Attempting to convert MDS to AoD

[Paul Hanson]

The thread title pretty much gives you the basic gist of what I'm attempting to do here. I've taken the MDS2 1.6 beta files and copied them directly over a pre-existing install of AoD 1.04, and am now trying to iron out the problems as they come. I've managed to get to the country selection screen, but when I select a country and attempt to start a game, AoD crashes about half-way through the loading process, without any explanation (all the previous crashes were preceded by warnings of incorrect syntax in leader files, and the like).

Is there any way I can find out what is causing the crashes? I appreciate that my conversion method is somewhat slapdash, but I've practically no modding experience whatsoever and figured that this was as good a way as any to start.

 

[unmerged(189717)]

Leader files should definitely not work. Try to delete them and see weather this makes things better (or at least gives you a decent error message).

BTW, does MDS use a map mod?

 

[von Sachsen]

Also, the config file is completly incompatible as it has new values in AOD.

 

[Paul Hanson]

Is there any particular reason why the leader files wouldn't work? Many of the previous errors were due to duplicate leader IDs, which I was able to correct (as best as I can tell, at least). And yes, IIRC MDS uses the E3 map mod.

Precisely which values in the config file are new in AoD?

 

[unmerged(63886)]

Is there any particular reason why the leader files wouldn't work? Many of the previous errors were due to duplicate leader IDs, which I was able to correct (as best as I can tell, at least). And yes, IIRC MDS uses the E3 map mod.

Precisely which values in the config file are new in AoD?

AFAIK MDS uses their own modified map. Not the E3 map mod.

 

[unmerged(30953)]

AFAIK MDS uses their own modified map. Not the E3 map mod.

Yes, we are using our own map.
Basically it's the HoI2 standard map modified in certain areas which are important for gameplay.

 

[Paul Hanson]

Oh, right. My apologies.

Would that cause a problem at all? When I first fired MDS up I did leave it for some time to calculate the naval distances table (I believe that's what it does when you fire the .exe up for the first time with a new map, right?)

 

[Fürstbischof]

When I first fired MDS up I did leave it for some time to calculate the naval distances table (I believe that's what it does when you fire the .exe up for the first time with a new map, right?)

Yes, when I started today the E3 map for the first time I had a similar experience. The game has to recalculate the naval distances table, which does take some time, up to 10 minutes I have read here in the forums.

 

[Paul Hanson]

Yes, when I started today the E3 map for the first time I had a similar experience. The game has to recalculate the naval distances table, which does take some time, up to 10 minutes I have read here in the forums.

I figured as much. It appears to have done this with little trouble; the problem I have now is that it crashes whilst attempting to load the MDS scenario, and I have no idea what's causing it to crash as there's no feedback from the program. If the progress bar is any guide, it does manage to load the vast majority of the scenario before crashing back to Windows.

 

[unmerged(63886)]

I figured as much. It appears to have done this with little trouble; the problem I have now is that it crashes whilst attempting to load the MDS scenario, and I have no idea what's causing it to crash as there's no feedback from the program. If the progress bar is any guide, it does manage to load the vast majority of the scenario before crashing back to Windows.

It shouldn't depend on the new map since all the MDS files are already adapted for the new map.

Can't remeber where, but I remember reading a post about some crucial points that were to be revised if one wanted an ARMA mod to work with AOD. Perhaps it was unit modifiers? And config, no doubt, but that shouldn't cause the game to crash..

 

[Paul Hanson]

Can't remeber where, but I remember reading a post about some crucial points that were to be revised if one wanted an ARMA mod to work with AOD. Perhaps it was unit modifiers? And config, no doubt, but that shouldn't cause the game to crash..

Hmmm. Are there any tools available that can give me some indication of what file AoD is attempting to read when it crashes? I've been tinkering with ProcMon, but it's proving somewhat tricky to filter out the vast amount of superfluous info it gives me. Has anyone had any luck with other tools/methods in the past?

