First try adding new unit graphics

[Aquilius]

After I have read some tutorials from here I tried to graphically change the Desert War Mod from Vanilla CivIV. My attempt was to implement the graphics of the R35 Tank by SnafuSmith. I put the files within the mod folder at /assets/art/units/R35/. Then I changed the UnitInfos.xml for Unit_FraTank. I pointed the EarlyArtdefineTag to art_def_unit_r35.
Then I created a new tag within the artdefines_unit.xml. Therefore I just copied and pasted the original tank tag to the end and edited everything necessary to R35. I can load the mod without any errors but the new graphics just do not show up ingame!?!
Can somebody who is experienced with that, try to implement the R35 graphics in the Desert War mod and if successful give me a short tutorial how to do that?

 

[Ploeperpengel]

Maybe you can just post the lines of the artdefs here and describe better what you mean by not showing(red blobs or nothing at all just a circle with the unitname?)

 

[Aquilius]

Excerpt from the Unitinfo.xml (see marked for changes at bottom):

Spoiler :

<UnitInfo>
<Class>UNITCLASS_TANK</Class>
<Type>UNIT_FRATANK</Type>
<UniqueNames/>
<Special>NONE</Special>
<Capture>NONE</Capture>
<Combat>UNITCOMBAT_LIGHTTANK</Combat>
<Domain>DOMAIN_LAND</Domain>
<DefaultUnitAI>UNITAI_ATTACK</DefaultUnitAI>
<Invisible>NONE</Invisible>
<SeeInvisible>NONE</SeeInvisible>
<Description>TXT_KEY_UNIT_FRATANK</Description>
<Civilopedia>TXT_KEY_UNIT_FRATANK_PEDIA</Civilopedia>
<Strategy>TXT_KEY_UNIT_GENERIC_TANK_STRATEGY</Strategy>
<Advisor>ADVISOR_MILITARY</Advisor>
<bAnimal>0</bAnimal>
<bFood>0</bFood>
<bNoBadGoodies>0</bNoBadGoodies>
<bOnlyDefensive>0</bOnlyDefensive>
<bNoCapture>0</bNoCapture>
<bRivalTerritory>0</bRivalTerritory>
<bMilitaryHappiness>1</bMilitaryHappiness>
<bMilitarySupport>1</bMilitarySupport>
<bMilitaryProduction>1</bMilitaryProduction>
<bPillage>1</bPillage>
<bSabotage>0</bSabotage>
<bDestroy>0</bDestroy>
<bStealPlans>0</bStealPlans>
<bInvestigate>0</bInvestigate>
<bCounterSpy>0</bCounterSpy>
<bFound>0</bFound>
<bGoldenAge>0</bGoldenAge>
<bInvisible>0</bInvisible>
<bFirstStrikeImmune>0</bFirstStrikeImmune>
<bNoDefensiveBonus>1</bNoDefensiveBonus>
<bIgnoreBuildingDefense>0</bIgnoreBuildingDefense>
<bCanMoveImpassable>0</bCanMoveImpassable>
<bFlatMovementCost>0</bFlatMovementCost>
<bIgnoreTerrainCost>0</bIgnoreTerrainCost>
<bNukeImmune>0</bNukeImmune>
<bPrereqBonuses>0</bPrereqBonuses>
<bPrereqReligion>0</bPrereqReligion>
<bMechanized>1</bMechanized>
<UnitClassUpgrades/>
<UnitAIs>
<UnitAI>
<UnitAIType>UNITAI_ATTACK</UnitAIType>
<bUnitAI>1</bUnitAI>
</UnitAI>
<UnitAI>
<UnitAIType>UNITAI_PILLAGE</UnitAIType>
<bUnitAI>1</bUnitAI>
</UnitAI>
<UnitAI>
<UnitAIType>UNITAI_RESERVE</UnitAIType>
<bUnitAI>1</bUnitAI>
</UnitAI>
</UnitAIs>
<NotUnitAIs/>
<Builds/>
<ReligionSpreads/>
<GreatPeoples/>
<Buildings/>
<ForceBuildings/>
<HolyCity>NONE</HolyCity>
<ReligionType>NONE</ReligionType>
<StateReligion>NONE</StateReligion>
<PrereqReligion>NONE</PrereqReligion>
<PrereqBuilding>NONE</PrereqBuilding>
<PrereqTech>NONE</PrereqTech>
<TechTypes/>
<BonusType>BONUS_OIL</BonusType>
<PrereqBonuses/>
<ProductionTraits/>
<Flavors/>
<iAIWeight>0</iAIWeight>
<iCost>21</iCost>
<iHurryCostModifier>0</iHurryCostModifier>
<iMinAreaSize>-1</iMinAreaSize>
<iMoves>3</iMoves>
<iAirRange>0</iAirRange>
<iNukeRange>-1</iNukeRange>
<iWorkRate>0</iWorkRate>
<iBaseDiscover>0</iBaseDiscover>
<iDiscoverMultiplier>0</iDiscoverMultiplier>
<iBaseHurry>0</iBaseHurry>
<iHurryMultiplier>0</iHurryMultiplier>
<iBaseTrade>0</iBaseTrade>
<iTradeMultiplier>0</iTradeMultiplier>
<iGreatWorkCulture>0</iGreatWorkCulture>
<TerrainImpassables/>
<FeatureImpassables/>
<iCombat>22</iCombat>
<iAirCombat>0</iAirCombat>
<iAirCombatLimit>0</iAirCombatLimit>
<iXPValueAttack>4</iXPValueAttack>
<iXPValueDefense>3</iXPValueDefense>
<iFirstStrikes>0</iFirstStrikes>
<iChanceFirstStrikes>0</iChanceFirstStrikes>
<iInterceptionProbability>0</iInterceptionProbability>
<iEvasionProbability>0</iEvasionProbability>
<iWithdrawalProb>30</iWithdrawalProb>
<iCollateralDamage>0</iCollateralDamage>
<iCollateralDamageLimit>0</iCollateralDamageLimit>
<iCollateralDamageMaxUnits>0</iCollateralDamageMaxUnits>
<iCityAttack>-50</iCityAttack>
<iCityDefense>-50</iCityDefense>
<iAnimalCombat>0</iAnimalCombat>
<iHillsDefense>0</iHillsDefense>
<TerrainNatives/>
<FeatureNatives/>
<TerrainDefenses/>
<FeatureDefenses/>
<UnitClassAttackMods/>
<UnitClassDefenseMods/>
<UnitCombatMods/>
<DomainMods/>
<BonusProductionModifiers/>
<iBombRate>0</iBombRate>
<iBombardRate>0</iBombardRate>
<SpecialCargo>NONE</SpecialCargo>
<DomainCargo>NONE</DomainCargo>
<iCargo>0</iCargo>
<iConscription>0</iConscription>
<iCultureGarrison>0</iCultureGarrison>
<iExtraCost>0</iExtraCost>
<iAsset>1</iAsset>
<iPower>25</iPower>
<UnitMeshGroups>
<iGroupSize>3</iGroupSize>
<fMaxSpeed>1.75</fMaxSpeed>
<iMeleeWaveSize>3</iMeleeWaveSize>
<iRangedWaveSize>3</iRangedWaveSize>
<UnitMeshGroup>
<iRequired>3</iRequired>
<EarlyArtDefineTag>ART_DEF_UNIT_R35</EarlyArtDefineTag>
</UnitMeshGroup>
</UnitMeshGroups>
<Button>Art/Interface/Buttons/Units/Tank.dds</Button>
<HotKey/>
<bAltDown>0</bAltDown>
<bShiftDown>0</bShiftDown>
<bCtrlDown>0</bCtrlDown>
<iHotKeyPriority>0</iHotKeyPriority>
<FreePromotions>
<FreePromotion>
<PromotionType>PROMOTION_BLITZ</PromotionType>
<bFreePromotion>1</bFreePromotion>
</FreePromotion>
</FreePromotions>
</UnitInfo>

