Steam and Mods

[Kyoh]

Ok, so I downloaded my copy of MTW2 via Steam. I've recently installed the Ultimate AI v1.3 mod, but here's the hitch: When I try to run the batch file I get "Error: Failed to find Steam". And this isnt just for Ultimate AI, it's for any batch file I got my hands on. Anyone know how to fix this?

[parallax7d]

Yup, just open steam to the "My Games" area. Right click on Medieval 2: Total War and click "Properties". Click on launch options. Paste in there whatever you find in your mods batch file launcher. For instance, @bugfixmod.cfg

Next time you launch the game (from steam) it will run whatever mod you have it set to launch. If you want to play vanilla, remove whatever launch options you put there.

By the way, the M2:TW directory is here:
C:\Program Files\Steam\steamapps\common\medieval ii total war

Most mods should install a modname.bat file in there, if you told the mod to install into that directory (which you should have). By opening up that .bat file in wordpad/notepad you can see what you have to paste into the launch options in steam.

Also, you might want to disable patching of the game in steam, as it will automatically patch your game without telling you, and can mess up mods.

You can tell what version of the game you are running (1.1 is the current version, with 1.2 coming out soon) by opening up the game, and clicking on options. It will tell you the version number in the top right corner.

If a moderator could sticky this to the Technical Help section all of us Steam users would be greatful. It's very frustrating when 100% of modders assume you are using a store bought version as we can't run any mods without spending hours figuring this stuff out for ourselves.

[Trajan]

No problem parallax7d. I hope this thread helps solve future problems with Steam and mods. I also changed the thread title to make it clear on what this thread is all about.

[Vonhagen]

Thanks for the fix, looks like this works for any/all mods.

[Thanatos]

Um. I'm having troubles here!

I tried it with the Xenophonia mod. I opened up the Launch Xenophonia.bat in WordPad, and copy/pasted it into the launch options. I then tried to run the game.

After a minute, the computer told me I didn't have access rights to a virtual address "blah blah and so and so". Then it killed Steam.

What now? I REALLY want to use my mods!

[Guevara]

Thanks for the post

[gnosis]

First, Thanks parallax7d! Great and easy to follow explanation.

Um. I'm having troubles here!

I tried it with the Xenophonia mod. I opened up the Launch Xenophonia.bat in WordPad, and copy/pasted it into the launch options. I then tried to run the game.

After a minute, the computer told me I didn't have access rights to a virtual address "blah blah and so and so". Then it killed Steam.

What now? I REALLY want to use my mods!

What is included in the bat file for Xenophonia? Maybe I'm misunderstanding you but you don't need to copy everything out.

For example, if it just says;

Medieval.exe @Xenophonia.cfg

All you need to copy into the launch parameter of Steam is the '@Xenophonia.cfg'

If it says;

Medieval.exe io.file_first

You simply need to add the 'io.file_first' to your launch parameters.

These can also be used together by combining the two (if you use two mods that have different parameters);
'io.file_first @Xenophonia.cfg'

If you have multiple mods that reference a cfg file you will have to create your own 'MyMod' folder, instructions on this can be found below.

You can also check out this thread
Still having issues? look here

[nicolaswille]

Hello everyone, im now having problems back again this tutorial isnt working for Kingdoms, please if someone could find anything... i mean anything i would appreciate

Im now hellping making Das Reich mod, i wont be able to run it unless i get this fixed

[Exodus18]

I'm having trubble with Stainless Steel. I tried to put "@Stainless_Steel.cfg" in the Launch Options. But all it does is bring up the M2TW Launcher and when I press play all it does is start regular M2TW. Its so frustrating cause I've been up for 5 hours trying to figure this out......I have a headache now.

[nicolaswille]

In the regular medieval II you can play any mod you like this waht you have to do go to where your M2TW is installed.

Then go to medieval.preference.cfg open it and in the bottom type:
[features]
mod = (where your mod folder is located)

Example:
[features]
mod = mods/stainlessteel

then just Save and quit.

