Creating proper shortcuts to RS2:

[dvk901]

Gentlemen, you guys will have to get familiar with how to create proper shortcuts in order to test many of the new features that are going to pop up in RS2. I am going to provide this guide for how to make them, so I don't want to here: "Oh, how do I do that?"

RTW:
D:\Rome_BETA8_REV_16\RomeTW.exe -nm -show_err (This disable RTW movies and screens, and enable the error reporting part of RTW\BI\ALEX. You are REQUIRED to have at least these to in any shortcut to RS2)
D:\Rome_BETA8_REV_16\RomeTW.exe -nm -show_err -ai (This does the above, and allows fully AI controlled campaigns for the Faction you choose)
D:\Rome_BETA8_REV_16\RomeTW.exe -nm -show_err -ne (This does what option one does, AND allows RTW to played in 'Windowed Mode")
D:\Rome_BETA8_REV_16\RomeTW.exe -nm -show_err -enable_editor (This does what option one does, AND allows you to use the Battlemap editor under 'Options' in the game))


BI:
D:\ROME_BETA8_REV15_TEST\RomeTW-BI.exe -mod: -nm -show_err (Same as RTW, except you must have the 'mod' switch exactly as shown. You are REQUIRED to have at least these to in any shortcut to RS2 in BI)

ALEX:
D:\ROME_BETA8_REV15_TEST\rometw-alx.exe -mod: -nm -show_err (Same as RTW\BI, except you must have the 'mod' switch exactly as shown. You are REQUIRED to have at least these to in any shortcut to RS2 in ALEX)

Now, I have discussed in the DEVS why RS2 has not been, and will NEVER be mod foldered. The reason is, I am going to use this feature to 'mod-folder' RS2 to itself. There will be numerous and very easy to set up options for RS2 using this feature. For example, I have already set up and option specifically for playing Rome with the 'rebel' faction shadowing them. It will show up in the next Update, and as I add these, I'm going to update this thread with how to configure the shortcuts to them. Swap factions, options to have the 'rebel' faction shadow another faction other than Rome, special setups to make it harder, etc...there will be tons of options, and they will all be independent of the main mod.

Here is an example of how you will set up the 'Playing Rome' mod-foldered option:

D:\Rome_BETA8_REV_16\RomeTW.exe -nm -show_err -mod:play_rome

The 'play_rome' part is the directory where the mod folder is. These same switches will be used in BI and Alex.

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The alternate method to creating shortcuts to modfoldered campaigns is to use the 'batch files' I have been including with Updates. You will see three of them in your RTW\RS2 folder called:

RS2_ALEX.bat
RS2_BI.bat
RS2_RTW.bat

As the names suggest, each one runs RS2 using any one of those exe's...depending on which you may have.
Double-click 'RS2_rtw.bat', for example, and you are presented with a screen like this:



Choose the number of the Campaign you want to play and press 'enter'. RTW will start and take you into that campaign. If it's a modfoldered campaign, ONLY the faction in the choice will be playable.

The BI and ALEX versions are different from the RTW version in that the nodfoldered campaigns will show up in the 'Provincial Campaigns'..NOT the Imperial Campaign. In fact, clicking the Imperial Campaign will just tell you to make another choice. Custom Battles do not work in modfoldered campaigns.

Create shortcuts to these on your desktop if you choose (whichever are appropriate for you), and away you go.

[Ibram]

You've lost me again. This significantly differs from the instructions in this thread. The shortcut line in there doesn't have the -nm- or whatever in it, and the -mod tag is in a different place.

Also, do the last three lines under 'RTW' also apply to BI? Or can you only have AI-run campaigns in RTW?

[Tankbuster]

You've lost me again. This significantly differs from the instructions in this thread. The shortcut line in there doesn't have the -nm- or whatever in it, and the -mod tag is in a different place.

Neither of them matters.
The only you're doing when you change the target line to a program is to instruct the program what specific features it can enable or disable. -enable_editor will enable the use of the battlefield editor function, -nm will disable the start-up movies, etc.
It doesn't matter in what order you give these instructions, because they are all independent functions. And for the exact same reason, it doesn't matter if you have -nm but not -ai, or if you have -ai but not -nm, or if you have both in whatever order; the only thing that changes are the specific instructions you give.

Also, do the last three lines under 'RTW' also apply to BI? Or can you only have AI-run campaigns in RTW?

Yes, -ai, -ne, and -enable_editor all work in BI. Same engine, you see.

