Remove Dirt from Tree and Prop Assets

Learn how to modify the code on your Prop or Tree assets so that they don't spawn the obnoxious dirt patch around their base area.

Intro

You know that ugly dirt patch that appears around all props and flora when you plop something in the game or the editor? Well, I don't know about you, but I don't really like that, at least not everywhere.

Jacaranda Tree, by Shroomblaze, with dirt on left, and without dirt on the right.
Subscribe to Shroomblaze's wonderful flora assets at: steamcommunity.com/id/shroomblaze/myworkshopfiles/

So I examined the variables with mod tools and discovered a little trick that you can use to selectively make some of your props or trees not spawn the dirt patch. Or all of them if you like : )

There are two ways that I know of to achieve the same result.

1. Use Mod Tools.
   
   It's not that hard to do, you just need to scroll and find the right thing to untick.
   
   
2. Use HxD hex editor. Or any hex editor.
   
   This method is quick and easy and you don't need to fire up C:SL to do it.

Ok let's do this.

With HxD

I'll show this method first as it's faster to edit many files quickly.

First you'll need to get HxD if you don't have it.

It's safe, small and free. Just google for it and you'll find it.

Step 1

Once you have HxD installed, find the .crp file you want to remove the dirt from, and open it with HxD. You may as well set windows to always open .crp files with HxD while you're at it.

You'll be greeted by this lovely screen, or something very similar.

Step 2

Press CTRL-F on your keyboard, and a search dialogue will pop up. Type m_createruining in the "Search for" field, and hit enter.

Step 3

The highlighted hex codes on the left correspond to the string you just searched for, and the first hex just to the right of the highlighted text is the variable we want to edit. Change the 01 right after the highlighted text to be 00.

Step 4

Now you can hit CTRL+S to save your changes, then close HxD.



That's it, fire up the game, open the editor and test your results.

If you already had the game running, you'll have to restart it for the changes to take effect.

With Mod Tools

First you must subscribe to Mod Tools

Link: http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=409520576&searchtext=mod+tools

Step 1

Load your asset in the Asset Editor, Click anywhere in the editor field, then press CTRL+E to open the Mod Tools Explorer.

Step 2

Click and drag from the little box on the bottom right corner to expand the panel to full screen so you can see what you're doing.

Step 3

Scroll down the list on the left until you find ToolController, and click on it.

Step 4

Just down the list from there, you'll see another instance of ToolController, click on it.

Step 5

Now among all that gibberish, find the PrefabInfo m_editPrefabInfo line and click on it to open it.

Step 6

Find the line that says SystemBoolean m_createRuining and UNTICK it.

Save the asset and you are done.

You may have to restart the game for the changes to take effect.

Conclusion

I hope you find this guide useful, please do leave any comments, critical or otherwise below.

If you liked the guide, don't forget to rate it, fav it, share it and all that, thank you and see you around.

[kui]

"Is there ANY WAY to have a mod completely disable this game-wide?
Like if a mod could search the Hex values automatically on game load, and change that setting on the fly. I dont want any dirt for any of the tree assets what so ever."
Terrain Texture Replacer allows you to change ruined texture.

[Baleur]

Is there ANY WAY to have a mod completely disable this game-wide?
Like if a mod could search the Hex values automatically on game load, and change that setting on the fly. I dont want any dirt for any of the tree assets what so ever.

[Breeze]

Thank you for your help

[Boom]

Is there a mod for this?

[Tuck Davis]

Ah so I got you wrong, thought the hex editor would work for both.

Well I will play out my plain english garden dreams then very occasionally :D

Thanks for the clarification on that :)

[Katalepsis]

Hey Tuck Davis, this property is only present in Tree and Prop assets. Not on parks or anything else, even if they use props. Maybe thats why your search didnt return any result in Hex editor.

It indeed can be found in m_props but you can also easily locate it inside m_editPrefabInfo too.

And thank you for the tip about re-loading : )

[Tuck Davis]

Hey TPB
Thanks very much for sharing that nice possibility :)
In Mod Tools one always finds the m_createruining [*] checkbox in the subentry: BuildingInfo+Pro m_props, sadly one has to open every unique type of used property and uncheck it`s marked box.

You don`t have to restart the game, save and load the asset in the editor worked very well.
But it`s a harsh work if you use many different objects.


Sadly i was not able to find the hex entry in my assets. I tried several of my *.crp files and searched for "m_createruining" and "ruin" or "create" I had no results :(
Maybe they changed the naming in hex? Or maybe my assets don`t like me :P

Regards,
Tuck

[forestfey]

Not sure if and how i can manage to do this with some other, not code-related things that need to be tackled, but already in theory i find it very useful :)