CrEaToXx
Recruit
I. Introduction
II. How to set up modable enviroment
Media section
FAQ
Greetings dear community,
I'm the new one I guess. Recently started modding on this very fine game, that I was supposed to start playing a decade ago. But you know, there's so many games to be played these days. However, know that in the depth of my heart I deeply regret I've missed out on this very fine piece of Ambrosia.
Just for the reference, I'm a long time modder over on the Nexus, primarly modding for Skyrim and Fallout 4, but got my dirty little paws on other games as well. Most of them strategical games like Civilization, Galactic Civilization, Hearts of Iron and Minecraft. I'm "fluid" in Phython(and its little sister Papyrus), C++, Java and the powerhorse Basic... I'm also a capable texturer using Gimp. My primary skill is quick learning. My primary inability is lack of memorization. Which basically results in me constantly being forced to relearn things, once I temporarily left for other shores. Just this little info on my background I wanted to share.
The result of my inability is what you can witness in this tutorial thread, a series of video tutorials, documenting my efforts. You will maybe find them useful, or not. You will maybe learn something new, or not. But they will for sure save up a lot of time, if you first time started modding, respectively mapping the world map, as it took me serveral days to figure all the most up to date information concerning the matter. Basically this thread tries to unifie important information, and transport it with a visual reference for various instances in your modding efforts. F.e. the first video covers the very short part of setting up a proper moddable enviroment, while the following videos will subject world map creation. We'll see what future endeavours I'm going to forward.
I'm the new one I guess. Recently started modding on this very fine game, that I was supposed to start playing a decade ago. But you know, there's so many games to be played these days. However, know that in the depth of my heart I deeply regret I've missed out on this very fine piece of Ambrosia.
Just for the reference, I'm a long time modder over on the Nexus, primarly modding for Skyrim and Fallout 4, but got my dirty little paws on other games as well. Most of them strategical games like Civilization, Galactic Civilization, Hearts of Iron and Minecraft. I'm "fluid" in Phython(and its little sister Papyrus), C++, Java and the powerhorse Basic... I'm also a capable texturer using Gimp. My primary skill is quick learning. My primary inability is lack of memorization. Which basically results in me constantly being forced to relearn things, once I temporarily left for other shores. Just this little info on my background I wanted to share.
The result of my inability is what you can witness in this tutorial thread, a series of video tutorials, documenting my efforts. You will maybe find them useful, or not. You will maybe learn something new, or not. But they will for sure save up a lot of time, if you first time started modding, respectively mapping the world map, as it took me serveral days to figure all the most up to date information concerning the matter. Basically this thread tries to unifie important information, and transport it with a visual reference for various instances in your modding efforts. F.e. the first video covers the very short part of setting up a proper moddable enviroment, while the following videos will subject world map creation. We'll see what future endeavours I'm going to forward.
II. How to set up modable enviroment
Let me just quickly guide you to the essential tools you should download and install, before starting to download specific modable content for M&B:
1. Notepad++ (essential file editor for scripters)
2. GIMP (essential tool for manipulation of all common image file types, make sure to grab normal map plugin, and .dds plugin as well)
3. Blender (essential modeler tool)
4. Phython (scripting language and necessary prerequisite for the M&B module system, make sure to grab a 2.xx version, do not use anything beyond version 2, as it will not work with M&B module system!)
Now for the resources provided by the developers:
1. Module System and additional downloads
a. If you ask why I don't link to the original games module system -> you shouldn't be modding anything before warband!
b. no, you do not need the additional downloads, only if you're into moddeling animation, or creating shaders
c. make sure you have a copy of Mount&Blade original game(1.011), and Warband installed(1.702)
Now lets move onto setting up the various tools:
1. first install all the essential tools and its plugin content etc.
2. then you're supposed to set up your module system like this:
a. find your M&B warband root folder, by right clicking on your warband desktop link, and copy/paste the target line into explorer
b. open the module folder, copy and paste then rename the copied folder to your mods name(f.e. MyMod)
c. unzip the downloaded module system into your newly created mod folder, additionally make a back up of the unzipped files anywhere on your computer
d. right click on your desktop to create new file named autoexec.bat, right click on file open with Notepad++, copy/paste this code into the file:
note that phython must be installed in its default directory to make the autoexec.bat work!!!
e. safe the autoexec.bat, then execude by double clicking on it
f. find the file named module_info.py inside your module system folder then change the line:
to your module's root path. You can easily obtain that path by simply clicking into the explorer browser, when entering your module folder, copy/paste this line, then make sure you are using / slashes not \ slashes!
g. execute the build_module.bat inside your module system folder, if you did everything correct, the compiled files will be two folder upside from your module folder, if not, then rinse and repeat, or poke the author on giving uncorrect instructions(that's why I'm doing videos in the first place... )
1. Notepad++ (essential file editor for scripters)
2. GIMP (essential tool for manipulation of all common image file types, make sure to grab normal map plugin, and .dds plugin as well)
3. Blender (essential modeler tool)
4. Phython (scripting language and necessary prerequisite for the M&B module system, make sure to grab a 2.xx version, do not use anything beyond version 2, as it will not work with M&B module system!)
