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- by BilboBeutlin
Created: 8th June 2006
Last Edited: 8th June 2006

There is a treasure without guardians, but no explorer or settlernearby to claim it?
Ever wondered what to do with scouts after the map is explored, evenCapitol's Spies are enabled? They hang around, but now can be ofservice.
This guide shows how to give any unit the ability to collect nuggets and gatherfrom farms.
0) The Theory
Q: Can I give any unit an arbitrary ability?
A: In principle: Yes (Radio Eriwan *g*).
At least the known units' abilities are 'exchangeable' - can be adaptedon arbitrary units. With tricks (and advanced know-how) it's evenpossible to create 'new' effects (actions). But of course one has toknow what the game engine makes possible. And just that's the secret of modding gurus... to analyze and understand the code - and to modify it to sometimesunexpected results. But certainly we can't create some totally new things - thebasics must be within the given code.
No action is executed if it isn't explicitely defined in the unit's anim file. The 'secret' is the <anim> trigger
<tag type='what'>when</tag>
what is the instruction for the game engine which action should be processed, when is the point in time within the animation (loop).
This anim gets 'fine-tuned' in the tactics file mainly withinstructions for the (havoc) physics, damage engine or othermethods like gather, heal, build, ...
In most cases that was enough - the unit's proto merely adjusts somevalues or adds appropriate tags/flags to make the action properlyworking.
1) The Prototype
We begin with the easiest modification: the unit's proto in Dataproto.xml
Claiming nuggets needs no further definitions, this willbe made later in tactics and anim file.
Gathering requires some additional statements, we have to define the'CarryCapacity' for each ressource. The value isn't important, we onlyhave to make sure that the unit can carry a certain ressource at all.Depending from wanted ressource we add:
<CarryCapacity resourcetype ='Food'>1.00</CarryCapacity>
<CarryCapacity resourcetype ='Wood'>1.00</CarryCapacity>
<CarryCapacity resourcetype ='Gold'>1.00</CarryCapacity>
For the gathering rate(s) the tactics values are taken, but we mayinsert optionally eg.
<ProtoAction>
<Name>Gather</Name>
<Rate type ='Mill'>1.25</Rate>
<Rate type ='Plantation'>1.25</Rate>
</ProtoAction>

