alex.exe vs. BI.exe

[DoogansQuest]

Which one do you like better? I currently don't have Alexander, and I'd rather not pay money for such a dated product. Still, I hear good things.

I am currently interested in discovering one thing: how does it change, improve, or ruin Roma Surrectum?

[Calvin]

I don't think there have been any exhaustive tests to really find if there is a real difference. However, going on from what I've experienced I really do believe that the AI in Alexander is superior both on the Battle Map and Campaign Map. Definitely worth the £7 I spent on it. I experience more naval invasions and a tougher battlefield experience.

[apple]

^
+ I think the AI handles hoplite units better.

[ReD_OcToBeR]

I dislike the Alex.exe because it gets rid of the shieldwall which imo is the best formation in the game which actually "rolls" toward an opponent it is beating, like a true hoplite formation would, except they arent. lol.

[Fuchs]

Hmm, a question for the alex. owners. Could you recommend Alex. for purchase? In other words, is only the improved AI worth it? I know it's a cheap expansion, but i have no interest in the vanilla game.

[Killerbee]

Hmm, a question for the alex. owners. Could you recommend Alex. for purchase? In other words, is only the improved AI worth it? I know it's cheap expansion, but i have no interest in the vanilla game.

it has some great mods + some unique modding features :

immortal (unless in a battle) , so he doesn't die by illness or age
custom characters !
AI improvement
phalanx

only problem is that it doesn't have shieldwall / swimming (i think ..)

[Fuchs]

thanks, and if i use Alex. just for playing mods like rs, rtr,... has it in these cases any advantages?

[apple]

AI improvement and phalanx

[Raglan]

me i'm against bi because my computer has a wierd hatred of it

rtw - fine
alex - fine
m2tw - fine
kingdoms - fine
BI - repeated ctd after running seriously slow (i've never figured it out)

[rubikon]

But what about Alex.exe? I know the value of BI over RTW.

Honestly it's all about taste and dough. I use alex.exe personally for rs because i am a big fan of the greek factions and other phalanx troops, which alex.exe certainly fixes this previous bug of the whole phalanx scattering everwhere. Naval invasions are even more intelligently planned in alex IMHO. The only hassle is the immortal trait and getting it to all come together so you don't get a age loop for generals that cant bother to die on their own, but anybody can do it. It also runs much smoother and loads faster compared to rtw and BI exes in any mod. the cons are that there isnt any shield wall or swimming but hey it depends on your taste of the differences in the theaters of war. For the 20ish bucks that i spent on alexander i think it benefited RS it playes smarter and very aggressive compared to my exp w/ bi or rtw...(the Carthaginians actually put up a real fight). If you got any questions ask em...I've been using alex.exe on rs since the days of Roma Surrectum 1.5a and cant go back to bi or rtw.exe since then.

[Gez]

There is deffo swimming in Alex. I think it's limiting certain light units too.

[dvk901]

There is a very MARKED difference between how any mod plays with RTW or BI EXE's. The BI AI is much more aggressive, and naval invasion work far better. Those are tested and observed differences.

An observed and purely 'general feeling' on my part, having tested mods in both for several years now, is that BI is 'smoother running' than RTW was. There were many subtle fixes applied to the EXE and I feel it is worth having. It will be 'recommended' that RS2 be played with the BI EXE....I can tell you that. There are a number of reasons that are too technical to explain right now.

[★Bandiera Rossa☭]

In my testing the bi.exe has many improvements over the rtw.exe although I cannot say the same for Alex.. Not because it is bad but merely because I have not tried running mods made for rome or BI on it..

[DoogansQuest]

There is a very MARKED difference between how any mod plays with RTW or BI EXE's. The BI AI is much more aggressive, and naval invasion work far better. Those are tested and observed differences.

An observed and purely 'general feeling' on my part, having tested mods in both for several years now, is that BI is 'smoother running' than RTW was. There were many subtle fixes applied to the EXE and I feel it is worth having. It will be 'recommended' that RS2 be played with the BI EXE....I can tell you that. There are a number of reasons that are too technical to explain right now.

But what about Alex.exe? I know the value of BI over RTW.

[dvk901]

I do not own Alex...so I don't know. Eeven though Alex offers some enhanced features....you lose some in the process. So, we have not really pursued testing it very much. Personally, I doubt it could be 'that' much better than BI.

[Pyrrhos Aiakides]

me i'm against bi because my computer has a wierd hatred of it

rtw - fine
alex - fine
m2tw - fine
kingdoms - fine
BI - repeated ctd after running seriously slow (i've never figured it out)

I have had certainly problems w/ bi

[Raglan]

what is noticable broasing the hosted mods section is that plenty of mods use RTW.exe, several use BI.exe and how many use ALEX.exe?

the cause i couldn't say and i do prefere ALEX over BI because of several reasons but ...

[apple]

One great thing that alex has is that the Ai can retrain it's units. That a large plus if you ask me.

what is noticable broasing the hosted mods section is that plenty of mods use RTW.exe, several use BI.exe and how many use ALEX.exe?

the cause i couldn't say and i do prefere ALEX over BI because of several reasons but ...

Thats because most users dont have alex and that you can use alex with all mods but not alex mods with bi and rtw exe's.

[Fuchs]

One great thing that alex has is that the Ai can retrain it's units. That a large plus if you ask me.



Thats because most users dont have alex and that you can use alex with all mods but not alex mods with bi and rtw exe's.

Sorry for te late reply, just bout alex recently and out of my experience the AI doesn't retrain their units. Is the retaining a know fact?

Edit: just notice that rs 1.5 doesn't break the alex vanilla. Normal or did i something wrong?

[Souka]

Wich one of these two should i install?