 

[unmerged(63886)]

Hmmm. Are there any tools available that can give me some indication of what file AoD is attempting to read when it crashes? I've been tinkering with ProcMon, but it's proving somewhat tricky to filter out the vast amount of superfluous info it gives me. Has anyone had any luck with other tools/methods in the past?

Haven't heard of anyone used it, but better use the method of by adding one file at the time and see where it stops working.

If I could do a bet, I bet a 10$ that the cause of the CTD lies within the DB folder.

First, add folder maps and scenarios in order to test wheter the map and scenario files causes any problems. What I could think of that will cause problemes, is 1) new intelligence system compared to vanilla and 2) national ideas. If this phase work, let's continue to step two. Otherwise, open up a vanilla AOD .inc file and see how they differ from an MDS .inc and adjust accordingly. Don't forget to disable events by going into main MDS scenario file and add an # before the reference to the event database found in db/events.txt: otherise it will complain about that and CTD.

Secondly, take world_names.csv (in config), country.csv (in db) whole GFX folder and folders ministers, leaders and teams (note, NOT the techs that are within the folder tech, but just the folder named teams in tech). I can't think of anything here that should cause a crash, so better to go to step three.

Third: Add files in db one by one; folders units, techs, modifiers, allow event to be read in etc and probably here you will find the problem. When you tracked it down, come back and post and I'm sure we can help you.

Folders AI and config shouldn't cause so much problem even if there will be differences between arma and AOD but it will only be lots of wrong placed names & unknown string wanteds that can be corrected along the way..

Same for folders tutorial, avi, music and sfx. Shouldn't cause crash. And perhaps stupid question but I can't remember if it's adopted in AOD or not, but IIRC start date of MDS GC is 1001, you've applied a NTL patch so the .exe works as it should?

 

[bestmajor]

paul maybe ask the core guys (tegethoff?) for help. as they already converted their mod they should be able to tell you where the difficulties are.
good luck!

 

[Paul Hanson]

Haven't heard of anyone used it, but better use the method of by adding one file at the time and see where it stops working.

If I could do a bet, I bet a 10$ that the cause of the CTD lies within the DB folder.

First, add folder maps and scenarios in order to test wheter the map and scenario files causes any problems. What I could think of that will cause problemes, is 1) new intelligence system compared to vanilla and 2) national ideas. If this phase work, let's continue to step two. Otherwise, open up a vanilla AOD .inc file and see how they differ from an MDS .inc and adjust accordingly. Don't forget to disable events by going into main MDS scenario file and add an # before the reference to the event database found in db/events.txt: otherise it will complain about that and CTD.

Secondly, take world_names.csv (in config), country.csv (in db) whole GFX folder and folders ministers, leaders and teams (note, NOT the techs that are within the folder tech, but just the folder named teams in tech). I can't think of anything here that should cause a crash, so better to go to step three.

Third: Add files in db one by one; folders units, techs, modifiers, allow event to be read in etc and probably here you will find the problem. When you tracked it down, come back and post and I'm sure we can help you.

Folders AI and config shouldn't cause so much problem even if there will be differences between arma and AOD but it will only be lots of wrong placed names & unknown string wanteds that can be corrected along the way..

Same for folders tutorial, avi, music and sfx. Shouldn't cause crash. And perhaps stupid question but I can't remember if it's adopted in AOD or not, but IIRC start date of MDS GC is 1001, you've applied a NTL patch so the .exe works as it should?

Thanks for taking the time to help here; much appreciated. My only concern with this is as follows; if I remove all these files that AoD is surely expecting to find, will I not be causing it to crash for different reasons? Lets say that the crash I'm getting is caused by something in one of the tech files; if I remove it and AoD crashes through a sheer inability to find some information that it needs in order to start the scenario, how am I going to know the difference between that and a crash caused by incorrect formatting, say?

