![[V] IdolNinja](/forum/data/avatars/m/0/62.jpg?1394026296){kind=avatar}
[V] IdolNinja
Volition Staff
NOTE: This is still a little rough, but consider it a work in progress that I'll refine with pics and more info and whatnot as time goes on.
So, you want to start modding Saints Row the Third and have no idea where to start? Then this is the thread for you.
SRTT FILE FORMATS
The .vpp_pc archive
All moddable files in the game are packed into archives with a .vpp_pc extension. Inside these archives contain all sorts of files you can change. All of the vpp_pc files can be found here:
..\steam\steamapps\common\saints row the third\packfiles\pc\cache\
The most common vpp_pc that most modders extract to start with is misc_tables.vpp_pc. This archive contains a wealth of xtbl files controlling most settings of the open world like physics, vehicles, weapons, etc and are the easiest to edit.
The .xtbl file format
An .xtbl file is one of the many file types inside a vpp_pc archive. They are plain ascii text and can be edited with Notepad. If you have any experience with xml, then it will look very familiar to you with the same style format.
The .str2_pc archive
Another file type inside a vpp_pc archive. These are also archives that contain files inside them (think of it like an archive within an archive.) str2_pc file can contain many things like lua scripts, models, and textures. They are in an uncompressed format and need to load a very specific way in memory via an accompanying asm_pc file, so are a bit trickier to work with than xtbl files.
The asm_pc file format
Whenever you make any change to a file within a str2_pc file and repack it, you also need to update the asm_pc file that controls it so it loads correctly. One of the most common examples of this is vint_doc_containers.asm_pc from inside interface.vpp_pc. This particular asm_pc file controls loading for every str2_pc file inside that archive.
The lua file format
A lua script in ascii text that controls things like menus and missions. These are usually located inside str2_pc files. The str2_pc files inside interface.vpp_pc and the ones inside sr3_city_0.vpp_pc are the most common ones that modders work with (menus and missions respectively.)
The gvbm_pc and gpeg_pc file format
Each of these are containers for texture files. They are located within str2_pc files and each has an accompanying file that contains information about the texture (cvbm_pc and cpeg_pc.)
HOW THE GAME LOADS FILES
The game loads files into memory in the following order, overwriting any versions from previous steps:
1. Each vpp_pc archive from the cache folder EXCEPT patch_compressed.vpp_pc and patch_uncompressed.vpp_pc
2. Any files from inside patch_compressed.vpp_pc and patch_uncompressed.vpp_pc
3. Any files in the root with the exe
..\steam\steamapps\common\saints row the third\
Knowing how it loads, you can see that any files in the root will always take precedence so it's the best place to test modded files out. The purpose of the two patch files is so that volition can easily add their own changed files there for bug fixes and updates instead of having to replace an entire archive.
Always first look in both patch_compressed and patch_uncompressed first to see if the files you want to modify are there. These will be the most current versions of Volition's files, and you'll want to use them as a base for your mod instead.
HOW TO MOD AN XTBL FILE
1. Download the latest version of gibbed's tools with Minimaul's fixes and extract them
http://www.saintsrowmods.com/forum/index.php?threads/gibbed-tools.639/
2. Drag one of your vanilla .vpp_pc files on to Gibbed.SaintsRow3.UnpackVPP.exe
This will extract it into a subfolder of the same name as the archive
3. There will be xtbl files inside. Make a copy of one to your SRTT install folder where the game exe is, and edit it with any changes. Your install folder will be wherever you installed Steam:
..\steam\steamapps\common\saints row the third\
HOW TO MOD TEXTURES, SCRIPTS, ETC (UNCOMPRESSED STR2_PC FILES)
1. Extract a .str2_pc file by dragging it on to Gibbed.SaintsRow3.UnpackSTR2.exe
2. The above will create a new folder named after the str2_pc file. Edit your files inside (lua, cvbm, etc.)
3. Repack the str2_pc file and update the asm_pc file that relates to it. I'm going to use cell_menu.str2_pc as an example which is located in interface.vpp_pc and uses vint_doc_containers.asm_pc. Your batch file would look something like this:
4. Move your newly created str2_pc file and updated asm_pc file to your SRTT install folder
NOTE: Before running your batch file, make certain of two things
* Delete the original str2_pc file before creating your new one. I've had problems with using the tools and having them crash if the str_pc files already exists and you're trying to create a new one with the same name
* Make sure the extracted folder name doesn't have an extension. This will cause the tool to bomb out. The folder name in the example above should be cell_menu_main and NOT cell_menu_main.str2_pc
TROUBLESHOOTING
If the tools crash when you try to use them make sure that:
* You are using the latest build with Minimaul's fixes linked above.
* You have the latest .NET Framework 4 installed from Microsoft that the tools require
http://www.microsoft.com/net
* Your folder with the unpacked .str2_pc files you are trying to repack does not have a .str2_pc extension. i.e. the folder should have a name like cell_missions and NOT cell_missions.str2_pc
NOTE: Attached the extracted vanilla files for both the misc_tables.vpp_pc and patch_compressed.vpp_pc archives for users having trouble extracting them.
So, you want to start modding Saints Row the Third and have no idea where to start? Then this is the thread for you.
