Hotseat & Multiplayer FAQ

[bɑne]

Hi everybody.
Multiplayer and especially hotseat questions keep coming up from time to time so I thought it would be a good idea to have a topic with all the necessary knowledge in this forum. For that, I need your help.

Post information you think is needed here, tips and suggestions or point me to topics you found especially helpful for this and I'll include it. As I'll start at zero this topic will grow over the next weeks so expect constant changes. Thanks in advance for your help

Below you will find examples for working hotseat configurations that allow to defend against AI armies
in hotseat. Important here is the option for scrolls, having the meaning of the scroll that comes up at the start of each players turn
- this must be disabled for everyone to be able to defend in Hotseat. Afaik regretably not savegame compatible.

Example cfg for Stainless Steel 6.3 hotseat

[launcher] kingdomsDir=..\.. swapMenuBackground=true swapMenuMusic=true swapBAI=true autoLocateLogFile=true autoBorderlessMode=false steamCheck=false firstRun=false [features] mod=mods/SS6.3 [log] to=mods/SS6.3/system.log.txt level=* error #level=* trace [io] file_first=true [video] no_background_fmv=true grass_distance=0 #unit_detail=highest windowed=true borderless_window=true movies=false event_movies=0 [game] unlimited_men_on_battlefield=1 label_settlements=1 event_cutscenes=0 allusers=1 micromanage_all_settlements=1 advisor_verbosity=0 [misc] show_hud_date=true #remove the # in the next line if you want launcher to bypass straight to the last save when you start mtw2 #bypass_to_strategy_save=true [hotseat] ## disable start turn scroll in hotseat campaign - false or 0 needed to be able to defend against AI scroll = false ## disable forced separate human faction turns (including diplomacy) in hotseat campaign turns = false ## enable cheat console in hotseat campaign disable_console = false ## enable camera updates during ai turn in hotseat campaign update_ai_camera = true ## enable or disable voting in papal elections in hotseat campaign (only first valid human faction votes) disable_papal_elections = false ## disable forced autoresolve all battles in hotseat campaign autoresolve_battles = false ## disable diplomacy validation for incoming propositions validate_diplomacy = false ## disable forced relevant hotseat options to be saved with game. # save_prefs = false ## autosave hotseat game at start of players turn #autosave = true ## save config file in save dir containing information about next players turn # save_config = true ## close medieval II directly after a hotseat autosave # close_after_save = true ## sub directory name for hotseat save games # gamename = hotseat_gamename ## ensure game data files used in previous save match current campaign data files. # validate_data = true ## prevent game to load if savegame or data validations fail # allow_validation_failures = false

How to re-enable "Disable RR" and the NoWaiting alternative

Download SS6.3_hotseat_patch_for_fixes_3.0.rar (can be applied over previous fixversions as well) and extract. Run the installer and point to your SS6.3 installationfolder as instructed. Last step: Rep Newt in No Waiting for 6.3 v1.2 if you are using his mod

Example cfg for Stainless Steel 6.x hotseat (for earlier versions than 6.3)

[features] mod = mods/Stainless_Steel_6 [io] file_first = true [misc] show_hud_date = true ;bypass_sprite_script = 1 [log] to = logs/system.log.txt ;level = * trace level = * error [game] unlimited_men_on_battlefield = 1 event_cutscenes = 1 [multiplayer] ## comment/uncomment following line to disable/enable hotseat campaign playable = true ## faction mask for setting default starting factions in hotseat campaign # factions = 1 # = england, 2 = france, 4 = hre, 3 = england+france, etc [hotseat] ## disable start turn scroll in hotseat campaign scroll = false ## disable forced separate human faction turns (including diplomacy) in hotseat campaign turns = false ## enable cheat console in hotseat campaign. disable_console = false ## specify password for administrator access to the dev console when console disabled. Change 'password' to a suitable password # admin_password = password ## enable camera updates during ai turn in hotseat campaign update_ai_camera = true ## enable voting in papal elections in hotseat campaign (only first valid human faction votes) disable_papal_elections = true ## disable forced autoresolve all battles in hotseat campaign autoresolve_battles = false ## disable diplomacy validation for incoming propositions validate_diplomacy = false ## disable forced relevant hotseat options to be saved with game. save_prefs = true ## autosave hotseat game at start of players turn autosave = true ## save config file in save dir containing information about next players turn save_config = false ## close medieval II directly after a hotseat autosave close_after_save = false ## sub directory name for hotseat save games # gamename = hotseat_gamename ## ensure game data files used in previous save match current campaign data files. validate_data = true ## prevent game to load if savegame or data validations fail allow_validation_failures = false Use this file if you don't want to make the changes above manually Stainless_Steel_Kingdoms.rar

[Zwurkel]

I did not find a fitting toppic for this, so here we go.

When I play the SS6.3 mod in hotseat with my wife, I cannot deceide to play defense battles in the AI's turn for myself, as they are always autoresolved. Where and how can I fix that in the .cfg file?
Thanks a lot!

