Map modding error?

[Tiberius337]

Hi there. So I made some modifications to the map by using the tool provided in the game. I changed a lot of borders and disabled some provinces (which I also disconnected from the provinces still in game), mostly in North Africa and Egypt, but playing as Carthage I came across these errors (repeatedly and starting around 260-250 BC) saying SearchGroups Region not found, and then followed by a number - screenshot bellow. Anyone has any idea whatsoever if they are related to the map changes or what their source is?https://ibb.co/516vWxG

Edit: Deleted original post from the main forum and posted here.

[Pocus]

I'm sorry I can't load your image. Also I'm a bit confused about your problem.

I would say the game is trying to access regions that are excluded. What have you done, you removed regions or you add some?

In events.bsf, Event_RegionsAutoUnlock() can help you, there is a test on gTurnInfos.fullMap, if a scenario has a not the full map (Pyrrhus has not) then some things are excluded because we don't want to access regions that are not defined.

If you are not on the full map, then it is better to test the region you are accessing is there with IsRegionValid()

[Tiberius337]

I changed the map of North Africa by removing some regions from REGIONS.CSV file - most south of Mauretania, the Libyan Desert, Garamantia and Sudan, and I remade a bigger Africa and Tripolitania province through REGIONS.CSV and AREAS.CSV. Working on the borders of Carthage at the moment. Will try to upload a new image. Must be that the game is trying to do exactly what you said. I didn't check the events file. Now looking at it I can see u can lock regions from there. But another question comes in mind. If I just lock the provinces I want removed from the Events file like that, will there be other problems with factions like Garamantes or Nassamones later on? When they are presumed to spawn for example? And if so, if I remove those factions from FACTIONS.csv and SETUP_FACTIONS.csv will that be enough. Will try to upload the new borders so you make an idea: https://imgur.com/a/JG52ak4

Things are simple. I want nothing south of the border from that image.

Edit: New provinces as they are now: https://imgur.com/a/8T4vWK9

Thanks a lot for your help. Very much appreciated!

[MoLAoS]

Key problem you are going to have is that, I assume for loading speed purposes, the data is not formatted in a way that makes it easy to mod. There are tons of weird connections all over the place you have to deal with.

[Tiberius337]

So in theory it would be more efficient to just disband regions from REGION.CSV than to alter the Events file? And just edit the Events.BSF in accordance to the edits you do directly to REGIONS.CSV? Is that what you are saying MoLAos?

[MoLAoS]

So in theory it would be more efficient to just disband regions from REGION.CSV than to alter the Events file? And just edit the Events.BSF in accordance to the edits you do directly to REGIONS.CSV? Is that what you are saying MoLAos?

I'm mostly arguing that the data structure of the game spreads relevant data out over many places in a way that's not convenient for modding. You're bound to miss a bunch of stuff. And its likely they structured the data that way to increase load speeds. Although theoretically they should have a tool that enables more human friendly interaction with the data and then packs it back to speedload format afterwards.

[Tiberius337]

I agree, but as it is the case with most new stuff/structures you need to relearn things.

On the other hand, at least this guys are much more helpful than other companies/publishers in regards to modding. I talk only about those games which I used to mod - like the total war franchise and the Paradox games. This guys released a tutorial right away and a map modding tool. Most of others games I used to mod had no tutorials, and those that were eventually released, were done by the modders themselves. Modders which, after countless hours of searching through files, they managed by themselves get a grasp of the game's files structure.

I like this game a lot. I think it has a lot of potential, and I think it does a better job of portraying the richness of the period (Classical Antiquity) than most other games on the market - most of them kind of grey, not to mention any names/*cought Paradox. I don't know why that is. Maybe I am subjective, but I think that the structures system is awesome, the cultural system is nice, and I think the general direction is a good one, even if the initial release has some obvious shortcomings (which will probably be remediated in the next patches/dlcs). I also try to keep in mind that AGEOD, Byzantine Games and Slitherine are smaller companies with less resources than the above mentioned companies. I think in regards to that they did a pretty good job. Now back to the matter at hand.

What I have in mind is an overhaul mod with some more historical units and border altering. Maybe some historical events later on. General historical depth, flavor and realism - Europa Barbarorum/Divide et Impera kind of stuff. I already added some units such as Sacred Band Cavalry, Thessalian Cavalry, Hyspaspist and I have many others in mind. But I also wanted to change some of the borders and alter some of the Objectives with more historical expansion in mind. The game is kind of bellicose at the moment. At least for some factions - like Numidia attacking Carthage - stuff like that. Maybe some of us band together and work on a mod like that. Anyone interested in stuff like that and history, consider this an invitation.

[FrenchDude]

What I have in mind is an overhaul mod with some more historical units and border altering. Maybe some historical events later on. General historical depth, flavor and realism - Europa Barbarorum/Divide et Impera kind of stuff. I already added some units such as Sacred Band Cavalry, Thessalian Cavalry, Hyspaspist and I have many others in mind. But I also wanted to change some of the borders and alter some of the Objectives with more historical expansion in mind. The game is kind of bellicose at the moment. At least for some factions - like Numidia attacking Carthage - stuff like that. Maybe some of us band together and work on a mod like that. Anyone interested in stuff like that and history, consider this an invitation.

I’m amazed, this game was released just a few days ago and someone’s already working on the « Europa Barbarorum » style of mod I was dreaming of for this game ! I think that this game has a big modding potential, and even if AGEOD is a small company, their willingness to support modding from the very beginning and interact with players can really make FOG: Empires an amazing gaming experience for history fans

[MoLAoS]

I agree, but as it is the case with most new stuff/structures you need to relearn things.

On the other hand, at least this guys are much more helpful than other companies/publishers in regards to modding. I talk only about those games which I used to mod - like the total war franchise and the Paradox games. This guys released a tutorial right away and a map modding tool. Most of others games I used to mod had no tutorials, and those that were eventually released, were done by the modders themselves. Modders which, after countless hours of searching through files, they managed by themselves get a grasp of the game's files structure.

I like this game a lot. I think it has a lot of potential, and I think it does a better job of portraying the richness of the period (Classical Antiquity) than most other games on the market - most of them kind of grey, not to mention any names/*cought Paradox. I don't know why that is. Maybe I am subjective, but I think that the structures system is awesome, the cultural system is nice, and I think the general direction is a good one, even if the initial release has some obvious shortcomings (which will probably be remediated in the next patches/dlcs). I also try to keep in mind that AGEOD, Byzantine Games and Slitherine are smaller companies with less resources than the above mentioned companies. I think in regards to that they did a pretty good job. Now back to the matter at hand.

What I have in mind is an overhaul mod with some more historical units and border altering. Maybe some historical events later on. General historical depth, flavor and realism - Europa Barbarorum/Divide et Impera kind of stuff. I already added some units such as Sacred Band Cavalry, Thessalian Cavalry, Hyspaspist and I have many others in mind. But I also wanted to change some of the borders and alter some of the Objectives with more historical expansion in mind. The game is kind of bellicose at the moment. At least for some factions - like Numidia attacking Carthage - stuff like that. Maybe some of us band together and work on a mod like that. Anyone interested in stuff like that and history, consider this an invitation.

Mechanically this is probably the most interesting recent grand strategy game in general, not just for the period. I only discuss the data structures and the impact on modding in previous comments. The game itself is pretty good.

[Tiberius337]

And I agreed MaLAos. The info is a little dispersed, but the game seems quite moddable and most important stable. At least so it seems to me.

@FrenchDude: Hopefully more people interested in this will come out of whatever caves they hide in and things will take off soon. Unfortunately I can't mod graphics.