How to Transfer Hero from Modded Campaign to Main Game?

[FrostFossil]

I've heard that I need something called a hero file, but I can't find any such files in, for example, Marvel Adventures. I'm really new to this...

[spydermann93]

Heya FrostFossil!

Welcome to Freedom Reborn!

There are a couple of ways to do this:

1) In Marvel Adventures, you can browse the built-in characters and click the "Copy" button and save it. You can then load up FFvtTR and recruit the character in the main campaign. There are a few things to know, however.
    -First, Marvel Adventures has many, many custom attributes for its characters. Without modding the base game, those attributes will not work in the main game at all. They may even appear blank.
    -Second, Marvel Adventures has a lot of custom FX. FX specific to the mod will not appear in the base game and your attacks using said FX will not work.
    -Third, just like the other two, Marvel Adventures has a lot of custom character models. These are called "meshes". This is the easiest to fix: you can copy all of the folders MA\Art\library\characters and paste them into the Custom\Art\library\characters folder. Then, all of the characters from Marvel Adventures will show up in the base game as well as any mod you use.

So, as you can tell, option 1 is quite easy, but very limited if you don't know how to mod the game. The easiest place to start is to go to https://ffx.freedomforce4ever.com/ and download the mod called "FFX3.3". That is what MA is based on and will have a lot of the building blocks ready for you (not the FX or characters, but many of the attributes)

2) Go to Alex's Freedom Fortress (https://alexff.infinityfree.me/goodies.php) and download Alex's FFv3R mod tools. This will help a lot with modding FFvtTR and is pretty much the only way to get MA characters fully integrated into the main campaign. In that download, there is a tool called "FFEdit." With this tool, you can merge character, fx, sounds, and template data together. I highly recommend copying the MA folder and renaming it.

This is the most involved, but if you decide to try this method and have any questions, please feel free to ask.

3) Download the aforementioned FFX3.3 mod. Copy the Marvel Adventures folder and rename it to something else. Copy these files from the FFX3 folder and paste them into the following Marvel Adventures folder:
\FFX3\campdef.dat > \MA\ (overwrite when asked)
\FFX3\Missions\ (only the folders with numbers in front like 01_dream!!!) > \MA\Missions\ (do NOT overwrite if asked!!)

This option is the simplest and most hackneyed of the 3, but it should work. It is a bit janky, though.

[spydermann93]

And to explain hero files, hero files can be found in your AppData\Local\Irrational Games\Freedom Force vs the 3rd Reich\Custom\Heroes folder. Hero Files are essentially a file containing info on how your character is built, from their stats, attributes, powers, which mesh and skin they're using, etc.

These are fully transferable and as long as you have the mesh, they'll work in-game. You may need the appropriate skin and FX to fully see the character and their powers, though.

If you ever hear the term "built-in character," that refers to characters fully integrated into the mod. FFX3.3 has a tool in the Rumble Room to transfer a custom character into the game, i.e. turn a hero file into a built-in character.

[FrostFossil]

Oh my goodness THANK YOU. I can't believe I never noticed the copy button! 

[FrostFossil]

Is there any way to transfer those custom attributes you mentioned as well?

[spydermann93]

Yeah, so that can be a bit complicated depending on the attribute.

The simplest attributes are combo attributes or multi-attributes. These are attributes that package several others into one. It's a rather simple way to let your character have more than five attributes.

You can find the file in your "MA\Missions\Scripts" folder (or whichever ffx3-based mod you're using)
In this file, you'll find many combo attributes.

Taking a look at one that comes with ffx3:

Code Select Expand

['superhuman','vulnerability','invulnerable2','acrobatic','telepathy','flier'],
The first entry is the name of the attribute in FFEdit. You'll need to use FFEdit to look at a mod's attributes.
All of the subsequent entries are the names of the attributes that will be packaged inside that combo attribute. So here, we can see "superhuman" (called "Classic Superhuman" in ffx3) will contain Vulnerability, Invulnerable (15), Acrobatic, Enhanced Sense, and Flier.

The in-game names for every attribute (and their hard-coded name by extension) can be found in your ffx3\Lang\English\strings.txt

Here's the entry for superhuman

Code Select Expand

ATTRIB_SUPERHUMAN_01, classic superhuman
ATTRIB_SUPERHUMAN_DESC_01, you have a tasteful regard for the classics. you can fly, are invulnerable, possess enhanced senses and a troubling vulnerability to alien minerals! (combines FLIER, INVULNERABLE (20), ENHANCED SENSES, ACROBATIC and VULNERABILITY)

In order for your game to recognize any edits to your strings.txt, you must convert it. FFEdit can convert them for you, but it is agonizingly slow.

So I just use this tool: https://www.mediafire.com/file/m8k8z7itamk899c/m25_Lang_Tool.zip/file

Once you've added the attribute to your ffxmulti.py, you'll now need to use FFEdit to add that attribute to your mod. Make sure you add an entry with the same name as the first entry in your combo. For example, if you're adding superhuman, make sure you use the name superhuman in FFEdit. Give it a cost, then you're good to go.

FFEdit can also merge .dat files. This way, you can grab every single attribute all at once and put it into your mod. Useful if your mod already has attributes that you don't want to lose.

The easiest way is to copy the attributes.dat of MA and paste it into your mod's folder. MA should have everything from ffx3.3.

[spydermann93]

as an aside, inside the ffx3 folder, there should be a "Manual" folder. Open up the index.html in that folder and it has many guides on how to add and modify your own attributes.

[Randomdays]

If you just want the character without all the custom extras, you could copy the character's folder alone. Then, in game, create a new custom character using the copied model and animations.

Then set the character up the way you like it with its stats, what animations it uses for attacks and standard abilities and fx, and save it. This will create a new hero file for your version of the character to use in game.

[FrostFossil]

I see, I see. That does sound a lot more complicated. I might have to hold out on copying the attributes, maybe even replace them with vanilla/ffx ones. Also, there are certain characters I copied from Marvel Adventures and the DC Universe According to Grey who appear only as white cubes outside of their respective mods. How do I fix this?

[Randomdays]

If its a cube then the game isn't seeing the model. The model folder needs to be where the game expects it, either in the "data/art/library/ character" folder or the "custom/art/library/character" folder. If there's a hero file involved, it may have where it expects to find the model, I'm not sure."

[FrostFossil]

I managed to figure it out. The ones who were missing their models had their files pointing to custom_characters folder instead of library/characters. Fixing it with EZHero. Thanks for all your help, both of you!

[Randomdays]

Thought that might be it.

You're welcome and enjoy.