How to install a custom Leaderhead in BtS

Wolfshanze

CFC Historian
Joined
Nov 12, 2001
Messages
5,689
Location
Florida
Assuming you have BTS, these are the minimum files you need to change (some say the "schema" files, but these files will do just fine... I've never once changed a schema file).

The below files can be found in either default or BtS XML folders... copy them into custom assets or a mod folder before making changes.

Minimum XML files to add a leaderhead:
--------------------------------------
1) Civ4ArtDefines_Leaderhead.xml
2) Civ4CivilizationInfos.xml
3) Civ4LeaderHeadInfos.xml
4) Civ4GameText_Civilopedia_BTS.xml
5) Civ4GameText_Objects_BTS.xml


1) Civ4ArtDefines_Leaderhead.xml
Should look something like this:
Code:
		<LeaderheadArtInfo>
			<Type>ART_DEF_LEADER_CALIGULA</Type>
			<Button>Art/Interface/Buttons/LeaderHeads/Caligula.dds</Button>
			<NIF>art/LeaderHeads/Caligula/Pacal.nif</NIF>
			<KFM>art/LeaderHeads/Caligula/Pacal.kfm</KFM>
			<NoShaderNIF>art/LeaderHeads/Caligula/Pacal.nif</NoShaderNIF>
			<BackgroundKFM>art/LeaderHeads/Caligula/Pacal_bg.kfm</BackgroundKFM>
		</LeaderheadArtInfo>
One of the most important things to modify... make sure the NIF and ART lines match the paths and file names for the custom files you've downloaded.

2) Civ4CivilizationInfos.xml
Pretty small entry... look for other leaders, then add something like this:
Code:
				<Leader>
					<LeaderName>LEADER_CALIGULA</LeaderName>
					<bLeaderAvailability>1</bLeaderAvailability>
				</Leader>

3) Civ4LeaderHeadInfos.xml
This is by far the largest/trickiest to work with. I won't post the whole code, but simply-put, find a leader with similar traits... if you think Caligula would be most like Ghengis Khan, copy Ghengis Khan's entry... or if you thought he'd be most like Pacal... copy Pacal's entry... so-on and so-on. It's a very large entry, so copy the WHOLE thing. You need to change at a minimum the first few lines... I'll post that snippet here:

Code:
			<Type>LEADER_CALIGULA</Type>
			<Description>TXT_KEY_LEADER_CALIGULA</Description>
			<Civilopedia>TXT_KEY_LEADER_CALIGULA_PEDIA</Civilopedia>
			<ArtDefineTag>ART_DEF_LEADER_CALIGULA</ArtDefineTag>

Note the lines you use in the above code must match the lines you are putting in the other files you're altering. Below the first major block of code lines you'll find the "Trait" and "Favorite Civic" lines... those are pretty easy to change if/when you want to.

You'll also probably want to change the "<DiplomacyMusicPeace>" code section, as this matches civ/leader music... if you copied Ghengis Khan's leader entry for Caligula for-instance, you'll get rather oriental music in the game for your Roman Caligula if you don't change this section... simply cut/paste from the right civ/leader for this area (say Caesar) if you want the music to make sense... though this is not mandatory to make a leader work, it's recomended.

Remember... the above code determines the leaders personality in-game, so it's important to copy/base your new LH code from a leader with similar traits... if you're adding a new LH to the game that is very belligerant and war-like, you would NOT copy Ghandi's LH code!

4) Civ4GameText_Civilopedia_BTS.xml
I'm not going to say much about this... simply-put, it's what you change/add to create the Pedia entry for your LH... if you're incredibly lazy, you can re-use an existing leader, but I recomend doing something here... at least copy a Wikipedia bio or something! Copy an existing LH pedia entry if you need help with formatting here.

5) Civ4GameText_Objects_BTS.xml
Add some simple code for using the appropriate LH name... something like this:

Code:
	<TEXT>
		<Tag>TXT_KEY_LEADER_CALIGULA</Tag>
		<English>Caligula</English>
		<French>
			<Text>Caligula</Text>
			<Gender>Male</Gender>
			<Plural>0</Plural>
		</French>
		<German>
			<Text>Caligula</Text>
			<Gender>Male</Gender>
			<Plural>0</Plural>
		</German>
		<Italian>
			<Text>Caligula</Text>
			<Gender>Male</Gender>
			<Plural>0</Plural>
		</Italian>
		<Spanish>
			<Text>Caligula</Text>
			<Gender>Male</Gender>
			<Plural>0</Plural>
		</Spanish>
	</TEXT>
 
Umm, how do you know what files inside the leaderhead folder (that was downloaded on civfanatics) to write into the Civ4ArtDefines_Leaderhead.xml tags/directory? Some don't come with any xml tags at all. I know to look for NIF and KFM files but there are a few of those to choose from.
 
