A question about mod

[Imperios]

1: Is it possible to make a new campaign without removing the old one?
2: How can I add a new recruitable hero? I try. It isn't working.

[jocke32]

1. No i think you have to make an new map that you put your mod in and make the new campaign there.
2. import datfiles

myhero = datfiles.Campaign_ReadCharacterData('hero_1')

[Imperios]

Hm... Thanks.

But wait... Where should I write this?

[Imperios]

Okay, another question. Where can I find maps? I can't find them.

[John Jr.]

Take a look here:
http://frp.unlimited2.net/maps/

and here:
http://www.fxforce.com/MAPS.html

[BentonGrey]

Howdy Imperios, here are some general tips.  Modding is really easy once you've learned the basics, but you have to go about learning it intentionally or it can be pretty overwhelming.  There are a lot of little things involved in modding, but in general a project can be as simple or complex as you want it to be.  First off, I'd start here:

http://phantombunburyist.freedomforceforever.com/tempest/modtutorial.html

This is a good, general overview of the main mod-making tool.  FFEdit is fantastic once you understand it.  I'd recommend reading through this tutorial and setting up a really small practice mod to get the hang of it.  I jumped in with both feet on something gigantic and complex when I first started, and that resulted in my getting discouraged and giving up more than once. 

It isn't a bad idea to get your cast of characters set relatively early on.  Once you've chosen which characters you want to use, you can decide how fancy you want to get.  Trying to get all new meshes and skins is going to be tough, so using the built-ins whenever possible is probably a good idea.  Also, there is a TON of content out there which can fill most roles in a mod.  If you have something in mind for, say, Mr. Mechanical's new armor, there is likely something out there that will do.

The actual missions and campaign are the toughest part, but they can also be the most fun.  You need to decide whether you want to use Python scripting, or EZScript.  Here's a short description of each:
Python=
http://frworld.wikispaces.com/A+simple+exercise+in+basic+scripting
EZScript=
http://ezscript.wikispaces.com/

Personally, I use EZScript, which is great for someone like me who just could not wrap his mind around real scripting.  Once you've made that decision, it's just a matter of doing a few different things:

• Outline your story:  This isn't strictly necessary, and it may seem really simple.  However, it is an excellent idea to know where you're going and how to get there.  Decide what you want to happen when, and get an idea for what your individual missions will look like.
• Choose maps:  There are a lot of excellent maps for FF2, and JJ linked you to the best places to find them.  There are also a wealth of maps for FF1 that cover just about every possibility of setting.  These can still be used thanks to Goggles' excellent MapPack, but their use generally necessitates a pretty large increase in file size because you've got to include art assets from the first game in your mod.
• Prepare Map:  Set up any markers you're using and generally customize the map to your tastes.  Many maps made in the last few years have been set up to work with EZScript, which is a huge help.  In a map used in a campaign game, always make sure that each of your maps include markers for your where heroes spawn.  Those should look like hero_1, hero_2, etc.
• Write your missions:  Each mission will need to be either scripted or EZScripted.  Now, many modders are pretty generous with their work, so you may be able to use other people's scripts as a base (everyone's free to use pieces of my scripts if they're that desperate!).  However, you should always check their readmes to see if they've given permission for that, and it is polite to give credit.
• Set up the campaign:  Once you've got your missions (or you can do this as you make them), you'll need to add them into your campaign.  This is very simple to do, and I'll leave it to the tutorials to explain, as I'm sure they'll do a better job than me.
• Write a readme for your mod and pack it up:  Always make sure to include a readme giving credit to the folks who's work you are using.  Then you can just zip up the mod folder, upload it someplace, and you're all set.

Of course, there is quite a bit of work involved in many of those steps, but at least this gives you some concept of how to go about it and what you need to do when.  If you have any questions as you go through the process, feel free to ask.  FR is the friendliest place on the web.

[Imperios]

Thanks, people. But there is a thing I wonder about.

Tutorial says I need some weird TXT with map files. However, there are no in my Data folder. Can you either say where they're located or give me some basic level layout txt file?

[John Jr.]

The txt would probably be the "mission.txt" and "base.txt". If you're using EZScript to write your mod you can find a template in a folder called "ezscriptcampaign".
You can get EZScript and FFX3 (with a lot of custom attributes and FX) here:
http://ezscript.wikispaces.com/

[BentonGrey]

He's talking about the level.txt and layout.txt files JJ. 

Imperios, those will be different for each map, and some of them should be around when you unpack your .dat file like the tutorial talks about.  Other than that, PM me your email address and I'll send you a file that has all of the layout files that you might need.