exactly who to ask permission for a certain thing.
- Even though WB won't crash on duplicated mesh name, it will superimpose the two and create weird looking item (multimesh armour possible?).

It will be easier to manage, organize and incorporate mods.

 

[Beezarandy]

Thankyou both for the insight and the advice, it was driving me a bit loopy having some really good items but not being able to combine them in one huge extravagansa of Warbandy goodness.
I have since picked up a copy of brfedit and started tinkering....
Time will tell on my success or failure (or patience for that matter lol)  but thanks for the info, it has helped me clarify things in my head, if it ever gets to the point where i release the whole lot as an ubermodpack i'll be sure to mention the original texture artists or get permission where necessary.

 

[slad3d]

You should use OpenBRF, it is much more stable and easy to use than BRFedit.
http://forums.taleworlds.com/index.php/topic,72279.0.html

 

[Beezarandy]

Sorry, yeah typed the wrong thing i'm using open brf lol
Thanks again all