Creating Mods in Banished

[catty-cb 4,401]

Setup on Computer - Linux Mint 21.2 Victoria base: Ubuntu 22.04 jammy running Crossover 23.7.0 and the bottle was created using Windows 7 64-bit, I already have a number of programs installed into this bottle, so most of the programs required by the Banished Toolkit

Should be in the bottle, but I didn't have the Francophil Sans font so downloaded this and added it what on a windows computer would be the C:\windows\Fonts\.... folder

Opened up the C: Drive and created a folder called "BanishedKit" I then unzipped BanishedKit_1.0.7.170910 into the folder then copied the four game files data0, data1, patch0 and patch1 into the bin\WinData that was created when I unzipped the file, then ran the BuildResources.bat that took about 10 minutes and then the BuildExamples.bat which took another 5 minutes.

At this point and am guessing its something to do with trying this on a Linux Mint computer I got a fatal error when I tried running the /bin/x64/Application-x64-profile.exe program so had to go to the x32 version available in the same location which then froze so then had to change it to running in a window and DirectX 9, so far everything seems to be working ok in the developer build of the game, thru I noticed it was picking up my banished village saves that I have been playing using the GoG version of the game, but nothing else from that folder so none of the mods are showing up.

Not a Banished Modder so don't plan on taking this any further, but am guessing that with some tweaking it ought to be possible to do this using Wine

[catty-cb 4,401]

On 2/12/2023 at 11:38 PM, catty-cb said:

Not a Banished Modder so don't plan on taking this any further ....

Never say never .... been playing around in Blender 

Note: Model downloaded from TurboSquid

  Edited December 17, 2023 by catty-cb  
noted model is from turbosquid

[catty-cb 4,401]

So thinking about this overnight am going to try and get this in-game using the tutorial on the omnibus plus @ScoutAE4 excellent tutorials over at WoB .... @kid1293 at some point in the future I think I'm going to be asking a few questions, with probably the most important one at this stage had do you make them "save game compatible"?

[ScoutAE4 25]

Holy geez that is fantastic @catty-cb !!

[catty-cb 4,401]

58 minutes ago, ScoutAE4 said:

Holy geez that is fantastic @catty-cb !!

The model isn't mine as I've got a turbosquid account, so I did some rummaging to find something that looked banished and the license on it means I can upload it as a game asset and also tweak it ... also in blender this is an OBJ? file and you can export it out as a FBX file so that bypasses a few steps in the modding process

[ScoutAE4 25]

I am playing around with a more modest model from TurboSquid. I'm curious how the various included textures will work in the game. It comes with an image texture, metallic, roughness, normal, and an AO but I'm not sure how to assign an existing AO map onto a second channel so I'd redo that. I have a lot to learn still.

[catty-cb 4,401]

3 hours ago, ScoutAE4 said:

I'm curious how the various included textures will work in the game

Yes I figure I will learn more from what doesn't work that what does, I may never take it any further that this one model but it will be interesting 

[catty-cb 4,401]

Ok so the build.bat does this

And the run.bat does this

Pretty certain its to do with the fact that I took a "stab in the dark" guess on how to set up a blacksmith, and have stuffed it up ... will have another go tomorrow night

[ScoutAE4 25]

Snap. Maybe @kid1293 can help point you in the right direction?

[catty-cb 4,401]

On 12/19/2023 at 5:35 AM, ScoutAE4 said:

Snap. Maybe @kid1293 can help point you in the right direction?

at this stage I think I'm learning more by trial and error ... thru I may eventually admit defeat and ask @kid1293 for help, anyway the game no longer crashes and I can activate it as a mod

map starts up ok, but then freezes when I click on the main toolbar so I think I've stuffed up setting up the toolbar, oh and yes I know I'm using the old apiary icons, etc, but will worry about changing them at a later date 

[ScoutAE4 25]

It is a LOT of trial and error. Did @kid1293 share the code with you for a blacksmith or are you using the apiary as your example build out? There's a lot I have not worked out about Banished workplaces and how they function. Like the little paths you create to show your Bannies where to set up in the shop to smith! How the heck does that work?!?

By the way, the ModKit picking up your regular save games is normal behavior.

I wish I could be more help. I'm still in small potatoes land. I added a few custom icons to a Personal Toolbar which is oddly making me feel very legitimate for no real reason, ha!

[catty-cb 4,401]

I copied the apiary codes then went looking and found a tool maker in the resourses folder

1 hour ago, ScoutAE4 said:

Banished workplaces and how they function. Like the little paths you create to show your Bannies where to set up in the shop to smith! How the heck does that work?!?

There is a section in the "discrepency" tutorial that covers this ... but basically if the model is 4×4 in size then you have four lines that look ... I think like this ####  times four

And if it's like this ## # then they can walk into the model

.... not sure I'm remembering it correctly but it's covered in I think part four or five of the tutorial

And great looking toolbar 

[ScoutAE4 25]

Oh yes thank for the reminder! I read that tutorial so many times but I should do it again with fresh eyes. It makes more sense every read through.

Well I am rooting for you @catty-cb! I'm excited to see your progress

 

[catty-cb 4,401]

2 hours ago, ScoutAE4 said:

I'm excited to see your progress

might be a while, as something I changed in the programming code last night means its no longer compiling when you run the build.bat 

[ScoutAE4 25]

50 minutes ago, catty-cb said:

its no longer compiling

Ah bummer.  Banished code is difficult to work with so I expect crashes and failed executes are par for the course.

From your screen grab it looks like you are running your batch files through a command portal.. is this because you are working on a Linux machine and have to redirect to Windows? Forgive my ignorance, I know nothing about Linux. I run batch files directly within the ModMods folder using the @kid1293 shorter 2 line code (looks like you're using that too) instead of the three step version in Discrepancy's house tutorial, which creates a "pause" between each line.

