How does the Names & World databases work?

[RyMACtizzle]

I have updated my first names, last names and world .xml files to the ones I want. I have 1850-1920 file for each, a 1920-1950 file for each, and a 1950-2030 file for each.

If I start my league in 1870 with the 1850-1920 files in my OOTP23 database folder, when I change them over in 1920 to the corresponding files, does that change actually show up in my save or is the first world and name files the only one that can be used to create player names

Question #2

Also, if my names files have different id #'s for the names is that going to cause a problem in the future when I swap out names file? From what I have found is that the names files are only used for randomly generated new players, not anything with the past.

Hopefully, my question makes sense.

[darkcloud4579]

Originally Posted by RyMACtizzle

I have updated my first names, last names and world .xml files to the ones I want. I have 1850-1920 file for each, a 1920-1950 file for each, and a 1950-2030 file for each.

If I start my league in 1870 with the 1850-1920 files in my OOTP23 database folder, when I change them over in 1920 to the corresponding files, does that change actually show up in my save or is the first world and name files the only one that can be used to create player names

Question #2

Also, if my names files have different id #'s for the names is that going to cause a problem in the future when I swap out names file? From what I have found is that the names files are only used for randomly generated new players, not anything with the past.

Hopefully, my question makes sense.

This is a lot more complicated in OOTP23 than it was in previous versions, because you'd have to mine through the XML file to do it. You need to read up on the other threads in-game to figure out how the file works. But for your purposes, it would indeed be possible to make your file do this, but you'd have to essentially replace the names file every couple of eras to make it work, it's just a lot more copy/pasting necessary to do this than it was with text files.

Importing/update the names & ethnicities database though can be done at any time, so there are no real constraints besides making the changes you want and updating.

[RyMACtizzle]

I already made the xml files for each era. As long as I update the database file in game, it should work. It won't screw up past players' names and such? Even if the name id don't match?

[Tiger Fan]

Originally Posted by RyMACtizzle

I already made the xml files for each era. As long as I update the database file in game, it should work. It won't screw up past players' names and such? Even if the name id don't match?

I believe the cities of birth will get messed up by importing a new world.xml file with any city ID changes but as far as I know the names of current and former players are unaffected by changing the names file, but I have not tested it in v23 with the new file approach.

[RyMACtizzle]

I have the same world.xml file for all of mine. City and nation ids don't change for me, just the ethnicities and second nations percentages for USA will change.
All ids on world stay the same. Names .xml ids do change.