2) The Tactics File
Every proto action needs a definition/reference in the unit's tacticsfile.
We find the unit's associated tactics file(name) in the proto tag <Tactics>{unit}.tactics</Tactics>. The tactics file's home location is the directory Datatactics. But if not yet edited, it is probably still in a .bar archive. Normally it has to be extracted from DataData.bar - but check also DataP.bar for a perhaps patched version.
Note, that some units have a shared tactics file which is used concurrently byother units. In this case it could be advantageous to create aunit-unique tactics file: after editing save the tactics file underdifferent {name}.tactics and adapt the proto tag <Tactics> accordingly.
For the nugget/treasure action we add
<action>
<name>Discover</name>
<type>Discover</type>
<anim>Pickup</anim>
<maxrange>0.2</maxrange>
<rate type='AbstractNugget'>1.0</rate>
<active>0</active>
</action>
<name> is the reference from/to proto, <anim> must be a valid entry in anim file.
<active>0 means: the action isn't allowed by default, has to be enabled in techtree.
For the farm gathering we add
<action>
<name stringid='42178'>Gather</name>
<type>Gather</type>
<anim>GatherFarm</anim>
<maxrange>0.5</maxrange>
<rate type='Plantation'>1.0</rate>
<rate type='Mill'>1.0</rate>
</action>
For implementing more methods than only farm gathering, see for reference Datatacticssettler.tactics
Finally the actions have to be defined in each <tactic> section - we add
<action>Gather</action>
<action>Discover</action>
3) The Anim File
The rationale for adding new anims is the fact, that a model (skeleton)can use 'loaned' external animation routines and can have alsoadditional attachments.
The proto tag <AnimFile> links to the corresponding animation file in AoE3's folder Art. The anim files are usually in ArtArt1.bar, but check also DataP.bar for possible updates.
The basic outlook is determined in the section <component> ModelComp ... <assetreference type='GrannyModel'> . Usually each anim uses this in the statement <component>ModelComp. The pure animation itself is defined in <assetreference type='GrannyAnim'>.For this GrannyAnim we can use arbitrary granny files from other unitsor the animation library - certainly they should be suitable for ourmodel.
Each <anim> can have differentattachments like weapons, tools, bags, hats, ... The difficulty isto determine the hooks/bones model<->attachment to get asatisfying outlook. We can lookup in other anim files or use theGrannyViewer to find suitable connection points.
The nugget pickup anim is 'loaned' from explorer animation. We insert
<anim>
Pickup
<assetreference type='GrannyAnim'>
<file>animation_libraryexplorerpickup_explorer_A</file>
<tagtype='SpecificSoundSet' checkvisible='1'set='GatherFruit'>0.35</tag>
</assetreference>
<component>ModelComp</component>
</anim>
The gather anim is much more complex. Just the apparent most trivialthings often have the most complicated structure. All gather animationshave several sub-animations which have to be implemented. For our scoutwe want to use farm gathering only. Here we already need a wholebunch of sub-anims. We insert
<anim>
GatherFarm
<assetreference type='GrannyAnim'>
<file>animation_libraryvillagervillager_male_gatherfarmhoe</file>
<tagtype='SpecificSoundSet' checkvisible='1'set='GatherFarm'>0.18</tag>
<tagtype='SpecificSoundSet' checkvisible='1'set='GatherFarm'>0.30</tag>
<tagtype='SpecificSoundSet' checkvisible='1'set='GatherFarm'>0.40</tag>
<tagtype='SpecificSoundSet' checkvisible='1'set='GatherFarm'>0.65</tag>
<tagtype='SpecificSoundSet' checkvisible='1'set='GatherFarm'>0.76</tag>
<tagtype='SpecificSoundSet' checkvisible='1'set='GatherFarm'>0.89</tag>
</assetreference>
<assetreference type='GrannyAnim'>
<file>animation_libraryvillagervillager_male_gatherfarmsow</file>
</assetreference>
<assetreference type='GrannyAnim'>
<file>animation_libraryvillagervillager_male_gatherfarmweed</file>
</assetreference>
<component>ModelComp</component>
</anim>
<anim>
GatherFarmWalk
<assetreference type='GrannyAnim'>
<file>animation_libraryvillagervillager_male_gatherfarmwalk</file>
<tagtype='FootstepLeft' footprinttype='HumanLeft'>0.20</tag>
<tagtype='FootstepRight' footprinttype='HumanRight'>0.50</tag>
</assetreference>
<component>ModelComp</component>
</anim>
<anim>
GatherFarmHoe
<assetreference type='GrannyAnim'>
<file>animation_libraryvillagervillager_male_gatherfarmhoe</file>
<tagtype='SpecificSoundSet' checkvisible='1'set='GatherFarm'>0.18</tag>
<tagtype='SpecificSoundSet' checkvisible='1'set='GatherFarm'>0.30</tag>
<tagtype='SpecificSoundSet' checkvisible='1'set='GatherFarm'>0.40</tag>
<tagtype='SpecificSoundSet' checkvisible='1'set='GatherFarm'>0.65</tag>
<tagtype='SpecificSoundSet' checkvisible='1'set='GatherFarm'>0.76</tag>
<tagtype='SpecificSoundSet' checkvisible='1'set='GatherFarm'>0.89</tag>
</assetreference>
<component>ModelComp</component>
</anim>
<anim>
GatherFarmSow
<assetreference type='GrannyAnim'>
<file>animation_libraryvillagervillager_male_gatherfarmsow</file>
</assetreference>
<component>ModelComp</component>
</anim>
<anim>
GatherFarmWeed
<assetreference type='GrannyAnim'>
<file>animation_libraryvillagervillager_male_gatherfarmweed</file>
</assetreference>
<component>ModelComp</component>
</anim>
If you want to add other gathering methods like eg. lumbering, mining,hunting,... you have to insert appropriate anims - take villager animsas template.
In this example I have waived attachments like eg. a hoe. It didn't fitreally - sometimes the hoe was hovering above head and other uglyappearances. In doubt the pure anim without attachment looks betterthan a filthy improvisation.

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