How to build changes into your database - xmax example

[Poinas]

These instructions apply to all database modifications. Using xmax here as an example.

Do you get annoyed when you're farming a boss and you have to load x2/x3/xmax mod before every run? Then why not build the mod directly into your database.arz so you no more have to do that?Here's how to do it, it's really easy:

Open ArtManager in your Immortal Throne folder. Click Tools -> Options and set your folder. Mine are

Working : C:\Documents and Settings\*username*\My Documents\My Games\Titan Quest - Immortal Throne\Working\

Build : C:\Documents and Settings\*username*\My Documents\My Games\Titan Quest - Immortal Throne\

Tools : D:\Games\Titan Quest\ <- Titan Quest installation folder

Additional : C:\Documents and Settings\*username*\My Documents\My Games\Titan Quest - Immortal Throne\Working\

Once your set, click OK.

Then select Mod -> New from the menu. Give your mod any name you like. Then hit F7, that will build the mod and create the folders for it.

Now select Database -> Import Record and browse records\xpack\game\gameengine.dbr

Select it and click OK. Select the database tab, it's in the lower half of the window. This will bring up the folder structure. Browse to the gameengine.dbr file and open it. Select Proxy Info from the list on the left. Set SpawnMin and SpawnMax to 10. Save and close the file.

Then copy your database.arz file from Immortal Throne\Database folder. Paste it to your mod's build directory, mine is C:\Documents and Settings\*username*\My Documents\My Games\Titan Quest - Immortal Throne\custommaps\*modname*\database

You should find a *yourModName*.arz in there. Delete it and rename the database.arz file to *yourModName*.arz.

Then in ArtManager, build your mod. It will build the new spawn config into the database file. Copy *yourModName*.arz to Immortal Throne\Database folder. Rename the original database.arz to something else and rename *yourModName*.arz to database.arz.

Now you have built-in xmax, and there's no need to load the mod when you start playing :cool:

For x3 version, se the spawn limits to 3.

[Oldsoul]

wow and you say thats simple i wont do all that work for just 5sec off of every run ;) nice thing guide you have
when you first say artmanager its says artmanaget might give some confusion
i asume this thing olso works whit other mods?

[jiaco]

Thanks for writing that down. Very useful info, that I may have figured out at one time, but I have surely forgotten.

[Ravia]

Ponias im Having problems getting this to work. I followed the steps and tried it twice the problem that is coming up is when I try to play a normal game its not spawning 10x its spawning normal. now if i click on custom game and load the "MOD" it spawns 10x what could be the issue with this working.

Ravia

[Poinas]

Make sure you copy database.arz from immortal throne\database to the mod's build directory, not in working directory.

Delete the *yourmod*.arz Make sure you rename that database.arz to *yourmod*.arz.

Then buld your mod with the modified gameengine file. Check if the .arz file's "last modified date" changes in the mod's build folder.

Now copy that database file to immortal throne\database and rename it to database.arz. Remember to backup your original database.arz file.

[ASYLUM101]

Glad someone turned this into a guide, this should be in the tutorial forum, no?

At any rate, I remember having to do this by using several methods in different threads.... was kinda annoying. Awesome work.

[BrotherRatcliff]

Has anybody experimented with how this works in multiplayer?

[ASYLUM101]

Has anybody experimented with how this works in multiplayer?

Only if both players have the same exact database I believe. I used to play this with my brother and it worked.♠

[Munderbunny]

Poinas, I moved this to tutorials as it's very useful, and it's also the directions on how to build changes into the database; right now, those directions exist as replies in a dozen different threads, but this is the only thread dedicated to it.

Would you consider changing the subject to something like "How to build changes into the game database - XMAX example" or something like that?

[Ravia]

Ponias that was exactly what it was i was trying to do the working folder. thanks for the timely response

Ravia

[Poinas]

Would you consider changing the subject to something like "How to build changes into the game database - XMAX example" or something like that?

That's a good idea.


Ponias that was exactly what it was i was trying to do the working folder.

