ummm what's the update for?

[scdandme]

Technically a lot of modders and modplayers have found workable solutions to get a mod to work...for now...with problems of sound...but who knows what happens when the next Steam patch is updated, which we all will have to do, and may simply undo whatever we did to get a mod to run. Which is why I'm of the opinion, "Let's wait and see..." versus "Let's rush to figure out how to get a mod to run." Everyone having something different on their machines to get Third Age to run is going to be a nightmare to troubleshoot because they tried multiple things and got a cripple version to work...somewhat.

I fully agree....the question is....when will we be brave enough to carry on ????...how will we know when the time comes ???

[Emperor Hantscher]

Technically a lot of modders and modplayers have found workable solutions to get a mod to work...for now...with problems of sound...but who knows what happens when the next Steam patch is updated, which we all will have to do, and may simply undo whatever we did to get a mod to run. Which is why I'm of the opinion, "Let's wait and see..." versus "Let's rush to figure out how to get a mod to run." Everyone having something different on their machines to get Third Age to run is going to be a nightmare to troubleshoot because they tried multiple things and got a cripple version to work...somewhat.

I don't think I would be to worried about the next update, obviously everyone should play it safe regardless, but this was the big update where everything was merged. Now that that is done I don't see why or how it would be again. The next update will probably just tweak some files that have very little to do with mods......I hope. I also hope this had no ill effect on the development of EBII, I am absolutely dying to play it.

[RubiconDecision]

I don't think I would be to worried about the next update, obviously everyone should play it safe regardless, but this was the big update where everything was merged. Now that that is done I don't see why or how it would be again. The next update will probably just tweak some files that have very little to do with mods......I hope. I also hope this had no ill effect on the development of EBII, I am absolutely dying to play it.

If this delays EBII past August, I'm going to be incensed. I'm going to write the nastiest letter to Steam and CA. I'd urge you to do the same. It's flipping outrageous. You do not with my machine without my permission with autoupdates unless I allow it with an attribute setting. It's dishonest business practices.

[scdandme]

If this delays EBII past August, I'm going to be incensed. I'm going to write the nastiest letter to Steam and CA. I'd urge you to do the same. It's flipping outrageous. You do not with my machine without my permission with autoupdates unless I allow it with an attribute setting. It's dishonest business practices.

that's what i am saying !!! ....it should at least warn you that an update is pending and allow you to make backups or other adjustments to your game and then, if you don't want the update your game just locks from steam (the way it is now)...i mean, it is not perfect but that would be better than the way it is now right ?? in my head i am trying to not blame steam so much because i feel there are legal issues involved from the developer of games they host in that they must instal updates when they are released...steam may not like it anymore than we do...not sure...but it is hard to not be angry at them from all that has been discussed here.....

what would be cool is if we could have a mod manager that installs mods safely and removes them safely like with other games that have mods...just an idea

[RubiconDecision]

Here's a logical suggestion from a tech with over 20 years in the field. "Can we just go back to the previous Steam patch until the new patch is stable and beta tested?" How's that for a practical and workable suggestion? Jeez Louise, I can't tell you the number of times some project engineer made a program change and shut down production or processing due to a tiny mistake, and they'd be scratching their heads trying to debug it, while everyone is sitting around and doing nothing. So finally a tech says, "What about going back a rev? "[you ing dorks].

If they can push a patch to alter everyone's Steam installation then they can push a patch to revert it back.

[RubiconDecision]

If people just have to play some mod for the next 48 hours (some actually might because of beta testing a new release), then post #201 will probably allow you to do so (albeit imperfectly). Everyone else should probably wait until the dust settles. Note that the people offering technical advice are getting hammered because Steam/CA in their infinite wisdom patched not just MTW2 but the venerable RTW1 as well, so that other software is also having issues. Look for similar topics in which something seemed to help another, and that's a way to help spread good technical information. One community member who is sharp and scanning the total war forums in diverse places (like steam or totalwar.com) might find something that works and help ten other community members. Together we can probably fix this thing.

[irishron]

I'd like a Steam just to what the is really going on but the credit card company would not like me.

