A couple of very annoying problems with my modding

[Thistletooth]

1. I've been adding some custom flags/shields that I got a while ago, but for some reason, the game simply won't recognize them. They are bitmaps, indistinguishable from any of the others as far as I can tell. The only difference that I can tell is that they're 23KB instead of the usual 36KB. I created a nation (u07), put it in the game, and then named the shield file "shield_u07". And the image doesn't come up (yes, I reloaded the game). I then changed the nation to Texas, changed the nation entry in the scenario csv and inc file, renamed the image "shield_tex", and the same thing happened.

I've downloaded other custom flags/shields and gotten them to work, but these just aren't working for some reason.

The "Texas" shield:


(It's normally a Bitmap, but Photobucket apparently turned this one into a png)

The in-game shield:




2. I've redone the tech tree, and reshuffled everything from the tech numbers to their locations on the tech screen. I set Early Mountain Division to tech #1500, gave it the techname "TECH_APP_INFANTRY_50_NAME", then went into config/tech_names.txt and changed that entry to "Early Mountain Division". But both the game and the game editor display the tech name as "Modern Infantry Division". The tech effect is correct, the tech year is correct, but the name isn't. I searched every file in my HoI folder for "Modern Infantry Division", but it simply doesn't exist anywhere, not with the underlines or without. There appears to be exactly nothing in the entire folder that says "Modern Infantry Division", but that's what the game displays. I did a search for "Early Mountain Division", and it directs me to config/tech_names.txt.

Most other techs are showing up as they should, but the Mountain (1500-1550) and Marine ones (1600-1650) are displaying as Infantry, Logistics, Mech, and Paratrooper divisions. Only the second Marine tech (Improved Marine Division) is displaying properly.

What's going on?

[Yukala]

I have experienced the flag display problem. I had to abandon all spoiled flags and start over with ones that are correct from the get go. By size, file ecetera. It is easier to spoil them than make them.

Of the tech problem never encountered it. But someone must have for many mods completely rework the tech-tree.

[Thistletooth]

Originally Posted by Yukala

I have experienced the flag display problem. I had to abandon all spoiled flags and start over with ones that are correct from the get go. By size, file ecetera. It is easier to spoil them than make them.

Of the tech problem never encountered it. But someone must have for many mods completely rework the tech-tree.

"Correct from the get-go"? How would that make the "Texan" flag up there look any different?

EDIT: Woohoo! Inspired by your post, I did a manual drag-copy of the contents fo the 23KB image file and pasted it on the regular 36KB Texan flag (from one of my other Doomsdays), and it worked. OK, one problem down.

[Yukala]

Originally Posted by Thistletooth

"Correct from the get-go"? How would that make the "Texan" flag up there look any different?

They are being 'altered' everytime you 'save' them by the operating system hosting the program. In other words, they cannot change in file size unless they have been altered.

[Thistletooth]

I'm sorry, but I just have to bump this. I started my modding over (fresh copy), making the minimal changes, just to test the techs, and I'm no closer to understanding what's going on.

From vanilla Armageddon 1.1a whatever install

1. I copied db/tech/infantry.txt from the old game to the fresh one.

2. I copied and pasted a part of config/tech_names.txt - only those entries that deal with infantry:

- TECH_CAT tech screen tags
- TECH_APP_INFANTRY, TECH_CMP_INFANTRY, and SHORT_TECH_APP_INFANTRY, the names displayed for each technology and application

3. I checked to make certain that each infantry tech had its own individual entry, with no duplications for tech number, location, or title/description, and - as far as the files are concerned - everything matches up perfectly.

Every tech entry except for the Mountain techs (1500-5) and Marine techs (1600-5) looks alright, but nine of the twelve techs are messed up somehow. Three (#1601, #1604, #1605) are fine, while #1504 has the correct TECH_APP and TECH_CMP, but the wrong SHORT_TECH_APP text. The other eight techs are completely wrong, with short and full descriptions that suggest they are infantry, mechanized, para, or logistics techs.

