Here's what you'll need to do:

Create a folder on your desktop. This will be your Main Mod Folder. Name it something that connects to your campaign.

I want my campaign to be "Longer's Day's Work CIA", so I shortened it to LDW_CIA.


















Within that folder, you'll need to create these files and text documents:












Keep note that the bottom two are not files you create, but snag from the developer provided
mod template.

Here's a tip: You can retrieve the mod XML and mod.jpg by getting it from the developer provided template here:




Within this directory, at the very bottom, there's a file named:

"template_mod_empty_unzip_me_here"

Now, you can just snatch the XML and mod.jpg there.

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From here on out, this guide will go further into detail on what to do following the files provided in the image above, and each section is dedicated to a file inside your Main Mod Folder.

In this folder you will need these items:












1. A folder containing all of your maps, known as your Campaign Maps Folder.

2. A Campaign XML file

3. An image for your campaign when selecting which campaigns to play

4. An image for your campaign background (those landscape pictures in the campaign mission select)

5. An image for your campaign medal rewards and an ironman variant.

Don't worry about the last image related items. We'll focus on the most important parts first.

Undoubtedly, maps are the most important part of a campaign.

Essentially, what you will need to do is take the maps you've made out of the game files, and into your own folder.

How to get to your map folder:








An easy way to reach this if you're on windows is to do Windows Key + R, then type %appdata%

Your maps will be located in the "maps_wip" folder.






















Uh Oh, Does your folder look like mine and have a bunch of "my_maps"? While disorganized, it isn't impossible to find which ones which.

Open up the XML file that pertains to a map and you can see the name you gave it at the very top.

Here's a tip: DId you notice you have to name your maps "twice" when creating one? Going forward, when making maps specifically for campaigns, change the XML name of the map to make it easier to sort through your levels instead of just having a bunch of "My_map_#"'s flooding your map folder.

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Create a new folder for your maps within your Campaigns Folder. This is what I named mine to keep it easy. This is your Campaign Maps Folder.









Copy and transfer the maps you want from your "maps_wip" to your newly created Campaign Maps Folder.


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THE FOLLOWING IS SUGGESTED PURELY FOR ORGANIZATIONAL PURPOSES:

Rename all of the files pertaining to the maps to something that will help you understand it later on, such as naming the files:

op_(map number)_(map name)

Map number = The order of which the map is meant to be played.

Map name = The name of your map.

So for example: op_1_Tutorial.

Following this, you'll need to do the exact same to all other files belonging to a single map.

For example:

op_1_Tutorial

op_1_Tutorial.bak

op_1_Tutorial_thumb

ect...

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There should be 5 files per map.

1. Bak file

2. Microsoft access file

3. Map image

4. XML file

5. Map Thumbnail DDS Image

(Be careful to not omit "_thumb" in the DDS file when renaming it. )

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For every set of files for a map, they should look like this:








Good job, you're maps are all organized and set up to work with!

The Campaign XML will be needed within the Campaigns Folder.

This is an XML file that dictates the functionality of a campaign, stating which missions are allocated to days, plugging in certain pieces of code to make images work, ect...

Don't bother trying to make one from scratch, instead steal one from an existing campaign or another modded campaign.

Reach the official campaign folder here:




That way, you can just plug in your own material rather than painstakingly typing everything out.










I named mine LongerDay'sWorkCampaign.

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Open it.

Near the top, check to see if "Operation" is selected, indicated by a "type=1"

It will ask for a campaign name, description, and different types of images. Don't worry about them yet, we will get there.

Focus on these lines of code instead:








Let's quickly break down the essentials of this.

1. This dictates what a day is to the game and what map it plays.

2. Every bit of code within a set day must start with <day> and end on a </day>.

3. The "location mapArea" statement tells the game where your level will show up on the mission select screen. These are coordinates. Keep them at "0 0" for now.

4. Here is a format you should follow for the main bit of code:

<map source="data/campaigns/(Your map folder name here)/(Your map name here).xml">

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This is why it's important to name your files something you can remember, as now you will be doing alot of filling in the gaps with your own created folders.

Add the name of your Campaign Map Folder containing all of your maps, and the name of the XML file for the individual map.

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When adding in new days, make sure its copied from the <day> line, down to the </day> line, and when you paste make sure the spacing is just like this:

Here's what you need:









1. Get the resource folder from the game files:




2. Snag the other XML file from the same directory and change it to where it looks like this:











In the campaign file line, insert the name of your Campaign XML in the last part of the line.

This is quick and easy.


You'll need to create a new text document, and format like this.





Doing this will essentially attach a name and a description to "code words" that the game will pick up.

You'll need to plug in @Tutorial_campaign_name and @Tutorial_campaign_desc into the Campaign XML, where it asks for the campaign name and description.

I'm not quite sure as to what function this serves, but this is what I noticed among other custom campaigns.

You should have a single text document with the name of your campaign, and inside it is the same exact thing as the title.

For good practice, just follow along.

Next you'll be editing the mod XML that resides in your Main Mod Folder, which you should've retrieved earlier in this guide from the game files.

Adjust it to where it looks like this, of course with your own respective stuff:

For your campaign background image, thumbnail, and medal, you'll need a DDS file. I recommend using GIMP, as it is free.

When using GIMP and exporting the file as a DDS, ensure you click "Flip the image vertically on export", and Save All Selected Layers.

By the way, all you need to do to turn it into a DDS file when exporting is to change the ".png" into a ".dds".

These images will reside within your Campaigns folder, sitting alongside your Campaign Maps Folder and Campaign XML.

When plugging the name of the images to the Campaign XML, ensure it looks something like this:





(Of course, with your own respective names and files.)

Please note when coding medals, you just need to add "_ironman" to the ironman medal image you created, and it will automatically assign it to that.









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Remember the mod_image you copied over to fit into your mod? Now you will need to create a new mod image for yourself.

Having a mod_image in your Main Mod Folder allows your mod to function for your game, but in order to upload to steam, you'll need your own jpg file.

This is what people see when browsing the steam workshop.

After that, delete the mod_image template you grabbed.

Please ensure it is a jpg file and NOT a jpeg.

Trust me, I lost many hairs figuring out that discrepancy.

You'll need to test the mod out for yourself to make sure it can actually work and to do the map allignment process.

To do that, visit your mods folder once again.




Stick it in there and boot up the game.

In the bottom right side of the main menu is a mods tab.

You'll need to activate your mod from there.

This part is the most tedious.

Refer back to the Campaign XML containing the information needed for the days and maps you will be playing.








There isn't a quick way to immediately tell how to reference distance when modifying coordinates for the level placement.

This will just be trial and error, opening and closing the game over and over again and checking the level select screen until you get the levels onto the right spot.

If you want to move a level icon, move in increments of 100.

Keep in mind, when checking the positions of the map icons to adjust to your changes, you must abandon and start a new campaign to see the changes.

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In case its been a while since you took an algebra class:

For the x value (The left number), Positive numbers move it to the right, and negative numbers move it to the left.

For the y value (The right number) Positive numbers move it up, and negative numbers move it down.

Repeat for all the other maps in your campaign to your satisfaction, ideally fitting whatever the image for your campaign background is.

You will need to access your appdata.

Do Windows Key + R, and type %appdata%.

From there, you can find it here:








Place your mod into the mods_upload folder.

Once again, boot up the game.

Upon going to the mod screen from the main menu, a blue arrow will appear.

From here, you can finally upload your custom campaign to the workshop!