New Specialists...

[Paladin_ADC 0]

Greetings All...

Im sure youve probably seen several of my other FNG posts around here...time for another one!

I have been able to model a basic model ith 3DS Max and overwrite some of the GR files to get my new character to work in game, and it does, but...

I want to make some new specialists. I've put "Paladin_ADC_body.rsb" and all the other needed files into the "specialists" folder...but how do I make them available in-game? Is there some kind of log file that I need to edit?

Also, how to I make them available for each mission? Especially Quick Missions or on MP maps with others who have the same mod that I do?

Thanks!

-Paladin_ADC

[thales100 44]

You have to edit (with note pad) the .atr files, for example, if you want to add your new models to one of the heroes, go in the actor/hero folder and edit the respective file.

[Paladin_ADC 0]

Thales,

Thanks for that. I dont think Im explaining myself though. I already figured out how to do that. ...what Im trying to do is make my new "specialists" available during the game in addition to the ones who are already there...Im not looking to overwrite the files, I just want to add my characters to the list that the computer uses. Im having trouble finding that file...but Ill keep poking around in the meantime.

[thales100 44]

K, you dont have to overwrite, just copy all atr files you wanna change, what means add the new chrs, paste somewhere in your pc, like the desktop, add all chrs, and add them to a mod you make, with the same folders like the original game.

Check some mod to find out the structure of the folders, its really easy, and dont forget the modscont, without this small file the game cant recognise the mod.

To add new characters, youll need basically the .chrs, the new textures and the .atr with the name of your characters.

Edited December 18, 2006 by thales100

[Paladin_ADC 0]

Is there a tutorial anywhere that explains how to make a full-blown mod as far as GR's file system is concerned? Ive just been making new files one at a time and either over-writing the original files, OR reprogramming original files to access the modifications. Thanks.

[thales100 44]

"Additional infos by JTF-2

let me explain the main file types and structure [all in a mods main directory]:

Actor folder - contains .atr files (can be opened in notepad). these have tell the game what skin and face texture to use for the characters. Also how many skill points they have and what kit they use.

Character folder - contains .chr and .rsb files. The .rsb's are the texturesfor the characters, these can be edited in photoshop. The .chr's are the 3d models of the characters.

Equip folder - contains .gun files. (can be opened in notepad). These tell the game all of the information for a specific weapon: name, accuracy, magazine size, what texture and 3d model to use etc.

Model folder - contains .qob's. 3d models for guns, items in levels, and effects

Sound folder - contains .wav's. Also the effects.xml. If you want a sound in game you have to add not only it's wav to this folder, but you also have to put it in the effects.xml

Texture folder - rsb's. textures for levels and non-playable characters mostly.

Kit's folder - contains .kit files. editable with notepad. contains information about what guns go in what kit, how many magazines to give them, and what texture to use with the kit.

Map Folder - contains the textures and 3d models for the maps.

Mission folder - contains the missions with written briefings, fog details etc."

Thx to Stalker.

[Paladin_ADC 0]

Thanks Thales. So, if Im understanding this correctly, Im just going to copy the file directory the the "origmiss" mod into a new mod folder and edit it as required? and then GR will recognize the new characters and weapons? And from that point it will "add" these files to the GR gameplay?

[thales100 44]

Exactly, all you have to do is to set your mod a higher priority, in the menu in game, than Desert Siege and Island Thunder, for example, and so on.

GR is a lovely game to add, play and desactivate mods, the menu is very intuitive.

There is no overwriting this way, you can just deactivate the mod, and everything is like before.

Edited December 18, 2006 by thales100

[Phlookian 0]

OK, here's what I think you should do (because it sounds as though you've already made some destructive changes to the game file:

Go to the main folder and look for these files:

c_unlockedhero.xml

d_unlockedheroes.xml

pa_unlockedhero.xml

unlocked_heroes.xml

unlocked_missions.xml

Copy these to a new folder (not in the GR main folder)

You will only have all of them if you have both expansion packs

Next:

Locate all the files you've altered and copy them to the same location

Also save any mods in the mod file except: origmiss, Mp1 and Mp2 to this location

Now:

Uninstall Gr and do a complete fresh install (when it asks you if you want to save your game files say "no")

THis should put everything back where you found it

Put your mods (if any back to the mods file)

Replace any of those first 5 files if you have them with the ones you saved

Now open Igor and in the top left menu click on File/ mods/ new

This will create your new mod directory

Put all your saved/ altered files here in the correct folders

With this mod active the new files will overwrite the old ones (but non-destrctively)

If the new mod folder doesn't have the folder you need (motion, sounds etc) then create it

Good luck

[Paladin_ADC 0]

SWEET DEAL! Thanks Guys. ...Ill try this right away... And I dont have to do a complete reinstall to get it back...I made copies of the original files and put them in a folder called "ORIGINAL FILES" In case I wanted to put it back, I could just re-overwrite the modded files.

