Initial look at Nexus, 3D Unit Art and reskinning

[Jabberwockxeno]

When you say "open nexus - set assest directory..." in step 3, do you mean open the nexus folder in regedit, or do you mean open the nexus program as if you were to use it?

I had done the latter before I read this thread, and it had asked me for something like that, and I had set it to some random folder.

If that's what that step is talking about, how can I undo what I did?

 

[Nutty]

When you say "open nexus - set assest directory..." in step 3, do you mean open the nexus folder in regedit, or do you mean open the nexus program as if you were to use it?

The first time you launch Nexus, it will ask you for the asset directory. If you gave it the wrong folder, I believe your only options are to change it in the Registry (HKCU\Software\Firaxis\Nexus\Viewer), or uninstall and reinstall the SDK.

 

[Jabberwockxeno]

The first time you launch Nexus, it will ask you for the asset directory. If you gave it the wrong folder, I believe your only options are to change it in the Registry (HKCU\Software\Firaxis\Nexus\Viewer), or uninstall and reinstall the SDK.

Uninstalled and re-installed, and nothing came up upon opening nexus, and the pathway you gave is a folder, not a file.

So...

EDIT: Nor do I see where "Nexus > Script Browser > Extract PAK Files" is.

And I keep on seeing this "nexus has lost connection to the game build" message.

 

[Nutty]

Uninstalled and re-installed, and nothing came up upon opening nexus, and the pathway you gave is a folder, not a file.

[Files don't actually need to have extensions, and folders can have them too, but...]

I was referring to neither a folder nor a file, but a registry key, a shortened form of:

Computer\HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Firaxis\Nexus\Viewer

Note that it can be dangerous to edit the Registry if you don't know what you're doing (i.e., you can really mess up your Windows installation), but that seems to be your only recourse. Run regedit.exe, and navigate to the key above. You should see two String values in that key, "AssetPath" and "Executable." The AssetPath should be to your CiV installation folder. If you delete the AssetPath key, it should cause Nexus to try to figure it out again, either by reading other Registry keys or by prompting you. You can also try putting the path in manually. Make sure you're editing the value's data, not renaming it from "AssetPath".

Nor do I see where "Nexus > Script Browser > Extract PAK Files" is.

That refers to opening the Nexus program, clicking on the fourth tab labelled Nexus, clicking the Script Browser button on that tab, selecting "Extract PAK (*.fpk) files", then clicking Run Script.

And I keep on seeing this "nexus has lost connection to the game build" message.

As far as the error message, I think there may be a few different reasons for that one. You want to make sure that another registry key (HKCU\Software\Firaxis\Nexus\Civ5Settings) has a String value called "GameBuild" pointing to the full path for your CivilizationV.exe. If that's correct, then there could be a permissions issue (try running Nexus as administrator).

 

[Jabberwockxeno]

[Files don't actually need to have extensions, and folders can have them too, but...]

I was referring to neither a folder nor a file, but a registry key, a shortened form of:

Computer\HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Firaxis\Nexus\Viewer

Note that it can be dangerous to edit the Registry if you don't know what you're doing (i.e., you can really mess up your Windows installation), but that seems to be your only recourse. Run regedit.exe, and navigate to the key above. You should see two String values in that key, "AssetPath" and "Executable." The AssetPath should be to your CiV installation folder. If you delete the AssetPath key, it should cause Nexus to try to figure it out again, either by reading other Registry keys or by prompting you. You can also try putting the path in manually. Make sure you're editing the value's data, not renaming it from "AssetPath".


That refers to opening the Nexus program, clicking on the fourth tab labelled Nexus, clicking the Script Browser button on that tab, selecting "Extract PAK (*.fpk) files", then clicking Run Script.


As far as the error message, I think there may be a few different reasons for that one. You want to make sure that another registry key (HKCU\Software\Firaxis\Nexus\Civ5Settings) has a String value called "GameBuild" pointing to the full path for your CivilizationV.exe. If that's correct, then there could be a permissions issue (try running Nexus as administrator).

After like the 5th re-install, it just started to work, I think, before you posted again.

No error messgage, options that were grayed out are now usable, the assest viewer works now...

So, yay?

EDIT: Of course, now the game build error is popping up again.

Can anyone just make a video that shows step by step how to install and set nexus up? I'm getting tired of this...

EDIT 2: When you say regerstry key and string value, what do you mean, exactly?

Can you open up regedit and make a screen capture and point out what exactly you are reffering to?

 

[Nutty]

When you say regerstry key and string value, what do you mean, exactly?

 

[Jabberwockxeno]

Alright, uninstalled again, re-intsalled, changed the assets path in the tool/viewer like you and the OP said, and still am greeted with nexus popping up and nothing else (the one time the connection to the game build... error didn't show up, it looked like civ 5 had started up for a split second), and then, of course, the "The connection to the game build..." error pops up when I try to use the unit/terrian/effects/whatever viewer.

Is there a way for me to post the error log in the options button in nexus?

 

[Jabberwockxeno]

Ah, I thought it was being run as an admin by defualt, but I guess not. Any way to make that happen?

Also, the unit viewer works, but the actual unit isn't showing up. It's just blank, black space

EDIT: Same with effect viewer. And terrian editor. Landmark editor can't find path. Assest viewer shows labels, but otherwise no assests.

