Announcement: Extended Realism Mod for RTR-PE 1.8

[Quinn Inuit]

Thanks for bringing 1.8 out!


With the permission of Candel and tQst, I'm going to be updating the Extended Realism mod and its Epirote add-on for RTR-PE 1.8. Here are the project goals:

Replace the Senate faction with Epirus
Put the finishing touches on tQst's Epirote faction
Incorporate all the 1.8 changes into Candel's ExRM
Adding in (assuming he doesn't mind) some of King L. A.'s unit art
Delete the province of Rhegium (it'll weaken Rome a little overall, which will probably help toward the middle of the game, and it'll help the AI's pathfinding immensely)
Continue to develop my MightyMiniMod as a way to implement unit re-balancing on an optional basis


I'm willing to do this myself, but I don't really know much about modding so it might take awhile. If anyone would like to help, I would appreciate it immensely.

Also, if you have anything you'd like to see fixed or rebalanced, please let me know and I'll see what I can do. We've got some time until RTR 7.0 comes out, so let's try to play the best game we can until then.


List of people working on the mod:
Quinn Inuit - Coordination, Replacing the Senate
iamphet - updating the ExRM to RTR-PE 1.8
AndarielHalo - Epirus unit R&D

Big thanks to:
King Louise Asshurbannipal, for letting us use his skins
Everyone who's given me advice so far

[KALI]

Great idea Quinn Inuit,
Sorry I can't offer any help but best of luck with the project.

[iamphet]

Quinn Inuit
I have plans to
1) modify RTRPE to use -mod switch (very disappointed 1.8 doesn't so regardless preliminary information). Intro movie and loading bar won't work without replacing vanilla files though.
2) merge 1.8 changes into ExRM, including revolt CTD fix.

My modding skills are somewhat rudimentary and sometimes I'm quite short on time, although I do not fear looking at how other mods work etc

[AngryTitusPullo]

Quinn Inuit
I have plans to
1) modify RTRPE to use -mod switch (very disappointed 1.8 doesn't so regardless preliminary information). Intro movie and loading bar won't work without replacing vanilla files though.
2) merge 1.8 changes into ExRM, including revolt CTD fix.

My modding skills are somewhat rudimentary and sometimes I'm quite short on time, although I do not fear looking at how other mods work etc

There's another version of RTRPE v1.8 which uses the -mod switch. Currently it's on the test phase for discrepancies since we don't want RTRPE v1.8 (normal version) and RTRPE v1.8 (-mod switch version) to be different from one another.

[Maced0n]

Thanks for bring 1.8 out!
Replace the Senate faction with Epirus

This will be wery difficult,ithink is posible byt im not sure.

Good luck with this

[Quinn Inuit]

This will be wery difficult,ithink is posible byt im not sure.

Good luck with this

Thanks! Any advice on the replacement process? I checked and it looks like the Senate is really and truly gone.

Quinn Inuit
I have plans to
1) modify RTRPE to use -mod switch (very disappointed 1.8 doesn't so regardless preliminary information). Intro movie and loading bar won't work without replacing vanilla files though.
2) merge 1.8 changes into ExRM, including revolt CTD fix.

My modding skills are somewhat rudimentary and sometimes I'm quite short on time, although I do not fear looking at how other mods work etc

Sounds good. Want to work on this together? If you want to work on the merging, I'll try to figure out how to add Epirus.

What does the -mod switch do, exactly?

[The Walrus]

Thanks! Any advice on the replacement process? I checked and it looks like the Senate is really and truly gone.





Sounds good. Want to work on this together? If you want to work on the merging, I'll try to figure out how to add Epirus.

What does the -mod switch do, exactly?

It creates a separate folder for the game so it doesn't overwrite vanilla files. I suggest just looking at tutorials at the .org if you get stuck or asking questions there as that is more mod-oriented then TWC

.Org tutorials section here

Mod switch info here

EDIT: This may help you

http://forums.totalwar.org/vb/showth...ghlight=senate

also try this

http://forums.totalwar.org/vb/showth...ghlight=senate

EDIT: Try this too

http://forums.totalwar.org/vb/showth...ghlight=senate


EDIT: Those three links kinda of cross reference and are practically the same thing

[AngryTitusPullo]

What does the -mod switch do, exactly?

In RTRPE own forum there's a files that Stuie has provided for RTRPE v1.5 to use the mod switch. You can use those files as a base for comparison.

I used those sets of files to basically build my latest mod which uses the mod switch version.

Or maybe you can wait for maybe a couple or more days for RTRPE v1.8 using the -mod switch version will be released.. Much easier...

[iamphet]

Sounds good. Want to work on this together? If you want to work on the merging, I'll try to figure out how to add Epirus.

Sure I want. It seems we are in very different timezones so only one transaction a day is possible
I am a big fan of -mod switch because it allows me to avoid cloning of the whole RTW installation so I can save 2.5G of HDD space for each mod (no, uninstalling M2TW isn't an option yet ) Actually I wrote a script, which automatically migrated SPQR to -mod switch, so RTRPE/ExRM would be a good test for it.

[Maced0n]

Thanks! Any advice on the replacement process? I checked and it looks like the Senate is really and truly gone.

I sugest you to use brutii os scipii slot if they are aveiable in your mod.Byt if u really like to use senate slot for that you will need to change name romans_senate wits some other ex epir and to do that in almost all text files that is slow proces is good if u have some appz for Search & Replace in text files like this http://www.funduc.com/search_replace.htm or some other there is much others like this on net.Also u should look how guys for EB do that ,i yust check out and you probably will need to edit 17 text files

[Quinn Inuit]

I see. That shouldn't be too bad. I have Notepad++, which has good S&R and Macro capabilities for text editing. It should be do-able.