I kind of guessed that. I'm glad you got it to work :)

[IRace]

I cant open gameengine.dbr:( What could be a problem? Below is a screenshot:

http://www.shrani.si/f/2Q/ja/2CuBh00Q/untitled.jpg

I have done exactly as it is written in giude,
only this minor thing:

"Now select Database -> Import Record and browse records\xpack\records\game\gameengine.dbr"

only records subfolder isnt there and it is this way: records\xpack\game\gameengine.dbr

What could be a problem?

[Poinas]

Create the correct folder structure in ArtManager and import gameengine.dbr to that folder by right clicking on the right pane.

[jiaco]

@IRace

When I install templates in the artmanager, they dont go in the right place. I have to move them to My Games / TQIT / Working / Database / templates

check and see where your templates end up and try the above location to see if that fixes your problem

[Munderbunny]

Templates.

[IRace]

Thnx for all the help, i will try sometimes, but it is too much truble (i guess it would take me hours to figure that out and get it working:)...i dont even know what poinas meant by creating correct folder structure or templates....huh that is really elven language to me:)LOL)...... at least for now.... cuz i dont play TQ much and even if i do, i do so for 15 min (mostly shop farming for good helms, shield or rings).

[little souljar]

You dont need the same database anymore with multiplayer, it works for other people even if they dont have it.

[ASYLUM101]

You dont need the same database anymore with multiplayer, it works for other people even if they dont have it.

Oh really? From my experience everyone needs the same DB. When you're hosting an Xmax game online, they don't but I think with a DB it's completely different. Can't say for sure though, I haven't bothered to try.

[BabyGaiga]

Sorry for digging old topic, but I cant find the record/xpack/record structure. Mine is completely without the second record folder.

[Munderbunny]

Second record in path was typo. It's fixed now.

[BabyGaiga]

I cant open gameengine.dbr:( What could be a problem? Below is a screenshot:

http://www.shrani.si/f/2Q/ja/2CuBh00Q/untitled.jpg



Got the same error as this dude. And


Create the correct folder structure in ArtManager and import gameengine.dbr to that folder by right clicking on the right pane.

I dont get what he mean, either :mad:

[Munderbunny]

Check the making a new mastery tutorial, because he has instructions in there for how to install your templates. Poinas comes and goes, and when he gets back, I'm sure he can add a note to the OP.

[BabyGaiga]

eh, Hello. It's me again :)
I want to ask that, is there any way to integrate a mod into the database.arc ? I figure that my problem maybe come from my database.arc, which is the isometric camera mod version. I also got some other mods, like archilles difficult mod and x3 monster. Those a playable (chose custom map and play), but making them into the default database is just great :)

[vorbis]

First it's database.arz and sure you can build mods into your database.arz that's what this tutorial is for.

Edit: and if you mean with "my problem" your artmanager problem from post #21, you can solve it like munderbunny said by installing the templates.

[BabyGaiga]

First it's database.arz and sure you can build mods into your database.arz that's what this tutorial is for.

Edit: and if you mean with "my problem" your artmanager problem from post #21, you can solve it like munderbunny said by installing the templates.

Thanks for a speedy reply. That's what I love in this forum :)

Sorry about the z. My bad, my bad :(

---place holder---

[MacrosBlack]

How would I be able to set this up to also spawn 6 bosses like Uber does? I'm interested in doing this without the 2x difficulty that uber adds.

[ASYLUM101]

You gotta go into the spawn pools of each unit you want to modify and manually increase it to accommodate the number of bosses you want.

Note: this can become a tremendous amount of work.

[Kir4]

Or you can open and edit all pools at once, which makes it a 5-minute-amount of work. ;)

[MacrosBlack]

@Kir4, how would I do that?

[ASYLUM101]

@Kir4, how would I do that?

Only way I know of is to open up every spawning pool you see with artmanager... unless kir4 knows a secret method I don't.

[Kir4]

As I said, opening and editing all at once save a _hell_lotta_time. :)
I PM'ed Macros the exact steps, cause I don't want to spam this thread.

