MTW-Redux Beta Released!

[Axalon]

Hello Dai,

In other words that formation of Norse bodyguards was hardly representative for "ordinary" units of that kind (all princeling-units are arguably exceptions to regular troops) - in addition to that the circumstances was extremely favourable (hills, woods and rain). And facing the wrong troops as well (considering the terrain). The deed is mighty regardless, no question, but it certainly does set things into a more reasonable light. Having an base-armour of 5 does not make things any easier for the enemy either. Only high tier troops can hope to strike thru that thick armour by regular means (unless armour-piercing, of course, halbards, billmen etc. etc.).

Anyway, you seem to have plenty of fun with the Norse style of fighting - I guess that has to count for something as well here. They do have a very distinct and special "unit-profile" compared to all other factions. It is simpler, less complex and faster to develop - but also more restricted in both possibilities and capacities. Small, but very strong infantry-based armies essentially....

- A

[daigaku]

Hi, Axalon,

well, was the usual daigaku-approach to a (for the pagan Norse) typical situation: a prince unwanted, a province wanted, too many armys needed to cover frontiers ´cos everybody is enemy, so no men to spare for a fight except those 20 - and there they went. Had the province secured 2 years later ;-))) The only tiny problem (isn´t really one) is the mainly 40men-unit rooster - to fill a stack fully is hardly possible, except you put some normal archers and some LithCav into it. But with smaller armys I go where I want anyway ;-)))

a question: iirc, there is no unit change, coming with the era change, at least for the Norse? They stay as they started?

once more thanks for that MOD and all your efforts. At the moment new game, going southwards through central Europe to find the rest of recruitable units. Think this weekend list will be complete ;-)))

musclepained (from work) greetings daigaku


..btw, just found out how to give a "thanks" ;-))

[Axalon]

Hello Dai,

... well, was the usual daigaku-approach to a (for the pagan Norse) typical situation: a prince unwanted, a province wanted, too many armys needed to cover frontiers ´cos everybody is enemy, so no men to spare for a fight except those 20 - and there they went. Had the province secured 2 years later ;-)))

You are doing it with exceptional troops, with exceptional equipment, and that yields exceptional results. However successful this “kamikaze-tactic” is, you are still facing the problem that you will have to still maintain stability if you want to keep that province – for that you need more troops (especially so with the Norse). So you are still stuck with relying on more “ordinary troops” regardless even if you manage to take a province in one of these attacks. That circumstance is hardly by chance, that is by conscious design in order to limit the overall impact of such tactics.

The only tiny problem (isn´t really one) is the mainly 40men-unit rooster - to fill a stack fully is hardly possible, except you put some normal archers and some LithCav into it.

This is one aspect that comes with the Norse, they don’t get big armies easily. Also by conscious design in order to keep them more balanced in regards to other factions. If you can find other troops and use them to get that quantity – by all means do so. It is your choice. But you are hardly likely to pull it of with Norse formations alone and that by deliberate design.

But with smaller armys I go where I want anyway ;-)))

Perhaps, but you won’t be able to keep the province unless you get more troops… It is the same old problem of stability and that slows you down. Giving the AI a better chance to recover and reorganize for future clashes.

a question: iirc, there is no unit change, coming with the era change, at least for the Norse? They stay as they started?

Redux has no era-progression by design. I saw little use and need for it and so I removed it completely from the game.

once more thanks for that MOD and all your efforts.

And to you, for posting here and keeping this place active. It’s pity that it is just you and me for the time being. I wish more people would join us here. I know that many more are currently playing RXB1003 somehow so it is hardly that (it should be at least some 50 people or so). It is the reluctance to post that is the real problem – people seem to think that they must have a problem of some kind in order to post here. I have no clue as for why that is. Maybe we need to spread the mighty gospel of Redux to more people – I don’t know. All I can say is that I welcome people to participate here as much as they like – after all that is essentially the point of having this place in the first place…

At the moment new game, going southwards through central Europe to find the rest of recruitable units. Think this weekend list will be complete

How many Norse-campaigns have you played thru so far? How many campaigns have you started? Anyways, I’ll set up a WIP-thread for all that soon, so you can begin to post up your findings.

- A

[Axalon]

Alright, here is another take on “old questions, new answers”. Obviously,
this time around answered out of a RXB1003-perspective...


