1 - Uncompress all game with Tools / Uncompress all Cities XL

If you have mods in the \Paks folder of the game folder, withdraw them provisionally. Indeed, Cities XL reads first all files Pak files then all Patch files and it, alphabetical order, by crushing possibly the previous versions of files. (That is why Patch files are named by beginning with one "M" or one "X", like "xMod". They are on as well as our modifications will not be crushed by other files.)

When it is ended, you get a "data" folder which contains tree-like aspect and original files. Put this "data" folder in another folder which you will call for example ' Original Files CXL '. Take as rule to corrupt NEVER the original files, keep them as a reference! 

This tool allows you to show all text files and graphics contained in the "data" folder.

By setting up your options correctly, you can define an external editor for text and for picture. So, if you want to modifiy a file, a right click on them will open the file in your favorite editor.

Think of creating a working folder, and when your file is edited, record it indoors, forget it to crush never the original files. Attention, it is not enough to record the file in your working folder with the same name, you must also create all directories and sub-directories to get original tree-like aspect, by beginning by data\... !


Council for the external editors:
I offer you a text editor : Notepad++, and two picture editors : Paint.net or Gimp with his DDS plugin.

They are both free, multilingual and they are very competitive.

On the main interface you can compress a "data\" folder with inside one or several files which you changed to create a mod (Patch file). You can also uncompress a single Pak or Patch file (for example to teach from a mod, by comparing with the original files...)

Tools SGBIN Unpak and Repak will be explained in another rubric. They serve especially for modifying textures, for duplicating objects and for changing their properties...

First of all: I wish you good luck and lots of courage!

You will need it to teach how all this heap of files works! But ok, perhaps some experienced modders will give you some advice, who knows... Anyway, do not hesitate to exchange your discoveries on the forum, because it is all together that we will make live the Cities XL community, and indeed not by keeping jealously its 'discoveries '... 

Do not forget that you do not have the right to harm the possessor of the licence Cities XL by releasing some contents, be a representative!

Arcadoli.