Have Steam dumbed down the Alexander exe file?

[Anarchon]

I have long been working on a mod for purely personal use.
My RTWGE was a non-Steam version following an initial SABENA encounter with Steam.
Recently I acquired a new desktop.
I reluctantly had to install the Steam version on my new system.


My mod works fine under the stand-alone exe (RomeTW-ALX.exe)
However, it crashes soon after hitting the 'End Turn' button under the Steam exe (testappa.exe)
I have now tested this multiple times on both machines.


Does anyone know if and why they dumbed down the standard exe?
And more importantly, does anyone know a workaround?


Thx in anticipation


Anarchon

[Gigantus]

ALX allows some things that are not possible with the regular exe - like the increased unit limit in the EDU or immortality. If you made use of that then the mod will crash using the other executable. If memory serves then the BI executable supports the horde function which in turn is not supported by the other executable files.

I vaguely remember that here was an issue with BI in the steam version requiring some hoop jumping, but for the life of me can't remember where it was discussed.

Maybe get in touch with a team that has released an ALX based mod?

[Anarchon]

Wow thanks Gigantus for that really rapid reply.
Yes that explains everything, my mod made use of all the features you mention.
Do you know if RTW Remastered will use the original exe, the dumbed down exe or something completely different?

[Gigantus]

I have, like every one else, no clue at this point other then what can be gleamed from promotional videos and FAQs. I am curbing my enthusiasm until after it has been released - I have seen every hype since the release of M2TW and learned that it's a waste of time to draw any conclusions from the info that is available before the actual release.

From what little info is available it would seem that BI and ALX based campaigns still exist, but there is no info if the executable files have been merged like happened with M2TW.

[Anarchon]

Workaround for Steam castrated version of Alexander exe file


I recently discovered Steam's quiet castration of RTW-Alexander.
(Thanks to Gigantus for confirming my suspicion)
They offer it with an exe file which disables features of the original.
testappa.exe instead of RomeTW-ALX.exe
Which can't handle stuff such as more models and Immortality.
This means that any Mods with these features are unplayable under Steam.


Does anyone know how to achieve any of the following;


1. Persuade Steam to offer RTW-Alexander with its original exe, RomeTW-ALX.exe;
Instead of their castrated, dumbed-down testappa.exe


2. Persuade Steam to append warnings to their offerings with the testappa.exe.
That Mods using the original features will be unplayable on this version.
And that they are unavailable in the base Alexander game.


3. Persuade Steam to publicize whether the original features will be available in the upcoming RTW-Remastered.
Or whether that also employs the castrated dumbed-down Alexander exe file, testappa.exe, or similar.


Am not optimistic about any of these, as I have found Steam's Customer Contempt to be up there (or down there) with Microsoft's treatment of its MUTTs. However, I feel it worth trying, so the worthwhile extra features of RTW-Alex can perhaps be saved.


Anarchon


PS Gigantus, yes not holding my breath too hard. the 16 new factions for total 38 are merely the existing factions designated as playable. One wonders how much of the rest is Marketing-Bollux.
PPS I have posted a query on Total War Access asking about this issue.
In the unlikely event of it being addressed, I shall post here.
PPPS I assume Alex and BI based campaigns have no problems if they don't use the extra features of those exe files.

[Anarchon]

Possible Workaround for Steam castrated/dumbed down version of Alexander exe file


1. Does anyone know if it is possible to configure the Steam version of RTW-Alexander to run on the original exe file?
RomeTW-ALX.exe rather than testappa.exe


2. Does anyone know if you can do this yourself or if you need to ask Steam to do it?


3. Does anyone know whom (person or Department) at Steam I should contact to find out?


4. I am (reluctantly) prepared to pay a surcharge to Steam in order to achieve this.

Anarchon

[Gigantus]

If you own the disk version of the game then simply switch over to that when playing ALX mods.

It might also be worth a try if you can simply copy that executable into the RTW Steam directory and then use the BAT file method to run mods or even the default campaign.

To be honest - this is the first time I have heard of this issue, eg the ALX executable being replaced in the Steam version. But then I have only the default and BI version on Steam (converted from disk - still works btw even though default RTW is not for sale anymore).

[Anarchon]

Hi Gigantus,

As ever thanks for the rapid reply.
I would love to do just that but no longer have the disks.
And someone put the disk version on my old laptop and I cannot use that on my new desktop.

I tried something like you suggested a long time ago.
Steam promptly deleted the game citing 'suspicious activity'.
I very nearly lost my Mod completely.
My first SABENA encounter with Steam

See this page for Steam's quiet dumb-down
https://steamdb.info/app/4770/config/
the line 'executable'

Anarchon

[Gigantus]

They certainly didn't bother to change the registry entry. If you did the ALX use thingy plain as I suggested then maybe simply rename it to the new name? And have a back up of the original. There is no issue in M2TW to make a copy of the original and rename it to kingdoms for an easy start of the old kingdoms mods. So maybe something similar works here?

It does seem to install into it's own directory (Rome Total War Alexander) as well instead of being part of the default path.

[Anarchon]

Hi Gigantus,


The RomeTW-ALX.exe in my original non-Steam version is 21,456kb


In the Steam directory there is a RomeTW-ALX.exe file and a testappa.exe file, both of 15,144kb.
This gives you some idea of how castrated/dumbed down the Steam version must be.


I am pondering whether it is worth overwriting the Steam exe with the original.
But very worried they will assume it is piracy and delete everything.
I'm in Indonesia an Islamic third world country, and they will probably view me as an impudent wannabe saboteur.


Anarchon

PS Would you recommend I do this. I won't hold you responsible for any spiteful response from Steam, honest! :-)

[Gigantus]

If there is a chance that some kind of action will be taken apart from deleting the wannabe executable then I would suggest not to try it. Or at least make a back up.

