Total Vanilla Beyond 1.5 Release

[4zumi]

Total Vanilla Beyond 1.5

! Important Notice !

• This is not a patch for Total Vanilla Beyond 1.5 it is a full mod, the changes I made were too many too keep track of in single files.
• So please delete the 1.0 Version and replace it with this one.
• Startup error solved! See below on how to delete three movies, then it should work.

Short Description

Total Vanilla Beyond is the successor of my „Total Vanilla“ mod. It is a Vanilla+ experience with the base game greatly expanded, but keeps the feeling of the vanilla experience.
It provides more factions, more units and a bigger campaign map (With Americas and to the East) with more settlements.
There are also some tweaks, features and content added.
This mod has also a focus on crusades and the knightly orders, so the possibilities for troop recruitment in the Outremer and through the knightly orders are greatly expanded.
It is not intended for more historical accuracy, so don't expect it beyond the vanilla experience.

If you look for a mod, that keeps the vanilla feeling but expands the experience, you may like it.


Mod summary/ change notes (includes the changes from 1.0 and the new 1.5 additions/changes)

New factions and faction changes

• Mongols – starting far east at Karakorum. (If the Mongols are not played by the player, they will get a huge money boost from 1218-1300. If they feel like it, they could visit europe with some stacks. (1.5 After some testing I can confirm that they grow into a superpower with doomstacks, occupying the whole east.)

Added from the kingdoms expansion as playable factions:

• Ireland – starting in ireland obviously
• Norway – starting in norway and on iceland
• Lithuania – starting as a pagan faction with the possibility to convert to catholicism with the famous „catholicism wow“ campaign
• Novgorod – starting in the old russia starting position, russland moved to kiev

New non playable factions:

• Added the Apacheans from the kingdoms expansion in north america as non playable faction, Idle until discovered
• Added the Tuareg as a non playable faction to counter egypt and moors expansion in north africa

New playable factions:

• Damascus – starting in Damascus, with a mix of egyptian and turkish units and focus on heavy infantry and an elephantastic surprise.
• Khwarazmian Empire – starting east of the caspian sea, with a mix of Middle Eastern Troops (1.5 more starting regions)
• Cumans – starting north of the caspian sea, with a mix of turkish and mongol troops.
• (1.5 - Cumans and Khwarazmians got a beauty patch applied with faction colored unit skins & skins and corrected models for the campaign map agents)

Units

• 500 Units in game (too many to keep track of and list them)
• Changed Pikemen spacing and values, should be more useful now
• Integrated units from the Kingdoms Campaign (used GUAM v6 + others that were not included in GUAM)
• Made some new units, like the Holy Sepulcher Sergeants, Berserkes, etc. (1.5 Added Knights Lazarus (Jerusalem, Acre), Constable of Antioch, Franciscan Monks (Jerusalem), removed the Mangonel)
• Changed the firing stance of every gun unit, so they wont shuffle around more range for ribault units + more ribaults
• New units for the knightly orders (dismounted knights, teutonic hochmeister, sergeants, crossbow, etc.)
• New units for the holy land, recruitable by catholic factions in the outremer training grounds, and available in special places like Jerusalem, Antioch, Edessa (Constable of Jerusalem, Knights of Antioch, Tripolitan Squires, and many more. They are replenishable troughout the Holy Land.
• Welsh Unit Rooster available in Wales by the Welsh Mercenary Building Chain. Can be replenished throughout Britannia.
• Gunpowder Units now pack a lot more punch, but are reduced in unit size.
• Dismounted mailed knights are available
• Pike and sword mercenaries are available in the new world
• (1.5 Knights of the Reconquista are now not a unique unit anymore, but only available in Iberia)
• (1.5 Reworked unit cards to match faction color, some other reworked cards (canons of the holy sepulcher,...))
• (1.5 Reworked some of the Holy Land Units replenishmet - now a bit slower/ makes them feel more valuable)
• (1.5 Reworked the replishment time for the Supply Buidling - slower as it was too much)