==================================================
The official Redux Q&A
==================================================

Q. Why should I try MTW-Redux?
A. Because you want a different experience, Redux provides that and then some.

Q. Where are all the old troops from MTW?
A. Nowhere, they were thrown out of Redux…. Redux has it’s own and more advanced troop-roster made from scratch (more detailed and diverse in qualities, ensuring more interesting and dynamic battles)…

Q. Why are there so few factions? I like loads of factions and more variety!
A. In short, it creates a better and more functional game, and thus ultimately a better game-experience for you as the player of that game… Ironically a more diverse game as well, despite appearances…

Long answer…
---------------------
There are several reasons for it. Experience shows that “fewer” factions means superior AI-performance in general and that each faction included in such circumstances can be made more distinct - thus have more actual meaning within the game. There are only so many ways to distinguish factions on the MTW-engine. Once we exceed the threshold of what the engine can handle in such regards - and the more we do it - each faction loses distinction. Essentially, it becomes an illusion of variety, more or less hollow. Making each faction more and more like copies of other factions. This is in direct conflict with the very concepts of actual diversity.

It is one thing so call something by a new name and quite another to actually have something that is something else due to individual and specific traits that distinguish it. Redux excels in these regards because of the fact that it has fewer factions. Each distinction and trait becomes more important because it is more effective and valid under such circumstances. Redux is made with the doctrine of quality in parts, not quantity. If quantity has to go in order to ensure quality by distinctions and functionality in factions - then so be it.

Besides, fewer factions ultimately mean stronger and thus more dangerous factions, making the overall game-experience and AI-performance more exiting and challenging anyways - even without the enhanced designs that Redux has in place for both AI and factions on this note. This in contrast to a broken functionality due to the weight of too many factions that the engine can’t successfully handle or separate anyways - resulting in regular AI-apathy and passivity (usually due to the lack of strength somehow). Thus we would get poor AI performance and less exiting and entertaining game-experiences because of it. For Redux, it was an easy choice and obviously it was made for the benefit of the player and the overall game-experience…

The irony is that fewer factions, once properly designed, clearly offers more actual diversity and dynamics to a game then a multitude of factions does (which only offers increased levels of standardization - which in turn kills diversity and dynamics. Thus appearances deceive). It all boils down to this, variety or quantity…. As the reality is that the MTW-engine can’t have and handle both when it comes to factions. Redux has gone for variety to ensure quality in the game-experience...


Q. Where are the grand inquisitors and cardinals (and the others)?
A. Nowhere, they are not included in Redux. They did not have enough purpose in the game to earn a place in Redux and thus were taken out as redundant elements because of it.

Q. Why is there no era-progression in Redux?
A. It has a history of generating bugs. Besides, Redux is too cool to bother with any silly eras-progression…. Next question….

Q. Where are Malta and Rhodes?
A. Nowhere, they are not included in Redux….

Q. Where is Switzerland?! I want my Swiss armoured pikemen!
A. Nowhere, it is not included in Redux…. Relax, pikemen in Redux is just as good or better in every aspect…. For optimal pikemen, play HRE or Italy….

Q. Are all landbridges removed in Redux?
A. Many of them are… The only ones left are Denmark-Sweden, Cordoba-Morocco, Sicily-Naples and Sardinia-Corsica…

Q. Why are all generals, helmeted knights? (Norse – warriors?)
A. That is part of the customization aspects of Redux. They are essentially numbered placeholders, ready to be changed at the player’s discretion, either by the pre-made stock-portraits done for Redux or something you done yourself. All stock-portraits are found in the included the “Redux Bonus Materials” - as is the instructions on how this is exactly done (and sets of backup placeholder-portraits are also included). Basically, players can at any time personalize their “fave” general(s) by selecting and applying such stock-portraits into the game, according to personal preference.

Q. Are the campaign-map changed? Any extra provinces in Redux?
A. Yes, both the map, provinces and the connectivity between provinces has been re-drawn and changed all over. This to generate better circumstances, game-flow and AI-performance out of the game - all over. No additional extra-provinces have been added due to limitations of the v.1.1-engine. The raw tax-value of the Redux-map is 30.000 fl. MTW got about 32.000+ fl. in raw tax-value on the same amount of provinces. So, Redux has fewer florins assigned to it. You were not supposed to swim in florins anyways, at least not without having to work and fight for it. You know, florins are supposed to be precious somehow….

