XAI 4.0 Baseline BETA of KGCM

[Argent Usher]

These are the files that we have been using for the closed beta and development for the 4.0 XAI Core!

If you are a developer, it is strongly suggested that you try this mod. Just to see what a balanced mod can achieve. This is by no means a finished product, and is only for fun and baseline testing for the XAI team and integrators. But it will be FUN for 100+ turns. It is a conglomeration of the teams Idea's and Files.

You will need all of the files listed below, as well as WinRAR to unpack the archives.

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UPDATE

If for any reasons you have screwed up your installation, overwrite your 4.2 KGCM folder by XAI 4.0 KGCM BETA - OVERWRITE FOR BAD INSTALLATION.rar (unpack it first with WinRAR).

This by no means is a compulsory download! Use it as a last resort before complete reinstall!

Also, remember to delete map.rwm from ~data/world/maps/base and .bin files from data/text!

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Platform:

KGCM 4.2 with Dave's submod (installation order from top to bottom):

KGCM 3.4 part a

KGCM 3.4 part b

KGCM 4.2 Patch

Christmas patch first post

Overwritten by:

XAI 4.0 KGCM BETA (see attachment in bottom of this post)

--- Cache-clearing procedure -------

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

1) Go into your mods .cfg file and add these lines

[io]
file_first = true
disable_file_cache = true

2) go into the data/maps/world/maps/base directory and delete the map.rwm file
3) Start the game, and start a new campaign. So that a new map.rwm is generated with no cache
4) exit the game
5) change the config line to this disable_file_cache = false
(then save)
6) delete the map.rwm file again..and restart.

Also, a reminder:

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

ALWAYS clear your cache and restart computer after installing, before testing again. Otherwise, you might come across weird bugs.

Verified example:

The game will remember shorter ranges of settlement towers even if you increase them, resulting in artillery units which could still easily outrange the towers deploy too close, in result - deploy in the range of the towers. You could see ridiculous stuff like Basilisks, with range of close half the map, deploy mere 200+ meters from the settlement walls, already 90+ meters in range of cannon towers.

So, checking your logs and doing a search for battle_config.xml and config_ai_battle.xml are just as vital as clearing your cache after every update, in order to verify whether the bug is caused by the AI files, or you have become a victim of the cache instead.

~ Achilla

Good luck, have fun and Cheers A.U.

[Achilla]

A word of note - recommended campaign difficulty is medium. H and VH have been benchmarks mainly for diplomacy and AI aggressiveness given correct means. Campaign recruitment isn't perfect for the simple sake of the nature of the mod (it's pretty much vanilla), where western factions in general have both more and better units. Morale and experience boosts for AI in campaign were implemented for bigger challenge as well as matter of experimenting, however it is fairly easy to disable them and restart the campaign (main motive was that dread generals in player's hands are way too powerful, and that it isn't possible to simulate testing dread generals in custom battles). Campaign in itself hasn't been given as much attention as the battles balance, because we had to focus mainly on BAI in order to release the 4.0 within moderately reasonable time frame.

[Wintermist]

A word of note - recommended campaign difficulty is medium. H and VH have been benchmarks mainly for diplomacy and AI aggressiveness given correct means. Campaign recruitment isn't perfect for the simple sake of the nature of the mod (it's pretty much vanilla), where western factions in general have both more and better units. Morale and experience boosts for AI in campaign were implemented for bigger challenge as well as matter of experimenting, however it is fairly easy to disable them and restart the campaign (main motive was that dread generals in player's hands are way too powerful, and that it isn't possible to simulate testing dread generals in custom battles). Campaign in itself hasn't been given as much attention as the battles balance, because we had to focus mainly on BAI in order to release the 4.0 within moderately reasonable time frame.

EDIT:

It also seems A.U. pasted one of our experiments, when we decided to withdraw skirmish section.

You can use the EDU below to get skirmish classes back.

Could you please explain the difference for me as a gamer?

[Achilla]

Could you please explain the difference for me as a gamer?

We are still unsure fully how the skirmishing hardcode changes work in Kingdoms 1.5. In practice, we didn't jump to any verifiable conclusions as far as skirmish versus missile class goes, in terms of formerly skirmish units, such as javelinmen. Thus, at this point it doesn't matter much which file you use, until we happen to make a breakthrough in this area and adjust the AI accordingly.

