Modding thread: Asset Editor

[artifex]

Okay, I must be an idiot because I can't for the life of me figure out how to use the asset editor. I open up the Test2 folder as a Unity Project, but the 'Pillars of Eternity Editor' button at the top as shown in the first post of this thread never shows up? I someone could point a complete modding noob in the right direction it would be much appreciated.

 

Are you using Unity Pro 4.6?  Unfortunately, Unity 5 exports assetbundles in a way that PoE can't parse, so this editor is only designed to work with 4.6.

[Eduku]

 

Okay, I must be an idiot because I can't for the life of me figure out how to use the asset editor. I open up the Test2 folder as a Unity Project, but the 'Pillars of Eternity Editor' button at the top as shown in the first post of this thread never shows up? I someone could point a complete modding noob in the right direction it would be much appreciated.

 

Are you using Unity Pro 4.6?  Unfortunately, Unity 5 exports assetbundles in a way that PoE can't parse, so this editor is only designed to work with 4.6.

 

Yeah Unity Pro 4.6, the version recommended by the asset editor download page.

[artifex]

 

 

Okay, I must be an idiot because I can't for the life of me figure out how to use the asset editor. I open up the Test2 folder as a Unity Project, but the 'Pillars of Eternity Editor' button at the top as shown in the first post of this thread never shows up? I someone could point a complete modding noob in the right direction it would be much appreciated.

 

Are you using Unity Pro 4.6?  Unfortunately, Unity 5 exports assetbundles in a way that PoE can't parse, so this editor is only designed to work with 4.6.

 

Yeah Unity Pro 4.6, the version recommended by the asset editor download page.

 

 

Are you getting any error messages in the console?

[Eduku]

 

 

 

Okay, I must be an idiot because I can't for the life of me figure out how to use the asset editor. I open up the Test2 folder as a Unity Project, but the 'Pillars of Eternity Editor' button at the top as shown in the first post of this thread never shows up? I someone could point a complete modding noob in the right direction it would be much appreciated.

 

Are you using Unity Pro 4.6?  Unfortunately, Unity 5 exports assetbundles in a way that PoE can't parse, so this editor is only designed to work with 4.6.

 

Yeah Unity Pro 4.6, the version recommended by the asset editor download page.

 

 

Are you getting any error messages in the console?

 

Oh wait, I just redownloaded the asset editor from the same page, loaded it up via Unity and suddenly it works as intended. Strange...

[Minsc85]

still cant understand how to edit textures

[artifex]

You can import a texture into Unity normally, then select a material from the asset bundle and reassign the map.

 

The trouble I'm having is the same one Zekzt was previously struggling with- the model's animations break.  Also, the particle effect materials seem to want to reference textures that aren't stored in the assetbundle, and I'm not sure how to set those.

 

edit: Also, you can use a program called Disunity to extract textures from the assetbundles you want to modify.

Edited April 3, 2015 by artifex

[Bester]

The trouble I'm having is the same one Zekzt was previously struggling with- the model's animations break.  Also, the particle effect materials seem to want to reference textures that aren't stored in the assetbundle, and I'm not sure how to set those.

You can find them in the big unity3d files, export them and reassign them every time they're needed.

 

It's not right that you have to do that, but that's the only method that works currently.

 

I tried fixing it 2 days ago and couldn't. I'll try again later.

[Luckmann]

Is there no way to make the game load .cs files outside of the .dll? Because if not, that's a serious bummer when it comes to mod compatibilities, requiring you to extract and recompile for each mod individually.

[Eduku]

Once you use Disunity to extract asset bundles and add files to the extracted bundle, how do you create a new asset bundle from that?

[IrithylStarym]

Can you edit savegames with it?

[Nerdwing]

I'm not seeing the 30-day trial button at all on my Unity download.  Using the proper version and all, but only have the prompt to enter a key or start the free version.  Should I take this up with the Unity Tech folks, or am I missing something much more obvious here?

 

Or is indeed no longer possible, as said on first page?

Edited April 4, 2015 by Nerdwing

[Danathion]

I have a small mod request, if it's possible...will someone who knows what, and how, to edit whichever file governs attribute points at character creation, please upload the file so that there are 20 attribute points to spend instead of 15. I keep restarting the game because I cant get over the feeling that my character just isn't very good (I'm one of those people who take the time to get a good roll when playing BG). Thanks in advance for the help!

[Luckmann]

 

I have a small mod request, if it's possible...will someone who knows what, and how, to edit whichever file governs attribute points at character creation, please upload the file so that there are 20 attribute points to spend instead of 15. I keep restarting the game because I cant get over the feeling that my character just isn't very good (I'm one of those people who take the time to get a good roll when playing BG). Thanks in advance for the help!

 

 

Why not just cheat? Modding PoE isn't the friendliest thing in the world, and it's much easier to use CheatEngine or the Console to achieve what you want.

