Kay, lemme try this out - but i offer no guarantee whatsoever!
There are many ways to handle such a task.
1) Tedious (but reliable enough, if no typos are made) editing of the necessary lines straight from the '*.customracexml' to save the result as an almost new '*.raceconfig.xml'.
a) At this point, i doubt the above file is exactly ready for action unless it gets loaded as an opponent choice and RE_SAVED immediately to "make it official" - so to speak.
Get out. Check the './.MyDocuments./.' folder; the file should be there with the custom name you gave it.
c) Re-Start a new game... but this time, select the usual custom as player. Load it through within the next screen and while you're still there - verify the various datasets and values to see if they all match what was previously edited. Tech-tree options must be altered and some new techs added or evaluated to insert.
All good? It's done. Play with it.
d) It may also be a good idea to keep a backup of that new file and compare it with the earlier DA version; this alone, can give you some key info on the changes made by in-game routines upon creation of the new file. Namely, #25 to #27 ID tags for config versions. And the Tree_Techs section. Etc.
2) The 'easy' way; Simply USE whatever screens TotA is made with. That could be the "create new opponent" alternative or the straight in custom_setup phase where tabs still have all options to edit, logo_portrait to choose from (btw, those images must be found by the game either in the myDocuments/...GFX/ or from a MOD folder, conventional renamings, etc. As long as you can remember the DA_Values i don't see any obstacles to just typing it all in.
3) The converter memory nightmares; Good'ol Notepad instances, Two files side_by_side. Type! Save the new file and cross fingers.
Sums it up, to me.
Anyone else should have better or faster way(s), please do share your thoughts... cuz, whatever is needed may simply be patience and concentration.
Btw, this coulda been made entirely automated IF an "Editor" of that sort would have been given to us by SD developpers. So, waddayasay, GC team? Up for another challenge project on top of whatever we paid for already?