[Lord Cheezypoof]

do you think it can be done with an already released mod like occult??

[jiaco]

You first make a new mod in artmanager with name myOccult. Then quit and copy the database.arz and resources.arc into the build folders (database and resources). You have to change the name of the arz file to myOccult.arz. Then you can change database records and stuff in artmanager but when you build you have to do a right click on the top database folder and select build from there. It will update the changed records into the existing database. If however you go the F7 build method, it will empty all the .arc files and destroy the mod. (But you can recopy the .arc files back I think...if you make a mistake.)

[IRace]

OK

I came here back, to try that thing with xmax. And went to thread Making the new mastery and got to that link:

http://www.titanquest.net/forums/questions-developers/13588-please-give-us-templates.html

But i cannot download templates, becasue the link is dead. Can anyone help me?

So the problem could be, i didnt succed before was indeed lack of templates.... or at least i think that is the problem. Because it just wont open that gameengine.dbr in any possible way i tried.

[vorbis]

You can get the templates in this thread (http://www.titanquest.net/forums/modifications-editor/32660-artmanager-templates-pm.html), but they are also included in the fanpatch.

[IRace]

Could that be a problem?
http://www.shrani.si/f/1X/15/1ofjQShl/untitled.png

On the left is the picture of poinas working folder and on the right is my folder. Difference is obvious: a dont have template and records folder in database folder.

Because i have templates now, which i didnt have before, but ......

Well i am lost:(

[jiaco]

Same thing happens to me, install templates does not put them in the right place, just make the folder and copy them into it.

[IRace]

Where is this gameengine.dbr file originally located? Maybe it is protected somehow or somthing.... and because of that it wont open?



Nevermind, that was the case.....i just createt Templates folder in put those stuff in it
it works now.......Thanks a lot jiaco:)

[abe2010]

i found the way...

open artmanager,click help then install templates.

in My Documents\My Games\Titan Quest - Immortal Throne\Working\Database....create new folder and name it into "templates"

afterward moved all .tpl folder in My Documents\My Games\Titan Quest - Immortal Throne\Working\Database\ into the "templates" folder

then moved "templatebase" from My Documents\My Games\Titan Quest - Immortal Throne\Working\Database\ into the "templates" folder

finally,when u open artmanager,database\records\xpack\game\gameengine. dbr
there will be no more error templates.

Lastly,Select Proxy Info from the list on the left. Set SpawnMin and SpawnMax to 10. Save and close the file.

Then copy your database.arz file from Immortal Throne\Database folder. Paste it to your mod's build directory, mine is C:\Documents and Settings\*username*\My Documents\My Games\Titan Quest - Immortal Throne\custommaps\*modname*\database

Then in ArtManager, build your mod. It will build the new spawn config into the database file. Copy *yourModName*.arz to Immortal Throne\Database folder. Rename the original database.arz to something else and rename *yourModName*.arz to database.arz.

Am I a genius hahahahahah:D


You will be unable to proceed with the Statues in Egypt and the Archean Pass in Hades if you do it like that.

Base on the result,i have completed all poinas guided to change original database into like xmax.However,i think there is still a problem like siegefried2 told(i quote the message).

Can Poinas tell me detail and specific on how to repair the following problem i am kinda lazy to switch into custom maps because it took a lot of time to play the xmax.Hopefully this message replied thank you.Finally this thread will not only help me but others too.(My method of fixing "the how to build changes" in the quote)

[ASYLUM101]

You have to look into the boss pool for the statues and change their value for whatever you changed your spawn values to. I think someone mentioned you have to change it to 3, or copy one of the statues and past it again. I'm not sure.

As for Archean Pass, it's probably the same thing.

[abe2010]

:)Thank you asylum101 for the help i manage to find the path,

Database -> Import Record and browse records\proxies boss\pools\boss\bosspool_07b_megalesios_statue.dbr

Then,i open the file and select pool config.Set spawnmin & spawnmax into 3.
Check!

