Author Topic: APE 2 basic help (Read 4710 times)

Alpha Raptor · « **on:** May 25, 2006, 01:46:40 PM »

I'm following APE 2, but I've run into a problem on only the second step. I've made a folder with my projects name. APE 2 tells me to "Take the four folders from this zip file (ai, entities, lang, and ui), and COPY them into the new folder." Well, I can't find the folders inside the zip file. I see BEH, TSK and XML Document files, but no folders.

I have a feeling it's right in front of me, but I just can't find them

penguinman · « **Reply #1 on:** May 25, 2006, 03:01:45 PM »

Well when I downloaded APE II the folders were right next to the guide icon.. I dunno.

Alpha Raptor · « **Reply #2 on:** May 25, 2006, 04:07:44 PM »

Mine doesn't have any folders, just individual files....should I re-download APE 2?

csleesburg · « **Reply #3 on:** May 25, 2006, 07:29:41 PM »

Okay, I just re-downloaded and unzipped APE II from our new database. When you extract it, it does create folders. One for lang, one for ai, one for entities, and one for ui. It also creates a html link to the actual tutorial. So, if it didn't do that for you, you need to re-download it. And, you do realize, I hope, that just opening the WinZip file doesn't show folders? You need to do the extraction first.

Alpha Raptor · « **Reply #4 on:** May 26, 2006, 07:55:15 AM »

Ok, what if I want to do an ES animal? Do I just extract the ai, ui, lang, and entities folders from x100_000?

Yellowrose · « **Reply #5 on:** May 26, 2006, 10:53:31 AM »

When using winzip to unzip a file, in the extraction window before you click the extract button you have to be sure the - Use Folder Names box is checked or all you will get is files extracted with no folders.

csleesburg · « **Reply #6 on:** May 26, 2006, 10:58:58 AM »

Quote from: Alpha Raptor

Ok, what if I want to do an ES animal? Do I just extract the ai, ui, lang, and entities folders from x100_000?

No. You need to do the whole x100_000 files, because there's something called "materials" in the ES files that you need to use sometimes. What I did was create one folder called Original Entities and another called x100_000. I extracted everything in the 2 entity files INTO them. That way, I have everything I could possibly need, in the right place, no matter what it is. Saves having to go looking for something later. I just keep them in My Documents, for easy finding. :original:

Alpha Raptor · « **Reply #7 on:** May 26, 2006, 11:38:41 AM »

Let me get this straight (I'm such an idiot in this kind of stuff).

I already have an x100_000 folder with all the stuff in it. Now I need to create another folder called Original Entities. That will contain the ai, ui, lang, and entities files from the original ZT2?

Yellowrose · « **Reply #8 on:** May 26, 2006, 12:59:34 PM »

yes that way you have access to both the original ZT 2 files and the needed ES files for the project you are working on as it will use files from both folders.

Alpha Raptor · « **Reply #9 on:** May 26, 2006, 02:51:19 PM »

Ok, I think I understand now. :IloveZA:

csleesburg · « **Reply #10 on:** May 26, 2006, 03:57:19 PM »

Great! Glad you've got it! We'll leave this open, though, in case you have other questions. :original:

Alpha Raptor · « **Reply #11 on:** May 26, 2006, 05:22:25 PM »

Now I'm just curious-when will I need files from both the original entities and x100_000? I mean, If I'm editing an ES animal, all the files I need should be in x100_000.

csleesburg · « **Reply #12 on:** May 26, 2006, 06:28:53 PM »

Nope, not so. Say, for example, you were editing the camel. The camel "skins" (which are the dds files) are in the 'original entities' file, but the behaviors and locations should be gotten from the ai file in the ES location, so the camel would take on the 'new' ES behaviors (whatever they might be) but 'wearing' the old camel 'skin'. Get it?

It doesn't affect animals as much as objects, though, I think.

Hope that made sense?

Alpha Raptor · « **Reply #13 on:** May 27, 2006, 09:58:24 AM »

Yeah, the camel from ZT2 is the exact same, but uses ES behaviors. That makes sense. I'm much better at learning when I understand whats going on and ow things work.

csleesburg · « **Reply #14 on:** May 27, 2006, 11:57:25 AM »

Good. Glad that helped. Feel free to post with other questions.:original: :innocent:

karlhall39 · « **Reply #15 on:** June 18, 2006, 07:51:26 AM »

wow thanks now i know how to do it

mikaboshi · « **Reply #16 on:** July 03, 2006, 01:24:47 PM »

Alright, basic help, I guess. I'm editing the (codename)_strings.xml file in the lang/1033 folder. I have put in all of my zoopedia info into it, but when I double click it to see if everything is okay (have it open in IE) it says

End tag 'p' does not match the start tag 'cell'. Error processing resource 'file:///C:/Documents and Settings/Mika/Desktop/...

The part it refers to is: (edited...don't want to ruin the surprise!!)

