A Beginners guide to Preferences.txt

**Nihilist** · May 20, 2005, 07:45 AM

I've just played a few campaign battles in vanilla, the logs are created, but most of the information that is in them for single player custom games or multiplayer games is missing. This is the units used, their experience, kills etc. All that is really there is the result of the battle, and a couple of extra bits, so are pretty useless for campaign battle records.

**HorseArcher** · May 20, 2005, 05:39 PM

Borsook!

I'm moving this into the tutorial forum! I hope you find the thread

**mcsquared** · May 21, 2005, 12:42 AM

If you like to play with FOW 0F WAR "off" (FALSE). When you click the your next turn, you will have to wait for ALL the factions moves to playout on the map. To avoid this wait change: "CAMPAIGN_MAP_CAMERA: FOLLOW_AI_FACTIONS" to "CAMPAIGN_MAP_CAMERA: SKIP_AI_FACTIONS"

**Borsook** · May 21, 2005, 02:39 AM

Originally posted by horsearcher@May 20 2005, 04:39 PM
Borsook!

I'm moving this into the tutorial forum! I hope you find the thread

I was just intending to ask You to do that!

Originally posted by mcsquared@May 20 2005, 11:42 PM
If you like to play with FOW 0F WAR "off" (FALSE). When you click the your next turn, you will have to wait for ALL the factions moves to playout on the map. To avoid this wait change: "CAMPAIGN_MAP_CAMERA: FOLLOW_AI_FACTIONS" to "CAMPAIGN_MAP_CAMERA: SKIP_AI_FACTIONS"

You're right, though Following AI can be switch in-game during the campaign, so if you're turning FOW off for let's say testing purposes it might be better to use CAMPAIGN_MAP_SPEED_UP:TRUE and switch off the following AI when the action becomes too intense/time consuming.

Well, I did a small update, still unfinished, so expect more to come.

**Shaggy1973** · August 17, 2005, 05:12 PM

this si the one that interests me the most:

ADVANCED_STATS_ALWAYS:

what could this control? i guess if your turns take too long it could cut down the amount of processing when working out AI moves and battles etc, with a slimmed down auto calc equation? anyone know?

**eastsidehighrise** · August 19, 2005, 06:15 PM

Originally Posted by Shaggy1973

this si the one that interests me the most:

ADVANCED_STATS_ALWAYS:

what could this control? i guess if your turns take too long it could cut down the amount of processing when working out AI moves and battles etc, with a slimmed down auto calc equation? anyone know?

This controls the checkbox on the settlement details panel; whether or not the left-side panel showing public order, income, and growth, details, will be open or closed by default.

**Shaggy1973** · August 23, 2005, 05:08 PM

ah thx.

**Koci** · September 20, 2005, 12:55 PM

Hmmm, there is option SAFE_REFRESH: FALSE/TRUE
I think bound with monitor refresh value, I have (only) 85 hz,
what is better FALSE, or TRUE ?

Best Regards

Koci

**Seleukos** · September 22, 2005, 03:53 AM

Originally Posted by Koci

Hmmm, there is option SAFE_REFRESH: FALSE/TRUE
I think bound with monitor refresh value, I have (only) 85 hz,
what is better FALSE, or TRUE ?

Best Regards

Koci

I would have it on TRUE.

**DarK_RTW** · November 09, 2005, 11:11 PM

Originally Posted by Koci

Hmmm, there is option SAFE_REFRESH: FALSE/TRUE
I think bound with monitor refresh value, I have (only) 85 hz,
what is better FALSE, or TRUE ?

Best Regards

Koci

Screen flickering can be caused by tripple buffering and/or vertical sync when this is enabled, CRT monitors should set this to False for better performance providing you have your refresh rate managed by your video card's control panel.

**davepyne** · November 10, 2005, 09:42 PM

ok, how about this for an all-in-one guide combining everyone's work.

THE GUIDE
Preferences.txt is located in your main RTW directory and inside you'll find some game settings that cannot be changed via the in-game menus. It can be edited by notepad or any other text editor, just remember to write in CAPITALS. The settings usually have two possible switches - TRUE or FALSE. For the time being I'll concetrate on things you cannot change in-game. Let's have a look at some examples (stuff in italics are comments):

SAFE_REFRESH:TRUE (limits monitor refresh rate?)Screen flickering can be caused by tripple buffering and/or vertical sync when this is enabled, CRT monitors should set this to False for better performance providing you have your refresh rate managed by your video card's control panel.

USE_TRIPLE_BUFFER: You should try this out, setting to TRUE may improve your frame rate but it may also increase GPU's memory load (thas decreasing frame rate). So the effects on performance (good/bad/none) depend on your system spec.

USE_WIDESCREEN:FALSE

SUBTITLES:FALSE (duh)

MORALE:TRUE (duh)

FATIGUE:TRUE (duh)

LIMITED_AMMO:TRUE (Pila, arrows, stones etc.)

