techathon
Member
Ignore this post. NOW!
Modding Tools located
- Thread starter Eurothunder
- Start date
Dale
Mohawk Games Developer
- Joined
- Mar 14, 2002
- Messages
- 7,846
DDS format is uncompressed, RGB + alpha.
I'd just like to point out that it's probably a very good possibility that the reason we don't have the tools right now is that there have been a couple of patches already, and just maybe, maybe Firaxis wants a stable code release of Civ5 out in the real world prior to releasing the mod tools.
I'm not flaming you, but it isn't Dale's fault. What if something in one of the patches now requires the SDK to be reworked a little? Dale and Valkrionn, and others, are most likely now beta testing the SDK tools, just as they beta tested the actual game before that. Wouldn't you rather have tools that work, with a stable version of Civ? You know, so that you don't introduce a big bunch of errors into your mod accidentally because the tools don't match up with the game code? Or they're flaky?
I want to start modding right away, too, but I don't want to mod something that isn't fixed yet, or that I don't understand. These fellows are doing us a service by testing things for us, and I'm sure they're covered by an NDA. I'm a nurse, and I know about confidentiality. They probably have strict limits on what they can tell us, and that is fine with me. I'm patient, and I will wait.
If Dale says the tools are good, and we can do incredible things with them, then that's good enough for me. He's one of the most respected modders here, and so is Valkrionn. The tools are getting a good workout, I'm sure of that, but let them finish while you and I get to know and understand the game, k?
smeagolheart
Monarch
Make your own in a graphics program, import via Nexus, create a mod via ModBuddy and add your Nexus exported graphic, run.
Huh? Nexus? Broken? How do you open these graphics files? I see atlases (atlai?) mentioned in xml files that don't seem to exist and FPK and DDS files that don't open.
Jaythekiller
Warlord
Tools aren't relesed yet, they'll be there sometimes next week
you will find them in steam tools section under the name "Sid meier's Civilization V SDK"
you will find them in steam tools section under the name "Sid meier's Civilization V SDK"
Shiggs713
Immortal
next week? you know this for a fact?
edit: saw your other post in the other thread, ok thanks for spreading the word.
Jaythekiller
Warlord
You're welcome
Dale
Mohawk Games Developer
- Joined
- Mar 14, 2002
- Messages
- 7,846
salaminizer
Colorado Internacional
until the tools are out the only way to mod something is to mess with the original files (which I obviously won't do!)??
or can I set an arbitrary mod id just to test it?
or can I set an arbitrary mod id just to test it?
James009
Warlord
- Joined
- Nov 13, 2002
- Messages
- 278
I'm wondering this too. I know many people already have the Mod Buddy thingy but I've got some XML modifications I'd like to test right now. There has to be a way to do it without having to wait until next week.
I just want to cut road maintenance in half.
Louis XXIV
Le Roi Soleil
I may get back to you in a few days, need to finalize design first.
Main thing at this point is coming up with names....
While I tend to think my only talent in Creation and Customization is helping brainstorm for ideas, I'm getting the impression this is something you're keeping close to your chest, so I won't pry. I'll just say I'm looking forward to whatever you come up with. You definitely seem excited to be working on whatever it is you're working on, so I'm excited to find out what it is.
EDIT: James009, I can't help you on that, but, after you do it, let me know how big of an impact it has. I'm thinking about making it an Inca UA.
Valkrionn
The Hamster King
I'm wondering this too. I know many people already have the Mod Buddy thingy but I've got some XML modifications I'd like to test right now. There has to be a way to do it without having to wait until next week.
I just want to cut road maintenance in half.
If you pm me the files, I may be able to build it for you; Just know that the only thing necessary in the file is your changes, nothing else.
I've built mods for 3 different people thus far.
Well, the design itself is finished aside from names (which I've decided are unimportant atm). Ran into a few issues with implementation, but will get them fixed.
lemmy101
Emperor
- Joined
- Apr 10, 2006
- Messages
- 1,064
I've not tested this yet, but if you really want to play with modding in the meantime until the tools are released, then download an existing mod and copy the mod's directory (in My Documents/My Games/Civ 5 or wherever) rename it and change the Entry Point file, delete all the mod's altered files, and then just copy the files from Assets/ of the main Civ 5 directory in there, making the appropriate changes.
