Empire: Total War - Modding Index

Tutorials, resources and tools for modding Empire: Total War:

The below listing provides links to tutorials, useful answers to common modding questions, resources and tools, divided by category.
When adding items please keep to existing format with the type of article first;

• Tutorial = extensive tutorial, step by step how to mod something etc.
• Answer = short piece on minor topic or answer to frequently asked question.
• Resource = lists of things that work in-game, docudemons, templates, downloads of helpful starting set-ups etc.
• Tool = modding tools, for extracting, modifying, verifying, re-packing etc.

General Information

• Tutorial - Warscape Modding Primer - by daniu - all Warscape
• Tutorial - Tips and Tricks in modding ETW and NTW - by husserlTW
• Tutorial - STARTPOS.ESF analysis and modifications. HYBRID startpos.esf - by husserlTW - includes links to tools and other tutorials
• Resource - Links to basic 'how to' guides for new modders - by Alwyn - contents also included in lists below

Mod Set-up and Launching

• Tutorial - Replacing the grand campaign - by alpaca
• Tutorial - How to create Mods - by MrThib - images missing
• Answer - How to install various types of mods for ETW - by ForteS
• Answer - ways to activate mods for Empire Total War - by Alwyn
• Answer - How to use modfoldered map files in the multiplayer campaign - by T.C.
• Answer - Mod-Foldering regions.esf and other campaign map data - by Irmo - images missing
• Resource - Empire Mod Architecture Primer - by JeromeGrasdyke (CA)
• Tool - Easy Launcher - by husserlTW
• Tool - Mod Manager 1.5 - by LtChambers

Common Tools and Principles

Tools and modding approaches that will apply to multiple aspects of the game.

• Tutorial - Perfect ESF<->XML converter - Modifications Tutorial - by ForteS - includes ids and 'how-to' make various basic changes
• Tutorial - The great DB Manual - by Lazy Knight
• Tutorial - Complete guide to ETW's localisation files (aka "The Loc") - by Okmin
• Tool - Rusted PackFile Manager (RPFM) - by Frodo45127 - all Warscape
• Tool - Pack File Manager 4+ - by daniu - all Warscape
• Tool - Pack File Manager 1.9 re-uploaded
• Tool - Pack File Manager 1.12 (w/ integrated .loc editor) - by LtChambers
• Tool - DBEditor 1.8 - by LtChambers
• Tool - EasyEsf 1.0 (15/12) - by husserlTW
• Tool - EditSF 1.1 - Added Array Editing - by daniu
• Tool - Savegame Parser support tool for EditSF - by RoninX2807
• Tool - EsfEditor 1.4.5 (Updated Oct 24, 2009) - by erasmus777
• Tool - Esf Transformation Scripts - the most awesome thing in esf world since esf2xml - by taw
• Tool - atlas<->tsv converter - by taw
• Tool - DB<->TSV converter - by taw

Units

• Tutorial - How to create a custom unit - a complete guide - by Aldgarkalaughskel - images missing
• Tutorial - How to create a new unit (for new modders): with guides and PFM advice - by Alwyn - images missing
• Tutorial - How to add from another faction's unit to your faction - by The Phenom - Example use: Added Norwegian Ski Troops - by Isostran
• Tutorial - How to add a new Cannon Model - by Primergy - images missing
• Answer - How to unlock a unit (comprehensive guide) - by Alwyn
• Answer - How to Enable Unique Regiment Names - by The Vicar
• Answer - Fixed Squares with larger unit sizes - by Ergonomics
• Answer - Adding pistols to cavalry - by Geronimo2006
• Answer - Changing a units 2nd weapon - by General Brewster
• Answer - How to convert an infantry unit from using swords to using muskets - by Alwyn
• Answer - Editing Units with Db editor instead of PFM - by ♔hammeredalways♔
• Tool - EasyDb for ETW Units - by husserlTW

Naval Units

• Tutorial - NAVAL MODDING - by Bethencourt
• Answer - How to create a new naval unit & How to unlock naval units - by Alwyn
• Answer - How to change the statistics of ships back to before 1.4 version (includes example mini-mods) - by Alwynn
• Answer - How to unlock and edit Fourth Rate Frigates (with historical research) - by Quintus Hortensius Hortalus
• Answer - How to change marines in naval-battles - by Geronimo2006 - images missing

Models

• Tutorial - Merging parts of models in MilkShape 3D - by ProvostGuard - images missing
• Tutorial - Getting your custom weapons in game - by T.C. - images missing
• Tutorial - Modeling & DB. Milkshape & UU3D. How wangrin and I use them - by Bethencourt
• Answer - How i cheated unit variation - by rohan97
• Answer - Getting unit parts from NTW into ETW for starters - by rohan97
• Tool - Python converter for .variant_weighted_mesh model - by KnightErrant
• Tool - Projectile model + Equipment model converter + Animation converter - by T.C. link to Ultimate Unwrap3D, commercial product

