The Blue & The Gray 2.6 open beta + UPDATE released

[shokh]

As you know we continuous patch up our 2.5 base.
But the next patch have interventions into core files so you get not an patch, you get an new full version.
Keep in mind this is a open beta, you can help to make it better with feedback. Basics testings are down by me (crash issues) but for balancing i need more info from users.
The beta means not that you get an half finished game. You have all in there like in 2.5 and some changes.
The base version 2.6 from this beta is tested. Additional updates need some testing but are available.

The goal was to minimize possible crashes and to improve the AI.
In this new version also the BAI is improved, we use for this darthmod`s BAI with his permission.
Killing rates are lowered for testing, because the damage now fall down on max range. This effect most milita units and others with low accuracy.
If it will be too low it will be raised again to a higher level.

For testing all forts and city fortifications are back in game. Therefore the artillery damage against buildings is raised significant to effective destroy them.

CAI changes are now not that drastic, i prefer the slower way to improve it now step by step.

-

Full changelist from 2.5 to 2.6 open beta:

• Possible mod based ctd´s in campaign should be now fixed
• CAI develop now bigger army sizes
• CAI research now army tech with high priority
• CAI recruitment priority now stronger in this way infantry > artillery > cavalry
• BAI complete overhaul
• Multiplayerfix included
• Some changes in startpos for balance issues
• Britain should now not that aggressive against Union States
• Dutch should now not terror the world, but still a bit *grin*
• Base income for major factions raised

• CSA & Union are now at War from beginning (update 1)
• CSA & Union starts now with bigger starting armies (update 1)
• Many regions starts now with upgraded buildings (update 1)
• Starting treasure for CSA & Union raised (update 1)
• Better units available at campaign start (update 1)
• CAI develop now more land units and lesser naval units (update 1)

• Fine tuning diplomacy and, aggressive level of CAI (upcoming)
• Fine tuning CAI development (armies, buildings) (upcoming)
• CAI raid behavior changes (upcoming)
• Unit re-balance to fit the new BAI (upcoming)

-

Recommend game settings:

• Campaign difficulty - hard
• Battle difficulty - hard
• Unitsize - medium
  

-

Prepare for install:
(You must uninstall ACW before you install 2.6 open beta, follow this steps)

• Delete the folders "...\data\ACW" and "...\data\campaigns\ACW" and the shortcut to ACW
• Additional delete the folder "C:\Users\yourusername\AppData\Roaming\The Creative Assembly\Empire"
• Check if your data folder now look like this: data folder vanilla ETW
• Verify now your local ETW cache with steam (instructions in 2nd post), it will load some files new
• Start ETW vanilla and ensure that all is working

Install 2.6 open beta:

• download Open beta 2.6
• extract it (use 7.zip for this download 7-zip), in there is a folder named "data"
• Place this folder into your "...\Steam\steamapps\common\empire total war" folder and click yes if you be asked to integrate it in the existing one
• Go into "...\data\ACW" and create then an shortcut on your desktop leading to the file "ACW 2.6 Launcher.exe"

If the launcher ask in the CMD field for F or D, chose D.

If your empire is not installed on C:\ or on a partition of it you must change some settings.
In this case:

• Do all like explained above
• Download then this fix: 2.6 HDD fix
  
• Replace your existing files with the fixed files in "...\data\ACW"
• Copy the user.empire_script from "...\data\ACW" into "C:\Users\yourusername\AppData\Roaming\The Creative Assembly\Empire\scripts"

-

Next improvements:

• War declarations between CSA & Union still not appear every time. The chance will be now step by step raised. Therefore you will get later a new optimized startpos. But as stated above i will do this changes carefully and need some testing time for fine tuning.

• Dutch terror still a bit but the are now less powerful. Will be also step by step fixed.

• Some adjustments to relationships overall.

• Force the AI to build even more land units and less navy.

Download base version:
( 724 MB )

The Blue & The Gray 2.6 open beta (Megaupload)
or
The Blue & The Gray 2.6 open beta (Bitshare)

and
(if you want the newest changes)

Update 1 - Download update 1
( 17 MB)
Install:

• Unzip the update with 7-zip
• Place ACW_campaign.pack into "...\data\ACW"
• Place startpos.esf into "..data\campaigns\ACW"

Be sure you will get all possible help i can give. If you have any questions please post in this thread.
Please take care that you read the full post here and the mainpost in the technical help thread before you ask for help.
There you can also ask for technical support.

Feedback is everytime welcome!

Cheers, shokh