Now for the resources provided by the developers:
1. Module System and additional downloads
a. If you ask why I don't link to the original games module system -> you shouldn't be modding anything before warband!
b. no, you do not need the additional downloads, only if you're into moddeling animation, or creating shaders
c. make sure you have a copy of Mount&Blade original game(1.011), and Warband installed(1.702)
Now lets move onto setting up the various tools:
1. first install all the essential tools and its plugin content etc.
2. then you're supposed to set up your module system like this:
a. find your M&B warband root folder, by right clicking on your warband desktop link, and copy/paste the target line into explorer
b. open the module folder, copy and paste then rename the copied folder to your mods name(f.e. MyMod)
c. unzip the downloaded module system into your newly created mod folder, additionally make a back up of the unzipped files anywhere on your computer
d. right click on your desktop to create new file named autoexec.bat, right click on file open with Notepad++, copy/paste this code into the file:
Code:
set PYTHONPATH=%PYTHONPATH%;C:\Phython27
note that phython must be installed in its default directory to make the autoexec.bat work!!!
e. safe the autoexec.bat, then execude by double clicking on it
f. find the file named module_info.py inside your module system folder then change the line:
Code:
export_dir = "../WOTS/Modules/Native/"
to your module's root path. You can easily obtain that path by simply clicking into the explorer browser, when entering your module folder, copy/paste this line, then make sure you are using / slashes not \ slashes!
g. execute the build_module.bat inside your module system folder, if you did everything correct, the compiled files will be two folder upside from your module folder, if not, then rinse and repeat, or poke the author on giving uncorrect instructions(that's why I'm doing videos in the first place... )
Media section
I. Setting up the enviroment
II. Create your own World map
III. Map performance, bug fixing and game import
https://youtu.be/GZgFbNnt2sk
IIII. Blender - edit vertex count
https://youtu.be/8su3JWQSIko
II. Create your own World map
III. Map performance, bug fixing and game import
https://youtu.be/GZgFbNnt2sk
IIII. Blender - edit vertex count
https://youtu.be/8su3JWQSIko
FAQ
1. Why modding on steroids?
Because I like to shape my body and do that the unnatural way...No, seriously, the videos are in high speed to improve workflow and quickly transport information.
2. But there are many other videos and tutorials already?
And? They're also scattered across the whole internet. I want a easy to find source that trys to cover the specific parts I learned, in combination with a visual reference. As I also said, I'm primarly doing this for personal documentation. If this happens to have any useful impact on other newbies, then the thread served its purpose. Also, specially the information regarding mapping world map isn't necessarily up to date, nor is it easy to find all the various scattered snippets of input.
3. Why do you only directly link two videos?
Forum limitation. Can't do anything about it. Even spoiler madness won't forward a cure.
4. Input wanted?
Indeed. Please. I just started modding. The more knowledge you'll share, the greater the benefit of this thread will be, as I'm going to try to preserve the information in the first thread.
5. Isn't this supposed to be in the tutorial section?
Yes, but I can't make a new thread there.
6. Why do you still recommend Thorgrims map editor! It's outdated!
This might be true. But if you've found a way to move around the bugs, and later fix them in other tools, Thorgrims is still the most convenient editor to cover a lot of ground. To finalize your map I'd recommend Blender though.
7. Why don't you link the necessary resources in this thread?
The videos will show you. Google loves us. Nuff said!
Because I like to shape my body and do that the unnatural way...No, seriously, the videos are in high speed to improve workflow and quickly transport information.
2. But there are many other videos and tutorials already?
And? They're also scattered across the whole internet. I want a easy to find source that trys to cover the specific parts I learned, in combination with a visual reference. As I also said, I'm primarly doing this for personal documentation. If this happens to have any useful impact on other newbies, then the thread served its purpose. Also, specially the information regarding mapping world map isn't necessarily up to date, nor is it easy to find all the various scattered snippets of input.
3. Why do you only directly link two videos?
Forum limitation. Can't do anything about it. Even spoiler madness won't forward a cure.
4. Input wanted?
Indeed. Please. I just started modding. The more knowledge you'll share, the greater the benefit of this thread will be, as I'm going to try to preserve the information in the first thread.
5. Isn't this supposed to be in the tutorial section?
Yes, but I can't make a new thread there.
6. Why do you still recommend Thorgrims map editor! It's outdated!
This might be true. But if you've found a way to move around the bugs, and later fix them in other tools, Thorgrims is still the most convenient editor to cover a lot of ground. To finalize your map I'd recommend Blender though.
7. Why don't you link the necessary resources in this thread?
The videos will show you. Google loves us. Nuff said!