Textures

• Answer - Gloss maps explained - by just
• Answer - Gimp making proper normal maps - by Bavarian Grenadier

Animations

• Tutorial - Importing and exporting animation using Ultimate Unwrap 3D - by wangrin

Unit Flags/Banners

• Tutorial - How to add new flags - COMPLETED - by husserlTW

Unit Stats and Abilities

• Answer - Rookie's guide on how to mod unit specs with PFM 1.9.9 - by Sir.Cunningham
• Answer - How to mod unit experience (the benefits of chevrons and how quickly units get chevrons) - by Alwyn
• Answer - How to edit the range of weapons (and example mini-mod) - by Alwyn
• Answer - Ketzer's Guide On Getting Rid Of Projectile Clairvoyance - by Ketzerfreund

Formations

• Resource - Groupformations: Warscape Battle Formations - by The Hedge Knight - ETW & NTW
• Tool - Sinuhet ETW groupformations editor - by Sinuhet

Campaign Map (Start Positions)

Whilst the ETW campaign map cannot be re-designed in the same way as earlier Total War games alterations can be made to the starting set-up of regions and armies:

• Tutorial - Guide for adding a new building to the campaign map - by uanime5
• Tutorial - ADVANCED How to make complicated startpos changes - hyprid method limitations - God Startpos - by husserlTW - for helping advanced Empire modders to make advanced changes in starting position and create a stable campaign
• Tutorial - Guide for adding a new building to the campaign map (towns, farms, or resources) - by uanime5
• Tutorial - Adding New towns to a Region - by Ulsterman
• Tutorial - How to change region ownerships + enable emergent factions to be played - by GeorgiaPeanuts
• Tutorial - How to remove a trade route from the startpos - by Alwyn - images missing
• Answer - How to remove city forts from the startpos (and from saved game) - by Alwyn
• Answer - How to edit the startpos so that cities are fortified at the start of the game - by Alwyn
• Answer - How to activate an emergent port or town-UPDATED (startpos.esf 22/06) - by husserlTW
• Answer - How to change which faction is emergent in a region - by Alwyn - images missing
• Answer - Change region ownerships without FOW bug (easy method) - by shokh

• Answer - How to change a region's religious percentage using-ESF-Editor - by Legend of War
• Resource - Guide to the ETW map - by uanime5
• Resource - Regions List - by Gerlandric
• Resource - Studying the methods used by the Russian moders who reactivated regions + discoveries - by rohan97
• Tool - Stupid (supertexture tool) - by crux3D - for map
• Tool - bridge.markers converter - by taw

Campaign Elements

Cultures

• Tutorial - How to add new new cultures and subcultures - by uanime5

Factions

• Tutorial - How to add a new faction replacing an existing one - by husserlTW
• Tutorial - How to Make Emergent Faction Playable - NO HYBRID - by bk2-modder
• Tutorial - Guide to faction flags & icons - by wangrin - images missing
• Answer - How to unlock non playable and emergent factions - by husserlTW - written for NTW
• Answer - How to edit a faction description in the startpos and a modded pack file - by Alwyn
• Answer - How to Change/add Victory Conditions - by Seraphim
• Answer - Keeping your old flag after a revolution - by Rekcinad
• Answer - How to change factions' turn order - by Okmin
• Answer - How to remove the Fog of War Bug from Minor Factions - by erasmus777

Characters

• Tutorial - Recruitable Historical Generals with correct Portrait! - by Quintus Hortensius Hortalus
• Tutorial - Rename your Admiral's / General's / King's / Edit Family Tree - by Macdaddy02
• Answer - Change ministerial titles - by jeweetwel_youknow
• Answer - Changing a king to a queen - by Geronimo2006 - missing image

Agents

• Answer - How to add "sabotage army" ability - by Lordsith

Buildings

• Tutorial - Breaking up existing and adding new Building Chains - by Minas Moth
• Tutorial - How to add new building chains - by Quintus Hortensius Hortalus
• Tutorial - How to add new building slots upgrading cities - by husserlTW
• Tutorial - How to add buildings/slots to Cities - by demis14
• Tutorial - How to create new building models - by Quintus Hortensius Hortalus - images missing

Army/Unit Recruitment

• Tutorial - How to mod the AOR (area of recruitment) of a unit - by Alwyn
• Answer - Regions of recruitment or AOR-system - by Bethencourt
• Answer - How to allow a faction to recruit a unit which it normally cannot recruit due to government type (and example mini-mod) - by Alwyn

Diplomacy

• Answer - Diplomacy editing - by Alex1987
• Answer - How to prevent Britain, France and Spain from taking over their protectorates - by Alwyn

Research

• Answer - One Turn Research (Desired Faction Only) - by RDNA

Battle Map

• Tutorial - How to add a custom Battle Building - by Primergy
• Resource - Farm_Tile_Templates Research - by Primergy
• Tool - farm_fields_tile_texture packer and unpacker - by taw

Sounds

• Answer - How to change national language - by Hegemon de Pagan
• Resource - Structure of binary sound files - by crux3D
• Tool - anim_sound_event converter - by taw

Music

• Answer - Guide on using your own MP3s to replace in-game music - by LordWedggie

UI

This section is for general alterations to the User Interface, for specific individual items e.g. faction flags, please see the sections above.