[dknight237]

A word of note - recommended campaign difficulty is medium. H and VH have been benchmarks mainly for diplomacy and AI aggressiveness given correct means. Campaign recruitment isn't perfect for the simple sake of the nature of the mod (it's pretty much vanilla), where western factions in general have both more and better units. Morale and experience boosts for AI in campaign were implemented for bigger challenge as well as matter of experimenting, however it is fairly easy to disable them and restart the campaign (main motive was that dread generals in player's hands are way too powerful, and that it isn't possible to simulate testing dread generals in custom battles). Campaign in itself hasn't been given as much attention as the battles balance, because we had to focus mainly on BAI in order to release the 4.0 within moderately reasonable time frame.

Achilla what are some of the key differences between Medium campaign difficulty and Hard difficulty? I've been playing a Hard Campaign and i'll post some feedback later but I'm curious as to what the differences are between Medium and Hard campaign difficulties

[dknight237]

1) I don't have any other mods besides KGCM
this new zip file has the config file already setup as

[io]
file_first = true
disable_file_cache = false

can I leave the config file the way it is and just copy/paste over the old KGCM file?

or do I still need to follow the above steps? ie (set cache= true, start a new campaign, delete map.rwm, then change cache=false, delete map.rwm, start over)


2) Would it be better to use this new zip file instead of xeryx's general instructions? I have already followed his integration steps but I did notice some different changes in the descr_strat.txt file in this new zip file specifically the faction standings

If there are any other KGCM specific changes I would not mind doing a reinstall.

Thanks!

[Achilla]

In theory, you disable the cache once, clear map.rwm, launch the campaign game, exit to menu, clear map.rwm again, turn the cache on and can play the game. In practise, you are much safer with the cache permanently disabled ( set to true). Personally I've never encountered any slowdowns or conflicts with the disabled cache, and since my machine should have an upgrade good 2-3 years ago I safely conclude you lose nothing by simply disabling it once and for all. If you are paranoid like me (tester's habits), you can disable the cache for every mod you've installed and delete map.rwm from the core mod directories each time you switch to play another mod or update/change the files.

Copy-pasting will save you some time integrating the CAI, so it's your call.

[dknight237]

Thanks for the prompt reply
ok that makes much more sense now, i only have one mod but I'll probably leave it permanently disabled

[Wintermist]

Ok, now you'll better listen up because I got something important to say.

Holy smokes, now this was the most perfect MTW gaming experience I've ever had! AI is working so nicely, unit balance feel so right, cavalry kept formation so much better, I don't know what you've done, but it's magic! Pure Magic!

[xeryx]

good Question!! Something for the FAQ for sure!!
give me a little bit and I will write something up on difficulties

[dknight237]

FYI, copying and pasting this zip file seems to provide a more stable experience. I am getting less CTD's then when i used the general instructions

one quick question, i noticed for the byzantines you can now no longer switch settlements between castles/cities and that recruiting diplomats takes 2 turns

were these changes yall made?

does anyone else keep getting CTD's when trying to fight a siege battle? I tried deleting descr_walls.txt like another poster suggested but that has not solved the problem

[xeryx]

There should not be any CTD's..I think you have messed up part of the KGCM installation..really I did once too.

Try this first though and delete the pathfinding.db file, the game will make a new one.

If there is a problem, we will fix it. We however never had any CTD's unless we messed up the installation of KGCM. I will have all the files verified , Achilla can you help with this, please.

if you want you can just download soul firez's mod! it has hording factions!
It is based on all this! and much more! The installation might be easier?

http://www.twcenter.net/forums/showthread.php?t=323346

[Achilla]

There should not be any CTD's..I think you have messed up part of the KGCM installation..really I did once too.

Try this first though and delete the pathfinding.db file, the game will make a new one.

If there is a problem, we will fix it. We however never had any CTD's unless we messed up the installation of KGCM. I will have all the files verified , Achilla can you help with this, please.

if you want you can just download soul firez's mod! it has hording factions!
It is based on all this! and much more! The installation might be easier?

http://www.twcenter.net/forums/showthread.php?t=323346

I have re-checked installation on my end, and it's perfectly clean 4.2 with Dave's pack, overwritten by latest XAI for KGCM. I'm yet to experience any CTDs in battles or campaign the posters above talked about, be it in custom battles, campaign from reloading old save, or starting a new campaign altogether.

