Can't figure out ArtDefs in Modbuddy

[anansethespider]

I've got a modpack that's working outside of ModBuddy. I can place the modpack in my Mods folder and load the game, and everything is hunky dory.

But when I try to put my .dep file and artdefs through the modbuddy, everything goes awry. Either all my units end up invisible, or they appear exactly the same as base game with no changes. I can't figure out what's going wrong.

Can anyone who's been able to modify units through the new modbuddy (Gedemon, I'm looking at you!), please explain to me the process of adding their artdefs and .dep file to the Modbuddy?

 

[TheRealHellBlazer]

When you add a Mod to modbuddy it gives your mod a new GUID you must update your .dep file with the new GUID otherwise any .artdef files it is associated with will not load.

 

[anansethespider]

When you add a Mod to modbuddy it gives your mod a new GUID you must update your .dep file with the new GUID otherwise any .artdef files it is associated with will not load.

Did that. Any other ideas?

I'm thinking the problem must be the way I'm executing build actions or something.

 

[TheRealHellBlazer]

You are adding the .dep file as an UpdateArt in the properties of the solution..?

 

[anansethespider]

Did that. Any other ideas?

I am, I'm doing it on the Front-End actions. The weird thing is it shows up in the modinfo as <UpdateArt id = xyz> whereas before it was sucessfully loading as <ModArt id = xyz>

 

[TheRealHellBlazer]

Yeah, they changed the way is sets out the modinfo files, try also adding it as UpdateArt in the In-Game Actions part that is what I did.

 

[anansethespider]

Yeah, they changed the way is sets out the modinfo files, try also adding it as UpdateArt in the In-Game Actions part that is what I did.

kk, tried it as both front-end and in-game, still getting everything invisible.

When I'm selecting files to put under the UpdateArt action it shows me all the files I added, and also has an option for (Mod Art Dependency File) which is not something I named myself. Any idea what's going on with that?

 

[TheRealHellBlazer]

I don't know what you mean, I just set the method to UpdateArt then click add and it lets me pick a file. That is all I did.

 

[anansethespider]

You are adding the .dep file as an UpdateArt in the properties of the solution..?

I'm assuming you mean here in the properties of the project, not the solution. When I open the solution's properties I don't see anywhere to add Actions like that, only in the project.

 

[anansethespider]

I don't know what you mean, I just set the method to UpdateArt then click add and it lets me pick a file. That is all I did.

When I go to select the file I always see one additional file there that I didn't add myself. Its name is in parentheses and its called (Mod Art Dependency File) but I don't know what it is. I'll take a pic and post it, one sec.

 

[anansethespider]

It's clearly running the .dep when I look in the Modding log. And there are no errors there.

In the database log it runs clean as well.

When I open the ArtDef log, it doesn't seem to be finding any of my ArtDefs. Which means, for whatever reason, my .dep isn't connecting to my ArtDefs I guess. I've made sure the GUID and name match, so I don't know what gives.

 

[TheRealHellBlazer]

Well I create the package in modbuddy Ctrl+Shift+B then upload with the tool from the main SDK window, I don't upload directly from modbuddy.

 

[anansethespider]

Well I create the package in modbuddy Ctrl+Shift+B then upload with the tool from the main SDK window, I don't upload directly from modbuddy.

Yea that's what I meant. Everything works fine except the artdef/dep file.

 

[Gedemon]

It's clearly running the .dep when I look in the Modding log. And there are no errors there.

In the database log it runs clean as well.

When I open the ArtDef log, it doesn't seem to be finding any of my ArtDefs. Which means, for whatever reason, my .dep isn't connecting to my ArtDefs I guess. I've made sure the GUID and name match, so I don't know what gives.

Sorry I won't have time to try to convert RED to modbuddy this WE.

 

[Tssha]

Are you loading (Mod Art Dependency File)? Because all the example mods I've looked at load it.

...I have no idea what it is or what it does, but maybe it's part of how ModBuddy parses the art in the mod? In any case, it sounds important...and if it sounds important, likely a programmer felt it was important. So it might be critical.

 

[anansethespider]

Are you loading (Mod Art Dependency File)? Because all the example mods I've looked at load it.

...I have no idea what it is or what it does, but maybe it's part of how ModBuddy parses the art in the mod? In any case, it sounds important...and if it sounds important, likely a programmer felt it was important. So it might be critical.

