Hotseat & Multiplayer FAQ

[Team Sleep]

Hey bane. NW mod seems to have a lot of other bells and whistles I'm not completely down with. I hate having to download mods and sub mods in order to turn some simple options off. It can be frustrating for someone who isn't familiar with moding. Now if I go ahead and make this change...is it save compatible on my other games?

[bɑne]

Hey bane. NW mod seems to have a lot of other bells and whistles I'm not completely down with. I hate having to download mods and sub mods in order to turn some simple options off.

I realise you might not know this but - the ability to "turn some simple options off" is a completly new feature of 6.3. Actually I don't know any other mod that offers easy on/off switches like that and those options are in reality integrated submods. These downloads of mods and submods are a price you have to pay for free gaming. As a sidenote: Those options aren't that "simple" either.

It can be frustrating for someone who isn't familiar with moding. Now if I go ahead and make this change...is it save compatible on my other games?

It is. Check the NW instruction page aka first post and please state any further questions there. But before going through the trouble you really should ask the hotseat hoster you want to join on what setup to have etc... thought I wrote that in my last post but seems I didn't. Again, if they didn't use NW, then you shouldn't either.

[Team Sleep]

Alright. I have asked but I don't think they answered that. I'll double check.

What would cause my downloaded version of SS6.3 to not have that option in the setup and someone else to have the option in their setup?

Also. This is very important....I know it's not the right place for this question but it is important for efficient use in the forums. Can you specifically explain to me how to use the multi-quote feature. Not knowing is killing me.

[bɑne]

The fixes disable that. Not installing the fixes will cause someone to still have it in his setup.

[Team Sleep]

They don't have NW mod. They also don't have the fixes installed in 6.3. Will it still be a problem to play with them if I disable RR?

[bɑne]

They don't have NW mod. They also don't have the fixes installed in 6.3. Will it still be a problem to play with them if I disable RR?

I believe you can join, but you will be cheating a tiny tiny bit.
I'm somewhat certain you install the 2.5 fixes.... in which case you can use the attached file to downgrade.
Apply it like you did with the 2.5 fixes, run ss_setup.exe and you should be able to join.
You'll see if it worked when the "BROKEN - Disable Real Recruitment" changed to "Disable Real Recruitment" in the campaign selection options.

At the moment it seems like I haven't received rep for the last time I helped so if you give rep because of this, put your name in the comment.

[Swarbs]

I believe you can join, but you will be cheating a tiny tiny bit.
I'm somewhat certain you install the 2.5 fixes.... in which case you can use the attached file to downgrade.
Apply it like you did with the 2.5 fixes, run ss_setup.exe and you should be able to join.
You'll see if it worked when the "BROKEN - Disable Real Recruitment" changed to "Disable Real Recruitment" in the campaign selection options.

At the moment it seems like I haven't received rep for the last time I helped so if you give rep because of this, put your name in the comment.

Thanks for the help bane, +rep!

I just wanted to check, if we install the 2.5 fixes now, will our hotseats be fine when we get to turn 51? Or will we need to restart? Gracul's comments make it seem like we can just continue, but I want to be 110% sure before putting several months of effort into the hotseat!

Also, I assume all hotseat players will need to install the fixes in order to avoid the crash.

[bɑne]

Thanks for the help bane, +rep!

I just wanted to check, if we install the 2.5 fixes now, will our hotseats be fine when we get to turn 51?

Yes. Installing Fixes 2_5_corrected will eliminate that issue as will the data.rar and same is true for the downgrade above. Note that the downgrade brings back the banner mixup, that was just something I put together in 5mins combining my backup files with parts of the 2.5 fixes

Or will we need to restart? Gracul's comments make it seem like we can just continue, but I want to be 110% sure before putting several months of effort into the hotseat!

You don't have to restart, I have yet to read a bug report concerning T51 were the issue wasn't down to the fix somehow not beeing correctly installed (thanks to UAC, etc). Also a critical (savegamebreaking, campaign cannot be continued) bug has yet to be reported, the known bugs are all savegame-compatible and/or noncritical.

