Unpacking and Modding M2TW on Mac: Missing Tools Folder

[Sir Ferreus]

I had a problem I have seen in at least one other discussion, so hopefully someone can help. I downloaded M2TW along with the Kingdoms expansions from steam a few months ago (Dec 2017, on a Mac). So far I haven't done anything except play the games as they are. I am not great with computers and don't have an interest in doing heavy modding myself, but I just want to fix a diplomacy bug I've heard about, maybe a few other simple things (like make "winning first" not happen all the time...), and someday get the third age mod. I have read guides on how to "unpack" and then "mod" M2TW files... without success. I get stuck in that the files I am looking for are not in my M2TW data folders. I have searched throughout the files on my computer and on steam ("view local files" under "properties"), but have not found a "tools" folder or an "unpack" folder either. Can someone please help in SIMPLE explanation of what to do from very beginning? Again, I'm starting from scratch and would prefer not to "mess things up" too badly such that I couldn't play the game anymore ;) . Thank you very much for any answers!!!

[Gunther von Rittersburg]

Well what did those other threads say?

I'd also recommend YouTube for step-by-step instructions and hopefully include screenshots of how its done.

[Gigantus]

Check this forum: http://www.twcenter.net/forums/forumdisplay.php?605

[Sir Ferreus]

Originally posted by Jack Skellington:

Well what did those other threads say?

I'd also recommend YouTube for step-by-step instructions and hopefully include screenshots of how its done.

Yes I will check Youtube. Those guides all assumed you have the tools folder from the original game download and can thereby get the unpacker. I'm stuck at that initial step because I don't have any tools folder.

[Gigantus]

Do read stuff properly.

Underneath the relevant section from the '[Tutorial] Unpacking the Game in Linux (Ubuntu)' sticky thread in the forum I linked, see last line - the original post has a download link.:

Getting the Download into place
The default SteamOS installation for Linux doesn't include the unpacker.exe file (although it does include all the .pack files). Not only that; it doesn't even include the folder path where it would normally be put. Consequently, we will have to create one.

    Go to .../Medieval II Total War/share/data folder and create a folder named tools.
    Inside the newly created tools folder create a folder named unpacker.
    Place the downloaded ZIP file into the newly created unpacker folder and extract it there

Direct link to this tutorial: http://www.twcenter.net/forums/showthread.php?746202

[Sir Ferreus]

Thank you Gigantus! I read your guide as well as the one by Socrates you refer to here, both of which are detailed and helpful. I have tried to create the proper folders and insert the downloaded zip files. Unfortunately, I have not yet had success. The two possible problems I'm having are either 1) I can't open .bat files, or 2) my "tools/unpacker" folder is in the wrong place. I address each below. Sorry if this is a dumb or complicated question.

1) Can .bat files be opened on a Mac, and if so what application? I tried using terminal, but got an error that said something like "command not found". Not sure if that is related to #2 though. For the .exe file in Socrates guide, it explicitely says it is made for windows and not mac when trying to open it.

2) I have tried placing the tools folder in a couple of places without either working. When I "browse local files" from steam (opens in folder view window), there is "Medieval II: Total War" with game icon, and then a folder "Medieval2Data". Looking at the former's package contents, there is an install script and a contents folder. Within Medieval2Data are folders "data", "localised", "mods", and "packs". I tried several locations because nothing matched what I have seen in the guides...

Thanks for helping...

[Gigantus]

I have got no idea about file placement in a MAC set up, sorry. The normal path to packs is ..\Medieval II Total War\packs and the path to the tool folder is ...\Medieval II Total War\tools
Maybe that helps

The BAT files are simple command files, maybe it's easier if you opened them with an editor and transferred their content to a similar file type for MAC? But then the commands are DOS based so I am not sure if that helps.

From the quote:

Go to .../Medieval II Total War/share/data folder and create a folder named tools.
Inside the newly created tools folder create a folder named unpacker.
Place the downloaded ZIP file into the newly created unpacker folder and extract it there

Also check the "Preparation" part carefully - I have no great knowledge about it, but I believe Wine and Winetricks are essential. The link again: http://www.twcenter.net/forums/showthread.php?746202