Complete Noob to Modding

TobinHeath

Hey there. Thanks for reading.

I am trying to make simple changes to startpos, but it's pretty confusing to me. I've never really touched modding ever, but this is a game I've passionately played for the past couple months, and would like to make some changes. I've watched Magnar's video on the Three Kingdoms thing, and I read someone's guide of an example on how to do a specific change, but I don't know how to do what I would like. If someone could show me the steps to do it, I'd appreciate it because this is most likely going to be the extent of my future modding of the game. I tried messing around with start_pos, but when I go into pfm, there are no start_pos tables, or maybe I just don't know what the things are labeled as.

What I Would Like to Learn How to Do:

• Move a character from a faction of my choice at the beginning of the game(Ex: Sun Ren → Cao Cao)
  
• Change ownership of a settlement, and change it to the capital of the faction of choice(Wuwei town belongs to Cao Cao, changing Wuwei town to Cao Cao's capital, removing Chen from ownership of Cao Cao)
  
• Change relationship of characters(Change Sun Ren to adopted daughter of Cao Cao, and give them a relationship bonus)
  

I've tried to do the steps on my own by just changing the tables in the Assembly Kit, but it hasn't appeared to work for me. The most I've gotten is making the pack file, and then when I try to launch a Cao Cao campaign, the game crashes(crashes sometimes even before that).

I've tried this on two separate machines as well, to see if that would make a difference(reinstalled on both machines as well), but it hasn't worked for me.

I'd appreciate the help! Thank you.

TobinHeath

These are some of the steps I have taken. I might have forgotten them.

1. Downloaded 3K and AK.
   
2. Made a backup copy of the working data and raw data.
   
3. Opened up DAVE
   
4. Modified start_pos_character_relationship_triggers(relationship bonus), start_pos_characters(Sun Ren to Cao Cao, and change Sun Ren to faction heir, remove Cao Pi as faction heir), start_pos_family_relationships(Add Sun Ren as adopted daughter of Cao Cao), start_pos_regions(change Wuwei to Cao Cao, change Chen to Han Empire)
   
5. Export Changes to binary, and I also tried doing export single tables
   
6. Open BOB
   
7. Click on db in the working data area, select pack.
   
8. Start
   
9. Go to PFM(get confused on where all the start_pos things are
   
10. Close PFM
    
11. Rename pack
    
12. Make png for pack
    
13. Move pack and png to data folder
    
14. Start 3K after enabling only this mod
    
15. Between going to the menu and starting Cao Cao's campaign, game crashes
    

toaru

1. run \Total War THREE KINGDOMS\assembly_kit\binaries\Tweak.retail.x64.exe

[Plugins] > [DAVE - DAtabase Visual Editor]


2. modify the table that what you want


．start_pos_characters

181185231 Grand Campaign:3k_main_campaign_map:3k_main_faction_cao_cao:2120137566 general false 1 1 faction_heir false false 25 0 false 3k_general_fire 3k_main_template_historical_lady_sun_shangxiang_hero_fire false 0 false
1867101056 Grand Campaign:3k_main_campaign_map:3k_main_faction_cao_cao:2120137566 general false 1 1 false false 25 0 false 3k_general_earth 3k_main_template_historical_cao_pi_hero_earth false 0 false




．start_pos_family_relationships

3k_main_template_historical_lady_sun_shangxiang_hero_fire:181185231 3k_main_template_historical_cao_cao_hero_earth:2140783959 child false false true




．start_pos_regions

2130430968 District:3k_main_chenjun_capital 3k_main_campaign_map Grand Campaign:3k_main_campaign_map:3k_main_faction_han_empire:2120137657 false 100000 500000 100000 0 0 3k_main_chinese 3k_main_faction_yellow_turban_taishan 3k_main_faction_rebels false 0 PLACEHOLDER 5 false 0 7 100
2130431558 District:3k_main_wuwei_capital 3k_main_campaign_map Grand Campaign:3k_main_campaign_map:3k_main_faction_cao_cao:2120137566 true 100000 500000 100000 0 0 3k_main_chinese 3k_main_faction_yellow_turban_anding 3k_main_faction_rebels false 0 PLACEHOLDER 5 false 0 7 100




．start_pos_character_relationship_triggers (in the fact, you don't need modify this table.)

random_number_key 3k_main_template_historical_cao_cao_hero_earth:2140783959 3k_main_template_historical_lady_sun_shangxiang_hero_fire:181185231 3k_main_relationship_trigger_set_startpos_family_member
random_number_key 3k_main_template_historical_lady_sun_shangxiang_hero_fire:181185231 3k_main_template_historical_cao_cao_hero_earth:2140783959 3k_main_relationship_trigger_set_startpos_family_member





3. run \Total War THREE KINGDOMS\assembly_kit\binaries\BoB.retail.x64.exe

check (startpos_historical.esf) or (startpos_romance.esf) that you want , check [Campaign/Process start pos ( 3k_main_campaign_map )] , click [Start]

waiting for BoB to generate the esf file.





4. Use RPFM or PFM to make a new mod pack. And add the esf file.

Pack File Manager download link:
https://sourceforge.net/projects/packfilemanager/files/Release/

Rusted PackFile Manager (RPFM) download link:
https://github.com/Frodo45127/rpfm/releases


be care the directory structure

like this:

my_mod_name.pack
　- \campaigns\3k_main_campaign_map\startpos_historical.esf
　- \campaigns\3k_main_campaign_map\startpos_romance.esf














5. Copy the mod pack file to your game data folder.

like this:

\Total War THREE KINGDOMS\data\my_mod_name.pack



6. Launcher the game, and don't forget enable the mod in Mod Manager.

TobinHeath

Thank you so much, toaru! Just got it to work!

D4B0SS

@toaru

do you have youtube channel or video with examples?

Lexu7

@toaru , Can you please make a video walkthrough, I still don't get it.