Medieval Total War - Redux (Beta)

[Axalon]

Ok, some more previews on new redux…




To start things off we travel north to pagan and Norse territory, from top left we have Norse warriors, Norse spearmen, the druid (agent), Norse pathfinders and heathen berserkers…

The Norse pathfinders will replace the Norse scouts – it is essentially a change of name but I think the new one suit them better and is a bit clearer. The druid got some juicy Stonehenge-stuff going since I thought that would be cooler the just some plain forest as in the old pic (which may be more accurate in a historical context but who cares, right?). And of course I have created a new face for him as well. The berserkers finally got a picture that I am satisfied with – the same goes for the two Norse units as well. These Norse units will now look more fearsome – as they should (and they reflect somewhat better the other related new unit-GFX as well).




On this screen we travel east and essentially the regions of orthodox-culture, from top left we got halberdiers (orthodox version), light cavalry (orthodox version), Russian knights, peasant horde (orthodox version) and light militia (orthodox version).

Previous redux (and the original game) all too often used the same pics for various units regardless of culture – one might say that this is an attempt to remedy that somewhat - since I think different cultures should have different pics (at least some more then before). Hope you guys like it.




More on the orthodox theme, from top left we have palace guard, dragon order knights, cataphract regiment, Slavic foresters (remake) and Russian infantry (remake).

The palace guard unit is going to replace the Russian palaceguards and will be available exclusively to Russia and Hungary (the dragon order infantry will probably be removed as well due to this new unit). The cataphract regiment will be a new “super” formation for Byzantium – while daunting to face in battle - it will cost plenty of cash and take time to develop (and it will be expensive to maintain as well). Still, as with everything else it will be possible to do something about them if one ends up having to face such a formation in the field. Arrows and spears would be my recommendation to all who want to try ‘em on in the new redux – once released to the public, that is. Finally, the Slavic foresters and Russian infantry finally got infopics that I am more satisfied with.

Ok, thats it for now. Any questions, comments or something else - fire away people...

- Cheers

[knight of virtue and valor]

awesome! I am thinking of getting mtw, but the demo wont work cus I have the 9800 GT and the latest driver....I heard that this mod can make it work. will it?

[Axalon]

Hello there Knight,

It is true that redux has the capacity to run MTW in cases where many other mods and the original fail (due to built in custom fixes) – however even the redux-magic do have limits. There are things that I have no clue as for what to do to counter it. The Nvidia card and cursor/mouse problems is certainly among them (I don’t even have any such cards). As soon as I hear of or see a solution for it – I will probably manufacture a fix for it. Until then, no solution in sight, even with redux installed.

It is a MTW and driver/hardware problem and thus it is Nvidias and CA/Sega’s responsibility to fix it since MTW is still sold commercially – however neither seems to have any plans to live up to that responsibility. Sad, but there it is…

MTW1 is to me one of the very best TW-games ever made and thus I do recommend it (especially in combination with mods/alterations). However, until you change that GFX-card or get an auxiliary PC (with another GFX-card) your chances of playing MTW as supposed too are slim. I have made some comments on what card to get for auxiliary PCs in post: 127, check it out. That is the best I can do for you at the moment.


Ok, anything else fire away folks…

- Cheers

[knight of virtue and valor]

thanks! I do want to be able to play it really bad.

[AnthoniusII]

Great would we need previus Redux version or this next one will be stand alone?

[Erkki]

Hey all.

Having played Shogun and RTW to death, I wanted to give MTW a try. However, I couldnt get it work properly on my either computer, even after literally 3 full days of troubleshooting and trying out different suggestions on how to make it work. On my laptop, battles work perfectly, but trying to start a campaign just returns me instantly to the pause menu. On my PC, battles wotk at 800 x 600 only, with the campaign map, which, however, usually crashes within 2 minutes, even if I did nothing.

I thought the REDUX might fix this. I installed the 1.1 update and then REDUX - the menus work, as does Quick Battle, but in custom battles I have no Eras or maps to choose from, and cant continue. Unfortunately its the SAME with campaigns - there are no campaigns to be selected, and the continue buttons is whited out. But like I said, quick battles work perfectly, the new units show up there too... Liked when playing Spanish half of my army was Lithuanian infantry. Ramdon generation...

This both on my laptop and PC. Any fix suggestions? I'm 100% sure I have the 1.1 update installed, even if the main menu kept saying version 1.00 (extracted update to desktop and then copied & overwrote the actual files).

My PC is fairly old with XP SP2, nVidia 7600 GT, laptop is Vista 32bit with Intel series 4 integrated vid card.

[VictorGB]

Hi

What nVidia drivers are you using? I believe the 61.76 Detonators are recommended for MTW.

Best of luck
VictorGB

Sapere aude
Horace

[Erkki]

Yes, however I dont think they will run my 7600, and definately not the laptop's Intel card...

