It's interesting how such a small change can make such a big difference. Short video demonstration: https://youtu.be/5W9-u_LiYgc
(Please scroll to the end of this post for download link.)
In reality, marching troops do not stir up a whole lot of dust. However, a little bit of dust looks good in the game and is a nice visual indicator of troop movements from a distance. The original effect in EBII, however, is quite exaggerated. After weeks of experimenting to strike the perfect balance between different terrain types (desert, steppe, forest, etc.), I have finally arrived at the perfect dust effect. It may seem like a mundane thing to mod, but I've discovered that it makes a very positive impact on the visual experience of EBII.
BEFORE COMPARISON:
AFTER COMPARISON:
Installation:
Simply drag the attached file into the data folder of your game (ex: ...\Medieval II Total War\Mods\EBII\data). Be sure to make a backup of the file to be replaced (descr_particle.txt)
Description:
No more pulsating fog. Realistic effect works across all terrain types (forest, desert, steppe, cities, etc.). This mod is fine-tuned for EBII, but should also be compatible with vanilla M2TW or any other mod you play
Video Demonstration:
https://youtu.be/5W9-u_LiYgc
DOWNLOAD LINK ("Realistic Dust" Version 1.0):
descr_particle.txt