Alright, enough of that… Further questions or comments can be posted here at any time.

- A

[daigaku]

Hi,

@Axalon: Sorry, but you had misunderstood one thing, maybe due to not-too-clear formulation; writing "secured" I meant that I collected enough troops from recruition provinces to get at least about 140 stability on "very low" tax-setting - after that, building all those stability- and happiness- buildings available to the Norse. So no problem with keeping the province, and keep it for the rest of the game. Another thing is, if I only want 1. to get rid of a Princeling and 2. to raid other factions´ provinces to get fast money and to deplete them from the possibility to earn money and to recruit (shameful: yes, I do such things, sometimes they are necessary...). No need to keep those provinces, and as well no need to keep a 11toed drunkard who accidentally got some valour6 or so ;-)) No need as well to let some Spearmen or Warriors or Cavalry get slaughtered if the actual job to do is NOT to keep but to destroy....

Unit rooster: At the moment, I´m not involved in the Baltic region, only recruiting in Norway, Sweden, Mercia and Ireland (Denmark is for solely ship-production), so I have to go along with the number-limitation (except those Irish and Saxon Heavy Spears, filling in a bit for the 40men Norse Spears - but never go without the Norse!!). Those normal Archers aren´t to my taste as well, so I have units of 10 and 20 men for ranged warfare only - but with their accuracy, that´s quite enough ;-))

Had up to now started about 9 or 10 campaigns, the 1.1 and 1002 counted in. Haven´t finished one yet due to some work I´m doing on the game ;-)). As soon as THE LIST will be complete, I´ll start a campaign doing it my way - not conquering too much, but keeping an eye on factions getting too big (and cutting them down a bit). It seems to me, that the recruition possibilities are strictly region- and religion- bound, means that ONLY in pagan/christian-pagan provinces I can recruit anything beyond simple Archers, PeasCav, LightHorse, SiegeStuff and ships. The only region I didn´t have conquered a single province is North Africa - I´ll see to that to get maybe Tunisia (trade goods!!) to verify that I can´t recruit anything there....

So, still being busy with the house and the game, there is no boredom - and I wish you the same: Interesting work, interesting games for recreation, and maybe a fine glass of Whisky in the evening ;-))

greetings, daigaku

ps: you wanted some battle/army pics from after 950 or so; mail will go out this evening with german, french and rebel army setups....

[Axalon]

Hello Dai,

Another thing is, if I only want 1. to get rid of a Princeling and 2. to raid other factions´ provinces to get fast money and to deplete them from the possibility to earn money and to recruit (shameful: yes, I do such things, sometimes they are necessary...)

That’s pretty naughty of you… I hope that the driving “necessity” for this kind of tactics is a regular circumstance - if so Redux is at least doing it’s job properly. It is supposed to be challenging and not a cakewalk like raw MTW – regardless of tactics used. That was the plan anyhow.

No need to keep those provinces, and as well no need to keep a 11toed drunkard who accidentally got some valour6 or so ;-)) No need as well to let some Spearmen or Warriors or Cavalry get slaughtered if the actual job to do is NOT to keep but to destroy....

I guess I can understand that. If you are set to kill a “freakish prince” using wedge formation might help as that lowers his defence-value by -2.

Unit rooster: At the moment, I´m not involved in the Baltic region, only recruiting in Norway, Sweden, Mercia and Ireland (Denmark is for solely ship-production), so I have to go along with the number-limitation (except those Irish and Saxon Heavy Spears, filling in a bit for the 40men Norse Spears - but never go without the Norse!!). Those normal Archers aren´t to my taste as well, so I have units of 10 and 20 men for ranged warfare only - but with their accuracy, that´s quite enough

We all have our style when it comes to armies… We can do that much more freely in Redux, as the alternatives are so much more plentyfull and the impact of all that it is much greater in battle as well and I always liked that. Redux has a heavy focus on combat. There are almost 200 units in Redux so that will go a long way to ensure all that – especially with the unique combat-system in place. I don’t want troops without clear purpose or to be mere copies of other units under a different name. I have certainly tried to stay away from that as much as possible as I generally feel that such stuff is poor design. Still in some few cases it is very hard to avoid. I have always been highly critical to the roster in raw MTW as I think it is far too limited and standardized.

