Is it possible to view folder of current game in progress?

[interbastian]

Hello, I thought I would give modding a try..
reverse engineering style.

Let me explain, there is a default templates folder in the base game.
But then as the game progress you make changes to your templates.
Is it possible to view those changes in a game folder just as you can view starting game templates in default folder?
And if yes, where can i Find it?

Appreciate your help.

 

[CaesarVincens]

Anything that's specific to a playthrough should be in its save file. I'd imagine you'd be able to see the templates there, though I've not looked through HoI4 saves very much, so I'm not sure where exactly you'd find them.

 

[interbastian]

Yeah where is the question.
As far as I know the "code" of the changed saved game file can't be opened and viewed.
But just as you say this should be recorded somewhere in code.

 

[AP Erebus]

I would imagine all changes for a save (such as custom templates. Etc) are all stored in the save file.

I don't know if the save file format has been reverse engineered to be editable.

@bitmode might know.

 

[bitmode]

In Documents/Paradox Interactive/Hearts of Iron 4/settings.txt there is a line save_as_binary = yes. Change that to "no" and any new saves will be created in a readable text format.
If you are interested in the binary format, I made a Python conversion script: https://hoi4.paradoxwikis.com/User:Bitmode/hoi4bin2txt

Edit: and the save files are in Documents/Paradox Interactive/Hearts of Iron 4/save games

 

[interbastian]

In Documents/Paradox Interactive/Hearts of Iron 4/settings.txt there is a line save_as_binary = yes. Change that to "no" and any new saves will be created in a readable text format.
If you are interested in the binary format, I made a Python conversion script: https://hoi4.paradoxwikis.com/User:Bitmode/hoi4bin2txt

Excited to try this out when I get back home, cheers mate!

 

[interbastian]

In Documents/Paradox Interactive/Hearts of Iron 4/settings.txt there is a line save_as_binary = yes. Change that to "no" and any new saves will be created in a readable text format.
If you are interested in the binary format, I made a Python conversion script: https://hoi4.paradoxwikis.com/User:Bitmode/hoi4bin2txt

Edit: and the save files are in Documents/Paradox Interactive/Hearts of Iron 4/saves

Where do I find the folder containing the new readable templates?

 

[bitmode]

Where do I find the folder containing the new readable templates?

When you save the game, it creates a single, huge (~1,000,000 lines) save file; not a folder. As mentioned, save files are in Documents/Paradox Interactive/Hearts of Iron 4/save games. You'll then have to search through the file for the thing you want. Here is an example, searching for "division_templates":

... 74195 other lines ...
division_templates={
    division_template={
        id={ id=1 type=52 }
        name="Motorised Division"
        division_names_group="ENG_MOT_01"
        country="ENG"
        original_tag="ENG"
        foreign_template_tag="---"
        priority=1
        allow_new_equipment=yes
        support={
            engineer={ x=0 y=0 }
            recon={ x=0 y=1 }
        }
        regiments={
            motorized={ x=0 y=0 }
            motorized={ x=0 y=1 }
            motorized={ x=0 y=2 }
            motorized={ x=1 y=0 }
            motorized={ x=1 y=1 }
            motorized={ x=1 y=2 }
        }
        template_counter=-1
        origin_type=master_host
    }
    [...]

If your template has a particular name, you can of course just search for that.