Wax Savage

Hi Splash, if you read FALLI's install instructions he included in the "German Buildings Woodland/Autumn (3.002)" download, he instructs us to replace the existing Normals and Speculars folders with his modified Normals and Speculars. This will enhance the display of his texture files at the expense of ALL the other SB graphic texture files that rely on the original Normals and Speculars folders. I would guess that SB has not been 'enhanced' to recognize user-modified Normals and Speculars folders.

Hi guys, thanks for the insights into NORMALS and SPECULARS. You perked my interest and I will look into it further. Oh, yeah by the way... EUREKA !!!! I figured out how to use modifies texture files w/o having any 'global effect' as a downside. All one needs to do is to re-save the map with the modified files in it as a new base map. Use the mission editor to attach the new base map to the scenario. Now you have a scenario with a dedicated map that displays your modified texture files. The modified files will only display for this one scenario. Should work for network games, too.

Hello Splash, To further clarify my experiment, I noticed no discernible difference using FALLI's modified 'NORMALS' and 'SPECULARS' files (included the SB forum "German Buildings Woodland/Autumn (3.002)" structure skins download) vs.. the original SB program files. Truthfully, I have no idea what the 'NORMALS' and 'SPECULARS' files accomplish in the SB program. If someone could tell me why the 'NORMALS' and 'SPECULARS' files are important, I might show them more respect.

Hi DarkAngel, thanks for the spelling correction. I retested using the correct path as follows... C:\ProgramData\eSim Games\Steel Beasts\maps\packages\Wolf [autocreated base]\actors\textures\woodland The modified texture files residing in the newly created 'woodland' folder were read by SB and the modified textures DID display, ..Yeah!! PROGRESS!! So,.. as of tonight I can attest that we can use structure skin mods from the SB Forum's mods downloads section. The modified texture files when placed in a given map’s BASE folder will affect all map variants (including any delta maps in the maps master base folder). This placement proceedure will not cause a global change in SB but, will cause a mini-global change at least within all maps held in a map’s master base file.

Hello All, good to see there is some interest in this topic. If we can get a clear solution maybe we should make this a forum ‘sticky’. I tried to get the structure textures to display by creating the extra nested files as was suggested. I placed them sequentially deeper and deeper into the C: ProgramData/esim Games directory. Here are the three tests I performed: test 1 firstly, the file path "\actors\texture\woodland " was added inside the base map files directory modified texture files were placed into the newly created 'woodland' folder... C:\ProgramData\eSim Games\Steel Beasts\maps\packages\Wolf [autocreated base]\actors\texture\woodland test 2 moved into the deltas map folder... C:\ProgramData\eSim Games\Steel Beasts\maps\packages\Wolf [autocreated base]\deltas\actors\texture\woodland test3 moved into the specific map folder (that is nested inside the deltas folder) C:\ProgramData\eSim Games\Steel Beasts\maps\packages\Wolf [autocreated base]\deltas\Forest 3\actors\texture\woodland At no time were the modified structure textures displayed by SB. The files will be read and will display in SB if they are placed as follows: C:\Users\Administrator\Documents\eSim Games\Steel Beasts\mods\textures\woodland Of course this is not a solution as it will cause the modded files to be displayed globally in a maps using a woodland theme.

Hi Gibsonm, yes, you are correct. I have the identical file structure as you. (See my prior post).

