DarthMod 8.1 open beta old thread (closed for new)

[wipeout140]

____Go to New Thread____

DarthMod open beta 8.1 version (2) is as of NOW available

To install it...unzip the file and read the small text inside (too simple)
Of course you have to have DarthMod 8.0 installed first (newbie note)

Do not be intimidated by the word "beta". It is 99.9% fully playable and CTD free as have being tested by me and want your report help to finalyze it with the grand version.

It includes all below mentioned ticked new settings and many other minor but most importantly new gameplay techniques for the best RTW-BI battle experience EVER!
For this just check this very important enhancement HERE.
I will not write it all here.

-You download
-You install
-You play
-You worship new DarthMod!
(Force Persuasion)




Tks to valuable help of wipeout140 for starting this effort while I was away in my summer holidays and the people replied so far to help me find some flaws.
Will need your intense post findings here to be able to provide to you the last finalyzed version the quickest possible

Darth Vader





Please post what you would like to see in DarthMod 8.1

Here is a update on progress of DarthMod 8.1

DarthMod 8.1

Fixed

- Fix the City View - Done (in upcoming open beta (2) )
- Include latest version 16 AI Formations - Done
- Factions Pictures for Imperial Campaign - Done
- Add the RTW file for full graphics - Done
- Loading screen fixes - Done
- Beta Ctd fix - Done
- Spartan CTD fix - Done
- BI Archer Skin - Done (in upcoming open beta (2) )
- Fixing the RTW cataphracts spear annimation problem. - Done (in upcoming open beta (2) )
- Quick battles need to be more random in faction choice and some of the units in the factions in the Q.B.'s
have the peasant card instead of a unit card - (Cancelled-hardcoded )
- Population growth in imperial DM RTW campaign in many cities is way too big, cuz of grain imports and thus it causes a lot of overpopulation problems - remove grain imports (in DS - I already did it) except in vanilla RTW provinces (Egypt, Carthage etc.) - Done
- Fix gauls having level 4 and level 5 temple of epona (horse temple) - Done
- Add stone walls to barbarians - Done (Cancelled )
- Minor issue: 'faction destroyed' movies dont show up and play in DM RTW. - Done
- Change military temples' experience bonuses to the same morale bonus - Done
- Make that diplomats, spies, assassins start with higher skill when trained from 3rd and higher government buildings - Done
- Signifiers' unit animations (archers firing, legions not taunting etc.) in DM BI - Done (cancelled)
- Make Byzantines able to recruit equites and dromedarii in 1st stables; hippo-toxotai in 2nd; scholae (heavy cav) in 3rd and catafracti and clibinarii (sp) in 4th - Done
- Few Character Traits Fixed - Done (cancelled)
- Law bonuses for barbarian factions - Done
- Chariots too strong - Done
- Reduce ship men sizes twice - Done
- Improve archer effectiveness in BI - Done (done but in AI manner not stat damage)
- Armenia and Parthia have foot archers and horse archers so like egytain advance bowmen - Done (....will see)
- Balance macedon to last longer - Done
- Egypt are too strong. - Done
- Added Recruitable Generals for all factions - Done (cancelled)
- Rebels towns at start of imperial campaign have no walls for better AI expansion
- War Cries are now loud and can be hear far away - Done
-New unique DarthMod setting for foot javelineers/pilum fighters. Will effectively throw their projectiles than stalling too much....maybe breakthrough again (in upcoming open beta (2) )
-Fixed Kaweh K. 's banner-standards file (in upcoming open beta (2) )
-Fixed CA's Bug of wrong defense of foot projectile units.(in upcoming open beta (2) )
-Made a whole new system of new stats for 100% improved AI gameplay.(in upcoming open beta (2) )
-Some minor adjustments reported by community.(in upcoming open beta (2) )
-Removed bug issues of DarthMod_BI open beta (1) release (was not playable bcs the release was hasty...sorry).(in upcoming open beta (2) )


Not done yet
- Add loyalty in DM RTW (cancelled)
- More Balance regarding the sassanids vs eastern roman empire in BI ? (Working on it....maybe)
- Making the BI "horde push" better(Waiting for Narakir to post file)
- Give hording to the saxons and the allemani(Working on it..probably not)
- Macedonian phalanx problem(Cant seem fix it)
- Make shield wall looser (if possible) - men are too cramped together that they move all the time in formation(Shield wall is hardcoded)
- Command sounds for new units on the battlefield (in DM RTW) using sounds from other units (Dont which units have voices or not so like it fixed post which units need voices) (Cancelled..hard coded)


Added your posts and ideas to first post stop people reposting the same ideas or problems. If think one of things posted is already good enough please post and thank you again for your time and posting - edited the post showing what have been fixed which still to be fixed