Events

• World is round event happens on turn one
• You can now travel to the Americas with every ship using the northern route. (1.5 now someone discovered a southern route and a western route as well)
• No Mongol invasion, as they are playable now
• Removed Timurid invasion, because the timurids are now the Cumans
• Small handcrafted movie cutscene if you have conquered half the world
• Smallpox event in the new world (1.5 removed smallpox as it had little effect)
• New event movie when apacheans get discovered
• Lithuania can converse to christendom

Script

• Debt Script for AI Factions to prevent them from going into crushing debt. If the Ai is in debtthey cant build any more armies before they are out of debt, but they can still build buildings to help them get out of debt. So they wont stay dormant, because of a negative treasury. When they get out of debt and have a positive income, they will continue as normal and get no building cost bonus.

Misc

• Added 2 new intro movies when the game starts up. Replaced the old one with them.
• Added new main menue movie (1.5 another new main menue movie (i just love making those))
• Added new loading screens
• Changed the campaign and battle interface for the european factions
• (1.5 Factions now have the appropriate sound/voices and the world is no longer plastered with brits)

Campaign Map

• Added new settlements (198 now in total)
• Expanded the Map to the east to Karakorum (a little bit squished), Americas are still there
• Added new landmasses (Iceland, Greenland) (1.5 removed Greenland)
• 3 new Trading ressources (Salt, Honey, Tar)
• There are 2 ressources in every province, they yield now more money (Some exceptions in the Americas)
• Changed some starting positions and settlements to accomodate new factions (1.5 more starting regions for the Khwarazmians, as mentioned above)
• Doubled movement range for agents and ships (1.5 movement range for armies is now roughly 1.4 times, this fits well in europe and supports the long ranges in the east. A good sideeffect is, that an crusading/jihad ai army reaches it's destination quicker. Makes for an interesting gameplay.)
• No more floods, because after they occured they prevented building of watchtowers in this region
• Slightly altered Campaign Map Ground Textures with more saturation and contrast
• Ocean Routes. Specific Routes to the americas should now be much faster, because i made water corridors
• Toned down Rebel, Heretic and Witch spawn
• Buildable Stone forts, they tend to crumble if left not garrisoned
• (1.5 rebelling captains, characters should now happen with lesser frequency (half))
• (1.5 completely reworked the americas part of the map. The landmasses are bigger now and mexico resembles now roughly its real world counterpart (one aztec settlement placement is a bit off (i know that)). Also the landmasses are now much closer to the old world, so don't be surprised if you encounter the "new world discovered" event in the first few turns, as the ai now goes there. Granted, they are not very successful but at least they try. (I may fiddle around with aztec and apachean strenght in future releases).
• (1.5 two new settlements in the americas Roanoke (I know, i know, not historical accurate but I liked the idea) and Chichen Itza.)
• (1.5 some beauty things, coastlines, climates, terrain, etc.)
• (1.5 some minor changes in settlement/ harbor placement and starting buildings/population)
• (1.5 two new landbridges (gotland, krim))
• (1.5 complete rework of the region names and some settlement names thanks to Balsiefen, who made this vor the 1.0 version and i implemented it in 1.5)
• (1.5 reduced the free upkeep slots that are available in cities and castles. Free slots as follows: 1,2,3,4,6)