Also, I assume all hotseat players will need to install the fixes in order to avoid the crash.

Either that or they will have to drop out in T50

If your hotseat is still forming consider using the No Waiting for 6.3 v1.2 as an alternative to the RR deactivation. One sideeffect of the RR deactivation is that ironically some units can't be recruited when they should be. If there is interest I could look into a "hotseat edition" of the 2.5 fixes that has the disable RR option still active and the option to activate the NW submod instead of disable RR.

[Swarbs]

If your hotseat is still forming consider using the No Waiting for 6.3 v1.2 as an alternative to the RR deactivation. One sideeffect of the RR deactivation is that ironically some units can't be recruited when they should be. If there is interest I could look into a "hotseat edition" of the 2.5 fixes that has the disable RR option still active and the option to activate the NW submod instead of disable RR.

Hotseats have already started, but thanks for the suggestion.

It would be useful to have a version of the 2.5 fixes that allows us to disable RR completely - people like to play with the full unit roster in hotseats rather than have some units appear once the hotseat has pretty much finished. But is that not going to be confusing if some people are playing with the plain 2.5 fixes and others with the hotseat edition? Will it give some people the option to recruit units whilst others don't? That could create big arguments!!

P.S. I installed the fix collection from here:

http://www.twcenter.net/forums/showthread.php?t=378648

And now my SS_setup.exe gives me two checkboxes for BGR-IV. See spoiler below - the top one says BGR IV-E whilst the bottom one doesnt'. Is this normal? If so, do I need to check both boxes to play with BGR?

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

P.P.S. Is the NW submod save compatible? So we could all install it now for future hotseats, and still keep our existing ones going?

[bɑne]

I installed the fix collection from here:

http://www.twcenter.net/forums/showthread.php?t=378648

And now my SS_setup.exe gives me two checkboxes for BGR-IV. See spoiler below - the top one says BGR IV-E whilst the bottom one doesnt'. Is this normal? If so, do I need to check both boxes to play with BGR?

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

That doesn't look right. The disable RR option should be gone and there shouldn't be double entries.

P.P.S. Is the NW submod save compatible? So we could all install it now for future hotseats, and still keep our existing ones going?

The recruitment part is, the merc part isn't. Installing it now would enable it for your current hotseat but for the merceneries, best check the submod link for details. Let me put it this way: If I wanted to play a 6.3 hotseat I'd annoy the GM until NW would be used for it

[Swarbs]

That doesn't look right. The disable RR option should be gone and there shouldn't be double entries.

That's the screen after I also installed the SS6.3.7z file from your earlier post on this page, hence RR is back in. Not sure why there are double entries - all I did was install SS6.3, then install the fixes from the MSSC2.9.3 thread, then added your files.

P.S. Will rep you again for the help once I have spread some around - you can't hog it all!

[bɑne]

Hotseats have already started, but thanks for the suggestion.

It would be useful to have a version of the 2.5 fixes that allows us to disable RR completely - people like to play with the full unit roster in hotseats rather than have some units appear once the hotseat has pretty much finished. But is that not going to be confusing if some people are playing with the plain 2.5 fixes and others with the hotseat edition? Will it give some people the option to recruit units whilst others don't? That could create big arguments!!

Hotseat would be integrated as a "submod" option like the option to chose different AIs, perm arrows, etc. People playing with the plain fixes would be the ones not reading the first post of the hotseat with the rules - and you don't want those

P.S. I installed the fix collection from here:

Regarding your issue: Navigate into SS6.3/data/campaign. You should have a folder named backup, a txt howitworks, a campaign ini and early, late, and sub. Delete everything BUT the backup folder, the backup folder has to remain as is. Then use SS6.3_installation_patcher_v.2.5.exe , tick off the option about creating a new start menue.

What you installed was the 2.6 fixes, I'll notify Meneth that there might be something wrong with it.

That's the screen after I also installed the SS6.3.7z file from your earlier post on this page, hence RR is back in. Not sure why there are double entries - all I did was install SS6.3, then install the fixes from the MSSC2.9.3 thread, then added your files.

