Difficile Ludum - Ment to make your game harder (Version 0.7.1.3 2/11/13)

[Darth Salat]

darth, didn't mean to imply the seige AI is a weakness of your mod. I believe the vanilla siege battles are just a step down from open field battles due to poor pathfinding. For example, when fighting city w/o wall battles the AI often tries to form their lines of battle around buildings as if they were in an open field and then not attack at all.

Is the GEM (graphical enhancement mod) compatible with your mod? Id like to improve the look of the game if possible and that one looks interesting.

I guess GEM is compatible. Socktu plays with it if I remember correctly.

You see, I've added a alternative version that adds flags for sieges back in?

Edit: Please welcome our newest team member...Jochem Hrabak...he will be resposnbile for unit texturing.

[Jochem Hraback]

I confirm that GEM is compatible

[AlMustansir]

Hey guys,
is there any way to make this working in a multiplayer campagne ?

[Darth Salat]

Hey guys,
is there any way to make this working in a multiplayer campagne ?

I'd say if you and your gaming partner have one and the same files it should work. But I could be wrong with that assumption.

[Darth Salat]

Damn it I'm annoyed. I got more crashes the last three hours then in any game before combined. It's obvious the new startpos.esf does not allow any editing of units. Changing numbers seems to be ok, but don't even try to delete, replace, exchange or move any of those IDs and units. CA is supposed to fire out a CK as fast as possible. I just want to improve the game for me but they won't let me...

However, a new update will be necessary. I'm starting right now...

[AlMustansir]

I'd say if you and your gaming partner have one and the same files it should work. But I could be wrong with that assumption.

We tried it ! Me playing macedon and he played rome, so we copied the needed faction packs into the data folder. The problem is, that he was getting ur modded starting gold and reduced armies, but me as the host got normal starting gold and armies. We also both tried to copy the 2 packs (rome and macedon packs) into the data folder, same result. If somebody has an idea, i would be very happy cause i only play mutliplayer campaigne with a friend of mine

Ty

[The Border Reiver]

Damn it I'm annoyed. I got more crashes the last three hours then in any game before combined. It's obvious the new startpos.esf does not allow any editing of units.

You are right Darth, I am also getting ctd's. I have removed your startpos from the Rome Pack and am running from the default found in the campaign folder at the moment to test.

I have a suggestion to help with AI pathfinding and human exploit on the campaign map. I have increased the movement allowance for spies and generals to give the AI extra ability to attak, whilst I have reduced the vision of spies to 4 so that when the human player sends a spy to scout, he can't see everything that is happening across an entire province.

[Darth Salat]

You are right Darth, I am also getting ctd's. I have removed your startpos from the Rome Pack and am running from the default found in the campaign folder at the moment to test.

Yes, editing units will have to be postboned until I figured what's the culprit. I've already found a new way to fix this flaw. For example, AI now has turn based research, unit, money, food and squalor reduction bonus. they'll also get +1 experience units whenever recruiting new personal. I'm thinking about other solutions.

Btw. could you at least make the Seleucids playable? Including icons, text and balanced economy/troops etc.? I'd appreciate if you could get this done to Friday.

@all

VOTE the Poll!!!

[The Border Reiver]

Sure can Darth, I will send you the file tonight. Which startpos would you like me to use? Shall I just use the vanilla default? All the features you mentioned have already been included by CA, however the script also needs to be altered to point the camera at the capita province, I'll use yours.

[auboy]

Lots of great new changes! Would it be possible to show the changes in the changelog separately with each different pack? Its getting hard to keep up with everything all together in one log. For example:

Core Changes
Graphic Changes
UI Changes
Battle Changes

Edit: Ah nevermind I see you have done that in the description box!

[Darth Salat]

Sure can Darth, I will send you the file tonight. Which startpos would you like me to use? Shall I just use the vanilla default? All the features you mentioned have already been included by CA, however the script also needs to be altered to point the camera at the capita province, I'll use yours.