[pesto alla genovese]

ur a lucky fella to have a gamer wife

[Delvecchio1975]

Unfixable, Zwurkel. You cannot play the battle yourself when the AI attacks you in its turn.

[Zwurkel]

Fixed it! Can be closed, thanks!

[bɑne]

I'm guessing

Thats not a bug, thats depending on your settings. Figured out how to defend in hotseat

solved it.
Next time please post your solution to your own question when you find it - that way others can find it as well Quite a number of topics about this can be found by searching the Stainless Steel main forum.

[bɑne]

How do you enable the missing factions that Hotseat doesn't show, like Ireland?

Its the same with the campaigns, the menu can only show a maximum of factions to choose. There is a list in the scripts which you must alter if you want other factions to show up in the menu, I'll walk you through it.

The file your looking for is called descr_strat, and it is located in:
(base folder)/mods/Stainless_Steel_6/data/world/maps/campaign/imperial_campaign.

It contains information about all the starting conditions for each campaign.
Open it by double clicking.
on the top of this list all the PLAYABLE, UNLOCKABLE and NON-PLAYABLE factions are shown.

When you copy/paste the name of a certain faction from one 'group' (ex:England copy/paste from PLAYABLE to NON-PLAYABLE would make it so that the English faction cannot be chosen to play with, and as such, will not show up in the menu anymore.

Because there are more factions under the PLAYABLE list than can be shown in the menu, all you have to do in copy/paste some of the factions you do not want to play with at this time to either one of the other lists, I suggest moving 5-7 to be sure Ireland shows up in the menu.

Good luck!

[Talax]

If you have trouble using Muffinhead's Stainless_Steel_Kingdoms.cfg file (contained in the .rar), check the second line in the extracted file. It may think your game is in a different directory. If so, you can change the second line to the directory you installed Stainless Steel to.

Example:

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

If you installed the mod to C:\Program Files\Empire\Medieval II Total War\mods\SS6.3, the first two lines should be changed from:

[features]
mod = mods/Stainless_Steel_6

to

[features]
mod = mods/SS6.3

The changes are not saved-game compatible. You will need to start a new campaign. Do not open an older save before starting a new hotseat game. Doing so overrides the .cfg file and will make you think it isn’t working. Put another way, if you load a game with scrolls enabled, then start a new hotseat game, the new game will also have scrolls enabled. You have to exit Stainless Steel and re-enter. (If only the overriding worked in reverse!)

I hope the time I spent figuring that out helps someone.


Question: after playing for a day, a new default.cfg file appeared that contains lines similar to Stainless_Steel_Kingdoms.cfg. Are they related? Which one has precedence?

[JorisofHolland]

An easier way to play with the not showing up factions: use the control faction (console) command. It switches a faction from AI to human control, and back.

So, if you want to play as England, and it is AI controlled, open the console and type control england , then press enter. If you want the English to be AI controlled again, do the same thing again.

[amine2610]

Hello
I want to play with the teutonic order in a stainless steel hotseat campain, I have SS 6.3
please can any body help
thank you

[[Celtíbero]Mencey]

Sorry, but I don't understand where is the problem. Do you want to join a hotseat being the TO? or do you want to start a new one being the TO and you don't know how?

[amine2610]

I want to start a new hotseat campain being the TO, I modified the desc_strat file for the imperial_campain so the TO can be playable,
but the problem is when I start the campain the other factions play their turn, but the TO can not play its turn!!

[bɑne]

I'd say thats because the TO doesn't have a settlement in the campaign you are playing. TO is an emergent faction - either wait till its your turn (which can be a while) or play late campaign.

[amine2610]

thank you for your answer
how can I play a late era hotseat campain?

[Black_Rider]

Hm...when I change faction in the middle of the hotseat campaign my campaign difficulty level is changing from very hard to medium. Is there any solution to fix that?

[Agamemnon]

You can change a faction in the middle of the game?

[Black_Rider]

You can change a faction in the middle of the game?

In console type: change faction <faction name>

[Agamemnon]

Oh, I didn't know that.

[Team Sleep]

Hi. New to multiplayer hotseat. Most games that are posted to join want RR disabled. In my setup of SS6.3 I don't have the option to turn on or off RR. From what I understand it's always on. I was wondering how can I disable RR for hotseat games and then re-enable it for my single player campaigns. Also, if I'm not the one hosting the hotseat...do I even have to worry about this?

[bɑne]

Hi. New to multiplayer hotseat. Most games that are posted to join want RR disabled. In my setup of SS6.3 I don't have the option to turn on or off RR. From what I understand it's always on. I was wondering how can I disable RR for hotseat games and then re-enable it for my single player campaigns. Also, if I'm not the one hosting the hotseat...do I even have to worry about this?

I don't think so, but it depends on how they disabled RR exactly. Stock or the "No waiting submod".

Anyways here goes for "stock" or default SS6.3:
You can reenable the choice by navigating to
SS6.3\data\campaign\sub open DisableRR.txt
change the line
campaign=donotuse
to
campaign=early,late

Imho the NW method is better.

Send my regards if their hotseat crashes at turn 51 and point them to the fix in bug reports.