Disable Unit Upgrades - keep your lower tier units, add more unit variety

[thehiddenedge]

Disable Unit Upgrades

Description

When I first bought Attila I was quickly frustrated by the unit upgrade system. Sure, new units are nice and shiny, but sometimes what you need is a cheap, cost effective unit. That is why I made this mod. This mod disables the unit upgrade system for all land units in the game. Units now unlock for recruitment after the correct technology has been researched instead of replacing older units. What it does not disable is upgrading for General units, naval units, and garrisons. These units retain the vanilla upgrade system which I felt was ideal. Technology unit unlock descriptions are now listed under the technology description in game; the white text under the technology name. This is hopefully temporary until I can find a better system.

This is my first published mod, so if there are any problems just let me know and I'll see if I can fix them.



Compatibility

This should technically be compatible with most mods out there. The only exception I can think of being those which make changes to unit values such as battle mods. They will work but some units will retain vanilla values. This is because I was forced to make a number of clone units(77) in order for the mod to function properly. If you would like me to make a compatible version for a mod just let me know. Any modders wishing to make compatible versions for their mods are more than welcome to, just let me know and I'll put a link to it on this page.


Download

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

Disable_unit_upgrades.rar

[thehiddenedge]

I can't edit my post so...


Vanilla version
http://www.mediafire.com/download/8d...t_upgrades.rar


Compatible with Umbra et Provacatus
http://www.mediafire.com/download/jw...provacatus.rar

[r3dshift]

What's up with you posting someone else's work?

[thehiddenedge]

I can assure you I made this myself over about a week. I'm not sure who you are referring to, but it could be possible that we made similar mods with the same purpose, but I doubt they work the same way.

[r3dshift]

I am of course referring to this mod by Mephalamos: http://www.twcenter.net/forums/showt...acement-System

Even the mod description is hauntingly similar, and the idea is clearly identical. If you used his mod, you should definitely give him credits.

[Rasic]

Yes, similar idea, but people have been asking for this since release so it's not outlandish to think more than one would attempt it. Anyway, I prefer this as it doesn't have any minor changes in addition. Could you possibly do a Radious compatible version?

[thehiddenedge]

I was indeed aware of what Mephalamos is doing. It is one approach to the problem. An approach I didn't agree with. One that another user may have unknowingly implemented in their own mod, but that isn't my concern. I on the other hand, used a completely different system in my mod.

In my mod, units get unlocked when you research technologies.

In Mephalamos's mod, units are assigned to buildings. When you build an new building, new units get unlocked. This is just a guess from reading his description. As you may not have noticed Mephalamos has yet to release his mod. Therefore how you think I copied his work is a strange idea.

Nevertheless, we use two different approaches to the same problem. Therefore, I did not post someone else's work.

[thehiddenedge]

Yes, similar idea, but people have been asking for this since release so it's not outlandish to think more than one would attempt it. Anyway, I prefer this as it doesn't have any minor changes in addition. Could you possibly do a Radious compatible version?

Yeah no problem, let me just look at the Radious mod file and see what I have to add.

[r3dshift]

I was indeed aware of what Mephalamos is doing. It is one approach to the problem. An approach I didn't agree with. One that another user may have unknowingly implemented in their own mod, but that isn't my concern. I on the other hand, used a completely different system in my mod.

In my mod, units get unlocked when you research technologies.

In Mephalamos's mod, units are assigned to buildings. When you build an new building, new units get unlocked. This is just a guess from reading his description. As you may not have noticed Mephalamos has yet to release his mod. Therefore how you think I copied his work is a strange idea.

Nevertheless, we use two different approaches to the same problem. Therefore, I did not post someone else's work.

Justification accepted, prosecution rests. :-)

I'll be keeping an eye on your mod, then, and once you have sorted out that minor snag with the white text and found a solution to make it work with battle mods, I'll give it a try.

[diegodmf]

Oh nice! Thanks

[DIABLONL]

Works like a charm!

[MattyBold]

When checking the garrison list on hostile city it shows every unit that was ever in there, eg. Sagittarius x2 armored Sagittarius x 2. wheen it only has the armored Sagittarius. kinda makes it a little confusing to work out what you'l be fighting.

Good mod non the less

Thx

[thehiddenedge]

When checking the garrison list on hostile city it shows every unit that was ever in there, eg. Sagittarius x2 armored Sagittarius x 2. wheen it only has the armored Sagittarius. kinda makes it a little confusing to work out what you'l be fighting.

Good mod non the less

Thx

That could be problematic, let me look into it.

[masterofseppuku]

thehiddenedge- Great work on your mod! I have been working on something similar, but you beat me to the punch. I took a very different approach to meet the similar goals. Have a look at it. It works outs to be a lot lighter. I'm going to start a new thread for it since my results are different enough and it has its own advantages.

_Upgrade_without_replacement.zip

[thehiddenedge]

nice work masterofseppuku, that's so much simpler. I remember I tried something similar to that originally, but I must have screwed something up and couldn't get it to work so I gave up on it. So hats off to you. It's a fine piece of work, but I couldn't help but notice it still has that compatibility issue with the main_units table, although from what I can tell that really can't be helped.

One thing you might want to keep in mind is that in your mod you don't need copies of the units that don't get upgraded or the fully upgraded units, since they don't ever get replaced. for example att_est_paighan_band or att_des_shawia_guard. The only units you need are the ones in the unit column of the technology_unit_upgrades table, not the ones in the target_unit column. That should help you trim off a lot of the weight and make it easier for making compatible versions with other mods.


The only other idea I came up with was to use some sort of script that effects the way the technology_unit_upgrades table works, but I have to figure out CA's naming conventions first. There either isn't one or it's really well hidden.

[masterofseppuku]

Thanks. As you said the main_units table is the main point where there can be compatibility issues with other mods that change vanilla units. Luckily the main_units table doesn't contain most of the unit balance stats. Most notably it has the cost and upkeep stats.

I made copies of all the units so that I can quickly copy/pasta any balance changes from CA patches.

Originally I was using technology_unit_upgrades to unlock the units. It worked fairly well, but it was more work. From my testing, the table works in reverse from what I had expected.

I had assumed that it checked that you had the technology and the starter unit and then replaced it with the upgrade, but that was not the case. It seems to check the "target_unit" first and then changes to the "unit" if the tech is not present.

I got it to unlock units by putting the unit I wanted to unlock in the "target unit" column and a dummy unit (a unit that could not be recruited) in the "unit" column.

The unit_required_technology_junctions_table was more straightforward so I used it instead, but It comes with its own headaches as I am sure you have come to know. (unique unit copies for each barbarians factions unique technology name makes my head hurt)

I am not sure if that helps. I also don't know if what I am saying makes much sense. I am sure that it doesn't make sense to someone who hasn't been screwing around with these tables.

[thehiddenedge]

nah, I get exactly what you mean. At first I thought it was going to be relatively simple then I realized what a pain the unit_required_technology_junctions table was. Which is a pity, if it were simply a logical OR operation instead of an AND operation there would be no need for the barbarian duplicate units.

I'm still convinced scripting is the way to go with this, if only I could figure out how

[masterofseppuku]

Best of luck with that. The extent of my skills comes to copy/pasta I am afraid.

[Lannes1]

I cannot start the game since the patch a couple of hours ago. I have tried to start it three ways, 1) the modmanager, 2) without the mod manager but with the mods ticked on at the game's launcher, 3) just with the launcher alone. No luck.
It means what? that I have to delete my campaign, delete the mods, reinstall the mods, restart my campaign?
Or do the battle mods need updating?

[ziodaddy888]

this mods need to be updating