10 Stunning Custom Shield Patterns to Upgrade Your Armory

Table of Contents

1. Introduction
2. Creating a Shield Pattern
3. Setting Up the Hex Editing Program
4. Organizing the Working Folder
5. Adding the Pattern to the Game
6. Editing the Shield Variant Mesh Definition
7. Adding Files to the Modpack
8. Editing the Unit to Reference the Shield Pattern
9. Testing the Results
10. Conclusion

Applying a Custom Shield Pattern in Rome 2 Total War

In this tutorial, we will learn how to Apply a custom shield pattern to a unit shield in Rome 2 Total War. Creating and editing a shield pattern can add a personal touch to your gameplay experience. We will use a hex editing program to modify the game files and apply the pattern to the shield. By following these step-by-step instructions, you will be able to customize your unit's shield with your own design.

1. Introduction

Rome 2 Total War offers various customization options, including the ability to apply unique shield Patterns to your units. This tutorial will guide you through the process of creating, editing, and applying a shield pattern of your choice. By adding your personal touch to the game, you can enhance your gaming experience and make your units stand out on the battlefield.

2. Creating a Shield Pattern

Before we begin, let's Create a shield pattern that we can apply to our unit's shield. You can create a custom pattern using image editing software of your choice. For this tutorial, we will use a simple shield pattern with our name on it. Once you have created your shield pattern, save it in the desired format (e.g., JPEG, PNG) in your working folder.

3. Setting Up the Hex Editing Program

To modify the game files and apply the custom shield pattern, we will use a hex editing program. There are several hex editing programs available, but for this tutorial, we will use a recommended program. You can find a link to download the program in the description below. Install the program and ensure that it is ready to be used for editing the game files.

4. Organizing the Working Folder

To keep our files organized and easily accessible, let's set up the necessary folder structure in our working folder. Create the following directories: "variant_models," "patterns," and "hellenic" within the "man" folder. Move the shield pattern image that you created earlier into the "hellenic" folder. This will be the location where we will add our custom shield pattern.

5. Adding the Pattern to the Game

To add our custom shield pattern to the game, we need to navigate to the extracted vanilla models folder. Open the hex editing program and locate the "shield_patterns_hellenic" folder within the "man" folder. This folder contains both texture array files and DDS files. We only need to link our pattern to one specific DDS file. Open the DDS file with the hex editor and expand the view for easier reading.

6. Editing the Shield Variant Mesh Definition

To ensure that our custom shield pattern is applied correctly, we need to edit the shield variant mesh definition file. Locate the extracted patterns folder and copy the "shield" folder to the "variant_models_man" folder in your working directory. Rename the copied folder according to the shield Type and faction you are modifying. Open the renamed file with a text editor such as Notepad++.

Delete any unnecessary rows in the file to have only one shield pattern remaining. Change the decal diffuse path to the directory where we placed our custom shield pattern image. Save the changes and close the file.

7. Adding Files to the Modpack

To incorporate the custom shield pattern into your modpack, add the necessary directory structures for the variant models and shield to the modpack's data folder. Right-click on the modpack's data folder and add an empty directory named "variant_models." Within the "variant_models" directory, add another empty directory named "man" and then a directory named "patterns." Finally, within the "man" directory, add a directory named "shield."

8. Editing the Unit to Reference the Shield Pattern

To ensure that the unit references the custom shield pattern correctly, we need to make a small edit to the unit's file. Open the unit's file in a PFM editor and navigate to the section that references the shield. Replace the existing name with the name of the new shield folder that you created in the modpack's data folder. Save the changes to the unit's file and close the PFM editor.

9. Testing the Results

Launch Rome 2 Total War and load your modpack. In the game, access a unit that uses the shield you modified. You should now see your custom shield pattern applied to the unit's shield. Congratulations! You have successfully created and applied a custom shield pattern in Rome 2 Total War.

10. Conclusion

Customizing your units in Rome 2 Total War adds a personal touch to your gameplay experience. By following the steps outlined in this tutorial, you can create and apply unique shield patterns to make your units stand out on the battlefield. Experiment with different designs and unleash your creativity. Enjoy your customized gaming experience in Rome 2 Total War!