[Erkki]

Great, for getting a completely secondary game to work, I tried installing the 61.76 drivers anyways. Now the PC is not going anywhere after listing drivers - it doesnt even get to RAM check! Cant get to bios either.

I think I just lost about.... Well, too much. I'll try unplugging the card and VGA graphics tomorrow - could someone move these last few posts somewhere else?

[Axalon]

Hi All,

I’ll start with AnthoniusII (nice to see you back here BTW)… To answer your question directly; the plan is that whenever the new redux is publicly released it will replace all previous versions which will then be obsolete – since they (and all old saves) will be incompatible with the new version.

As long as you have MTW v.1.1 everything that you will need to play redux will be released in one big (and hopefully) glorious kabaam (!) – as in one package (with the reservation of potential future patches). If you want to use MTW v.2.01/VI you will have to also apply the future VI-redux upgrade module which I will create shortly after I have finished up the V.1.1 release of new redux.

So, the new stuff will be “stand alone”-stuff as long as we use MTW V.1.1, and there are no potential patches out. For VI/v.2.01, we must also apply the future VI-upgrade module in order for the EXE to recognize and work with the redux files properly. Thus, using VI will have to require two packages at least.

***********


Erkki…

Thankfully your redux-related problem is rather easy to solve…

Short answer: Install MTW all over again and apply patch 1.1 (verify it by starting up and check left corner – once it does show “1.1” it has been successfully done). Install Redux 1.0b on top and then install Spanish fix (A). Then start game by using the EXE within the MTW-folder you have just reduxed… Use whatever GFX-drivers that works (the old ones I guess).

Long answer: No offence, but I am 100% sure that you have not properly (or at least successfully) patched MTW to V1.1. Because that was the only way I could and did replicate your problem (as you have described it in post:146).

Unless you do patch up MTW to V.1.1 (successfully) you will never ever be able to play redux. The file-structure in V.1.0 and that of V1.1 are different in MTW – and thus the EXE will never be successful in recognizing the redux-files. Redux is designed for V.1.1 after all (and with module also for VI/V.2.01) – not v.1.0. Redux will thus never work in v.1.0 (short of screwed up “quick battles” – just as you described). If we still insist on trying despite not having properly patched up MTW to V.1.1, we get the exact symptoms you have reported in here – that is once we also somehow managed to convince the game to not run using the original files off the CD.

Now, this is what you do…

• Do a new clean install of MTW (wherever you want it.).
• Install the official V.1.1-patch successfully; allow it do its thing and make sure it has the right install-path (do not use alternative ways to patch up!!!).
• Install standard Redux 1.0b-package on top (verify that it is installed, blue frontend etc. etc).
• Install Spanish fix (A). Because that will actually optimize your game all over. Make sure you do have the right one as you download it (the blue bannered, A-version – otherwise the game will not work - all over again – and you don’t want that).
• Use the .EXE in the game-folder you have just reduxed to start game – just to make certain that you start the right game in case you do have multiple installs of MTW. This is the only totally foolproof way to do it.
• Play redux at your discretion…

- Enjoy the game…


Note 1:

Regarding “quickbattles” in general, once you have redux up and running successfully there will be 8 proper quickbattles specially made for redux – however in order to not have the old scenarios screwing things up - you will have to get in there and clean out all the old and (and now) weird battlescenarios still remaining from the original game. Any file that doesn’t have some “00_Redux_XXX” should be removed in order to avoid all anomalies that are otherwise bound to happen there. It is all in the “Quickstart”-folder (“?:\?\?\Redux - Total War\Quickstart”). I am afraid that there is no other way to do this other then manually – sorry….

Note 2:

As for the fuss with Nvidia-drivers in general I have no clue (I am an ATI-man myself, and have not used Nvidia for years) and it is obviously not redux-related anyhow. Use the ones you had before and go from there. If you do have further driver-problems; the Eras Tech-help is the right place for it (currently located in the RTW-section – don’t ask me why). Contrary to popular belief, the MTW/STW-sections are not supposed to deal with any tech-issues.

***********


Victor...

Its great that you are trying to help out people here in this thread. That’s the spirit I like and want here! I hope that more people will follow your example. Have some rep on me as a token of appreciation for it…

***********

On a general note:

If anybody like, you are welcome and invited to post up general pointers and tips on Redux from a
“new-player perspective” as you discover stuff in it. After all, Redux is downloaded daily essentially
so there should be an “interest and market” for such stuff as far as other new redux-players goes. If
you interested in posting stuff along those lines, you are more then welcome to it – this thread could
certainly use some of that (and at least I will rep people who do so).


Ok, that’s it folks, thanks for posting here. Anything else reduxy, fire away…

- Cheers

[Erkki]

Ahh yes, using the exe that comes with the 1.1 update certaincly seems to solve the problem... Of seeing campaigns, that is. Game is going nowhere further than the pause menu.

