Changing values in a saved game

[unmerged(2633)]

Hello,
as i live in a backward country known as France, i am still playing EU1.
i would like to know if it is possible to change some values in a saved game file (the file.eug edited with wordpad)
for example, can i de/in crease my badboy value by just modifying the number in the file?
can i modify the values of leaders and/or monarchs in the samefile?
are those changes sufficient or do i have to do some other manipulation?
(i am playing IGC)
i know this question may seem one asked by a very lazy person ( i could try); but no, it is jsut that technically inapt as i am, the risk of crashing my PC and the refrigirator is too high to do this without backup from distinguished experts.
Thanks

 

[unmerged(6909)]

Yes, you can change it within the savefile.
There are things to take care of:

1. make a copy of the file before any changes are made or save it under a different name until you're very sure what you're doing. This is even useful if you're an expert at editing since typos can happen everywhere and they are a bit hard to find if you edit too much at once.

2. Some variables are stored in more than just 1 location. Example: If you want to change polands relations with austria you'll have to edit the relations of poland to austria and austria to poland.

3. removing a major to make them annexable. There are even more things to change. This is described by Huszics iirc (there is a link to his pages in of the topics at this page).

4. Wars, battles and controlled provinces are stored in different places, too. Wars in the beginning (the stars/gravestones are stored there), battles at the end and controlled provinces are stored after the country tag for that nation.

5. there are more examples


Badboy: search for "badboy". It's found shortly after the country tag. Just edit it.
leader: search for country tag, leader name, start date or whatever you remember. So far I have only changed their death dates since I forgot one of my pretty explorer when he appeared.

I've only changed savefiles. I haven't done it with the settings for a new game.

 

[unmerged(2633)]

all my thanks

thanks a lot nebukadnezar for your very helpful answer.
i will try the changes asap

 

[unmerged(3748)]

Basically, make backups and fiddle around until you get it right - trying stuff is the best way to learn.

 

[unmerged(3627)]

The worst thing that can possibly happen is that EU won't load the saved game any more: so, unless it's one that you were especially proud of and wanted to keep (in which case, why the blazes are you cheating in it ) there's not much to worry about. Try altering something, and if it doesn't work, try doing it a different way.

There are lots of old threads in the FAQ detailing how to change things, if you can be bothered to search for them.

 

[Barkdreg]

maybe you could download the leader editor, very useful.
Can be found in one of the sticky threads

 

[Sorcerer]

You can pretty much edit away at nearly everything, the only thing that is a bit problematic are alliances (because of their ID). When you remember to remove them from their old country, you can even change the owners of provinces (I just tried that, O.K.? I never used it to my advantage in a game ).

 

[Nikolai II]

Also, if you use text editor, don't save when you are done, just quit the editor and click yes when it asks you to save. If you save it usually changes the file extension to .txt which is useless.