Better Maps 0.45

[Frodo45127]

What is Better Maps?
- Better Maps is a mod that "update" all the maps in the game to make them interesting both visually and tactically.

The "update" in the maps is only a visual update without gameplay effects?
- Nop. Now in the cities there are "garrisonable" buildings, the houses can block the attacks of rifles, etc. Now you can make better tactics and use the buildings for obtain advantage in battle.

This make the battles more hard?
- Maybe. You will have more strategical options.

This change the maps of campaing?
- Yes. This change the maps (specially castles) of campaing and skirmish mode with my modded maps. The name of the new maps in skirmish mode are:

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

- Chihaya Castle.
- Cape Irago.
- Outlands Castle.
- Plains Garrison.
- Kyoto.
- Kyoto (1868).
- Mountaintop Fort.
- Tarajo.
- Mountain Fort.
- Mountain Stronghold.
- Lonely Fort.
- Lonely Fortress.
- Plains Fort.
- Shinjo.
- Plains Fortress.
- Osaka Castle.
- Himeji Castle.
- Iburi Castle.
- Ezochi Fort

Can I see the changes?
- Yes. Here are some screenshots:
Version 0.45:

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

More screenshots here: http://steamcommunity.com/id/frodo45127/screenshots
More screenshots of Kyoto (thanks to Sinisa26): http://imgur.com/LUuCDlR,XkigeLE,8pn...uj96nG,RB7ZPNM

This mod have some incompatibilities?
- Yep, since version 0.40, with UPC-SHO. But don't worry, to fix it just delete the UPC-SHO pack file and use the modified UPC I make for Better Maps.

It's XXXXX mod compatible with this?
- Yes, and I will no answer more questions about this.

There are some that I need to know before use this mod?
- If your computer runs the game in medium-low graphics, maybe you will have a little drop of frames.

How I must to install this mod?
- Extract the files "Better_maps.pack", "Better_maps2.pack" and "Better_maps3.pack" to data folder of Total War: Shogun 2 and play. If you don't have the game in english, you will need to download the "UPC" rar too, and extract ONLY the file of your language into data folder of shogun 2.

This version it's playable or it's only for testing?
- It's fully playable.

I need some DLC or something special for use this mod?
- Nop. And if you only have FOTS and you dont have vanilla Shogun 2, YES WILL WORK.

How I can help?
- Testing the maps. If you found something that don't work or you think "here must be that building" or something like that, say it. You can help making maps too.

Frecuently Asked Questions (FAQ):

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

Q: In level 1 castles of ROTS (AKA towns) the AI don't use the defenses.
A: If there aren't walls, AI thinks "It's a normal land battle!! Yayyyy!!". I can't fix that.

Q: In level 1 castles of ROTS (AKA towns) there are no capture point!!! Why???
A: AI thinks "It's a normal land battle!! Yayyyy!!". With capture point, AI don't work as well as in a normal land battle. And how will they win capturing a building with almost none defenses??? It doesn't have any sense.

Q: In both Kyoto maps there are some zones like little streets that are innaccesibles.
A: Work As Intended. It's for prevent units to get dispersed and stuck between buildings.

Q: I'm attacking Kyoto and enemies spawn inside the temples that are outside of his deployment zone.
A: Veeeeeery strange bug. Only happends to me a couple of times and I don't know why.

Q: There is a beautiful garden in level 4, 5 and 6 of plane castles that is inaccesible.
A: Work As Intended. It's not walkable to avoid a bug related with stuck units.

Q: When AI use cavalry in a siege, they use it like an idiot.
A: AI in shogun... is not the most clever AI.

Q: My units are stuck in X place!!!!
A: Tell me where map and I will try to fix it. The only exception to this is when a cannon send a soldier flying right to the inner ditch of Kyoto. That will be fixed when I remake Kyoto.

Q: My units can't use stairs (AKA "stairs are not walkable" bug).
A: You don't have active in mod manager the part 1.

Q: My game crash when I/AI try to siege.
A: If you have Expanded Japan, this is the cause, not better maps. I'm tired of answer people with crashes due to Expanded Japan. If you don't have Expanded Japan, tell me what map crash.

Q: My game has no sound.
A: This is a bug due to a mod with spaces in his name, not to better maps.

Q: When the battle starts, my units have a brutal lag!!!!!
A: Vanilla bug. I can't fix it.

Q: When will this mod be updated?
A: When I want.

