Total Vanilla Beyond 2.0 Release

[4zumi]

Total Vanilla Beyond 2.2 beta#1

Good news everyone,

yesterday I assembled a beta of the latest developer version of this mod.
I wanted to share that with the people, that experience some trouble with crashes, or the adventurous ones, that like testing new versions.

This is not a patch! It contains the whole mod (including every patch, hotfix, content update). No need to download anything else!
Please delete the old totalvanillab folder in you game and replace it with this one.
(When you are in the main menue, ignore the existing savegames, those are mine and will most likely crash, when used)

This beta is only tested for a short 32 turn (click on next turn - ok no crash - click in next turn - ok, no crash - click on....)
I experienced no crash, but you have been warned.

As I focus now on getting the next version of this mod up and running. I will have little to no time to fix issues with the existing 2.1 version. If issues with the 2.1 version arise, I will include the fixes in the next major update. This means no hotfixes until then as this seriously disturbs the workflow, when I have to concentrate on 2 versions. So still feel free to post any trouble you have with the 2.1 version.

With that out of the way one last word, before I get to the changes.
First: To reduce the likelyhood of bug induced by compression of the mod in a zip file. I decided to zip the mod uncompressed. This means the download file inflated to 4GB.
Second: Every major update will now get a full download (meaning, if 2.3 comes around it will be a full download, 2.4 full download, etc.). Because I do not trust myself to catch every file i changed, added, deleted, in the modding process for a new version and putting this in a patch file. This may be inconvenient for those of you, who have a not so good internet connection (Sorry about that, as well as the inflated size), but it will spare me a major headache figuring out where the roots for a bug could lie.
Third: This is a beta (although I think a very stable one). That means it is subject to changes and still in testing. Please keep this in mind.

Now to something completely different - the shiny new things

The Aztecs are playable (and have their own building chains and can recruit mercenary ships) - The Kwarzemimimimi are gone from the choose your faction screen at the moment, because I did not come around to update that
Gunpowder units got halfed in size - but are now very (very) deadly. The reasoning is simple. You can now put a single double line gunpowder unit in front of a single 4 or 3 men deep formation of pikes.
Some changes to the campaign map - Cliffs, etc
Changes to the boni of the knightly orders
New unique buildings: Ulfberht & Ingelri (Aachen) and Massiglia (Milan). Those are capeable of ugrading weapons localy and globaly. Like Toledo or Damascus.
Some minor things

Download
http://www.mediafire.com/file/f1tcg2...2_beta%231.zip

Thanks for you attention and have fun on your campaign.

[myways]

4zumi your the man ), Looking forward to play this, thanks for all your efforts, all the way from new Zealand.

[4zumi]

Thanks.
Have fun on your campaign.
All the way from the HRE

PS: I just send you a pm to check your startup problems.

[myways]

@4zumi Everything is all go, thanks for the help buddy

[KasierStahl]

@4zumi

I am going to wait until this update is a alpha and all the kinks are dealt with. So far on the current version I am on, I can play the game seamlessly for 6 hours straight, no crashes during that time, I am already up to year 1258, got 51 provinces under my belt, and at war with Milan, Byzantium and the Armenians.

Side note, I am wondering what are the new bonuses for the knightly orders? Mind if you spoil that info for me?XD

[4zumi]

@kasier
Good to hear.
So the Kwarzemimimi experimental hotfix did help?

The bonus rework is nothing major.
I changes the religious conversion bonus to an amplifiy conversion effect.
Templars can now recruit a merchant.
Hospitaller got a small growth bonus
Santiago got a small recruits experience bonus.

But it is all still in the works and subject to change.

Edit: Oh, and Portugal gets a new knightly order unt (Knights of Avis) in an upcoming version.

[KasierStahl]

@4zumi

I think so, the hotfix might have fixed the issue?

And I await to try out the newer version when it's fleshed out and alpha tested :3

[4zumi]

Good news everyone,

a short update on the modding progress.

The Apacheans are now playable, have their own building tree and got some more units (therefore some units had to go: syrian militia, and three welsh units.)

A new beta with the Apachean included will be available soon for download.

Until then, have fun on your campaign.

[KasierStahl]

@4zumi

Hey I wanted to ask how do you export buildings and make buildings in the game? Can you give me an idea or advise?

