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Puzz3D
08-13-2001, 11:34
I have found that the developers did leave a way to edit important unit parameters. The parameters in the file TroopStats.txt, which TheDaimyo posted, are used by the game when a battle starts. These parameters control unit speed, combat values such as attack/defend/armour/morale, ammo for ranged weapons and a few other things. They may have done this because we requested it. It will be possible to rebalance the units over a wide range of performance.

A saving grace is that all players must have the same TroopStat values or else the game goes out of sync. The game went out of sync right after the battle started before any units were engaged. That should prevent cheating, but of course I haven't tested many possibilities yet.

I found that Mongol HC and LC still posses a considerable advantage over Japanese HC and LC even if given the same values. This advantage must be being added in by the main executable file. You can lower the Mongol values below the Japanese values to reduce this difference if you want to. With equal parameters, I found that MHC still beat JHC by about 60 kills to 14 losses which is still a considerable advantage. The JHC had a very slight height advantage since I ran the test on Totomi. My modified MHC moved at the same speed as the JHC, and you can see that the defence and armour values are in fact changed by pressing F1.

There is also a file named Projectiles.txt which contains parameters for the ranged weapons such as range, accuracy, reload time and power, etc. The lower and upper limits of these parameters is not given, and I already know that you can go too high on range which breaks the game. Once again, the game will go out of sync if all do not have the same parameter values. In this case that didn't happen until a modified archer tried to engage an unmodified archer.

Now we can do our own play testing, and come up with an alternate set of values for the TroopStat and Projectiles files. http://www.totalwar.org/ubb/smile.gif

The impetus for me to go poking around was supplied by Kraellin in a conversation I had with him. He pointed out that TheDaimyo's posted values came from a text file, and wondered if the new game might be picking up parameters from editable files.

Puzz3D (a.k.a. MizuYuuki)

[This message has been edited by Puzz3D (edited 08-13-2001).]

[This message has been edited by Puzz3D (edited 08-13-2001).]

[This message has been edited by Puzz3D (edited 08-13-2001).]

Erado San
08-13-2001, 20:51
Hi Krae,

could you mail me those files? I'd like to have a look at them now, as I don't know when I'll get the game.

DoCToR
08-13-2001, 21:01
When you modify these parameters does it modify them in a generic way?! Or do you have to modify each unit much in the way the logfiles work...?

i.e. IF i modified Japanese or Mongol HC, would all HC created and played with in future have the modified values...?

Seems like this could be an excellent finding Puzz3D http://www.totalwar.org/ubb/smile.gif

Although it could pose major problems with online play, if too many people start modifying their units and forget which ones they have done..!!

lol

Vanya
08-13-2001, 21:52
*sigh*

Looks like online play will cease to be worthy... I foresee too many 'out of sync' drops in the future. I for one, think editing values would be idiotic... but who am I to say?

http://www.totalwar.org/ubb/frown.gif

Puzz3D
08-13-2001, 21:55
Erado San,

I am not Kraellin.

I can mail you the files, but not until I get home from work in about 7 hours.


Doctor,

You modify a unit type, and all units of that type are changed. It's very easy to get things messed up, and get confused about what you have changed. Definitely save the original file to a new name before you start changing things.

Vanya,

It shouldn't be a big problem. Anyone who changes these numbers on their own is not going to be able to play online. To be useful, a standard modified parameter set will have to be agreed upon. I see this as a positive thing. You could set up a chat room for the modified game, and play in there.

Puzz3D

[This message has been edited by Puzz3D (edited 08-13-2001).]

Dark Phoenix
08-13-2001, 22:01
I dont think there has ever been a Puzz3d in Dragonball Z. http://www.totalwar.org/ubb/tongue.gif

I think it would have to be changed back to the original as I dont think people will change it to the same as what you have.



------------------
DoragonPhoenix of the Clan Doragon (http://clandragon2.homestead.com/Dragon01.html)

I am no hero I just like to hit people in the head. :p

Puzz3D
08-13-2001, 22:53
Phoenix,

You're missing the point. The game will have to be played with the default values for now. However, a group of play testers might be able to come up with a generally acceptable modified parameter set. Any attempt for one person or even a very small group to dictate new parameters will fail.

Puzz3D

08-13-2001, 23:27
i certainly hope there will be enough intelligent people who would be willing to play with modified (read: more realistic) unit stats (amogst other things)

this might as well be the last thing that will keep Shogun going for a little bit longer for me

------------------
I'm a man... I can change... If I have to...
...I guess...

