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#1 Soeveth

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Posted 16 May 2005 - 07:06 AM

Ok im new to this whole modding thing, I've gone through all tutorials I could find, on this site and others. I've searched through 100s of posts but I cant find what im looking for.

I dont plan on doing any heavy moding just some simple ini editing for the moment just to get a feel for it.

I know that I cant play online with edited files so I dont want to change anything in the main BFME folder, So heres my question, how do I get a mod to load.

heres what ive done

since Im just starting I wanted to try something simple. So I decied to try something like edited a heros cost, attack damage, etc.

-so I use finalbig to extract the gamedata.ini so that I can edit it
-I use a text editor (notepad) to open it up and edit the stuff I want and then save it
-I use finalbig again to make a big file using the edited gamedata.ini, called crypt.big
- now I move that file to docemunts and settings\user\app data\me BFME files
- I create a new short cut point to my bfme.exea nd after the " I add -mod crypt.big


when I load bfme with my new shortcut none of my changes are there. What did I do wrong?


Also can some pls explain how a mod launcher works, I got one but I cant figure out how it works.

-Soeveth

#2 Celeglin

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Posted 16 May 2005 - 10:33 AM

You'll need to remove INI.big from your B4ME folder to use the changes. Put it back whenever you want to play online (or use the normal game settings). By simply moving the INI.big in and out of your B4ME folder, you won't have to worry about keeping you gamedata.ini out of you B4ME folder (as the game will automatically load INI.big if it is present).

In sum:
1. Extract your INI.big with FinalBig
2. Edit your stuff
3. Move INI.big to the desktop (or wherever) to play with your new settings.
4. Move INI.big back into The Battle for Middle Earth ™ folder to play with the default settings/online.

I hope that helps/is what you were asking for.

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#3 eRe4s3r

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Posted 16 May 2005 - 12:20 PM

You have to keep the file structure intact

aka your big file should read

crypt.big
|
|--->Data | ---> Ini ---> gamedata.ini
|--->Art | ---> W3d ---> bla.w3d
|--->Art | ---> Textures ---> Texture.dds

for example

also, you have to set the big file to BFME file mode, (some editors support both) and u have to change that urself, last thing, you have to place teh mod in your "My Documents " lotr bfme files dir

#4 ched

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Posted 16 May 2005 - 02:07 PM

You have to keep the file structure intact

aka your big file should read

crypt.big
|
|--->Data | ---> Ini ---> gamedata.ini
|--->Art | ---> W3d ---> bla.w3d
|--->Art | ---> Textures ---> Texture.dds

for example

also, you have to set the big file to BFME file mode, (some editors support both) and u have to change that urself, last thing, you have to place teh mod in your "My Documents " lotr bfme files dir

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>



that would work in most cases but unfortunately, gamedata.ini doesnt take that logic in account meaning you have to edit it in Ini.big itself
otherwise, just edit everything in the object file
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#5 eRe4s3r

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Posted 16 May 2005 - 02:27 PM

so i would have to place the gamedata.ini file directly in the lotr bfme directory? cant be i have to edit the ini.big, how could i ship mods then? i dont think i would want to replace an original file of lotr bfme .)

Edited by eRe4s3r, 16 May 2005 - 02:29 PM.


#6 ched

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Posted 16 May 2005 - 03:28 PM

so i would have to place the gamedata.ini file directly in the lotr bfme directory? cant be i have to edit the ini.big, how could i ship mods then? i dont think i would want to replace an original file of lotr bfme .)

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

well for mods where you need to edit some characters stats, i edit them directly in the object file but it sucks not to be able to edit the commandpoints and stuff :)
if anybody knows if there are other locations in the INI where they can be edited, plz warn me :)
Software is like sex; it's better when it's free ~Linus Torvald

#7 Soeveth

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Posted 16 May 2005 - 07:13 PM

So no matter what I do Im always going to have to move files around, in order to play online? If so is there a Mod Launcher out there that does that for you?

#8 Celeglin

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Posted 16 May 2005 - 07:49 PM

It's only one file really... Just have a shortcut to the B4ME folder on you desktop, and just move the INI.big file from your desktop to you B4ME folder... It's probably a whole lot quicker than trying to do some complicated shortcut/loader... IMO, that is...

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#9 Soeveth

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Posted 16 May 2005 - 08:35 PM

ok, so do I only have the one ini.big file(the orginal) or do I have 2 the orginal and an edited one ans swap them out?

#10 Hostile

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Posted 16 May 2005 - 09:59 PM

I would go with the original method. use the -mymod command line. The issue with the gamedat (EA geniuses) can probably only be fixed easily by adding the gamedata info onto a map ini for the maps in your mod. Just just let the normal gamestats dictate the existing maps.

If your feeling ambitious, could add the map ini or add to the existing map ini from your custom BIG file by having a folder in eh maps directory in your custom BIG file. :p

You'd only have to add it to the MP ones but still alot of work.

(EDIT) Better idea, I looked how mod manager does it and it places pieces of the gamedat ini onto it's own ini file and places that inside the data/ini/object folder. I will have to test if I place the gamedata chunk there in my modded BIG file if it reads it correctly.

This would make sense as the objects are parsed last and make override the existing parsed gamedat file. Gotta lover mod manager program. :p

#11 ched

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Posted 16 May 2005 - 10:28 PM

I would go with the original method. use the -mymod command line. The issue with the gamedat (EA geniuses) can probably only be fixed easily by adding the gamedata info onto a map ini for the maps in your mod. Just just let the normal gamestats dictate the existing maps.

If your feeling ambitious, could add the map ini or add to the existing map ini from your custom BIG file by having a folder in eh maps directory in your custom BIG file. :p

You'd only have to add it to the MP ones but still alot of work.

(EDIT) Better idea, I looked how mod manager does it and it places pieces of the gamedat ini onto it's own ini file and places that inside the data/ini/object folder. I will have to test if I place the gamedata chunk there in my modded BIG file if it reads it correctly.

This would make sense as the objects are parsed last and make override the existing parsed gamedat file. Gotta lover mod manager program. :cool:

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>


great cause i dont feel like editing 200 maps :p
Software is like sex; it's better when it's free ~Linus Torvald

#12 Guest_Guest_*

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Posted 17 May 2005 - 02:53 AM

ok I switch out my ini.big with with one where I changed the price of a hero, but when I loaded the game to check if it worked or not, the price was still the same, I checked to make sure I had the right ini.big in there and did. Why didnt it work?




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