A thought to consider:

[dvk901]

Would there be some merit to getting the Main Campaign polished and\or finished and then releasing RS2?

It just occurs to me that as we have added each new modfoldered campaign, we are driven to configure almost an entirely different modification of RS2, and it really bogs us
down from getting this out to our fans. I've noticed than there are STILL some unit descriptions that aren't done as well. We could really just release the Main mod and then release each modfoldered version as we finish it. It would take some of the pressure off things like the trait system for the Romans, scripting and stuff that really is being focused to individual factions or cultures. Kind of an RTR way of doing it...only backwards.

What do people think?

[Pat89]

Kind of an RTR way of doing it...only backwards.

I love it

[MarcusTullius]

That may well be a sensible idea. The FATW team have been doing things slowly for some time, releasing bits as they are perfected, i don't see why we can't do something similar?

Get the basics- buildings, unit descriptions, campaign balance, map etc. sorted and then maybe focus on individual bits that need doing. If we had a deadline for all things to be in the mod for this release, tested like crazy and maybe we could get it out for xmas.

Sometimes grand visions take a little longer to carry out than first expected, but a version not as "grand" as first imagined can still be grand nonetheless!

[Alavaria]

Currently, the only difference between the current play_test and what I hope to be a pergamon modfolder is -> nothing.

There are only minor changes in the EDB between that and a normal campaign. (except for all the scaling). After the redone bonuses, of course.

DVK, if you're editing the EDBs to add in the new settlemen government determination building, doesn't that mean I'll have to go and rescale ALL the bonuses for every campaign? Unless I simply replace that EDB with the new version

[dvk901]

I am assuming that the EDB.txt's IN those campaigns are the ones you have changed. I am only changing the fortified\economic building tree (removing the 'merged_city2' building), and changing the conditionals so they work with the tree correctly. I have nothing else to work with but those files themselves. I haven't touched anything else in them....well, except in the Main Campaign EDB.txt I lowered population growth somewhat.

So in short, I'm editing and updating the files in SVN. (Testing them first, of course, to make sure I didn't screw up anything)

Now, if you are editing EDB's that are NOT in SVN...we have a problem. That's not how this is supposed to work. The reason I asked that no one make any changes to the EDB's in any of the SVN folders was exactly because I didn't want to tangle with someone who was making other changes.

I am, however, keeping my SVN copy updated at all times, so any change I make is to the latest files. For example, I just updated, and got a new EDB.txt that you have apparently been working on in the play_test folder. I'm leaving that one for last because I don't want to mess you up.

[Alavaria]

Say you change the play_carthage EDB.

For me to apply scaling to the carthage campaign, I have to edit the whole EDB when you're done with it. Either that or use the one from the play_test folder, once you have edited it, however then it seems like you spent a lot of time correcting the first EDB if I'm not going to make use of it.

[dvk901]

Say you change the play_carthage EDB.

For me to apply scaling to the carthage campaign, I have to edit the whole EDB when you're done with it. Either that or use the one from the play_test folder, once you have edited it, however then it seems like you spent a lot of time correcting the first EDB if I'm not going to make use of it.

Well, there are some things you need to consider:

First, the EDB.txt in the Roman Campaign folder is WILDLY different from any other. You cannot USE any other EDB.txt than that one to 'scale'. Yeah I know, that sucks, but that's the way it is.

Second, each of the modfoldered factions (other than the Play_Greeks and play_one_turn) are 'slightly' different (or should be). In the Main Campaign, factions aren't required to build a 'fortified city' to get the last two barracks levels, but in the modfoldered campaigns, the faction being played IS required to do so. Also, the tax bonuses are different (less) for the faction being played. So in short, none of these EDB.txt's is or should be the 'same'.

I would say that you 'could' use a 'play_test' EDB.txt as the 'base' for each of the modfoldered campaigns EXCEPT Rome and one turn play......configure it per the faction being played, and add the conditionals to the barracks for the fortified city. Other than that, they aren't vastly different.

The Roman Campaign EDB.txt is, however, specifically written for Roman and 'rebel' recruitment of Roman units. So it needs to be a 'stand-alone'. All this is why I suggested we focus perhaps on the Main Campaign, get it released, and then focus on each of the modfoldered ones.

I am, however, going thru ALL of these modfolders and correcting the economic building. Do you want me to correct the 'play_test' one now?

[Alavaria]

Yes, please correct the play_test.
I want to get the temple coding done, and it would be great to get the economic/fortified part fixed before I change things.

That said, ok, the Roman modfolder is different from the rest. Are all the others also substantially different besides the starting tax bonus? I know Carthage has some changes (because I spammed Celtic troops until they were kicked up a tier)...

[dvk901]

I will fix the play_test folder now....and also the 'play_pergamon' folder so you have problems there. Give me a few......

[dvk901]

Ok, both 'play_pergamon' and 'play_test' folders updated. You'll have to delete map.rwm in both.

[cherryfunk]

Are we using a campaign script at all? You can use it to alter the campaign start depending on the faction that player chooses. I'm not sure how much you can change, but starting money, starting faction diplomacy (who's at war with who) and even the number and placement of armies can all be varied depending on the player's choice. Viking Invasion II and Norman Invasion both use this to great effect to increase the challenge for the player.

[Alavaria]

You don't need a script if you have an appropriate "descr_strat" for each campaign. Which is the case with the modfoldered ones, I guess ...

[tone]

I would suggest that we release the campaign with the mod foldered campaigns as they stand at the moment if we do release. Most people are likely to play as Rome first and would find the current main campaign a joke.

[swhunter]

Yes. Most would play Rome. and others would go for Sparta.
Tone are you changing those units before it goes out?
The General, Captain, Medic ?
All you need to change is the helms right?
But please not a common helm for the General or the Captain.
Plus is the Generals guard second weapon fixed?
I haven't checked lately.

[tone]

Tone are you changing those units before it goes out?

That all depends on when it gets released. I want to get the emvironment stuff finished as top priority, then see where we get to with the other things.

[swhunter]

k..

[Brusilov]

Is there not a fair bit of work to do on the traits etc?

[Alavaria]

Is there not a fair bit of work to do on the traits etc?

Asides from the Roman military career/cursus honorum & related traits (resounding yes),

Currently we have a lot of "personality" traits that have no effect, and that don't do anything or affect anything - I'm pretty sure - because Calvin hadn't coded anything yet.

It seems all the earlier trait stuff is still in, so it should work, but I can't tell with just a cursory look if the traits/triggers are still the same as before.

[tone]

I need to get the other guy in to help that PseudoRomanus suggested - he'd done some work on IBFD.