IBFD with Alexander's Artificial Intellect

[peditum_user]

Hello, you all.Since i was bored by the stupid AI that is 1.6 i decided to go on a quest for improveing it.My insparation wasthis thread.Much of the credits should be assigned to maksimus who is the mastermind behind the all ALX thing.I simply decided to apply the idea to my favourite mod - IBFD .You can find details about the improved AI in the link pointed above.
What do u have to do to play IBFD on Alexander TW AI:

1.You need a freshly installed RTW + IB, patched to 1.6 (in this case is recommended to put it in the defult folder, otherwise u may experience difficulties installing Alexander TW)

2.Install Alexander add-on

3.Install IBFD 7.0 + patch 7.03

4.Unzip the patch, that i've uploaded, into your Rome - Total War folder.

5.Right click on your IBFD desktop icon and next to target use this command "C:\Program Files\Activision\Rome - Total War\RomeTW-ALX.exe" -mod:ibfd -show_err -nm -noalexander"

6.Play the game!


Three changes were necessary,though.I had to give Burgundii - Germania Prima and to Visigoths - Narbonesis Prima.I also changed the starting year to 411 to historicly match the changes pointed above.(there could be an argue about the possession of Narbonesis, which the goths officialy acquired, alongside Tolouse in 413, from Honorius.But i dont think that's so significant.)Theese changes were critical because abandoning setlements(becoming a horde) is no longer supported by Alexander TW.So, having no control over a settlement at the beggining, the Goth and the Bugrundii factions were immediately destroyed.Since ALXTW is CA's 1.9-th patch, the changes made are small sacrafice for the considerable improvements of the game.

Well that's a bugger, it turns out that shield wall,schiltrom and swiming are also disabled. :

[Mediteran]

does this patch overwrite vanilla files? or just the files in the ibfd folder?

edit: oh ok i see just ibfd

[Leviathan DarklyCute]

I don't think you can do that, since there is no hording in alexsander, and hordes are essential part of IBFD

Also, as maksimus later discovered, alex has a campletly diffrent balance than in RTW and IB, and now he is busy modding many things in EB in order to rebalance it.

[peditum_user]

I don't think you can do that, since there is no hording in alexsander, and hordes are essential part of IBFD

Also, as maksimus later discovered, alex has a campletly diffrent balance than in RTW and IB, and now he is busy modding many things in EB in order to rebalance it.

You are exaggerating.Essential is a strong word to describe horde ability.Have a second thought.Which is better, more realistic and challeging game or hordes?
ALEM is called the mod that maksimus and his associates are currently working on.I gave it a hard reading.The modders are simply including their views on some realism aspects of EB, and also aim to make the game more "player friendly".You can hardly compare ALX TW and RTWBI as completly diffrent balanced.Keep in mind that over 200 players are using ALX TW on EB (including me) and the feedback is very good.

am sticking this

Cheers

[Ramon Gonzales y Garcia]

am sticking this

[julianus heraclius]

I think I'll develop a patch for Imperium Julianorum as well.

Sounds good.

[peditum_user]

I think I'll develop a patch for Imperium Julianorum as well.

Sounds good.

Yeah, i was thinking of introducing the idea to IJ and RIO, too.

[Riothamus]

Yeah, i was thinking of introducing the idea to IJ and RIO, too.

This looks very interesting. The hording ability I have abandoned and have in a limited way gone back to in the Rio mod because during the time of the two provincial campaigns of 432AD and 463AD, the games representative factions had permanently settled(with their continuous expansions) But removing the hording ability in this mod wouldn't be an issue in this case.

Does it change other bi functions?

[Leviathan DarklyCute]

I believe shieldwall, schiltrom and swimming are disabled; night battles have to be activated.

[peditum_user]

I believe shieldwall, schiltrom and swimming are disabled; night battles have to be activated.

Snap .Now I've noticed.I wonder why i did not recive Critical Error message?Well night battles are on and schiltrom is broken anyways but shieldwall and swiming are off.

[Riothamus]

If Using the ALX.exe you couldn't use shieldwall, schiltrom and swimming correct?

You added certain things but not all changes such as the immortality trait? and the ability to have specific family portraits? Can you list the things you added? I read the other posts in regards to the AI improvement but I'm wondering whats transferable to the BI exe. Potentially great stuff in there. Thanks

[julianus heraclius]

But not till I finish IJV3.0. In fact I could make it an option file for it.:hmmm:

[julianus heraclius]

Hey,

I've done the changes to IJ for using the Alex.exe, but when I go to load the main campaign it asks to choose again. I've noticed that the main campaign is now listed under the provincial section. Is this correct, or have I missed something.

It also wont let me do custom battles nor select my provincial campaigns (causes CTD). I'm using a nocd exe if that matters.

Please help

Cheers

[Caki]

Hey,

I've done the changes to IJ for using the Alex.exe, but when I go to load the main campaign it asks to choose again. I've noticed that the main campaign is now listed under the provincial section. Is this correct, or have I missed something.

It also wont let me do custom battles nor select my provincial campaigns (causes CTD). I'm using a nocd exe if that matters.

Please help

Cheers

In the campain folder rename the folder barbarian invasion to alexander and in descr_strat rename the campain barbarian invasion to alexander and in text folder rename the barbarian_invasion_regions_and_settlement_names to alexander_regions_and_settlement_names

Have you copied the chat_filter.san file from alex to your mod data folder?

[julianus heraclius]

In the campain folder rename the folder barbarian invasion to alexander and in descr_strat rename the campain barbarian invasion to alexander and in text folder rename the barbarian_invasion_regions_and_settlement_names to alexander_regions_and_settlement_names

Will do.

Have you copied the chat_filter.san file from alex to your mod data folder

I have.

Thanks for your help. I will report back.

Cheers

[julianus heraclius]

Sorry Cati,

I tried what you described, but no change. It stll only allows me to choose the provincial campaign file for both campaigns. It will load the main mod, but crashes for the provincial mod.

Any other suggestions?

[AqD]

Hi!

It seems the version of ibfd your patch based on is not 7.03. There is a missing belief "manichaeism", and a missing building "history2".

I'll reinstall and try to apply your patch selectively.
________
Pattaya Heights Condos

[Marcus Bestia]

Hi!

It seems the version of ibfd your patch based on is not 7.03. There is a missing belief "manichaeism", and a missing building "history2".

I'll reinstall and try to apply your patch selectively.

i think manicheism along with some new buildings are part of Mylae's IBFD_addon_5, not 7.03 patch.

[julianus heraclius]

Hi!

It seems the version of ibfd your patch based on is not 7.03. There is a missing belief "manichaeism", and a missing building "history2".

I'll reinstall and try to apply your patch selectively.

IJ has manichaeism and but doesn't use the "history" buildings. I can load the main campaign but not from the main campaign menu but via the provincial menu.

But I can't load my provincial campaign as it crashes. Not sure what is happening here so any advice would be greatly appreciated.

[Tiberius Nero]

But I can't load my provincial campaign as it crashes. Not sure what is happening here so any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Any news on this? I tried all of the above (renaming the files and folders mentioned) and still the main campaign is unavailable ("select item etc") and the provincial campaign doesn't load, it just bounces me one screen back.