[jw1089]

how about better law bonuses for barbarian factions so they can expand long distances without mass riots. also, i think the ptolamaics are a little too strong. one more thing, shouldnt factions like armenia and parthia have archers with long range arrows, plus a greater missle damage, like the advanced bowmen of egypt. same for horse archers. take a look at egypt, i think they are too strong. also, how the heck do you beat chariots? thier hitpoints make it so that if is nearly impossible to kill with missles, but they just keep firing back

[Narakir]

- Fixing the RTW cataphracts spear annimation problem.
- More Balance regarding the sassanids vs eastern roman empire in BI ?
- Making the BI "horde push" better ? (I mean how some horde factions will push other factions to horde and go to the western and eastern roman empire) I've done some tests.
- Give hording to the saxons and the allemani
- Making the mod more modding friendly, this concern the "patch_1.pak" were all the skins/unit cards are, not very practical for people want to play with diffrent skins than those included in the mod.

[hellas1]

Hi Wipeout,

I read about a macedonian phalanx prob. Maybe this can be corrected sir?


Besides that sir, Why release DM 8.1? I thought that 8.0 was enough!

In my opinion, just release a patch, not another version.

You folks have worked very hard on this mod, it shows and I, for one, wouldn't want to put more grief on you.

Thanks for this wonderful mod, everyone who made it!

S.L.H.1

[wipeout140]

Hi Wipeout,

I read about a macedonian phalanx prob. Maybe this can be corrected sir?


Besides that sir, Why release DM 8.1? I thought that 8.0 was enough!

In my opinion, just release a patch, not another version.

You folks have worked very hard on this mod, it shows and I, for one, wouldn't want to put more grief on you.

Thanks for this wonderful mod, everyone who made it!

S.L.H.1

Well its not full blown new version just small patch made by me

[Grand Duke Vytautas]

Howdy wipeout

1. Change military temples' experience bonuses to the same morale bonus (troops gain experience in battle not in temples imho )
2. Make that diplomats, spies, assassins start with higher skill when trained from 3rd and higher government buildings (in EDB file)
3. Reduce ship men sizes twice (e.g. make bireme 20 instead of 40 on large unit size). This way you get more decisive naval battles (i edited and works great for me - no fleet chasing around)
4. signifiers' unit animations (archers firing, legions not taunting etc.) in DM BI
5. Balance Ptolemaic Egypt so that Seleucids have a chance to last longer (already mentioned)
6. improve archer effectiveness in BI (missile attack perhaps?) - they are too underpowered compared to DM RTW imo.
7. make shield wall looser (if possible) - men are too cramped together that they move all the time in formation
8. command sounds for new units on the battlefield (in DM RTW) using sounds from other units (if it's not a messy job maybe in future? )
9. fix gauls having level 4 and level 5 temple of epona (horse temple)
10. add stone walls to barbarians (if possible)
11. minor issue: 'faction destroyed' movies dont show up and play in DM RTW. I only see text.
12. fix city view for DM RTW
13. balance macedon to last longer
14. Imo population growth in imperial DM RTW campaign in many cities is way too big, cuz of grain imports and thus it causes a lot of overpopulation problems - remove grain imports (in DS - I already did it) except in vanilla RTW provinces (Egypt, Carthage etc.)
15. Could you add loyalty (at least for romans) in DM RTW? That would really make things tougher. Is it hard to implement loyalty in DM RTW?
16. EDIT: Make Byzantines able to recruit equites and dromedarii in 1st stables; hippo-toxotai in 2nd; scholae (heavy cav) in 3rd and catafracti and clibinarii (sp) in 4th - that would make a lot more sense than current recruitment imho.

Txs for the patch wipeout Good luck

[hellas1]

Hey Wipeout,

Some suggestions then sir:

Quick battles need to be more random in faction choice and some of the units in the factions in the Q.B.'s
have the peasant card instead of a unit card

Custom battles are fussy: can't move Onagers and other units around the field. Is this a RTW issue or not?

That's it from me

Thank you sir, Hellas1

[wipeout140]

Thank you for all the comments, See what i can do and try to make DarthMod even better.

- Making the mod more modding friendly, this concern the "patch_1.pak" were all the skins/unit cards are, not very practical for people want to play with diffrent skins than those included in the mod.

Narakir you are wrong all textures are placed in - C:\Program Files\Activision\Rome - Total War\Data\models_unit\textures
So anybody is allowed to put any textures you see fit and it will work

[Andy P]

Perhaps this is a problem localised to me but I am getting CTD's on the battle loading screens in any fight involving the Greek Cities. I am playing the Roman Provincial campaign version 8.0. I do not get any CTD's on any loading screens with battles involving any other factions. A possible bug?

A wee bit further detail is that these CTD's always seem to occurr if Spartan Hoplites are are part of the Greek Army. Perhaps just a coincidence.