[Quinn Inuit]

I see. Thanks, LestaT and TheWalrus^H^H^H^HSir Dinadan. Now that the Senate is really and truly gone, it doesn't look like it'll be any harder to install Epirus as a faction into that slot than it would be for any other.

[Quinn Inuit]

Very cool. We may not need to communicate too much if we do this right. Tell you what: you get working on RTR-PE, and I'll start going through the Epirus mod and seeing what it adds. I'll then send you stuff to integrate into RTR-PE as I go, mostly extra entries and textures that I find. By the time you're done, I should have a full list of how to change it and add it in. (I'll also be changing it to use the senate slot rather than Romans_Scipii.)

That script sounds awesome. If it works, please consider uploading it. You'll probably make many modders very happy.

[iamphet]

Ok, merged the changes. Will be testing for a couple of days.

[Arnold Legion]

Hi.
To. Quinn Inuit & iamphet.
Thank you both for taking on the ER mods further development.
This mod and of course RTRPE is the essence (IMHO) of the whole spirit of 'Realism'. That sounds a bit grandiose, but I'm very enthusiastic about this Mod.
I only wish I was more, much more, computer literate. I had a big problem even installing the ERmod. The Galatians Fix just showed up as a 'notepad' window with no way to put it into the game, well none that I could find. As for the ExtRealism CTDfix that was a complete nightmare! and I gave up.
I would love to help. I have a laptop and only the low level word processing programs. Also no experience modding. So If I can do anything to help I will, (or am I better off staying the hell out of the way!) LOL.
Any way the best of luck with it, and once again,
thank you very much for all your future time and effort.
Regards AL.

[iamphet]

Arnold Legion
Thanks for you response. One of the most common facts is that no mod can have enough testers You only need to know how to copy files, change RTW shortcut to include "-show_err" and report errors in a reproducible manner I'm pretty sure I've introduced a couple of CTDs.
Quinn Inuit
Do you think it is worth redrawing vanilla Brutii and Scipiones symbols in the RTR style? Unfortunately I am no way designer

[Arnold Legion]

Arnold Legion
Thanks for you response. One of the most common facts is that no mod can have enough testers You only need to know how to copy files, change RTW shortcut to include "-show_err" and report errors in a reproducible manner I'm pretty sure I've introduced a couple of CTDs.

OK, I'm in.
Let me know when you need me.

[Quinn Inuit]

Arnold Legion:
iamphet hit the nail on the head. When this comes out, why don't you try to break it? Start games as every faction, play custom games with every unit, and see if you can induce a CTD. It might take some time, but you'll really establish its stability.

iamphet:
You're done merging already? Wow. I'm still plodding through the Epirus add-on (been a busy week at work). My hat's off to you. I'll keep working on it. When you've done some testing, can you send me the files so I can work with them? I assume you've been using Promethean, which is what we need to do (I'm the only person playing standard ), but wasn't what the Epirus add-on was designed for. I'll need to do some work merging the textures.

I think it is worth redrawing them, but I'm not the world's greatest artist. I can manipulate images reasonably well, though. If you (or anyone) can find me a nice example of a symbol for the Galatians and early Brits, I can probably hack them into something usable.

[iamphet]

Well, I've been using standard. The reason is that I heard there is a limit on number of models/units (or both) and ExRM is quite close to the limit.
So I am concerned we would need to get rid of some units in favour of Epirus ones, e.g. post-Augustan units from Promethean pack. add-add-add look easier for me than add-remove-add.

[Quinn Inuit]

Andariel, I agree with your suggested changes in the DMB but for the ones below.

Sometimes you can completely delete useless units. For me, I deleted the Greek Irregulars for being useless. Now you've got FOUR new slots.

For a nomadic faction like Parthia or Sarmatia, does it make sense for them to have an army entirely of horsemen, and then just randomly have foot archers slowing their asses down? If you agree with this unconditionally, get rid of Sarmatian archers (and you'll have already merged Parthians with basic Persian, but if you want, you can remove them) and you have FIVE new slots.

Also if you want, you could merge the same skin/models for Mercenary Hoplites and Aor Greece Spearmen, and you've got SIX new slots

If you haven't already gotten rid of the fat warlock, do so, and you've got SEVEN new slots

If you don't care about different shaped shields or skin changes for the AOR gauls, then replace them with their regular Gallic counterparts. That's Spearmen, swordsmen, light cavalry. That's TEN new slots.

Judaean Zealots seem to serve no real purpose, do they? Get rid and you've got ELEVEN new slots.

All of these (with the exception of the warlocks, which are either already gone or will be when I find the little buggers) do serve a minor purpose in adding character and diversity to the game. That said, none of them are sacred.

Well, I've been using standard. The reason is that I heard there is a limit on number of models/units (or both) and ExRM is quite close to the limit.
So I am concerned we would need to get rid of some units in favour of Epirus ones, e.g. post-Augustan units from Promethean pack. add-add-add look easier for me than add-remove-add.

Oh, ok. That makes my life easier, then, too. We'll work on the Promethean add-on later.

I'm pretty sure the only limit is on the models, and we're practically sitting on it. That said, Promethean may not add many models, since Candel was at the limit in the original, too, I think.