Creating a mod
Download corsix: http://modstudio.cor...ownloads-5.html
1. click new mod.
2. enter your mod name, I’m going to call this mod tutorial.
Many modtools only work with dark crusade so that is what I will be using for this tutorial.
3. choose dark crusade.
Many modtools only work with the cd version of the game.
Game folder should be C:\Program Files (x86)\THQ\Dawn of War – Soulstorm
4. click create.
Your mod folder and .module file has now been created
5. in your module folder delete all folders except Data and Locale
6. open your mods .module file with a text editor and delete the following lines
DataFolder.1 = %LOCALE%\Data
DataFolder.2 = Data
DataFolder.3 = Data_Shared_Textures\%TEXTURE-LEVEL%
DataFolder.4 = Data_Sound\%SOUND-LEVEL%
DataFolder.5 = Data_Music
DataFolder.6 = Data_Whm\%MODEL-LEVEL%
7. add this line:
DataFolder.1 = Data
Initial setup is now done.
Contents of a mod
In corsix open Data and attrib
Some of the contents are self explanatory but I will explain the ones that are not. From top to bottom:
Ebpextensions are reference material you can copy into the ebp files below. The contents of this folder don’t have any effect ingame. Don’t change them.
ebps contains stats for the entitys within squads, buildings, and map objects.
formations are squad formations, there is a link to them in the squad sbps file.
modifiers are reference material used in many places. The contents of this folder don’t have any effect ingame. Don’t change them.
race bps is race level data like min and max squad cap.
requirements are reference material used in many places. The contents of this folder don’t have any effect ingame. Don’t change them.
Sbpextensions: reference material for sbps files below. Don’t change them.
Sbps is information about squads, like morale, number of squad members, etc.
tables is mostly reference material, however tuning.rgd does have ingame effects, on all races.
Tuning folder is reference material that has no effect.
All the folders that start with type_ are options within other files in the attrib folder
ebps and sbps stand for entity blueprints and squad blueprints respectively.
Creating a new squad
Now we’re going to create a new squad just using corsix. No new art required.
1. In corsix open epbs/races/space_marines/troops
2. right click space_marine_tactical_bolter, choose make a copy of this file
3. name the new file space_arine_devastator.rgd
Oops we made a spelling error, heres how to fix it.
4. in windows explorer open C:\Program Files (x86)\THQ\Dawn of War - Dark Crusade\tutorial\Data\attrib\ebps\races\space_marines\troops
5. change the file name to space_marine_devastator.rgd
Corsix doesn’t automatically recognize when file names change.
6. close the space_arine_devastator window in corsix
7. in the upper left select mod>refresh file list
you should see the new file name now.
8. now go to sbps/races/space_marines
9. right click space_marine_squad_tactical, choose make a copy of this file.
10. call it space_marine_squad_devastator.rgd
Now we have to make the new squad use the new entity we created in step 5.
11. open space_marine_squad_devastator and go to squad_loadout_ext/trooper_base
12. on the right change ebps\races\space_marines\troops\space_marine_tactical_bolter.lua to ebps\races\space_marines\troops\space_marine_devastator.lua save the file.
Now we have to add the squad to a building to use it ingame.
13. in corsix go to epbs/races/space_marines/structures, and open space_marine_barracks
14. open spawner_ext/squad_table and add your new squad to the list, click save.
Now start dark crusade, go into the game manager and activate your mod.
Start a skirmish game as space marines and you should be able to build the new squad. Its currently a clone of the tactical squad however so lets make some more changes.
15. in corsix open space_marine_squad_devastator and go to squad_ui_ext/ui_info
16. click screen_name_id on the left, then on the right change data_type from DoW UCS Ref to Text
17. change the value to Devastator Squad
18. click squad_reinforce_ext, lets make the max_upgrades 8, and change the requisition cost to 70
This only changes the reinforcement cost however.
19. go back to the ebps file we made earlier and change to cost to 70 here too.
The cost of creating the squad is the cost in the ebps file times the min number of squad members in the sbps file.
Now lets change their starting weapon.
20. now open combat_ext/hardpoints/hardpoint_01/weapon_table/weapon_01
muzzle is the direction the gun points when idle.
name_for_this_weapon_choice controls the mesh, firing animation, sound, and fx of the weapon, defined in the object editor.
Origin is where projectiles spawn, for weapons that use projectiles.
Weapon is the weapon’s stats file in the attrib folder, defining damage, rate of fire, etc.
Origin and muzzle x and y values must be the same. Under weapon muzzle and origin, x goes to models right, y goes up, and z moves it forwards. Negative values move it the opposite direction. Same as the marker coordinates in OE. When you change the muzzle and origin you must train a new unit for the changes to take effect.
21. Now open weapon_05
22. right click muzzle to copy, then right click weapon_01, choose paste into
23. copy the other three entries in weapon_05 to weapon_01 the same way
You can delete weapon\space_marine_missile_launcher_tactical.lua from weapon_05
Now start the game and you should have a devastator squad spawning with missile launchers.
Adding more entries to a table
You may have noticed that the space marine barracks only has space for 10 squads in the spawner_ext.
So how to add more?
1. Right click squad table, choose add child.
2. type squad_11
3. now expand the squad_table, left click squad_11
4. on the right side, change data_type to text.
5. make sure to remove false from the value, as that will crash the game if you leave it there.
You can now add an 11th squad to the barracks.
Random information
In the epbs file
entity_blueprint_ext:
animator tells the game what model to use
minimum_update_radius defines how close the camera has to be when the animation starts, for sound and fx to play.
Scale is the units collision radius. If its too small units will move through each other.
Event manager makes certain modifiers apply vfx to the unit.
Under health_ext
armor is compared to the armor piercing types in the weapon file
So if a unit has 100 armor and is shot by a weapon with 60 armor piercing against its armor type, then the damage is reduced by 40%
Entitys and squads both have a ui ext. entity ui_ext is only used when the mouse hovers over the unit on the battlefield, and for hero ui in the upper left. The rest of the time, squad_ui_ext is used.