Obviously you won't be able to export any additional textures / maps but for rule changes I can see no reason why this wouldn't work.
Obviously you won't be able to export any additional textures / maps but for rule changes I can see no reason why this wouldn't work.
Lord Shadow
Admiral
- Joined
- Oct 14, 2005
- Messages
- 2,177
I've been experimenting with modding myself, but the main problem appears to be the .modinfo file that has to be there in the mod's root folder. It's quite more complicated than its Civ4 equivalent, and inevitably depends on Mod Buddy: mod ID can't be an arbitrary code, and is generated by MB. What's more, the file list in the .modinfo requires MD5 hashes for each file the mod contains, and these hashes are, again, generated automatically by Mod Buddy. And I suspect they change with the slightest modification to each file.
Both the mod IDs and hashes are critical, and the mod won't load if they're missing or aren't exactly what the game expects.
So yeah, unfortunately, we truly have to wait for the modding tools. Kudos to Dale for those specific bits of information: I ran into this brick wall trying to make a custom civ, and he revealed the problem when I PMed him. A mod with a 'fake' ID will appear on the Installed Mods screen, but won't properly load without the correct hashes.
Both the mod IDs and hashes are critical, and the mod won't load if they're missing or aren't exactly what the game expects.
So yeah, unfortunately, we truly have to wait for the modding tools. Kudos to Dale for those specific bits of information: I ran into this brick wall trying to make a custom civ, and he revealed the problem when I PMed him. A mod with a 'fake' ID will appear on the Installed Mods screen, but won't properly load without the correct hashes.
Valkrionn
The Hamster King
As I said, PM me the files and I'll likely be able to build them for you. If it's already in the mod format, it's even easier.
Just have a bit of info for me: Mod name, author names (if more than you), special thanks, description, website (if applicable), and version number.
Just have a bit of info for me: Mod name, author names (if more than you), special thanks, description, website (if applicable), and version number.
Lord Shadow
Admiral
- Joined
- Oct 14, 2005
- Messages
- 2,177
That'd be awesome, but the thing is... if the MD5 hashes work like I think they do, every tiny change to the files themselves will require a hash change as well. Meaning mods more complex than single-value tweaks (like a custom civ as opposed to just changing road maintenance) would have the author pestering you for hash updates as the package's debugged and tinkered with during testing.As I said, PM me the files and I'll likely be able to build them for you. If it's already in the mod format, it's even easier.
Just have a bit of info for me: Mod name, author names (if more than you), special thanks, description, website (if applicable), and version number.
Would you mind that?
Could you generate the MD5 on your own? I'm guessing that's possible with some third-party applications, but the question is how!
Valkrionn
The Hamster King
That'd be awesome, but the thing is... if the MD5 hashes work like I think they do, every tiny change to the files themselves will require a hash change as well. Meaning mods more complex than single-value tweaks (like a custom civ as opposed to just changing road maintenance) would have the author pestering you for hash updates as the package's debugged and tinkered with during testing.
Would you mind that?
Could you generate the MD5 on your own? I'm guessing that's possible with some third-party applications, but the question is how!
Meh, I don't really care.
Once the tools are out I'll send the project files as well, so people don't have to rebuild them all. Figure I might as well, seeing as I got early access to the game and the tools.
Edit: Btw, hash numbers don't need to be updated IIRC. However, for you to be able to distribute the .civ5mod file, I'd have to rebuild it with the new files.
salaminizer
Colorado Internacional
calculating the MD5 of a file is easy, there are tons of tools available to do it.
here for example: http://www.exactfile.com/
here for example: http://www.exactfile.com/
Lord Shadow
Admiral
- Joined
- Oct 14, 2005
- Messages
- 2,177
PM'd, Valkrionn.
Tried using ExactFile and properly 'completed' the .modinfo with the hash codes, but it still doesn't work. Maybe because the hashes I got have letters in lower case instead of upper case? Who knows.
Tried using ExactFile and properly 'completed' the .modinfo with the hash codes, but it still doesn't work. Maybe because the hashes I got have letters in lower case instead of upper case? Who knows.