It seems to me, that the recruition possibilities are strictly region- and religion- bound, means that ONLY in pagan/christian-pagan provinces I can recruit anything beyond simple Archers, PeasCav, LightHorse, SiegeStuff and ships. The only region I didn´t have conquered a single province is North Africa - I´ll see to that to get maybe Tunisia (trade goods!!) to verify that I can´t recruit anything there....

That may very well be the case. It would not surprise me much if it is just like that.

So, still being busy with the house and the game, there is no boredom - and I wish you the same: Interesting work, interesting games for recreation, and maybe a fine glass of Whisky in the evening

I’m more of a wine person myself - red - if given a choice (white is ok too. I quit beer, and I quit the booze as well, but I have poured enough vodka - pure - into myself to know the drill). Anyways, I got little time to play much Redux at the moment - all the same I do appreciate the sentiment. :D


- A
-------------
Thanks again for the prebattle-screens...

[Axalon]

Hello folks,

I just want to say that I have now set up the "Norse unit availability [WIP]"-thread and that I have already started to update it (with info forwarded by Daigaku). As always, all players of Redux are free to join in and participate in this project initially conceived by Daigaku (more or less). The more players that help out, the faster it gets completed and corrected. Also, if this stuff turns out well, we can do this stuff on other factions as well. A template that can be used for posting findings (either in part or as whole) is available (see post:2) in that thread as well...

Oh, and I will credit any player that contribute there.

- A

[daigaku]

Hi @Axalon,

money: In Vanilla, as the Danish, about 1150 I´m beyond the 100.000 Florins, getting more after that up to iirc about 2,5 million (if not every faction declares war and my trade goes to 0 ). In REDUX, it took me 250 years to get beyond 20.000 due to the eternal and costly building requirements. Okay, meanwhile in 1155 I´m at 800.000, but still a lot has to be built in newly conquered provinces, the Pope has to be attacked what will decrease income quite a bit, the Portuguese and Byz as well, and with an upkeep of roughly 15.000 a year money will again be a theme soon; economy is REALLY harder in REDUX than in Vanilla, I can tell..... ;-))

freakish princes: not only to get rid of them, but to kill entire or at least half armys is the aim; otherwise I´d take a 7star assassin, quicksafe, and kill those i@iot$....

armys: I love the rooster you provided for the Norse. Combined with the units recruitable in Baltics/British Islands, there is nothing till now that withstands them. Okay, it takes even in the home provinces at least 100-130 years to build up everything on keep(!)-level, it takes ridiculous amounts of money to do that, but it´s worth it - with every unit retrained (even Woodys), I only got beaten due to my lack of experience with BIG armys. And it´s a sight, seeing a unit of 10 Norse Pathfinders "crash" into the flanks of Regular Infantry (held by some spears) and walk through them with maybe 3 losses. Simply great what morale and weapon/armour upgrades can do with the right unit ;-)) next to the bodyguards my "beloved" unit.....

For wine, you should visit our region being the warmest in germany - and we´ve got some great red wines here (see "HIHO"-thread ;-))

So I wish you a good week, good work and good wine ;-))

greetings daigaku

[Nagnar]

Hi again Axalon

For a multitude of reasons I don't like the Rebels dominating the seas in Redux, so I've done some fiddling around with unit_prod11 (mainly with ship costs pirate vs normal ships)
with the aim of getting the AI factions to dominate the seas with pirates just in fringe areas. Because of how the Rebels spam ships like crazy, (before any of my fiddling it'd be 10-20 turns before each sea region has at least 2-4 pirate ships and they'd just keep coming; unbeatable even for the player and the AI has absolutely no hope.)
But all I can achieve is rebels just taking longer to take over the seas. (Even when i reduced normal ship costs the AI produces way too few of them and no tradeships at all so they just get overwhelmed regardless)

Do you have any suggestions of what I could do?
(Ultimate goal being large AI faction fleets with good coverage, especially for factions like Italy and The Byzantines with the Rebel's pirate ships being in small number and only in fringe areas)

Nevermind:
I just removed all the rebel owned ships in the startpos, disallowed rebels from building longboats and dragonships and changed all the tradeships/galleys/dhows and pirategalleys/ships/warships to be only made by the papacy (so none are ever built).
Its a good enough solution i guess even though the AI factions still barely build any ships (except the Aragonese, wow thats more like it!) and there's no pirates to slow down/prevent absurd trade income.

