*.fdf files don't work...

Hello,

I tried to modify the wc3 via the frame definition files you can find in the mpq.
For example i changed the icon for the attribute strength with the agility icon...
Not really difficult, you just have to change some strings ...

But when i reimportet them to the mpq ... nothing in the game changed...
Pathes and so on are the right ones...
I tried it out with nearly all mpqs and even with a self extracting mpq but it didnt work, too.

Do you know wheres the solution to this problem?

I'm sure it's possible to edit the wc3 interface, becuz i saw it at some Project Revolution screenshots.
I even tried to contact PR but... no answer ..

Well, we're using a custom loader for PR.
My guess is that your file doesn't get loaded.

which mpq you modiffied?

I'm sure I read somewhere that PR is using a bizarrely mutated multiboard.

Yes but that is not really related to fdf

If you put it into a game MPQ file, it should be loaded. Though we found out that FDFs are weird beasts, which don't work as one would expect. Some stuff simply won't work. I can't say for sure if this applies for your modifications.

don't you have to use files from war3patch.mpq? errr at least with .slk don't know if here too

It happens with some SLKs too. I reckon there's just some files marked in some way so we can't get at them.

Uhm thank you for all your fast reply! :)
Uhm i tried it out with all mpqs but im not shure wheter i tried it out with patch.mpq , too ... maybe i should try it again.

@ Starcraffreak: If youre shure, that the fdfs get loaded, do you know what modifications will work?



@ RDZ:

what are *.Slk datas?

I had an hour long in-depth conversation last night with RodofNOD about FDF's and pieced them apart as much as possible. So far, it seems FDF's rely on anchors that are sometimes unchangeable. As such any changes you make to a value attached to one of these anchors will not be acknowledged. Also, you can only import an FDF into wc3patch.mpq in order for it to have an effect in-game. It seems that the FDF’s basically choose where the text areas for things such as HP, Mana, and the resources are located, assigns their image (if an image is needed) based off a string (which relates to strings in SLK's etc) and other attributes. Modification of the FDF is likely to not work, and is not able to be used online. These are what I have concluded over a few hours of research. If anyone has more information, or information contrary to this, feel free to provide said information.

If this becomes a hot topic, maybe we can gather a FDF research group.

Born²Modificate: A SLK table is a spreadsheet file that contains a lot of preset game data; splats, lightning... It defines codes and texture paths and stuff. Very useful to know your way around.

and with which program xoul i see through it??

Notepad and WinMPQ/MPQMaster or another mpq editor ^^