CRM - Cheat Removal Mod 1.1 for MOS 1.41 released (removes AI bonuses/cheats) TATW 3.2 and MOS 1.41/EMM compatible

[Trailhog250]

Update: 12/16/2012 @ 23:24 (11:24 P.M.) Support for MOS 1.41/EMM added

Changelog:

Updated for MOS 1.41 and the Expanded Map Mod (EMM) for MOS 1.41.

Changes/Bug fixes: When using the MOS version of CRM you will no longer be prompted to enable or disable the garrison script via the Optional Garrison Script yes/no event at the start of the game. (the garrison script is already disabled)

Hello all, welcome to a TATW submod that is aimed at making TATW's AI not quite as brutal and unforgiving.

If you are one of those TATW players that prefer a milder game on VH/VH, enjoy roleplaying, or just want to win on VH/VH but still get a good challenge whilst enjoying a 'fair' game from the AI then this submod may be for you.

So... What does this mod 'do'? It will:

-remove cheats given to the AI to allow for a fairer game

More specifically these cheats:
In campaign
-free garrison armies for AI (AI will no longer get a free army inside a settlement the player besieges)
-free armies at start for AI (AI will no longer be 'given' settlements at start that belong to rebels but will have to conquer them with what they have just at the player must do)
-free armies when AI is in trouble, eg: only 2 or 3 settlements left (AI will no longer receive free armies to help defend themselves when almost destroyed)
-free invasion armies for AI when they control Gondor or Harad (no more Corsair invasions of Gondor's coast, or Gondor invasions of Harad's coast)
-extra order, morale, xp, money, etc bonuses from buildings for AI (AI will no longer receive any of these bonuses from their buildings to help them, they only receive money from appropriate buildings, all of their units will no longer receive extra morale and experience, no more AI stacks all with at least 2 bronze chevrons from start etc)

In battle
-auto deploying stakes (AI will no longer be able to 'auto-place' it's stakes in mid battle when you cavalry charges their archers) APPLIES ONLY DURING A CAMPAIGN BATTLE

What this mod will not do:

-it will not remove these cheats

In campaign
-money cheat, I debated about this one but in the end decided this should stay in so the AI does not become completely helpless, besides they will only receive money when they have NONE, more specifically when they reach -1000 in their treasury they will receive 5000 to bail them out every time it happens
-the money cheat will also ensure they do not get too much money, so when the AI accumulates too much wealth it will have some deducted every time this occurs

In battle
-on 'Hard' and 'Very Hard' battle difficulty the AI receives certain bonuses, these are something like this: +4/+8 morale respectively. I'm unsure if they also get defense skill or attack bonuses but the morale bonuses are obvious and this topic has been discussed numerous times. (on 'Easy' the player gets something like a +4 morale bonus for his units and on 'Medium' no one gets any bonuses) I believe this APPLIES ONLY DURING A CAMPAIGN BATTLE, though I am not entirely sure. These bonuses are HARDCODED and cannot be altered, by anyone.

F.A.Q.

Q. How do I install this (sub)mod?
A. Simply run the installer and follow the on screen instructions.

Q. How large is this mod?
A. Around 300KB as it only modifies 1 file.

Q. Why use this mod when I can simply decrease the in-game difficulty?
A. Ah, a good question. Because via using this you can get a good challenge but have the satisfaction of knowing you and the AI are on a mostly even footing.

Q. So what's the recommended difficulty?
A. Well.. There really isn't one. But if it were it would be: VH/VH, VH/M <--- for those of you that want a complete 'fair' game. Though I still recommend VH/VH or the AI has no chance in battles.

Q. So this mod is for 'noobs' only then?
A. Not quite.. It was created to allow for 'fair' games between the player and AI. I personally like it because I'm a more casual player. I have played on VH/VH with the AI cheats, but the whole game feels much too tug-of-war like. Where it comes down to grinding out the AI and battles are less important when the AI has free armies right around the corner. For those that want the hardest challenge possible though that setting is perfect (as the TATW definitely achieved that), it's just not for me.

Q. Is this mod compatible with other (sub)mods?
A. At the moment, CRM only supports vanilla TATW and MOS + the MOS Expanded Map Mod. It should be compatible with any submod that does not modify the 'campaign_script' though.

Note: If using a TATW based submod use 'CRM for TATW', if using a MOS based submod use 'CRM for MOS'. (will only work if the campaign_script has not been modified!)

Q. You mention this 'campaign_script', what is this and where do I find it?
A. The 'campaign_script' is the file that controls what's in the campaign. (hence the name) It can be found in: 'Third_Age_3/data/world/maps/campaign/imperial_campaign'.

Q. Is it save-game compatible with my current save-game(s)?
A. Unfortunately, NO it is NOT.

Q. I have a questions still unanswered about this mod!
A. Then please post them here and I will answer them.

Credits

Trailhog250 - creator and only modder of CRM
Hero of the West - for allowing me to modify MOS
MIKE GOLF - for allowing me to modify the expanded map mod for MOS
King Kong - for allowing me to modify TATW

Installing

Install order for TATW 3.2: TATW 3.0 parts 1 & 2 > TATW 3.1 > TATW 3.2 > CRM
Install order for MOS 1.41: TATW 3.0 parts 1 & 2 > TATW 3.1 > TATW 3.2 > MOS 1.41 > CRM
Install order for MOS 1.41's expanded map mod: TATW 3.0 parts 1 & 2 > TATW 3.1 > TATW 3.2 > MOS 1.41 > MOS 1.41's expanded map mod > CRM
Simply download the appropriate version and run the installer and point it to your mods\Third_Age_3\data directory (the installer should handle this..)