[Danathion]

 

 

I have a small mod request, if it's possible...will someone who knows what, and how, to edit whichever file governs attribute points at character creation, please upload the file so that there are 20 attribute points to spend instead of 15. I keep restarting the game because I cant get over the feeling that my character just isn't very good (I'm one of those people who take the time to get a good roll when playing BG). Thanks in advance for the help!

 

 

Why not just cheat? Modding PoE isn't the friendliest thing in the world, and it's much easier to use CheatEngine or the Console to achieve what you want.

 

 

I don't know anything about the console and would prefer not to interfere with what I don't understand. I can just about handle dropping a file in a folder, if someone edits it for me (if its possible), which is why I made the request to someone who actually knows something about it. Again, thanks, in anticipation of that persons help.

[Luckmann]

 

 

 

I have a small mod request, if it's possible...will someone who knows what, and how, to edit whichever file governs attribute points at character creation, please upload the file so that there are 20 attribute points to spend instead of 15. I keep restarting the game because I cant get over the feeling that my character just isn't very good (I'm one of those people who take the time to get a good roll when playing BG). Thanks in advance for the help!

 

 

Why not just cheat? Modding PoE isn't the friendliest thing in the world, and it's much easier to use CheatEngine or the Console to achieve what you want.

 

 

I don't know anything about the console and would prefer not to interfere with what I don't understand. I can just about handle dropping a file in a folder, if someone edits it for me (if its possible), which is why I made the request to someone who actually knows something about it. Again, thanks, in anticipation of that persons help.

 

Here you go. It is easier than modding the game, not just for anyone making the mod, but it's literally easier than you installing the mod.

 

No-one is ever going to fulfil your request, simply because it would be pointless to do so. It would achieve nothing that you cannot already do yourself.

[Danathion]

Luckmann: Thanks for the direction.

[Minsc85]

Can any1 expalin.

 

For example i want to edit brigandine_armor_exceptional. i know wheres unity3d file is, how to find and edit texture?

[Xionanx]

Couple of things:

 

1.  Has anyone managed to update the Asset Editor to the newest version yet?  I went through the steps to update and thought I had everything correct, but it still spits out edits that give errors when loaded into the game.  I have since reverted to the EDIT/HEX-COMPARE/EDIT method to make working spell changes, which brings me to..

 

2.  I'm in the process of trying to batch edit all the spells/abilities in the game to be usable outside of combat.  I am running into a problem however in that "I" cant find a unique searchable string that works for ALL abilities.  I can do them one at a time (EDIT/COMPARE/EDIT) but was really hoping to automate that, since its a simple "check box" in unity where the spell is cast-able outside of combat or not.  Otherwise its going to be hours and hours of tedious 1 at a time editing...  Any help would be greatly appreciated.

 

3.  Has anyone experimented with changing the basic functionality of spells?  or Adding spells?  I have managed to change Minolettas Minor Missile to Auto-Hit (no attack roll, just a damage roll), but I'm not happy stopping there..   I want to change it so that it randomly targets an enemy in range with each missile, so that its not "aim-able" (cant pick targets).  In this way you cast, and the three missiles will "Seek" a target on their own based on the targets in range.  The "Code" is there via higher level version of the spell, so I'm thinking I can make the "AoE" 15 meters centered on caster with..  It should be doable.  But again, if anyone has experimented with this already, advice/help is appreciated.

[Minsc85]

Bester я вижу ты на яндекс заливал ффайлы, если ты говоришь по русски обьясни как элемнтарный ретекстуринг сделать

[luzarius]

I opened the following file in bester's asset editor:

companion_cv_durance_hub_v2.unity3d

I saved it again without making any changes, but the file size was different. This is a voice asset by the way and the new one I saved did not work in game.

 

I'm using Unity version 4.6.1p2  with the Gog version of the POE.

Edited April 7, 2015 by luzarius

[Xionanx]

Yeah, currently the asset editor is changing files in such a way that they come out non functional.  They you need to do edits now is:

 

1.  Open the File in the Asset Editor

2.  Do NOT Modify it.  Save it AS  "Uneditied(filename).unity3d

3.  Make whatever change you wanted to make.  Save it as "Edited(filename.unity3d

4.  Open both UN an EDITED in a HEX-Editor that has the "Compare" function.

5.  Compare them using "Precise" and "Differences", finding small sections that are different between those 2 files.  Those are your actual edits.

6.  Open the ORIGINAL FILE in the Hex editor, and then "Search" for the unedited section of the file that you need to edit.

7.  Make the appropriate changes in HEX, then save the file ORIGINAL FILE.

 

If you did everything correct, and changed the correct section of the file using hex, You have now successfully made your changes and they will work in game.

 

This is what I have been having to do.. one file at a time, to make spells cast-able outside of combat.. its tedious and annoying, but at this point its the only that that works to make changes without corrupting shaders/textures/scripts/etc.

