H: TW - Quick Questions & Answers Thread

[Aleatorio]

Well, the zuna Merchantmen can help. And I guess you could step into hyrule´s territory and get tons of renegade soldiers.

[VictorAYorke]

Well, the zuna Merchantmen can help. And I guess you could step into hyrule´s territory and get tons of renegade soldiers.

Renegades are perhaps too weak for the Crab situation, even given the light spear they carry. Multiple ranged units volley-firing (merchantmen have the damage output, Gerudo Pirates have numbers and availability) are the best option.

[Aleatorio]

Renegades are perhaps too weak for the Crab situation, even given the light spear they carry. Multiple ranged units volley-firing (merchantmen have the damage output, Gerudo Pirates have numbers and availability) are the best option.

Indeed, he needs ranged to take then out, but he said that he has also the problem of lacking cannon fodder units as distraction as the Darknuts. That´s why he can find useful renegades and merchanment (I suspect that you have mistaken then with the zuna crossbowmen, i don´t remenber merchantmen being specially damaging, althouth I may be wrong.

[tedster1995]

Does anybody know how to get the ui working properly? It just tells me that I can't access the file. sorry if this is the wrong place to post this.

[tf_]

Does anyone have any idea what sort of logic the AI is based on when attacking? Does it just try to take what it sees as easy to take or badly defended?

I ask because as the Lizalfos, Hyrule attacked me as soon as I had finished off the Kokiri, and had just become the largest faction. This was while they were also at war with the Gorons, Zora (who had taken Kakariko), Gerudo, Lanayru and Gohma. I would have thought they had higher priorities than attacking Bando Grove because there's one unit there, despite my army being only one province away.

[VictorAYorke]

Does anyone have any idea what sort of logic the AI is based on when attacking? Does it just try to take what it sees as easy to take or badly defended?

I ask because as the Lizalfos, Hyrule attacked me as soon as I had finished off the Kokiri, and had just become the largest faction. This was while they were also at war with the Gorons, Zora (who had taken Kakariko), Gerudo, Lanayru and Gohma. I would have thought they had higher priorities than attacking Bando Grove because there's one unit there, despite my army being only one province away.

I've noticed the AI tends to favour making opportunistic attacks on lightly defended settlements, and dropping two or three units into wherever they're loitering near will possibly send them away. Right now however the AI (especially Hyrule's AI) has a serious problem with going all Operation Barbarossa on several of its neighbours even if that faction would have problems on just the one front...

[tf_]

Bit annoying when you can't reinforce 2 settlements in one turn though, and they just end up going for the weaker one. I ended up hiding my army in the woods and baiting them into attacking me where I could easily surround them.

[mcloud]

Could anyone tell me what I need to change to get the loading screens to change the background and quotes?

[fernavliz]

Does anybody know how to get the ui working properly? It just tells me that I can't access the file. sorry if this is the wrong place to post this.

I don´t know; maybe it has something to do with administrator permit to allow you to edit a file in the mod folder? (right click the folder, then properties, then security, then edit then check the box writting [I don´t have the english version of windows; same procedure but I may have misspelled])

Could anyone tell me what I need to change to get the loading screens to change the background and quotes?

I don´t know exactly, but the files that seems to have something to do with that are:
1.- For the text, look for the "quotes.txt" [backup this file AND "quotes.txt.string.bin"]. It is located in \Medieval II Total War\mods\Hyrule\data\text
2.- There are some images that are in .tga format, so you need to have a .tga editor or something. They are located in Medieval II Total War\mods\Hyrule\data\loading_screen

I hope it works

[mcloud]

Sorry fernavliz my word choice was poor. I meant I wanted the loading screens to go through the quotes and images set up for it. An example would be a quote by impa switching to a quote by ganondorf with the backgrounds swithcing with them. (hope the example helps)

[Duke Serkol]

Wouldn't that make the loading process longer?

[Teknokraatti]

To my knowledge the quotes and loading pictures aren't connected in any manner, but are independently chosen at random. Modding that may seem simple, but can actually be hard, or due to possible engine limitations, even impossible. Though it must be said, that I have never investigated these files, so I don't really know what can be done. Consider this post as semi-educated guess at best.

However, if modding these things is possible, I guess the easiest way would be to completely abandon random selection and just make it so, that everything comes in preselected order over and over again. Of course this means, that there would absolutely have to be as much quotes as there are loading pictures, or the system would begin to fail quite soon. If it could be done this way, I actually believe that it would even shorten the loading times due to less calculations to be made. The amount however is so minimal, that it could not be noticed in practice.

[Zalanum]

1.Is their a way to make the computers turn go faster in free form campaign.

2. Is auto resolve heavily biased towards some factions or units if so for what ones.

[Teknokraatti]

1: Yes, there is. Actually a couple. First, easiest and most efficient is to buy a very powerful single-core processor as the engine does not utilize additional cores at all. That however is a bit ridiculous thing to suggest. (Though more powerful computer helps without doubt, my own is not a terrible beast of a computer, but not weak either. I have never had problems with AI turn times.)