[Aradan]

Anarchon, I'm not sure how you arrived at the conclusion that Steam killed ALX features. We're working on an ALX mod right now that makes use of the Immortal mechanic and has more than 300 DMB entries (the RTW/BI limit was 255), and everything is working fine.

[Anarchon]

Hi Gigantus,


Thx again for your advice.
Please may I trouble you for a little more.


1. Do you know whom I should or can contact at Steam to check this out?


2. If I decide to risk a 'Shock and Awe' response from Steam, which of the following would be best?


a. Take the original 21,456kb RomeTW-ALX.exe file, and paste it into the
E:\Rome Total War\steamapps\common\Rome Total War Alexander folder
overwriting their 15,144kb RomeTW-ALX.exe file


b. Rename the original 21,456kb RomeTW-ALX.exe file as testappa.exe and paste it into the
E:\Rome Total War\steamapps\common\Rome Total War Alexander folder
overwriting their 15,144kb testappa.exe file


c. Both the above simultaneously


d. Both the above sequentially


If it goes wrong, don't worry, I am not a lawyer
Just anxious to try anything to play my mod.


Anarchon

[Anarchon]

Hi Aradan,


Man thx for your reply.
Are you launching your mod using the 15,144kb 'testappa.exe' with the 15,144kb 'RomeTW-ALX.exe' (Steam)?
Or the original 21,456kb 'RomeTW-ALX.exe'?


I arrived at the conclusion because of the following.


I have a mod based on Alex using Immortality and 500+ DMB.
It ran perfectly on my old laptop with RTWGE installed from disk.


I upgraded to a new high-performance desktop.
I had to install the Steam version of RTWGE.
My mod, with IDENTICAL files would crash half-way through the non-player turns, after you pressed 'end turn'


I checked the crash log and it attributed it to testappa.exe.


I eventually discovered this file is what Steam use to launch Alex.
Instead of the original 21,456kb 'RomeTW-ALX.exe'...
Steam uses 2 files
15,144kb 'testappa.exe' with
15,144kb 'RomeTW-ALX.exe'


So I asked about this via this thread.
One of the responses was...
"ALX allows some things that are not possible with the regular exe - like the increased unit limit in the EDU or immortality. If you made use of that then the mod will crash using the other executable."


If you are telling me there is another cause of crash, please let me know.
Any ideas welcomed.


Anarchon

[Aradan]

We are using the Steam version of ALEX (so, RomeTW-ALX.exe + testappa.exe).

I am under the impression that ALX (both Steam and CD version) allows up to 500 DMB entries, not 500+. Just FYI, I once experimented with a perhaps-not-quite-fully-legal version of non-Steam ALX that I found online, and that .exe actually allowed me to go beyond the 64 buildings limit in EDB (which the authentic game would not allow), without producing any error. When I tried to use the very same files with the Steam version, it immediately crashed with no error message.

Apart from that, I find it very unlikely that the Steam version would remove those added features of AlexanderTW. Besides there not being any good reason to do so, the allegedly removed features are actually essential to the game. The Immortal trait is vital for the Alexander campaign, because without it Alexander can actually die outside combat, which would defeat the whole purpose.

So, my guess would be that there is another reason why your mod crashes. As to what that is, are you 100% the .exe you tried your 500+ DMB on was 100% authentic?

[Anarchon]

Hi Aradan,


Thanks for that reply.


Please can you confirm your mod uses the smaller 15,144kb 'RomeTW-ALX.exe'.
Rather than the original 21,456kb 'RomeTW-ALX.exe'


My understanding was that 512 was the DMB limit, not 500.
And I have always used 512 with no problem.


I am 110% sure my previous RTW-Alex is legal.
I even had the last 'seat' for it authenticated when I previously upgraded my last laptop.


So perplexed. I can post up the Windows crash message which I screenshotted.
If you can explain to me how to use the 'insert' feature.
It asks for a url and I have no website.


Anarchon

[Aradan]

Yes, my RomeTW--ALX. exe (Steam) is 15,144kb. You're absolutely right about the 512 limit, I got mixed up with the EDU limit. Feel free to ignore my illegal .exe argument.

My other point stands though, we're using ALX on Steam and we have all features in tact. Maybe something did change between the original CD version and the steam one (the file size difference itself doesn't really say much), but I doubt there was feature removal.

I'd suggest you test by taking ALX (Steam) vanilla, turn Alexander into an 85 year-old in descr_strat and keep ending your turn. if he doesn't die of old age after a while, Immortality works. If not, sth is broken. Either way, once you know the outcome, you can act accordingly, either by contacting CA, for example, or by trying to identify what exactly is it in your mod that causes the crash and trying to rebuild it (unfortunate, I know).

[Anarchon]

Hi Aradan,


Thx for your reply.


Unfortunately I cannot test like you suggest.
The game crashes some time after I press end-turn.
During the AI faction moves.
So I never get even to Year1-winter.


what is 'sth'?


Do you have a contact at CA (Creative Arts?) I can contact?
I could forward them the screenshot of the windows log on the crash.


Anarchon

[Aradan]

Even your vanilla/unmodded Alex crashes as soon as you hit end turn? If so, I'd suggest trying a fresh reinstallation. If it still crashes, then there is indeed a problem with the game itself. If a clean, vanilla installation does not crash, then you can use it to test as suggested above.

Sth = something.

I'm afraid I don't have any contact beyond what is available to all through CA's website/contact details.

[Anarchon]

No, my mod on Alex crashes soon after I hit end turn.
Which is why I can't test Immortality,
I never get beyond Turn1.
Anarchon