help noob modder

[whatdoesthisbuttondo 0]

Hey i want to learn how to mod ZH to my own liking but right from the start im having some issues. Im modding YR on CnCNet and know most of the things there is to it but this here in Generals is a bit more complex than i thought.

I want to reenable/recreate most of the cut content that they left out due to time constraints. Stuff like the unique command centers. All the laser units were planned and the actual laser particle cannon. Tomahawk storm and cruise missile silo.

Well i am unable to even find out how to make the Paladin tank buildable for superweapon general and without having to be promoted.
I think i found the line regarding promotion, under Prerequisites, SCIENCE_PaladinTank? But what would i replace that with? Simply "none"? Or remove that line entirely?
But i still cant find any line regarding on how to have it appear in WF buildlis

Also i know that most of the command center models are there in the gamefiles except tank general but how would i make the game use the models? I assume i have to replace that line next to Model for every state? But what is the name of the cut model? Do those models have damagestate models too?

I want to make some civilian structures able to be build by some generals for upgrades like toxin/nuclear bunker. Do i just copy and paste the .ini stuff from those buildings to the general i want to have it? But how to make it buildable?

I want to have command center and barracks flags from US use the US flag. There might be one in the gamefiles, the aircraft carrier that gets destroyed by the GLA using the particle cannon is simply flying a blue flag ingame aswell but during the cutscene you can see very briefly that it actually had a US flag originally. I want to do the same with GLA and chinese buildings, i know theres a GLA flag from the scud storm but is there even a PRC/PLA flag ingame? And if so what would those flags be called? I see there is a flag section on the command centers in .ini.

Lastly, I want to add units/structures and generals abilities from other mods. Mostly Shockwave and Chaos submod. Most likely i will just have to place the stuff i want from the mods .ini in the correct vanilla .ini right? But how does one transfer the models and make that stuff buildable?

Thanks alot for your help!

[RodallJuhzizTheModder 0]

ok, i know this is a little late, a LITTLE too late but i will help you and anyone that reads this.

1 - Laser Paladin Tank

First, to make it buildable without having to get the Paladin Science upgrade, you need to go into the folder called "Objects" and then search for a .ini file called LaserGeneral (or something similar), search for a string similar to "Object Lazr_USAVehiclePaladinTank" (i'm not in my computer right now so i dont remember internal names of the units), after you find it, you will head down in the code until you find the string called "Prerequisites", and you will find one line that says "Science = SCIENCE_PaladinTank" or something similar, then you will just wipe it out of the code or comment it out with a ";" at the start of the code line and then save the file. Congrats, you will not need the Science upgrade to build it, however, this is not done yet.

After that, you will exit the folder back where another bunch of .ini files are and you will search for one called "CommandButtons" and "CommandSet"

In CommandButton, you will try to search for a line called "Lazr_Command_USABuildUnitPaladinTank" or anything close to that, at this point, I would recommend to use a program specialized in editing or writing in files, even a simple texteditor might help. if you don't succeed after searching that line, just search "Lazr_" and look for one that has paladin in it.

However, if there is none, you will have to create one from Zero, and that's hard for a welcomer, so just copy any CommandButton that starts with "Lazr_" AND you indentify that it creates an unit, change the Header of the CommandButton to anything you want and also replace the object that it will create. in this case, replace that line with the object name of the paladin tank found in LaserGeneral.ini

The rest of the code is not necessary to edit unless you want a polished CommandButton so i will skip these.

Now, after succefully creating that piece of code, you will head into the CommandSet and search for, again, the "Lazr_" suffix until you find something to do with a WarFactory and also creates tank units (always check for the Lazr_ Suffix in these, so you know if you're editing the right CommandSet), if you succeed, then create a new line with a new number among the other commandbuttons of that Commandset, and add the CommandButton Header line (The Lazr_Command_ one)

It should look something like this:

5 = Lazr_Command_USABuildUnitPaladinTank

The number can vary through.

I'm not sure if I explained the process well so ask me anything if you're not sure.

 

2.Command Centers:

Yes, you have to replace the Model and Animations Files in each .ini file dedicated to the Generals (Ex. to replace the Thrax Command Center to the unused one, you need to replace the Model and Animations of the current Command Center in the ChemicalGeneral.ini with the unused one, which also has independant model and animatio, respectively)

And yup, you have to do all of that with every State.

Now, I'm not sure if they got Damage states at all, since Zero Hour added Animations into the models themselves (like the Nuke Hunter) instead of normal files, so you should have a Model editor that can open these files extensions. Sadly, my computer is very old and doesn't have windows, due to this, i cannot install the programs dedicated to them and check.

I would provide the links but I'm, again, in my phone, and don't have the links here, however, if you really want these programs, ask me here for them later.

 

3.Civilian Structures:

is really easy, just copy the Neutral or Civial building you want and add them into the .ini of the faction or general you want.

Don't forget to rename the object or the game will crash.

The rest is just the same as the Last Crusader tutorial, but instead, for this building.

The only difference is that you need to change the "BUILD_UNIT" into "BUILD_BUILDING" or Something similar, Just copy the CommandButton of an already existing building, rename it and change the Object Created.

After that, just add it into the CommandSet of a builder unit, I would recommend to match it with the .ini you edited.

Basically, if you added a building for the Stealth General (Kassad), add the button into the CommandSet of the Stealth General Worker

Also, change the Team (or faction) side into the respective .ini to the faction you want, in this case, it would be "GLAstealth"... Or... Similar, yeah...

 

4.Flags:

No clue, but if you want, you can edit the textures themselfs to add that specific flag you want, but i recommend trying to look first in the code of the map and see how it was done.

As far as i know, cutscenes are coded in scripts and various waypoints.

However, i never touched map code, so I'm unable to help you in this one.

 

5.Import:

yup, you just have to move the code from there to your .ini Files, and always try to match every header, line of code, etc and etc so your game doesn't crash.

To Make the stuff buildable, just follow the point 3 and Point 1 Tutorial

For the Models... I only tried once, and it didn't work... however, i fastly gave up, so you can maybe try to stuff all the related model files into the ".ini" folder/s and try that maybe?, i dunno.

 

I hope this help at least a little bit, English is not my first language and there might be atleast one big misspell that i'm not aware of.

Again, if you need more details, polishing or even a whole .ini file/code of block, i'm available here to do so, just contact and i will try my best

As a side note or fun fact: I was also creating a unused content mod, but I gave up after trying to make the Battle Bus drop Demo Traps as the devs intended, instead of doing my work around.

 

Good day!