Buildings

• Reduced Building Time. No Building takes longer than 5 Turn.
• (1.5 tweaked a few building times and prices for the new buildings)
• Tier 3 Roads (Highways) can now be built after the gunpowder event
• Roads slight trading boosts
• Ballista/ Cannon Towers provide a bit of Happiness
• Explorers Guild now provides Diplomats with traits (Journeyman, etc)
• Merchants Guild gives Merchants Journeyman Trait
• Theologians guild now provides a conversion bonus and gives priests journeyman traits
• Thieves Guild is now harder to get. Removed the trigger that gave all settlements Thiefes Guild points if a spy ended his turn in a foreign settlement
• Masons Guild now gets a small amount of points from unit recruited in a settlement
• Swordsmith guild now grants experience to all units created, instead of the weapon upgrade
• Woodsmen Guild now available for all factions
• New World Garrison let France, England, Spain, Portugal recruit conquistadores and cuirassers (only in america)
• New World Mission provides religious conversion and morale bonus in america
• Supply Lines – Guild and Knightly Order units now can get replenished where this is build.
• Unique Buildings (St. peters Basilika, Hagia Sophia, Kaaba, Dome of the Rock, Church of the holy sepulcher) with factionwide boni to religion and happiness
• Unique Buildings in Toledo and Damascus – provides Weapon upgrades, first local, the factionwide
• Welsh Mercenary building - supplies welsh troops
• (1.5 New Buildings St. Peters Church, Order of St. Lazarus, Custody of the Holy Land, Tower of David, Order of the Sepulcher)
• A complete new set of buildings for the non playable tuareg faction
• New Guild (Hanseatic League, Sub saharan traders, silk road traders) (Provides special units, Trade bonus) only buildable in port towns (1.5 now everywhere). You have to recruit ships to get this guild. (1.5 not anymore, merchant distance and recruitment add to the guild counter)
• Castle Market – Provides a small trade boost in castles

Knightly Orders

• The Knightly orders get a whole set of buildings. If you have a minor Chapter House in a city or castle, you can build the foot Quarters that give you access to the foot troops or other troops of the order, escpecially as the teutonic Order.
• (1.5 Dismounted knights can now only be recruited from the second building)
• It is possible to get the hospitaller and the templar order at the same time.
• Every order gives a special bonus, so it is now more viable to go for templars too.
• Example: Templar provide Morale for recruited troops.

Rebel/Mercs

• Slave/Rebel Faction Changed to Free Cities.
• Dismounted Knights (Frankish, German,...) are now available as mercs

Other Changes

• There May be other changes i can‘t recall, because i have not kept track of them In my book of grudges.

1.5 Bugfixes

• Fixed the long loading times for the campaign/saves -thanks Gigantus
• Fixed the Sound/Voices on the campaign map as stated above
• Fixed some text translations, as the mod was originally made in german (so there may be still some left)

Mods used as a base for this mod
(Much thanks for this work and effort)

Retrofit Mod by Unspoken Knight (TWCenter)
Grand unit addon mod by Calendarius (TWCenter)
Stone Forts Complete by Gigantus (TWCenter)
Dismounted Mailed Knights by Lord Condormanius (TWCenter)
G5 Settlement Tweaks v1.01 for M2TW\Kingdoms by Germanicu5 (TWCenter)
Historical Region Names (submod for Total Vanilla Beyond) by Balsiefen (TWCenter) (Thank you)
And much inspiration and help from the TW Center Forum

FAQ

No, it does not require any previous Total Vanilla releases. It is a standalone mod.
No, it's the same AI as in vanilla
No, I can't make "insert faction", I already reached the faction limit
No, it's not hardcore realism and historicaly accurate, it plays like vanilla
No, it is not comparable with Stainless Steel (hole team, many years of development), it's just me doing the modding
If you enjoy the vanilla Medieval 2 experience you should probably check this mod out
Yes I would love a cookie

Installation instructions:

Installation Steam
I only have the Steam version of this game, so this is the only installation
instruction i can give you.