Yes please, use the vanilla startpos.esf (Beta4). Name the package DL_Seleucid.pack. I'm going to do the rest. And please, could you add a description what you were doing, I'll want to try my luck again with adding new factions. Basically I want to unlock 1 and document it for you, so you can do your job...

And btw. is there any other faction with leftovers from CA?

[kmcwilli]

Just had my first realm divide (ie senate rebellion) and it just seems so contrived. 12 or so random armies just pop up out of nowhere while i control 29% of the senate i think. There were no warning signs, no pop ups at the beginning of a turn saying "your losing control of the senate" or anything. I had hit the 3rd level of imperium a few turns earlier.

Is there anything you can do with the civil wars? It would be so cool if the legions with generals from other families rebelled with some of the provinces as well if there was a governor system involved where you appointed family members to be governors of provinces or regions. So it would be your family against the two other families and the "other families" could side with either faction based on some other factor such as current gravitas being > X. You might say this type of system could be exploited by the player because they would only appoint their own people to general and governor status but a well made political system could limit this (possibly by triggering a civil war if more than 50% of provinces/regions/legions are controlled by players faction or a family tree which didnt allow limitless random spawned family members). If your faction overthrew the other families and the senate then your faction leader would become an emperor. If you lost then you would continue to be a republic until the next rebellion happened.

I just see so much potential here for immersion, its sad that there was so little thought put into this feature. The lack of a family tree and an understandable/interesting political system doesn't help either. Im sure there is not much you can do here Darth due to lack of tools/time etc but anything would be an improvement.

still enjoying my 0.6 build, havent upgraded to patch 4 yet due to this campaign im still going with. Whats going on behind the scenes with the next update?

[Garensterz]

But I would suggest that boosting the testudo shields a bit more?


It shall be done. Already had that thought myself.

Darth, any updates for the shields?

[Darth Salat]

Darth, any updates for the shields?

It's in the making.

still enjoying my 0.6 build, havent upgraded to patch 4 yet due to this campaign im still going with. Whats going on behind the scenes with the next update?

Weekend.

[Darth Salat]

So I'm making good progress on the UI section of the mod. I've also implemented some primarly faction related new features and rebalanced others. Most importantly I found a new way to make the game more dificult for the player faction. I did found the variable that defines which rank a unit starts with, and so basically every unit of the players major threat has its units ranks increased. I also increased garrison sizes which should make conquering a city much more difficult and, in theory, also produce more land battles. Finally I reduced the players starting money to 0 and removed an general income from 2500 to 0. This basically means for the player faction to start withoout any decent finances at all, and it will take some time, in which the player is very vulnerable to enemies, to build the economy to get money. You can'T even afford new troops and in some cases even have to disband some, in order not to get into red numbers.

On a second note I'd like to inform anyone that I have to fire my complete modding team...again...not a single portion of this mod has been made by anyone but myself, so why should I keep a team which is not producing anything?

@Garensterz

About the testudo boost and adding defensive testudo to earlie Roman units. I did a test and I think testudo is already overpowered like it is, specially if you take into considaration that I lowered ranged weapon damage by 10%. Also, adding defensive testudo to earlie units is counter productive to the mods philosophie. I want you to value higher tier units with new abilities, making erarlie tier units overpowered is not necessarily what I want.

[Garensterz]

@Garensterz

About the testudo boost and adding defensive testudo to earlie Roman units. I did a test and I think testudo is already overpowered like it is, specially if you take into considaration that I lowered ranged weapon damage by 10%. Also, adding defensive testudo to earlie units is counter productive to the mods philosophie. I want you to value higher tier units with new abilities, making erarlie tier units overpowered is not necessarily what I want.

Forget about the testudos, Its just annoying when slingers are stornger than arrows and wipes out half of your units. But do what you have to do to make the game harder. I tried your latest update and for the first time I was enjoying playing Rome 2. After defeating the Estrucsan leage I got a hard time Defeating Insurbes Which is just a minor faction. The AI now recruits expensive units also recruits full stack each army, 3 of my armies just got crushed when I was going through their capital city.

Keep up the Good Work , Cant wait for the next update.