I've tried a few combinations with it. It seems that when you load (mod Art Dependency File) it creates a new .dep file in the UpdateArt component, but it doesn't actually show up inside the mod folder. So I think you're right, I think it has SOMETHING to do with the problem and solution, but I still can't decipher what.

 

[anansethespider]

I made a smaller, more specific mod to test what's going wrong here. It adds a single district to the game DISTRICT_FISHERY, with a single icon, a couple text tags, an ArtDef and a .dep file that references it. When I load the game the district appears in tech tree/production menu and can be built just fine. But it appears completely invisible.

Here's the log from the cooker:

Starting AssetCooker...
Opened output file: C:\Users\Chris\Documents\My Games\Sid Meier's Civilization VI\Mods\TestDistrict\ArtDefs/Districts.artdef
Cooking ArtDef: (Districts.artdef).
Unable to find the ArtDef (Landmarks.artdef) referenced by Districts.artdef >> District >> DISTRICT_FISHERY >> Landmark >> Landmark1 >> Xref.
Districts.artdef >> District >> DISTRICT_FISHERY >> Landmark >> Landmark1 >> Xref has had its value replaced with its default value.

Unable to find the ArtDef (StrategicView.artdef) referenced by Districts.artdef >> District >> DISTRICT_FISHERY >> StrategicView >> StrategicView001 >> XrefName.
Districts.artdef >> District >> DISTRICT_FISHERY >> StrategicView >> StrategicView001 >> XrefName has had its value replaced with its default value.

Districts.artdef >> District >> DISTRICT_FISHERY >> StrategicView >> StrategicView001 >> State references an ArtDef entry (Completed) that does not exist in the ArtDef Collection (BuildStates) of ArtDef (Districts.artdef).
Districts.artdef >> District >> DISTRICT_FISHERY >> StrategicView >> StrategicView001 >> State has had its value replaced with its default value.

Unable to find the ArtDef (StrategicView.artdef) referenced by Districts.artdef >> District >> DISTRICT_FISHERY >> StrategicView >> StrategicView002 >> XrefName.
Districts.artdef >> District >> DISTRICT_FISHERY >> StrategicView >> StrategicView002 >> XrefName has had its value replaced with its default value.

Districts.artdef >> District >> DISTRICT_FISHERY >> StrategicView >> StrategicView002 >> State references an ArtDef entry (Pillaged) that does not exist in the ArtDef Collection (BuildStates) of ArtDef (Districts.artdef).
Districts.artdef >> District >> DISTRICT_FISHERY >> StrategicView >> StrategicView002 >> State has had its value replaced with its default value.

Unable to find the ArtDef (StrategicView.artdef) referenced by Districts.artdef >> District >> DISTRICT_FISHERY >> StrategicView >> StrategicView003 >> XrefName.
Districts.artdef >> District >> DISTRICT_FISHERY >> StrategicView >> StrategicView003 >> XrefName has had its value replaced with its default value.

Districts.artdef >> District >> DISTRICT_FISHERY >> StrategicView >> StrategicView003 >> State references an ArtDef entry (UnderConstruction) that does not exist in the ArtDef Collection (BuildStates) of ArtDef (Districts.artdef).
Districts.artdef >> District >> DISTRICT_FISHERY >> StrategicView >> StrategicView003 >> State has had its value replaced with its default value.

Cook finished for ArtDef at Path: 'Districts.artdef' with Template: 'Districts'
ArtDef cook completed.
Dependencies for file 'Clutter.artdef' will not be included in the dependency data.
Unable to auto-generate ArtDef dependency information. This will need to be done manually.Cook completed in 0.041 seconds



Keep in mind that this ArtDef is 100% a copy/paste of the Harbor ArtDef, with the final line changed from DISTRICT_HARBOR to DISTRICT_FISHERY. Before the latest patch, this format worked just fine to make the Fishery district an aesthetic copy of the Harbor. But now it seems to not be able to find any of the references...

 

[TheRealHellBlazer]

Unable to auto-generate ArtDef dependency information. This will need to be done manually.Cook completed in 0.041 seconds

That part seems very intresting, can you message me the whole mod and I will take a look for you..?

 

[anansethespider]

That part seems very intresting, can you message me the whole mod and I will take a look for you..?

Absolutely, just PM me an email where you'd like me to send it.

In the meantime, I may have figured out a workaround - just including every single ArtDef from the base game into the mod, and replacing the ones being modified with my own. We'll see if it works, I'm about halfway through building the mod and so far so good.

 

[JamesRoper1403]

Did you figure out the solution?