I'm having an issue with my custom templates

[Arreon]

I've created some templates that the AI otherwise wouldn't use, and put them in the Vlo files. I made the collection of vlos and slos into a mod, and tried to start the mod on Warzone.

The game runs fine, but the AI isn't using the templates I created.

I suspect that I also have to put the templates into another file, but I'm not sure. Can someone help me with this?

[whippersnapper]

I've created some templates that the AI otherwise wouldn't use, and put them in the Vlo files. I made the collection of vlos and slos into a mod, and tried to start the mod on Warzone.

The game runs fine, but the AI isn't using the templates I created.

I suspect that I also have to put the templates into another file, but I'm not sure. Can someone help me with this?

You have to add to "templates.txt" in the "base.wz"

New skirmish template is stored there, and tells the game exactly how to handle the AI templates.

There are other things that could go wrong but I'd start here.

Regards, whip
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[Arreon]

Every time I try to convert the WZ file to a zip file, make the changes, and convert it back to a WZ file, a lot of the original content vanishes.

This is what happens when I send the file to a zip folder.

[lav_coyote25]

what are you using to zip files with???

[Arreon]

Just the regular compressed (zipped) folder option.

[Zarel]

I'm lost. No idea what's going on.

This shouldn't be happening, anyway. You should be compressing the same extracted content you used earlier; you shouldn't extract the new .wz each time you make changes...

[Arreon]

I'm planning on creating an AI template mod because I'm tired of the same units being used over and over again.

The problem is that I've created a big mess out of what should be a simple task (I've created more than 10 junk mods in the process) and I can't find my way out.

I've edited the Vlo and Slo files, the mp files (at least 5 times), the base wz file, the Assignweapons.txt file, and the templates.txt file, but with no success of creating those templates.

[whippersnapper]

.

Could it be in how exactly you constructed the new templates themselves ? I'm thinking "Names.txt" and "Weapon Internal ID's" ?

Regards, whip
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[Arreon]

What are the internal names? I tried gathering clues from other existing templates. Otherwise, I have no clue.

[whippersnapper]

What are the internal names? I tried gathering clues from other existing templates. Otherwise, I have no clue.

• Weapon Internal ID's:
  
  Cannon Tech:
  
  Twin Assault Cannon == Cannon6TwinAslt
  Assault Cannon == Cannon5VulcanMk1
  VTOL Assault Cannon == Cannon5Vulcan-VTOL
  HPV Cannon == Cannon4AUTOMk1
  VTOL HPV Cannon == Cannon4AUTO-VTOL
  Heavy Cannon == Cannon375mmMk1
  Twin Heavy Cannon == Cannon400mmMk1
  Medium Cannon == Cannon2A-TMk1
  Light Cannon == Cannon1Mk1
  VTOL Cannon == Cannon1-VTOL
  
  Mortar Tech:
  
  Pepperpot == Mortar3ROTARYMk1
  Bombard == Mortar2Mk1
  Mortar == Mortar1Mk1
  Incendiary Mortar == Mortar-Incenediary
  
  Howitzer Tech:
  
  Ground Shaker == Howitzer150Mk1
  Howitzer == Howitzer105Mk1
  Hellstorm == Howitzer03-Rot
  Incendiary Howitzer == Howitzer-Incenediary
  
  Missile Tech:
  
  Scourge Missile == Missile-A-T
  VTOL Scourge Missile == Missile-VTOL-AT
  Angel Missile == Missile-MdArt
  Archangel Missile == Missile-HvyArt
  Avenger SAM == Missile-LtSAM
  Vindicator SAM == Missile-HvySAM
  
  Rocket Tech:
  
  Mini-Pod Rockets == Rocket-Pod
  VTOL Mini-Pod Rockets == Rocket-VTOL-Pod
  Mini-Rocket Artillery == Rocket-MRL
  VTOL Bunker Buster == Rocket-VTOL-BB
  
  Laser Tech:
  
  Plasma Cannon == Laser4-PlasmaCannon
  Flashlight == Laser3BEAMMk1
  Pulse Laser == Laser2PULSEMk1
  Heavy Laser == HeavyLaser
  VTOL Flashlight == Laser3BEAM-VTOL
  VTOL Pulse Laser == Laser2PULSE-VTOL
  VTOL Heavy Laser == HeavyLaser-VTOL
  
  Rail Tech:
  
  Gauss Cannon == RailGun3Mk1
  Rail Gun == RailGun2Mk1
  VTOL Rail Gun == RailGun2-VTOL
  Needle Gun == RailGun1Mk1
  VTOL Needle Gun == RailGun1-VTOL
  
  Flamer Tech:
  
  Plasmite Flamer == PlasmiteFlamer
  Inferno == Flame2
  Flamer == Flame1Mk1
  
  Machinegun Tech:
  
  Assault Gun == MG4ROTARYMk1
  VTOL Assault Gun == MG4ROTARY-VTOL
  Twin Assault Gun == MG5TWINROTARY
  Heavy Machinegun == MG3Mk1
  VTOL Heavy Machinegun == MG3-VTOL
  Twin Machinegun == MG2Mk1
  VTOL Twin Machinegun == MG2-VTOL
  Machinegun == MG1Mk1
  VTOL Machinegun == MG1-VTOL
  