MagyarKhans Cham
08-14-2001, 01:16
my Khan states that he is happy with the info and was thinking to add a possibility in the logfilereader to change the values more easy and have a defeault option and so on to change the fiels fast and save... now he is searching for the txt files

Kraellin
08-14-2001, 03:31
ok, here's the deal. as yuuki said i went to see thedaimyo's post on his web site and noticed that this matched up with the troopstats file found in the main dir of the WE. i wasnt sure if this was just an info file or really being read by the program for unit stats. nice work, yuuki, on finding this out for sure. i was just going to keep my mouth closed till more testing was done to see if this was going to allow us to make a unit editor or just allow cheaters to hack things. if what yuuki says is true then we're in the ball game with stat editing and we can do this one of two ways. we can make a program to change this on the fly or we can just swap troopstat files in and out as needed.

before you do any modifying, do what yuuki says, make a backup of the file and hide it away, preferably on a floppy or writable cd. push come to shove you can always get it back from the original cd.

magy, if you want to include it as part of a new log file reader then that would be great. i too dont see this as a major problem to finding compatible games, since you can always just swap the original file back in for standard games.

and, as yuuki also stated, there are other stat files in the main dir. we can look at those as well. i believe we can also even modify the texture files if we want to, but that too carries the onus of compatibility amonst players.

this is how the file looks...more or less:

Projectile type: NONE = 0, LONG = 1, MTLG = 2, ARQB = 3, MSKT = 4, NINJ = 5
Unroutable: true = 1, false = 0
Marching speed: 1 - 24
Running speed: 1 - 24
Charging speed: 1 - 24
Minimum turning speed: 2 - 8
Maximum turning speed: 2 - 8
Max turning angle whilst in motion: 8 - 256
Speed at which soldier turns towards the direction of motion 8 - 8
Space between neighbours left and right: 30 - 125
Space between neighbours back and front: 30 - 125
Enemy engagement proximity threshold: 500 - 2000
Charge bonus: -6 - 12
Melee bonus: -6 - 12
Defence bonus: -6 - 12
Armour level: 1 - 12
Honour level: -4 - 8
Ammo ( arrows or bullets ): 0 - 255


SamuraiArchers
{
1, 1, 6, 10, 10, 2, 8, 8, 256, 75, 75, 500, 2, 0, -1, 1, 0, 28
}

YariSamurai
{
0, 1, 6, 10, 10, 2, 8, 8, 256, 75, 75, 1500, 0, 0, 2, 2, 2, 0,
}

Naginata
{
0, 1, 4, 8, 8, 2, 8, 8, 256, 75, 75, 1500, 4, 0, 6, 5, 4, 0
}

Nodachi
{
0, 1, 7, 12, 12, 2, 8, 8, 192, 75, 75, 1500, 8, 6, -2, 1, 8, 0
}

CavalryArchers
{
2, 1, 8, 20, 20, 2, 8, 8, 64, 115, 125, 500, 3, 1, 2, 3, 0, 28
}

HeavyCavalry
{
0, 1, 8, 20, 20, 2, 8, 8, 8, 115, 125, 1500, 5, 2, 6, 5, 4, 0
}

YariCavalry
{
0, 1, 10, 24, 24, 2, 8, 8, 8, 115, 125, 1500, 8, 2, 3, 3, 2, 0
}

YariAshigaru
{
0, 0, 7, 12, 12, 2, 8, 8, 96, 75, 75, 1500, 0, -1, -1, 2, -4, 0,
}

Phantoms
{
0, 0, 7, 12, 12, 2, 8, 8, 96, 75, 75, 1500, 0, -1, -1, 2, -4, 0,
}

Arquebusier
{
3, 0, 7, 12, 12, 2, 8, 8, 128, 75, 75, 500, 0, -6, -3, 2, -4, 40
}

Musketeer
{
4, 0, 7, 12, 12, 2, 8, 8, 192, 75, 75, 500, 0, -6, -3, 2, -4, 40
}

WarriorMonk
{
0, 1, 7, 12, 12, 2, 8, 8, 256, 75, 75, 1500, 4, 5, 2, 1, 8, 0
}

A_Ninja
{
5, 1, 8, 18, 18, 2, 8, 8, 256, 75, 75, 300, 4, 8, 4, 4, 8, 100
}

A_SwordsMan
{
0, 1, 10, 16, 16, 0, 8, 8, 256, 75, 75, 2000, 8, 18, 2, 8, 8, 0
}

A_Mongol_Javelin_Thrower
{
6, 0, 7, 12, 12, 2, 8, 8, 192, 75, 75, 400, 0, 0, 0, 5, 0, 4
}