[Paladin_ADC 0]

...well, it works! ...mostly...

I do have one question though.

Ive created a specialist named "Tracker". I just copied and renamed the Jack Stone files for the base and re-skinned the character and renamed him and put him in my "MOD>ADC>CHARACTER>SPECIALIST" folder. I then added his name to the unlocked hero.xml file, but he's not showing up in GR. Ive already "activated" my mod, but he's still not there. Any ideas? Thanks.

[CommandoCrazy 0]

...well, it works! ...mostly...

I do have one question though.

Ive created a specialist named "Tracker". I just copied and renamed the Jack Stone files for the base and re-skinned the character and renamed him and put him in my "MOD>ADC>CHARACTER>SPECIALIST" folder. I then added his name to the unlocked hero.xml file, but he's not showing up in GR. Ive already "activated" my mod, but he's still not there. Any ideas? Thanks.

I never change the names of my .atr files. jack_stone.atr stays jack_stone.atr even if it's a completely different chr.

Try it, I think that's the issue.

CC

[Phlookian 0]

Hmm................Weird!

What mission are you trying?

The list of specialists for the 2 add on packs have different specialists

The same approximate characters, but different uniforms etc and, because there are fewer missions,fewer specialists.

There are different tags for the "desert" and "jungle" characters because of this

Just a thought

[Paladin_ADC 0]

I dont have either expansion installed because my 2nd "Gold edition" disc is all jacked up. ...I tried loading a few quick missions and I tried loading the first mission in the campaign. ..niether seem to work. Ill try keeping the original .chr filenames in-tact and see if that works. Do I need to tell the "unlocked heroes.xml" that my hero is in my Mod folder, or will it find him there automatically?

I tried leaving the "Jack Stone" stuff alone and just changing the Tracker.atr file to look for and use that base, but that didnt work either.

[Phlookian 0]

I'm pretty sure that everything you change for pathing is in the actor (.atr) files, other than that it should find a way (unless of course Jack isn't unlocked)

Other than that................. Ask me one on sport

[Paladin_ADC 0]

Do I need to encode the "unlocked heroes.xml" file to tell it to look in my mod for new specialists? The interesting thing that happened when I left the Jack Stone stuff alone and just used those file in my mod is that Jack Stone is now available, but he's using the skins my from my mod instead his normal skins.

[Paladin_ADC 0]

Scratch that...Ive been able to make it work...not sure if it's the "right way", but it works.

The new question I have is am I limited to 12 specialists in GR, or can I have more? And if so, how?

[CommandoCrazy 0]

12 is the limit. You can have different ones for DS or IT though.

CC

[WhiteWolf McBride 0]

HAH...

Someone else hit this from another angle. I also wanted to enable all my specialists in all the 'episodes' as well, and the total is 13 after ya add Haile. That answers one of my questions.

Whats the PA_UnlockedHeroes.atr for? I had the basic, C_ & D_ ones, but that one wasn't present.

Has anyone managed to bypass the 12 specialist limit, or 'intercept' this by making a mod to one of the managers to let you select the specialists you want for this 'Game Session' (essentially writing a temporary UnlockedHero.atr file) or will we have to resort to this manually.

I'm just venturing into the area of modding, having 'tweaked' characters and weapons in the base game a bit, ans simple switches with IGOR that sometimes did odd things.

Has someone talked to the mods about a " Best of Mods " Sticky-List of mods for those of us that are download-crazy?

And why don't the Specialist snipers get ghillie suits? That always bugged me.

[WytchDokta 6]

And why don't the Specialist snipers get ghillie suits? That always bugged me.

You can add the ghillies as attachments, atleast in IT anyway. But then, each of the specialist character models is different, and they are wearing webbing unlike the reg. snipers, therefore the webbing pokes through the ghillie. The only way that can be fixed is to manually adjust the ghillie to fit it around the webbing (using 3D Studio Max), as I'm doing for the friendly snipers in DANFOR (Danish Forces mod)

Edited January 1, 2007 by WytchDokta