1. copy the totalvanillab folder in the zip to the mods/ folder of the medieval 2
installation This is found whereever steam installs your games
2. Open up steam
3. Right click on Medieval 2
4. Open up Properties
5. In the General Tab, Click on Launch Options
6. Put this in: --features.mod=mods/totalvanillab
6a. Do not forget the "b" in totalvanillab
7. Save it, go back to steam and start up the game
8. Enjoy, it should run now

Installation CD Version
As stated above i don‘t know if this works. I have provided Two .bat files inside
the totalvanilla folder and two cfg files. But i can not confirm any of this,
because i can‘t test it.
1. copy the totalvanilla folder in the zip to the mods/ folder of the medieval 2
installation.
2. Maybe you have to manually adjust the settings in the provided cfg file,
resolution, etc to your specific settings.
3. Run one of the .Bat files and see if it works

Bugs/Known Issues

• Maybe some typos, missing unit portraits, text etc.
• Rarely a CTD, but this could be the normal Medieval 2 CTD (especially in huge siege battles) unrelated to this mod.
• For some people the mod does not load up. baselhun has found a possible solution for this, please read the posts on page 2 of the Total Vanilla Beyond 1.0 thread.
• It seems, that the entries in the totalvanilla.cfg file can lead to a startup error. Please copy your original game cfg file config lines into the total vanilla cfg file (found in the mod folder). Replace everything starting from [audio] with the lines from the original cfg file. leave the first three entries intact, save and start the game.
• Sneaky Edit: It may be possible that the startup error that gets some of you is related to the new movie files (maybe a weird codec thing). So if you experience this, please go to the data folder of the mod data/fmv/ and delete the "logos.bik", "dump0000.bik" and game_intro.bik" and try again. Let me know if that helps. This could be an explanation why some get the error and some can start up without an issue.
• Seaky Edit 2: Set the medieval2.exe into compatibility mode and admin rights, this could solve the startup error for some, if you encounter it (you may not have to delete the stated movies above, when it works). So try this first, before deleting.

If you find any bugs, missing unit portraits, descriptions, etc, please let me know. I will try to fix them.
If you run into an issue, I will do what I can to help you, if you ask.



Download Link aprox. 1.75 GB (3.8 GB unpacked)
This Version is no longer supported, please look at the "Total Vanilla 2.0 release thread
Download Patch 1.6.
This Version is no longer supported, please look at the "Total Vanilla 2.0 release thread

Change notes 1.6:

-Various minor settlement changes (starting population, buildings, etc.)
-reworked the irish rooster a bit (removed and added some units)
-some minor rooster reworks of the islamic factions, england, france
-squished some unintended bugs such as double recruitment entries in the edb or missing units in the supply building (namely knights of calatrava, etc)
-added a new unit to the order of the holy sepulcher (dismounted knights of the holy sepulcher)
-added a new unit to the lazarus order (dismounted knights of lazarus)
-some other general changes (building, recruitment, etc.) I do not remember

Installation Patch:

1. Download the patch/unpack it
2. Go to the mods/totalvanillab folder of the game installation
3. Drop the files into this folder
4. Let the new files overwrite the old ones
5. And just for good measure delete the map.rwm file in the mods/totalvanillab/data/world/maps/base folder
6. You are finished and can start the game.

7. The Hotfix 1 is no longer needed as it is included in the patch.


The patch is not savegame compatible, you will have to start a new campaign.

Let me know if something breaks.

Thanks for the attention, enjoy the mod
cheers azumi

[4zumi]

World Map and Factions



New Buildings and affiliated troops

[4zumi]

Campaign Map view after 200+ AI only turns
(taken after one of the testing runs)



Campaign Map view after 86 turns with player (Holy Roman Empire)
(As you can see Portugal has taken Yucatan and the Carribean Isles, but they will have a bad awakening as the Hungarians just contacted the Aztecs (frozen till contacted) an have awoken a giant steamroll from it's slumber. Norway took Carolina some turns ago, but got kicked out as the woke the Apachean.)



Campaign Map view after 199 turns with player (Spain)
(#1 Just rescently I visited the natives in Mexico and bought a small settlement for 200.000 Florin. Not sure if this was a good idea. #2 After an for 25 years planned invasion of Egypt with 6 elite armies, I discovered that the HRE is still going strong in Jerusalem, besides just holding Hamburg in Europe.)