A_Mongol_Spearman
{
0, 0, 6, 10, 12, 2, 8, 8, 256, 75, 75, 1500, 0, 0, 1, 2, -1, 0
}

A_Mongol_Polearmsman
{
0, 0, 5, 8, 10, 2, 8, 8, 256, 75, 75, 1500, 4, 2, 4, 4, 0, 0
}

A_Grenadier
{
7, 0, 6, 8, 10, 2, 8, 8, 256,100,100, 100, 0,-6, -3, 2, 4, 3
}

An_Ashigaru_Xbowman
{
8, 0, 7, 12, 12, 2, 8, 8, 96, 75, 75, 500, 0, -6, -3, 1, -5, 16
}

A_Nijinata_Cavaleryman
{
0, 1, 8, 16, 20, 2, 8 , 8, 8,115,125, 1500, 4, 5, 2, 4, 8, 0
}

A_Mongol_Light_Cavaleryman
{
2, 0, 10 ,26, 26, 2, 8, 8, 128,125,140, 1500, 4, 2, 2, 4, 4, 28
}

A_Mongol_Heavy_Cavaleryman
{
0, 0, 10,20, 24, 2, 8, 8, 128,125,140, 1500, 6, 4, 4, 5, 8, 0
}

it doesnt display it in the forum quite the same but this is an exact copy of it. (edit: actually, it does show it exactly...i can never figure out why the entering of this text doesnt match up with how it's displayed once submitted) i just cut and pasted it here. the file name is 'TroopStats.txt'. when the daimyo put it on his site he just formatted it a bit differently for easier reading.

frankly, i dont really see this being used all that much. folks barely make use of the mods that we have already so i dont anticipate they'll use this that much either. if it was part of the setup in the multi game then it prolly would be, but most are going to be too lazy or too worried about finding a game to go into this all that much.

there is one other caveat to all this as well, the executable still does things with these stats at times that we dont necessarily know about, like yuuki's post about the charge stat for hvy cav being 'stuck' to on all the time. so even if we modify the stats we wont necessarily get the results we want. we're still going to need a patch to fix some things, i'm thinking.

well done on the testing, yuuki. i'm glad to hear it crashes if stats dont match up machine to machine. it does make me wonder one thing, though...even if both players match up completely might there not be some crc or checksum checking that is done to make sure it complies with the original settings? ya follow?

K.


------------------
I'm sorry, but i never apologize.

[This message has been edited by Kraellin (edited 08-14-2001).]

Puzz3D
08-14-2001, 03:53
The game played ok on my LAN as long as both machines had the modified file. If it was making a checksum on itself it would have failed the test. I was only playing with a single unit on each side. The MHC was modified, and the JHC was not. I originally tried it several times with the modified file only on the machine that took the modified MHC into battle. The game went out of sync every time. I've never observed any difference between the way the game behaves on a LAN, and the way it behaves onine. I'll try a full fledged 16 unit battle with modified files, and see what happens.

HATAMOTOKILL
08-14-2001, 03:59
Some very good work done here! http://www.totalwar.org/ubb/smile.gifi applaud u http://www.totalwar.org/ubb/wink.gif
Think this will come in handy if we feel that some units are just to strong in the game?Or maybe give ARC more arrows? http://www.totalwar.org/ubb/tongue.gif

------------------
Hato!!!
Knight Owltwwooo!!!
http://hatamotokill.homestead.com/files/owl_flap_md_wht.gif

MagyarKhans Cham
08-14-2001, 06:14
ok i will update the logfilereader in my vacation, 2-15 sept

i will include a troopstatsreader/writer/changer

eventually we will have a solid group of serious gamers and with a good nonclanbased campaign comming we might need a true balance between the races....

i think by adhusting the stuff we can play mongols vs mongols just by using the other set of japanese units....

The Daimyo
08-14-2001, 19:45
Well, thanks for inviting me to the table... http://www.totalwar.org/ubb/tongue.gif

I have already tested all of this as well, though I didn't have a LAN to do that test, thank goodness someone did. That will narrow down the search for the file that the game is checking for.

It allows us to enter the field of battle, online, and then as soon as we hit start it drops the player who JOINED the host. The host is unaffected.
This presents a major problem!!!