Other way is to play script surgeon. M2TW's files are nearly all modifiable. By cutting script you take away material that the computer has to process. This method however is difficult, extremely prone to cause crashes that can be hard and tedious to track, corrupts all saves currently used, and if used in wrong place, cripples both AI and human player. For example you could delete the script that enables Stalfos in their current state to gain new units. As UndyingNephalim has done quite outstanding job with this mod and scripted events and things rarely or never seen in other mods, I would be very cautious and negative to outright erase significantly great amount of code lines. Should you try, be warned that the task is enormous.

Of course, there is yet another way. Steamroll everyone so rapidly that nobody has time to build or recruit anything, which means there simply is not too much material for the computer to process. However current moving rates for units, though increased and allowing rapid campaign map movement, do not (And I'm happy that they don't) allow that. Game would be over extremely fast with no time to enjoy the campaign.

But seriously, other than upgrading or overclocking your hardware, there are no easy way to shorten your turn times.

2. Yes it is. Autoresolve basically uses a formula which gives unit some kind of, shall we say, "battle strength", based on unit class, size of the unit and unit stats, which is then compared compared to the enemy's "battle strength". Army composition should play some part too. For some reason, I don't know why, I don't even know where to look for the formula, some units of HTW are not weighted right. According to my memory (Do not rely too much on that), for example Kokiri Barricades, great Deku Tree, Gunner Barricades and some other units are heavily overweighted in the autoresolve calculations. Barricades being large units and classified as elephants might have that running for them, but that is just a guess.

There are also units that are very powerful in autoresolve, but not any less on battlefield, like Ordona horsemen, but that is another tale. I hope that helped.

[fernavliz]

About the computer turns going faster, someone (I don´t remember who) said that copying the medieval total war folder to the near c:/ will improve the performance but I have not tested it because I have the steam version of the game and I think it will cause some problems If i do that.
From [C:\Program Files (x86)\Sega\Medieval II Total War\mods\Hyrule] to [C:\Medieval II Total War\mods\Hyrule] or something like that. I don´t recommend it, it seems very risky.

have another question:
Playing as sheikah in the campaign, whats exactly the difference between shadow stand and death stand? Do it modify the alliance with hyrule? When it is convenient to change from one to another?

[VictorAYorke]

have another question:
Playing as sheikah in the campaign, whats exactly the difference between shadow stand and death stand? Do it modify the alliance with hyrule? When it is convenient to change from one to another?

the plan is for Death Stance to be playing as an active, conventional faction, with Kakariko as your capital and the ability to train not-too-shabby melee units at the first barracks level.

Shadow stance meanwhile is the stealth mode, where you own no regions but get free units every now and again out of Kakariko. In SS you have to use the free military access with Hyrule to move about the map, kill anyone who declares war on the KoH and take settlements that will default to Hyrule at the start of your next turn.

This system isn't quite working yet, though, so in SS you can capture settlements and keep them while you get no changes or advantages in DS (not even Kakariko ownership). As for Hyrule relation nothing is supposed to change, but with the AI in its current state expect the Kingdom to invade without reason, provocation or purpose sometime before turn 20...

[fernavliz]

Wow, It would be very cool to play it that way, but it is very difficult to "give" 1 settlement of your own to another faction via script; I think that´s the part that has not been possible to implement, at least for the moment. I´m going to see and try if it is possible to "fix" it (in my own way, via campaign_script). There is not a "give away that region" command or anykind near it.

[VictorAYorke]

Wow, It would be very cool to play it that way, but it is very difficult to "give" 1 settlement of your own to another faction via script; I think that´s the part that has not been possible to implement, at least for the moment. I´m going to see and try if it is possible to "fix" it (in my own way, via campaign_script). There is not a "give away that region" command or anykind near it.

I believe Neph found a way, for use with Wizzrobe's second turn, but I may be wrong.

[SirMark9]

I was investigating the special characteristics of both the Sheikah and the Wizzrobes and all I managed to obtain was just the code from campaign_script when I was looking at it previously. I believe that the Wizzrobe conversion works because I was able to take Vigjaro without angering Hyrule, so I was wondering why that works and Sheikah "gifts" in Shadow Stance doesn't.

After I was finished with my Darknut Campaign, I was going to test these unique traits further while recording my progress. For the Sheikah, I have yet to test leaving a settlement completely empty (no garrison) to see if that will allow the transfer to Hyrule. I also wished to replicate my success with the Wizzrobes with Vigjaro and test if I could take other territories by conversion.

The code for both traits seem to be present in campaign_script; the question is if they actually work. I have two segments of code in the following spoiler, one for each faction, for comparison. I hope these findings may prove to be useful.