PLEASE HELP!!! I dont get it!!!

for example I recently downloaded the PUTIN leaderhead.

It had about 50 files in there...

some are .kf , .dds , .tga , .nif , .kfm , .mp3 , .xml , .ini.bak , .jpg ...

Where do i put all these files???
 
Umm, how do you know what files inside the leaderhead folder (that was downloaded on civfanatics) to write into the Civ4ArtDefines_Leaderhead.xml tags/directory? Some don't come with any xml tags at all. I know to look for NIF and KFM files but there are a few of those to choose from.

there is usually just a shaded nif and non shader nif. if the LH included multiple nifs you might have to do trial and error or get the free nifscope and see which one you are looking for.
PLEASE HELP!!! I dont get it!!!

for example I recently downloaded the PUTIN leaderhead.

It had about 50 files in there...

some are .kf , .dds , .tga , .nif , .kfm , .mp3 , .xml , .ini.bak , .jpg ...

Where do i put all these files???

all those files go in one folder just like a standard LH that comes with the game.
 
ok so here is where i am at.

1) I downloaded the LH

2) I created a new folder called CUSTOM ASSETS and copied the XML files listed above.

QUESTION - Can I put those copied files directly into the custom assets folder -OR- Do i need to create sub-folders within Custom Assets folder???

3) Where do i put the art files I downloaded? Do I put them in the original Assets folder under Art ...OR... Do I create an Art folder within the NEW Custom Assets folder that I created.

Final Question... Once I edit the XML code to find the art... Is that It???



PS - It literally took me 3 days to figure out that I needed to click on the READ ONLY button to remove the readonly so that I could edit these folders!
 
Thanks Ekmek. :) Still haven't managed to fix that pink eyes thing but I'll keep tinkering around (hopefully I don't break nothing this time.)

ok so here is where i am at.

1) I downloaded the LH

2) I created a new folder called CUSTOM ASSETS and copied the XML files listed above.

QUESTION - Can I put those copied files directly into the custom assets folder -OR- Do i need to create sub-folders within Custom Assets folder???

3) Where do i put the art files I downloaded? Do I put them in the original Assets folder under Art ...OR... Do I create an Art folder within the NEW Custom Assets folder that I created.

Final Question... Once I edit the XML code to find the art... Is that It???



PS - It literally took me 3 days to figure out that I needed to click on the READ ONLY button to remove the readonly so that I could edit these folders!

You don't need to create the custom assets folder because the game already did that when you installed it. It's in My Documents>My Games>Beyond The Sword>CustomAssets. Then ever single directory you need is already in there. It's just a matter of putting the files you downloaded in the right folder there.

You do not need create any new folders.

Okay, so you downloaded the LH. Take the folder (that is titled your leader's name, and contains all the various dds, NIF, KFM files directly inside that folder) and and put it in My Documents>My Games>Beyond The Sword>CustomAssets>art>leaderheads.

IMPORTANT: This is if it is NOT modular. If it is Modular, then all you need to do is put it inside your Beyond the Sword MODS folder that is located in your Program Files (NOT Documents) pathway on your machine.

Now if it's not a modular, then you have to copy your ArtsDefineLeaderhead xml, LeaderheadInfos.xml, and CivilizationInfos.xml from you games main program files directory, and place them inside the same folders, only IN THE CUSTOM ASSETS pathway. Then you take Notepad++ (or whatever editor you use) and you copy the tags that came with your leaderhead and add them to each relevent file you just copied. If none came with your LH, then you just have to copy an already existing LH in your LeaderheadInfos and change a couple things on your own to make him more like the actual Leader himself. In the ArtsDefines xml, you will have to find the correct NIF and KFM files and write their pathway into the xml file for it to show up in the game, and not crash the game when ever that LH is called on. That's the trouble I am having with some that don't have xml files in the downloads.
 
Ok here is where i am....

1) I downloaded the LH and Unzipped it

2) I put all the files in the right place.
All the art went into a file in BTS\CustomAssets\Art\Leaderheads\Putin
3) The XML files came with the download so i unzipped them to their respective XML folders either Art/Audio/Civilizations/or Text.

I still can't get the leader head in the game.... What am i doing wrong???
 
ekmek! Thanks I had no idea that it was in MyDocs... I was looking in MyPrograms! Let me try to put the files there.
 
EKMUK!!!!

You Wont Believe It!

I DID IT!!! PUTIN IS IN MY GAME!!!

HOW COOL IS THAT!!!

YOU ARE THE F'in MAN!!!!

THANK YOU
THANK YOU
THANK YOU
 
Ekmek this is my first post and my first time attempting to mod this game and im finding it to be very hard i seem to be confused on the whole thing if ya could help me out in any way i would be very thankful i have downloaded your ronald reagan and thats as far as i got i put the file reagan in the art/leaderhead folder in my docs but from thats all i got..
 
Top Bottom