SRTT FILE FORMATS
The .vpp_pc archive
All moddable files in the game are packed into archives with a .vpp_pc extension. Inside these archives contain all sorts of files you can change. All of the vpp_pc files can be found here:
..\steam\steamapps\common\saints row the third\packfiles\pc\cache\
The most common vpp_pc that most modders extract to start with is misc_tables.vpp_pc. This archive contains a wealth of xtbl files controlling most settings of the open world like physics, vehicles, weapons, etc and are the easiest to edit.
The .xtbl file format
An .xtbl file is one of the many file types inside a vpp_pc archive. They are plain ascii text and can be edited with Notepad. If you have any experience with xml, then it will look very familiar to you with the same style format.
The .str2_pc archive
Another file type inside a vpp_pc archive. These are also archives that contain files inside them (think of it like an archive within an archive.) str2_pc file can contain many things like lua scripts, models, and textures. They are in an uncompressed format and need to load a very specific way in memory via an accompanying asm_pc file, so are a bit trickier to work with than xtbl files.
The asm_pc file format
Whenever you make any change to a file within a str2_pc file and repack it, you also need to update the asm_pc file that controls it so it loads correctly. One of the most common examples of this is vint_doc_containers.asm_pc from inside interface.vpp_pc. This particular asm_pc file controls loading for every str2_pc file inside that archive.
The lua file format
A lua script in ascii text that controls things like menus and missions. These are usually located inside str2_pc files. The str2_pc files inside interface.vpp_pc and the ones inside sr3_city_0.vpp_pc are the most common ones that modders work with (menus and missions respectively.)
The gvbm_pc and gpeg_pc file format
Each of these are containers for texture files. They are located within str2_pc files and each has an accompanying file that contains information about the texture (cvbm_pc and cpeg_pc.)
HOW THE GAME LOADS FILES
The game loads files into memory in the following order, overwriting any versions from previous steps:
1. Each vpp_pc archive from the cache folder EXCEPT patch_compressed.vpp_pc and patch_uncompressed.vpp_pc
2. Any files from inside patch_compressed.vpp_pc and patch_uncompressed.vpp_pc
3. Any files in the root with the exe
..\steam\steamapps\common\saints row the third\
Knowing how it loads, you can see that any files in the root will always take precedence so it's the best place to test modded files out. The purpose of the two patch files is so that volition can easily add their own changed files there for bug fixes and updates instead of having to replace an entire archive.
Always first look in both patch_compressed and patch_uncompressed first to see if the files you want to modify are there. These will be the most current versions of Volition's files, and you'll want to use them as a base for your mod instead.
HOW TO MOD AN XTBL FILE
1. Download the latest version of gibbed's tools with Minimaul's fixes and extract them
http://www.saintsrowmods.com/forum/index.php?threads/gibbed-tools.639/
2. Drag one of your vanilla .vpp_pc files on to Gibbed.SaintsRow3.UnpackVPP.exe
This will extract it into a subfolder of the same name as the archive
3. There will be xtbl files inside. Make a copy of one to your SRTT install folder where the game exe is, and edit it with any changes. Your install folder will be wherever you installed Steam:
..\steam\steamapps\common\saints row the third\
HOW TO MOD TEXTURES, SCRIPTS, ETC (UNCOMPRESSED STR2_PC FILES)
1. Extract a .str2_pc file by dragging it on to Gibbed.SaintsRow3.UnpackSTR2.exe
2. The above will create a new folder named after the str2_pc file. Edit your files inside (lua, cvbm, etc.)
3. Repack the str2_pc file and update the asm_pc file that relates to it. I'm going to use cell_menu.str2_pc as an example which is located in interface.vpp_pc and uses vint_doc_containers.asm_pc. Your batch file would look something like this:
Code:
REM param 1 is the file name to save - param 2 is the folder containing the str2 pc files
Gibbed.SaintsRow3.PackSTR2.exe cell_menu_main.str2_pc cell_menu_main
REM param 1 is the asm - param 2 is the folder with the str2 files. . means current folder
Gibbed.SaintsRow3.UpdateASM.exe vint_doc_containers.asm_pc .
pause4. Move your newly created str2_pc file and updated asm_pc file to your SRTT install folder
NOTE: Before running your batch file, make certain of two things
* Delete the original str2_pc file before creating your new one. I've had problems with using the tools and having them crash if the str_pc files already exists and you're trying to create a new one with the same name
* Make sure the extracted folder name doesn't have an extension. This will cause the tool to bomb out. The folder name in the example above should be cell_menu_main and NOT cell_menu_main.str2_pc
TROUBLESHOOTING
If the tools crash when you try to use them make sure that:
* You are using the latest build with Minimaul's fixes linked above.
* You have the latest .NET Framework 4 installed from Microsoft that the tools require
http://www.microsoft.com/net
* Your folder with the unpacked .str2_pc files you are trying to repack does not have a .str2_pc extension. i.e. the folder should have a name like cell_missions and NOT cell_missions.str2_pc
NOTE: Attached the extracted vanilla files for both the misc_tables.vpp_pc and patch_compressed.vpp_pc archives for users having trouble extracting them.
, i have done the batch file... (on the black window i had a long list) but i can't find my new created files