[4zumi]

Sure,
have a look at the modding section of the forum. There are many useful tutorials like this.

http://www.twcenter.net/forums/showt...-New-Buildings

From there you can start, once you get the idea how the building system works.

Edit: Oh, and you can google after "medieval 2 import buildings", the search should give you some results to either tutorials or forum posts.
With a little bit of googlefu you can find almost anything modding related to medieval 2, because many people wrote so much about it.

[KasierStahl]

@4zumi

Thanks, and I'll try to figure it out, it looks complex and I'm afraid to mess it up.

And I look forward when you have the alpha version of the new update for the mod :3

[4zumi]

1. Make backups of all files you alter, or you will suffer greatly
2. Make backups of all files you alter, or you will suffer greatly
3. Make backups... i think thats enough, you get it...
4. One step at a time. Change a little thing, test it, change another, test it,...
I do not always keep this rule myself. If you feel confident you can do that too. But keep in mind, that if there is an error, you will have to backtrack everthing you have done, if it is not clear from the log file wherein the error lies.
5. You will make mistakes, thats part of it, and you will learn from them. (Don't be afraid to mess up. it's not as if you are starting WW3 when you mess up...)
6. Read as much as you can about the part of modding you want to do (Tutorials are very helpful) (I started sometimes in 2016 with the whole full blown modding of MTW2, Forums and posts from other modders where a great help. If you can not figure it out on your own or by reading, ask here in the Mod Workshop, there are some great people able to help you most of the time.
7. Be aware of the hardcoded limits of this game (500 units cap, 31 factions cap, buildings cap, etc...) You will find this info in the mod workshop
8. Do not forget to make backups
9. You will get better over time or you will realize modding is not your cup of tea.

[KasierStahl]

@azumi

One more question I have for you?

Say I download the current version of your mod, and extract all the things, can I copy paste it to my current folder of the mod and overwrite the files, or do I need to replace the old one with the new one entirely?

[4zumi]

It is best to replace it entirely.
Because overwriting does not take into account deleted files from the mod and would let you stranded with those to maybe cause trouble.

[KasierStahl]

Alrighty, thanks, like I said still new to mods and how to use them.

If I run into any problems trying to run it, I'll let you know.

[KasierStahl]

@4zumi

So I downloaded and got the new update running, and I wanted to ask are you making Malta a possible spot to have a city or castle? Cause that would be awesome :O

I'd prefer the isle of malta starting off as a castle on an island :3

[KasierStahl]

@4zumi

So I downloaded and got the new update running, and I wanted to ask are you making Malta a possible spot to have a city or castle? Cause that would be awesome :O

I'd prefer the isle of malta starting off as a castle on an island :3

[horusaximand]

i did have a problem once that was linked to the rebels or free cities in one game which was i was at constantinople which i conquered and basically at the end of the turn my public order was too low and Constantinople rebelled. This actually cause the game to crash but i went back to save point and increased the public order so they didnt rebel. i think that was the only crash for a whole game which i definately got the black death so thats quite a few turns. May sound stupid but have you maybe either took a city and it rebelled or it may be even just seeing something like that with a spy but most of the game has been fine to play ive had other crashes but if i go back to a save it would be fine. I've actually started playing rome 2 total war again for a bit after watching Brittania lol. But the new patch looks pretty awesome azumi. Would it be tough to put maybe a chain of buildings in for brewery but make the bohemian brewery an additional upgrade only in prague? Like the muslims have a racing track it would be a unique building for catholics and orthodox

[4zumi]

@kasier
Sadly a new settlement on Malta is not possible without deleting another one (settlement limit).
Otherwise Malta would have a castle, like in a previous version of this mod.

@horus
I had a city rebell on my and it went fine without a crash. If you have the savegame still left it would be interesting if the log shows anything, when the game crashes.
It might be a rebell unit specific for the greeks, that can not properly created. Or just a random bug.
Making a brewery chain of buildings would be possible, i might consider it, but do not get you hopes up too high.

[4zumi]

Good news everyone,

a new beta version 2.4 will be ready tomorrow.

On the way, I squashed a few bug.
-The reinforcement battle UI bug
-Medina has now a port
-some other small things

And some minor changes got integrated as well
-The UI got a little overhaul
-some building balance things
-some marginal unit balance things
-minor campaign map changes
-and more

I tested it in my Milan campaign until turn 130 or so. No crashes found.
Until every kingdom, their cousin and their mothers mother friend decided to declare war on me.

Stay tuned