Hello Ssnake and Gibsonm, Just for clarification, all the file work (mods) I am performing is within SB 4.161. Following Ssnakes recent email I erased the modified structure texture files from the original program folder and renamed the original program texture files to their original names. Ssnake.., the original program folder is now as originally installed by the SB installer. I then placed the modified structure texture files in the following location… C:\Users\Administrator\Documents\eSim Games\Steel Beasts\mods\textures\woodland The modified building colors display in the MISSION EDITOR so… yes, SB 4.1 will read and use the modified texture files rather than the stock files in the original program folder. The above file location still presents a global change to all maps using a woodland theme. Grrrr! So.., I erased the modified texture files from the C:\Users\Administrator\Documents\eSim Games\Steel Beasts\mods\textures\woodland. To test if I could get the modified files to show up only in a specific map (i.e., NOT global), I placed the files in the following location… C:\ProgramData\eSim Games\Steel Beasts\maps\packages\Wolf [autocreated base]\deltas\Forest The modified building colors did not show up in the MISSION EDITOR. SB is not reading the files when placed into the map-specific folder. Grrrr! So for now, incorporating the building textures "German Buildings Woodland/Autumn (3.002)" by Falli, will cause SB to use these modified files to make global changes to all woodland themed scenarios not just the map specific scenario I was hoping for. What am I missing?

Hi guys, Well, after chewing on Ssnake’s generous assistance and posts I was able to decipher where the SB structure files reside in my computer… C:\Program Files\eSim Games\SB Pro PE\textures\woodland. I followed the instructions included in the download, "German Buildings Woodland/Autumn (3.002)" by Falli (available off the SB Forum) . I renamed the extensions of the existing SB texture files as follows… Example: Original texture file name = bldg_5.dds Renamed original texture file = bldg_5.OEM Original texture file folders example: “Normals” file folder renamed to “Normals_OEM” I renamed 13 texture files in total plus the “Normals and Speculars” folder. Once the original files were renamed it was safe for me to drop Falli’s modified files, "German Buildings Woodland/Autumn (3.002)" into C:\Program Files\eSim Games\SB Pro PE\textures\woodland location. The new buildings showed up perfectly. REALLY looks authentic. Cool!

Hi Ssnake, Just got back into town. I attempted to locate the path you listed, haven't located it. I looked in Program Files, ProgramData and Administrator. Can you explain the path better?

Thanks for the responses. I am out of town starting Sunday (tomorrow). I'll respond about success or failure when I return next Saturday. For those of you in the USA have a great Thanksgiving. FOOTBALL!!!

Hi guys, To begin learning the SB toolset I've started adding details to older scenarios. I'm currently adding additional graphics detail the Droysiger Forst scenario (by sbean). I thought of incorporating the "German Buildings Woodland/Autumn (3.002)" by Falli . Falli's work contains 13 buildings in DDS format plus a Normals and Speculars file. I've got NO idea where to place these files. Anyone familiar with structures mods please join it, I really could use your help. Thanks!! 010114_FULDA_Buildings_WL(3.002).rar

I agree, it's not a problem to run it, it is a problem to install it. I have another computer that was a win 7 that was upgraded to win 10. When it was a win 7 system SB 4.023 was installed. SB 4.023 was already on the disk when the disk operating system was upgraded to win 10. SB 4.023 runs fine on the upgrade. It will not do a clean install on a Win 10 system.

Hello Ssnake, if this helps, here is my OS build information: Windows 10 pro Version 1909 OS Build 18363.436

Hi Jartsv, did what you suggested. New (win10) updates were downloaded and installed today. I called Microsoft Technical support. I asked if there was a way to install KB2999226 onto a windows 10 computer. I asked for any 'workarounds', cheats etc to fool windows 10 installer and allow kb2999226 to execute. The MS tech asked around in her group and in upper echelon tech support. She said there was no way to install a win 7 update into a win 10 system to satisfy some old program software. The tech said that the developer of the software (eSim) would need to update the software to accept win 10. Guess I'm s.o.l. as far as using S/B ver 4.023 unless I'm willing to maintain a second computer with a Win 7 operating system.

Hi Ssnake, Jartsev and Lt Default, nothing yet. I uninstalled VC++ 2013 and 2015. Shut down computer, restarted and installed fresh copies of the VC++ 2013 and 2015 executables. Started the SB 4.023 install.exe and it opened all files to a temp folder in preparation for installation. Promptly stopped with the same... "Required Windows Update Item KB2999226 is not installed. Please see https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/kb/2999226 on how to acquire and install it!"