If some smart ass learns of this, he can host games with modified files, COMPETITIVELY, and rake in the points as people fall out of his games, time after time.
Thanks to AMP, we figuered this out last night, at the expense of 3 points on Amp's behalf http://www.totalwar.org/ubb/wink.gif

Now, this is serious!!! This is an online Comp game breaker!!!

I had hoped that noone was going to go poking into that stuff, but alas I know that's just silly of me to think that.

We need to get this under control and figured out as quick as possible. I'm talking officially! The Developers need to do something with this quickly or we're all gonna have to stop playing Comp games with anyone we don't know. (Gee, that sounds like the way we've been doing it for a year now! http://www.totalwar.org/ubb/mad.gif )
I have hopes that we can edit this part of the game, and make it work, online and off. There's a few things that the developers need to change though, before that can happen I believe.

On the lighter side:
I made 8 modified TroopStats.txt files that you can use in singleplayer games. It works flawlessly so far in that respect. I made the Hojo tough so I could actually get a good fight out of them when I play as the Mongols.
I also figured out how to make the linear Campaigns (like Oda's campaign). http://www.totalwar.org/ubb/smile.gif

Now, what should we do with this now?
http://www.totalwar.org/ubb/confused.gif


------------------
The Daimyo
Miaowara "Kakizaki" Tomokato
@ http://www.planettotalwar.com

[This message has been edited by The Daimyo (edited 08-14-2001).]

The Daimyo
08-14-2001, 19:48
Erado, please email Graham with this info! Thanks!! (I'll email youas well, just in case you don't get to this thread in time)


------------------
The Daimyo
Miaowara "Kakizaki" Tomokato
@ http://www.planettotalwar.com

Kraellin
08-14-2001, 20:45
thedaimyo,

so, what's the problem? i dont play comps anyways...too much testosterone in those games. *grin*

kidding aside, i understand. if the dev guys are willing to patch this a bit we'd have to have the game check for modified stats and alert others upon connecting with a given host. i wouldnt want to see it check for modified stats and then disallow that person to host or play as we do seem to want to be able to modify the stats, we just want it done fairly and up front. so, when a host player goes to host in the foyer a check could be done for modified stats and an alert added to the game info bar, the bar where it tells about morale, fatigue, limited ammo, season, game style. it would then be up to the players to join or not based on this. that's the simplest way i can think of allowing modified stats without barring them but still alerting others to them. i think this would work, unless there is some way to load those stats in after a person sets up as host, a swap out maybe by alt-tabbing? i'd rather not see a check done as the game is loading to the battlefield; i can see more undefined crashes to desktop with that method and we've got enough of those with vid cards and drivers.

perhaps someone could check to see if a swap could be done after a person sets up as host to see when the stats are actually loaded....oh, lol, of course they're loaded after you pick your units and start the game....doh. ok, so it's going to have to check during the game load...rats! ok, then the next best place to check it would be as each player finalizes his unit picks and gets routed to the screen for waiting for the game to go to the battlefield, yes, no? or could someone swap out from there also, if he was quick?

bah, now every crash from a comp game is going to be: 'you cheater, i crashed, therefore you modified your stats'. lol. glad i dont play comps any more.

also, notice in that troopstats file that there is a unit in there called 'phantom'. anyone know what this one is? also, the A_swordsman is obviously the kensai...18 melee! sheesh!

K.


------------------
I'm sorry, but i never apologize.

Erado San
08-14-2001, 21:17
Mail is on the way. If I have the choice of a community moddable game with rankings ff'd up even more, or an unmoddable game with only 75% ff'd up ranking, Gimme the mods.

DoCToR
08-14-2001, 21:31
I agree with Erado here...i like the idea of personally modifying the units the way i would see fit...especiallyfor my own SP campaigns.

However for multiplayer, this is gonna be a little more on the complicated side...especially with the over-competitive nipples out there with whom rankings are more important than the fun of the fight!

Between the more "respectable" members of the online players this shouldn't be too great a problem though. Although as it stands it appears to me that there needs to a better way of controlling and moderating this feature for online battles....this is where CA come into the equation!

Regards,
Jamie

Puzz3D
08-14-2001, 23:11
TheDaimyo,

I checked your site first to see if you had anything there about this before I posted, and you didn't. I gave you credit for finding the TroopStat file in my original post. I thanked you, in the general forum, for posting the unit stats from that file. If you choose to keep something secret, how can you be properly credited?