[komnenos]

Hello everyone. which one of you prefer MTW than MTW2?

[Stazi]

Hello everyone. which one of you prefer MTW than MTW2?

Asking this question here?? Looks like you want to commit suicide but not brave enough to do it yourself.

[Axalon]

Hi all and Xmas folks,

Ok I’m back here at the Org and should be around for a few days anyways. I’ll start with Nagnar. Possibly, I’ll do multiple posts as to try to cover everything (and for general clarity)….

For a multitude of reasons I don't like the Rebels dominating the seas in Redux, so I've done some fiddling around with unit_prod11 (mainly with ship costs pirate vs normal ships)
with the aim of getting the AI factions to dominate the seas with pirates just in fringe areas.

Fair enough… Assuming that it is a campaign when they do dominate the seas… See below remarks.

Because of how the Rebels spam ships like crazy, (before any of my fiddling it'd be 10-20 turns before each sea region has at least 2-4 pirate ships and they'd just keep coming; unbeatable even for the player and the AI has absolutely no hope.) But all I can achieve is rebels just taking longer to take over the seas. (Even when i reduced normal ship costs the AI produces way too few of them and no tradeships at all so they just get overwhelmed regardless)

I probably should say something about this section/stuff in general as to kill whatever possible skewed impressions and misunderstandings derived from it – if any. Overall, I think you (like others before you) are way too hasty here to pass judgement on the supposed Redux AI-behaviour and circumstances on campmap – or so it seems.

I have few problems in seeing where you come from and I have seen similar scenarios as well. At times the AI of RXB1003 (and RXB1002 before it) is a bit too successful on the rebel-fleets for the game to be entertaining. Some campaigns certainly do end up like that (and when that happens it is very hard to reverse, and it takes time, but still possible), it is hard to control or to predict exactly whenever it might happen. There are several random aspects involved beyond the player and the faction played. However there are also the factors on the player-end that increases the possibility for these circumstances to materialize - like leaving the rebel-ports alone for too long, building a serious fleet too late, or not maintaining it properly etc. etc.

There is some truth to what you say, but only up to a point. Beyond that, you (and possibly others) fail to consider/grasp that Redux AI-behaviour is not static or can actually be expected to be static – perhaps other versions of MTW might be like that - but not Redux. I can, if you like, post up some screen(s) that show that beyond question – a ton of AI-ships floating around in the game with virtually no pirates anywhere, for instance – ultimately making your statement fall apart. There are plenty of such campaigns in Redux as well, what about them in your statement? Get my drift? The reality is more complex and diverse then your statement allows and because of that I feel obliged to point that out.

The point being here that the AI-behaviour and events and circumstances in Redux are ever changing from one campaign to the next. Rebel ships are no exception to this reality. The concept and circumstance might be special for Redux – I don’t know – but not one campaign are the same as the next and thus it is hard to do that reality justice whenever attempting to generalize over this stuff. I have tested Redux many, many times to know that beyond question. The results of - say 10 campaigns, some 50 turns for instance - will not be unison, but diverse, some campaigns might possibly support your statement while others will just kill it. There is truth to it, yet there is not. Anyway, you are neither the first, nor the last to make this kind of mistakes here on Redux - but that don’t mean that you can not learn from it or that you should strive to repeat it. Therefore to avoid all this fuss make sure too add “in my campaigns” the rebels do this and that etc. etc. Or some such. It does make things clearer for all, it does Redux more justice, and things are put in a more accurate light which is usually more desirable anyways. Just saying…

Do you have any suggestions of what I could do? [my emphasis] (Ultimate goal being large AI faction fleets with good coverage, especially for factions like Italy and The Byzantines with the Rebel's pirate ships being in small number and only in fringe areas)

Yeah, I might have a few ideas as this should not be that hard to solve fairly close to what you seem to be looking for. There are several things that could be done but I’ll give you the stuff that I think will create the most effect. Grab a GnomeEditor and open up fresh and clean copy of the RX-“CRUSADERS_UNIT_PROD11.TXT”-file...

