I tried installing AOE3MOD, and first, it did not recognize where my AOE3 files were located, since I have the steam version, so I told the Mod installer to install in the Steam directory under the AOE3 folder there. It then said that there was a problem installing the Data and art files. The Mod therefore did not effectively change anything in my game.
Can someone please give step by step instructions on how to make this work?
Musketeer925 wrote to me helpfully:
1) Create an empty directory somewhere on your hard drive (doesn't matter where, a folder on your desktop if you like)
2) Tell the mod to install to that directory (just as you redirected the installer to your steam directory, install to this one instead)
3) The installer will probably create a data\ subfolder with .xml files in it. You can use AoE3H (http://forums.heavengames.com/redir/htt ... eid%3D3686) to convert these .XMB files as well. Keep the .XMLs. If the XMB's already exist, let me know, not exactly sure how this mod is structured.
4) Copy all the files that the installer put in the directory into Steam's Age of Empires 3\bin\ directory such that the folders merge.
So after getting those instructions from Musketeer925, here is what I did:
Step 1: I made the empty directory to be C:\Users\owner\Downloads\AOE3MODS Installing.
Step 2. I ran the MOD install and a menu came up asking what path to install the mod to. I chose the underlined path as follows: ---------------------------------------- AOE III Program Folder Not Yet Located! Path to AOE3 Program Files C:\Users\owner\Downloads\AOE3MODS Installing [Change]
Path to AOEIII user data Files C:\Users\owner\My Documents\My Games\Age of Empires 3\ [Change] ----------------------------------------
Then a message came up saying Error detected with backup of art, data, and sound folders, and I chose "Proceed anyway."
The installer did create a data\ subfolder with about 20 ".xml.xmb" files in it. About 10 of them are home city .xmb files. About 10 more are those like: eg. proto.xml.xmb
There are about 10 other files in it that end in just ".xml". Each of these have a .xml.xmb version with the same name in the folder, like this: proto.xml proto.xml.xmb
There are no pure .xmb files, only .xml and .xml.xmb ones.
Step 3. I downloaded AOE3H. Then I used the Fileconverter program in AOE3H to convert all 10 .XML files into .xml.xmb files. HOWEVER, all this does is ask me whether I want to overwrite my current .xml.xmb files, because as I mentioned above, each of my .xml files already has an .xml.xmb file paired to it.
For example, before running the converter, I have in the data file: proto.xml proto.xml.xmb
Then I run the converter on the proto.xml file and the converter says: Output file already exists. Installing proto.xml.xmb Continue?
I choose Yes, it overwrites the old proto.xml.xmb with the new, converted proto.xml.xmb. The end result is that I still have a proto.xml file in my new AOE3MODS Installing\data folder.
So I now still have 10 .xml files and 20 .xml.xmb files in the data folder after the conversion.
Hey, sorry, I read your last PM when I didn't have time to respond to it, and forgot later.
That fileconverter can be used to convert both from .xml to .xml.xmb, and back .xml.xmb to .xml). You'll likely have to try two different things from here on out, because I'm not sure which will work:
1. Convert all to .XML and then delete the .XML.XMBs. Now, merge all the folders the installer created into the game's install folder (it should replace some files when you do this) 2. If that doesn't work, convert all thoes .XMLs you just moved to .XML.XMB.
Thanks for replying. On a sidenote, I opened my STEAK \ ... \ AOE3 \ ...\Data directory and notice that it has BOTH .xml and .xml.xmb files. In other words, my normal unmodded STEAM version already comes with proto.xml and proto.xml.xmb files already in my STEAM Data folder.
Secondly, the Mod's data\ subfolder also has subfolders like data\tactics that are filled with .xmb files. Do you also want me to convert all those .xmb files into .xmb?
Third, do you want me to delete all the .xml.xmb files out of my Program files \ Steam \data folder before or after I launch the game?
STEP 3: I converted every single .xml.xmb file in my new Data subfolder into .xml. I also converted every single .xml.xmb file in my new Data subfolder's subfolders (the abilities and tactics subfolders) into .xml.
(I notice that my old Data subfolder has three Data.bar files, but I don't think that I am supposed to do anything with them. )
STEP 4: I deleted every single .xmb file from my new Data subfolder and its subfolders.
STEP 5: I moved and merged my entire newly-downloaded AOE3MOD folder (with the new .XML files converted from .XMB) from my Downloads directory into my old Steam directory, copying over all old STEAM files with the same names.
Do you want me to delete all .xml.xmb files from my old Steam Directory? I don't think so, because Murdilator said that they were necessary to run the game as part of the Modding process.
STEP 6: I launched the game offline and then restarted my computer as Murdilator had said and relaunched the game offline to see if it works (without STEAM's Verification imposing old changes). Unfortunately it didn't.
Almost nothing was changed, except for a few downsides. The game at least worked, but when it went to upload maps, it announced that there were different "errors" like "Loaderstandard.xs". I played as the Russian side, which was supposed to give partisans, but there were no partisans in my barracks or artillery factory, even when I pumped out soldiers like musketeers and grenadiers. Another downside: Russians only made one unit at a time instead of in triplets. I did notice a new "St. Louis" homecity, but like I said, hardly anything seemed to change, except that now there are some errors.
So I will have to uninstall and reinstall AOE3 again, because as you originally said, it doesn't look like I can just automatically switch back and forth between the MOD version and the vanilla version.
So I appreciate your time and ideas, I think you are smart at AOE3, and I know that you gave an alternative possibility of having to use only .xmb files and not .xml files.
But still, I would prefer to see if I can find someone who has done this for himself on STEAM, because then they would know firsthand what to instruct me to do.
