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Age of Empires III Heaven » Forums » Modding Discussions » TWC Tutorial: Creating an unit
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Topic Subject: TWC Tutorial: Creating an unit
Lord Tahattus
Supreme Emperor
posted 07-15-07 03:16 PM EDT (US)   


Creating an unit
by Huayna Capac, Inca of the Tawantinsuyu




Huayna Capac says: Good afternoon. This tutorial will teach you how to add very simple units and complicated ones. But STOP right now! You won't mod without these stuff:
  • Searched on Google and downloaded AoE3ED.
  • Got a trial version of Photoshop CS 3, at www.adobe.com
  • Read my List of Modding No-nos, that will tell you everything that you can't do when modding.

    Extract the Aoe3ED files. It's a .zip. Put them in a folder easy to find. You'll get two programs:



    Archive Viewer is used to open .bar files, compressed AoE3's files, just like a .zip or a .rar. File Converter is used to convert from AoE3 file types to Photoshop/Notepad readable files and vice-versa.

    Huayna Capac says: There are five file types that you must know, they are: .tga, .ddt, .xml, .xmb and .txt. TGA is an image, usually texture, that can be read and edited by Photoshop, but cannot be read by AoE3. It can be converted into a DDT by the File Converter. AoE3 reads DDTs. XMLs are the texts that contain all kinds of information, and we'll use them a lot when modding. It can be read by Notepad and AoE3. However, you won't find XMLs inside the .bar files, but XMBs, which are a compressed form of XMLs. They're smaller, but cannot be read by Notepad and must be converted into XMLs. TXTs are Notepad files, we may use them sometimes. AoE3 cannot read TXTs, so we need to convert them into XML. Easy task, just rename them:



    To convert a XML, XMB, TGA or DDT, you may open the File Converter and select the files or just drag them over the program's icon.

    Huayna Capac says: AoE3ED is a very powerful tool and extremely easy to use. It reads .xml, .xmb, .ddt, .tga, .txt and .wav files. Before opening any file, activate the preview function, so you'll be able to preview the file you're selecting. This will make things easier, you won't need to extract XMLs anymore, just copy texts directly from AoE3ED.



    The most important .bar files are:

  • data.bar and data2.bar, found inside the data folder. Data2 comes with TWC.
  • art1.bar, art2.bar, art3.bar and art4.bar, found inside the art folder. Art4 comes with TWC.
  • Sounds.bar and SoundXML.bar, found inside the sound folder.

    When modding, we'll always consider the main AoE3 folder, found inside Program Files\Microsoft Games\Age of Empires 3. So, don't make questions about the "My documents" folder or I'll throw you into Titicaca lake.

    Huayna Capac says: Words are wise, but work is wiser. Songs are wisest! So I summon all Huacas, bring the instruments, let's sing the Modder's song!

    ♫♪♫ Modding is copy and paste, hooray, hooray ♫♪♫
    ♫♪♫ Modding is copy and paste, hooray, hooray ♫♪♫

    While trying to create something
    Kastor pees at you
    While trying to skin an unit
    Matthew makes you fool

    That's because you don't create,
    You just copy, you just copy
    That's because you don't create,
    You just paste, you just paste

    ♫♪♫ Modding is copy and paste, hooray, hooray ♫♪♫
    ♫♪♫ Modding is copy and paste, hooray, hooray ♫♪♫

    Don't start a new mod
    Join one that already exists
    People do need help
    Choose the one better fits

    While trying to create something
    Kastor pees at you
    While trying to skin an unit
    Matthew makes you fool

    ♫♪♫ Modding is copy and paste, hooray, hooray ♫♪♫
    ♫♪♫ Modding is copy and paste, hooray, hooray ♫♪♫


    Remember, young warrior: You don't know how to mod. If you create a thread about "your new mod", Kastor will pee at you. And he drinked A LOT yesterday, I hope you brought your umbrella. There are a lot of mods waiting for skinners/coders, why not joining one of those?

    Huayna Capac says: Let's start with a very simple unit, that everybody loves: the janissary archer. Very simple, uh? Are you going to create it from scratch?
    ♫♪♫ Modding is copy and paste, hooray, hooray ♫♪♫
    ♫♪♫ Modding is copy and paste, hooray, hooray ♫♪♫

    No, you aren't. So you need to copy from something and you need to paste somewhere. "Somewhere" is obviously your new unit. And the "something"? We're going to work on an archer, so let's think about... "What unit is an archer, in AoE3?"

