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[MattTheLegoman]

First up, a disclaimer: I don't know how to code or mod. I just make maps and art as an environment artist.

 

This is a guide to adding mods for The Battle for Middle-earth II, The Rise of the Witch King to its World Builder tool. If you've added new assets to your mod like units, rocks, terrain textures or mesh mold models then this guide will help you add those assets to a custom map.

 

 

This is what you need before starting:

• Extracted textures, 3d models, music, audio and code from RotWK. Use FinalBig.
• An asset.dat builder. I have no recommedations for now.

 

Method 1: Setting up a custom World Builder - incomplete

Modifying the original game folder is not recommended, which is why I recommend setting up a custom World Builder. EALA's World Builder program does not have the same DRM as the actual game, and you can make a copy of the program on your computer in a different folder.

• These are all the files and folders that you need to copy into a custom World Builder folder. [image]
• The art and data folders will be from extracted Extract the RotWK's game and art. I recomend keeping a folder with a copy of RotWK v2.01 and a folder with a copy of RotWK 2.02. Please note that BfME loads .big files backwards alphabetically, so extract them backwards alphabetically so patches overwrite correctly.
  ​For RotWK v2.01 you will need to extract these big files.
  • ​W3D.big
  • Textures4.big
  • Textures4.big
  • Textures4.big
  • Textures4.big
  • Textures4.big
  • Terrain.big
  • Shaders.big
  • Music.big
  • ini.big
  • Audio.big
  • _patch201.big

For RotWK v2.02 (current for v7) you will need to extract these big files. [image] Or you can download RotWK v2.01 v7 from their repository (which I forgot the link to).

• Delete these files from the code and replace them with the same files from RotWK v2.01.
  • data\ini\gamedata.ini
  • data\ini\experiencelevels.ini
• Download these files and add them to your custom World Builder folder. It includes a patch to remove the splash screen and the asset builder.

 

The base game's World Builder should now open from this folder. If not you or my above guide did something wrong. I, of course, have this working, and you can PM me for a copy of my base game World Builder folder.

 

 

Method 1: Setting up a custom World Builder - incomplete
Now that you have a custom World Builder folder you can add your mod to it.

• In your custom World Builder folder copy and replace the contents of the art folder and the data folder with assets and code from your mod.
• Create an asset.dat file from the contents of the art folder (RotWK + your mod).
• Delete these files (there may be more) from the code and replace them with the same files from RotWK v2.01.
  • data\ini\gamedata.ini
  • data\ini\experiencelevels.ini
  • And any other gamedata files, for example your mod might use data\ini\object\gamedata.ini or data\ini\gamedatadebug.ini, which do not need to be replaced with the same file from RotWK v2.01, these files aren't from the original game.

 

 

Method 2: Creating a game folder patch for World Builder

Simpler? I am working from The Age of the Ring and the process we take to create these.

• Create a folder with a similar filename so it is first alphabetically in the game folder. Then add the contents of your mod to it.
  !!_Mod
  Copy these folders from your mod into the folder.
  • data\ini
  • data\audio
  • art\w3d
  • art\textures
  • art\terrain
  • art\​compiledtextures
• Delete these files (there may be more) from the code.
  • data\ini\gamedata.ini
  • data\ini\experiencelevels.ini
  • For AotR: data\ini\gamedatadebug.ini
  • For AotR: data\ini\object\gamedata.ini
• Open FinalBig and create a .big archive file from the contents of folder. Click File->New and chose BIG Archive. Then drag and drop the contents of the folder into FinalBig.
• Save the .big archive file as !!_Mod.big and move it to the RotWK game folder.
• Create an asset.dat file of your mod and RotWK.
  • First make a backup of your game folder's asset.dat
  • Then make a temporary folder and copy RotWK's art and then copy your mod's art into it. Your mod should overwrite any original RotWK files if there are conflicts.
  • Use an asset.dat generator.
• Move the asset.dat to the RotWK game foder.

 

 

This guide is incomplete and I got bored writing it given how big it is.

Edited by MattTheLegoman, 10 April 2019 - 09:58 AM.