What is a "swap faction"?

[InVinoVeritas]

I see this term used a lot when talking about the factions that are going to be in RS2, but I never see anyone explain what it is. Is it like an alternative to another faction, as in you'll be able to choose one OR the other but not both?

[Phalanx300]

I'm actually not so sure of it either:hmmm:. I believe that you could change the files to swap some factions? I really have no idea.

[InVinoVeritas]

Mod Gods, descend upon us and enlighten us!

Thanks Jingle_Bombs! That was quick...

[Jingles]

In RS2, for example, Pergamum will be a swap faction, this means that you will be able to download an addon for RS2 that gets rid of Pergamum and puts another faction in it's place, allowing you to tailor make your RS campaign to your liking, with the factions that you prefer.

[Phalanx300]

A idea made by the gods!! So you can include just the factions you like for the campaign!

[naeblis]

Wow, thats an awesome idea!

[cherryfunk]

When RS2.0 is released, Pergamon will be a playable faction. But, we have other factions we also want to offer as part of the mod, like Rhodes and Athens, so they will be downloaded separately as 'swap' factions -- meaning that you 'swap' them for Pergamon. You would run a .bat file before you start the game, and it would switch the files so that Rhodes, say, becomes the swap faction, and Pergamon is no longer in the game.

This way you can tailor not only what faction you want to play, but what faction you want to play against. For example if you're going to start a Roman campaign, you might prefer to have Syracuse in the game instead of Pergamon -- because Syracuse is in Rome's 'neck of the woods' -- so you could run the Syracuse 'swap' file and, even though you wouldn't play it, it would be in the game as your competitor...

This way we can keep the unique RS factions of Syracuse, Pergamon, and the Bosporans in the game, even while we add new factions like the Scythians and the Begae. And hopefully we'll be able to add some more obscure swap factions like Galatia, Kyrene, Massilia, and others. But keep in mind this is still on the drawing boards, we have to get the basic mod done first...

[rory o'kane]

no no no! it's just pergamon you can replace, with other factions. in one campaign, you might decide you want pergamon in there. the next, you might want the bosphorans in there instead - so, you download the batch file containing the bosphoran skins etc, then run it, and it'll replace Pergamon as a faction in both campaign and Custom battles. We're gonna make a few of them, actually - Pergamon will come with RS 2.0 as the default, then we're gonna make (i THINK) Rhodes, Crete, Massilia, Syracuse, possibly Galatia...


EDIT: sorry cherry, didn't realise you'd gotten there first!

[cherryfunk]

I demand Rhodos! Queen of the Ocean Seas!

[Phalanx300]

Would it also be possible to like swap more then 1 faction??

[cherryfunk]

In theory, but that's not our plan.

[InVinoVeritas]

Awesome plan! And you can do it before each campaign? So you could have two campaigns saves going, one with Pergamon and one with a "swap faction"?

[Jingles]

Yeah, just as long as you ran the .bat file before you loaded up the campaign.

I've got a question though... Won't Rhodes be a little handicapped if you use the RTW.exe? With the lack of naval activity and all.

[cherryfunk]

It would be handicapped if it was AI-controlled. But who plays using RTW.exe anymore?

[Templar Knight]

It would be handicapped if it was AI-controlled. But who plays using RTW.exe anymore?

i do

i am just to lazy to use the BI one

[naeblis]

slowly raises his hand, ummm, i do good sir, though i do have the barbarian, and alex exe.... both on my other comp though....

[Taelok]

I highly suggest upgrading to BI.exe, for numerous reasons. Mainly, the AI manages to overcome their terrible fear of all things watery.

[Nellup]

Solution - Don't use the Rhodes swap faction unless you intend to play them. It would be much more of a challenge not to have a hydrophobic AI.
Or, even better, use BI or Alex, the AI is far better.

[rory o'kane]

Nellup speaks the truth!

[Jingles]

Well its not a problem personally, I use the ALEX.exe and I've seen many epic naval battles between Syracuse and Carthage.