Empire: Total War - Modding Index

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

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.

You are welcome to edit this page, please read these notes for guidance:-

When adding subject areas please use this layout.

When adding items please keep to existing format with the type of article first;

Tutorial = extensive tutorial or guide, 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.

If you remove a link because an item is superseded, shown not to work, etc. please copy the link to the discussion page and note your reason for removal.

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

Tools and associated tutorials 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

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

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

Empire: Total War - Modding Index

From TWC Wiki

Contents