TATW Realism+ /Final/ [TATW 3.2]

[skullripper]

Does anybody get the message the king of eriador is dead when they start a game?
This happens to me when i start every faction besides eriador.

[DaVinci]

Does anybody get the message the king of eriador is dead when they start a game?
This happens to me when i start every faction besides eriador.

Don't worry, everybody gets this because it belongs to this submod, happens because Aragorn's father Arathorn (who is the King of Eriador) dies per script at game start (see changelog of earlier version, where i overworked Eriador's family tree, i said something like 'enables according message').

[Emrys]

I will run through Eriador and Gondor and let you know know the results.

[Aringtoit]

Been busy and couldn't give an update.

Really liking the Eriador campaign. On about turn 80, the OoG have been slaughtered and I'm ready to become Arnor. 1st time going up against Isengard and it's a whole new ballgame. Their units are MUCH tougher. It's hard to stand up to them with Eriador units which is good imo. You really have to become Arnor. The High Elves are helping out even though they've lost Imladris and Elrond's dead.

Most of the rest of the good guys are having a tough time--Rohan's down to a few settlements, Dale lost it's captal and its king, the Dwarves are laying low (probably because of Rhun) Minas Tirith is taken by Mordor and have lost 2 Stewards. The High Elves are hanging in and the Silvan Elves might be in trouble. This is the way I like it! It's true to Lore. The good guys faced overwhelming odds. The OoMM are attacking me too.

Only critique I have is that it seems to take a little too long for conquered settlements to be able to recruit (recruiting Sentinels and Beornings in Ost-in-Edhel takes about 75 turns for example), and recruiting times in general are a little too long imo--not much!--a little.

No ctds except for the vanilla reinforcing armies siege bug.

Anyway, I'm looking forward to the next installment.

[DaVinci]

Thanks Aringtoit. Yes, crashes due to this submod are gone, this theme is fixed.

Which version is this above from your experience-report?

I myself played Eriador with recent v1.99.8 until ca. turn 70, and had have a hard time on M/M.
At war pretty quick with all evil bordering factions OoG, OoMM and Isengard. Regions which i conquered have been lost again, partly, back and forth war of regions ... it's not easy to keep conquered regions. Also, what you mentioned with too much low units from OoG etc. is not the case in my campaign, they send pretty quick their mid-heavy units including Wargs and Trolls ... my men fight and die heroic after ie. the 3rd wave OoG settlement-attackers, i'm far, far away from bringing OoG down to their knees, and not speaking of OoMM and Isengard.
Annuminas is going on city level between around turn 65-70 here (if you avoid a prior recruitment from this settlement), but had have issues to get enough money for a) the walls-upgrade and then especially b) the Kingshouse, and to getting/holding the according regions for turning into Arnor ... however maybe i would have come to this Arnor status at about turn 85 or latest turn 100, if i played further.
Else, other good side factions with this version make it a bit better until this campaign turn compared to older versions (my impression at least), have a quite stable region count, but that might change then, because evil side factions getting stronger with the time (with every decade).

Only critique I have is that it seems to take a little too long for conquered settlements to be able to recruit (recruiting Sentinels and Beornings in Ost-in-Edhel takes about 75 turns for example), and recruiting times in general are a little too long imo--not much!--a little.

I'll take a look at this point. However, i think if Eriador can field more and quicker its units, the right idea to turning into Arnor would loose quite something of its attraction, so my thought is that i look primarily at Arnor's recruitment to make it a bit more comfortable - and yes, the whole idea of this submod is, that the good side player shall be the savior of Middle-earth, but not as easy walk in the park.

---
I'll have finished 1.99.9 very soon, and will upload then, today. It'll have in particular a new startsetting for fellowship characters (thus it is not saved game compatible), making it a bit more interesting from on 1st turn.

[DaVinci]

V 1.99.9 uploaded, changelog 1st post.

Extract

- Startsetting, Elrond's council happened, some old good side pacts are forged, fellowship characters went out of Moria, Saruman's true goals are revealed ...
SE, Eriador, Dwarves and Gondor player: check the area for Legolas, Gandalf and Aragorn, Gimli and Boromir.

The fellowship company just broke and the heroes go their ways, Gandalf appears in Fangorn, bold: ...here is meant, that the according player looks for its respective character/s ( not for all listed ).

Edit: The AI will move its characters back into secure home regions, as player you shall decide what you want to do, ie. do it as well as AI, or help your allies, ie. Rohan or Gondor ... or whatever.

[Aringtoit]

I'm having no problems with this campaign or the mod. I think the mod makes it much more crucial that the player does well because Middle Earth really does depend on him/her.

As Eriador you really have to take out the OoG as quickly as possible before all hell breaks loose. Becoming Arnor is a must because Isengard's units are tough. The archers are effective without being "machine gun" uber archers as they are in vanilla.