(Zebroid paragraph 1)

(Zebroid Paragraph 2)

(Zebroid Paragraph 3)

What do I add or change to get rid of the error?

ALSO...just reading above...do I need to get the behaviors from the original, ES, AND AA for a new animal, or do I just need them from AA?

csleesburg · « **Reply #17 on:** July 03, 2006, 02:03:37 PM »

Since it came from the original ZT2, i would suggest using the original zoopedia entry. The zoopedia entries didn't change for ES (for that animal) as far as I know. You can compare the two, and if you notice anything radically different, simply copy it. Where it shows "bullet" is where the "Fun Facts" goes. Simply replace what's already there with what YOUR animal needs. That way you can make sure it's correctly formed. Only edit the words, not the formatting.

You can remove the "cells", but make sure you remove the ENTIRE chunk with them. It would start with and end with . But make sure they are on the same level, with nothing else in between. That means they are the same distance "in". The "cells" are the little "boxes" inside the zoopedia. Like the one that shows the icon, the one that shows the biome, etc. Then, one large one for the info. The one for the Camel looks like this: I've highlighted some you should note.

Camel, Dromedary

<[COLOR="blue]cell width="640" height="320[/COLOR]" bgimg=ui/zoopedia/
[COLOR="blue]topCel[/COLOR]lBg.dds">

               28[/COLOR].tga">
                     sx=0" sy="0" sw="64" sh="64" width="96" height="96"/>


                     "64" sh="64" width="16" height="16"/>


                     "64" sh="64" width="16" height="16"/>



Conservation Status:

Lower Risk

   Desert

   [COLOR="blue]North Africa[/COLOR]

Class:     Mammals

(Mammalia)

Order:Even-Toed Ungulates

(Artiodactyla)

Family:Camels

(Camelidae)

Genus: Camelus

Species:
dromedarius

"0" sy="0" sw="64" sh="64"/>

[COLOR="blue]Fun Dromedary Camel Facts[/COLOR]

   Camels can close their nostrils to keep out dirt and sand.

[COLOR="red]THIS IS A PARAGRAPH BREAK[/COLOR]

         Camels can drink brackish or salt water without getting sick.

   The camel stores fat, not water, in its hump. The hump becomes flaccid as the fat is metabolized.

To unlock the dromedary camel in challenge or campaign games, you must earn a 1/2-star zoo fame rating for your zoo.

[COLOR="red]THIS BEGINS THE ACTUAL CAMEL INFO[/COLOR] The dromedary camel is one of two kinds of camels, which are large ruminants native to the desert regions of Asia and northern Africa. .. times.

The dromedary camel, long eyelashes.

The endurance cloth.

Content provided courtesy of

Microsoft (R) Encarta (R) Reference Library 2004.

(C) 1993-2003 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.

[COLOR="blue] [/COLOR]

Notice how those 'cells' are 'nested' inside each other. Each has a beginning and an end <\cell>. Now, that's just for the zoopedia, of course. Hope it helps.

mikaboshi · « **Reply #18 on:** July 03, 2006, 02:09:49 PM »

Yeah, I used penguinman's suggestion on a topic on ZT2DC and used one of his as a reference

I'm still stumped as to what version to get behaviors and stuff from...also, I was told to edit the Conservation status in teh main ai .xml folder, but the line "s_endangerment" doesn't exist in that file?

p.b.7090 · « **Reply #19 on:** July 03, 2006, 02:27:15 PM »

im working on a project and i followed all the directions to the part where you zip up the folders and copy the file. but when i go into zoo tycoon theres no animal. plz help

penguinman · « **Reply #20 on:** July 03, 2006, 05:35:02 PM »

Mikaboshi, about the error in the lang file... you need to use

instead of
As for the endagerment it must be because you did not use ES ai files.

p.b.7090: It is because you did not corrrectly zip it or else the main xml files are wrong.

mikaboshi · « **Reply #21 on:** July 03, 2006, 06:58:38 PM »

Yeah, I figured it out Penguinman. Thanks again!

p.b.7090 · « **Reply #22 on:** July 05, 2006, 02:36:11 PM »

thanks also

MEGMAN · « **Reply #23 on:** August 06, 2006, 04:14:44 AM »

ok i made my animal for zt2 but when i go to test the animla there is a white box where the animal should be and the game crashes when i click on it. what did i do wrong and how can i fix it

HELP ME PLEASE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Sorry, but posting all in BOLD is considered "shouting", just like using all CAPS. So, please refrain from that. Thanks.

mikaboshi · « **Reply #24 on:** August 06, 2006, 05:47:53 AM »

Hello anf :welcomean to ZA!

Don't forget to introduce yourself here, and head down to the hall for csleesburg's famous cookies!

This is a very common problem in early creation steps. Make sure you have renamed and edited all files in entities/units/animals/codename.

News:

Author Topic: APE 2 basic help (Read 4710 times)