Newbie questions

[Ebenezer Grymm]

Hi, I have M2 and M2 Kingdoms and want to try SS, just need help with a couple things.

After looking through the stickies I can't tell exactly what patch my Kingdoms install should be on before I install SS. It's currently at 1.05, is that the right one?

Also, the main reason I wanted to try this is because I thought it was a giant grand campaign just like the original M2TW, but I can't find anything specifically saying that. So it IS a big grand campaign, right? Just with all the Kingdoms perks and a bigger map and new factions?

And lastly, if there is a SS giant grand campaign, do you start in the Early Era and then work towards the late era with gunpowder and such? What years or turns do the middle and late eras start? Can you still continue after you complete the capmaign objectives and take over the whole map?

Thanks much in advance for any help.

[Gromovnik]

Kingdoms 1.05 is the right patch.
Yes, there is a grand campaign, actualy more then one. You have 1080 and 1220 campaigns. I play SS2 with RR 1.3 submod, and it has also 1450 campaign, plus 2 small campaigns: Italian wars (starting in 1280), and the Hundred years war (starting in 1337 IIRC).
All three grand campaigns are on a massive map, with way more settlements than vanilla. And of course, you can continue playing after you achieve your goals.

[Mega Tortas de Bodemloze]

Here this should get you started....

Stainless Steel 6.X Install Guide http://www.twcenter.net/forums/showthread.php?t=341997

All the essentials about SS are given in the SS6.1 presentation. Currently SS is at SS6.2 and will shorlty be releasing SS6.3.

Stainless Steel 6.1 Released http://www.twcenter.net/forums/showthread.php?t=159996

Yes, there are both early and late eras including gunpowder. Yes it's a grand campaign involing 31 different factions on a large map.

[Ebenezer Grymm]

Great thank you guys so much for the quick replies

Since you say the campaigns start in different eras, if you start an early era campaign will it eventually become the late era, or do you specifically have to play a late era campaign to have access to cannons and other late era units?

[princeps.omnis]

Yes, if you play for long enough, the early era will become the late era, and you'll be able to use muskets, cannons, and all sorts of late era goodness.

[Ebenezer Grymm]

OK I'm sorry I do have another question I can't find the answer to.

During installation of the 6.1 patch it asks if I want to remove Byg II Army Supply. What is that?

Is it JUST the armies needing supplies part of the grim reality patch? And what do you guys usually do? I understand it's more realistic but needing to supply your armies sounds like an uneccessary PITA, not sure how or if it effects SS when it's removed.

I'm asking because I want to then install patch 6.2 and according to the instructions I'm not sure if removing Byg Army Supply (depending what it is) would mess that up or not.

[Ichon]

OK I'm sorry I do have another question I can't find the answer to.

During installation of the 6.1 patch it asks if I want to remove Byg II Army Supply. What is that?

Is it JUST the armies needing supplies part of the grim reality patch? And what do you guys usually do? I understand it's more realistic but needing to supply your armies sounds like an uneccessary PITA, not sure how or if it effects SS when it's removed.

I'm asking because I want to then install patch 6.2 and according to the instructions I'm not sure if removing Byg Army Supply (depending what it is) would mess that up or not.

Byg's Army Supply is optional... both 6.1 and 6.2 ask if you want to install it. It makes the game more complex compared to vanilla and increases many costs and restrict you more economically so its up to you if you want to deal with that or not. Whatever you answer to 6.1 shouldn't matter as 6.2 will ask you again anyway I believe.

[bɑne]

I'm asking because I want to then install patch 6.2 and according to the instructions I'm not sure if removing Byg Army Supply (depending what it is) would mess that up or not.

If your going to patch to 6.2 RC4 you can simply use the 6.0->6.2 installer or the all version installer.
If your going to install the 6.2 RR/RC compilation just leave everything unticked in the 6.1 installer.

[Ebenezer Grymm]

I installed 6.1 and ticked the option to remove Grims Army Supply. Then I installed the 6.1 to 6.2 patch.

The first thing I did was start a long campiagn late era as England and checked my king's traits. He had an army supply trait, so I guess it didn't actually remove it, or, it removed the mod but not the traits and in that case I'm worried about proceeding in a game if having the traits still there with a disabled mod may cause problems

[Kornstalx]

I installed 6.1 and ticked the option to remove Grims Army Supply. Then I installed the 6.1 to 6.2 patch.

The first thing I did was start a long campiagn late era as England and checked my king's traits. He had an army supply trait, so I guess it didn't actually remove it, or, it removed the mod but not the traits and in that case I'm worried about proceeding in a game if having the traits still there with a disabled mod may cause problems

Ebenezer, as someone else said if you want to play 6.2 without the Army Supply system, you'll have to edit export_descr_character_traits yourself. It'd be easier if someone would just give you the pre-edited file. I'd attach it to this very post if I knew that no one here would freak out.

IMHO I prefer to play original 6.1 (without BYG Supply), anyway. I played 6.2 for a while (after manually editing the above file, since BYG is forced down your throat with no installer option) and while it was indeed more difficult, I felt some of the changes it made were just a bit too much.

The problem with Stainless Steel right now is that King Kong (the original author, since SS's inception) has moved on, with 6.1 being his last pure release. Since then, everyone and their grandmother seems to have their hands in the cookie jar, making "compilations" and all sorts of crazy over-board additions and passing them off as the New and Improved® SS.

Granted, some of them had King Kong's blessing in doing this.

Just install 6.1 and tick "remove BYG" if you're new, man. You'll enjoy the hell out of it over vanilla, and you can wade out into the current chaos that is post-King Kong SS later.

