Scripted Diplomacy for SPQR 4.6 Add-on

**Sinuhet** · December 01, 2005, 09:40 AM

Scripted Diplomacy for SPQR:TW 4.6 and 5.0 Add-on

****************************************

Version 1.0 - Download link in TWC Download section

****************************************
Version 1.0 official Readme:

Scripted Diplomacy Add-on for SPQR 4.6 mod of Rome Total War, by Sinuhet (TWC Forum)

Version 1.0 - Creation Date: December 17, 2005, Release Date (upload to TWC Download Section): December 17, 2005

Description and Using
---------------------------
This mod is add-on, which enables some kind of foreign policy after removing diplomats from the lt1956’s SPQR modification version 4.6 of the original RTW game. To use it properly you need another copy of the clean installation of the SPQR 4.6 mod next to the original Rome Total War folder. You will install this add-on by overwriting several files of the original SPQR 4.6 mod and copying several new script files to the folder for Show me scripts.

There are two parts – the core part with scripts and modified advice files for starting Show me scripts a and the second part, which is aimed for more balanced survival of all factions – this is implemented via some changes in EDU.txt and EDB.txt script files.

This mod doesn't want to be historically accurate. This mod incorporates a lot of ideas, which are publicly available in threads of the TWC and org. Forums. I am mainly grateful to Epistolary Richard and other people from the threads about scripting in forums.totalwar.org. The information collected in this place was very helpful to me in the phase of the research of the scripting techniques. Other source of information how to implement the Show me scripts was for me Epistolary Richard’s “Client Kingdoms mod“.

More information about the aim and features of this add-on is available in the official thread of this mod. Visit the Total War Center's Major Modifications Section Subforum of SPQR mod, where an official thread of this mod is.

----------------------------------------------
Installation Instructions:
----------------------------------------------
1. Make a copy the clean installation of the SPQR 4.6 mod (its Rome Total war folder), this add-on will overwrite several files of the original SPQR 4.6 mod.
2. Copy and paste the modified files included in the archive file with this Readme to this new copy of the original SPQR 4.6 mod installation. The placing of the files is obvious: Rome Total War/Data folder and its appropriate subfolders. There are two parts/folders in the zip archive file. The core part is essential for function. The second part (modified EDU and EDB.txt files) is for better functioning but the mod will be fully functional also without them – so it is on your personal preferences to use them.
3. When you will want to use this modified SPQR (i.e. SPQR 4.6 with this add-on installed) you must only rename the Rome Total War folders (a classical way for usage of multiple installations of the RTW and its modifications).
4. This mod is absolutely saved games friendly – i.e. the saved games from SPQR 4.6 mod can be used in SPQR 4.6 with this add on installed and vice versa.

----------------------------------------------
Usage in Game Instructions:
----------------------------------------------
1. This add-on is a system of several hierarchical Show me scripts. To start the execution of the appropriate script, the Human Player must click on Show me button of the appropriate Advice dialogue. Only after hitting the Show me button is the script running.
2. The main script is started from the Advice dialogue to the Diplomatic Standing. This dialogue is started by click on the question mark button (“?”) in the upper right corner of the Diplomatic Standing pane (this pane is from campaign lightly started by clicking on “D” key – as diplomacy). After the Advice dialogue appears you will not see anything new to the time you will click on the Show me Button (the button with magnifying glass below the head of the Roman woman). So to the moment you will click on the Show me button, you can cancel the whole action without starting the script. After one hitting the Show me button the script is started and form your budget will be subtracted 100 denarii (you will pay this small amount for the diplomacy). After the main script is terminated you can see the results in the Diplomatic Standing pane immediately (btw, the diplomatic messages are unreliable and sometimes a bit confusing, only in the Diplomatic pane is the information 100% complete and reliable). You can start this script x-times in one turn – it is only a question of money and your decisions.
3. During execution of the main script there can be started several other scripts. In this version of this mod only the ones related to Dacian foreign policy (clickining on the respective Show me buttons of the Dialogues about Dacian Diplomacy you can create 1 strong Dacian army near Porolissium for 500 denarii. or force a peace between Dacia and some of its neighbours).
4. There is certain grade of randomness in almost all conditions and definitions. So don’t be confused that in the same situation the scripts behaviour is a bit different sometimes.

