How to create new units, weapons, campaigns, briefings

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Aekar
Sergeant - 7.5 cm FK 16 nA
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How to create new units, weapons, campaigns, briefings

Post by Aekar »

My thanks go to Kerensky for this information.
I only completed it with new things.


You may create new ints with the Editor, but you won't be able to find their icon reference or modify their image there.
To do that, you should do the following:

Units and Weapons


To place your new sprites:
Steam\steamapps\common\Warhammer 40,000 Armageddon\Graphics\Units

Every unit graphically exists as a 256x256 PNG file posed in six directions.

To define your new unit attributes, traits and unit icon reference:
Steam\steamapps\common\Warhammer 40,000 Armageddon\data

... file called: unittypes.whdat
... you should open that with Notepad++ or other editors.
(Excel works too, but it has been reported that some values might get truncated by Excel).
(also, other modders had problems with any text editor, this post will get edited as solutions get confirmed).

You may define new weapons with the editor, or with:
weapons.whdat
... on same folder.
The file allows for traits.



Campaigns


Yes, we can totally create campaigns, and I tested it too!

The file:
campaigns.whdat
... can be edited to declare campaigns and their art.

Then you may use a file of your own or:
2ndwar.whdat
... to declare the briefings and scenario list of your campaign.



Campaign Briefings


Creating briefings is also made very easy.

Head to:
Steam\steamapps\common\Warhammer 40,000 Armageddon\data\Briefings


Make a copy of existing files to see the available commands and how they are used.
You may fade backgrounds in and out, place speeches, backgrounds, locations, and of course dialog options.

If you want to do some audio, head to:
Steam\steamapps\common\Warhammer 40,000 Armageddon\Audio\Voices

If you name an audio file like the sting tag you put in your Briefing, it will be played when the dialog will be displayed.


Scenario popups:
The .mid file is for displaying briefings within the scenario battlefield.


Strings, and briefing strings

Most strings are managed from:
Steam\steamapps\common\Warhammer 40,000 Armageddon\data\strings.whdat

However briefing and cutscenes strings are from:
Steam\steamapps\common\Warhammer 40,000 Armageddon\data\Briefings\strings.whdat

I didn't manage to edit the string files well with Excel, so I used a basic coding tool such a Notepad++ instead.
Unfortunately, unlike all modifications above, my string modifications were not displayed ; so I have been unsuccessful on that one until now.
This will be edited with updated progress.



Briefing Portraits

Although I see how portraits of speech are declared, and where existing portraits are located ( UI / Portraits ) I don't see how their reference can match, so there must be another file to find here.


Backup these files before changing them!
Last edited by Aekar on Wed Dec 03, 2014 2:28 pm, edited 4 times in total.
Kerensky
Content Designer
Content Designer
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Re: How to create new units, weapons, campaigns, briefings

Post by Kerensky »

Nice post, thanks for trying to be helpful and compiling useful information and details!

Right now everything is in such a state of flux with the 1.0 release, all the feedback that generates, and tech support that must be resolved, but I'm hoping this will eventually settle down. After that we'll be better able to put some more time and effort to organize this information for modders to have easy access to learn and understand all the files and the structures, and well as better in game mod support for things like custom campaigns and scenarios. Stay tuned! :!:
Rudankort
FlashBack Games
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Re: How to create new units, weapons, campaigns, briefings

Post by Rudankort »

To add new characters, you need to modify this file:
Data/Briefings/characters.whdat
KenAllen
Corporal - 5 cm Pak 38
Corporal - 5 cm Pak 38
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Re: How to create new units, weapons, campaigns, briefings

Post by KenAllen »

Is it possible to create a command unit that can increase nearby units initiative value?
Latro
Staff Sergeant - Kavallerie
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Re: How to create new units, weapons, campaigns, briefings

Post by Latro »

I tried to edit attack.whdat with excel, to add the missing hivewallturret, but now all the weapon offsets are a wrong.
Do I need to import the .whdat in a certain format? ANSI?
Caveman
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Re: How to create new units, weapons, campaigns, briefings

Post by Caveman »

MS Excel tends to cut zeros after a comma. So if you have coordinates like 128,90 Excel will shorten them to 128,9. My advise would be to edit this file only with a regular editor. Tabstops are used to define collums.
Latro
Staff Sergeant - Kavallerie
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Re: How to create new units, weapons, campaigns, briefings

Post by Latro »

Ah, ok. Notepad++ seems to work.
Aekar
Sergeant - 7.5 cm FK 16 nA
Sergeant - 7.5 cm FK 16 nA
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Re: How to create new units, weapons, campaigns, briefings

Post by Aekar »

Editing first post to display that information.
Bntyhntr98
Corporal - 5 cm Pak 38
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Re: How to create new units, weapons, campaigns, briefings

Post by Bntyhntr98 »

Hey this is Awsome , was able to create the Last chancers and Ghuants ghosts Because of this post :). Works great, now I just need sprites for other units and I can have a blast with this, oooo this game has so much potential :)
Aekar
Sergeant - 7.5 cm FK 16 nA
Sergeant - 7.5 cm FK 16 nA
Posts: 231
Joined: Thu Nov 27, 2014 10:29 am

Re: How to create new units, weapons, campaigns, briefings

Post by Aekar »

Yes, four years after...
I decided to bump this post.

As author I am biased of course, and I have to see what still works... but I think it should be made as sticky. :p
Kerensky posts too.
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