How to edit .lvl files

[Skorzeny8814]

Hello,

 

I'm new here and i need your help in editing Star Wars Battlefront 2's .lvl file. I tried to modify them with hex editor programs. It worked sometime, but usually I can't find what I'm searching for in the file. Actually I'm trying to edit the mission.lvl file, to change heros and/or units of each map.

 

Please help!

[Bokken]

You've got to use the ModTools. They give you all the resources you need to change just about any aspect of the game. The tools come with documentation, and there's also a modding forum called GameToast that you can explore if you're really lost.

 

The probable reason that you haven't had much luck using hex editors (although it can be done that way) is that the objects in the game have names like rep_inf_rifleman.odf, com_weap_inf_sniperrifle.odf, and cis_hero_dooku.odf. However, you wouldn't be able to edit the ODF (object definition files) using only a hex editor, which is why I'd recommend the modtools.

[Skorzeny8814]

Thanks. I've tried ModTools a year ago, but for something else. Dint't realized that it can be used for it too. To be honest, I'm absolutely a beginner in modding :S

[Skorzeny8814]

OK. I installed the mod tools and tried to searching for this .lvl edit thing but I didn't find anything. Can you help me? Maybe it's enough if you tell me wich documentation help me to solve the problem.

[Bokken]

You don't actually edit the LVL files. You edit individual files, like ODF, REQ, TGA, and then the ModTools has a program that puts them all into a LVL file called VisualMunge.

 

I'd recommend reading Getting Started and...let's see...Custom Jedi or something like that. Getting Started will explain how the tools work and the Custom Jedi guide will show you how to edit units and add them to the game, which is the same principle as switching the units around.

[Skorzeny8814]

Thank you.

 

You don't actually edit the LVL files. You edit individual files, like ODF, REQ, TGA, and then the ModTools has a program that puts them all into a LVL file called VisualMunge.

 

I'd recommend reading Getting Started and...let's see...Custom Jedi or something like that. Getting Started will explain how the tools work and the Custom Jedi guide will show you how to edit units and add them to the game, which is the same principle as switching the units around.

[Skorzeny8814]

OK, i tried. But it's too difficult to me. It tells me how to create ny own map and so... I only want to edit maps that already exist, not to create a new one. Just editing. Can someone help in it?

[Bokken]

First you need to learn how to load your map's assets and change the lua scripts. Once you learn those, loading default maps and changing the units will make a lot more sense. Keep going.

[Skorzeny8814]

But I don't know how to load the default maps. Can you tell me how to do it? I'v read as much as I can from the documenation, but I'm not from an english speaking country. I don't understand everything the documents say and I didn't find a translation of them to my language (it's Hungarian). That's why I said "it's too difficult to me to understand all of them".

[Skorzeny8814]

This was the best I could do:

 

In ZeroEditor I loaded cor1.lvl (the coruscant map) and overwrited my own abc.lvl with it. As the Getting Started documentation said, I copy all the things to the right places from coruscant level directory to my new level directory. After that, if I open my new map in ZeroEditor It perfectly looks like the coruscant map in every way. I munged it as the documentation says. But when I open my map in the game it's a f*ckin empty map only with green grass and the command posts like it was when VisualMunge generally created it.

 

I really need some help with it, please.

[Bokken]

Honestly, I haven't used the ModTools in a while, so I can't try and follow your steps to see what's going wrong. Are you getting any BFront2.log errors? That's a logfile that should be in the same place that you put the ModTools.exe

[Skorzeny8814]

No, I don't get any error logs and there's nothing like it in the directory contains modtools.exe. Can you advise me some other forums where I can get help to solve my problem?

[aka1795]

Sorry if i post in the wrong section. Can somebody help me with BFX?

I tried the battlefront extreme 2.2 mod and i think it's beatifull and very well done, but the negative is that it only work on the original game maps and not on the conversion pack maps, so anybody can tell me how to put thoose Factions (Clone wars BFX and Civil War BFX that contains:classes, damage, settings...) on the conversion pack maps like alderaan.

Please help me, i tried, but i have never done any kind of modding and i don't understand anything, please help me.