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UnholyLiberator

Load CNC3 csf file from different path?

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Well, as you know C&C 3 uses same but slight different technique for distributing texts in-game like Generals does. Though did someone ever tried to make the game to load that from separate directory other than Language-english one, to say making the game multi-language? As in mod, so then you pack the cnc3.csf into a mod and change the language with a single click within the Game Browser instead of manual overwrite strings files that's a mess?

 

How do you force engine seek the strings file somewhere else than in original game files? I want to have both French and English options on my retail copy without "corrupting" English first. There's Language select checkbox in game launcher though is beyond me.

 

Also gave a quick try on some Generals tricks I already know, it wont load the updated file from C:\Users\OwnerOfYourHeart\Documents\Command & Conquer 3 Tiberium Wars\Mods\. Everything on there basically, big file, mod.xml and skudef files are properly set and placed in the correct folders, I can load that thing by the game's mod launcher even though I deleted all the lines from config.txt (Language-english/1.9) its still loading the original data and not the updated one that the mod comes with. WTF

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It's simple. You already have the CNC3_english_1.0.SkuDef and CNC3_english_1.9.SkuDef files at the least. The game looks for the 1.0 files to be able to select a language.

So you need a CNC3_french_1.0.SkuDef. Just create one in any way you see fit (like copy the old and make necessary changes). Then in the Launcher folder you want to also have a french.csf (the string files for the launcher). Now you can just change the language (if you only do the 1.0 skudef file make sure to click on check for update).59c3c63145aae_Screenshot(4).thumb.png.ba42c530fd50a454d0e3fd01ae9f0f51.png59c3c637a5915_Screenshot(6).thumb.png.0aaadf05b638d97fc9ea148f71ed3ffa.png

Edited by Lauren
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Weird me. I had already done this prior to writing the thread but missing a letter in skudef reference .Anyway thanks for the launcher thing, totally overthink that.

 

One last question while we're at it, where are the menu string IDs stored at (APT) and is it like editing the UI in Generals? Read around somewhere it is based on LUA/XML now? But no actual data seen in MainMenu.xml in MOD SDK folder.

 

Im currently re-doing the Generals menu and wanted to dive deeper in TW also just to see how modding goes. I only modded Generals, still getting into TW just for the fun of it (else some lazy skirmish mapping after I get it sorted with else)

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The format of the ui files is actually apt now. It's a lot more complicated as it's basically flash.

I think in the sdk extras which jonwil made ( http://cncmods.net/downloads.php ) contains the apt2xml and xml2apt programs. Currently they're the only publicly available ones to make changes to the ui. It's not pretty, and there are some bugs here and there, but it gets the job done.

You basically download the C&C3 UI source files there too and copy the desired file in a new folder, use apt2xml on it, edit the xml, use xml2apt, and copy it into your mod.

Edited by Lauren
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Holy foxes so much to download!

 

Thing is, all of downloads on cncmods seem point to a blank link and I can not locate JonWils stuff on Google? Any mirrors maybe?

 

Right now I am at experimenting stage, still getting my hand at the menu, looking and browsing. I am mostly interested in altering the current look of the EA menu with the glowing planet and the fancy button overlays. In order to make anything work, thou, got to track down where are the configs for menu text, that handle the text and its coordinates on the screen. Texturing is the easy part. I have trouble with this part. Usually in CNCGen all this operations are carried in Windows.big file. Least to say TibWars is whole mess with the redundant Generals code mixed with the new SAGE engine.

 

So far I double-checked most of XML files with Notepad++, is OK. All files open, no compression, yet there are no valuable traces of how the text from compressed string file (csf) is managed into the game (say, location on the screen, colors), perhaps these weird manifest and all the other files contain "Menu" in their names have the stuff I need?

 

To simplify, how to control which side on the screen the Menu text goes, what are these files that do this?

 

I need to apologize for this, I never modded Tib series. Only RA that was like thirty and a half decades ago, oh my god :^ Thanks for being so supportive Lauren, making big progress on learning to mod now.

Edited by UnholyLiberator
spelling error

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Once again a savior!

 

Unfortunately, 3 hours later I cant for the life of me, understand how to even add or move the menu text around. I used apt2xml and unpacked the Options UI file too.

 

I got the right parameters, like top="" and the rest.