1. Go down to the ships-section at the bottom and lower the costs (column 3) for all the ships you want on the seas by – say a 100 florins. Then increase the cost for the pirateships etc. etc. that you don’t want as much in the game – say 100 florins. Like this, warships 600-700 fl. etc. and pirateships 500-600 fl. etc. etc. Save a copy.

2. Open up that copy. Go to the building requirements - column 17 - and lower the requirements for all ships you want to be floating around in the game to "{ PORT, SHIPYARD1 }". Save another copy.

3. Open up that copy. Go to AI-build section… Column 15… This stuff…

"POVERTY_STRICKEN(0), DESPERATE_DEFENCE(0), CATHOLIC_EXPANSIONIST(0), CATHOLIC_NAVAL_EXPANSIONIST(0), CATHOLIC_TRADER(0), CATHOLIC_CRUSADER_TRADER(0), CATHOLIC_EXPANSIONIST_CRUSADER(0), CATHOLIC_DEFENSIVE_CRUSADER(0), POPE(0), CATHOLIC_DEFENSIVE(0), CATHOLIC_ISOLATIONIST(0), ORTHODOX_DEFENSIVE(0), ORTHODOX_EXPANSIONIST(0), ORTHODOX_STAGNANT(0), MUSLIM_PEACEFUL(0), MUSLIM_EXPANSIONIST(0), MUSLIM_DEVOUT(0), BARBARIAN_RAIDER(0), REBELS(4), CLOSE_TO_SUPPORT_LIMIT(0)"

Numbers to use (I don’t recommend you to use any others)… Replacing the zeroes (and the rebel 4)….

"4" = The AI will build large amounts of ships…
"3" = The AI will build clearly less then using a “4” but still sufficient numbers - if given time and oppourtunity…
"2" = The AI will build some amounts of ships, clearly less then assigned a 3, whenever it feels it needs them (and depending on how things look in the game, and available infrastructure and the actual possibility for it).
"1" = The AI will build some ships, when needed or it can actually afford them, but it is unlikely that they ever will be plenty in the game
"0" = The AI will not build any ships, this regardless of anything…
"8" = The AI will go on a ship-building frenzy… This is likely to wreck most faction-functionality as the AI can’t really handle too many ships at the same time; the support costs for ships are too great for it. Be advised, too many ships for any faction is likely too kill any such faction, long term. The AI can’t or won’t disband ships like you can or would as the player.

Overall, I suggest that you use “4” all over for all ships (ex. warship) you want to have in abundance in Redux. Other less important/popular ships can be assigned with a “3” or “2” all over (ex. Royal Warship). As for the hated pirateships you should be able to get what you (seemingly) want with a “2” or a “ 1” assigned all over. With “all over” I mean all the entries from POVERTY_STRICKEN(0) all the way to CLOSE_TO_SUPPORT_LIMIT(0). BTW, at least I, would not assign above “2” on either of those two particular entries… Otherwise, check “startpos”-folder and the “RX-classic”-file for specific AI-profiles to match accordingly. And, save another copy.

4. Optional, do various faction assignments and corrections… Open up that latest copy… Column 50… Assign and adjust factions as desired… Save a copy etc.

Well, I think all this will fix your ship-problems in Redux... Anyway, I have looked at the ships and the related circumstances for the future RXB1004 release and decided to make some changes due to these problems with ship-levels/frequency in the game as it is an old problem for me (on general terms). The “how to balance the pirates and AI-fleets just right” and more successfully (as well as is possible in general, that is). Anyway, I will probably reduce the number of possible ships for RXB1004 as ships like the “tradeship” or “tradegalley” etc. does present a loophole for the player that should not be there, I think. If players want fleets then they should pay as much as the AI does for it I think (many shipstats are purely cosmetic and have zero effect in reality, thus the actual distinction between ships are less then the stats would have us believe. I have discussed this many times at various points). Redux is still supposed to be tough after all…

If you (or abybody else) have suggestions and opinons on this stuff mentioned for RXB1004, by all means feel free to post it. It might be good stuff...