and from the Artdefines_Unit.xml (I copied and pasted the original art_def_unit_tank to the end of the xml and altered the marked lines):

Spoiler :

<UnitArtInfo>
<Type>ART_DEF_UNIT_R35</Type>
<fScale>0.48</fScale>
<fInterfaceScale>1.0</fInterfaceScale>
<NIF>Art/Units/R35/R35.nif</NIF>
<KFM>Art/Units/R35/R35.kfm</KFM>
<SHADERNIF>Art/Units/Tank/Tank_FX.nif</SHADERNIF>
<ShadowDef>
<ShadowNIF>Art/Units/01_UnitShadows/TankShadow.nif</ShadowNIF>
<ShadowAttachNode>BIP Pelvis</ShadowAttachNode>
<fShadowScale>1.0</fShadowScale>
</ShadowDef>
<iDamageStates>4</iDamageStates>
<TrailDefinition>
<Texture>Art/Shared/Tanktread.dds</Texture>
<fWidth>1.0</fWidth>
<fLength>180.0</fLength>
<fTaper>0.0</fTaper>
<fFadeStartTime>0.2</fFadeStartTime>
<fFadeFalloff>0.35</fFadeFalloff>
</TrailDefinition>
<fBattleDistance>0.35</fBattleDistance>
<fRangedDeathTime>0.12</fRangedDeathTime>
<bActAsRanged>1</bActAsRanged>
<TrainSound>AS2D_UNIT_BUILD_UNIT</TrainSound>
<AudioRunSounds>
<AudioRunTypeLoop>LOOPSTEP_TANK</AudioRunTypeLoop>
<AudioRunTypeEnd>ENDSTEP_TANK</AudioRunTypeEnd>
</AudioRunSounds>
<SelectionSound>AS3D_UN_TANK_FORT</SelectionSound>
<ActionSound>AS3D_UN_TANK_FORT</ActionSound>
</UnitArtInfo>
</UnitArtInfos>
</Civ4ArtDefines>

I know I'm very noobish but don't know what I missed to do or did wrong please help!

 

[Ploeperpengel]

In artdefines
<SHADERNIF>Art/Units/Tank/Tank_FX.nif</SHADERNIF>!
This line must be
<SHADERNIF>Art/Units/R35/R35.nif</SHADERNIF>

 

[zulu9812]

The R35 doesn't come with its own FX nif?

 

[Ploeperpengel]

I don't know if so this must me assigned to the shadernif instead but certainly not tank.

 

[Aquilius]

there was no fx nif in the downloaded zip I was wondering too...

 

[Ploeperpengel]

It's not necessary. But since you oviously use a card with shader it will read this line no matter what you assign to the nif.

 

[Aquilius]

It works!! Thank you Ploep!!! I didn't know that I had to use that one nif for those two tags. So now as I know how to change unit graphics we will have a graphically revised 'Dessert War' mod soon!

 

[Ploeperpengel]

You're welcome!
The first line is for graphiccards that don't support shader that's all of it. Fx files sometimes may have some special effect that an older card doesn't support but normal nifs are allways downwardcompatible

 

[Aquilius]

Ah, that's the magic behind. Well thanks again und Grüße nach Berlin!

btw: Zulu posted in my thread and didn't say it's the wrong forum!! Yyyeeeessss!!