P.S. Will rep you again for the help once I have spread some around - you can't hog it all!

Ahh... thats why. Don't use the downgrade with the 2.6 fixes exe you used. It works for 2.5, which is why I mentioned "and from what I remember you used 2.5 fixes, so downgrade with this" to Team Sleep but not for 2.6

That's the screen after I also installed the SS6.3.7z file from your earlier post on this page, hence RR is back in.

As a final attempt to go for information overload: The "disable RR" option is not needed to disable RR in a running campaign. The code to disable RR has become part of the campaign script and thus of the hotseat save, you can all install 2.5 and not lose that. Should have made that clear in my initial response. If you want to activate "disable RR" in 2.5 then all you have to do is described in post #20. It's a simple text file edit, the downgrade isn't needed if all of you are using 2.5.

[Swarbs]

Hotseat would be integrated as a "submod" option like the option to chose different AIs, perm arrows, etc. People playing with the plain fixes would be the ones not reading the first post of the hotseat with the rules - and you don't want those

Then that would be very useful, thanks!

The rest of it looks quite involved - will try to do it all once I have time today and let you know how it goes!!

[bɑne]

Then that would be very useful, thanks!

The rest of it looks quite involved - will try to do it all once I have time today and let you know how it goes!!

I'm getting sidetracked a lot today but I can tell you that I'm currently working on a hotseatpatch for 2.5 that will a) bring the disable RR option back and b) offer NW as submod options.

[bɑne]

It would be useful to have a version of the 2.5 fixes that allows us to disable RR completely - people like to play with the full unit roster in hotseats rather than have some units appear once the hotseat has pretty much finished. But is that not going to be confusing if some people are playing with the plain 2.5 fixes and others with the hotseat edition? Will it give some people the option to recruit units whilst others don't? That could create big arguments!!

Well. I finished up the first version, see attached. It's to be installed on top of a 6.3 install with 2.5 patches, and if successfull you'll see

Not much in there for explanation text so far but reading No Waiting for 6.3 v1.2 will tell everything and allow to give rep to the original author.

Removed 2.5, download & use SS6.3_hotseat_patch_for_fixes_3.0.rar

[Team Sleep]

Well...I'm not going to lie. I'm completely confused. At this point. I'm not gonna ask you about changing folders and lines of script text or whatever. I'm not even going to pretend that I was able to follow this thread through and through. I have a few simple questions that seem to lead to complicated answers that I don't comprehend. I appreciate the patients you've both shown me thus far. Forgive me if I need things put simply, but I'm just going to add to this thread...what I would like from this mod...and then I will simply ask what do I need to do to get there.

First off...I play single player campaigns as well as hot seat campaigns. I want to be able to play a hot seat & single player campaigns with: 1) All the proper fixes. This includes all the things mentioned in here: http://www.twcenter.net/forums/showthread.php?t=378648

2) I want to be able to have the option to turn on/off RR as some people like to play hot seat campaigns with it...and some want to be able to play without it. I don't want there to be the possibility of some units not being available to any given faction just because the option is on or off.

That's pretty much all I want. As well as a simplified explanation of what exactly NW mod would do in regards to this post and why you recommend it. How or what exactly will it change in hot seats with or without RR?

Now How do I go about making these changes painlessly?

Also...How do I give rep? This is why I haven't yet. I do appreciate your time and care in these matters as you've been most helpful to me in the past.

[bɑne]

First off...I play single player campaigns as well as hot seat campaigns. I want to be able to play a hot seat & single player campaigns with: 1) All the proper fixes. This includes all the things mentioned in here: http://www.twcenter.net/forums/showthread.php?t=378648

Main obstacle here: Others in the hotseat have to use the same fixes. That's really the main issue.

2) I want to be able to have the option to turn on/off RR as some people like to play hot seat campaigns with it...and some want to be able to play without it. I don't want there to be the possibility of some units not being available to any given faction just because the option is on or off.