- A

[Axalon]

Some comments on Daigakus latest post as well…

Regarding gold/cash… You are basically making an old and classic point for me, regarding raw MTW and one of its flaws. The one that people/players are virtually swimming in florins in no time – even on expert-settings… I mean, you even start with some 4000(!) florins on expert-settings, having done nothing at all and this while the reduced prices (on everything) are in full effect. Both units and buildings are cheaper while you have more cash at your hands at the same time. The slow building and development pacing of raw MTW further accelerate the process of hording florins as our possibilities to spend them is reduced because of it - as we can not spend any cash on buildings and development as long as the current building/installation is not finished….

As a result people get ridiculously rich with little effort (this even without trade). One might wonder, "How can we then fail in such a game?" A game with such forgiving and favourable circumstances? That is not entirely easy to do actually. I would argue that the circumstances are then too forgiving and favourable to actually serve the game, instead I think it hurts it. I think a game needs at least a sporting chance of player-failure/loss somehow in order to actually be a game, an uncertainty as to what the outcome will be… If that uncertainty is virtually removed, because the circumstances are too favourable for the single player – then the outcome will no longer be uncertain, and then it will not be a game – by definition - but something that we can categorize as a process or sequence that we must work thru, which something very different - and nowhere as entertaining as an actual game, or so I believe. So… Making economics much tougher and harsher all over in Redux was an easy choice for me.

Regarding MTW-freakshows… As of MTW1, a bunch of personal traits and stuff was introduced into TW. Personally, I never truly saw the actual benefits of this, nor appreciated it, as long as it is random anyways - and if I could remove this element out of the game, I certainly would. As that is not possible (due to hardcoding), we instead get a constant and steady flow of freakish kings, princes and generals – virtually all the time - resulting in the common practice to kill off to most retarded specimens we get on our hands. I would hardly call that a successful game-element on general terms - the game would be better off without it, as it is just annoying to be forced to actually consider new possibilities and ways to rid yourself of the latest batch of drooling idiots etc. on your hands – when you should be focusing on the actual game and what happens there instead…

As for Redux and this crap, I have done what can be done on this (I think?), changing the most trait-names to be more neutral (and more agreeable to me) to lessen the impact of all this junk, as it is to me a very much unwanted and disliked element of MTW, and Redux. The game would have been five times better if you were forced to seriously fight all the troops you killed with actual armies you cared about - instead of using unwanted princes that are sent off to die anyways. It would have been a better game, to me anyways. And, I do these “suicide attacks” as well, but unlike you, all I care about is them princes dying, not how much damage I can create in the process (I still prefer serious battles/attacks for all such stuff - and I don’t want too, very possibly, waste a perfectly good assassin for an idiot... Obviously, that’s just me, but there you have it)…

Anyways, thanks for posting and sharing your experiences, as ever…

- A

[Axalon]

Hello everyone. which one of you prefer MTW than MTW2?

Salutations right back at you Kom. Anyway...?...

I assume this is intended to have something to do with mods and alterations as you would otherwise have little motive for posting such a question here? If true, let me first point out that I am hardly an expert on MTW2-modding as such or on what has been done for that engine (I heard of various stuff and seen screens, that’s all). Let me also point out that this is, as I see it, not a matter of existing content and results created by modders for either game-engine, MTW1 or MTW2 respectively. It is a matter of the actual engine however, and the traits and game-experiences it enables and delivers on general terms to the player. That is what all this is about, for me at least. And, that is also what ultimately dictates my response to your question posted here.

Now… I would not work with MTW1, if I did not prefer the game-experience delivered and enabled by that engine above the one delivered by the MTW2-engine. The game-experiences are very different, this regardless applied content, and neither one can actually duplicate or simulate the other convincingly (even if some people have certainly tried to do just that, it is not possible, because of the different traits that each engine has). Had I preferred the game-experience MTW2-engine delivers and enable – I would have worked on that engine instead. The reality is that I don’t, and so, I work on the MTW1-engine instead, because of the fact.

The reasons are plenty, one of the most obvious aspects is how respective engine handles battles - very different. Another is the general speed on how things are done on the campaign-map - also very different etc. etc. There is plenty of stuff that MTW2-engine enables that MTW1-engine lacks, and some of that I like, but on general terms all that is nowhere enough to compensate the stuff that the MTW1-engine handles better as I see it. I guess it all boils down to what we regard as truly important and what not.

