Vampiresbane's Art of Diplomacy Guide

[Dr. Conquest]

And how exactly can I do that? I have Gold Edition, unpacking has anything to do with DVD 1 or DVD 2? Or should I unpack something that's already installed in my Medieval II folder?

How?

You need to be patched to v1.2 or higher. The unpacker is in '/tools/unpacker'. You don't need the DVD. Run the batch file from this location and it will do its thing. If you come across any difficulties, I suggest you search for the keyword 'unpacker' on this forum. There's a wealth of information out there that I think you would find useful.

To use unpacked/modified files, open medieval2.preferences.cfg with a text editor such as Notepad. Add the following lines at the top, as written:

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

[IO]
file_first = true

Save the file, close it, then right-click on it and select properties. Tick the read-only box in the properties dialogue to prevent the game overwriting your changes when it next loads. If you are using Windows Vista or later, you may have to temporarily move the file to the desktop in order to save the changes you make.

[Vlad Dracul]

You need to be patched to v1.2 or higher. The unpacker is in '/tools/unpacker'. You don't need the DVD. Run the batch file from this location and it will do its thing. If you come across any difficulties, I suggest you search for the keyword 'unpacker' on this forum. There's a wealth of information out there that I think you would find useful.

To use unpacked/modified files, open medieval2.preferences.cfg with a text editor such as Notepad. Add the following lines at the top, as written:

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

[IO]
file_first = true

Save the file, close it, then right-click on it and select properties. Tick the read-only box in the properties dialogue to prevent the game overwriting your changes when it next loads. If you are using Windows Vista or later, you may have to temporarily move the file to the desktop in order to save the changes you make.

Yup, done it (despite the numerous warnings that the game might not work properly if I unpack those - and the fact that it required another 7 GB disk space, the ReadMe file from tools/unpacker was useful), replaced that file, all I hope it's it'll work.

Thanks for your help, mate.

L.E.: It doesn't work, everytime when I try to fight I got this annoying "Medieval ecountred a problem and needs to be closed".
Bleah, it seems I have to waste another day for re-install this game...

[Vlad Dracul]

this guide is great!!
and the comments are very useful too~

Yup, I completely agree with you. Everybody who wrote a valid point of view deserves +rep.

the guide has mentioned that "Occupying a settlement +0.05 Reputation" is currently bugged.
there is a file to fix it.

i want to download this file.
may anyone post the link of this file? thank you!

Maybe here you can find the solution.
The guy tried to explain how it’s done but I didn’t understand what file to put in my Medieval II\data directory, as in the link he gives is not a file, but a script of some sort.

[Dr. Conquest]

Maybe here you can find the solution.
The guy tried to explain how it’s done but I didn’t understand what file to put in my Medieval II\data directory, as in the link he gives is not a file, but a script of some sort.

Ah, Vlad Dracul. I believe you recently posted about this same topic in a different thread. If you check my previous post, I have tried to present the solution in a more simplified way, without explaining all the whys and wherefores. Perhaps you may find it to be of some help. I can provide further details if you would like them.

[Runner]

Why do most AI factions get the "Immaculate" reputation so easily, especially the Pope?
the Pope is usually the first faction which get the "Immaculate" reputation while he nearly has done nothing.

Why do human faction usually get "Reliable" and "Very Reliable" only?

[Runner]

here is a question about the time period of "normalization".
how long will a normalization last?

example:

Trigger 0078c_DT_Break_Alliance_Neutral

WhenToTest Transgression
Condition TransgressionName = TC_BROKE_ALLIANCE
and DiplomaticStanceFactions = Neutral

FactionStanding global -0.1
FactionStanding target_faction normalise -1.0 10
FactionStanding target_allies normalise -1.0 40

-------------------------------------------------------------

when a faction has broken an alliance with me.
Trigger 0078c will start the normalization towards -1.0 with a divisor 10

if i form alliance with the same faction later.
will it ends the above normalization started by Trigger 0078c?

[Runner]

thanks Dr. Conquest

----------------------------------------

another example:

Trigger 0109_Update_Marriages
WhenToTest UpdateAttitude
Condition NumFactionMarriages > 0
FactionStanding target_faction normalise 1.0 20

----------------------------------------

what is the moment of "UpdateAttitude"?

[FriendlyThing]

Very helpful. +rep

[Runner]

what is the meaning of "UpdateAttitude"?
when will this trigger be used?

example:

Trigger 0109_Update_Marriages
WhenToTest UpdateAttitude
Condition NumFactionMarriages > 0
FactionStanding target_faction normalise 1.0 20

[pacifism]

How applicable is this guide to Rome: Total War?