I tried to find the Archean Pass but bad luck,failed..Cannot find which directories and where it located in the file.:cry:

I still dont remove the custom maps because 1 more thing left to do :(

I cant thinking too much it bothers me so i decided to rest first untill another replies thank you alot. :silenced:

[iwantthehidra27]

Doing this database change erases a few .dbrs for me,including(probably) petbalanceattributes.dbr(or what's its name),because my level 7 wolves are wiped out in 3 strikes by any monster.

Edit:Nvm,found the problem.The art manager is bugged.

[Shykary]

When I try to edit gameengine.tpl I got this error: http://img37.imagefra.me/img/img37/8/8/20/shykary/f_1m_69c6e64.png

I don't know what to do. >.>

[Samsonite]

I have the source files for Kirii's Diablo UI and have been trying like mad to get it permanently installed to my Vanilla database.arz with the above methods and just can't get it to work. I build it and it goes into the custommaps folder, replace the 1kb diablouimod.arz with the vanilla database.arz, rename it, build, and it doesn't change anything. Can one of you modders like Asylum, or Violos who have implemented this give me a hand? You'd be my new BFF's and all that.

[Samsonite]

NVM I got it to work, needed the newer Templates!

[infinity_at_end]

Hello, can someone help me here a little bit please ?

I try to edit my TQIT Database to have that xmax mod included in the game, I get the same error as Shykary
on post #43 !!!(a few posts above)

Please help !

And by the way, Now I'm playing TQIT with Underlord Mod version 1.52(the latest one) so I'm trying to make myself an own version of the game with XMAX MOD included.

Thanks a lot to everyone !!!

PS: Welcome to year 2011 :D !!!

[Kaphiel]

Question. Can I import my own items into the main game the same way like in post #1?

[Bumbleguppy]

Hello, can someone help me here a little bit please ?

I try to edit my TQIT Database to have that xmax mod included in the game, I get the same error as Shykary
on post #43 !!!(a few posts above)

Please help !

And by the way, Now I'm playing TQIT with Underlord Mod version 1.52(the latest one) so I'm trying to make myself an own version of the game with XMAX MOD included.

Thanks a lot to everyone !!!

PS: Welcome to year 2011 :D !!!

To anyone and everyone getting the error in post 43, please refer to this thread: http://www.titanquest.net/tq-forum/threads/31156-HOWTO-Setup-Artmanager.. Thanks.

[Kaphiel]

Can someone tell me how to add custom items into the main game? What must I do?

[Samsonite]

HOWTO Create a custom item and get it ingame (http://www.titanquest.net/tq-forum/threads/32693-HOWTO-Create-a-custom-item-and-get-it-ingame.)

Its just a few threads below this one >_>

[Kaphiel]

Look at poinas' xmax database example, what you need to do is similar to that
This quote is from that thread... Can someone show steb-by-step how to add item to the main game's database? With pictures for such noobs as I am. :)

[NOKRAM]

I've got a little problem building changes into my database.arz. I don't know if it's connected to one of those mods: Underlord, Frozen World. Although I don't think Frozen World does change the database Underlord does and practically any *.dbr I tried to change exists in a normal and a drx... version. I figured the drx... is the right but no matter which I try to change (I've tried with drxgameengine.dbr, gameengine.dbr, drxbatter.dbr, batter.dbr) it doesn't work (And no, it's not the work folder problem and the database does change not only the date of 'last change' but even its size) I've tried several things already and I'm definitely at my wit's end. Hopefully there's someone who can explain to me what the problem is.

[irratu]

I'm trying to put a modded item into the database for my single player. Would the method be similar to your xmax example?

[spectre]

Well, I keep running into the same problem over and over: I build the new database according to the HOWTO, the filesize increases and I copy it into the database folder. When I start the game, however, everything is just normal, as if the original database.arz would still be there...

If I use my mod via "Custom Game", everything's fine...

Anybody out there, who has a clue for me? :(

[würst]

help !!!!!!!!!!!!
how to do that with items ?