Asking this question here?? Looks like you want to commit suicide but not brave enough to do it yourself.

Am I really that bad?

- A

[Axalon]

A happy new year folks... Some notes to self...


Redux & 2012
-----------------------------

Releases: RXB1003, RXB1003-VI and a hotfix...
Downloads RXB1003: 670
Downloads RXB1002: some 200-300 (prior to RXB1003)
Views: +20000-22000 (this thread)
Posts: +50 (this thread)

In reference to posts... 44 posts made prior the Org index-change in August. Overall 60% was mine. The TWC-counterpart generated 61 posts in 2012 - 16 posts made in August and beyond. I was inactive at the TWC as well for 2 months straight during that period. This is the 2nd time (first in 2010), the TWC- counterpart beats this thread in terms of generated posts. In further perspective, this very thread generated some 79 posts in 2011, and some 30 posts in 2010. So 2012 was better then 2010 but worse then 2011 in this regard. Considering actual releases I guess it all adds up somewhat.

Anyway, my inactivity here is one familiar and typical factor (as if my activity here was somehow ever needed to discuss or post about Redux?), as is the games age (10 years, more understandable), while clearly the "new" overall Org-index change by staff is yet another and new one. As I suspected it would be. The regrettable separation of "hosted mods" apart from all other MTW-stuff in 2012 (and everything else with it) did not do Redux any favours it seems - as activity here obviously and visibly took a blow somehow as a direct result. In 2012, people obviously visited this place and thread (which is great), but they did not post much (which is dull - and generally bad for Redux - as it needs posts to generate further interest and exposure to survive, as ever).

- A

[Raz]

I don't think it needs exposure to survive. Many mods for MTW survive simply because it was uploaded on some obscure server years and years ago and no one bothered taking it down.
It's nice that you're still around Axalon. I haven't been here for ages. I'm even more impressed that you're still keeping Redux updated.

I wish I could sink some hours back into these mods (or games in general!), but I've been swept away with all sorts of things. I think I've added "releasing an MTW mod" to my bucket list, so even if these new fangled computers can't run MTW, I'll still do my best to release a mod.

[Mecoatl]

Hello Axalon,

I have read your comments about players not posting here, so I decided to throw my hat in the ring. I have been playing your mod for over three years now. I recently downloaded the 1003 version and have applied my "normal" changes to it and will be deciding on a new faction very soon.

I enjoy playing the mod very much. It is the only full blown reformed mod that I don't have to adjust for hours on end just to keep my attention. I tend to find it more attractive of an experience when the AI has much more florin than the vanilla setup, which is accomplished here with Redux. I also, immediately, fell in love with the Rebel troops aggressive behavior.

Before I start a campaign, I do like to tweak unit sizes some. I also mod-out the champion units to some other re-stat fix of my own, for every single campaign since 1001,1002..and again for 1003. I just don't like them in the game. When the Rebel faction or "rarely" another Minor/Major faction uses them, I can just plow them over with Cavalry.

Here are some of the things I like to play around with, while enjoying 1002:

- Remove all placed troops from startpos file, each faction starts only with the Faction Leader.
- Remove all buildings as above.
- Add +2 rebel integer for all provinces in startpos file
- Add Princes for all Factions, that I will not be controlling in startpos file
- Double bodyguard unit sizes.
- Apply all axes with bonuses against cavalry, with adding -integer for all ranged units.
- Reduce ranged engagement thresholds
- Remove all maps and replace them with flat steppes & all 6 levels of flat Castles, this does tend to get repetitive, I have found it gives the AI a better chance to dominate a battle.
- Double Merc sizes.
- Add cavalry bonuses to Lancer units for the few factions that have them available for recruitment
- Add cavalry bonuses to all Camel units.
- Every other campaign..or so, I like to pick a Faction and double the size of their specific specialty troops. One game, I had the challenging task of ridding the world of the Norse, with this upgrade. That was a very fun 200+ turns.

Those are just some of the ways I like enjoy Redux. I think it's also notable that I only play with the Viking upgrade engine.

I will continue to post here with the goal of providing some much needed traffic for such a great piece of work.

Now on to 1003...

[Axalon]

Hi and thanks for posting here guys. I'll get back here later on with some more remarks on these posts.

- A