[RubiconDecision]

In the event that your Steam patch fails, something you'll know with error messages when you try to launch MTW2 from the Steam library (either the vanilla campaign or the kingdoms campaigns), then here's something to try...but only if you have to:

Sometimes when Steam patches it buggers up. The way to fix this is not straight forward.
1. Right click on your program
2. Delete local content.

Now it will mark it for deletion but it's not really gone. Not only that, but the registry values will be there still, and that can all interfere with re-installation. There's two options, both free, and excellent programs to have as utilities.

Download cclearner which does multiple things like cleans up the registry and removes privacy issues and frees up hard drive space. Or download IObit Uninstaller which does a forced uninstall of programs which is extremely helpful in case you ever downloaded some malware. Regardless either will remove the registry entries entirely, and this will make a re-installation work.

If you use IObit Uninstaller, you use that to remove MTW2 from your hard drive, and it will then ask you if you want to remove the registry entries, and then say yes, and it will remove all traces of that Steam version.

3. Reinstall MTW2 in Steam. It takes awhile as it's over 14 gigs. You don't want to do this unless you have to as it will also get rid of your mods. It is however what it's taken (for some people with corrupted game cache integrity) to get the Steam version of MTW2 to work after the patch debacle.

[irishron]

Hell, after my last Windows install I had to reinstall Shogun2. 12.4gb and 10 ing hours later. And you want me to do what?

[RubiconDecision]

You know, a lot of us are hardcore Creative Assembly fans because we bought STW1, MTW1, Viking Invasion, RTW1, BI, and then Steam came along. If CA made something, we bought it.

At the time RTW1 was universally praised as being one of the best strategy war games of all time, and MTW2 was coming out. If you wanted it right away, then you used Steam to get it, paying full price of course. Having had good experiences with Steam with Half Life 2, I thought, "Why not?"

Man, what a regrettable decision that was.

On the plus side, Steam allows you to reinstall your software without looking for CDs/DVDs and that in all probability the kids abused and scratched when they took it out of the computer and tossed to the side.

On the negative side, there's dozens of reasons why it's a pain in the ass especially for modders or mod players.

I'd say that Steam has been good to MTW2 and RTW1 for one specific reason: would CA have ever sold as many copies if they didn't have a Steam platform? Would modding have been as broad a phenomena if Steam hadn't made it easy to download a program that was made in 2004 (RTW1) or 2007 (MTW2). It's honestly surprising that people play these still. How many other 7-10 year old games do you play? How many games have that longevity?

Actually CA ought to listen to THAT, because even though the vanilla content was less than excellent for MTW2, modders took up the slack and created all manner of content that way superseded the original CA content. I'd guess that lots of these people playing legacy software made in 2007 are doing so because of MODDING. That's it's really shortsighted in a bad global economy to screw over modders with bad Steam patches when we're probably a major income stream for them.

On top of that, helping do the tech support at the TWCenter for years in the case of Gigantus, irishron, Squid, and lots of others, and honestly doing a job unpaid for Steam and Creative Assembly.

[scdandme]

It's this "massive multiplayer movement" that is going on...every time i turn around it's MMO this and MMO that....now i don't have anything against online multiplayer users...not one thing...whatever floats your boat...but don't forget about the modders and pc gamers that paved the way for the software companies and game developers to get THIS far....just my opinion

Edit: sorry...this is not really helpful and "on topic" for the thread.....just a little venting...please continue...

[RubiconDecision]

There's nothing wrong with MP support. Hell I'd rather fight against a human opponent any day due to the sheer fun of beating someone I know plus them being a tougher opponent, or talking during the battle. The problem is that's kinda weird with MTW2 because it takes hundreds of hours to play a campaign, and how in the world do you find someone you know that well to play along with you at odd times when freed up from personal duties to play with you? Seldom. Customs battles perhaps as they're shorter.

But to make people load a patch that ruins RTW1 and MTW2 with fundamental flaws is weird. How can they force you to load something on your computer? Can they force me to watch a tv show? It's damn peculiar and it broke modding and the patch is still screwed up 48 hours later. Basically Steam/CA would have no clue that they'd buggered up two games. They thought they were doing us a favor, but then ruined the sound FX and music, but upon inspection messed up the Battle AI and Reinforcements and Frame Rate too. Gee thanks.

