The Hotseat campaign..

**stinky_leg** · October 29, 2007, 01:31 AM

why doesn't it give you the option to defend in real time? i hate it how it just auto resolves everything, and it doesn't even tell you! why did they take this out of the hotseat mode!?!?!?

**Tiroth** · October 29, 2007, 07:04 PM

I hated this feature myself and so I found the solution:

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Open up your medieval2.preference.cfg file in the Medieval II folder and use the 1.2 hotseat syntax.

[hotseat]
turns = 0
scroll = 0
autoresolve_battles = 0
disable_console = 0
disable_papal_elections = 1
save_prefs = 1
update_ai_camera = 1
validate_diplomacy = 1

Update_ai_camera, needs to be one I believe for it to correctly show the AI moves, and you need to disable papal_elections. These were the only changes I made to the 1.2 syntax that I was using.

Now start Kingdoms through the desktop launcher and start a hotseat campaign. Lo and behold I was able to defend against the AI.

The cfg file gets written over so at the moment you have to do this for each hotseat campaign or you could try setting your file to read only if you never change your settings.

Now you'll be able to defend all the battles where the AI is the attacker!

Basically, Kingdoms uses a different syntax to the usual, "True" or "False" in the .cfg, and instead uses 1 and 0.

Remember: Try changing the cfg file to Read-Only, or every new hotseat game you want to do will require you to re-do these changes as they get rewritten when you quit the game.

Credit to the TotalWar forums for the excellent solution.

**stinky_leg** · October 30, 2007, 01:19 AM

hmm odd, is that the microsoft outlook configuration file thing? if it is then im not sure what is wrong :\

**stinky_leg** · October 30, 2007, 02:02 AM

wait nvm, it works thanks loads

**Armatus** · November 01, 2007, 10:19 AM

Originally Posted by Tiroth

I hated this feature myself and so I found the solution:

---

Now you'll be able to defend all the battles where the AI is the attacker!

Basically, Kingdoms uses a different syntax to the usual, "True" or "False" in the .cfg, and instead uses 1 and 0.

Remember: Try changing the cfg file to Read-Only, or every new hotseat game you want to do will require you to re-do these changes as they get rewritten when you quit the game.

Credit to the TotalWar forums for the excellent solution.

This is pretty much in my mp campaign guide you can find in my sig. I updated it in a later post, however thanks for the FYI on the config file. I imagine you could just save a back up of the text file if you want to set it as read me only. Also we noticed that it reverted every time you swapped turns and resaved the new campaign file, so setting it as read me may be the best option.

Edit: This is really strange I went to test out kingdoms and I have no hotseat mode? When I launch a campaign after editing the config file I am unable to select multiple factions either. I tried this with multiplayer=true, multplayer=1 and without completly with no luck so how is it that you're starting a hoseat it seems that I may have had that option in the past, or was I seeing things?

**Heskey** · November 03, 2007, 07:45 AM

Hang on, correct me if I'm wrong but doesn't fighting battles in hotseat mode kind of... unbalance it... a lot?

We all know the AI isn't as good as a player, so I think it's unfair for you to fight your friends armies under AI control.

Resolve it statistically as was intended!

**Armatus** · November 03, 2007, 08:11 AM

maybe looking at it from only one perspective, but if you look at it from multiple perspectives it even things out, although it would make for a potential rush match between players other than the slower build up way of going about, because you will want to take advantage of the fact that you can beat the other players AI army.

**Heskey** · November 03, 2007, 07:12 PM

I feel sorry for the opponent that's being cheated = /

**Armatus** · November 04, 2007, 08:28 AM

Well considering that both players have equal opportunity it doesn't bother me. Don't rely on your AI if you get attacked your best option is to retaliate in turn.

If you prefer the slower paced turtling strat you should either play with people you know who will agree not to rush or as already noted revert to auto resolve.

**NADAVCHIK** · November 11, 2009, 06:32 PM

wait, so do i need it 2b true n false or 1 and 0?

**eregost** · November 11, 2009, 06:50 PM

Not being able to defend makes things much more interesting as army placement and strength actually matters. In all my hotseats I have yet to lose a fight as I never give my opponents a chance to attack me.