 

	<edittext id="124" top="-2.000000" left="-2.000000" bottom="690.549988" right="248.500000" font="17" alignment="2" red="255" green="0" blue="163" alpha="231" height="18.000000" readonly="1" multiline="1" wordwrap="0">
		<ettext text="$OptionsMainMenuWarning" />
		<etvar variable="" />
	</edittext>

 

For the Main Menu, in fact, there is this

 

			<placeobject flags="38" depth="3" character="234" rotm00="1.000000" rotm01="0.000000" rotm10="0.000000" rotm11="1.000000" tx="166.750000" ty="556.099976" red="255" green="255" blue="255" alpha="255" ratio="0.000000" clipdepth="-1" unknown="0">
				<poname name="QuitMainMenu" />
			</placeobject>

 

You know, the TX and TY (X and Y axis I guess?)

 

I am currently doing some tests with this and yet to run changes through the game. Then again, way the unpacked XML files are written is truly bogus to me. Its all IDs and flags that I have no way to know each without some real knowledge of SAGE engine, what the hell EA did here.

 

Also, let's take QuitMainMenu for example you see in the code above. It's a call but if you open the corresponding csf of the game there is no such label, its just APT:QUITGAME (yeah nothing like QUITMAINMENU or something else) that is used for the in-game quit button. My point is? Whenever you decide to rework the menu order completely with fancy textures and stuff, and if to add new buttons or just plain text anywhere, your screwed. Actual MOD SDK documentation is scarce in that context, I read already some good modding tutorials that also lack UI editing than textures.

 

I guess most of you have already tried add new strings to Generals and red alert 2, the UI code for both were a lot better structured and managed so you can add completely new screens and buttons, which I like. So far without solid knowledge of SAGE 2 and its XML mess that seems more math than space itself, it's a missed opportunity. Typical loving child EA and their modding policy,

Edited by UnholyLiberator

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PROGRESS REPORT #1:

Here we go, located the line in the X.apt (where X is the filename) from which the game pre-loads the text strings.

<poname name="Defaults" />
(this is for Options>Graphics>Defaults button)

On point, really.

It looks just for the the text definition and not both the label, so if you are searching for the Defaults button, just be sure to not do it this way: APT:Defaults

 

Next up: I am still researching this crap, maybe I'll be able to insert more text in the menu in some way or another.

 

PROGRESS REPORT #2:

 

^ Not so sure now...

Well reach to the point I almost gave up.

What I think I have found also, still a guess, ID resembles the texture name if there is any used and maybe its like texture > text overlay. I can't be completely sure cuz I am too confused already and failing to pack the texture I edited  into bin, spent about 5 and half hours analyzing the xml files without succession. That sucks big time, was having couple ideas for a mod that enhances the menu and part of the in-game interface elements.

 

Its like reverse engineering the whole internet, holy sh*t.

Edited by UnholyLiberator

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Looks like you misunderstood my words. APT files are part of new engine and its EA LA who programmed that in order to use it in tiberium wars; jonwil on the other side, provided the tools to have compiled apts in readable format and vice versa. Jonwil made brilliant work on it, if it is him who messed up the formatting do you think the game can handle multiple messed files? Nah, its one way or another.

 

For the record I have modded Generals and Zero hour multiple times changing various aspects from sounds to movies, units and interface for my own use. In this regard I am well aware of the variables and constants. Except SAGE 2 has nothing to do with the first rendition. its completely different engine in terms of modding and modability if you're coming from Generals in the past.

 

I can say menus are not only flash as there are textures for its elements, like buttons, frames & stuff. I've already tested and know how to move some parts of it, that is the top,bottom,left, right parameters. Now for the rest, I need to research more in the files in order to crack the thing with the weird IDs. Provided some are used multiple times.

swfs just short movies like the bridge one, so you can have animated backgrounds. Rest is just textures and code.

 

I'll update this post if I dig something valuable to talk about. I had my head on fire yesterday, not yet given up on anything.

 

Edited by UnholyLiberator

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I'm sorry to say that you're completely wrong.

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Um here from the start, you guys know modding things better, no doubts at all. I am too naive to do something nobody did before.

 

I may be right and I may be too damn wrong.

Trial & error you know,.that's the way progress without anything to help yourself with, like expanded UI documentation that we lack one cause game is made not to allow it. I guess nobody wanted to have editable UI in this game instead sacrificed that option for the fancy looks, glowing buttons and awesome menu-to-menu transitions.

 

I may be pushing too hard with my imagination. I wanted to have if not completely tweaked menu looks, a single damn bar at the bottom of the menu screen to show some important text,. whatever, this is just not possible so far, as jonwil said himself over his website.

 

Solid thanks to you Lauren and Bibber for the asset extractor, also jonwil if he ever comes to read this post!

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Jonwil said that a lot wouldn't be possible, a mod sdk for KW for example.

Stuff like that is pretty easy if you read yourself into it. I also worked on an apt editor myself, but I don't have a public version available.

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