[Violos]

Just like you do it with everything else.
Make a mod (with the modded items), switch the mod database with the game database, build into it, switch back.


@spectre
Maybe you changed a part of the TQ database which gets overridden by a copy in the IT (non-xpack) resources?

[spectre]

Well, I was always working with the IT Artmanager, so that shouldn't be the problem. It's an old problem though, if I still had it, there wouldn't be a patchfix for the fanpatch ;) I fear it might have been caused by the "Virtual Store" of Win7, or something else...

[würst]

TY for the messages

[würst]

Well... 2 Problems
1. Dropping
2. short explanation for the item in the realy story
sry i am german so english...

- - - Updated - - -

the explanation pls with the pathes for the items

[spectre]

I'm having the above mentioned problem again :( Dunno if it's Win7's fault or just the AM acting up, but when I build my dbrs into the old database it just doesn't work. AM doesn't output any errors, the file size of the archive doesn't increase and the dbrs aren't built into the database...

I tried using admin rights on the AM, but no success... Anybody got any ideas? :confused:

[Shalie]

Delete your mod in the build folder so it is forced to rebuild everything.

[spectre]

Thanks, but I think I already did that beforehand... I'll have to try it again this evening, as I might be wrong

[würst]

could any one answer my question pls
i want to learn that modding for a friend

[spectre]

Well, what can I say. F***ing Win7 was the problem :mad: Thanks to the great invention called UAC, it hid an old database.arz away, which was used by TQIT during my tests. As a result I thought AM was to blame... Solution: Deleted the old compatibility file in the f***ing Virtual Store and all is well...

Sorry for the cursing, but I really needed to vent my anger somehow....(If it offends someone, just drop me a note and I'll remove it...)

@würst: As far as I know, your question has already been answered on the German forum...

[würst]

No i havent got an answer for this question
well... my question was should i get the items databases from the xpak folder or not ??

[spectre]

Well, you should provide more information on what you want to do. Your short sentences and the absence of context information don't really help.

[würst]

Ok...
if I open the AM then i go to database import there are 2 foulders records and templates.
In records is a foulder , which is called "item", ore if i go to records- xpack there is an items foulder too , which I have to choose ?
And as far as i understood i have to build the database normal with the modded items and then i swap the with my database foulder in my hardware disc (not my documents). then should i open the AM again and build it again or should i change the copied database from my hardware disc, that means , that i change the copied databses again and swap it back ?
Last point
in the real game i need to drop these items and how did i let drop it or did i have to farm it like any othr item ?
Pls answer fast
MFG würst

[spectre]

The xpack folder you're seeing there contains everything concerning the addon Immortal Throne. The other "item" folder is for the rest of the game.

Yep, build your mod once, then substitute the created <modname>.arz with the one located in your installation directory and build the mod again. The .arz file you get now is the one of the game updated with the files you changed. Copy it back to your installation directory and you're good to go.

Concerning how to get it ingame: The easiest way would probably be replacing another item similar (or the same) to (as) the one you modded. This should be done before you do the step described above! And yeah, you'll probably have to farm for it. (this step is my guess, as I haven't done that before. You'd better doublecheck with the guides and howtos)

[würst]

1.so i should take the xpack foulder or ?

2.should i modify the database.arz again (modded items) ? or should i only after swapping start the AM and press bulid that means i delete the database.arz?

[spectre]

1. That depends on the item you want to mod. If it's exclusive to IT then yes, if not then you'd better use the other folder

2. Well, you should always make a backup of the files you're changing. You want to know if you have to change something after you copied the original database into the AM's working directory? No, just click on "Build" and the AM should update the database with the files you modded.

[HeRo]

When creating the mod, I am not getting my .arz in the folder at all. I am going through all the steps, setting the limits to 10 inside the dbr and saving the file. When it comes to replacing the .arz, there is not one in the mod folder.

Nevermind i figured it out

[Kato2200]

Thanks a lot for the infos, I've used them to balance the xp equation in the main campaign, works like a charm. :)


Kato