Makev Issues, and Packing Fsb Files up Again.

[Alfred The Baker 9]

I have been playing around the idea of modding this game [and Warlords and in future perhaps SH3 to some degree] however i am having issue with MakeV.

I convert the assets file, then extract it, make my changes, zip it up, and then run it trough MakeV again, however this results in the game crashing. Ive then figured out that i don't have to replace Assets.v constnatly and that i can have a new .v file that has only things i need. [i list this file in config.xlm and put it above the other .v files so it has a load priority, well i assume at least] however the changes in that new .V do not apply [in this case i have increased troop and building limits to 5k each]

However workaround i found is if i keep the zip, extract the files and edit them, so again editing options.lua in scripts to increase limits, then place that file Back in to the Zip and using MakeV, it works and changes apply, plus they work in game [no more 50 buildings on 8 players].

But i obviously shouldn't put files directly into the Zip, so i am wondering why if i extract the files, and then Zip those up, the game wont load them. So i am wondering what is the issue to me just zipping those files, since if i didn't have this problem i wouldn't have to do the Workaround [which while not time consuming it is annoying] Tool i use is Winrar for this.

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The FSB packing, i have thought of adding new Audio, be it extra messages or such, however while i can certantly unpack the FSB files game uses, i have no idea what can i use to do so, since tool on the site only extracts the files, and does not pack the back up.

[Asophix 45]

FSB audio relies heavily on the data structure files (.feb or .bank), which govern the file size directly. I am not sure what free editor there is to edit files without problems.

The tool works this way:

• extract a .v file: .XXX => .v
• create a .v file: .XXX => .v

So you must rename your zipped .v to something else (.zip for example), so that it won't get overwritten. Total Commander is very helpful for editing the package directly.

[Lord_Chris 251]

One thing which may cause the crashing issue is if you are using a .v file from an older version of the game - this is a known issue. SInce a lot of the files are archived inside the .v, every time the game changes, changes are made in here as well.

You'll want to make sure you are using the latest version.

With the FSB files we do actually have a tool in the downloads section which allows you to convert these. It was made for Stronghold 3 but works on Crusader 2 and Warlords as well: https://www.stronghold-nation.com/downloads/file/629-fsb-audio-extractor/

We also have a tutorial available describing how to use it here: https://www.stronghold-nation.com/article/157-extracting-audio-assets-from-stronghold-3

[Alfred The Baker 9]

I have come across your post about using MakeV with older versions of the game, but that is not the issue, game hasn't been updated recently [or in the past few weeks i have used the tool] No advertisement updates or such, i can't be using an outdated .V considering that.

While as i said above i have a workaround where i just don't try to create a new Zip and convert it, and instead i just put edited files inside of the Zip and having it overwrite the data inside it, its slightly annoying and would be much easier to just Pack up a new archive with edited files and then have game read a converted .V from that, but i am unable to do that and i am unsure whether or not its a WinRar problem.

Same with PACKING FSB files, i know how to unpack them using the tool and following instructions, but i am very interested in PACKING new files inside those Audio files for the game to possibly read them, like adding new music or even new AI voicelines [or even replacing them], and unfortunately that tool does not work to pack the audio files.

Edited February 28, 2023 by Lord_Chris
Removed previous quote

[Lord_Chris 251]

When I was referring to an outdated V, I was referring to one that you may have used in the past and then continued using it for so than just within the past few weeks. Or perhaps one you have downloaded for instance.

I must say I'm slightly confused as your original message was not clear. Are you are to provide a list of files you're trying to make into the .v, or better still - a video demonstrating what it is you're doing?

It sounds as though you're doing a mixture of things and if you can explain a bit more clearly I think that will help.

[Alfred The Baker 9]

Think ill start with FSB thing since that is more of a concern for me than MakeV currently.

I want to edit and add audio to existing FSB files of Crusader 2 and Warlords, while the tools provided allow me to extract something like Overlord speeches, i have not found a program that allows me to put in new MP3 files and then Compile/Pack the FSB.

The reason i want this is because i am thinking Crusader 2 and Warlords clearly do not want to read audio that isn't packed into an FSB [so just having MP3 files alone isn't enough], so i can't add something like Lord speeches or names without having packed them into an FSB

I have noted that listing in the Overlord.Lua appropriate code for a new blank AI makes the game Look for said Quotes in order to play them [so when it wants to play an audio it will say in the corner WO_Anger_1 something something] but it seems as long as the files for said Quotes or such aren't in FSB they won't be read, and i don't know of an alternative way to make the game read maybe specifically MP3 files, so i want to try to compile/pack new MP3 files into an FSB, be it a new FSB or unpack the Lord speech that has all said audio and pack them all together.

However FMOD is a paid program for developers, and another program a friend reccomended me does not work.

[Lord Yesterday 0]

Sir can u help me, stronghold crusader 2 make v edit asset. make my game crash. is there any update makev?

(SOLVED)

Edited November 6, 2023 by Lord Yesterday

[Lord_Chris 251]

@ Asophix has already posted in response to your original thread here. Please do not hijack other threads when you already have an existing question open.