Perhaps we ought to pack the entire installation with skirmish-enabled EDU to single installer, and upload to mediafire? What you think about that Xeryx?

[Puer]

JFYI, I followed xeryx clear instructions & successfully installed XAI 4.0 to KGCM. Played few turns (battles & sieges) & no CTD occured.
Now I installed Argent Usher pack XAI 4.0.7z & restarted campaign - no CTD yet. I'll let you know if any CTDs occurs.

[Wintermist]

I've been playing the game on a fresh install, with the first post installations. And I've been playing for some time now and haven't had a crash or flaw yet either.

[dknight237]

I did install all four parts, in this order, 3.4 part 1, part2, 4.2 patch, and the xmas gift patch

I have never played KGCM with the xmas gift patch before and I am wondering if that might have affected it

I did not play KGCM before installing XAI to verify a good install

I will try uninstalling and reinstalling KGCM

Is the xmas gift patch really necessary? I think that's where I might have messed up the install. That and it seems to have changed the mod in ways I don't like (Takes two turns to recruit a diplomat, can't convert cities into settlements, more limitations on recruitment)

I also unpacked all my kingdoms mod files (crusades, teutonic, etc) after installing KGCM. Could that have messed things up?

Going thru Dave Scarface's install instructions again, I think that was the issue. (doh!)

[Dave Scarface]

Is the xmas gift patch really necessary? I think that's where I might have messed up the install. That and it seems to have changed the mod in ways I don't like (Takes two turns to recruit a diplomat, can't convert cities into settlements, more limitations on recruitment)

Whilst KGCM patch 4.2 was the last offical patch for my mod, the small xmas gift I released later included some important balance changes. Sure version 4.2 of KGCM itself is all but a completed work, and very playable. New comers to my mod will not really need this optional download. However old players of my mod WILL appreciate these additional changes. Since they know my mod inside out and they will understand the improvements I made.

Dave

[Achilla]

I did install all four parts, in this order, 3.4 part 1, part2, 4.2 patch, and the xmas gift patch

I have never played KGCM with the xmas gift patch before and I am wondering if that might have affected it

I did not play KGCM before installing XAI to verify a good install

I will try uninstalling and reinstalling KGCM

Is the xmas gift patch really necessary? I think that's where I might have messed up the install. That and it seems to have changed the mod in ways I don't like (Takes two turns to recruit a diplomat, can't convert cities into settlements, more limitations on recruitment)

I also unpacked all my kingdoms mod files (crusades, teutonic, etc) after installing KGCM. Could that have messed things up?

Going thru Dave Scarface's install instructions again, I think that was the issue. (doh!)

Actually, you need to install Dave's pack after 4.2 patch, before proceeding with the XAI download in the first post.

The limitations were put by me, for many reasons. Few of them being:

- uncontrolled AI spam of all kinds of agents
- balance abuse because of converting settlements (what's the point in taking that damned castle and defending it, when you can convert not-so-important town to the castle on your border instead? ... or better yet, let's convert all these castles inside your little country to cities and have 999999 florins income every turn)

Unpacking files shouldn't matter. However, when you do too many things at once, you lose track of what you are doing, and when problem arises usually clean reinstall and closely following installation instructions is the only way to be sure it will work properly.

[dknight237]

Actually, you need to install Dave's pack after 4.2 patch, before proceeding with the XAI download in the first post.

The limitations were put by me, for many reasons. Few of them being:

- uncontrolled AI spam of all kinds of agents
- balance abuse because of converting settlements (what's the point in taking that damned castle and defending it, when you can convert not-so-important town to the castle on your border instead? ... or better yet, let's convert all these castles inside your little country to cities and have 999999 florins income every turn)

Unpacking files shouldn't matter. However, when you do too many things at once, you lose track of what you are doing, and when problem arises usually clean reinstall and closely following installation instructions is the only way to be sure it will work properly.

Thanks for the explanation. That makes sense now. Was the AI just creating just hordes of Assassins, spies, diplomats, etc?

Also, was the AI actively doing balance abuse (converting not settlements back and forth)

I have never seen the AI convert settlements before in any other mod but if it was abusing that in the beta then I could see how it could be annoying

[Achilla]

The problem here is, AI never converted own settlements, while the player could do that to his advantage. Pointless feature it was if you ask me, taking away from the tactical part of the game.