----------------------------------------------
The Most Important Changes\ Update Log:
----------------------------------------------
12/17/2005, version 1.00
- the original version

----------------------------------------------
Known limitations:
----------------------------------------------
Naturally, this mod is incompatible with other mods, which have some of the modified files included. Otherwise no incompatibility issues are known in this stage of the development. But not systematically tested with other mods of SPQR 4.6 RTW 1.2 mod.
----------------------------------------------
If you feel you have any suggestions that could make this software better please feel free to contact me with your suggestion.
----------------------------------------------

****************************************

Current status of the project:

Defining the aim of the project: 100% completed, in October 2005

(A complete removing of all foreign policy from SPQR 4.0 RTW mod has always bothered and provoked me, the decision to implement an idea of scripted foreign policy I have made on the base of a poll about giving back the diplomats – circa 50% of users wanted give back totally or partially a functionality of dips)

Research of the scripting techniques: 100% completed, in October – November 2005

(in the starting phase was crucial for me information in the org. site, Scripting subforum moderated by Epistolary Richard and his Client Kingdoms mod, in further selection and refining of the scripting techniques for needs of my project I had to do still a large investigations, with revealing or developing some new solutions, a nightmare were mainly the syntax CA jokes)

technical REM: for those, who can use this, I have revealed also still undocumented condition for “if” in Show me scripts – I_DiplomaticStanceFromFaction bla bla (from head not sure with real syntax of the statement, the main new is the usage of the diplomatic stance condition also for “if”, not only for Advice triggers), which tests a diplomatic stance between Local Faction and the faction defined in argument

Defining desired diplomatic stances for all factions in various situations of their relative power: 100% completed, in October – November 2005

(mainly defining for every faction directions of natural aggressions, natural alliances and alliances in time of common powerful enemys expansions, high level relations of factions and groups of factions)

Balancing the relative power of every faction for maximal probability of surviving for all: 100% completed, in October – December 2005

(trespassing lt1956s suggestion in House rules not to modify in manner to change a gameplay, but it was necessary, strictly using “approach of minimal changes” – technically speaking, I have done some changes in “export_description_buildings.txt” and “export_description_units.txt” files – for example: 1. boosting Dacian economy and population recover ability by means of happiness, population and trade bonuses for government houses, walls and infantry barracks, let survive this faction, otherwise destructed around 250BC, 2. newly based the creation of caravans and higher for more factions in dependence on the camels resource – to define them geographically), with usage permissions of them still for wider pool of factions – an attractive priest for attackers, 3. increased attacking abilities of Dacian infantry, which is normally facing paralelly minimally 3 awful enemies (Macedon, Germans, Greece/Gauls), 4. boosting very carefully and slightly some settings for Romans buildings and some other minor changes (Easterns, Parthians). However, these are only for balancing purposes and the main feeling is still quite SPQR style campaign and battles. If I tested it repeatedly via –AI in shortcut, the Romans survive maximally circa 100 years, still Gauls and Carthage invading in wave after wave, and more deadly matches between all factions gradually in wars each against each. But more balanced as for surviving chances for every faction more equally).

Exact definitions of behaving between all factions mutually in new Showme script file: 100% completed, in October – December 2005

(script is started via the help button in Diplomacy Information window – so 3 key strokes possibility to start the whole thing, exactly defined all diplomatic stances via cites holding conditions, in wars, peaces and alliances sections, spheres of influences for groups of allied factions)

Roman influences on Dacian foreign policy: 100% completed, in October – November 2005

(Mainly dialogues for forcing a peace between Dacians and Germans, Gauls, Macedon and Greek_cities, respectively. Further ability to support financially creation of one strong Dacian army near Porolissium – for possibility of controlled changing a weak balance of power on Balcan peninsula – thanks to explained bad script syntax in SpawnArmy statement.)

