Modifying SP Missions

[Palyarmerc]

Whilst trying to get 'VIP2 is Down Redux' to work I discovered You can play your modded maps Co_Operative too !!.

It said to put the mission03 into 'local/english/levels' folder it worked - but only for single player

Knowing that Brettzies Weapon mod worked, and using that mod I placed it in

'bp_weapons_pack_v4.0/levels/mission03' folder and it worked - but only for single player.

(this requires knowledge of how mods work, but that's a question you can ask if you don't find the answer elsewhere on GR.net)

I then read somewhere about requiring the mission03_ni file

...so here's what I did...

I extracted the quick.bundle and got to work on a mission in the editor- I chose Mission03 again.

(I'll not cover how I did this here, using the bundler and that, it's all expalianed in [GR] Modding)

Once I'd moved the enemies around to new locations and paths I just Saved, no 'Export'

I copied my new mission03.xml to 'bp_weapons_pack_v4.0/levels/mission03' folder

I copied and pasted the mission03.xml AGAIN to the same folder but called it mission03_ni.xml

I copied my new world_1.xml to 'bp_weapons_pack_v4.0/levels/mission03/xml' folder

I renamed the world_1.xml to world.xml, copied and pasted it AGAIN but called it world_ni.xml

...Now, when I chose LAN co-op mission03 'VIP2 is Down' I got my re-scripted mission.

Some Oddities....I tried all methods with 'skip insertion' ticked, but got full length Insertions..

Chose not to have a mission03_ni.xml = custom mission - no narcom - but Heli Drop from new direction

Chose not to have a world_ni.xml = default mission - narcom - usual Heli Insertion

Chose not to have neither *.*_ni.xml and you'll get the default mission

Any Questions?

[fishmonger]

none of this will work on a dedciated server

[Palyarmerc]

My main gripe about GRAW centered around not having a tactical map for everyone. We used to use grid-maps for tactical team work...and GRAW made it even more necessary, and yet it was absent from co-op.

..so basically I hadn't found out how easy this type of mod was til now...means I can create variations of the co-operative campaign for me and my friends...which is nice

as for dedi-servers, thats ok, I can host

[Palyarmerc]

A Slightly more detailed description, (for my reference if nothing else, in case I forget)

Create new folders on C: --> C:\GRAWEXTRACTED\root\data

Using the 816kb (critical to this tutorial) bundler file in the Bundles folder - open command prompt and type

---!!! be patient while it extracts the game contents each time !!!---

(firstly) bundler extract -r quick.bundle data C:\GRAWEXTRACTED\root\data

(then secondly) bundler extract -r patch.bundle data C:\GRAWEXTRACTED\root\data

After you have extracted the quick.bundle and patch.bundle

find the mission in the C:\GRAWEXTRACTED\root\data\levels folder

*COPY* (safer) the mission01 folder to your work folder

path_to_graw/custom_levels/work/mission01

create a new DESCRIPTION.XML<br>

path_to_graw/custom_levels/work/mission01/description.xml

EXAMPLE:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>

<description>

<menu name="mission01" mode="MPCoop" />

<level_desc value="" />

<level>

<set value="city"/>

<set_graffiti value="0"/>

<backdrop_cube value="atlas_mission_spec_editor/backdrop_cube_d"/>

<mission_time value="day"/>

<cube value="atlas_mission_specific/mission02_specific/cube"/>

</level>

<export>

<export_name value="mission01"/>

<gametype value="MPCoop"/>

<lightmaps value="true"/>

<ai_graph value="false"/>

<lightmap_resolution value="medium"/>

<lightmap_num_passes value="5"/>

</export>

</description>

The main Set Values are HISTORICAL, CITY, GHETTO, INDUSTRIAL

now this bit is important and applies to mission01 only - the coop version is pre-fixed _coop

missio01_coop.xml

mission01_coop_ni.xml

So, complicated as it is, I'm using this mission as my example

rename (or delete) mission01.xml --> mission01xml.off

renamme (or delete) mission01_ni.xml --> mission01_nixml.off

and in the xml folder

rename (or delete) world.xml --> worldxml.off

renamme (or delete) mission01_ni.xml --> world_nixml.off

Now, rename the following co-op files by removing the _coop bit

mission01_coop.xml --> mission01.xml

mission01_coop_ni.xml --> mission01_ni.xml

world_coop.xml --> world.xml

world_coop_ni.xml --> world_ni.xml

You can now use the editor to change positions of enemies, or if you are braver, other stuff depending on your abilities

but I advise just changing numbers and locations of enemies if you are new to all this because other stuff need to be done if you change too

much and the mission might not work

OK

You need all the other files to edit the mission - YOU NEED ONLY SAVE ON CHANGES NO EXPORT

but once done, you only need to move the

mission01.xml --> in mission01 root (manually edited if you change area names etc)

world_6.xml --> in mission01/xml (use your last saved version number world_0 or world_19 etc.)

to your mission folder and mission/xml folder respectively

You need to do it twice so you have the following

mission01.xml --> copy twice and rename them --> mission01_coop.xml .. mission01_coop_ni.xml

world_6.xml --> copy twice and rename them --> world_coop.xml .. world_coop_ni.xml

Create an English folder if you do not have one, so that it becomes

path_to_graw/local/english/levels/mission01

I use brettzies weapon mod folder to activate my modded cooperative campaign mission-- so my example tree is

path_to_graw/local/bp_weapons_pack_v5.0/levels/mission01/xml

For all other missions it should be a simple case of copying the output mission02.xml and world.xml files

to the correct folders - the critical bit is the inclusion of the *DESCRIPTION.XML* you create in root mission folder in order to see the mission in your editor - so to start, once again you'd need to copy a description.xml or create one using the template (and checking the original 'Set Value') - voila, edit away!

CREATE BATCH FILES IN YOUR GRAW ROOT DIRECTORY FOR EASE OF USE

(created in notepad, 'save as' all file types)

graw.exe -o context-editor.xml

'save As' --> EDITORBOOT.bat

graw.exe -o contect_bp_weapons_pack_v5.0.xml

'save As' -->LAUNCH_BRETTZIES_V5.bat

Edited April 10, 2011 by Palyarmerc

[Papa6]

I read in the official GRIN pdf document that for those who want to skip the insertion, since some are long, THEN you create a mission03_ni.XML file.

Edited November 30, 2014 by Papa6