As for the tech issue, I never said it was MTW or its mods' fault, and asked a mod to move the posts. They can actually be deleted now, as I'm highly likely to get better support somewhere else - no offence, really. Nvidia might also get an angry email or two. To the computer store *march* *march*!

[Christianus]

Thank you!

[Christianus]

Any progress?

[Axalon]

Hi Christianus,

Yup there is progress. I have not prepared any screens/pics or other stuff for the public at moment. When I have some, I will post it up right here. If there is some (limited) aspect X that you are particularly interested in or have some requests for previews that might be of particularly interesting for you – now is the time to let me know. Anyhow, the plan is still to release, at least beta, in 2010. I currently don’t know if it will happen in November or December. Whenever it does happen, I certainly will try to make some noise and PR for it the best I can (with the few means available to me). I guess most people interested in redux these days are waiting for that release – me too actually…


In the meantime, redux got some limited exposure over at The Silver Shield publication. Subuatai de Bodemloze (editor) did an interview with myself and She-Hulk (she stalks me all the time – what can I tell you … Simply the sexiest green stalker I ever seen) and it is published with the October 2010/11th edition. Among other things we did discuss the origins of Redux and some driving factors behind its creation. That stuff has never been covered in this thread (or elsewhere for that matter) and if some of you are curious on how it all started; by all means head over there and check it out…

http://www.twcenter.net/forums/showt...64#post8177764


- Cheers

[Christianus]

Hi there! Gotta be carefull with women, especially the green ones (Not that I would know about the green ones). Now the link will be read

[HUtH]

Wow, you make new version of Redux, I'm really surprised, I was surprised when you made first Redux, but it's now 2010, 8 years after release of MTW, 4 other TW titles came meantime and - people still make mods for this game Which is my favourite TW game When you release this I will had to switch to GF6600 card again

[Kylan271]

I play MTW even on my updated PC. It is my 'chess game' of choice,albeit old. Main gripe I have is the VnV triggers unknown. I can not find any links that details what triggers them? Any clues in your Mod work?

[Basileos Leandros I]

Axalon, any plan to create Historical Battles?

[Axalon]

Thanks & Merry Xmas everyone,

I’ll get back here soon enough and then me and Rudolph the Red-Nosed
Reindeer (my assistant) will try to answer da questions.

- Cheers

--------------------------------------------------------------------
EDIT: Alright….

Main gripe I have is the VnV triggers unknown. I can not find any links that details what triggers them? Any clues in your Mod work?

Yup, it’s a mess… Many are completely random, some have triggers (I won’t list ‘em, they are too many). Triggers include…


In campaign…

• Agents; assassins (murder attempts on generals), spies (trials on generals), inquisitors (trials on generals)…
• Retreating much…
• Building things… “Steward” and “builder”…
• Killing/Mercy to captured rebels… Influences kings and relevant governors only…
• Controlling “too” many provinces – these are bad all over. I don’t know where the exact limit goes before they kick in but I would say – expect them after 20 regions or so. And it gets worse the more provinces you get. So, “owning” many provinces is bad in this particular sense.
• Being in command of an army-stack…
• Marrying a princess, +2 loyalty to a general (if he is of royal blood does not matter – no incest vice)…
• Marrying “within” the royal family… - Incest-vice… Princes don’t get any loyalty, short of doing the incest-move.

Some people claim you can trigger certain vices by having high taxes – I have never been able too actually verify that personally. Others claim that the governor of a region should not be “home” much either or they will get vices that way – I have yet to verify that as well (and I have played a lot). Thus, I am sceptical to both claims.


In battle…

• Disgracefully fleeing the field in panic… The general loses his nerve essentially.
• Killing prisoners while in battlemode…
• Surviving extreme/harsh battles – ex. “killer instinct” (commanding generals) or ”natural leader” (kings)…. Like 20 men vs. 2000 men etc. If commanding general dies, then somebody else might get it.
• Winning/losing battles…
• Winning/losing battles with heavy odds…
• Winning/losing battles with favourable odds…
• Storming/defending castles
• Not taking active part in the battle is probably bad for a commanding general on long term. Staying in the background and so forth. Personally I always actively fight with generals/kings/princes I care about – although some people might consider that to be dangerous.

Ok, that is what I can think of at the moment (I might very well have forgotten something here). None of the actual effects of the V&Vs are moddable – short of changing their names and the descriptions for ‘em. All this is based on MTW 1.1 and are probably valid for VI as well (possibly with slight differences somewhere).

Axalon, any plan to create Historical Battles?

Nope, I have no such plans. Personally, I never was much into those anyhow. However, feel free to do some on your own whenever new redux is out. Such a venture is fairly limited in scale and should not take too much time to create – short of the historical research on the battle(s) of course.

Ok, that’s it for now…

- Cheers

[Ciaran S]

Good to see you´re still around and posting.

And I´ve seen at the .org that you are still working on v3 of redux, which is great to hear.