Roman foreign policy, dialogues about peaces and creating or broking alliances: 5% completed, in October – November 2005, only in status of research sample

Possibility to create diplomat for Roman Local Faction: I am not decided if to implement it, it will be good only from one main reason – to create a possibility of short moments of peace between HPs Roman Local faction and some of its 5 natural enemies (Gauls, Germans, Carthage, Greece and Macedon) for high costs.

Spawn armies in islands: 100% completed, in December 2005, against the easy financial life of "undefended-islands-cheaters", I have spent the last week with debugging this part, now 100% stable (there were random CTDs due to a syntax error for one army - "merc merc samnite" was the reason, a lot of restarts before this error was isolated and this time lost took me away an enthusiasm a bit)

(to avoid relatively un-defended and un-invasioned islands exploit – now “the miracles” with finances by taking Rhodes etc, after that it will be a really bad decision to want to make money in this un-natural manner, I have decided in the end to implement as a basic pattern a system of 1 full army of mercenaries - high maintenance costs - with 80% chance of appearance and second full army of regulars with 20% chance of app., for some strategical important provinces there will be still one army of features between of these two extremes with chance of app. 50%)

The last beta testing of the whole mod: planned in January 2006, just completed beta-testing of the version 1.0 - without Human Player (i.e. Roman factions) diplomacy

Public relations, marketing and distribution related things: started by this post, in December 2005 - ?

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
P.S.: In December was released the version 1.0 of this mod for SPQR 4.6. I have decided not to include the Romans diplomatic dialogues in this 1st version - it is not the core part of the whole mod, only its extension, and there is relatively large probability that I will spent several other weeks with its implementation. Till this time it is possible to enjoy the core part of the mod for the AI.
I have tested this version of the mod also with SPQR 5.0 - the core part is fully functional also with this version of the SPQR:TW. I have not revealed any problem during this testing, but theoretically there could be still some minor issue with spawn armies - I have not tested all of them with SPQR 5.0, on the other hand the probability of this is very, very low. So dont be afraid to use the core part of this mod also with SPQR 5.0. However, dont use the modified EDU and EDB txt files (i.e. Balanced fgactions survival part), because they are based on the files from the SPQR 4.6 and you would lose the new features of the version 5.0 by this way.
Bye Sinuhet
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

**bossheada** · December 01, 2005, 10:02 AM

This is a real innovative change & worth looking forward to! Thanks!

**makeshift52** · December 01, 2005, 11:04 AM

Will it be in time for SPQR 5.0, or will it be kept separately, looking forward to it

!

**=E.T=** · December 01, 2005, 11:10 AM

...

**The White Knight** · December 01, 2005, 11:15 AM

As always the lay-out of your posts is superbly beautiful, Sinuhet. :laughing:
--
As for your project: looks wonderful! The missing diplomacy has also bothered me in SPQR 4.0/4.6 and I might (probably) get back into it with your promising add-on!

**Sinuhet** · December 01, 2005, 12:50 PM

Originally Posted by makeshift52

Will it be in time for SPQR 5.0, or will it be kept separately, looking forward to it

!

Ave bossheada, makeshift52, =E.T=, The White Knight and Frost, colonel!

Thanks for your posts, it is important to me now to have some postitve feedback, because I have spent with this a lot of my time already and sometimes I am in doubts, if it is of the worth to do it only for me separately, so I am glad to see that there can be also some interest form the side of other peoples.

I have chosen makeshift52s post to quotes, because I think that it is important to show my attitude as for the relations of this add-on toward the original SPQR 4.6 mod.