[wipeout140]

Perhaps this is a problem localised to me but I am getting CTD's on the battle loading screens in any fight involving the Greek Cities. I am playing the Roman Provincial campaign version 8.0. I do not get any CTD's on any loading screens with battles involving any other factions. A possible bug?

A wee bit further detail is that these CTD's always seem to occurr if Spartan Hoplites are are part of the Greek Army. Perhaps just a coincidence.

It is bug if download http://www.twcenter.net/downloads/db/index.php?mod=867 and install Spartan 2 on top of Dm 8.0 it will fix the problem

[Narakir]

Narakir you are wrong all textures are placed in - C:\Program Files\Activision\Rome - Total War\Data\models_unit\textures
So anybody is allowed to put any textures you see fit and it will work

Yep you're right for the textures but some units cards (romans especialy) are in the file.

[wipeout140]

Yep you're right for the textures but some units cards (romans especialy) are in the file.

Units card are in there for improve performance i think

[wipeout140]

Added to first post that will be updated as of now

[Grand Duke Vytautas]

Cool wipeout Good to know the patch is in big progress Txs for your effort
1. About ship sizes: I think they are located in EDU; I just edited the number of men (reduced twice). Maybe you know how to change in unit description "men" (in ship) into "ships". That would be even more realistic considering ancient navies were comprised of thousands of ships What do you think?
2. Archer effectiveness in BI: I've increased all archers' ranged attack in EDU by 2-3 points and this seems to make them close to 1.5
3. About Egyptians/Ptolemaics: in diplomacy I made them neutral at the beginning and their core attitude to Numidia is very hostile (high chance of war); on the other hand, attitudes to Seleuicids and Parthians are neutral (less chance of hostilities). Also in Numidia's victory conditions I edited for them to take Egypt and Numidians are very close allies with Carthage (use my file I provided earlier for diplo). Btw you can decrease Egypt initial/starting armies and/or make their units more expensive to slow them down.
4. About Macedon: Thrace seemed like a threat to them always, so I made thracians more hostile to dacians (less chance of war with macedon); also macedon and greeks should be allies to the death.
Hope these little notes help smth

[wipeout140]

It seems every time i come back to my laptop, i see your post has been edited with more information :tacticalw

Continue tomorrow as have day off. Try get a Open Beta of the first version out for the community this weekend

[Checkers]

I think that those Egyptian units which still have ancient Egypt skins should all be reskinned to the more historically accurate Greek-Ptolemaic appearance, as is done in RTR.

[crassk1]

Make calvary more like RTR (weak attack/ devastating charge)

[Narakir]

Here are the few things I've tested about the "horde push". First AI must be set to make the strating horde faction attack the unhorded. trough test I had this idea of balance. Playing with the -AI command is good to test things quite fast. Of course It'll make the game alot harder for the WRE but also for the ERE. The main balance problem of the BI map is that factions are too crowded on the west so the ERE becomes easly a dominant power once they get rid of the sassanids.

The first wave of hordes :
- Huns sould be hostile to Roxolanis, Sarmatians, Goths, Lombards, Burgundians and ERE and neutral/allied ? with the vandals.
The problem I noticed is that in most games the roxolanis are doing nothing, I'v tried to make the huns hostile to them but they prefer going to the sarmatians, mabye moving starting the huns horde a bit to the east will get the thing more random. The huns will be able to go too europa or middle-east. Plus it'll emulate the comming of the white huns on the sassanid territory.
- Vandals sould be hostile to Goths, Lombards, Burgundians.

The second wave :
- Roxolanis sould be hostile to ERE and to sarmatians and of course huns. And wary to the sassanids, lombards, burgindians and goths.
- Sarmatians sould be hostile to Lombards, Burgundians and Goths and wary to the ERE.

Third wave :
- Goths sould be hostile to ERE
- Lombards/Burgundians sould be hostile to Franks, Saxons and Allemani and in good terms to each other.

Fourth wave : (adding the hording to Allemani and saxons sould help maybe)
- Franks sould be hostile to WRE and in good terms with allemani/saxons
- Allemani sould be hostile to WRE in good terms with franks and saxons
- Saxons sould be hostile to WRE good terms with fanks and allemani. As they have ships they have good chances to go to england.
But there's a problem the pirate walue is too high and their fleet often get sunk before they can plan a naval invasion.

[Maximus Macro]

how about adding the romancognomen mod to give the romans proper name's

[wipeout140]

how about adding the romancognomen mod to give the romans proper name's

I think thats Rome Total Realism only mod. Sorry

Make calvary more like RTR (weak attack/ devastating charge)

Seems good now

I think that those Egyptian units which still have ancient Egypt skins should all be reskinned to the more historically accurate Greek-Ptolemaic appearance, as is done in RTR.

Well you can find some skins or skin them yourself, and skins were selected for best performance not eye candy only

Also Grand Duke Vytautas could post a link to your file and Narakir you talking about scripting to do dont we can do what you want and less you do it then send the file