Sorry if I'm being a bit long-winded here, but you understand what I'm saying, right?

paul maybe ask the core guys (tegethoff?) for help. as they already converted their mod they should be able to tell you where the difficulties are.
good luck!

This is not a bad idea, actually, and I can't believe it didn't occur to me before. I'll try PMing them and see if they can help in anyway. Thanks!

 

[Paul Hanson]

OK, I'm making progress (I feel) by comparing the vanilla AoD files and the MDS ones side by side, and adding missing info where appropriate, but so far it still crashes whilst trying to load the scenario. Has anyone got any idea how to narrow down my search even the tiniest little bit? The only real clues I have are that loading of the scenario progresses considerably (the progress bar almost completes before crashing), and that the selection of country appears to have some effect on how far it can load (if I select the UK it will crash sooner than if I select the off-map European Union, for example).

 

[unmerged(63886)]

Thanks for taking the time to help here; much appreciated. My only concern with this is as follows; if I remove all these files that AoD is surely expecting to find, will I not be causing it to crash for different reasons? Lets say that the crash I'm getting is caused by something in one of the tech files; if I remove it and AoD crashes through a sheer inability to find some information that it needs in order to start the scenario, how am I going to know the difference between that and a crash caused by incorrect formatting, say?

Sorry if I'm being a bit long-winded here, but you understand what I'm saying, right?

I understand how you think, but you missed one point: you're replacing vanilla files with modded files and thus, the "working" ones from vanilla still works, so that is not an issue.

I.e. You replace vanilla armor tech tree with MDS tech tree. If it loads (as it should) fine, if not = there you have a problem. It won't lack info because you will not remove any vanilla files, merely replace them, so they won't ever lack any information.

I'm sorry english isn't my native language (so it's a bit hard to explain how I mean in another langunge) but I hope I made it somewhat clear.

 

[bestmajor]

hi Paul

again i have no other advice as to ask eg

Kaiserreich (or at least looking at their compatibility patch - this should contain the necessary upgrades as far as i understood this):

http://forum.paradoxplaza.com/forum/showthread.php?t=466438

1914

http://forum.paradoxplaza.com/forum/showthread.php?t=477173

or CORE:

http://forum.paradoxplaza.com/forum/forumdisplay.php?f=529

again good luck!

EDIT: Atruejedi from SMEP is also converting if i'm getting this right:

http://forum.paradoxplaza.com/forum/showpost.php?p=11319285&postcount=276

 

[Paul Hanson]

It's OK, I just managed to get it load a few minutes ago. The cause of the crash was, of all things, the bg_technology_overlay.bmp file in gfx/interface. Who'd have thought it?

It proved a little fiddly, but I'd highly recommend ProcMon for this sort of thing, as it was the thing that pinpointed the problem for me (it was the last file that AoD tried to read before crashing out). Playing around with the filters for a while sorted out the superfluous info from the useful!

Now that the task of getting it to load is done, I just have to sort out the other niggles. I'm going to try it now with events and see how far I get! Thanks for all your help, guys.

I leave you with the following:

View attachment 25900

 

[unmerged(63886)]

Nicely done, my friend! And please tell me, how's the overall speed? In ARM, MDS was a bit sluggish (due to all the nations, troops and the war in Iraq, IIRC) and since AOD isn't any faster than ARM (atleast on my end), that's something I'd like to know.

Perhaps if you have the interest, you could ask the MDS guys (killerrabbit, Zokan, etc) if you may do an patch to take advantage of all the features introduced by AOD? Even though I can't commit myself to any larger work, you can always ask here or ask by PM if you want some help about modding.

 

[Paul Hanson]

Speed wise it seems pretty fair, although there is a noticeable pause at the beginning of every day whilst the game performs various calculations. I remember the previous version of MDS on DD being pretty sluggish at times, but this seems to run quite well. Obviously, I can't comment on your setup, but it runs pretty smoothly on my Core i5 w/4GB of RAM.