Q: Why?
A: Because I'm a lazy man.

Q: Why your english is so bad?
A: Because I am spanish.

Changelog:

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

Version 0.45:
- Hopefully fixed all crashed due to TEd deleting the 4vs4 deployment zones.
- New map: Ezochi Fort. It replace the "castle_hilly_coast_level_1".
- Emfab updated to 1.2.
- Updated all UPC packs.

Version 0.42b:
- Fixed AI attacking deployment in a mountain map.

Version 0.42:
- Fixed the "corner of wood walls not show in radar" bug (Finally!!!!!).
- Heavely improved pathfinding in almost all maps.
- Detailed and finished all mountain maps.
- Reduced to 1 the max number of players in "mountain_level_02" map.

Version 0.40:
- Modified and heavely detailed the 4 "Level 1" castles of ROTS.
- Enabled the posibility of play all modified maps in a custom battle.

Version 0.35b:
- Fixed a little bug in "castle_mountain_level_02" where units get stuck in a wall.

Version 0.35:
- Fully modified and finished the castles "castle_plane_level_01", "castle_plane_level_02", "castle_plane_level_03", "castle_plane_level_04", "castle_plane_level_05" and "castle_plane_level_06".
- Fixed a bug where you can't join to a multiplayer campaign even when both of players have the same files.

Version 0.32:
- Fully modified and remaked the castles "castle_plane_level_01", "castle_plane_level_02", "castle_plane_level_03", "castle_plane_level_04", "castle_plane_level_05" and "castle_plane_level_06".
- Fully modified the castle "castle_fs_mountain_level_01".
- Fixed a bug where units can go through the tenshu walls in "castle_mountain_level_02".
- Fixed a bug with towers in FOTS campaing in "castle_mountain_version_02_level_02".
- Included the mod EMFAB.

Version 0.26:
- Fully modified the castles "castle_mountain_level_01" and "castle_mountain_level_02".
- Reworked lanterns in both Kioto maps for better night battles.
- Reworked east of "Kioto_level_6" for better AI deployment.

Version 0.23:
- Fully modified the castles "castle_mountain_version_02_level_01" and "castle_mountain_version_02_level_02".
- Improved the AI starting position in "castle_mountain_version_02_level_01" and "castle_mountain_version_02_level_02".
- Improved defensive AI in both Kioto maps.

Version 0.20:
- Completelly remaked Kioto and Kioto_level_6
- Fully modified the castles "castle_mountain_version_03_level_01" and "castle_mountain_version_03_level_02".

Version 0.15:
- Lot of fixes and improvements in Kioto and Kioto_level_6.
- Improved the AI starting position in both Kioto maps (Need more testing).
- Fixed the bug that AI dont use artillery if is attacking Kioto.
- Made some buildings garrisonable in historical battles of Aizu, Anegawa, Hakodate, Osaka, Toba-Fushimi and Ueno.
- Changed name from "Better Cities" to "Better Maps".

Version 0.1 (Initial release):
- Fully modified "Kioto" and "Kioto Level 6".

Steam Workshop version:
Part 1:http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfile...s/?id=99501976
Part 2:http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfile.../?id=123046263
Part 3:http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfile.../?id=427417469

Non-Steam version:
http://www.twcenter.net/forums/downl...o=file&id=3856

UPC-SHO adapted for better maps:
https://mega.co.nz/#!KggFGaqA!QJTUzKqHBnwVxR8Kii9XqQMsdaeWMwx_3fS0dmLBTbc

Thanks to:
- oriajh, from clanguardias.com, for help me testing the maps.
- Little Rock, from steam, for help me testing the maps.
- Sisina26, for some of the screenshots you can see in this post.
- tom.025 (from steam) for translate to french the name of the new maps.
- Dramabelli, for translate to italian the name of the new maps.
- Destin Faroda, for translate to german the name of the new maps.
- Weierstrass, help me with almost all the decoration of Ezochi Fort.

[Akaie]

Castles are distinct from cities. Otate was not a part of Kasugayama . I figure this is strictly for gameplay?

[Frodo45127]

Castles are distinct from cities. Otate was not a part of Kasugayama . I figure this is strictly for gameplay?

I know, but when you attack a castle it's more interesting (at least for me) attack a castle with more than one or two buildings. It's partially a visual update (more buildings in the fortress) and partially a gameplay update. I put this mod in "Visuals and Audio" because change some maps and I don't know were I must to put this mod.

