I just modified the file you mentioned to have all equipment weigh nothing and allow stack sizes of 999 - looks like nothing took. I'm guessing the .BMD file is the one that actually handles the data. Not finding anything that seems to be able to open those properly, however.

yes i think the bmd is the one that when edited enables the changes to take effect, i havent found any programs to edit the bmd with but i have found a site which has many extension opening programs ;www.openwith.org;

I heard someone managed to mod a .bdm with a Hex Editor but its a very rudimentary method which requires alot of cross-referencing with the .xml (its very ill-advised for the Hex illiterate)

I'm having the same problem.

Used Quick BMS to unpack the gamedata.pak creating the following file directory (for items.xml as an example)

C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\SteamApps\common\State of Decay\Game\gamedata\libs\class3\items

left all other files unpacked in the proper folders and removed the gamedata.pak.

Now, however, when I make changes to the items.xml nothing happens. Even if I remove the xml file and the pak file the game loads. Means its getting its data elsewhere.

Anyone have any idea as to which files I should be editing, or, how I can force the game to use the edited xml files directly. After reading the tutorial from Warhead Killor I thought...
"Each .pak archive can be extracted, and be left extracted for editing. If you make a change to the file and open up the game, changes will be made. The Engine will load .paks first, then softly overwrite with folders."

My xml files just don't seem to be loading from folders...

any help would be much appreciated. Thanks.

I'm mainly a web developer and I often use XML files to lay out the structure of my data so I can show someone - or myself, since I have a terrible short-term memory :P - how I did, or will do, something. I'd expect it to be something similar, if I may guess; that would be why they don't affect the game when modified.

I am also a web developer, and it seems to me hat XML is only a precompiled version of the other files that has been compiled to binary for efficiency. Much like .po and .mo files work in websites localisations.

right - so the xml files do not, in themselves, contain data that is used by the game? Rather they show us what the actual game files?

Usually, games use files such as the pak file and when that file is not present, or a command line is used, they settle for the plain files in the proper folder. Within those folders are the game scripts that contain all the game data.

I'm pretty sure the xml files could be used by the game, it's jsut a question of getting the engine to read them rather them.

Taking it in the way Alex and I have - it appears to be more of a blueprint than a process. So to say they contain the data, but the Engine is the one that builds it - possibly based on that XML representation. I submit that any accurate determinations will require investigation into how the Engine handles that information. I'll look into this later. I still have to write-up how to view your core character components in the Free SDK, for one :)

The main question remains: how do we change the stuff? :-)

What a horrible time to be stumbling to this. An entire week of chasing a false trail made out of .xml files, and no clear sign of a way to edit .win.bmd files.

I think I'll abandon this ship and come back when answers to this show up.

Originally posted by Bumarse (tm):

What a horrible time to be stumbling to this. An entire week of chasing a false trail made out of .xml files, and no clear sign of a way to edit .win.bmd files.

I think I'll abandon this ship and come back when answers to this show up.

you can come back now , you can edit the xml files :)

There is a program called xml2bmd , out there, you can find it in undead labs forums (its currently down so try the link below ,when working again)
http://forums.undeadlabs.com/showthread.php?37276-XML-compiler-is-ready/page1

install the program (compiler) - edit xml -save it - drag the xml onto the program -wait a few seconds - voila the bmd is altered .remember to start a new game for it to take effect .

have fun :D

Originally posted by Ebolate:

Originally posted by Bumarse (tm):

What a horrible time to be stumbling to this. An entire week of chasing a false trail made out of .xml files, and no clear sign of a way to edit .win.bmd files.

I think I'll abandon this ship and come back when answers to this show up.

you can come back now , you can edit the xml files :)

There is a program called xml2bmd , out there, you can find it in undead labs forums (its currently down so try the link below ,when working again)
http://forums.undeadlabs.com/showthread.php?37276-XML-compiler-is-ready/page1

install the program (compiler) - edit xml -save it - drag the xml onto the program -wait a few seconds - voila the bmd is altered .remember to start a new game for it to take effect .

have fun :D

This better be as good as I think it is. I'll have a check once I'm back from work tomorrow.

Originally posted by Bumarse (tm):

This better be as good as I think it is. I'll have a check once I'm back from work tomorrow.

Just in case the forum isn't up by the time you'll need it here's the link to the converter:
http://rghost. ru/50262496

Originally posted by alset:

Originally posted by Bumarse (tm):

This better be as good as I think it is. I'll have a check once I'm back from work tomorrow.

Just in case the forum isn't up by the time you'll need it here's the link to the converter:
http://rghost. ru/50262496

Right, thanks. How exactly do I use it, though?

Drag and drop the xml onto the exe and it'll just convert.