I knew the assest viewer was busted in the most recent version, is that true for the other viewers, as well? The unit editor was working fine the one time I did get it to work a while back.

 

[Nutty]

Congrats on getting it figured out.

As far as I know, it's still busted. Like I told you, use the old version of the Viewer.

 

[Jabberwockxeno]

One more thing:

If I move my steamapps folder to a different hard drive for space, what would I have to change with regedit to make sure it works again?

 

[Nutty]

Yikes. You may have lots of issues. You'll need to search the registry for the old path, and change it to the new drive in each case. You'll need to be very careful, though. I'd recommend starting with just uninstalling and reinstalling instead.

 

[Jabberwockxeno]

Yikes. You may have lots of issues. You'll need to search the registry for the old path, and change it to the new drive in each case. You'll need to be very careful, though. I'd recommend starting with just uninstalling and reinstalling instead.

My question was more of: "If I do that, all I have to do is have it be "E: > Programs > Steam > Steam apps.... > Whatever" as opposed to "C: > Program files (x86)...." in regedit, correct?

On a related note, would it be possible to re-define the screenshot folder using regedit? Say if I wanted them to go in my documents?

 

[Nutty]

My question was more of: "If I do that, all I have to do is have it be "E: > Programs > Steam > Steam apps.... > Whatever" as opposed to "C: > Program files (x86)...." in regedit, correct?

On a related note, would it be possible to re-define the screenshot folder using regedit? Say if I wanted them to go in my documents?

Yes, that's what I was saying, but of course the syntax is crucial; it's "C:\Program Files (x86)\..." Paths with spaces sometimes require quotes around them and sometimes they require no quotes and sometimes either is acceptable. With older programs, sometimes the short version is required; something like "C:\PROGRA~2\..."

But my point with trying to dissuade you is that you sound a bit uncomfortable with some of these ideas, and you can really screw up your Windows installation if you aren't careful. There's no undo, so you'll want to export the registry before you start, and hope you don't do any major damage before you can repair it.

In any case, there are many other places in the Registry where the paths for the SDK are stored. If you carefully change each entry, you will probably achieve your objective, but there may be other configuration files outside the registry that you'll need to grep for instances of the path.

Seriously, just do an uninstall and reinstall.

...

As far as the screenshot path, the actual game doesn't use the registry (much?); its configuration is stored (mostly?) in .ini files, but I'm not aware that you can change the screenshot path. But there may be registry entries or other INI files that I'm not aware of.

 

[Jabberwockxeno]

Yes, that's what I was saying, but of course the syntax is crucial; it's "C:\Program Files (x86)\..." Paths with spaces sometimes require quotes around them and sometimes they require no quotes and sometimes either is acceptable. With older programs, sometimes the short version is required; something like "C:\PROGRA~2\..."

But my point with trying to dissuade you is that you sound a bit uncomfortable with some of these ideas, and you can really screw up your Windows installation if you aren't careful. There's no undo, so you'll want to export the registry before you start, and hope you don't do any major damage before you can repair it.

In any case, there are many other places in the Registry where the paths for the SDK are stored. If you carefully change each entry, you will probably achieve your objective, but there may be other configuration files outside the registry that you'll need to grep for instances of the path.

Seriously, just do an uninstall and reinstall.

...

As far as the screenshot path, the actual game doesn't use the registry (much?); its configuration is stored (mostly?) in .ini files, but I'm not aware that you can change the screenshot path. But there may be registry entries or other INI files that I'm not aware of.

How will the reinstall do anything different? Once nexus is reinstalled, ill have to go into regedit anyways as one does, as stated in the OP, right, just with the new pathway?

Or am misunderstanding what you mean by reinstall?

Sigh, anybody else who had to move steam to a different hard drive around that can explain what they did for nexus?

 

[Nutty]

We're not just talking about Nexus. The difference is changing one entry in one known location versus many in many unknown locations.

It's been nearly a month since you asked the question. I've tried to give you my advice. Whichever way you try first may work fine; it may not, in which case you'll be trying the other method. Good luck.

 

[Jabberwockxeno]

Hey, i'm back.

I have a new laptop, and I'n trying to set up the tool on here, but I see no firaxis folder in the software folder with regedit.

 

[Jabberwockxeno]

Hey, i'm back.

I have a new laptop, and I'n trying to set up the tool on here, but I see no firaxis folder in the software folder with regedit.

I'm starting to think i'm just not cut out for the whole modding thing. I have the 3d and 2d skills, but when it comes to understanding the digital arctecture of a computer or the hardware, I know nothing.

I wish it just automatically did the whole regesitry editing upon install..

EDIT: Whoops, meant to hit the edit button, not quote. I should get some coffee.

EDIT 2: In fact, using Ctrl F in regedit for ToolAssetPath yields no results at all. I'm gonna try to uninstall and reinstall the SDK.

EDIT 3: Nope, that didn't help. I think the SDK hates me.

 

[Ekmek]

are you just trying to unpak the assets?

there are plenty of already made units you can use as bases without havingto unpak

 

[Jabberwockxeno]

are you just trying to unpak the assets?

there are plenty of already made units you can use as bases without havingto unpak

Well, i'm actually trying to get to use the base in game assets for right now.

Anyways, on a related note, how many tris/polys should I aim for for a gun that a unit wields?

 

[Jabberwockxeno]

I don't like to bump topics, but...

Help please with my laptop? I don't know why it isn;t showing up in regedit.