Modding: How do I get started?

kjohnhayes · December 29, 2024, 2:03pm

Hi All,

I got quite good at editing original AoM, but I am totally lost at how to just get started.

I downloaded two .bar readers (CryBarEditor and ResourceManager) and have been able to view the protox files no problem. But I cannot edit these and have no idea how to make changes. I did read the guides, but they aren’t dumbed down enough for me Can any please give me a step by step walk through.

For example, if I want to change the hitpoints of minotaur to 600, how would I edit this using either of these tools? I have also read that using additive mods are better, but again, not sure how to do those. If anyone has a good video or can provide some step by step pointers, I’d love it

Thanks!

Eskiss · January 1, 2025, 10:58pm

This article would be a good starting point

github.com

CryShana/CryBarEditor/blob/main/Documentation/Modding.md

## Modding Basics
## Tools
Highly recommend you prepare a tool for reading BAR archives, so far I am aware of just these two:
- my own tool, **CryBarEditor** ([link to Releases page](https://github.com/CryShana/CryBarEditor/releases))
- or the **AoE3 Resource Manager 0.7** or later version ([link to download post](https://forums.ageofempires.com/t/v-0-7-resource-manager-age-of-myth-retold-bar-extractor/260136))

This guide is written with CryBarEditor in mind, so if you are not using it, you can just ignore those parts of this guide.

## Setup

- Create a mod folder in `C:\Users\[USER]\Games\Age of Mythology Retold\[YOUR_ID]\mods\local\[MOD_NAME]`
- Set your mod folder as export Root directory in CryBarEditor (any exported file will be copied to the mod folder while retaining all relative paths)
- There are 2 ways of modifying game files:
    - **STANDARD METHOD**: Provide an alternative file on the same relative path as used by game, it will be used instead
    - **ADDITIVE METHOD**: Provide a `_mods.xml` file that will partially change a base file without replacing it (less conflicts with other mods + less chance of it breaking on game updates)

Additive method is preferred, but (to my knowledge) only a few files support it. Others can only be replaced entirely using Standard method. Mod priority then decides which mod takes priority when replacing such files.

Most game files are packaged within **BAR archives**, luckily for us, CryBarEditor can read them and export relevant files that we want to modify. We don't need to create whole new BAR archives, we can just export the original file from BAR archive and modify just that file.

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You should also join the official AoE discord, the modding community there is more active than here