Firstly, I have started to develop this add-on in October, when lt1956 has stated that the version 4 of the SPQR with some minor version (now 4.6) will be the desired end of the product cycle for this mod (he wants to develop similar mod for later Roman period) and so it appeared logical to me create add-on for this mature mod. There were not some thinking from my side a lot deep about this anyway. Now when it is emerging idea of the SPQR 5.0 it seems me as the better solution not to wait till its release and distribute firstly my mod separately for the SPQR 4.6 as originally I want. After some more wider usage I recon there will be some feedback as for the bugs (so complex thing must have bugs, but I dont know naturally where exactly) and if lt1956 will take this mod as sufficiently mature for including to SPQR 5.0, I will develop tailored version similarly like in the AI formations.

Secondly, it is clear that this add-on and the original SPQR files will be to some extent incompatible (EDU and EDB.txt files), so to use this add-on and still have original SPQR, users will have to create other copy of RTW (similarly like if they want to have for example SPQR and RTR as two alternatives and play them according a mood). So it is add-on, but from certain angle of view it can be taken also as an alternative or cloned SPQR. In this place I want to clearly state that I dont want in any case any competition with original SPQR, but rather evolutionary merging of the best things from both of them to develop better SPQR as for the possibility to have also some kind of control over war and peace. Now is a foreign policy degenerated to the war each against each too much and it creates also certain simplicity for HP, in my opinion.

Thirdly, I am trying not to destruct concepts and mechanics of the original SPQR to the maximal possible extent, which still let me implement my aim (to have some foreign policy and maybe diplomat for HPs faction, more equal chances for surviving for all factions), as mentioned previously. It will be on the HP when, how often and if at all he will use this functionality.

Fourthly and lastly, there are some issues (rather CA related), which somebody can take as large obstacle to use this add-on at all. But it is not about basic functionality, the solutions work nice, rather about for somebody maybe very annoying announcements of changes of diplomatic stances between respective factions - they are sometimes in large count in the column in the left side of the screen and sometimes are these informations uncorrect or unfull. However the reliable solution is not to follow these announcements and to use only Diplomatic pane, where is everything correct.

Bye to all and thanks for the interest and your declared support for me in this sometimes already boring work. Sinuhet

**Frost, colonel** · December 01, 2005, 11:55 AM

Your a clever individual Sinuhet, Very interesting!

How will the spawned armies on islands work?(yes I am one of those un-natural money making island hopping people)
If I land do the armies appear at the end of the turn?
What happens if I take the city in the same turn I land, do rebel armies spawn and lay siege?

**Sinuhet** · December 02, 2005, 08:23 AM

Originally Posted by Frost, colonel

.... How will the spawned armies on islands work?(yes I am one of those un-natural money making island hopping people)
If I land do the armies appear at the end of the turn?
What happens if I take the city in the same turn I land, do rebel armies spawn and lay siege?

Ave Frost, colonel!

I plan to implement the system of spawn armies in islands in this manner:

Because I want to large exent let on Human Player to decide when or if at all to use this entire diplomatic functionality, I prefer to use a Showme script method, which is started only by HPs hiting the "Show me" button of the appropriate dialogue. The testing of a holding the cities in islands provinces by foreign faction on the respective islands will be a part of the balancing tasks for the AI factions, so it will appear only after starting the whole diplomatic functionality and it will not be independently tested in the start or the end of each turn. (This behaviour will be possible to implement by a bit different way, not by this Showme script, but by defining a new advice trigger or separate Showme script only for this reason, but in both situations it will necessary the HP will be motivated to start the execution part of the executive script for spawning the armies. And I think that without incorporation to the main script, which will create also good things for HP, the HP will never be motivated to do so). This solution will let the HPs, who will prefer to play almost the whole game in the way as previously - with "islands exploit" - to the time they will feel, that the balancing of foreign policy will be good for them, and they firstly hit the appropriate Show me button in the Help Dialogue of the Diplomatic pane.