SUPPLY:To my knowledge it does nothing. If you have a look at game files you'll see that units besides money upkeep have food upkeep, this didn't make it to the final version of the game, should it have this would have probably turn it on/off

FOG_OF_WAR: it can be also toggled by ingame console (press~then typ "toggle_fow" and enter) but if you just hate FOW you can set it to FALSE here

RESTRICT_CAMERA: restricts Point of view to places where your units can "see"

DEFAULT_BATTLE_CAMERA:RTS (determines angle)

EVENT_CUTSCENES:do you hate those camera zooms when during the battle a general dies or ram breaks the gates etc.? if yes then set it to FALSE and you'll never see them again

SMOKE:TRUE (duh)

DESYNC:TRUE (desynchronises animations, I believe, so that your soldiers aren't all scratching their heads in unison)

SPLASHES:TRUE

GLINTS:FALSE (for units in battle)

REFLECTIONS:FALSE (for units in battle)

SHADOWS:TRUE (for units in battle)

VEGETATION:TRUE (in battles)

DETAILED_UNIT_SHADOWS:TRUE (in battle)

GLOSS_MAPPING:TRUE

STENCIL_SHADOWS:TRUE

MULTI_TEXTURE:TRUE

AUTO_SAVE:TRUE(duh)

SHOW_BANNERS:TRUE ( the flags above your units in battle)

UNIT_SIZE:This number refers to number of men in "typical" infrantry unit (e.g. Hastatii, Scutarii, Militia etc...) other units get a propotion of this one (e.g. Warband + 50%) it can be changed in-game but then you can only choose between - small (20), normal (40) large (80) huge (160) here you can enter different numbers (but don't use things like 25, 37 etc.) so for example if small is too small but normal too big - enter 30.

MASTER_VOL:100(duh)

SPEECH_VOL:100(duh)

SFX_VOL:100 (sound effects volume)

MUSIC_VOL:70(duh)

CAMERA_ROTATE:50

CAMERA_MOVE:50

CAMERA_FOV:75.000000

ENABLE_AUDIO:TRUE(duh)

ENABLE_MUSIC:TRUE(duh)

ENABLE_UNIT_SPEECH:TRUE ( like "Single Line!" or "Infantry" or "Charge!" I assume)

DISABLE_BACKGROUND_FMV:Would you prefer a static image as a backround for RTW menus instead of those animations? If yes than set it to TRUE

DISABLE_ARROW_MARKERS:If you don't like the green arrows under currently selected unit and would like to go back to the STW/MTW style than set this to TRUE

AUDIO_3D_PROVIDER:Miles Fast 2D Positional Audio

CLOUD_TRANSITIONS:TRUE (clouds move around, weather changes?)

GRASS_DISTANCE:50 (Distance before the grass is no longer visible. so if it is at 50 you will not see the grass at a distance greater than 50)

AA_QUALITY:AA_LOW (anti-aliasing?)

STRATEGY_RESOLUTION:1024x768

STRATEGY_MAX_RESOLUTION:2048x1536

STRATEGY_32_BIT:TRUE

BATTLE_RESOLUTION:1024x768 (duh)

BATTLE_MAX_RESOLUTION:2048x1536

BATTLE_32_BIT:TRUE (duh)

UNIT_DETAIL:HIGH (duh)

BUILDING_DETAIL:NORMAL (duh)

TGA_CAPTURE_WIDTH:1024 (Width of a screenshot, choose based on your resolution)all the TGA ones are referring to the ability to make in game screenshots by pressing the "print Scrn" button on your keyboard. You can then "paste" these screenshots into ms paint. The TGAs are saved in the TGA folder in your RTW directory. However there is something wrong with this feature; all my TGAs in this folder are only black screens. I use a program called "fraps" instead.

TGA_CAPTURE_ASPECT:1.333333

TGA_CAPTURE_INPUT_SCALE:1

TGA_CAPTURE_RESERVE_SPACE:FALSE

LABEL_CHARACTERS:On the Campaign Map when you move a cursor over a character/army you see his/general's name. If you want them to be visible all the time (like settlements) set this to TRUE

LABEL_SETTLEMENTS:If you want the name of towns/cities be visible only if you move cursor over them set this to FALSE

MINIMAL_UI:When set to TRUE switches battle interface to similiar to the one from STW/MTW. You'll be able to see more of the battlefield at once but remeber that minimal interface has some problems in RTW

CAMPAIGN_MAP_MAX_SCROLL_SPEED_MIN_ZOOM:30

CAMPAIGN_MAP_MAX_SCROLL_SPEED_MAX_ZOOM:30

FIRST_TIME_PLAY:You've just installed the game and do not wish to play the Prologue but go straight for the campaign? If yes than set this to FALSE

ADVISOR_VERBOSITY:0 (0 means there will be no advise, 1 means advice, 2 more advise)

MUTE_ADVISOR:TRUE (advisor is present but without any audio, just text)

BLIND_ADVISOR:TRUE (i dunno, maybe audio, but no pop up?)