  AA Tech:
  
  Whirlwind AA Turret == QuadRotAAGun
  Hurricane AA Turret == QuadMg1AAGun
  Cyclone Flak Turret == AAGun2Mk1
  Stormbringer AA Laser == AAGunLaser
  
  Medium Missile Tech:
  
  Lancer == Rocket-LtA-T
  VTOL Lancer == Rocket-VTOL-LtA-T
  Tank Killer == Rocket-HvyA-T
  VTOL Tank Killer == Rocket-VTOL-HvyA-T
  Bunker Buster == Rocket-BB
  Ripple Rockets == Rocket-IDF
  
  VTOL Tech:
  
  VTOL Plasmite Bombs == Bomb5-VTOL-Plasmite
  VTOL Thermite Bombs == Bomb4-VTOL-HvyINC
  VTOL Phosphor Bombs == Bomb3-VTOL-LtINC
  VTOL HEAP Bombs == Bomb2-VTOL-HvHE
  VTOL Cluster Bombs == Bomb1-VTOL-LtHE
  
  Command Turret Tech:
  
  Command Turret == Command Turret1
  Command Turret Mk2 == Command Turret2
  Command Turret Mk3 == Command Turret3
  Command Turret Mk4 == Command Turret4
  
  EMP Tech:
  
  EMP Cannon == EMP-Cannon
  EMP Mortar == MortarEMP
  EMP Missile Launcher == Bomb6-VTOL-EMP
  
  Special Tech:
  
  Nexus Link Turret == SpyTurret01

New templates should be no longer than 20 characters in length and added after the last entry in Names.txt like so

// added by whipper on 5th July 09 - New SK Templates
SK-Panther-Hover-GCannon *SK-Panther-H-GCannon*

Translation: Panther Hover Gauss Cannon unit

// this is just a courtesy to others letting them know what your up to and to tell the game itself NOT to parse
* * anything enclosed with these will not be translated in the game, it's an internal reference to the new template. HOWEVER if
you create a brand new weap mod you wouldn't use these so that your new weap name would be displayed in-game.

You must also assign weapons to new AI templates.in assignWeapons.txt doc. The name comes first and must match EXACTLY the name you used in names.txt and templates.txt Next comes the weapon you wish to assign to the template,and you MUST use the Weapon Internal ID's for your weapon (as per the opening of this post)... Like for example:

SK-Panther-Hover-GCannon,RailGun3Mk1,6

The number at the end "6" corresponds to the group which has access to this template in the game.... the only group you would ever use in this case because it refers to the skirmish AI.... But for those interested in doing some fancy stuff here is the key to what other numbers would reference

• 0 = Human Player
  1 = New Paradigm
  2 = Collective
  3 = NEXUS
  4 = Force Editor Vehicles
  5 = Multiplayer Vehicles
  6 = Skirmish AI
  7 = Scavengers

Hope this is of use in getting your new templates working in-game.

Regards, whip
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[Zarel]

[detailed guide to templates.txt and assignweapons.txt]

Oh gods, this is a great guide. Please add it to wiki: txt editing

[Arreon]

Thanks Whipper! This is exactly what I'm looking for. Now I can create those templates (hopefully without any errors ).

But the problem now is converting the mod back to a wz file without losing data to the compression.

[whippersnapper]

[detailed guide to templates.txt and assignweapons.txt]

Oh gods, this is a great guide. Please add it to wiki: txt editing

Cool. I'll do that. (Gotta refresh my mem on wiki formating 1st.)

Thanks Whipper! This is exactly what I'm looking for. Now I can create those templates (hopefully without any errors ).

But the problem now is converting the mod back to a wz file without losing data to the compression.

Sure, NP.

On that .zip problem.... it made me think of something I read a few months back that Mysteryem wrote in regards to an issue Black Project was having with his Warzone Hardcore Mode Mod V2.0

Editing the files in base.wz and mp.wz has always worked fine for me. You edit the file, save it and then winrar asks you if you want to update the file. However I think opening an archive from inside an archive might not work becuase I think it's stored in a temporary directory when you open it.

It may or may not apply here but you can take a look at all the posts that led to this quoted comment by Mysteryem here:

viewtopic.php?f=10&t=2777&p=29350#p29350

Regards, whip
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[Arreon]

I'm still having problems .

This time, when I try to convert the zipped file back into a WZ file, the game either crashes, doesn't load, or just doesn't use the mod.

Maybe I should upload it here as an attachment, then you can see where I'm going wrong.

[whippersnapper]

I'm still having problems .

This time, when I try to convert the zipped file back into a WZ file, the game either crashes, doesn't load, or just doesn't use the mod.

Maybe I should upload it here as an attachment, then you can see where I'm going wrong.

Ok.... we'll give it a shot...

WZ is not very forgiving if you miss a single character placement. For example - if you don't add // before annotations the game will crash.

Regards, whip
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