EM3 & EM4 MODS FAQ [Work in progress]

[pyrothijs]

This FAQ is meant to give an answer about questions relating to the most popular EM3 & EM4 mods. It will mainly cover gameplay aspects of the mod. It could be some questions are answered that actually belong in the MODDING FAQ, that's because the modifications explained are specificly for the mentioned mod.

The contents of this FAQ:

*General

-installing a mod

-error message during mod installation

-loading a mod

*Los Angeles mod (LA MOD) for EM4

-the stand by command

-missions

*Netherlands mod (NL MOD) for EM4

*Winterberg mod (WIB MOD) for EM4

-getting the latest version (using the updater)

-updater not working

-alarming units

-restoring the normal camera view

-English translation

*Helmond MOD for EM4

-Alarming units

*Los Angeles mod (LA MOD) for EM3

*Netherlands mod (NL MOD) for EM3

*Winterberg mod (WIB MOD) for EM3

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Nothing from this FAQ may be cited, reproduced or distributed in any way by other sites (except www.emergency-planet.com and related sites) without written permission of the author and www.emergency-planet.com.

[pyrothijs]

General

How do I install a mod?

To install a mod you first have to download it into the Mods folder in your main folder.

After that you need to unzipp or unrar the mod using a program like winzip or winrar. To do this right click the mod file (usually called modname.zip) and choose the 'extract files here' option.

Now after unpacking a file ending on the extension .e3mod or .e4mod should be visible. If you double click this file the ModInstaller will start and auto install the mod for you. When the mod is added to the list of installed mods the installation was succesful.

I get an error message during the installation of my mod. What can I do about it?

If you get an error message during the installation of your mod (e.g. 'mod package corrupted' or 'modinstaller not correctly installed'). Please look at the mods section of our Techical Help FAQ for the solution to your problem.

How do I play a mod?

To play a mod you have to install it first (see above). After the mod has been succesfully installed start your game. In the main menu choose the option 'modifications'. You will see a list of all installed mods (you might have to scroll down if you installed several mods). Select the mod you want to play and click 'load'. The screen will freeze, this is absolutely normal and is supposed to happen! DO NOT press ctrl+alt+delete! Depending on the size of the mod and your computer specs it can take from 1 to 15 minutes to fully load the mod.

After the mod has been loaded, the game will return to the main menu automaticly, this means the mod has been succesfully loaded. You can now choose to do a freeplay or challenge game. Some mods also include new missions or enable you to play the normal missions with the vehicles from the mod. To play missions click the 'mission' button.

Edited September 23, 2009 by pyrothijs

[pyrothijs]

Los Angeles mod (LA MOD) for Emergency 4

What does the stand by command do?

In the LA MOD it is possible to call back up units via a police officer or the fire chief. The units that respond to those back up calls need to have the status 'available'. All vehicles on patrol or parked at a fire stattion / police stattion have the status 'available', but when you park a vehicle somewhere else on the map the recieve the status 'busy'. If you still want to be able to call those units as backup you can press the stand by command. This command changes the 'busy' status to an 'available' status so the parked units can be called as back up.

So if you want to park a car at a location (not being a fire or police station) and you still want it to respond if you call for back up you need to use the stand by command on that vehicle.

Does the LA MOD contain any missions?

Yes, the LA mod contains ten new missions. You are able to play those missions by selecting the 'mission' button in the main menu after you have loaded the mod.

You can not play the original EM4 missions with the LA MOD loaded. If you still want to play the original twenty EM4 missions with the LA MOD units you need to install the LA mission patch. Once you installed this patch you WILL NOT be able to play the ten LA MOD missions, but you will be able to play the twenty original EM4 missions with the units from the LA MOD.

In version 1.9 (still needs to be released) you will be able to play both the twenty original missions and the ten LA MOD missions without installing patches.

Edited September 23, 2009 by pyrothijs

[pyrothijs]

[NL mod content here]

[pyrothijs]

Winterberg mod

Where can I find the latest version of the Winterberg mod?

From version 6.0 an automatic updater is added to the winterberg mod. You can use that updater to recieve the latest version of the winterberg mod once it is released. You can find the Winterberg updater in the main folder of the winterberg mod. It is called WinterbergUpdater.exe or WinterbergUpdater(2).exe.

If you double click this program and if you are connected to the internet, the mod will check if a new version is available. When a new version is available it will download and install that version automaticly. That may take some time depending on how long you haven't updated your version.

ALSO NOTE: after updating the older unnessecary files will be deleted. So if there are files you do not want to loose (e.g. a specific vehilce), make sure you copy those files to a special folder on your desktop first!!!

I read a new version of the Winterberg mod is out, but my updater won't update my mod, help!

There can be three reasons for the failure of your updater:

1: You are not connected to the internet. In that case make sure you esthablish an internet connection before you try again. Also make sure your internet connection is fast enough to handle large data flows.

2: You are connected to the internet, but your firewall/anti-virus is blocking acces to the internet or to your PC. In that case make sure to add the program WinterbergUpdater.exe (or WinterbergUpdater(2).exe, depending on your version) to the list of trusted programs.

3: The new version of the mod isn't available for normal users yet. The Winterberg mod works with a bonus system: if you periodicaly wire money to the Childrens Hospital mentioned on the Winterberg site, you can apply for bonus acces. If you have a bonus account ou get to see the development of the latest version of the mod and you get to play the latest version of the mod before the normal users who aren't supporting the hospital. So it is possible people who are supporting the cause are playing the newest version of the mod, while you can't play that version yet because you didn't donate to the Childrens Hospital.

How do I alarm units?

You can use the keys 1,2,3 & 4 on your keyboard to call the alarm menu for the Fire department, ambulances, police/technical & emergency doctors.

My camera is acting strange, how do I get the normal view back?

Press 5 on your keyboard, you will open the Winterberg Mod settings menu. By pressing the enhanced zoom off button (red diagonal cross in a gray square, bottom row) the special camera features will be disabled and you can use the normal camera.

Is there an English translation available for the Winterberg mod?

Yes there is an English translation for the Winterberg mod. If you have version 6.8 or higher the translation is even included with the mod!

Go to the Specs folder of the winterberg mod. There is a file there called metastrings.xml and also a file called metastrings.en.

First delete the file called metastrings.xml. Now right click the file called metastrings.en and choose 'change file name'. Change the name of the file to metastrings.xml. All written text will now be translated, but the supervisors voice will still be in the original game language.

There is also a French and Italian translation available. They can also be found in the Winterberg mod Specs folder. The files are called metastrings.fr and metastrings.it. You can install them like you need to install the English translation.

[pyrothijs]

Helmond mod

How do I alarm units?

You can alarm units by selecting one of the two operators at the main fire station.

To alarm the fire service choose the red INDV. tab. 'TS' = a pumper, 'HV' = a heavy rescue vehicle, 'HW' or 'AL' = a ladder, 'KR' = a mobile crane, 'SB' = a foam extinghuising vehicle, 'WO' are the divers & 'OVD' is the fire chief.

The ambulance menu is the yellow AMBU button. A 'spoedarts' is an emergency doctor, 'ambu' is an ambulance, 'MMT' is the rescue helicopter (only contains three emergency doctors and can't transport patients) and 'uitvaart' is the cororner.

The blue POL tab is for the police. 'HELI' is the helicopter, 'ME' is the riot police and 'SURV' are the normal patrol cars.

The OVR tab contains the tech units. 'ANWB' is the tow truck, 'VAREL' can be used to reset the fire alarms and 'NS' is to repair a defect on the rail road tracks or traffic lights.