Liberators of America:mod for BOA

[Halberdier]

Hi guys

I will try to make a mod about Liberation of America from Spanish Empire ( you can read here: http://www.ageod-forum.com/showpost.php?p=106575&postcount=29.

I try to use BOA_CSV as a basis to start the work. But the game Crash when I try to change the Names from Unit_CSV. Any body can Help?




For the moment, whith the help of member Aryaman, I can mod graphics of Units, Army and Portraids. Here two examples:

Spanish Empire forces:
I try to change the name "Sir Thomas Gage" for "Pablo Morillo", but I can't.


Revolutionary Forces (Mexican)
Another example I can't change the name of units of Francisco Mina http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Francisco_Javier_Mina



Thank you

[PhilThib]

I advise you go into more detailed exchanges with Aryaman. You can also contact me by PM to get more details and direct communication.

You need to use the whole WIA database and modding documents according to the steps described, else it will not work...

You can also contact expert modders on this forum, such as Stwa or JastaV (among others, I know there are plenty of them, I leave to all here the decision to move to the frontline... )

[lodilefty]

Are you modding BoA or WIA [BoA2]?

Just to be sure which DB, etc. you'll need

[PhilThib]

If you allow me, and because of the game scope of your mod, I would suggest you use WIA rather than BOA...

[Halberdier]

Thanks for the help! I will mod BOA (not WIA). I think it will be more easy TO ME to start and finish.


The problem: when I change the names of the file Units_BOA43.CSV the game crash:



I must to change any other column or file ?

[Halberdier]

But the main reason I mod BOA is because I not have the WIA database here:

http://www.ageod-forum.com/showpost.php?p=42555&postcount=1

[lodilefty]

I'm not clear.. You're editing the csv or the DB files [xls] ?

You should refer to modding in the AACW Wiki. It also applies to BoA

http://ageod.nsen.ch/aacwwiki/Modding_AACW

Also the BoA modding guide here:
http://www.ageod-forum.com/showthread.php?t=5358

Changing units and models is best done in the DB [xls files], then extract them to csv, then split with csv splitter.

Then, you must make the unit aliases match up in your scenarios...

Everything refers to everything else in the AGEOD system. It only takes one slight difference to cause error or CTD..... Been there, did it many times

And I agree with PhilThib: Stwa is far and away the Primo guru of BoA modding...

[lodilefty]

But the main reason I mod BOA is because I not have the WIA database here:

http://www.ageod-forum.com/showpost.php?p=42555&postcount=1

Patch 1.02d is in the works, and AFAIK, DB will be publlished with it...

[Halberdier]

-Im convert original XLS to CSV
-Im edit CSV

then Im editing on csv. (but the image post is from XLS)

DB will be publlished with it

OK I will try , and for the moment I advance in the mod.

[lodilefty]

-Im convert original XLS to CSV
-Im edit CSV

then Im editing on csv. (but the image post is from XLS)


OK I will try , and for the moment I advance in the mod.

I find it easier to make copy of xls, do changes, then extract....

...but it sounds like you are crashing because of basic alias errors..

Next crash, please upload ScriptReport.txt here [found in \Scripts folder] and MainLog.txt [found in \Logs]

[Halberdier]

Better, I edit XLS (change the name unit "Sir thomas Gage" for "Pablo Morillo") and then convert CSV....and not crash OK, but nothing change as you see ....Here what I try to do:

[PhilThib]

Yes, because you are not doing things in the proper way and it is a bit more "complex" than it seems...

To change a leader (or any other unit in the game), you need to process step by step, as follows:

1 - change the model description in the models.xls file
2 - change the unit in the units.xls file, based on 1 above
3 - change the scenario xls according to 2 above
4 - alter the strings.xls file for the various text (which is what you 'see' in the game)...

This is a minimum...once you get to know how it works, it become as easy as it is sometimes cumbersome...but working with xls may help speed up the process

[Halberdier]

I need more files to edit. OK.

I will try.Thank you.

[Stwa]

Here would be some of my top suggestions for starting a project of this magnitude.

1. Consider WiA, since there is no upgrade path for BoA.

2. Consolidate most if not all of your DB worksheets for scenarios and the Local BoA and Global Age strings into one worksheet. This is a MASSIVE time saver, and is especially good if you are working alone. You can be more productive than an entire staff of tweekers. You would be surprised how the same names are spread accross various scenarios. Also, you can make naming conventions consistent accross all worksheets in seconds using simple find and replace procedures.

3. If using BoA, use version 1.12a. If you don't have that maybe Ageod can find one. If not I have one. If using this version be sure to use the BoA Splitter ONLY. I have one of those too.

4. Always work with the XLS sheets. Save them independently to CSV files. I keep them all in the same directory, It's much easier that way. Never modify a CSV file. Only use it as input to the Splitter exe. Leave the CSV files around in your work area because when you save from your xls, you can simply click on the sheet name you want to save. Again saves a ton of typing mistakes.

5. I use 2 command files that were hand made by moi. One copies all the generated model and unit files to my mod game directory, including the alias files, etc.. The command file then deletes these from my work directory, to keep it tidy. This is a huge timesaver as you will modify models and units over and over again. The second command file will copy scenario related files (scripts, region/city files, etc..) to the right places in the mod game directory prior to scenario compilation. Again, this is a good time saver.

Here are the commands for CopyUnitModelFiles.cmd.

DEL C:\"Program Files"\"Birth of America"\BOA\GameData\Models\*.mdl
DEL C:\"Program Files"\"Birth of America"\BOA\GameData\Units\*.uni
COPY *.ini C:\"Program Files"\"Birth of America"\BOA\Aliases\*.ini
COPY *.mdl C:\"Program Files"\"Birth of America"\BOA\GameData\Models\*.mdl
COPY *.uni C:\"Program Files"\"Birth of America"\BOA\GameData\Units\*.uni
DEL *.mdl
DEL *.uni
DEL *.ini

Here are the commands for CopyScenarioFiles.cmd

COPY Script.ini C:\"Program Files"\"Birth of America"\BOA\Scripts\Script.ini
COPY *.sct C:\"Program Files"\"Birth of America"\BOA\Events\*.sct
COPY *.inc C:\"Program Files"\"Birth of America"\BOA\Includes\*.inc
DEL *.ini
DEL *.sct
DEL *.inc

Attached a picture of my Scenario Modding Folder. Its simple, but it worked for me.

[Halberdier]

Thank you very much Stwa.
I see that this mod maybe is a lot to me. I must to read your help careful because although I have the historic knowledge, I did not have the know-how to do the mod. In any case thanks again for take a look here.

[Pocus]

BOA is not supported anymore. No update will be done in case you find a bug. I strongly suggest you move to WIA, with an up to date and refined database, and live Betas.

[Stwa]

Well,

1. BoA 1.13d definately has some very aggrevating bugs in it.

2. BoA 1.12a seems to be very good. Perhaps there are bugs, but if there are I haven't seen em yet or I am not paying enough attention.

3. WiA, the list of bugs/issues in previous versions has been made public by Ageod. (see that list for details)

4. Since all my mods prior have been for BoA, I continue to mod with that game. Its very simple and I find 1.12a stable and the AI in some respects better than the more modern incarnations. Once the map was cleaned up, I started liking eveything a lot better.