[Eduku]

Yeah, currently the asset editor is changing files in such a way that they come out non functional.  They you need to do edits now is:

 

1.  Open the File in the Asset Editor

2.  Do NOT Modify it.  Save it AS  "Uneditied(filename).unity3d

3.  Make whatever change you wanted to make.  Save it as "Edited(filename.unity3d

4.  Open both UN an EDITED in a HEX-Editor that has the "Compare" function.

5.  Compare them using "Precise" and "Differences", finding small sections that are different between those 2 files.  Those are your actual edits.

6.  Open the ORIGINAL FILE in the Hex editor, and then "Search" for the unedited section of the file that you need to edit.

7.  Make the appropriate changes in HEX, then save the file ORIGINAL FILE.

 

If you did everything correct, and changed the correct section of the file using hex, You have now successfully made your changes and they will work in game.

 

This is what I have been having to do.. one file at a time, to make spells cast-able outside of combat.. its tedious and annoying, but at this point its the only that that works to make changes without corrupting shaders/textures/scripts/etc.

Yep, that's what I've been doing. Still looking around to see if there's a less cumbersome way of doing it.

[Bester]

This problem of shaders/textures/animations seriously needs to be fixed, does anyone know Unity here and can experiment a little?
 
I'm not sure what the problem is, but it's around this line:
 

	BuildPipeline.BuildAssetBundleExplicitAssetNames (unity3dAssets, names, savepath, 
			BuildAssetBundleOptions.CollectDependencies | 
			BuildAssetBundleOptions.CompleteAssets | 
			BuildAssetBundleOptions.UncompressedAssetBundle
			, BuildTarget.StandaloneWindows );

I suppose what might be happening - the original assetbundles are built without CollectDependencies (that's why the textures etc are not included), but then we have to build it also without CollectDependencies (otherwise the references to missing files get broken?) and I haven't been successful at doing that.

 

Another thing that I don't understand is - how are the references functioning? When I read a file with a missing texture, there's nothing to indicate that the file isn't already broken, and yet it works. For instance, any material that's "pink" returns a Hidden/InternalErrorShader when I try to read its shader. Why does it work in game?

 

And ANOTHER thing that I don't understand. A lot of assetbundles have mainAsset. Which means they were built using BuildAssetBundle and not BuildAssetBundleExplicitAssetNames, right? Yet when I try doing it with BuildAssetBundle, the array of objects in the second parameter is somehow ignored and those assets don't get included (or they do, but as children to the mainAsset? anyway, that's not the original hierarchy, so why is it happening?)

 

And another problem that recently appeared - Transforms are somehow disassociated from their GameObjects, and now CollectDependencies includes a second Transform, which is exactly the same as the first one. Transforms get duplicated in the bundle.

 

It's a mess. I recently had a day to look into this. Made no progress. I can't fix it.

Edited April 7, 2015 by Bester

[Silvist]

I'm no expert on how the IE works, but I've been doing quite a bit of modding since i stumbled across this projects work.  Firstly, I'd like to thank you guys for all the hard work!

 

I'm not sure why this is the case, again could be IE related.  I've fixed my texture paths a completely different way with the spells/abilities I've modded.  I simply loaded up a save unmodified, took the talent/spell and saved.

 

Then I exited the game, and copied over my modification and loaded up the save.  I took note of any changes rest per day > to modular > out of combat..etc.  I didn't activate the skill, since that seemed to sometimes cause bugs.  Then I saved the game again.  I exited the game again, and copied back over the unchanged/original file.

 

Loaded up the save again, and my modification had stuck (no pink textures).  I tried resting, zoning, and even different game versions.  From what I could tell it worked in 1.30, 1.30 with IE, and 1.3.530.

 

I'm don't have much experience when it comes to hex editing, but I got quite a bit of modding experience.  From looking at the hex code of talents/spells; I saw no clear texture path.  Is the texture path in only digits?

 

The only references I saw was lines starting with CAB-; which was at the start after the unity version, and further down in the code.  The only file paths I saw seemed to be near the bottom of the code.  I did perhaps see some kind of color/shader coding, but no exact texture reference.

 

Is the texture references not in the unity3d files?  If so this may explain why what I did above worked.  Thanks again for the hard work!

[Vadász]

The lines starting with cab, i wonder what those are, i've been having problems with the edited files.

 

I mean, the unity edited file works in the somewhat purple way in come to expect, but it works. However after hex editing the original file stuff either remains as if i never modded it or the abilities get replaced by a "Missing Ability".

 

To be more precise i wanted to try something easy as reverting the chill fog change, the difference between the edited and the unedited are the string of numbers after the cab and a single byte near the end of the file that controls what can the spell target. Now when editing the original file, If i change only the byte, nothing happens and if i change the cab part too i get the "missing spell" behavior.

 

Am i doing something wrong?