[raffychan]

How about making the building out of the wall?

[Maverick Houston]

I think they look very cool. I haven't had much playtime, but I'll try to put some time in on them in custom battles, and see if there are any problems.

Why the english in this post is so bad?
- Because I am spanish.

[Frodo45127]

How about making the building out of the wall?

In all the "other" castles (plains, coastal, etc) It will be buildings out of the wall. In the next version I will try to add them to Kioto too. The name maybe change too, to "Better Maps" or something like that.

[Lokgar]

man, I want more towns for normal battles too, I'm always sad when I fight a battle and there is a little town, but it's not near my deployment zone so I won't have enough time to set up to have an awesome town / farm battle.

[Confucius]

Can you elaborate more on your mod please? Does this only work with FOTS? What about original andROTS? Will you povide us some screenshots? As Lokgar suggested, will you make one for normal battles too?

[Frodo45127]

Can you elaborate more on your mod please? Does this only work with FOTS? What about original andROTS? Will you povide us some screenshots? As Lokgar suggested, will you make one for normal battles too?

1 - Of course. This is the first version, and is a bit simple.
2 - This mod works on the 3 campaings, and in skirmish mode. Should work in online too if both have the same version of the mod.
3 - There are 20 comparative screenshots in the first post.
4 - In the next version, the name will change to "Better Maps". So yes, I will try to improve normal maps too.

If anyone have any idea for a map or something, say it.

And finally, a question for the Kioto map. In the next version you want that all the water around Kioto except north zone will be no longer walkable? It's for use more the artillery, that is very useless in original campaing (at least for me).

[JustSpectre]

Thanks a lot for interesting mod, I was wondering myself, if something like this can be made.

[yobi_uk]

Gomen...but is this for FOTS per chance?

[Frodo45127]

Gomen...but is this for FOTS per chance?

This mod must work with every version of the game. You don't need any special dlc or expansion. So yes, this should work on FOTS.

[Frodo45127]

Here is a gift: some screenshots from the future and WIP version 0.2. The screenshots are from a couple of battles in Kioto.

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

At the east of Kioto:

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

My little zen's garden:

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

The misterious enchanted house of the hill:

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

The A.I. using a building:

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

East of Kioto with ways:

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

Now with key buildings inside and outside the castle:

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

The rice fields:

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

The new, bigger and with lights, tenshu for all level 6 castles and both Kiotos:

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

And, finally, the best way for capture Kioto:

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

[Winterspawn]

Looking good, any chance you will do some other cities as well? Musachi or major clan capitals?

[Hyzoran]

I throughly enjoy this mod as it adds more flavor and variance to siege battles, thanks. However, the idea of this mod could be expanded to add villages on battlemaps that are near province settlements (Such as farms and similar buildings) and just generally increase battlemap variance in general. Would be nice if you did it (if possible)

EDIT: 0.2 is looking great too, good work

[other mitch]

awesome mod! I was wondering if it was okay to do an alternative to this mod here...

I'm making a mod that adds cities (and the strategic buildings) to all the siege maps in the campaign. and place some of the tower capture points to some more strategic locations...

You mind if I post that here? I think I'd need someone to test them first, but the ones that I've made work in the campaign so far...

[Frodo45127]

I throughly enjoy this mod as it adds more flavor and variance to siege battles, thanks. However, the idea of this mod could be expanded to add villages on battlemaps that are near province settlements (Such as farms and similar buildings) and just generally increase battlemap variance in general. Would be nice if you did it (if possible)

EDIT: 0.2 is looking great too, good work

It's possible, but it's very hard because those maps are saved with a diferent form. And there are more than 200 maps with variants.

awesome mod! I was wondering if it was okay to do an alternative to this mod here...

I'm making a mod that adds cities (and the strategic buildings) to all the siege maps in the campaign. and place some of the tower capture points to some more strategic locations...

You mind if I post that here? I think I'd need someone to test them first, but the ones that I've made work in the campaign so far...

You can post here you mod. If you want,even we can merge the mods and colaborate for make the mod better.

[other mitch]

It's possible, but it's very hard because those maps are saved with a diferent form. And there are more than 200 maps with variants.

You can post here you mod. If you want,even we can merge the mods and colaborate for make the mod better.

Absolutely, working together sounds awesome man. I'll post the first castle set (Coastal Castle level 1-6) either tonight or tomorrow morning and you can have at it. they might need a touch up...

