A Large Modding Task So I Need Help

[GhostHunter]

Hiya all modders or people who help in anyway to make mods :),

Since I have seen some cool ideas for a mod I would like to make my own. Its gonna be like KH2 where Sardukar replace Ordos but I want to try this out on my own.

Thing is I've never modded before so I do not know where to start, so if you could please, help me to start making mods and give me good detailed descriptions on what to do I would REALLY appreciate it....Thanks :)

[Apollyon]

ill be glad to help, but surely you could think up a more original idea for a mod that one that seems so often used? :-

[GhostHunter]

Well I dont like Ordos, powerful yes just my least fav, and I want to start somewhere so can ya help me?

[DukeLeto]

Where the Sardaukar replace Ordos? *cough*Corrino's Revenge*cough* :P

[IxianMace]

Ok here are some files that I think you should at least take a peek at. I highly recommend the Mod Help file by Alphabeta4000, it was very useful to me when I had no idea what all the variables meant in the Rules.txt

Modding information

Nema Fakei's site provides good detail on how to alter most of the elements of Emperor Battle for Dune, however it can be hard to understand at first, if you have no idea what you are doing, so I'd recommend trying your hand at modding for yourself before going to that site for instructions on how to change things that are more complicated than simple .txt editing. Good luck. :)

[GhostHunter]

Thanks a lot man :),

Now when I want to alter stuff I have to make copies of files so if I mess something up I dont alter the game bad or something right? And if I have to make copies what files are these?

[IxianMace]

Well if it's only editing the stats of the game that you want, you'll only need the ArtIni.txt and the Rules.txt files. Make a folder named 'Model' in your EmperorData directory (C:WestwoodEmperorData in most cases) and put these two files in there. You'll need DuneEx2 to extract the ArtIni.txt from the MODEL0001.RFH file. Extract the Rules.txt from the MODEL0002.RFH file, NOT the MODEL0001.RFH file, since the 1.09 patch replaced the old Rules.txt file that was in MODEL0001.RFH, and you don't want to be using an outdated Rules.txt file do you? ;)

DuneEx2 along with a variety of other mod utilities can be found here.

[Apollyon]

well at your stage of modding, you only really need to worry about INI editing, because of this you dont need to backup any original files. As for the INIs themselves (thats the rules and artini btw) you should back them up every change you make, otherwise you could make an irrepairable bug somewhere and thats the end of that mod.

Also take a look at some of the tutorials you can see by visiting my site (see my sig for the addy).

and before you start a "large modding task" I'd reccomend you just try adding a unit of your ownn design and such first. Once youre sure you can do that without any problems, move on to the bigger stuff and we'll all help if you get stuck.

If youre out for recruiting a modding team heres a list of modders I know well enough to judge:

INI Editors: inoculator 9, Ixianmace

Texturers: Frodo, Goldeagle

Icon makers: Goldeagle

XBF editors: Goldeagle, Inoculator 9 (?)

heh goldeagle appeared a lot there lol. You could put Frodo under any of those tho but I dont think hed help now anyway. As for myself I know the INIs like the back of my hand, I'm getting into texturing (trying to anyway ;D), I can make fairly good icons and I can make a mean XBF (edit one that is).

And what I meant about originality earlier is that why have house corrino replacing a side? Why not use a different house, maybe one of your invention? Why not even move the entire game out of the Dune universe like I did with ITDG?

[Inoculator9]

I could certainly help. And if you are planning a Corrino mod then you'll have to do a really good job for people to think it's worth it. I would recommend doing something like, Ix replaces Ordos. For that you would really just retexture everything white, lol. But I'd be glad to help you with any ini editing, I'm really good with rules and strings. Also, you might want to check out my adding units tutorial. If you dont know how to do that it can be very helpful. Also, I can make xbf files, with a little difficulty. I could also help with textures, I cant really edit them but I have a program that allows me to "sharpen" them, or make them more detailed.

[GhostHunter]

Think I'm gonna add a diffrent force instead of Corrino, give ya more info on it ahead along with storyline, and thanks for the support Inco, I think I'm gonna need a lot of help comin up soon lol.

[Inoculator9]

Did I mention that I'm also very good with stories?

[Dunenewt]

[deleted]

[GhostHunter]

How do I A) Apply This to game and B) Make it in zip to post here

[guusr5644]

ill help if any needed *cough* i also do INI *cough* ::) i know all the mod basics and advanced stuff...

[Dunenewt]

How do I A) Apply This to game and B) Make it in zip to post here

What do you mean?

[Inoculator9]

If I understand your posts correctly you should really look at some modding tutorials. But for B you WinZip. For A you need to know the files and folders.

[Apollyon]

like I said to you earlier to apply your rules and artini changes you neednt do anything but save them and make sure theyre in the Model dir, you DO NOT have to recompress them into model01.rfh.