[scdandme]

sorry but that is really what i should have pointed out...multiplayer support is great when the game makes sense for it as you have pointed out here...some games it just does not work so well on compared to others...MAYBE there will be some changes to the "automatic updates" function after all this fallout...but i am not holding my breath...LOL

[Zipzopdippidybopbop]

Times like this make me sigh with relief that I don't have the Steam version (boxed pre-Steam ftw).

Sounds bad for those of you experiencing problems lads; can only hope it gets resolved =/

[Stívarðr Reynitré]

Brilliant. I could cry.

Just tried to fire up Medieval II and had the same problems as others have reported.

Thanks!

I'm glad I'll have to reinstall everything all over again.

FFS!

[Gigantus]

Times like this make me sigh with relief that I don't have the Steam version (boxed pre-Steam ftw).

Sounds bad for those of you experiencing problems lads; can only hope it gets resolved =/

I have got the box version (with the sound track CD) and I am now downloading the steam version (the code from the box is accepted by steam) - once the 14GB (kingdoms campaign get automatically included - at least with my code) are downloaded I'll join the crowd and try to find out if the 'non steam game & medieval BAT' method works.

Cross fingers

[Emperor of The Great Unknown]

To be honest I don't see the big problem with people trying to run mods on the new steam version. I have gotten all my mods to work just by making duplicating the medieval2.exe and renaming it kingdoms, then running the mods from the bat file.

The only mod that gave me problems was one that didn't run on kingdoms. To fix it I just copied over all the bare geomod kingdoms (http://www.twcenter.net/forums/downl...o=file&id=3881) files (didn't overwrite files) and it worked again.

[Gigantus]

Won't the auto update remove the kingdoms.exe? If it doesn't then this is a non-issue in my eyes.
Can you confirm your method (Method 1) and try if method 2 works as well?

Method 1

Make copy of medieval2.exe
Rename to kingdoms.exe
Start mods through regular BAT file

Method 2

Change BAT file: replace kingdoms.exe entry part with medieval2.exe
Start mods through regular BAT file

Bare Geomod hasn't got a BAT file - it uses the Steam compatible modStarter, maybe that's where the problem was.

[Emperor of The Great Unknown]

Won't the auto update remove the kingdoms.exe? If it doesn't then this is a non-issue in my eyes.
Can you confirm your method (Method 1) and try if method 2 works as well?

Method 1

Make copy of medieval2.exe
Rename to kingdoms.exe
Start mods through regular BAT file

Method 2

Change BAT file: replace kingdoms.exe entry part with medieval2.exe
Start mods through regular BAT file

Bare Geomod hasn't got a BAT file - it uses the Steam compatible modStarter, maybe that's where the problem was.

Both methods worked when i tested it with ruschi.

Also I wasn't trying to run Bare Geomod, I was trying to run another mod I just copied everything in a spare bare geomod data folder into the mod's data folder without overwriting the mod's files. This was only for a old that ran on the old 1.3 version of M2TW. So when I couldn't get it to run with 1.5 I took the most basic kingdoms mod (Bare Geomod) and merged it with my mod. It has a separate bat. file.

[Gigantus]

Both methods worked when i tested it with ruschi.

This is great news, so all that is needed is to add a second BAT file (with the medieval2.exe entry) to the mod installer. No fuss, no hassle. Thanks a lot.
I'll update my installations accordingly.

Also I wasn't trying to run Bare Geomod, I was trying to run another mod I just copied everything in a spare bare geomod data folder into the mod's data folder without overwriting the mod's files. This was only for a old that ran on the old 1.3 version of M2TW. So when I couldn't get it to run with 1.5 I took the most basic kingdoms mod (Bare Geomod) and merged it with my mod. It has a separate bat. file.

That's an intuitive use of my base mod folder if I ever saw one. It is actually a further development of my 'Bare Kingdoms' mod folder which essentially made the 'vanilla' game 'kingdoms' compatible.