I do have an issue with the 6th level castle I.E. the Boshin "star fort". it looks rather ridiculous when cannons at a low level are firing into their own city with extreme prejudice... so I'll try to position them better...

[weirdoascensor]

Interesting...Really Interesting...

...I have seen Exquisite TED maps...but nothing have the potential as this one...

Frodo, why dont you start a Project...gathering the Talents of all TED mappers...announcing this in the GD section, hmm?

...A Project, to upgrade All Siege Maps, into living, breathing battlegrounds. Shogun would not be the same. Ever Again.


From the game, we have 2 Plains, 2 Coastal, and 2 Mountain Castle; all in 6 tiers - First is 12th Century Wooden Keep in middle of Nowhere. Sixth is Citadels with strange pointy kuruwa they called "Star Forts"...still in middle of nowhere...
Plus Special Kyoto Siege Map - Shogunal Palace... in middle of Nowhere, following the trend mentioned...

The Three first tier do not need to many embellishment...Early Japanese Castles were built in middle of nowhere, just for ad-hoc defensive purposes...just add some Besieger Camps with Jinmaku-Curtains, palisades, earthworks and other equipments...

...If you want though, you can add some early-Japanese Towns for lower tier Plains Castles, to represent Heian-Era Cities(not castles)for RoTS...we'll besiege Provincial Capitals, not some makeshift fortifications without any significance...right?

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

Hiraizumi - Fujiwara's Capital of Mutsu

Scaled Down, of Course

Higher Tier of Castles, started becoming Governmental Centres...and people eventually built Jokamachi-Town under the Castles.
Grand Mountain Yamashiro do not have large jokamachi, of course...but give it Samurai Dwellings, Barracks, Training Grounds, Armories inside its courtyards...so not just a empty shell...Surrounded by Besieger camps, complete with Palisade and Earthworks surrounding the Castle...Think Odawara, or Alesia, if thats more familiar...Barricades, Oodate Pavise, Trenches at range of 150-100 from the Castle walls, used by Archers and Musketeers...something like this:

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

Fifth and Sixth tiers should have been adapted for Cannon warfare...simply give them places where cannons could be fired without obstruction...No, not Coastal Batteries...just a place where walls wouldnt obstruct...

Make "Star Forts" Real Star Forts. Please. Fix it, You're Hero of The Restoration.

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

Goryokaku


Benten Daiba

Hekirichi

Tokyo Bay Fortresses

About Kyoto Map, I have some suggestions:

City of Kyoto

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

Could you see the Nijo Castle we used to besiege? its the moated building on the West.
Its surrounded by built-up area...so Samurai Manors with Courtyards fit for a Imperial Capital shall be better than Ricefields
Nijo Castle

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

You fear the bridges would be too easily destroyed, arent you? Maybe Causeways are a safer alternative, something like this:

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

Its also Prettier to line up the moats with walls...
...but i fear the AI could not handle outer moat with walls on both side...keep it just for inner moat.

Nijo Castle do not have High Keeps...its more of a Luxury Manor, so something like this maybe better:

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

Do you see the stone foundation in the Nijo Castle inner courtyard on southwest? It was the keep, burned down in a fire...yes its that small...as small as an Lookout Tower...



If You're Ambitious Enough, why not making Historical Replicas of Actual Siege to replace Generic ones...For Instance...
Using Ishiyama Honganji/Osaka as Template for one of the Coastal Castle
Kasugayama as 3rd/4th Tier Mountain Castle.
Goryokaku as Plains 6th Tier.
...and so on...Imagine...

[Frodo45127]

...

If you can, send me the files for merge the mods.

...

Thanks for all of that information. It will be very usefull for mod the maps. About start a project... It's started since I release the beta. More mappers will be better and they are welcome.
About made the "Real Star Forts", we need to know how to introduce more maps in the game (I've tried a lot of times but I only can change maps with others that exits in the game). I want to improve the maps without change it completely.

And in the map of Kyoto... I see some maps for search inspiration and the nijo castle is the big green zone in the center-north of the map. The building in the east is the imperial palace.

EDIT 1: I don't have fear of the bridges broke too easily. It's made intentionally for make the player don't abuse of the artillery and increase the dificulty.
EDIT 2: Yeah It would be incredible make historical replicas, but I'm a noob with TEd (three days ago I discover what are the decals jeje).