Spoiler for Code Findings: 

Sheikah

             if I_SettlementOwner Vigjaro_Glade sheikah
                and not I_SettlementUnderSiege Vigjaro_Glade            
                set_event_counter ros_is_switching 1    
                console_command create_building Vigjaro_Glade ros_target
                console_command create_unit Vigjaro_Glade ros_Peasants 1 0 0        
                spawn_army
                    faction herooftime
                    character spA, named character, age 18, x 0, y 0, direction S
                    unit Peasants    exp 0    armour 0    weapon_lvl 0
                end    
                ;     faction_emerge herooftime sheikah 1 400.0 0.0 1.2 town true        
                kill_character spA
                campaign_wait 0.1            
                if I_NumberOfSettlements herooftime == 0
                    give_everything_to_faction herooftime sheikah false
                end_if        
                if I_NumberOfSettlements herooftime > 0            
                    if not I_SettlementOwner Vigjaro_Glade herooftime                        
                        give_everything_to_faction herooftime sheikah false            
                    end_if                        
                    if I_SettlementOwner Vigjaro_Glade herooftime                        
                        give_everything_to_faction herooftime hylian false            
                    end_if                        
                end_if            
                destroy_buildings hylian ros_target false
                destroy_buildings sheikah ros_target false
                destroy_units hylian ros_Peasants
                destroy_units sheikah ros_Peasants        
                set_event_counter ros_is_switching 0                    
            end_if

Wizzrobe

    monitor_event PreFactionTurnStart FactionType wizzrobe
        and I_CharacterTypeNearTile wizzrobe named_character 10 107, 191
        inc_event_counter wiz_vigjaro1 1


        if I_EventCounter wiz_vigjaro1 > 4    
        
            if I_SettlementOwner Vigjaro hylian
                and not I_SettlementUnderSiege Vigjaro            
                set_event_counter ros_is_switching 1    
                console_command create_building Vigjaro ros_target
                console_command create_unit Vigjaro ros_Peasants 1 0 0        
                spawn_army
                    faction herooftime
                    character spA, named character, age 18, x 0, y 0, direction S
                    unit Peasants    exp 0    armour 0    weapon_lvl 0
                end    
                ;     faction_emerge herooftime hylian 1 400.0 0.0 1.2 town true        
                kill_character spA
                campaign_wait 0.1            
                if I_NumberOfSettlements herooftime == 0
                    give_everything_to_faction herooftime hylian false
                end_if        
                if I_NumberOfSettlements herooftime > 0            
                    if not I_SettlementOwner Vigjaro herooftime                        
                        give_everything_to_faction herooftime hylian false            
                    end_if                        
                    if I_SettlementOwner Vigjaro herooftime                        
                        give_everything_to_faction herooftime slave false            
                    end_if                        
                end_if            
                destroy_buildings slave ros_target false
                destroy_buildings hylian ros_target false
                destroy_units slave ros_Peasants
                destroy_units hylian ros_Peasants        
                set_event_counter ros_is_switching 0


                set_event_counter wiz_vigjaro1 0
                            
            end_if                    
        end_if

[fernavliz]

I still don fully understand the codes, but it seems that somewhat the settlement gets the minimun possible public order then with the command "faction_emerge herooftime sheikah " it emerges a new faction and then with another code they pass everything that has that faction(herooftime) to the one you want to have. I´m working on a script that Might work but only with the sheikahs, because this faction is not required to have settlements for themselves in shadowstance.

Spoiler for Code Findings: 

Sheikah

             if I_SettlementOwner Vigjaro_Glade sheikah
                and not I_SettlementUnderSiege Vigjaro_Glade            
                set_event_counter ros_is_switching 1    
                console_command create_building Vigjaro_Glade ros_target
                console_command create_unit Vigjaro_Glade ros_Peasants 1 0 0        
                spawn_army
                    faction herooftime
                    character spA, named character, age 18, x 0, y 0, direction S
                    unit Peasants    exp 0    armour 0    weapon_lvl 0
                end    
                ;     faction_emerge herooftime sheikah 1 400.0 0.0 1.2 town true        
                kill_character spA
                campaign_wait 0.1            
                if I_NumberOfSettlements herooftime == 0
                    give_everything_to_faction herooftime sheikah false
                end_if        
                if I_NumberOfSettlements herooftime > 0            
                    if not I_SettlementOwner Vigjaro_Glade herooftime                        
                        give_everything_to_faction herooftime sheikah false            
                    end_if                        
                    if I_SettlementOwner Vigjaro_Glade herooftime                        
                        give_everything_to_faction herooftime hylian false            
                    end_if                        
                end_if            
                destroy_buildings hylian ros_target false
                destroy_buildings sheikah ros_target false
                destroy_units hylian ros_Peasants
                destroy_units sheikah ros_Peasants        
                set_event_counter ros_is_switching 0                    
            end_if

[/QUOTE]

Maybe it will work if the ";" from "; faction_emerge herooftime sheikah 1 400.0 0.0 1.2 town true " is errased. Having it there will not execute the command that will make the settlement rebel and become that intermediate faction that then will give everything to the hylian. I don´t know why is it there, maybe it causes problems?