[bɑne]

Removing army supply in 6.1 doesnt mean its gone when you patch to 6.2. If you are worried about the integrity use the all version installer on top of your current install but it won't change the trait system in place for 6.2.

[princeps.omnis]

To remove supply traits, you need to go to the export_descr_character_traits file in the Stainless Steel folder, search for "supplies" and remove the triggers and/or traits.

[Ebenezer Grymm]

I did what bane_tw recommended and downloaded and installed the 6.0 to 6.2 all in one patch over top of my current installation and started a new campaign.

I guess if you have to go through all of that to disable the army supply stuff then most people are probably using it so I'll give it a shot, hopefully running that patch re-enabled it properly.

[Mega Tortas de Bodemloze]

Ebenezer ...

Those extra sub mods can be very in depth and restrictive. Unless your the patient sort and really thrive on the role play, you may wish to stick to plain SS without the additives. SS6.1 is what most of the sub-mods work with and SS6.2 adds lots of eye candy and spice all by it's self...

[Ebenezer Grymm]

Ebenezer ...

Those extra sub mods can be very in depth and restrictive. Unless your the patient sort and really thrive on the role play, you may wish to stick to plain SS without the additives. SS6.1 is what most of the sub-mods work with and SS6.2 adds lots of eye candy and spice all by it's self...

Thank you much. Could you please elaborate a little? I really just want a nice relatively simple game experience without a lot of minutia already added to the minutia that's already present. I can deal with some in the name of upgrades and realism but if it's too much, like what the Army Supply sounded like to me, then I really don't want it.

So are you recommending not installing patch 6.2? And if I want to uninstall it now, do I need to delete my entire M2TW and Kingdoms installation or can I just uninstall and reload SS? It's taken me all day to install, I just want to get it right so I can dive in.

[Caesar Clivus]

Thank you much. Could you please elaborate a little? I really just want a nice relatively simple game experience without a lot of minutia already added to the minutia that's already present. I can deal with some in the name of upgrades and realism but if it's too much, like what the Army Supply sounded like to me, then I really don't want it.

6.2 doesn't add any more minutia apart from the supply system (which is in 6.1 as well).

So are you recommending not installing patch 6.2? And if I want to uninstall it now, do I need to delete my entire M2TW and Kingdoms installation or can I just uninstall and reload SS? It's taken me all day to install, I just want to get it right so I can dive in.

I'd recommened installing 6.2. It fixes a lot of little bugs that cropped up in 6.1. If you do want to uninstall 6.2, then you'll have to reinstall Stainless Steel from scratch (but not M2TW or Kingdoms)

[Mega Tortas de Bodemloze]

Right then for the basics just install SS6.1 or SS6.2. If you look thru the sub-mod forum there are sub-mods that offer campaigns such as Battle of the Baltic and Kingdom of Heaven.

SS6.2 adds more eye candy, new castles and city for example and has a bump in difficulty level. Easy = medium, medium = hard and so forth.

SS6.1 alone has a bug where cities rebel {especisally capitals} and this can be quite annoying.

SS6.2 is very stable and the only time I've ever gotten a CTD I was out of memory space. {too many things open while I was playing the game}.

So I reccomend SS6.1 if your going to be looking for other campaigns quickly and SS6.2 if your not...

I also reccomend that you glance over this...

Stainless Steel Standards: Campaign Bible {strategy guide} http://www.twcenter.net/forums/showthread.php?t=329518

[bɑne]

Ebenezer I'd say play a campaign with 6.2 RC4 and if you like it - keep going. If you want more or a additional challenge... return here.
Else I fear you'll be stuck drytesting mods from the reports of others

[CamilleBonparte]

Really the order of "progression" in terms of challenge is 6.1 -> 6.2 -> 6.2 + RR/RC -> 6.2 + RR/RC + BYG's mod.

Personally I'm challenged enough by plain 6.2 =P

[bɑne]

IMHO I prefer to play original 6.1 (without BYG Supply), anyway. I played 6.2 for a while (after manually editing the above file, since BYG is forced down your throat with no installer option) and while it was indeed more difficult, I felt some of the changes it made were just a bit too much.

You yourself could have made an installer making that an optional choice. Or forcing a minipatch to remove BYGs supply after the full 6.2 install down our throats by posting it in the 6.2 release topic and asking gracul to kindly include it in the first post. Or asking for something like that in the release topic.
Its one thing to dislike a situation its another to do nothing to improve it.

The problem with Stainless Steel right now is that King Kong (the original author, since SS's inception) has moved on, with 6.1 being his last pure release. Since then, everyone and their grandmother seems to have their hands in the cookie jar, making "compilations" and all sorts of crazy over-board additions and passing them off as the New and Improved® SS.

Granted, some of them had King Kong's blessing in doing this.

6.2 release is officially sanctioned, pardoned, ordained, whatever by King Kong. Thats one instance, not a multitude, not some. There is also only one major compilation out there. I like your stile - exaggerating.

Just install 6.1 and tick "remove BYG" if you're new, man. You'll enjoy the hell out of it over vanilla, and you can wade out into the current chaos that is post-King Kong SS later.

Yeah great Kornstalx and I'll be the guy troubleshooting the 6.1 ctds he's going to experience kneedeep in his campaigns. Will definitly increase his enjoyment.
The 6.2 RC4 phase was long enough to provide feedback such as the option your missing in the installers. I hope you'll consider contributing in the 6.3 beta over painting a picture thats worse then reality.