• Answer - How to get rid of the Warpath menu and get your old menu back - by hip63
• Answer - Icons with Photoshop CS4 - by Bethencourt - no images
• Tool - UI layout file <-> xml converter - now handles 94% files from both ETW and NTW - by taw

Videos

• Tool - BIK RAD TOOLS (for videos) - by ♔KillZoneGB♔

Text Descriptions

• Tutorial - Complete guide to ETW's localisation files (aka "The Loc") - by Okmin
• Answer - How to save changes in *.loc file - by p.jakub88

Mid-Campaign Cheats and Preferences Settings

These items are unlikely to be used in modding, but maybe useful for reference or testing:

• Answer - Guide to get the unrestricted camera for beginners (preferences script) - by Turumba
• Answer - Limited ammo setting in preferences file - by DeadlyBlowfish
• Answer - Editing Campaign Unit Sizes/Scale MID-CAMPAIGN - by Exanimous
• Tool - How to get Infinite Money ~without altering game files - bt Pentel
• Tool - Saved Campaign Unit Multiplier Editor - by Vladan

Tool Support and Format Research

This section includes some of the more obscure tools and information more likely to be of use to tool makers than general modders.

• Tutorial - Guide to Using DBEditor - by Jinarik - images missing
• Tutorial - How to mount multiple views of pack files simultaneously - by taw - (using FUSE)
• Answer - Modding game mechanics in DB files - by LtChambers - early explanation of editing files using hex editor
• Resource - Official RAW Database Table (XML, XSD) - CA Released Info, reposted by Leonardo
• Resource - Research of Unknown Areas in Startpos.esf - by husserlTW
• Resource - FUSE driver for mounting .pack as virtual filesystem (for OSX and Linux) - by taw
• Resource - Lua code snippets in etwng repository - by taw
• Resource - New github repository etwng for all format discoveries and code opened - by taw
• Resource - ETW Runtime Memory Stucture Documention - by .Mitch.
• Resource - Research/WIP: UI Editing/Lua Decompiler - by alpaca
• Resource - All Lua files in readable format (Battle, FrontEnd, UI, Army & Fleets etc) - by Sirlion
• Resource - Rigid_model / rigid_mesh converter - by just - tool missing, has mesh format info
• Resource - Research on accuracy system in Empire: Total War - by p.jakub88
• Tool - JRuby (required for taw's tools) - by izzi
• Tool - Command line pack file builder - by taw

Miscellaneous

• Answer - How to edit the names of units, names of provinces etc (editing the localisation file) - by Alwyn
• Answer - How to unpatch Empire Total War (one way to fix siege lag) - by Alwyn
• Answer - How to create your own modded patch.pack files - by lesterthenerd - old method
• Answer - How to get 20+ units per army in the campaign - by |Quintus Sertorius|
• Answer - How to edit Turns Per Year in startpos.esf by using ESF Editor - by Apolloa
• Answer - How to edit Victory Condition & Regions to capture by editing startpos.esf - by Apolloa - also covered in: STARTPOS.ESF analysis and modifications. HYBRID startpos.esf
• Answer - How to disable the replenish troops button in Grand Campaign - by p.jakub88 - relies on deleting vanilla file
• Answer - How to add slaves as a commodity (plus icon attachment) - by argonian68

See Also

• Empire: Total War Tools, Tutorials and Resources sub-forum on TWC where most of the tutorials and resources listed above are hosted.
• Empire: Total War Mod Workshop on TWC to ask any questions not covered in the tutorials section.

Total War Modding
Indexes to Tools, Tutorials & Resources by Game: Three Kingdoms | Warhammer I, II & III | Attila | Rome II | Shogun 2 | Napoleon: Total War | Empire: Total War | Medieval II: Total War | Rome: Total War & Remastered Cross Platform Information: Modelling, Textures and Graphics - Modding Index
Main Categories for Other Modding Pages on the Wiki: M2TW Modding Category | RTW Modding Category
Modding Workshops on TWC: Troy | Three Kingdoms | Brittania | Warhammer I, II & III | Attila | Rome II | Shogun 2 | Napoleon | Empire | Medieval II | Rome | Rome Remastered | Medieval I
Other Wiki Sections: Total War Center | Total War Series | Total War Mods | TWC Wiki