Completely new and additional terrain textures for EE4

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Gonzalo
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Completely new and additional terrain textures for EE4

Post by Gonzalo »

I have frequently quarreled with some friends that, I held, there ought to be a way to add new terrain textures to the game, as long as they maintained that it was impossible for, they insisted in, the total number of textures for every climate were hardcoded. Now, after demoralising myself again and again, and based on the tough metaphysical stubborness that EVERYTHING ABSOLUTELY in the game is moddable if you are patient and reasonable with the extremely absurd logic and magic of the task of modding this game, I finally obtained the desired result...you are able, with some patience amd in a extent of time relatively brief, to have additional and custom terrain textures that you like, without the need to renounce to original textures for each climate. The modding and the rationale of the process is as follows:

a) In the main folder of the game (Sierra/Empire Earth 2, usually) there is a folder called zips. First paste your custom texture in .tga format (with the aid of gimp, or other image editor which supports this export) in the zipped folder called "Textures.zip"

b) Inside the same main folder, there is another folder called "zips_EE2X". Proceed in the directory searching for "terrain"...

c) Now the magic thing, modding the code. You need to mod three files for every climate in which you may want to add your custom texture: dbseasonaltextures_temperate.csv, dbterrain_temperate.csv and dbterraintexture_temperate.csv. This for adding temperate textures, but the same applies to arid and/or tropical, or the three (if you want same texture for three all climates in the game)

d)Let's be clear and plain: first my code for seasonal textures excel file (which you can e4it with notepad), then I explain what happens:

Code: Select all

ShallowWater_Temperate,terr_riverbottom.tga terr_riverbottom.tga terr_riverbottom.tga terr_riverbottom.tga terr_riverbottom.tga terr_riverbottom.tga terr_riverbottom.tga terr_riverbottom.tga terr_riverbottom.tga terr_riverbottom.tga terr_riverbottom.tga terr_riverbottom.tga
Coastal_Temperate,ocean.tga ocean.tga ocean.tga ocean.tga ocean.tga ocean.tga ocean.tga ocean.tga ocean.tga ocean.tga ocean.tga ocean.tga
Worn_Path_1,terr_wornpath_1_wi02.tga terr_wornpath_1_wi02.tga terr_wornpath_1_wi01.tga terr_wornpath_1_su.tga terr_wornpath_1_su.tga terr_wornpath_1_su.tga terr_wornpath_1_su.tga terr_wornpath_1_su.tga terr_wornpath_1_su.tga terr_wornpath_1_su.tga terr_wornpath_1_su.tga terr_wornpath_1_wi01.tga 
Worn_Path_2,terr_swamp.tga terr_swamp.tga terr_swamp.tga terr_swamp.tga terr_swamp.tga terr_swamp.tga terr_swamp.tga terr_swamp.tga terr_swamp.tga terr_swamp.tga terr_swamp.tga terr_swamp.tga 
Worn_Path_3,Ocean.tga Ocean.tga Ocean.tga Ocean.tga Ocean.tga Ocean.tga Ocean.tga Ocean.tga Ocean.tga Ocean.tga Ocean.tga Ocean.tga
Worn_Path_4,Via.tga Via.tga Via.tga Via.tga Via.tga Via.tga Via.tga Via.tga Via.tga Via.tga Via.tga Via.tga

As you might (and should) have noticed, I have just copied the style of the original texture Worn_Path_1, and have created two or three Worn_Path names, followied by 12 instances of the name of the texture you first inserted into zips/Textures.zip (each texture for each month). Of course you cas "imitate" this approach by indexing any other original texture, for example Coastal_Temperate_1 and so on ^^


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Now let's go on with the terrain database (dbterrain_temperate.csv):