The testing part of the section of the main script for spawning the armies in the respective islands will have included testing condition for: 1. if City owner is its original faction (i.e. faction, which is defined for every city in one of the script files in the campaign folder) or slave faction (i.e. the rebels), 2. if random number generator will generate a number less then xx (the implementation of probability xx % of spawning the army, which it is tested for). By this way the script will test for every city in the defined islands, if it is hold by its original faction or rebels, and if not it will generate with probabilities e.g. 90% medium strong army, 50% other more stronger army and 10% other army, which will be elite (maybe also with general and not only captain). So some randomness there will still exist and the HP (and also the AI for some other foreign faction occupying the islands city) will never know exactly how strong army in occupied city he must have (and he will have to risk that he will lost the city or will have to pay a strong garisson there for times of the periods of active foreign policy).

A situation will be created by this manner a bit similar to the real world, where are periods of relative less active foreign policy and few changes in diplomatic relations, which are followed by eager diplomacy and large re-defining of relations to neighbours, with larger danger of military conflict by new created balance of powers and with larger probability of an invasion in the formerly owned rich islands with inhabitants of the same origin and now occupied by foreign armies.

The system of armies of rebels (which are emerging also in islands) will be quite un-changed. The measurement of emerging of rebels armies and their power are one of the genial features of the last versions of the SPQR and I dont need change anything of this rebel system of SPQR 4.6.

As I have said in my first post of this thread, as for the spawn armies in islands everything (including the implementation of these features) is quite trivial :wink: .

Bye Sinuhet

**makeshift52** · December 02, 2005, 10:50 AM

Thanks, so you are saying that I will need another save file for "Sinuhet's Diplomat SPQR" (Lol)(I know you want no competition).

Also, how badly will the game change?

Many Thanks

Makeshift52

**Sinuhet** · December 02, 2005, 01:42 PM

Originally Posted by makeshift52

Thanks, so you are saying that I will need another save file for "Sinuhet's Diplomat SPQR" (Lol)(I know you want no competition).

Also, how badly will the game change?

Many Thanks

Makeshift52

Ave makeshift52!

Sorry, but I dont understand exactly, what you mean. Its the my English. So I will try to answer, what I think you have meant, but I am not quite sure, if it will be onto cores of your questions.

I have not done any change to this time, which should prevent to start to use the SPQR 4.6 with the Diplomacy Add-on installed over with any Save file previously saved in SPQR 4.6. Theoretically it is true also the reverted direction, but I have not tested it, and mainly I dont see a sense of this. Who will want to try SPQR + Add-on and will be then satisfied with it, will pace across its campaign to the end or start of the new campaign. Who will try and will hate it, will not probably want to save the awful things in a Save file and continue from this Save file then in classical SPQR 4.6, but they will start new or continue some previous SPQR 4.6 campaign.

So fully compatible Save files in direction classical to with add-on installed SPQR 4.6 and you can 100% use Save file from SPQR 4.6 and continue your campaign in SPQR 4.6 with add-on installed over - several times tested during beta testing in various phases of completion, never some issue. But theoretically there can be revealed some minor issues during usage in wider pool of users, its normal.

What I meant in previous posts about relation of classical and this add-on patched SPQR (and was maybe explained in a bit confusing manner) is a fact that user must have 2 "separate installations" of RTW for them (or he will have to overwrite the whole set of all changed files) - the incompatibility will be caused in the first place by EDU. txt and EDB.txt script files in Data folder. It is the same situation, like if you have SPQR and RTR installed in two folders next to each other.

The last your question I am not able to translate, can you tell it in other words, please?

Bye Sinuhet

**Woad-Warrier** · December 02, 2005, 07:23 PM

Lol, love those replies!

Ave!

**makeshift52** · December 03, 2005, 07:28 AM

Sorry Sinuhet,

What I meant was that how will the game change because of the way you changed the "EDU. txt and EDB.txt script files in Data folder"?
What will be different from SPQR 4.6 and SPQR 4.6 scripted dimplomacy add-on?