What comes as the greatest surprise to me is that I completely eliminated all paras from the game, and merged Mechanized into the same path as cavalry and motorized. There are only two Mechanized techs (and descriptions) remaining - Semi-Mechanized and Improved Mechanized. But the game and editor display techs #1600 and #1601 (which are supposed to be Early and Improved Marine Divisions) as Modern and Elite Mechanized Divisions. Tech #1500, which should be Early Mountain Division, displays "Modern Infantry Division". I did a search through the entire game's directory for "Modern Infantry Division", and the only references are in the units folder, in the infantry and militia files. I have no idea whatsoever where the game is getting that description. The game editor displays the same things as the game, while the tech files display their own entries.

Something is really weird here, and I have no idea what's causing it. I am unable to continue my tech modifications, since I don't know how to correct this. Can anybody shed some light on this? For whatever reason, two little files aren't being read properly by either the editor or the game itself, which are pulling text seemingly out of thin air to replace the ones I want them to display. It's extremely frustrating.

[Yukala]

Originally Posted by Thistletooth

I'm sorry, but I just have to bump this. I started my modding over (fresh copy), making the minimal changes, just to test the techs, and I'm no closer to understanding what's going on.

From vanilla Armageddon 1.1a whatever install

1. I copied db/tech/infantry.txt from the old game to the fresh one.

2. I copied and pasted a part of config/tech_names.txt - only those entries that deal with infantry:

- TECH_CAT tech screen tags
- TECH_APP_INFANTRY, TECH_CMP_INFANTRY, and SHORT_TECH_APP_INFANTRY, the names displayed for each technology and application

3. I checked to make certain that each infantry tech had its own individual entry, with no duplications for tech number, location, or title/description, and - as far as the files are concerned - everything matches up perfectly.

Every tech entry except for the Mountain techs (1500-5) and Marine techs (1600-5) looks alright, but nine of the twelve techs are messed up somehow. Three (#1601, #1604, #1605) are fine, while #1504 has the correct TECH_APP and TECH_CMP, but the wrong SHORT_TECH_APP text. The other eight techs are completely wrong, with short and full descriptions that suggest they are infantry, mechanized, para, or logistics techs.

What comes as the greatest surprise to me is that I completely eliminated all paras from the game, and merged Mechanized into the same path as cavalry and motorized. There are only two Mechanized techs (and descriptions) remaining - Semi-Mechanized and Improved Mechanized. But the game and editor display techs #1600 and #1601 (which are supposed to be Early and Improved Marine Divisions) as Modern and Elite Mechanized Divisions. Tech #1500, which should be Early Mountain Division, displays "Modern Infantry Division". I did a search through the entire game's directory for "Modern Infantry Division", and the only references are in the units folder, in the infantry and militia files. I have no idea whatsoever where the game is getting that description. The game editor displays the same things as the game, while the tech files display their own entries.

Something is really weird here, and I have no idea what's causing it. I am unable to continue my tech modifications, since I don't know how to correct this. Can anybody shed some light on this? For whatever reason, two little files aren't being read properly by either the editor or the game itself, which are pulling text seemingly out of thin air to replace the ones I want them to display. It's extremely frustrating.

I have one idea which may be it, from reading about other modding ARMA, (I do not have it).

In order to accomodate extra tags for instance ARMA adds another file that it makes a call to. This file is global by nature. And I think there is more than one instance of this. So if this is the way they change hard-coding and yet still leave add-ons exposed there could be 'another' file affecting tech change germain to ARMA that you need locate and deal with in some manner.

Best idea I have.
Good luck!!

[Thistletooth]

Are you referring to config/boostertext.txt? I already checked there. No answers, no references to "Modern Infantry Division" or "1605"). Are there any other new files? Maybe something with text that wouldn't turn up in a generalized search?

[Ayeshteni]

Originally Posted by Thistletooth

Are you referring to config/boostertext.txt? I already checked there. No answers, no references to "Modern Infantry Division" or "1605"). Are there any other new files? Maybe something with text that wouldn't turn up in a generalized search?

There are Tech names at the bottom of doomsdaytext.csv in the config folder.

Ayeshteni

[Thistletooth]

Originally Posted by Ayeshteni

There are Tech names at the bottom of doomsdaytext.csv in the config folder.

Ayeshteni

I think that's it. Aye, you beautiful bastard!


So, I tried another search for "Modern Infantry Division", and it still didn't turn up anything. I searched the DD-ARM folder...nothing. I searched config...nothing. But it is in the file, and I can now change it. Something's still messed up, but at least I can continue with my modding now.