What does it mean to break something that's already broken? Online comp was already broken in the original STW game. The problem is that the host gets the win if the joiner drops for any reason. If the server were changed so that all players in a game must be present at the end then the host couldn't get unearned wins, and the joiner wouldn't get stuck with unearned losses. You would get more unrecorded results, but that would be better than the way it is now.

That the game goes out of sync if the unit parameters don't match is the saving grace. If that didn't happen, then people could cheat with modified units. I don't think any file check is causing the out of sync event. All the files have already been loaded when you hit begin battle. It's the inconsistency of the datasets that causes the out of sync. It's not going to be possible to check every permutation of the dataset to make sure the game always goes out of sync. I've already established that, if you modify the archers range, the game doesn't go out of sync until the archers actually engage.

I think the ability to modify unit parameters is a positive thing. It's possible that, after a period of feedback, the developer will switch back to non-modifiable units with the parameter set the player community determined to be optimal incorporated into the game.

What we should do is try to come up with a standard modified parameter set for online play. For instance, you could tone down the monks a bit, and give archers more arrows to increase their importance. The Mongol army looks like it will need a lot of careful playtesting to come up with something viable. Getting agreement on a standard dataset is going to be very difficult, and players will have to compromise on what their individual prefernces might be. The goal should be to make a balanced army the army of choice rather than loading up on one or two unit types conferring an advantage. For single player, people can use whatever custom set they like.


Kraellin,

You got it. Good thinking. The unit parameters load when you go to 3D battle mode. I can ALT TAB out of the game at the host screen and change unit stats. I haven't tried changing stats when you're sitting at the "begin battle" prompt.

MizuYuuki ~~~
Clan Takiyama ~~~

[This message has been edited by Puzz3D (edited 08-14-2001).]

TosaInu
08-15-2001, 00:19
Konnichiwa,

This edit of unit stats is the best thing that ever happened to this game. And I completely agree with Erado here. Play fun games with friends, play comp games with friends. Play friendlies with strangers.

Thank you very much CA/DT.



------------------
Ja mata
Toda MizuTosaInu
Daimyo Takiyama Shi

http://www.takiyama.cjb.net

Kraellin
08-15-2001, 01:08
yuuki,

the only problem with not giving someone a win when someone else drops is that you then encourage escapers; joe blow sees he's about to lose so he simply escapes to avoid a loss to his honor points..mind you i say points here and not honor.

the point you raise about archers and the game not going out of sync until the archers actually try to fire or come into range makes this a bit more difficult. there would have to be an active check of all player modable files before the battlefield game actually began but after the units were picked by all players. in fact, because some hackers actually hack what's in their memory, i can easily see some fellow making a simple bat file to swap out the files after a check was made and simply loading the modified stats into memory, so you may be right, yuuki, we may have to change how the game handles drops for the inevitable out of syncs caused by such a swap...or just play friendlies. there's an old saying about locks. no matter how good the lock, it isnt pick-proof...some just take a little longer to do. so maybe the solution isnt in trying to make a better lock, but rather making it not worth while to do...no reward for doing so.

K.


------------------
I'm sorry, but i never apologize.

Puzz3D
08-15-2001, 03:17
Kraellin,

I tried modifying the unit stats by ALT TAB while at the "begin battle" prompt, and the new values were not used by the game. I think the new values get picked up when you go from the unit selection screen to the 3D battle screen. The game doesn't go out of sync until the battle starts. If someone were to modify the values in memory after the battle had started, I think the game will go out of sync. It's much like the way the game will go out of sync if everyone doesn't have the same map. It's the inconsistency of the data that's causing it.

A full fledged Mongol vs Japanese LAN battle with modified MHC and LHC worked fine. I was also able to establish that the charge bonus is not the parameter that is giving the MHC their advantage.

There are other parameter .txt files in the main directory as well: anti troops tables, building preferences, invasion thresholds and unit choices. Most of these control what the ai clans do in the single player campaign. It isn't clear what the various values in the tables do. There are a lot of entries, but not much info on them.

I don't think you can have a serious game between strangers online. It's best to play friendly against strangers. Right now drops for technical reasons are giving the joiner a loss. Surely a non-result is better in that case.

MizuYuuki ~~~
Clan Takiyama ~~~



[This message has been edited by Puzz3D (edited 08-15-2001).]

The Daimyo
08-15-2001, 09:35
Puzz3D, I think that there's a reason that the modified stats work offline and in LAN games, whereas in online MP games they don't.