[4zumi]

Reserved 3

[♔atthias♔]

I would rep you if I could
also so the only way to get weapon upgrade is conquer damascus and /or toledo?

[4zumi]

Thank you, you already gave me one

And yes your assumption is correct. Swordsmith guild and the like give bonus experience, while the weapon upgrades can only be applied by holding either Damascus or Toledo. But the Steel Manufacturer building will grant a factionwide bonus on the second tier, so you do not have to run your troops back to these places. Either way the upgraded weapon bonus is very marginal (1 point attack value), so you won't miss out too much if you do not have it. But I thought it was a neat little feature to integrate.

[Ekudar]

Edit by azumi: Hi Ekudar just moved the post to the appropriate Thread for TVB 1.0
http://www.twcenter.net/forums/showt...-Release/page4

[gbfanjoe08]

This looks really great - kind of mod I have been awaiting for MTW2. Thank you!

[gbfanjoe08]

This looks really great - kind of mod I have been awaiting for MTW2. Thank you!

[paleologos]

Well done to any and all who contributed to this!
If you want to add new stuff model and texture wise take a look at my thread Resource Works by paleologos.

[♔atthias♔]

you mod doesn't work for me
it goes to the first screen then it says MWT2 has encountered an unspecified error and will now exit

I have tried your two bat files dint work
you steam installation method also failed
a reinstal did not work also

here is the log

14:00:05.949 [system.rpt] [always] CPU: SSE214:00:05.950 [system.rpt] [always] ==== system log start, build date: Sep  5 2014 version development ===
14:00:05.954 [system.io] [always] mounted pack packs/data_0.pack
14:00:05.954 [system.io] [always] mounted pack packs/data_1.pack
14:00:05.955 [system.io] [always] mounted pack packs/data_2.pack
14:00:05.957 [system.io] [always] mounted pack packs/data_3.pack
14:00:05.958 [system.io] [always] mounted pack packs/data_4.pack
14:00:05.958 [system.io] [always] mounted pack packs/localized.pack
14:00:11.489 [script.err] [error] Script Error in mods/totalvanillab/data/export_descr_buildings.txt, at line 7193, column 261
unit(Constable of Antioch) does not match up to the ownership for faction(lithuania)
14:00:11.580 [script.err] [error] Script Error in mods/totalvanillab/data/export_descr_buildings.txt, at line 8421, column 3
Building DB error - culture db max settlement level differs from building db max settlement level for faction apachean (bdg town vs clt huge_city)
14:00:11.580 [script.err] [error] Script Error in mods/totalvanillab/data/export_descr_buildings.txt, at line 8421, column 3
Building DB error - culture db max settlement level differs from building db max settlement level for faction tuareg (bdg town vs clt huge_city)
14:00:12.511 [system.rpt] [error] Medieval 2: Total War encountered an unspecified error and will now exit.

[4zumi]

Hi atthias,

sorry to hear that.
I have looked at the log and there is one error with the constable of antioch that my be responsible but I doubt it, because it works for me.
Anyway, please apply this hotfix http://www.mediafire.com/file/co1gq9...VB_1.5_HF1.zip, just replace the txt file in the mods data folder.

If that does not work:
Have you tried the suggestions in the release notes under Bugs? Delete the mentioned movie files or replaced the content of the cfg file with the config of your original Medieval 2 (beginning from the audio part)?
Otherwise please have a look at the Total Vanilla Beyond 1.0 thread where I made several suggestions (like unpacking the original files, reloading, etc.).

I do not know where this bug comes from it's annoying not be able to help and not is not reproducable for me.

I assume you are using the steam version and using the correct command line in steam, otherwise you would not be able to get this log.
I also assume that you are starting the game with the play button in the steam menue and not with the .bat files? (The .bat files are only for the CD version, (untested, as I do not own the CD version anymore)).

