'Sup. I'm JCD, known here as The Gameanater, or just Gameanater, or even simply as "Game".

Anyway, I want to make a new faction for Zero Hour. I don't want to spoil what the faction actually IS, but let's just say that is will be loaded with lasers and spaceships and stuff.

So yeah. Only problem is that I have no clue where to even start. So... Yeah...

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A simple google search brought me to ModdDb.

By Kwartjuh, posted by MrTaxiKiller

You need:
A .big extractor (Finalbig)
A .csf Editor (csf Editor)
A text editor (Notepad)

The first thing you need to do to add a new faction, is to open up INI.big, and extract PlayerTemplate.ini. This ini file
goed into the map generalsroot/Data/INI/ (if these maps are not present, make them yourself)

Open up this ini file, and take a look inside. There is a note on the top telling you to add a new controlbar if you add a new side.
Thx EA, that may come in handy. Now look at the actuall code. As you can see, the 3 Generals factions, GLA, America, and China are represented, as well as a civilian and observer faction. Do NOT edit these two! China, America and GLA can be deleted, but don't be to hasty! Its best to keep them in until you have you new factions up and running.
Now, to create a new faction, copy any of the 3 Generals player factions, and change the different vallues. I don't think i need to explain what to edit, it speaks for itself. Just take a good look at Displayname! It reffers to INI:FactionAmerica (lets edit this to FactionEurope as an example!), if you have copied and pasted the American faction.
This string is located in a file called generals.csf. Extract this file out of English.big, and place it in generalsroot/Data/English Now open up this generals.csf with the proper editor. ( i used scf editor, its free and very clear)
Go look for the INI:FactionAmerica string. Take a look at its value. It says America, thats all. Insert a new string called INI:FactionEurope (this is an example of course!) and give it the following value: Europe.
Now, you are not done yet!

Go look for SIDE:America. This works the same as the previous string. Insert a new one, call it SIDE:Europe and give it the value Europe

Now, please note that the SIDE:*** string should have a short value, something like Europe will barely fit. The INI:Faction*** can have a much bigger value.
(in case of my mod: SIDE:GDI, with a value of GDI. INI:FactionGDI has a value of Global Defense Initiative). The SIDE string is used for the selection screen (not much space there). The INI:Faction string is used for the loading screen!

Save the .csf file. And open the Big extractor one more time. Extract ControlBarScheme.ini, and place it in the generalsroot/Data/INI/ map. Open this ini file, and take a look inside. You will find three different controlbar scheme's. Just copy the American one, and change the following values:

ControlBarScheme America8x6
into
ControlBarScheme Europe8x6

and

Side America
into
Side Europe

Not that the ControlBarScheme.ini is a very cool file where you can edit all the colors and stuff of the controlbars!

Save the file, and launch Generals! Congrats, you just added a new Faction, gave it the proper name and a new toolbar!

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Very helpful, just one big problem (other then that I don't have csf editor):

generals.csf doesn't exist for some reason for me in Zero Hour...

Maybe you can find yours and upload a copy of it in a .zip? lol

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Its easier to use the .str file found here on cnclabs.
Works the same way as the .csf does, but you can edit it with notepad instead of a special csf editor.

This link should take you right to the post.
http://www.cnclabs.com/forums/cnc_postsm61967_-Public-Sources.aspx#post61967 

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I used that tutorial and its utterly rubbish
It didn't work for me at all
You can find generals.csf in English.big
If you're willing to wait a day or two I will upload my tutorial on making new generals/factions

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You can find the tutorial here .

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Found the .csf file in KlingonDragon's old "Small Mod" and used that as a base.

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Str. File:

well, since I already found another .csf file to use I suppose this might not have a use to me since I already added a bunch of new stuff to the existing .csf...

Unless the .str is free of the bug where a bunch of weird characters show up and cut-off long descriptions and also scramble them...

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"Rubbish" tutorial:

Well it worked pretyy well for me... Although there's one bug, which I'll get to below...

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Dragon's own tutorial:

Didn't say anything on how to get a new set of Generals Abilities, which is really the only thing that was lacking from the Moddb tutorial.

Also had numerous grammer issues, no offense.

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Well, I have successfully created a new faction that I can create units for... It shows up on the Skirmish selection, complete with the "Biostrategy" description of "XXXXXXXX XX (( Not actual faction name, I'm keeping that a secret for now )) uses a combination of human and alien technology to defeat its enemies."

Currently, though, it is a clone of Granger, the USA Airforce General, until I start working on a an alien Worker-type unit and create its buildings, building commandsets, special weapons, etc.

There are two problems, though. The first is on the loading screen, it correctly shows the "features" text to the right of where the picture for an army would be as "XXXXXXXX XX was formed to contain and cover up the XXXXXXX XXXXXXXX and has since been operating with alien technology", but there is no image whatsoever despite not having changed that part of code...

The second is in-game, despite not having even TOUCHED the USA EVA-style, it shows up very messed up... Check out the attached screenshot to see...

I have no idea why this stuff is happening... Here's my code:


help, please?   sshot295.bmp (3,601kb) downloaded 10 time(s).

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my tutorial did say how to do the generals powers
for clarification its:
1. create the purchase commandsets
2. copy modules to your new command center
3. copy command buttons to your new CC and shortcut sidebars

as for the messed up ui that's a problem with controlbar try copying it again and just change the side name

as for the grammar:
1. i'm English so my grammar mistakes could be because you use American English
2. if i had seen them i would have changed them

i will now go back to my tutorial to see if i can improve it

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Weird, I thought that US English grammar is the sam as UK's English grammar.

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Maybe its just spellings but still I couldn't find any mistakes

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There are words that are different, spellings that are different, and wildly different pronunciations, but I haven't noticed any differences in sentence structure.

You have no idea how fun it is to be 'corrected' for spelling and then getting to point out the racial ignorance. I've had some fun with people 'correcting' defence, apologise, centre, and also date format.


That's happening because your faction doesn't have a ControlBarScheme entry.

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I already know that, I once searched for it 6 years ago, I found hundreds of words & phrases.

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