The stats of both players could be modified the same, same file, same numbers, same everything, but it won't let you start the battle. It lets you get done with all your unit selection and placement on the battlefield, but each time it drops the "joiner" in this case as soon as the both parties have hit the continue button. No actions, movement, or whatever, is necessary.
What I've found is that the units are failing a checksum. I can only assume that the EXE contains that hard coded within. This may mean that we won't be able to do this at all online. (yet?)

I also found out that you CAN max out the number of maps allowed to be shown. If you go over then it will remove files from the list in a particular order.

Those who have played Rogue Spear Urban Ops should know this problem as well. We ran into the same thing there at around 75 maps. With Shogun WLE it's a much higher number. This should be changed by the developers, ASAP!

Another odd note here, I looked through my Errors Log and I found errors reported that I didn't see happen while playing. Mostly a particualr Sound Call error. Missing files or something. Hmm... http://www.totalwar.org/ubb/confused.gif

There's a long list of stuff that I've found all over the place, things that are coming soon (or are outright missing from things), like the Multiplayer Campaign.
If you look through the text files, you'll see what I'm talking about. http://www.totalwar.org/ubb/wink.gif
I'll give a list later, perhaps, or maybe Puzz or Kraellin can do it. http://www.totalwar.org/ubb/biggrin.gif

PS-OBTW Puzz, I didn't say anything sooner because I didn't want this information getting into the wrong hands before we had a chance to test things and break them, accordingly http://www.totalwar.org/ubb/wink.gif



------------------
The Daimyo
Miaowara "Kakizaki" Tomokato
@ http://www.planettotalwar.com

The Daimyo
08-15-2001, 10:09
The Anti_Units.txt is a puzzel. It contains 21 values that relate to the 21 units, 21 ways each. Each number corresponds in order to the place in a particular order.

Starting from, the top, we have the Samurai Archers. That corresponds to the 1st number in each of the 21 listings.

2 examples:

Anti troop tables..

lsamuraibeingattacked ( this is the Samurai Archers)
{
5, 2, 5, 4, 6, 12, 10, 5, 0, 0, 0, 3, 3, 1, 2, 5, 0, 2, 10, 15, 10
}

samspears (this is the Yari Samurai)
{
10, 3, 3, 5, 0, 0, 0, 2, 10, 15, 10, 2, 0, 15, 5, 5, 10, 5, 0, 0, 0
}

Now, as you may notice, the numbers are different based on who they would be facing for each value given.
In the case of Samurai Archer vs. Yari Samurai it gives 2 different values:
Samurai Archer's vs YS = 2
Yari Samurai vs SA = 10

Now, what do these numbers represent?
If they are representative of the units in the order that they are given on this list then the numbers should correspond with some form of a calculation that is done to arrive at those numbers.
If the order of the numbers given here correspond to the order of the units in the TroopStats.txt then my example is null and void, instead it will be the SA vs Ashi.Crossbowman and then the Ashi.Crossbowman vs the Samurai Archer.
At least in BOTH cases we know that the Samurai Archer is the First unit on the list!

You'll get some mathematical results by consulting a different list...
Look at the TroopStats.txt and find out what they stack up at normally:

Samurai Archer Stats:

Charge Bonus: 2
Melee: 0
Defense: -1
Armor: 1
Honor: 0

Yari Sam. ?

Charge Bonus: 0
Melee: 0
Defense: 2
Armor: 2
Honor: 2

or

Ashigaru Crossbowman ?
Charge Bonus: 0
Melee: -6
Defense: -3
Armor: 1
Honor: -5

Now, what type of mathematical computations do we need to use in order to arrive at the numbers given in the Anti_Units.txt?

Since I'm pretty fuzzy about the proper mathematical methods to figure this out, I'll need to sit on this for a bit till I can get it. Perhaps we'll get lucky and have a math whiz around?

I'll venture to guess that you will be able to arrive at these final numbers via the old STW combat variables system.

With that in the air, I will also venture to guess that in order to successfully modify the TroopStats.txt, and have it work online, the numbers given in the Anti_Units.txt are going to need some changing as well.
Then again, this may only be another piece of the pie. http://www.totalwar.org/ubb/wink.gif



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The Daimyo
Miaowara "Kakizaki" Tomokato
@ http://www.planettotalwar.com

MagyarKhans Cham
08-15-2001, 14:01
i lost track, can the units params be edited and used in the multigame? if yes i will make a unitstat editor/changer.

we need the mod, but we need also an option that the game goes out of sync if both files dont match...