I will try to help you further, but from my experience there is very little I can do if you are affected by this bug. Sorry for that.
But let me know, if some of the suggestions helped.

Edit: The other errors with the apachean building should not cause an error, it just says they are not able to build beyond a village.

Edit 2: And you have treated the 1.5 as a standalone as mentioned in the relase notes, and not merged the 1.0 with the 1.5 files. I doubt that you did that, but it never hurts to ask.

[4zumi]

@gbfanjoe08
Thanks, I hope you like it. Have fun testing it out.

@paleologos
Thank you, much appreciated. I took a quick look and and your stuff looks amazing. I will think about it for another beautify patch. If you don't mind I would contact you through pm when I find the time working further on this mod.

[♔atthias♔]

I am going to do this in very short answers but please dont take it the wrong way

patch didn't work
original files are already unpacked
dont know what you mean by reloading do you mean saves game PC or ortherwise?
correct command line yes and using the steam meune to play the game
used 1.5 as standalone yes

[4zumi]

Sure, no problem.

By reloading i meant reloading the mod, maybe there was something corrupted while downloading, but i doubt it.

If you want to take the time, we could have a short chat on skype and I can see what I can do in live support. If we succed I would write a solution here for others affected by this startup problem.
I will drop you a pm.

I will start to make a list with possible solutions, but these will be just shoots in the dark.

[♔atthias♔]

I also tried a reinstall dint help either
and I dont have skype sorry nor do I want to
will try redownloading next week or so

[4zumi]

Ha, I found the culprit,

I tried it on a laptop and ran into the same issue. Its the new movies I created. I have no idea why it works on my desktop, but then game shot itself on the laptop at startup. Specifically on the beginning of the intro movie, logos movie, menue movie.

So, all you have to do is delete these three movies. Please go to the data folder of the mod data/fmv/ finad and delete the "logos.bik", "dump0000.bik" and "game_intro.bik" and try again. This should work.
It could very well be that I made a mistake by creating those.

Why it does work on my desktop or on other users computers, I have no idea.

If you want to watch them, just open them in VLC or some other media player that supports .bik.

Cheers, and now it's time for a celebration

[♔atthias♔]

I am going to try a redownload for deleting the movies dint work
nor did trying to put back the original ones from the vanilla game fix it

[4zumi]

Ok, that is strange. I was sure that this would help.

I don't want to offend you I'm sure you did everything right, but just to make sure here a step by step of the installation in case anything went wrong (or just for other reading here too):

1. Clean installation of Medieval 2 with Kingdoms expansion
2. Download of Total Vanilla Beyond 1.5 and unpack it in the mods folder (now there should be a "totalvanillab" folder)
3. Start the normal Medieval 2 grand campaign (to make sure it works)
4. Set up the command line in Steam "--features.mod=mods/totalvanillab"
5. Download the hotfix and apply it (the absence should not cause a ctd)
6. No need to change anything in the cfg files or use the .bats to start the game, just start it through the steam play button later
7. Delete the three movie files in mods/data/fmv/ find and delete the "logos.bik", "dump0000.bik" and "game_intro.bik" (no need to replace them with the original ones)
8. Start the game with the Steam play button

Now a question. Have you looked at the log file again? Maybe now it shows something?

Can you change the cfg file in the medieval 2 root folder?
Please use this setup for the log section, as it gives more details as the normal log

[log]
#to = logs\log.txt # path and name of log
level = * trace # detailed log
#level = * error # basic log

This will help tracking the bug further.

I'm sorry for the inconvienience, I will help as much as I can.

[Ekudar]

Is there any way to set dismounted knights back to normal stack sizes? Currently if I train dismounted feudal knights I get 30, when in Vanilla they are 60. Also mounted knights give me 30 instead of 40. How can I change this back to "normal"?