Right now Dale is dead, Rohan's in serious trouble, Gondor's lost it's capital and 2 stewards, the dwarves are fighting for their lives, the Silvan Elves are hanging in barely and the High Elves are making a bit of a comeback--probably because I'm taking on Isengard (I retook Imladris btw). I'm about to become Arnor and make a big push.

Again, the only thing I might change a little is recruitment times. It takes forever to be able to convert Carn Dum for example to 66% Northmen so that units can be recruited there. I wouldn't change it a lot, just somewhat--maybe 50 or 55% Northmen instead of 66%.

IIt's a eally good mod and I look forward to the future installments. I'm playing the latest version on M/H btw. I'm on about turn 90.

[DaVinci]

I'm playing the latest version

... you mean the 2nd-latest version then, 1.99.8, as 1.99.9 is the latest now.

[Aringtoit]

1.99.8. Didn't know the new one was up.

[DaVinci]

Final edition TATW Realism+, v2.0 uploaded. Changelog as always in 1st post.

I wish a lot of fun with this alternative and unique TATW gameplay ... try your best to be a good 'Servant of the Light'

[Heptagenia]

Final edition TATW Realism+, v2.0 uploaded. Changelog as always in 1st post.

I wish a lot of fun with this alternative and unique TATW gameplay ... try your best to be a good 'Servant of the Light'

Great work

[Aringtoit]

Been very busy so haven't responded for awhile.

My Eriador campaign's going well and I'm enjoying it. With 2.0 the OoG and the OoMM seem more aggresive although I'm winning a lot of lopsided battles against them (2000 casualties against like 35 for me). When I go up against Isengard, things get much tougher. Their units are tough. I haven't really encountered Mordor yet but I expect them to be tough too. This is the way it should be imo. Isengard and Mordor were the main enemies.

No ctd's or any other problems. The only "problem" I have is still the recruitment times in conquered settlements. Maybe it's just my personal taste though. If I knew how to mod it I'd bring them down a little myself.

This is a good mod though and deserves more attention imo.

[Aringtoit]

DaVinci, getting an AI ctd when the computer hits Rebels after I knocked out the OoG and their settlements all went rebel. Tried starting from a save before they were destroyed, but when I knocked them out again it happened again within 2 or 3 turns. I'm playing 2.0.

[DaVinci]

DaVinci, getting an AI ctd when the computer hits Rebels after I knocked out the OoG and their settlements all went rebel. Tried starting from a save before they were destroyed, but when I knocked them out again it happened again within 2 or 3 turns. I'm playing 2.0.

Hello Aringtoit, please give bit more specific info (i don't understand fully what you mean above) in the following form:

Ctd turn:
Description, prior to ctd (exactly please):
Kind of ctd (ie. end_turn? or within the turn ie. within or after battle):
End_turn ctd* (which faction is displayed then?):
Message text:
Log txt file (entry? path: ...\SEGA\Medieval II Total War\logs):

(end_turn ctd = when you have dropped the button for next turn, and the faction-icons roll through ... observe exactly at which faction the campaign crashes)

This said, i (Eriador) got myself an end_turn ctd "unspecified error" with turn 72->73, after a battle where OoG assaulted Amon Sul (which works flawless ... battle mode is stable at least), this crash is persistent (repeats always in the same manner after the pre-crash-save reload, also when i changed certain codes of suspicion, anyway that means, the save-file contains the error).
It is one of the diffuse types of campaign crashes, i'm working already on possible solutions ie. changing the codes for the at last new enabled unit entries (ie. enabled merc pool units now will get separate entries for campaign recruitment), and other by me changed things in recent versions which might make the campaign bit of fragile, we will see.
However, a patch for 2.0 is very soon due.

[Aringtoit]

It's an end turn ctd. It happened the 1st time after I killed the OoG's last chieftan and their settlements all went rebel, however, it happened again before they were destroyed as a faction also. I believe it was after a battle. When it 1st happened (after the OoG were destroyed) it happened about 2 turns later during the AI's turn when the icons got to Rebels. The 2nd time, I'm not sure. It was an end turn Unspecified Error though and it was after a battle against the OoG. The 2nd one was from the same game. I was trying to see if it would happen again, so I started from a save prior to the OoG being destroyed as a faction.

Hope this helps.

[DaVinci]

Ok thanks, understood halfway now

Please next time always use this short form for every single ctd (this form ensures, that i get the according necessary info).

Ctd turn: ?
Description, prior to ctd (exactly please):
Kind of ctd (ie. end_turn, or within the turn ie. within or after battle):
End_turn ctd* (which faction is displayed then):
Message text:
Log txt file (entry? path: ...\SEGA\Medieval II Total War\logs): entry, only if not unspecified error

So open is still the campaign turn or the turns for the two (?) ctd's, but doesn't matter now

The relevant info is, that obviously with v2.0 new, factions (or certain factions) tend to go rebel, and that the game cannot handle it properly - i assume that has simply to do with 2.0 merc-pool unit campaign-activation without using separate edu-entries (which is fixed with the mentiopned patch), as this is the only significant change with relevance in this regard, between pre-2.0 and 2.0. Another thing with 2.0 might be (perhaps additionally), that evil side characters might got (too) many bad traits (lack of loyalty and obedience), so they become rebel aka no heir/leader can be assigned (which is also fixed now with the patch, i hope).
Important: Did you encounter such a ctd-type with former versions as well, ever?