The option to turn RR on/off is flawed - some units will be missing that should be there but they will be missing for everyone using it.
Real recruitment is based on eventconditions. "Disable RR" sets some conditions to true that are not set to true originally making the units available before they should be. Problem: Some units need one of those conditions to be false to show up, they won't show if all conditions are true.

That's pretty much all I want. As well as a simplified explanation of what exactly NW mod would do in regards to this post and why you recommend it. How or what exactly will it change in hot seats with or without RR?

The NW mod uses a different way to switch RR off - instead of setting the conditions to true, it removes the conditions completly so the units are available because there are no conditions and not because the conditions are set to true. So the units I mentioned above that needed a condition to be false... now have no conditions at all and show up.

Now How do I go about making these changes painlessly?

Did you install the downgrade after I posted it? If you have then you are set unless there is new information I should be made aware of. You should be set to play the normal campaign without issues and to join games with partners that are not using the 2.5 fixes at the moment.

Also...How do I give rep? This is why I haven't yet. I do appreciate your time and care in these matters as you've been most helpful to me in the past.

It's the button next to the button. If you want to add rep to a poster, click that button. Example screenshot:
http://img684.imageshack.us/img684/9296/1333f.jpg

[Team Sleep]

Alright...cool bane we're good the only thing though...about 2) I explained that part wrong I wasn't refering to solely the hot seat mode. I mean basically....will I be able to play with RR off along with everyone else in hot seat so long as we have the same settings set...AND STILL be able not to have units missing. You answered that for me with the NW mod...thanks. But the other part of the question I meant...will I simply be able to leave RR ON during single player campaigns and have unit restrictions along the guidelines of conditions...that way I can do a bit of historic role playing while I play single player? I'm assuming for this I would just have to turn off the NW mod and click off the disable real recruitment option at the set up menu. This is correct right...I'll be able to do these things even with the NW installed but not chosen in the set up?

So thanks again. And enjoy the rep.

What I'm really hoping to do is set a standard SS6.3 hot seat mode allowing RR. Even though I know this isn't favored...but I think it makes for a possibly longer lasting campaign basically focusing more on economy vs rush military tactics/strategies. Cause when I hear that most Hot Seats are finished before turn 50...a part of me dies inside. However this hotseat fix you have going on will allow others who wish to host their own full range of set up options! Now I'm happy! You think my idea will work/catch on?

[Swarbs]

Alright...cool bane we're good the only thing though...about 2) I explained that part wrong I wasn't refering to solely the hot seat mode. I mean basically....will I be able to play with RR off along with everyone else in hot seat so long as we have the same settings set...AND STILL be able not to have units missing. You answered that for me with the NW mod...thanks. But the other part of the question I meant...will I simply be able to leave RR ON during single player campaigns and have unit restrictions along the guidelines of conditions...that way I can do a bit of historic role playing while I play single player? I'm assuming for this I would just have to turn off the NW mod and click off the disable real recruitment option at the set up menu. This is correct right...I'll be able to do these things even with the NW installed but not chosen in the set up?

If you don't select Disable RR or any of the NW options, Real Recruitment will still be enabled by default. The NW mod is just a different (more effective) way of disabling Real Recruitment.

What I'm really hoping to do is set a standard SS6.3 hot seat mode allowing RR. Even though I know this isn't favored...but I think it makes for a possibly longer lasting campaign basically focusing more on economy vs rush military tactics/strategies. Cause when I hear that most Hot Seats are finished before turn 50...a part of me dies inside. However this hotseat fix you have going on will allow others who wish to host their own full range of set up options! Now I'm happy! You think my idea will work/catch on?

The SS6.3 Late Era hotseat is currently running with RR turned on.

[Swarbs]

Well. I finished up the first version, see attached. It's to be installed on top of a 6.3 install with 2.5 patches, and if successfull you'll see
Not much in there for explanation text so far but reading No Waiting for 6.3 v1.2 will tell everything and allow to give rep to the original author.

Thanks for all your help bane. Is there any chance you could turn this hotseat patch into a self installing .exe? Some of the uber technophobes in the hotseat community are having trouble getting all the options to show on the menu when copying the files manually.