CAMPAIGN_MAP_CAMERA:SKIP_AI_FACTIONS (skip AI factions makes the turns go by quicker, but you don't get to see what the AI are doing)

CAMPAIGN_MAP_SPEED_UP:You want to watch AI movement on campaign map but it takes so much time? Then set this to TRUE

DISABLE_EVENTS:0 (maybe this disables things like "Plague in Macedonia" and "Marius Reforms", etc.)

MICROMANAGE_ALL_SETTLEMENTS:TRUE (true disables automanage of settlementsw/out a family member present)

ADVANCED_STATS_ALWAYS:TRUE (this refers to weather or not settlement details are displayed by default)

UNIT_USE_SHADERS:Your graphic card is not that new, worked ok before 1.2 patch now you've got problems? try changing this to FALSE, might help

TERRAIN_QUALITY:HIGH (duh)

EFFECT_QUALITY:HIGH (duh)

VEGETATION_QUALITY:HIGH (duh)

KEYSET:0 (probably to choose between a number of preset keyboard settings)

UNLIMITED_MEN_ON_BATTLEFIELD: The game has a build-in limit of 10,000 men at the same time on the battlefield. Setting this to TRUE will turn this limit off, but remember you'll still have the limit of number of units.

CAMPAIGN_MAP_CAMERA_SMOOTHING:If you prefer the way campaign map scrolled before 1.2 patch then set this to FALSE

CHAT_MSG_DURATION:10 (Length of time it takes for a multiplayer message to disappear. This is in seconds)
USE_QUICKCHAT:FALSE
GS_PIDS:FALSE (GS stands for Gamespy?)
GS_PIDS_FULL:FALSE
GS_PIDS_CUR:TRUE
ALWAYS_LOGFILE:if set to TRUE the game will create different logfiles covering many aspects of the game. They will be located in a folder "persistent_logs" in your RTW directory. This is mostly usful to modders, other users can forget about it.
TIMESTAMP_LOGFILE: switch to FALSE if you don't want the date of the logfile be updated upon every modification.
32BIT_UI:FALSE
GS_LOG_RESULTS:FALSE
CHAT_COLOURS:name=ffffa0,private=ff7707,game=94aadc,public=fff777,system=ffffff,lobby=fff777,setup=94aadc,playing=ff0707
(colors of text displayed on screen using color codes)

**DarK_RTW** · November 14, 2005, 12:43 AM

I have to criticize this.

Code:

USE_TRIPLE_BUFFER : You should try this out, setting to TRUE may improve your frame rate but it may also increase GPU's memory load (thas decreasing frame rate). So the effects on performance (good/bad/none) depend on your system spec.

Tripple buffering results in better performance when Vertical Sync is ENABLED, enabling this with Vertical Sync OFF will cause problems.

**Jubala** · September 06, 2006, 09:40 AM

Reviving an old thread to ask about Vertical Sync. I can't find any vertical sync in the preferences.txt so what and where is it?

**florin80** · October 22, 2008, 07:24 PM

Could someone please tell me what the bolded part consists of?

MINIMAL_UI:When set to TRUE switches battle interface to similiar to the one from STW/MTW. You'll be able to see more of the battlefield at once but remeber that minimal interface has some problems in RTW

What exactly are the problems?

**Aradan** · October 22, 2008, 07:42 PM

I seem to recall that there is no button to pause/speed the battle up, for starters.

**florin80** · October 22, 2008, 07:52 PM

But no graphic issues from what you remember, right? Like the ui cards getting mixed up and displayed incorrectly(the previously clicked object transferring its ui card to the next; so that in an example the spy had the watch tower card). It might have been a video glitch alone, but I saw something like this with a minimal interface once and I`ve only now noticed that line in this guide. And wondered if there might be a connection...

And yes, I thought it was just me not finding that speed up the battle button. Annoying as hell!

**florin80** · February 28, 2009, 10:25 AM

What exactly does this do?

CAMPAIGN_MAP_GAME_SPEED

**Aradan** · March 01, 2009, 07:10 AM

I think it's the speed at which you see characters move (which gets faster when you press spacebar)

**Sunday213** · March 09, 2009, 01:15 AM

TGA_CAPTURE_INPUT_SCALE:1 (For Movie editor scales the video by number example tga captured at 1024 will stay if inputscale is 2 it will double to 2048 only works in 1.2patch tested)

TGA_CAPTURE_RESERVE_SPACE:FALSE (Not sure but when rendering videos may stop if hard drive is almost full or may reduce picture MB)