launching VanillaMod

[Javolenus]

Hi There,

I just bought MTWII Gold and also installed Vanilla Mod. I copied the mod's Zip folder into the main MTW folder and extracted the files. There was a batch file, which I clicked on but I'm not sure if anything happened.

Basically I just wanted to ask if I had done everything OK? And if so, how do I run the mod?

Apologies if this is a dumb question!

But many thanks for your help!

[FactionHeir]

Hiya,

Glad you managed to install the game!
To run VanillaMod, extract the archive into your main M2TW folder so that you now see a VanillaMod folder in your main M2TW directory along with the cfg and bat file.

You can then run the bat file directly to start the game or you can edit the cfg file. Depending on your specs (I'm running at 1400x900, which may not be compatible), I would suggest deleting the VanillaMod cfg and making a copy of your own medieval2.preferences.cfg and rename it VanillaMod.cfg (case sensitive possibly)

Once you have done that, you can then open the file and add to the very top:
[features]
mod=VanillaMod

Save and exit.
Now run the bat file and it should work and use the game settings you are using for your normal game.

[Javolenus]

Hi FactionHeir,

Many thanks for this reply! Actually - believe it or not - I'm having problems locating the preferences file in the MTWII folder.

There is a preferences folder but no preferences file inside! I have played the vanilla game a few times and expected a preferences file to be generated, but either this hasn't happened or I can't - for whatever reason - find it.

To make matters more complex, when I right click on the preferences folder to access properties, I see that the folder is checked as 'read only'. But when I uncheck 'read only', go back into the game, play a battle, exit and go back to the preferences folder, the 'read only' box is checked again! In other words, although I keep unchecking 'read only' on the preferences folder, it keeps reverting by itself.

I'm suspecting that this is the reason why no preferences file has been generated (though I may be totally wrong).

But the upshot is that I can't access my preferences (for example, I'd like to turn green arrows off etc.) because this file does not, apparently, exist!

Any advice on this welcome!

Meanwhile, does this problem prevent me from installing VanillaMod?

[FactionHeir]

Hiya,

As I said in your other thread, the medieval2.preferences.cfg is found in your main M2TW folder, not in the preferences folder. I f you do not have extensions enabled, it will display as medieval2.preferences

Open that file with notepad to edit.

That problem will not prevent you from playing VanillaMod, but its usually more fun playing under your own settings which are optimal for you rather than my settings, which may not.

Example how it should look like:

In Vista, you may need to enable compatibility files to display in your toolbar.

[Javolenus]

Hi FactionHeir,

Many thanks for this! Your visual helped me work out what to do. I changed my view to 'list' and suddenly the preferences.cfg appeared. I opened it with notepad and made the desired changes.

Then I copied my preferences file into the VanillaMod folder. I deleted the VanillaMod preferences.cfg and renamed my MTW2 preferences.cfg as 'VanillaMod.cfg'. Then I opened this file and added at the top:

[features]
mod=VanillaMod

Then saved and quit.

Then I clicked on the VanillaMod batch file. This file opened for a nanosecond and then closed. Nothing else happened - the game didn't start.

I repeated the process with the same results.

Basically, when I try to open the batch file I see it open for split second and then it closes.

Have I done something wrong? Apologies but I still need a bit more help on this!

[FactionHeir]

Great it worked so far.

You need to have the VanillaMod.cfg in your main M2TW folder rather than in your VanillaMod folder for it to work with the bat file.

[stealingjoy]

Can this work with Steam?

When I run the .bat file (with Steam closed), it loads up Steam and executes the launcher. I'm guessing the mod probably won't work if I select M2TW regular campaign at this point.

Is there a way to make it work with Steam?

Is there a way I can check and see if it's using the cfg file or not (like some unit or ability that I can quickly check that would be different)?

[FactionHeir]

Yes,

To run it with Steam, start Steam first. Then go to Medieval 2's properties in the Steam menu and add @VanillaMod.cfg into the launch options there. When you launch M2TW, it should run with VanillaMod settings.

[stealingjoy]

Thank you, that is much appreciated.

[gardibolt]

Tried installing and it runs but the second I click an army it says "Unspecified error" and it exits the program....

[FactionHeir]

That's odd.
I just tested it on my end and it works just fine.

Have you tried following the steps outlined here?:
https://forums.totalwar.org/vb/showthread.php?t=103698

Also, have you ever unpacked your game (in which case you need to find and delete data\descr_geography_new.txt and data\descr_geography_new.db)
Have you changed anything from the VanillaMod installation, like modified a file or added/removed any file?
Have you got both 0.93 and the emergency fix installed?

[Porter Trill]

I think I have set up vanilla mod ok, per the instructions. The dumb question of the day is:

How do I know I'm playing vanilla mod? Anything on the splash screen or anything? I know the mod is supposed to be more subtle, how can I tell i'm playing the mod?

[FactionHeir]

Hiya,

Please check how many agents you can recruit of each type. You should be able to recruit 2 of each type in each settlement per turn

Thanks for giving my mod a try, hope you enjoy it!

[Porter Trill]

Is there an easier way for me to tell? i just started out.

[FactionHeir]

Well, that is the easiest way in my opinion (even if they are greyed out, it will display 2 in the right upper corner of the icon).
Outside of that....how fast can you build a paved road or a brothel?