posted 02-18-09 06:29 AM ET (US)
When the AoEd/RoRd was originally released by scenario_t_c I noticed 1 small error:
I have found that this field is actually 4 attributes and not one (although the editor shown the pointer to contain two values).
The four attributes:
1. Popup Help ID (string ID)
2. Unknown 1 (always = 1 if popup help ID used)
3. More Help ID (string ID, which actually references a section of the Empires.HLP file)
4. Unknown 2 (always = 2 if more help ID used)
Now, in order to use this knowledge when modifying via AoEd/RoRd let us look at the following example:
EXAMPLE: I want to add new popup help/more help string to my mod
1. Obtain the String IDs for both popup help and more help from the language.dll (or langaugex.dll). This assumes that you have added the text already to the dll file.
2. Let's say that you want to use the string IDs 41,527 and 25,991. Note these down in the following format:
41527 1 25991 2
3. Convert each value into HEX (I recommend using scientific MS calculator, type value in DEC and click HEX radio button to see translation):
A237 1 6587 2
3. Now switch the order of your 4 attributes like so:
1 A237 2 6587
4. Combine the 4 attributes into 2:
1A237 26587
5. Convert to "decimal" (again use MS calculator):
107063 157063
6. Insert these values into the research_%%_pointer attribute. Test to ensure that you get the desired effects.
Just in case you were wondering, the following example actually corresponds to the Tool Age technology (you can check the research_%%_pointer value = 107063 157063 and the string IDs of 41527 and 25991 both relate to the tool age.
Note, if you want to obtain the string IDs for existing technologies simply take the pointer value and work backwards.
research_%%_pointer: Every technology slot should have two pointers with non-zero value to let the game recognize its existence. (0~2147483647)People may have noticed that when adding/modifying technologies the incorrect text is shown via the popup help (i.e. clicking ? on technology icon). It isn't a big issue (who really reads the popup help anyway?).
I have found that this field is actually 4 attributes and not one (although the editor shown the pointer to contain two values).
The four attributes:
1. Popup Help ID (string ID)
2. Unknown 1 (always = 1 if popup help ID used)
3. More Help ID (string ID, which actually references a section of the Empires.HLP file)
4. Unknown 2 (always = 2 if more help ID used)
Now, in order to use this knowledge when modifying via AoEd/RoRd let us look at the following example:
1. Obtain the String IDs for both popup help and more help from the language.dll (or langaugex.dll). This assumes that you have added the text already to the dll file.
2. Let's say that you want to use the string IDs 41,527 and 25,991. Note these down in the following format:
41527 1 25991 2
3. Convert each value into HEX (I recommend using scientific MS calculator, type value in DEC and click HEX radio button to see translation):
A237 1 6587 2
3. Now switch the order of your 4 attributes like so:
1 A237 2 6587
4. Combine the 4 attributes into 2:
1A237 26587
5. Convert to "decimal" (again use MS calculator):
107063 157063
6. Insert these values into the research_%%_pointer attribute. Test to ensure that you get the desired effects.
Just in case you were wondering, the following example actually corresponds to the Tool Age technology (you can check the research_%%_pointer value = 107063 157063 and the string IDs of 41527 and 25991 both relate to the tool age.
Note, if you want to obtain the string IDs for existing technologies simply take the pointer value and work backwards.
[This message has been edited by Rasteve (edited 02-18-2009 @ 09:08 AM).]