[Vampiresbane]

How applicable is this guide to Rome: Total War?

This guide is primarily for M2TW, but that being said, the diplomacy code for M2TW was based off the RTW code. I wouldn't be surprised if a lot of the code is extremely similar. A big difference that comes to mind, though, is M2TW is more about different religions while RTW is more about different cultures.

[Granatenwerfer]

Great!!!

[Kahath]

Thank you for this guide, I always hated the simplistic nature of the diplomacy system. This will help me out a lot I think, only once in 10+ campaigns have I ever been able to make another faction my vassal so this advice is welcome.

[Lunnatic]

Question. I tried with Egypt ( I cheated just to see if it works ) to conquer about 6-7 cities in one turn ( char reset, create bombard ) and I occupied them but I didn't get Reliable reputation. I fixed the bug in descr_factionstanding and set the config, but are there any other factors?

[UndrState]

Question. I tried with Egypt ( I cheated just to see if it works ) to conquer about 6-7 cities in one turn ( char reset, create bombard ) and I occupied them but I didn't get Reliable reputation. I fixed the bug in descr_factionstanding and set the config, but are there any other factors?

Elaborate - why would you think that conquering 6-7 cities in one turn will get you a Reliable Reputation?

[SupplyWagon]

Elaborate - why would you think that conquering 6-7 cities in one turn will get you a Reliable Reputation?

I think he means that choosing to occupy captured settlement should, after fixing the bug in descr_factions_standing file, increase global reputation by 0.05. As to why it didn't work, could it be a reputation hit for attacking the factions those settlements belonged to (if they had any treaty or, God forbid, alliance with the player), or some byproduct effect of using cheats? One other possible explanation is one of those cities being previously gifted to AI through diplomacy screen, recapturing it gives a big rep hit too.

[UndrState]

I think he means that choosing to occupy captured settlement should, after fixing the bug in descr_factions_standing file, increase global reputation by 0.05. As to why it didn't work, could it be a reputation hit for attacking the factions those settlements belonged to (if they had any treaty or, God forbid, alliance with the player), or some byproduct effect of using cheats? One other possible explanation is one of those cities being previously gifted to AI through diplomacy screen, recapturing it gives a big rep hit too.

Ah-ha, that makes sense.

Lunnatic - was this a brand new game? Did you fix the bug before you started?

[Lunnatic]

Ah-ha, that makes sense.

Lunnatic - was this a brand new game? Did you fix the bug before you started?

It was turn 1, I used cheats, I fixed the bug and the config and I conquered 6 or 7 rebel cities, which were rebel cities, not cities from other factions. Are there any other factors involved here? Because I noticed once for fun, when I decided to turtle with Portugal with just Lisbon and no other city, my relations with all factions were very good or outstanding, since I did not conquer anything or made any harsh diplomatic actions.

[That Foul Necromancer]

Did you have a lot of allies? I also wonder if there isnt something that compensates Reputation one way or the other depending on the number of regions held... more knowledgable persons may know.

Question. I tried with Egypt ( I cheated just to see if it works ) to conquer about 6-7 cities in one turn ( char reset, create bombard ) and I occupied them but I didn't get Reliable reputation. I fixed the bug in descr_factionstanding and set the config, but are there any other factors?

So from turn one to turn two you went from Cairo, Alexandria and Gaza to Cairo, Alexandria, Gaza, Dongola, Jedda, Jerusalem, Acre, Damascus, Antioch and Aleppo

Lets review
1)Vampire'sbane mentioned hidden hardcoded routines that make the AI factions hate you if you expand too fast... stomped all over that.
2)You simultaneously captured four of the crusade targets that the 10 Italian nations (Catholics) have in their hidden victory conditions. #1
3) You leapt to number one in military, financial and overall rank and simultaneously got the most advanced and wealthiest nation drop-down's deployed the first gunpowder weapons (I am pretty sure this has an effect, one of those Historical hardcodes)
That is why everyone hates you!

If you had cheated up some diplomats and offered everyone attacks on rebels you might have come out ahead.
#1 Jerusalim is also IFRC 50% catholic and occupying Catholic states pisses the pope off. (I am not convinced Jer. is in Pope's hidden targets)

[AntonisTheGreek]

In Chapter 7 you say ''Voting for the wrong cardinal''.What do you mean?Are the ''right'' and ''wrong'' cardinals?