I recommend you do this:
once you did that go back to medieval.preference.cfg and right click on it and click on properties, select only reading, lecture or something like that (my windows isnt in english...)

once you have done that just go to the launcher click medieval II and play, its done. if you want to return to normal medieval just take off only lectre, reading and erase:
[features]
mod = bla,bla bla

As far as i know this only works in the normal M2TW since kingdoms doesnt have a preferece.cfg
Even thought there is still another way which is a hell of a challenge but there is a way for kingdoms

[Bernardo II]

I'm having a Steam problem as well, but its not exactly like those ones. I can't even install the Retrofit mod because it says it doesnt detect a valid copy of Kingdoms and I have Kingdoms through Steam. Though I have the box version of Medival Total War 2. Any help would be appreciated.

[Bernardo II]

Bump. Just realized this was off the first page. Sorry if this isnt allowed or something, its just a real frustrating dillema.

[khomotso]

I'm having the Stainless Steel problem, too. But it looks to me that I need to change the launch options in Steam to read:

@mods\Stainless_Steel\Stainless_Steel_Kingdoms.cfg

... and this seems to launch the mod appropriately ... up until it hangs my computer and I have to do a hard reboot.

Any other steam users with SS out there?

[chanw4]

I'm having the Stainless Steel problem, too. But it looks to me that I need to change the launch options in Steam to read:

@mods\Stainless_Steel\Stainless_Steel_Kingdoms.cfg

... and this seems to launch the mod appropriately ... up until it hangs my computer and I have to do a hard reboot.

Any other steam users with SS out there?

http://www.twcenter.net/forums/showthread.php?t=126901

read post #18 and #25, this will teach you how to launch SS through the kingdoms launcher, it require you to touch the registry and if you feel uncomforatable, there is another method in that post. It will ask you to install the retrofit mods, then delete the mods\retrofit folder and rename the Stainless_Steel folder to retrofit, i think you might need to rename the cfg file as well. You might find out already tho

[Snizel]

I got SS 5.1 to load on steam without having to edit any registry settings.

It originally didn't work until i changed the SS bat file to an exe file. All i did was change Stainless_Steel_Kingdoms.bat to Stainless_Steel_Kingdoms.exe in the directory. I then went into steam and added the exe as a shortcut. I renamed the target from "C:\Program Files\SEGA\Medieval II Total War\mods\Stainless_Steel\Stainless_Steel_Kingdoms.exe"
to "C:\Program Files\SEGA\Medieval II Total War\mods\Stainless_Steel\Stainless_Steel_Kingdoms.bat"
then i loaded the game and it worked.

I bought my copy of M2TW from a store so just change the first part of my pasted target to the steam directory e.g for target:

"C:\Program Files\Steam\steamapps\username\Medieval II Total War\mods\Stainless_Steel\Stainless_Steel_Kingdoms.exe"

Change exe to bat.

Don't know if this was a one off fluke for me or i tricked steam into loading SS. I'm posting this for those who can't get SS to work at all through steam and will try anything. Let me know if this works

[Torio]

My workaround for Stainless Steel... I installed all the Stainless Steel files in my Britania folder after making a back up of the original.

I select Britania campaign in the Steam launcher to run SS now.

[nicolaswille]

I now know how to make launchers

so if any one of you Steam or no steam users want a launcher send me:

The path were the mod is: example- mods/SS/
The config file: forexample medieval.preferece

and for the last opcional tell me what should i put as the name of the launcher

Send me a private message im sure ill receive it

[[G-Shock]]

Wanted to add my experience with steam.
First of all, Kingdoms comes with 1.5 patch so the issue with m2tw not being patched is just related to m2tw not to kingdoms...hence whoever has kingdoms on steam can play all mods, because they are patched to the latest version.

I tackled the DLV mod (5.74) in the following manner:

I took the entire DLV ext install folder and put it under the "crusades" campaign folder.
I added the shortcut @DLV_ext.cfg to the launcher.
I launched the game...the launcher comes up and i select crusades...that's the DLV game.

I don't know if it's normal but custom campaign makes the game CTD. The main campaign, in full dlv style works perfectly.

Yes the steam file folder and launch are different but everything seems to work properly. I hope that helps.

[jseyf26]

Ok, noob question here. How would I get this to work with the Extended Realism mod for RTW?

Thanks!

[irishron]

If I had Steam and these helpful hints and directions for M2TW, I'd find some way to adapt them to Rome.

Try to follow the same ideas, just a different game, and expirement. Before you start make yourself a copy. The worst thing that could happen is crash and have to start over, hence the backup copy.