Command & Conquer™ Remastered Collection

Command & Conquer™ Remastered Collection

Veterancy and more - Version 41.1
Veterancy_mod.xml XML's Import for VFX Modding Question
Hi DCJD!

Hopefully you are sitting comfortably....:) I'm popping up this conundrum I am having , and hope you may be able to cast your eye over when you get a chance to advise if possible! Its quite difficult to explain and I hope the below makes sense. I can of course elaborate on any confusion.

I have been attempting to add a new superweapon with animation graphics (HYDROFX) I have had success in testing however I am struggling to introduce the new sequence via my new VFX xml (with this sequence in it I did attempt to use my UNITS.XML but it seems to not be happy with updating XML's when I add it to that),

(As I have been adding to my singular UNITS.XML, it makes sense to ask about this while I am having this problem as well so I can work out why I can't get veterancy and more to pickup other XML's apart from UNITS.xml)

I have done the following but the mod will not pick this up and add the following to TD_VFX.xml?

I called the XML file "TibDawnExpansionVFXEvents.XML" in the directory of Documents\CnCRemastered\Mods\Tiberian_Dawn\TibDawnExpansion\Data\XML\TILESETS and this is how it is currently structured (Ive cut the middle section down as it repeats in in sequence)

<?xml version="1.0"?>
<Tiles>
<Tile version="2">
<Key>
<Name>HYDROFX</Name>
<Shape>0</Shape>
</Key>
<Value>
<Frames>
<Frame>HYDROFX\HYDROFX-0000.tga</Frame>
</Frames>
</Value>
</Tile>

REPEATED IN SEQUENCE CONTINUES To

</Tile>
</Tile>
<Tile>
<Key>
<Name>HYDROFX</Name>
<Shape>80</Shape>
</Key>
<Value>
<Frames>
<Frame>HYDROFX\HYDROFX-0080.tga</Frame>
</Frames>
</Value>
</Tile>
</Tiles>
</TilesetTypeClass>
</Tilesets>

And here is my next version veterancy_mod.xml that I hoped TibDawnExpansionVFXEvents.xml would import to the game.

<?xml version="4.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<Files>
<SFXEvents>TibDawnExpansionSFXEvents.xml</SFXEvents><!-- must be a unique name, the file must be located in the \DATA\XML\AUDIO folder -->
<LocalizedSFXEvents></LocalizedSFXEvents><!-- must be a unique name, the file must be located in the \DATA\XML\AUDIO folder -->
<GameObjects>TibDawnExpansionBuildables.xml</GameObjects><!-- must be a unique name, the file must be located in the \DATA\XML\OBJECTS\UNITS folder -->
<TileSets> <!-- names aren't important here, the file must be located in the \DATA\XML\TILESETS folder -->
<Structures></Structures>
<Units>UNITS.XML</Units>
<Vfx>TibDawnExpansionVFXEvents.xml</Vfx>
</TileSets>
</Files>

I did the initial corresponding testing/modifying with the other sections (Buildables/art mod/rules.ini etc) and direct manipulation of TD_Units.xml, however obviously to introduce properly I need veterancy and more to import it in, I've been introducing all my new graphics through my "UNITS.XML" however I know I really should be using the corresponding XML's (Structures/VFX/Sound etc) but I seem to only be able to get Veterancy and more to update its XML's when I use the one "UNITS.XML" and that feeds into TD_UNITS I believe.

I hoped increasing the version number would action the refresh and import. However I am scratching my head figuring out what I am missing.

I know that is a lot! As I say if you please have any tips/advice of where I am going wrong that would be greatly appreciated, Thanks!
Last edited by RangerbeastDrill; 25 Aug, 2024 @ 10:32am
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Showing 1-3 of 3 comments
DontCryJustDie  [developer] 25 Aug, 2024 @ 12:18pm 
Originally posted by RangerbeastDrill:
<?xml version="4.0" encoding="utf-8"?>

Don't change this version attribute, it is the xml standard and should be 1.0.

In TibDawnExpansion\DATA\XML\TILESETS create STRUCTURES.XML.
<?xml version="1.0"?> <Tiles> <Tile> <Key> <Name>TDNUK4</Name> <Shape>0</Shape> </Key> <Value> <Frames> <Frame>TDNUK4\NUK4-0000.tga</Frame> </Frames> </Value> </Tile> . . . </Tiles>

Then place all your new building assets into TibDawnExpansion\DATA\ART\TEXTURES\SRGB\TIBERIAN_DAWN\STRUCTURES.

Then add the STRUCTURES.XML to the veterancy_mod.xml.
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?> <Files> <SFXEvents>TibDawnExpansionSFXEvents.xml</SFXEvents><!-- must be a unique name, the file must be located in the \DATA\XML\AUDIO folder --> <LocalizedSFXEvents></LocalizedSFXEvents><!-- must be a unique name, the file must be located in the \DATA\XML\AUDIO folder --> <GameObjects>TibDawnExpansionBuildables.xml</GameObjects><!-- must be a unique name, the file must be located in the \DATA\XML\OBJECTS\UNITS folder --> <TileSets> <!-- names aren't important here, the file must be located in the \DATA\XML\TILESETS folder --> <Structures>STRUCTURES.XML</Structures> <Units>UNITS.XML</Units> <Vfx></Vfx> </TileSets> </Files>

I also saw your SFXEvents file is was missing the xml extension in your veterancy_mod.xml.

For animations just create VFX.XML in TibDawnExpansion\DATA\XML\TILESETS and put your animation assets in TibDawnExpansion\DATA\ART\TEXTURES\SRGB\TIBERIAN_DAWN\VFX. Then add the the xml file to veterancy_mod.xml.

However Idk how the game reacts when you now move the NUK4 into the STRUCTURES.XML because it is currently in the TD_UNITS.XML. Moving it would then create the same NUK4 entries in the TD_STRUCTURES.XML. Currently my mod does not remove any entries, only way to remove them is unsub and resub Veterancy & more.
Last edited by DontCryJustDie; 25 Aug, 2024 @ 12:26pm
RangerbeastDrill 25 Aug, 2024 @ 6:24pm 
Thanks for the info and appreciate the example breakdown and clarification, I will take it away and apply, back to my testing!
RangerbeastDrill 26 Aug, 2024 @ 2:50am 
Update:- It seems that the base issue Im having is with the formatting of my new data, I am attempting to import. My own fault there!

This post goes a long way in improving my file structure going forward, Thankyou.

In my brief testing the "duplicate" NUK4 data seems to not be causing an issue. Further testing needed before release. But hopefully I can "filter" it out into the correct XML next release.
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