    Huayna Capac says: Open proto.xml or protox.xml. These files are found in the data folder and they may be in XMB format. Convert them to XML if needed. Search for the british longbowman, "longbowman". It's much easier turning a longbowman into an janissary than turning a janissary into an archer. You'll find these tags:


    Important/special tags explained:
    Unit's ID and Name (every unit requires different number and name)
    Name of the unit, appears in game. It's defined by stringtable.xml.
    Shows what are that unit's model and animations.
    Shows the long description of an unit and the short description.
    Line-of-sight and the "aggressive" LOS - the unit will only attack units inside that radius!
    How long does it take to be trained?
    The XP produced when unit is killed/produced.
    The "UnitTypes" show many characteristics of your unit. COPY AND PASTE!
    More characteristics, but these ones other units cannot alter.
    The tactics file. Will be explained later.
    Every single type of attack requires tags like these.
    End of Longbowman.
    ║ Lord Tahattus - Register yourselves at the WotTA forum!
    ║ WOTTA WEBSITE!
    ║ War of the Triple Alliance Beta!
    ║ Flags for new Civilizations, The Asian Dynasties, Knights and Barbarians and Napoleonic Era
    ║ TWC Tutorials: Basics of Modding - The List of Modding No-nos - Adding a Nation - Music and Sounds - Initilization Failed
    WotTA back to active!

    [This message has been edited by Lord Tahattus (edited 07-23-2007 @ 00:16 AM).]

    • Author
    Replies:
    Lord Tahattus
    Supreme Emperor
    posted 07-15-07 03:17 PM EDT (US)     1 / 7  
    Being constructed! Wait!
    ║ Lord Tahattus - Register yourselves at the WotTA forum!
    ║ WOTTA WEBSITE!
    ║ War of the Triple Alliance Beta!
    ║ Flags for new Civilizations, The Asian Dynasties, Knights and Barbarians and Napoleonic Era
    ║ TWC Tutorials: Basics of Modding - The List of Modding No-nos - Adding a Nation - Music and Sounds - Initilization Failed
    WotTA back to active!
    Captain_Soanso
    Skirmisher
    posted 07-15-07 07:09 PM EDT (US)     2 / 7  
    I love it already... wait, Kastor pees on you??? EEWWWW...
    Also known as ProvostGuard

    Please feed the animals. Click here! (the link is correct this time!)
    alvaro_qc
    Skirmisher
    posted 07-16-07 10:48 AM EDT (US)     3 / 7  
    While trying to create something
    Kastor pees at you
    While trying to skin an unit
    Matthew makes you fool
    Lol
    Argalius
    Skirmisher
    posted 07-16-07 11:35 AM EDT (US)     4 / 7  
    You've got some serious issues, man.
    || argalius.elpea.net
    || Cherub at AoE3H
    || In honor of FlipBizcut
    || Mod: The Age of Crusades
    Angel Walker
    Skirmisher
    (id: Just a player)
    posted 07-16-07 12:05 PM EDT (US)     5 / 7  
    That has to be the best tutorial. Ever. Well, at least the best first half of a tutorial.

    I'll try to find a place in my sig for a line or two of that song.
    ESO - Walker

    >> Napoleonic Era --> Visit their Homepage!
    "Holy *****" > Thunder (Ensemble Studios)

    Retired from AoE3. But I do play AoK HD in Steam now and then.

    [This message has been edited by Cherub Walker (edited 07-16-2007 @ 12:08 PM).]

    Elpea
    Hal
    (id: lp_usa)
    posted 07-16-07 12:19 PM EDT (US)     6 / 7  
    Holy shit. Hopefully I'll make all of this useless soon .
    Lord Tahattus
    Supreme Emperor
    posted 07-23-07 00:15 AM EDT (US)     7 / 7  
    ZOMG!! I'm so sorry! My modem just BLOW UP! I was without internet. I'm still using it, although it's divided in 2 pieces. I'll finish it soon.
    ║ Lord Tahattus - Register yourselves at the WotTA forum!
    ║ WOTTA WEBSITE!
    ║ War of the Triple Alliance Beta!
    ║ Flags for new Civilizations, The Asian Dynasties, Knights and Barbarians and Napoleonic Era
    ║ TWC Tutorials: Basics of Modding - The List of Modding No-nos - Adding a Nation - Music and Sounds - Initilization Failed
    WotTA back to active!
    Age of Empires III Heaven » Forums » Modding Discussions » TWC Tutorial: Creating an unit
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