I'll load up patch version 2.1 soon ... which needs playtesting again.

[DaVinci]

TATW Realism+ 2.1 (patch) uploaded. Changelog 1st post.

[Aringtoit]

Just started 2.1. Am I supposed to be getting "Native Spear Militia" (with Easterling accents) instead of Bree Militia as Eriador?? I can't recruit anything but them anywhere except for in Bree and Annuminas so far (turn 10), and that takes a long time.

[DaVinci]

... instead of Bree Militia as Eriador?? I can't recruit anything but them anywhere except for in Bree and Annuminas so far (turn 10), and that takes a long time.

No, alone this sound very odd. There are no big recruitment changes for Eriador in 2.1 compared to 2.0.

The Native Spear Militia unit is recruitable by many good side factions in desert regions:

Unit description file extract (dictionary) (export_units.txt in "text" folder)

{Persian_Spearmen} Native Spear Militia
{Persian_Spearmen_descr} Equipped with a spear and a solid shield besides basic armour, these militiamen are native rebels of southern dry lands governed by Harad, fighting often against the Shadow of Mordors allies and some of them have even numenorian roots, so it comes that they will likely serve as allies for the good side.
{Persian_Spearmen_descr_short} Spear Militia protected by a solid shield and armor.

Unit data file extract ("edu" = export_descr_unit.txt)

; added /DV
type Persian Spearmen2 ; AoR
dictionary Persian_Spearmen ; Persian Spearmen
category infantry
class spearmen
voice_type Heavy
accent Arabic
banner faction main_spear
banner holy crusade
soldier Dismounted_Arab_Cavalry, 60, 0, 1
attributes sea_faring, hide_forest, hardy, can_withdraw, mercenary_unit, no_custom
formation 1.2, 1.2, 2.4, 2.4, 4, square ;, schiltrom
stat_health 2, 3
stat_pri 6, 3, no, 0, 0, melee, melee_blade, piercing, spear, 0, 1
stat_pri_attr light_spear, spear_bonus_4
stat_sec 0, 0, no, 0, 0, no, melee_simple, blunt, none, 0, 1
stat_sec_attr no
stat_pri_armour 3, 4, 4, metal
stat_sec_armour 0, 0, flesh
stat_heat 1
stat_ground 1, 1, 0, -1
stat_mental 11, normal, trained
stat_charge_dist 15
stat_fire_delay 0
stat_food 60, 300
stat_cost 1, 420, 210, 75, 55, 480, 4, 100
armour_ug_levels 2
armour_ug_models Persian_Spearmen
ownership scotland, byzantium, sicily, turks, milan, all
era 0 scotland, byzantium, sicily, turks, milan
era 1 scotland, byzantium, sicily, turks, milan
era 2 scotland, byzantium, sicily, turks, milan
recruit_priority_offset 7

Unit recruitment file extract (recruits type from "edu" file) ("edb" = export_descr_buildings.txt)

;AoR desert folks, good side aux
recruit_pool "Persian Spearmen2" 1 0.07 1 0 requires factions { sicily, } and region_religion numenorian 20 and hidden_resource desert
recruit_pool "Persian Spearmen2" 1 0.07 1 0 requires factions { byzantium, } and event_counter dunedain_turks 1 and region_religion numenorian 20 and hidden_resource desert
recruit_pool "Persian Spearmen2" 1 0.07 1 0 requires factions { scotland, turks, milan, } and region_religion northmen 20 and hidden_resource desert

turks = Eriador

If you can recruit this unit in non-desert regions, then your installation is wrong.

Edit: Maybe you have used a save file (my updates require a new campaign start) and/or you have not overwritten all files, as you are supposed to do along the install-instructions? Anyways, reinstallation of at least the submod is the recommendation.

Edit2: Perhaps you have also the seldom case of a messed up export_units.txt.strings.bin file - this file is the mirror of the export_units.txt file in "text" folder (holds all unit names and descriptions aka dictionary reference in edu), you can delete the .bin file, it'll be generated anew when you fire the game/mod. ... but my recommendation above is duty ...edit: ...and if this doesn't help, just reinstall TATW 3.2 vanilla, and then the submod v2.1.

[DaVinci]

Another point: If somebody playtests 2.1, please inform me if you get over turn 72 (just ca. turn 70-80, or higher) ... i think in this campaign-phase (end 60's turns) happens something that causes a repeating crash type "unspecific error" (was the case in 2.0, and i have no idea if this is solved).