The Daimyo
08-15-2001, 16:35
No they can't be used in Multiplayer games, yet. We're trying to figure that out now.

Look through it if you can, and see if you can help out! http://www.totalwar.org/ubb/smile.gif



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The Daimyo
Miaowara "Kakizaki" Tomokato
@ http://www.planettotalwar.com

DoCToR
08-15-2001, 17:31
..but does changing the troopstats.txt file definitely work in SP games...??

http://www.totalwar.org/ubb/smile.gif

TosaInu
08-15-2001, 17:40
Yes

Magyar Khan
08-15-2001, 20:36
i noticed the ai is still silly especially in 3 vs 3 games.

btw why are the setup circles the same in 30-30 maps?

Puzz3D
08-16-2001, 01:34
TheDaimyo,

My assumption that internet play worked the same as LAN play was incorrect. I noticed something last night that made me realize this when I accidentally forgot to put back my original TroopStat file and joined a 2v2 online game. I got the countdown message and was dropped after I hit continue, but before I could deploy. This is different than LAN play. On a LAN, you can deploy and the games goes out of sync after you begin the battle.

However, I've had to edit this post because Kraellin and I just tested online play with a modified yari samurai. We both changed the defensive value from 2 to 3 for the YS unit. The game worked fine! We engaged and fought with the modified units, and we checked that the defend value was actually changed with the F1 key. We had other unmodified units in the battle as well. This was a simple test with a single change to TroopStat.txt, but it did work. More testing should be done.

I looked though the anti_units file a few days ago, and substituted the Japanese HC values for the Mongol HC values, and then played a custom battle of a JHC vs an MHC. I didn't notice any significant difference in the battle results. The meaning of the numbers are a puzzle. I love tackling problems like this, but I won't be able to devote a lot of time to it. If I come up with any ideas about what these numbers refer to, I'll post here.




[This message has been edited by Puzz3D (edited 08-15-2001).]

[This message has been edited by Puzz3D (edited 08-16-2001).]

[This message has been edited by Puzz3D (edited 08-16-2001).]

Kraellin
08-16-2001, 18:30
daimyo,

i'm thinking you've edited so many stats by now that you've forgotten to put some of them back to right. like yuuki said, we both altered that one stat and played a game online and it worked fine. in fact, i was already in the foyer and alt-tabbed to desktop and called up the troopstats file and edited it right there and then and saved it back and went back into the game and played yuuki that test game and it worked.

yuuki, i believe you're right about when the stats are actually loaded into memory. this is good. it makes it harder for any cheaters to screw things up.

so, magy, like yuuki said, we can alter at least the troopstats file and as long as everyone's stats match up, we can alter THOSE stats. we dont know near as much about the other various stat files yet and how altering a variety of stat files all at once might affect the game. it may be that altering several files at once throws things so far out of whack as far as the program is concerned that this may not work. a LOT more testing is needed. but for now, we can alter the troopstats file and that seems to be the main stat file as far as basic stats of units.

K.


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I'm sorry, but i never apologize.

evilc
08-16-2001, 19:34
go find a programmer from CA who knows how this all works.

The Daimyo
08-17-2001, 04:45
Kraellin, what are you talking about? I've tried using the mods with only 1 unit changed, 2 changed, 5 changed, everyone changed! In every case it crashed the MP games. Whether I only adjusted the move speed, or the charge bonus'. None of it worked online.

If you change the stats before deployment it probably made no difference and allowed you to play anyways because the stats had already been loaded, so your changes didn't register. Did you get any screenshots of the F1 info screen, or perhaps you've got the logfiles?
If it worked, as you say it did, then great! We're in business almost.
Your comment about me not setting the unit stats back correctly is not correct. If it was an attempt at humor, it was poorly worded and you seem to lack timing. http://www.totalwar.org/ubb/rolleyes.gif
I do things very methodically here, even at 5 in the morning. I have an exact duplicate of the originals for all files that I manipulate. If that's not enough, I also have the originals posted at my site! http://www.totalwar.org/ubb/tongue.gif

I will try and get more online testing done on this issue, I believe we can do this one way or another! http://www.totalwar.org/ubb/biggrin.gif



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The Daimyo
Miaowara "Kakizaki" Tomokato
@ http://www.planettotalwar.com

MagyarKhans Cham
08-17-2001, 05:38
if all researchers are sure it can be done our empires programmer will make a nice tool to change the stats with several options

ofcourse a total war start manager would be fine as well

Puzz3D
08-17-2001, 13:49
OK. Tested modified units online two more times with Kraellin. It worked both times. Although unnecessary, we exited Shogun this time to change TroopStat. We made the YS defensive value 4. We took four H2 YS, and fought with them. Our F1 screens showed defend=5 for each unit as expected. The next thing I will try is changing multiple values in TroopStat, and see if that works online.