(They are the same question)

Many Thanks

Makeshift52

**Sinuhet** · December 03, 2005, 08:59 AM

Originally Posted by makeshift52

Sorry Sinuhet,

What I meant was that how will the game change because of the way you changed the "EDU. txt and EDB.txt script files in Data folder"?
What will be different from SPQR 4.6 and SPQR 4.6 scripted dimplomacy add-on?

(They are the same question)

Many Thanks

Makeshift52

Ave Makeshift52!

I see. But I am not in job now, so I will be in my answer very concise

. Btw, I am in further work on the script now. I think, that the most important chages and mainly their leading idea I have explained in one of the sections of the first post (the part about of the balancing of equal probability of survival for all factions). And I am now in a hurry to explicitly list all of them (maybe in official Readme). The best solution seems me to upload the two files as the beta release for personal testing purposes - their distribution in any way is prohibited, all credits as for the original files for lt1956.

Bye Sinuhet

----------------------
To lt1956:
Ave my friend!
I hope you will not take this as my offensive toward you, but as a start of our cooperation in further development and investigation for improvements of another section of your genial mod.
Bye Sinuhet

-----------
Edited: the attachement file removed after official release of the version 1.0 of this mod

**IamthePope** · December 03, 2005, 09:06 AM

cant wait for it

**=E.T=** · December 04, 2005, 02:53 PM

Scripted Diplomacy - balanced factions survival.zip

I can wait ! great job! see you later! go to test it!!!

**Sinuhet** · December 05, 2005, 02:15 PM

Ave to all supporters of an idea of foreign policy in SPQR 4.6!

I have just edited the first post as for the status of completion of parts, on which I was working during this weekend.
Thanks to all, who were able to surpass in their organisms a tendency to be in the lowest possible energetical level (why to use the unpleasant word laziness). I am very glad to see that except some keystrokes to let me know they formally support me, they have also read my posts indeed and were maybe a bit thinking about this mod and let their phantasy to work. I am now doing on this project in a normal pace again and I will aim to release this mod in finished version during December 2005. Thanks for charging my batteries anyway.

Bye to all Sinuhet

**Maximo** · December 07, 2005, 10:55 PM

sorry but im a little confused on what your mod actually does?
what is foreign policy in spqr?

I know there is a fairly detailed description above but what is the overall purpose/effect your looking for?

so far i can figure out

=you made the dacians alot stronger - which is very needed.
=newly based the creation of caravans and higher for more factions in dependence on the camels resource – to define them geographically), with usage permissions of them still for wider pool of factions – an attractive priest for attackers.......................? - i dont get it? Are u going to tie the silk road building to the camel resource? I think a secret silk road resource would do a better job, imo.
=The romans are a little stronger - The roman AI needs a boost yes, but everything u give to them u give to the human player.
=adding dips to create very expensive short moments of peace. - That would be handy. If you can reduce the cost somehow relating to how big your army is, in comparision with theirs, that would be even better.
=and something to do with spawning armies on islands.

If i didnt mention it , i do not understand. No offence is intended but your english grammer is a little off. Im assuming english not your native language.

P.S - If you can direct the AI to make armies, Can you make it so the AI *always* has a full stack of the best army it can feild in its capital city.
Number 1 main example. Sparta. Can you replace the city walls with a full stack of spartans? If you cant get rid of the walls, the spartans will do.

And on a slightly related topic. Do you know why the AI keeps a full stack of troops next to a city with only a unit or 2 in there. Why does it not garrision its main citys. It does a few. Such as narbo marisis(sp?). But that is the only town i have ever seen that always has a full stack there.

Its a rather huge task fixing the diplomacy , and its looks like you have nearly finished it , good work.

**Sinuhet** · December 08, 2005, 11:55 AM

Ave Maximo!

Very nice post. The one really stimulating me to think about and to explain my ideas (in my poor English

).