New to mods - requesting tips for download

[Boogie Knight]

Before I start I'd like to make something clear: I've never downloaded or used mods before in any way, and I am a technological dunce. With that out of the way, I'll begin.

This will be the first time I have ever installed a mod. I've always been a console player but recently I've gained more of an interest in PC gaming, and that has now inevitably brought me to look at mods for a game I particularly enjoy. This mod especially caught my eye, I love LotR and playing the Total War games within a Middle-Earth setting is a prospect that's got me all tingly and excited.

The problem is, I'm nervous and I'm more than a little intimidated by all the instructions and details for the downloading and installation process for this mod. It looks pretty damn big, and very easy to get wrong. I have a windows Vista machine, not great but good enough to run the vanilla game and the Kingdoms expansion smoothly.

What is the best place to download this mod from? Can it all be downloaded in one go, or am I going to have to trawl through a number of bits and pieces to get the whole thing up and running? Are there any clearer instructions I can use/videos I can watch that'll talk me through it? How easy will it be to fix if I do something wrong?

Aside from this, I'll take any hints/tips/pointers anyone can give me. Many thanks in advance, I'm sure I'll get my around all this eventually.

[Ngugi]

Hello Boogie, and welcome to the glorious world of Third Age
Do not worry, when I got TATW myself I had perhaps used a mod or two ever, and was equally careful, but can't recall I had any problems to install it.

This is teh page for you, read it trough, here are both links (to the three files you need) and install instructions:
http://www.twcenter.net/forums/showt...r-3-2-Released

I note that the links to 3.1 is down. This is not an issue, because patch 3.2 contain all content from 3.1, meaning 3.1 is NOT needed, even if the install instruction say you should use it

[pangthaiplay]

I think I can explain but Steam or Non-Steam version?

[Boogie Knight]

You both rock. Thanks for all that Ngugi, that makes me feel much more confident about the whole thing.

And pang, I'd love to have any help you can give. I've got the Steam version.

[ElvenKind]

You both rock. Thanks for all that Ngugi, that makes me feel much more confident about the whole thing.

And pang, I'd love to have any help you can give. I've got the Steam version.

After you download TATW 3.0 part 1 and part 2 and TATW 3.2 Patch, the best thing to do is:

1) Go to the location of your main Medieval II Total War folder: in your case it should be in Computer\ ...\steam\steamapps\common folder

2) Since you have Vista, you need to Edit Security for your Medieval II Total War folder: Go here, and do STEP 1 instructions shown in the pictures: LINK.

3) After you had edited Security, then:

a) open your main Computer\ ...\steam\steamapps\common\ Medieval II Total War folder, right mouse click in the Address Bar and press: Copy address as text.

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

b) And then replace the Default Installation path in ALL TATW Installers ( TATW 3.0 part 1 and part 2 and TATW 3.2 Patch Installer) with this one you have just copied ( Copy address as text ):

just select the Default installation path, right mouse click and press PASTE to replace it with the location of YOUR main M2TW Folder .

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

4) After installing TATW 3.0 part 1 and part 2 and TATW 3.2 Patch, do not rename Third_Age_3 folder located in your ...\steam\steamapps\common\ Medieval 2 Total War\ mods folder, use either one of these methods:

Method one:

- Make copy of medieval2.exe located in your main .\steam\steamapps\common\ Medieval 2 Total War folder

- Rename this medieval2.exe copy to kingdoms.exe

- Start your mod through regular BAT file ( the one present on your desktop as a Shortcut, or, the one present in your Third_Age_ 3 folder)

______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Method two:

- Change Third Age.BAT file present in your Third_Age_ 3 folder (right click on file, choose 'edit'): replace kingdoms.exe entry part with medieval2.exe:

cd ..\..
start kingdoms.exe @mods\Third_Age_3\TATW.cfg

to

cd ..\..
start medieval2.exe @mods\Third_Age_3\TATW.cfg

Save the file, and Exit.

- Start your mod through regular BAT file ( the one present on your desktop as a Shortcut, or, the one present in your Third_Age_ 3 folder)

___________________________________________________________________________________________________________


Method three:

- Use Universal Steam Batch File: http://www.twcenter.net/forums/showthread.php?661279

Good luck!

[pangthaiplay]

Sorry am late

With Steam version
This guide can help you
This guide has picture so it will be very easy
and it works I test it with myself!!!!

http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfile.../?id=290601787