The mod can be downloaded via one of the attachments at the bottom of this post, after downloading simply right-click the .zip folder and click 'Extract All'.

Uninstalling

You should make a backup of your 'campaign_script' should you ever wish to uninstall. DO THIS BEFORE INSTALLING! Then you need only store it somewhere safe and simply copy + paste it and overwrite the CRM campaign_script to uninstall.

If you do not make a backup, to revert back to the way it was you will have to reinstall the TATW. (or if you're using a submod that modifies the campaign_script, say you're using MOS and CRM for MOS, then you can just reinstall MOS. And so forth with every (sub)mod.)

If you have trouble with anything CRM related post it and I'll try to help you.

[Emperor of Hell]

Great work mate! A much wanted submod!

[Trailhog250]

Great work mate! A much wanted submod!

Thanks

I believe the TATW F.A.Q. covers some of this.. But I don't think it covers all of it. And it's much easier to do this for those that seldom bother with game files.

I hope to maybe include a DAC version when it comes out too. We shall see.

[SRACon17]

with this, is the gameplay still balanced between the different factions?

[Brune]

Nice, this sound interesting. I wonder if this will limit the Mordor and Harad's stacks substantially; doing the same battle a hundred times, when playing as Gondor on vh/vh, is very boring.
Anyways i will test it when MOS 1.31 is out.

[SirEyeball]

Hi I did some changes so I and the AI start with a clean slate concerning alliances and factions being good or evil. also removed the ring. Does this affect any of those files?

[Trailhog250]

Hi I did some changes so I and the AI start with a clean slate concerning alliances and factions being good or evil. also removed the ring. Does this affect any of those files?

It only modifies the campaign_script. If you modded that it will not work as one will overwrite the other. (you could use Winmerge and make them compatible)

Nice, this sound interesting. I wonder if this will limit the Mordor and Harad's stacks substantially; doing the same battle a hundred times, when playing as Gondor on vh/vh, is very boring.
Anyways i will test it when MOS 1.31 is out.

The entire point of the sub-mod, for a fairer game no matter how easy or hard it is to stomp the AI. And it will likely be MOS 1.4 due to the addition of so much content

with this, is the gameplay still balanced between the different factions?

Of course it is. It just removes artificial cheats. If anything imo it's more balanced, faction strengths and weaknesses are now more apparent by lack of free armies and other things given to the AI.

[SRACon17]

is this compatible with the expanded map submod for MOS?

[Trailhog250]

is this compatible with the expanded map submod for MOS?

Pending a permission request

[SRACon17]

Pending a permission request

wow thanks though since you and mike golf are both MOS members, i though you didn't need that. haha

[Trailhog250]

I wonder if this will limit the Mordor and Harad's stacks substantially

Yes it will, tested and confirmed by myself

wow thanks though since you and mike golf are both MOS members, i though you didn't need that. haha

Well since it's his work, I thought I should let him know about it and make sure he was ok with it anyway (which he was and the new version will be up soon)

[SRACon17]

Well since it's his work, I thought I should let him know about it and make sure he was ok with it anyway (which he was and the new version will be up soon)

great to hear

[DanieCorrigan]

I wonder if this will limit the Mordor and Harad's stacks substantially

[Eönwë]

Quick question, is it possible for me to only remove the auto deploying stakes? As that is the only one which is really bugging me...

[Trailhog250]

Quick question, is it possible for me to only remove the auto deploying stakes? As that is the only one which is really bugging me...

Sure. I recommend not downloading this mod then if you only want to remove that (though this mod will indeed remove it), just open up your own campaign_script (works for vanilla TATW, MOS, etc) which is located here: M2TW/mods/Third_Age_3/data/world/maps/campaign/imperial_campaign. Then search for these 2 lines:

set_counter label_ready 1

and change it to this:

; set_counter label_ready 1

then you're good to go (there are 2 entries of this code so you'll have to do twice)

Not save game compatible. Will work on any (sub)-mod though.

[Eönwë]

Thanks a lot! Now I can finally build an army based on cavalry!

[Trailhog250]

Thanks a lot! Now I can finally build an army based on cavalry!

[SRACon17]

yes! been waiting for this, now expanded map compatible. thanks. +rep
EDIT: i already gave you rep once, is that why it said that i have do distribute more rep first? anyway, i'll reserve you a rep. haha

[Eönwë]

I already downloaded and installed this in my MOS Expanded Map folder?
Been playing sometime now and had no CTD, so wasn't it already compatible? Or will I see a horrible crash in a matter of minutes?

[SRACon17]

hmm, i don't think incompatibility always results in ctd. you might have some features of expanded map not working. i checked the files and expanded map has modified the campaign script, so..