Code: Select all

ShallowWater,ShallowWater_Temperate,Beach_Temperate,Beach_Temperate,Dirt Dirt Dirt Dirt Dirt Dirt Dirt Dirt Dirt Dirt Dirt Dirt ,terr_water_riverbed.bmp,0,0,kTerrainMoveType_River,0
Coastal,Coastal_Temperate,Beach_Temperate,Beach_Temperate,Dirt Dirt Dirt Dirt Dirt Dirt Dirt Dirt Dirt Dirt Dirt Dirt ,terr_water_riverbed.bmp,-2,0,kTerrainMoveType_Coast,0
WornPath,Worn_Path_1,Worn_Path_1,Worn_Path_1,Snow Snow Snow Mud Mud Mud Dirt Dirt Dirt Dirt Dirt Dirt,terr_dirt.bmp,0,0,kTerrainMoveType_Land,0
Swamp,Worn_Path_2,Worn_Path_2,Worn_Path_2,Snow Snow Snow Mud Mud Mud Dirt Dirt Dirt Dirt Dirt Dirt,terr_dirt.bmp,0,0,kTerrainMoveType_Land,0
Desert_Temperate,Worn_Path_3,Worn_Path_3,Worn_Path_3,Snow Snow Snow Mud Mud Mud Dirt Dirt Dirt Dirt Dirt Dirt,terr_dirt.bmp,0,0,kTerrainMoveType_Land,0
Via,Worn_Path_4,Worn_Path_4,Worn_Path_4,Snow Snow Snow Mud Mud Mud Dirt Dirt Dirt Dirt Dirt Dirt,terr_dirt.bmp,0,0,kTerrainMoveType_Land,0
Here we can see our friend WornPath, but this is just the name of the terrain such as it will appear in the scenario editor. Three names appear, which as it is plain and self-evident, we must rename to Worn_Path_2 and so on. The rest of the line can be copied as it is, I mean mud mud mud mud dirt dirt dirt dirt etc towards the movemnt type of the texture (Mountain, Ocean or Land). The interesting thing is that you can rename your custom texture as you like, and it will appear "religiously" in the editor.

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Now the third file in the code, which isn't of lesser importance than the others. Here is the code:

Code: Select all

Saltgrass_Temperate,Saltgrass_Temperate,terr_mask.tga, 0 0 0 0.5 1.0 1.0 1.0 1.0 1.0 1.0 1.0 0.5
ShallowWater_Temperate,ShallowWater_Temperate,terr_mask.tga, 0 0 0 0.5 1.0 1.0 1.0 1.0 1.0 1.0 1.0 0.5
Coastal_Temperate,Coastal_Temperate,terr_mask.tga, 0 0 0 0.5 1.0 1.0 1.0 1.0 1.0 1.0 1.0 0.5
Worn_Path_1,Worn_Path_1,terr_mask.tga, 0 0 0 0.5 1.0 1.0 1.0 1.0 1.0 1.0 1.0 0.5
Worn_Path_2,Worn_Path_2,terr_mask.tga, 0 0 0 0.5 1.0 1.0 1.0 1.0 1.0 1.0 1.0 0.5
Worn_Path_3,Worn_Path_3,terr_mask.tga, 0 0 0 0.5 1.0 1.0 1.0 1.0 1.0 1.0 1.0 0.5
Worn_Path_4,Worn_Path_4,terr_mask.tga, 0 0 0 0.5 1.0 1.0 1.0 1.0 1.0 1.0 1.0 0.5

Nothing difficult, we take Worn_Path_1, increase index as usual and copy the rest of the line...


Now try it yourself and give colour (and flavour) to your scenarios!! Maybe this method, which I have applied succesfully to EE4, can be adapted, with slight modifications, to UP 1.5 Art of Supremacy or even to EE2 original. Good luck!!! =)

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Gonzalo
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Re: Completely new and additional terrain textures for EE4

Post by Gonzalo »

Unfortunately it seems that the game won't allow more than 44 textures as a whole, at least in temperate climate :( If anyone has a solution to this problem I would appreciate very much and be very grateful.
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Loewenherz
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Re: Completely new and additional terrain textures for EE4

Post by Loewenherz »

Interessting. Thanks for share it. But i think, EE2 has enough Terrain texture. :)
List of tutorials, useful threads and utilities (look here before posting): Here

Add Pics to Map: viewtopic.php?f=54&p=25184#p25184

Loews Work: viewtopic.php?f=54&t=5160
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Gonzalo
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Re: Completely new and additional terrain textures for EE4

Post by Gonzalo »

Thanks for feedback Loewenherz, and yes, 51 textures per climate are quite enough....I am thinking of creating Mediterranean climate =)
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Gonzalo
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Re: Completely new and additional terrain textures for EE4

Post by Gonzalo »

I have created Tundra Climate and Mediterranean Climate but only Tundra works (it was somehow preconceived by the programmers), Mediterranean only is loaded in the editor but completely unplayable at the moment. I added cicada audio for Mediterranean Climate =)
Cory1985
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Re: Completely new and additional terrain textures for EE4

Post by Cory1985 »

Maybe edit the file that says which textures to use. I would prefer having fewer textures per season and using higher quality textures. I know the feeling I have been tinkering with the land textures with some success and other not so much.
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Gonzalo
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Re: Completely new and additional terrain textures for EE4

Post by Gonzalo »

Thank you, Cory, for your feedback. I solved the problem, but some time ago, and I can't remember my solutions. Thanks.
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