[dvk901]

You've lost me again. This significantly differs from the instructions in this thread. The shortcut line in there doesn't have the -nm- or whatever in it, and the -mod tag is in a different place.

Also, do the last three lines under 'RTW' also apply to BI? Or can you only have AI-run campaigns in RTW?

That thread was not entirely written by me, and I have corrected it to include the two required switches.

[Ketchup]

This is revolutionary stuff guys, and I'm sure the results are gonna be spectacular. Well done dvk.

[Arnspac]

One question about the " -ne " or windows mode.
I placed that in and noticed my FPS dropped from 60 to 10 and couldn't figure out how to minimize. Is there an order to placing these commands / shortcuts?

[dvk901]

No, there is no necessary order, and yes, Windowed mode is going to be slower. I rarely use it because every time I switch to something else the game pauses...so I find it useless. I just put it up there because people have asked how to do it.

[tone]

Very useful for me running AI campaigns as with two screens there's no issue of it pausing. It does make a difference though when you swap away from the AI campaign - you have to make sure you do so when the AI is playing anything other than your chosen faction.

[dvk901]

Oh, maybe that's what I'm doing wrong.

[apple]

Or use alt tab

[Legionary Titus Pullo]

Question : If i use the Batch files to start a Test/Game will it automatically use the correct switches, i.e. "nm" "show err" ?

[dvk901]

Yes, they are written into the batch files. If you create a shortcut to the one you want to use on your DT, it will just start whatever campaign you want with the EXE you want to use.
Except I don't know if it works in Vista. I was going to take my son's laptop (because it's faster) down to Tennessee with me, but I couldn't get RTW to even WORK on it because of Vista....which I hate, BTW.
And even when I tried to run the batch files in Vista it just popped up a message saying it couldn't find the EXE's...which are in the same folder as the batch files...and could be found by any other OS in the world except Vista. Which BTW did I tell you I hate Vista?

[Legionary Titus Pullo]

Yes, they are written into the batch files. If you create a shortcut to the one you want to use on your DT, it will just start whatever campaign you want with the EXE you want to use.
Except I don't know if it works in Vista. I was going to take my son's laptop (because it's faster) down to Tennessee with me, but I couldn't get RTW to even WORK on it because of Vista....which I hate, BTW.
And even when I tried to run the batch files in Vista it just popped up a message saying it couldn't find the EXE's...which are in the same folder as the batch files...and could be found by any other OS in the world except Vista. Which BTW did I tell you I hate Vista?

THATS WHY ITS NOT WORKING FOR ME THEN, (sorry ) Vista seems to expect/demand that the files are in a user directory, but Rome is installed on D: on my Game pc, never mind i can still play, but my desktop is a bit more cluttered

[tone]

As soon as I'm back I'll upload the "Launcher" program which will allow easier switching of mod foldered campaigns

[tone]

Use the launcher instead.

[Legionary Titus Pullo]

Unfortunatly I cant, as i just said, it dosnt work, cos it wont accept where i have it installed,

[Brusilov]

Unfortunatly I cant, as i just said, it dosnt work, cos it wont accept where i have it installed,

It should work OK. My other system (which is back with the manufacturer) is a Vista 64 bit system and I was able to use the RTR VII FoE launcher without any problem.

What have you done with UAC on your Vista system?

On my system I switched it off using the Tweak-UAC utility. I also created a folder called "G:\program files (x86)" (so it's the same name just on a different drive) where I installed RTW to.

Have a read of the first and last links in the first post in the following thread: http://www.twcenter.net/forums/showthread.php?t=167821

[tone]

We'll see what happens once the subversion system is going. Hopefully it'll get round all this

[swhunter]

What is a subversion?
btw mine does work, but now i use the launcher and it isn't as pretty as RS2 icon.
It says short cut. And that icon is a Carth horse.
Tone will other factions play still the same not using the launcher?
I understand the Launcher is for the named factions.
But i do use it to start the game now even playing as Sparta.

[Legionary Titus Pullo]

What is a subversion?
btw mine does work, but now i use the launcher and it isn't as pretty as RS2 icon.
It says short cut. And that icon is a Carth horse.
Tone will other factions play still the same not using the launcher?
I understand the Launcher is for the named factions.
But i do use it to start the game now even playing as Sparta.

Just right click on the icon go to properties and select change icon, then direct it to your RS II folder and select the RS icon, click apply and you have your shiny pretty RS II Button