[catty-cb 4,401]

31 minutes ago, ScoutAE4 said:

three step version in Discrepancy's house tutorial, which creates a "pause" between each line

Am using these as having to do everything thru a program called CrossOver which is built to let you run windows programs on a Linux PC, it works and am now back to where I was previously, in that it compiles, I can activate it in-game (even has its own icons now), but freezes when I click to build it.

Morning here and I need to stop and go christmas shopping, so will have another look at the code tonight 

[ScoutAE4 25]

Alright, progress!! Good luck out there

[catty-cb 4,401]

On 12/21/2023 at 11:04 AM, ScoutAE4 said:

Alright, progress!! Good luck out there

Should I ever get this working I will put out a sort of study guide on turning a model into blacksmith ... anyway another step forward, I can get it in-game, activate it as a mod and see it in the toolbar 

It then crashes during the build

Am going to stop for a few days as I want to finish getting angainor88 uploaded to the club before I take a break for xmas, so will resume after xmas break 

[ScoutAE4 25]

6 hours ago, catty-cb said:

Should I ever get this working I will put out a sort of study guide on turning a model into blacksmith

Yes!!!

Have a wonderful Christmas break @catty-cb

[catty-cb 4,401]

Morning @ScoutAE4

Firstly I hope you have a great christmas as well, secondly I've changed the topic title and thirdly I had one of those moments 

So basically I've been going around and round with this wheelwright program because I'm not a 3d modeler and never going to be and that what was causing the game to crash each time I tried to run the code, so I borrowed a mushroom that @kid1293 has uploaded as source code and now

still got some steps to go as you can see there is a picture missing for the wheelwright under professions, I also need to change the footprint and currently the mushroom is refusing to make tools, but at least I've now got something I can work with .... so back to taking a break

[ScoutAE4 25]

7 hours ago, catty-cb said:

currently the mushroom is refusing to make tools

Bwahahaha! Stubborn mushroom, WHY YOU NO MAKE...?!?

It's a very ambitious project and I admire your moxie @catty-cb. I'm still trying to wrap my noggin around a subcategory.

[catty-cb 4,401]

So the mushroom is still refusing to make tools, but I did take a look at custom toolbars

Its a mess cos its pointing at the original blacksmith, till I changed this

Quote

Toolbar wheelwright
{    
    Toolbar _parent = "Game\CATToolbar.rsc:CATResource";    
    int _sortPriority = 104;

    Action _action = Tool;
    ComponentDescription _tool = "Template/wheelwright.rsc";

    bool _autoHotKey = true;
}

the mod was popping up in the original resource menu.

[catty-cb 4,401]

changed my custom menu button to be my avator, everything on the menus is looking ok apart from the fact I should have a number between those brackets ... and yes mushroom still isn't making tools

Am guessing the missing number is because I've only got 1 mod in there ?

[catty-cb 4,401]

Hi @ScoutAE4

So I was trying to stick to the apiary example and that creates a new profession "BeeKeeper", which is why I set up a "Wheelwright", but have been looking at standalone blacksmiths done by redketchup and discrepancy and both of those used the existing blacksmith profession so am going to scrub this part of the code and see where that takes me .... and finally got rid of the footprint that was appearing under the mushroom ..... another bit of code from one of @kid1293 source code mods he uploaded into the club, really recommend downloading them cos it does help a lot when you are trying to work out how to do something.

[catty-cb 4,401]

So I removed the profession code, it didn't have any impact on the mushroom ability to make tools, but then had one of those light bulb moments and went and had a look at the FBX model and then compared it to the apiary FBX model which is when I realized why the mushroom and previous to that my original model hadn't been making tools either .....

So this is kid's original mushroom points, and as you can see its only got one build point

I changed a copy of the mushroom model to add in extra points so it ended up with a build, create, smoke and use points

once I'd done that I then had a working mushroom blacksmith

Oh and while I got rid of the profession I still had the name and description set as a "wheelwright"

[ScoutAE4 25]

Hello hello @catty-cb! I hope you had a wonderful Christmas! I had the flu so a bit heads down lately but what a nice thing to come back to

This is OUTSTANDING work Congratulations and thank you very much for sharing the process! She's a fine mushroom with magic skills to boot

 

 

[catty-cb 4,401]

1 hour ago, ScoutAE4 said:

This is OUTSTANDING work Congratulations and thank you very much for sharing the process! She's a fine mushroom with magic skills to boot

Yes I'm pretty happy with  .... I won't say final results cos now I've got the code sorted, am going to tackle the original model again and also want to see if I can add in the ability to make wheels, once I reach a point that I'm not going to make any further changes I'll create a final release and including the source code with it so anyone who wants to try this will have something to look at re doing their own mods 

[catty-cb 4,401]

On 12/31/2023 at 8:32 AM, catty-cb said:

am going to tackle the original model again

So apart from adding in build, create, smoke and use points and changing the internal names so they matched the mushroom I didn't make any other changes to the turbosquid model, its obviously a bit on the small side and I need to work out how to get it sitting on the landscape and not in the landscape 

but its still making tools so that's a plus

[ScoutAE4 25]

That's great progress! Should be a simple fix of bringing the model up so it's at 0 on the Z axis, no?

[catty-cb 4,401]

2 hours ago, ScoutAE4 said:

simple fix of bringing the model up so it's at 0 on the Z axis

Yes that's what I was assuming even got carried away and put all the points on 0,0,0 as well

which was just as well cos now its upside down, but a big bigger than it was ... and its still making tools

Have got into the habit of deleting the Bin and Build folders and doing a recompile each time I make a change