ExRM v4.0 Open (and final) Beta

[Quinn Inuit]

Well, after more years than I'd like to think about, we're just about done with ExRM v4.0. And we can't think of a better bunch of people to help us find the last remaining bugs than you all.

This is pretty much the full game. There's a little unit art that we'd like to improve and a few building images that need to be corrected, but this is complete to the point that we were tempted to call it a release candidate.

At this point, I'm interested in minor bugs or any CTDs that appear, but there should be few enough of those that I'd like you to focus on the broader gameplay. How do you like the economy? Is the cavalry-infantry price balance correct? Is the colonization mechanic clear and well-implemented? Stuff like that. Just play it like a normal game, really. At this point, it really is just about ready to go.

Oh, and FWIW I ran it through Zeus and the EDB Validator last night and got no errors (except for the barracks names--the EDB Validator doesn't like the naming system that we use, though it functions perfectly in-game). I ran it through Squid's Script and Traits/Ancillaries Validators awhile back and didn't get any errors worth noting. A lot of the vanilla help scripts might have problems, but if you're playing a mod then you're probably not using those anyway.

Seriously, no errors. There are major released mods well past v1.0 (not RTR VII, but beyond that I won't name names) that light up the error reports like Christmas trees, but we have no reported errors in the beta.

If you find any bugs, though, please report them here: http://www.twcenter.net/forums/showthread.php?t=536691

Downloads:
ExRM final beta.zip - 758.2 MB
Mirror: http://bayfiles.com/file/8iaH/uwiQwy...final_beta.zip


P.S. The documentation is here: http://www.twcenter.net/forums/showthread.php?t=488745
If you haven't perused it before, I recommend it. We've made some major changes to gameplay, including some that may be unique to this mod.

[Carados]

Well done everyone ^__^

[Maurits]

This is great news guys, congrats on this nearly-final release of an excellent mod-series!

[Quinn Inuit]

Thanks!

[Slowpoke]

Yay! Well done!

Downloading right now. OBTW, the mirror seems to not work very well.

[Demostenes]

"Freedom at last, freedom at last, thank God Almighty, Freedom at last..."

[Slowpoke]

One small question: how does one go about installing it?

And what's with the "Models to Change" folder?

[TheBromgrev]

Playing as Macedonia. I'm confused as to which colonization building to pick. I captured Pella and want to make it my capital, but I see two colonization buildings and an autonomy building. One is named Colonization and the other is named Hellenic Colony. I'm not sure which one is the first in the building tree I want to follow.

The forests of western Gaul and Ireland have black patches near them that should probably be green.

@Slowpoke: Basically follow the directions for the old version. I made a folder named EXRM inside the folder that contains the Rome exe and put everything that was in the zip inside that folder. I had to change the launch options to -nm -show_err -mod:EXRM

[Carados]

One small question: how does one go about installing it?

And what's with the "Models to Change" folder?

I imagine you just put the folder in the main RTR directory, along with all the other mods if you have them. I would not overwrite your existing ExRM folder, you should rename that to something else and then paste the beta version in. You probably won't be able to play 3.5.3 this way but you can easily rename the folder back to ExRM and you can play it again.


As for the Models to Change folder, that's for any modeller who wants to do the changes to the models I've specified in the folder. You don't have to worry about that.

[Slowpoke]

In Alexandria, whenever I switch between the Construction and Recruitment tabs, if I then right-click on a unit the picture slot shows as blank. (EDIT: If opening the browser starting from the Construction tab)

And (as Getae) the Shrine of Kotys shows as "Shrine to a god of Kotys" if no other shrines are built.

[TheBromgrev]

Umm, was it really necessary to make the naked Gauls be so anatomically correct? I was chasing down some Galatian heavy infantry and zoomed in to watch the cavalry trample them and noticed it. Kind of funny actually, but I don't think that level of detail was necessary. I'm not offended by it, but I'm sure some stuck-up jerk will throw a fit if s/he notices.

[Slowpoke]

What do the '-nm' '-showerr' command line options do?

[Quinn Inuit]

Playing as Macedonia. I'm confused as to which colonization building to pick. I captured Pella and want to make it my capital, but I see two colonization buildings and an autonomy building. One is named Colonization and the other is named Hellenic Colony. I'm not sure which one is the first in the building tree I want to follow.

Oops, sorry. Can you follow the tree image in the building to help you? I believe you'll want "Hellenic Colony."

FWIW, I just added a faction building to Pella, since it probably deserves one. I've also made the building names clearer.

The forests of western Gaul and Ireland have black patches near them that should probably be green.

I've noticed that, but can't figure out the cause. I'll take another look.

In Alexandria, whenever I switch between the Construction and Recruitment tabs, if I then right-click on a unit the picture slot shows as blank.

That's probably a game engine bug. I wouldn't even know how to cause that if I wanted to. Is it showing as all white?

And (as Getae) the Shrine of Kotys shows as "Shrine to a god of Kotys" if no other shrines are built.

Fixed, thanks.

Umm, was it really necessary to make the naked Gauls be so anatomically correct? I was chasing down some Galatian heavy infantry and zoomed in to watch the cavalry trample them and noticed it. Kind of funny actually, but I don't think that level of detail was necessary. I'm not offended by it, but I'm sure some stuck-up jerk will throw a fit if s/he notices.

LOL. You're probably right. I should create some censored alt-textures for them and then put together a batch file to switch them out. And probably put a "Warning: Contains Naked Gauls" sign on the download.

What do the '-nm' '-showerr' command line options do?

Kills the opening movie and makes sure that the game displays an error (if it can) if it crashes.

[Slowpoke]

That's probably a game engine bug. I wouldn't even know how to cause that if I wanted to. Is it showing as all white?

Basically, open the city browser using the Construction button, switch to the Recruitment tab from within the browser then right-click on a unit to open its panel. The unit image area shows as a solid white rectangle. It happened both as the Macedons and as the Bactrians.

This is what it looks like:

[Carados]

Basically, open the city browser using the Construction button, switch to the Recruitment tab from within the browser then right-click on a unit to open its panel. The unit image area shows as a solid white rectangle. It happened both as the Macedons and as the Bactrians.

Ah, that. It's been in development for a while and we haven't figured out the cause and neither has anyone else. Other mods have similar problems but there always seems to be a subtle difference between our problems.

We'll just have to put up with it until a solution presents itself.


Oh and I'm against the removal of and even an alternate model for the Galatians. If it's such a problem for people then I wonder how a game that portrays the death of hundreds and thousands of people is okay for them. As in, it's not like it's a problem when they go for a wee wee, is it?

Should we replace the elephants with plush toys in case animal rights activists get upset with elephants dying?

Besides, they should be looking at the sexy moustache, not the lower tube

[ajb]

Just out of curiosity, those tiny bugs u speak of would any future update be save compatible. . . just wondering if i should take over the world or mess around a bit.

[Slowpoke]

How come the Ptolemies have all-Egyptian gods? Shouldn't Hellenic deities be present as well?

[Slowpoke]

Found another (large) bug: some units (Prodromoi, Akontistai, Gallic Swordsmen) don't have numbers in their description panel. The worst are the Macedonian Royal Agema who lack both numbers and an image:

[GraaEminense]

Woooooooo!

[anandus]

Yay, downloading as we speak, will try out asap.

So there are no particular things you want us to look at? Factions, lands, cities, whatever?