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DaVinci
10-28-2011, 09:52
General Description

Since Version 2.9

The S2R+ modification aims to provide a completely different gaming experience to TWS2 vanilla.

It focuses on a new campaign play as well as on a new feel within the battle mode since both modes are modified
with deep and complex alterations.

What has been done, what does this modification aim to represent?

Many common valid "triggers" are set in such a way that 1:1 ratio battles now become really dangerous for the
human player (as well as for the AI) in the battle mode. The real action on the field feels much more realistic,
from the army structures to the length of the fights. Samurai can strike heroically, but can also fail, Ashigaru
actions can rescue certain situations, but can also be responsible for the defeat. It’s really hard to predict
outcome with certainty, when odds are approximately equal (under the circa 1:1 ratio).

A lot of emphasis has been done on the campaign mode which is completely unique and really stands out.
Realism as well as gameplay aspects have gotten highest considerations. Ever since publicly released 2.9 version,
possible army compositions per faction got historical relations to real army compositions, ie. which faction
deployed which kind of unit a lot, which in less numbers or not at all and also the quality of those units is
properly depicted. Many unit types are bounded to "resources" or certain kinds of buildings. There is the "Inaka"
pool unit, which is recruitable everywhere. All other pool units have a kind of dependence that might be a certain
kind of dojo and/or structure. Those units are tagged with the "Han" pool, or other according pool names. Only a
few units are recruitable uniquely for certain factions, but they are still in the mod. These have the faction pool
name. All units, except the "Inaka" pool units, are in principle ZoR units (zone of recruitment).

Art and building requirements, its properties and impacts have been completely redesigned. While the player
(and the AI) will get quick access to quality units, one must really think what structures to build first in order
to set a solid ground for a future expansion. Initial battles will be comprised mostly by Samurai class units,
as it was the case in history where predominantly skirmishing wars rather than mass deployments took place. Players
will be able to experience mass deployments of "soldiery" in the mid-late phase of the campaign when historically
Daimyos adopted new approaches to waging war on the Japanese battlefields. The typical Yari Ashigaru is a unit type,
which is not available in the starting 5 years (circa) and these types (which actually appear in many different
iterations) come into play when the requirements are reached (respective arts and building structures).
But does that mean that campaign stalls?
No, not at all. AI factions are pretty active from the first turns onwards and region ownerships will change a lot
in this initial first years' phase. Rebellions against new oppressors are the usual cause for an unruly early phase
which can in turn also ignite the Ikko movement. That movement grows when the player doesn't take care of it.

All in all, the player can experience a lot of action from the get go. The ones who survive these initial struggles
have the chance to secure their position and to grow. A huge amount of tweaking has been done in order to enable major
factions (the playable ones) to survive. Those are also the ones who left a true footprint in historical Sengoku period.

Another special feature shall be mentioned here - the dual faction support: Oda and Tokugawa offer nearly the exact same
unit recruitment. You can try a "roleplay" campaign, ie. playing the campaign on "historical paths" aka expanding either
with Oda or Tokugawa in the historical extension.

Now, start your campaign to find out the countless new details ... on the way to become Shogun.

***

DaVinci, with a lectorate by Hister

DaVinci
10-28-2011, 10:14
Further Explanations

In addition to other available info and also in regard of some occured questions (as kind of a mini FAQ).

***

Focus:

The modification focusses on an altered gameplay, which exploits the moddability of the existing TWS2 vanilla system including the DLC's for the Grand Campaign, whereas considers realism in historical context of the concerning period.

- - -

Non-focus:

The mod won't offer an accurate historical "simulation" of the period.
Also, it holds no intention to restructure the map, the starting situation or a relaunch of the building structure system of vanilla to make in example a TROM3-like recruitment system (but that nobody misunderstands: the TROM3 recruitment system is appreciated a lot, just not the chosen way). For S2R+, the unique recruitment/resources/buildings system is explained in particular in the Gameplay Hints thread.

- - -

Open tasks, aka what won't be done:

My time to create the mod is limited. Thus the focus as described above.
That means, when version 3.0 is out (basicly the final version), the mod will be offered as is.
Updates of v3.0 might be done with further patches by CA and/or DLC's for the Grand Campaign.

The mod holds no changes in 2d/3d graphics (except as described explicitely), nor scripting (.lua) or startpos (.esf) changes, or modified traits and ancillaries (character development), or description changes (except for certain added units) and also no modification of the encyclopedia.

Those parts can be done, either by team members (possibly as official updates, if agreed by me) or by players (submods, if agreed by me) - anyways, such work is welcome, but shall be organised and offered at first within this S2R+ Org forum.

- - -

Using certain mods on S2R+:

In this regard, a lot has been explained with the main release thread, and there is a separate thread for discussing those themes.

Just here once more hints in particular due to occured comments:

- Unit cards, here the vanilla unit cards grant a proper display for S2R+. If any issues occur with used unit card mods, then it is not caused by S2R+, while all unit card mods are technically compatible, but possibly need a customisation to work without any flaws. However, every unit card mod can be applied and the user will just see it ingame if there are any display issues. There is no other senseful answer.
Exception from the vanilla unit card "rule": S2R+ contains the AUM-Sho units, this is including the provided unit cards of that particular unit pack mod.

- Startpos or scripting mods, those can be applied, technically it is like adding them on vanilla.
If they make sense for the gameplay is a whole other question, but that won't be discussed, as it is no official option.
S2R+ is a concept modification, in other words: startpos or scripting mods, of course, will change the conceptual gameplay of S2R+.