Looked at anti_units.txt, and it seems to me to represent a bonus attack value that the unit, which corresponds to the position in the list, gets against the unit associated with that list of values. This would be how the rock, paper, scissors aspect is achieved. However, changing values in this list produced no observable change in the gameplay. The file doesn't seem to actually be used by the game the way TroopStat and Projectiles are.

MizuYuuki

MagyarKhans Cham
08-17-2001, 14:22
ok the empires programmers started programming already http://www.totalwar.org/ubb/redface.gif)

at least to help u changing those files

The Daimyo
08-17-2001, 17:58
OK...sounds fruity! I guess that there's a value, or more, that should not be altered! I am going to venture out and say that it's the Movement values. When I did my tests I had dicked with them, each time.
I changed them offline and it worked fine. Online though, that may have been the deal breaker. Still not 100% though on any of this.
I think Puzz hit the nail on the head there, again, and that needs looking into ASAP. I'll see if I can work on it today. I am also working on several other things here, namely linear campaigns, and 3D textures.
http://www.totalwar.org/ubb/wink.gif


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The Daimyo
Miaowara "Kakizaki" Tomokato
@ http://www.planettotalwar.com

Magyar Khan
08-17-2001, 19:11
if we look from an other perspective could it be true that the developers added these options? balancing between what they are allowd to do and helping us in a manner?

Kraellin
08-18-2001, 21:08
the daimyo,

i'm not sure why you seem to be getting different results than yuuki and i are in our tests. you've said at least twice that altering stats doesnt work online, yet yuuki and i keep finding that it does work online, providing that both (all) players alter the same stat(s) to the same values...at least in the troopstats files this works. so, i can only assume from what you've posted that you are doing something different, or that some other condition exists on your system or that of your testing partner, that is giving you results other than what we're getting.

yes, you can see the changes when using the F1 key. yuuki and i have only tested in friendly games. i believe we are both using WE and not MI..i am. both are altering one value of one unit only in the troopstats file. we've tested this both by alt-tabbing out of the game and altering the stats before starting a game and by altering them with the game not even loaded on our systems yet. no difference. i did question whether or not this was just affecting the display of stats as opposed to the actual stats of units, but it seems to affect both.

we have only tested the troopstats file for changes and nothing else.

we do understand about just one player altering his stats and then hosting a comp game to make someone drop and thus giving them a loss and the host a win. and that does bother me also. but i tend to agree with those that point out that the comp system was already goofed up to the point where a number of us dont play comps anyways because of this and that that, and not the stat altering, could be addressed by the dev guys in a patch perhaps. if you have any suggestions along those lines as to how to make it all work and still allow for the stat changes, i'd be glad to hear them.

i am pretty much convinced that this allowing us to change stats was not a mistake on the part of the dev folks. it was intentional because we had asked them for it and because they are moving on to other projects and they are simply giving us what we want.

K.


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I'm sorry, but i never apologize.

celtiberoijontychi
08-19-2001, 00:27
well they've been working on this for 8 months at least, I don't think they "oversaw" that they had left some core unit stat files unprotected "hey look, we forgot to hard code the attack and defense values" LOL

MagyarKhans Cham
08-19-2001, 00:31
krae if ur right, and i also believe it must be a gift, i hope target will tell us they did.

btw i finished my troopsssteditor, ready for betatesting

email me if ur interested

The Daimyo
08-19-2001, 19:28
By Golly Kraellin you've done it! You've accidentally pointed out the problem with my conclusions without even attempting to. http://www.totalwar.org/ubb/wink.gif

The altered stats DO NOT WORK FOR COMPETITIVE GAMES! (????)
I dunno...maybe it was just me and my overzealous number fixing... http://www.totalwar.org/ubb/wink.gif


Aha! There..... http://www.totalwar.org/ubb/biggrin.gif
Okie dokie, that's all we needed to know then.
Buahaha!

"And that's Kicking My Ass!" http://www.totalwar.org/ubb/redface.gif




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The Daimyo
Miaowara "Kakizaki" Tomokato
@ http://www.planettotalwar.com

[This message has been edited by The Daimyo (edited 08-19-2001).]