ES2 Mod compiler

This tool enables players to extract, edit, and re-compile Earthsiege2 game data files.

Setup a mod workspace

• Requires Java 19+ to be installed.

Steps

1. Extract ES2ModCompiler.jar to anywhere.

2. in command prompt

   • java -jar ES2ModCompiler.jar -i

3. Follow install steps in command prompt:

   • set the install path for ES2
   • set the directory for your mod to be installed, can be different from ES2 dir.
   • set mod name.
   • optionally add mod author.

4. Jar will create directory, and populate it with:

   • extracted and decompiled game files (.json).
   • standard compile scripts for VSHELL and DBSIM files.
   • an info.txt with your mod information.

5. Edit files as desired, happy modding!

Compiling mod.

• Edit .json files as desired.
• Assumes you have ES2ModCompiler.jar

Steps

1. In command prompt
   • java -jar ES2ModCompiler.jar -c -dir <mod path> <scripts>
   • = full path to your mod directory.
   • space-delimited name of script files to run.
     • example: java -jar ES2ModCompiler.jar -c -dir e:/earthsiege2/ compile_shell.txt compile_sim.txt
2. Jar will then compile all files that are listed in the compile scripts.
3. Files that are successful compiled will then be placed in <your mod>/export/<dir>.
4. Copy sub-dirs of /export to your <earthsiege 2> directory.
5. Run ES2.exe and see what happens.

Notes and such

• Currently compile validation is loose, what might be a compilable json might in fact crash the game.
  • it's recommended that most data editing you do is 'like for like' where you don't mess with a lot of the data structure.
• Script files can have any game files in them, but they must have the module= key at the top.