[Darth Salat]

Ok, so the new version is live. As always, make sure to start a new game and get prepared for a really dificult experience. I need your strong feedback on this version, I might have balanced it to hard...for you......it's perfectly fine for me though... However, here's the changelog:

New version Beta_0.7: Huge update. Added colored unit cards back in, see FAQ for what exactly the colors do. This is the first prelude for the upcoming UI overhaul. The whole 0.7 series of pacthes will

relate to customize the UI in general. Sure, there will be updates for the AI and other stuff as well, but focus lies on the UI for now. You will notice that the 0.7 has some significant Campaign AI

improvements and the Battle AI more balanced and enjoyable. Also, this, in my humble opinion, is the first version really deserving the name Difficile Ludum. I've always tried to create a game being so

difficult it makes you tearing your hair out. The 0.7 for the first time will exactly achieve that. This is achieved via a much more difficult start for the player. You will start at an absolute 0, and in

some cases you are even forced to disband units or similar to get more money. This will render you very vulnerable to enemy attacks in the beginning stages of the game. For example, playing as Rome you will

start with a income minus and your money zeroed. So your first thought is about how to get your financial situation into plus. I recommend disbanding some units, specially generals and admirals are useless

if you can't afford the money to upkeep them. Ok, here's the changelog:

Changelog from previous version:

- Udated to Patch 4
- Finally fixed the battle camera going into ground (0.5 to 0.8)
- Removed all unit edits inside startpos.esf due to causing frequent end turn crashes
- Fixed diplomatics being way to easy from last version, roleplay is still possible though
- Raised armor and shield by another 10% and lowered attack by another 10% to lengthen battles
- Fine tuning to the whole battle AI system, putting hands on singular units based on how they felt in game
- Fixed missing chages to overpowered Roman units, they should be now as "bad" as before version 0.6
- Fixed Etruscans not getting the turned based money, food, research and unit bonus (Roman faction pack)
- Raised food and squalor bonuses for the AI ontop of the previous given bonuses to prevent hunger and squalor for the AI
- Fine tuned morale system in Battles, weavering does finally celebrate its return
- Fixed monthly money income for diverse factions not working (Faction packs)
- Again slightly increased ship replenish when in friendly ports (2 to 4)
- Reintroduced general lower upkeep and cost for mercenarys to make them more attractive for the AI
- All major threats to the player faction now have increased unit ranks when starting a new game (only field units yet, garrisons may be added later)
- Lowered general income from 2500 to 0 for all factions and increased the faction money surplus inside the faction packs to the same number, this will render the player without any money at start
- Added missing start capital boost for all major factions except player faction
- Fixed doubled faction income for african, arabian and britannic tribes
- Experimental: found an entry inside the campaign variables that allows reducing population with every recruited unit...I've set it to 50
- Increased garrisons in citys for all major factions except player
- Significant changes to how the AI composes armys, builds and researches
- Siginificant changes to CAI to let them act more aggressive
- Added various bonuses ontop the already implemented research, economy, unit, trade and taxes bonuses for all factions except player

And the downloadlink:

http://www.mediafire.com/download/a9...e_Ludum_0.7.7z

Also, since I'm all alone for now I can't present you any more screenshots and review material. But this will taken care of, because I'm on vacancy the next two weeks.

And btw...

Vote the Poll!!!

[Jochem Hraback]

On a second note I'd like to inform anyone that I have to fire my complete modding team...again...not a single portion of this mod has been made by anyone but myself, so why should I keep a team which is not producing anything?

You have a funny way to communicate with people who work with you...Good luck with your mod...

[The Border Reiver]

You have a funny way to communicate with people who work with you...Good luck with your mod...

I agree, good luck with your mod.

[Garensterz]

Ok, so the new version is live. As always, make sure to start a new game and get prepared for a really dificult experience. I need your strong feedback on this version, I might have balanced it to hard...for you......it's perfectly fine for me though... However, here's the changelog:Vote the Poll!!!

Will this work with the vanilla startpos?

Edit: Is this compatible to special abilities removed mod?