Where can I get this game not from Steam?

**TylerX5** · 08-21-2014, 12:48

Hey folks,

So from what I heard M2TW works much better when the directory is as short as possible. As you all know Steam's default directory is long ("C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\SteamApps\common" and then you can add "M2TW/Kingdoms/mods/EB2/data/etc". Jeez you'd think they didn't know about the character limit!) so I'm looking for a place to purchase the game so I can install it in a better location.

I recently Purchased the Game from http://www.gamersgate.co.uk/DD-M2TW/...war-collection
But that ended up being a waste of money because the DRM prevented me from accessing Kingdoms, and a fair warning to anyone who wants to buy from there since I wasn't the only one who had this issue http://www.gamersgate.com/gametutor?issue=245482

So my question for you folks is simple. Where can I purchase M2TW+kingdoms that will have no DRM (or at least functioning DRM not from secuROM)?

**QuintusSertorius** · 08-21-2014, 12:51

It's not terribly expensive on Amazon UK or on Amazon US. Those are both the non-download versions.

I'm sure it's available cheaper in other places, but that was the easiest to find. Here's a Google Shopping search string for non-download and under £10.

**bovi** · 08-24-2014, 22:43

The disc version also comes with Securom though. Just so you're warned.

**moriluk** · 08-29-2014, 17:29

so i cannot use a downloadable version unless it is steam? I hate steam. can i not use this?

http://www.amazon.com/Medieval-II-To.../dp/B0040V4T8O

will i get drm or securom issues? I am unfamiliar with this. my brother downloaded alex.exe from amazon (but had the rtw.exe on disc) and used it without any trouble for eb1. is this not the case for eb2?

**bovi** · 08-29-2014, 19:23

I don't know, I have only a disc version myself. It should work.

Jeez you'd think they didn't know about the character limit!

They didn't. If they did find that bug during development, it would have been fixed.

**Grimmy** · 08-29-2014, 21:26

Gamer's Gate has M2TW for download. The patch specifically for the version sold on GG is also made available on the same page you download the game from.

**moriluk** · 08-30-2014, 11:32

One more question. What do you mean when you say
"M2TW works much better when the directory is as short as possible"...what is "better" and is this confirmed?

I am installing the me2 right now and have left it in the program files folder, so it will be a long directory. I was tempted to do as I do with eb1 and just create a folder right on the C drive. Should I or does it matter?

**bovi** · 08-30-2014, 11:44

There is a specific bug in M2TW that makes the game crash if you enter a siege battle in a mediterranean climate, where any unit (or at least an officer) has a texture file with an absolute path length of 127 or more. Took us months to figure it out.

The game in general doesn't care about path length, it's only this bug. Some people have been immensely exaggerating the consequences of a long installation path.

Be that as it may, there are several weird things that can happen if you have M2TW installed anywhere under Program Files. So don't do that, install it anywhere else. C:\Games\M2TW is good, as is C:\M2TW.

**Alcibiade** · 08-30-2014, 13:13

Originally Posted by TylerX5

I recently Purchased the Game from http://www.gamersgate.co.uk/DD-M2TW/...war-collection
But that ended up being a waste of money because the DRM prevented me from accessing Kingdoms, and a fair warning to anyone who wants to buy from there since I wasn't the only one who had this issue http://www.gamersgate.com/gametutor?issue=245482

Wait, I had the same problem with gamersgate but it was easily solved :

Try entering your serial leaving out the first or the last block. It's odd, but the publisher's latest update seems to have changed the serial check, and installation can only proceed if a part of the serial is omitted.

I advised this to someone on TWC and since he didn't answeranything but just posted about how happy he was with EB2 I suppose it worked for him...

This is for the installation. Now for the patch, the main problem is to identify wich gold edition you have (Us, Uk or EU) and then use the patch 1.5 from the same region.

After that, never try to run kingdom with the .exe but with one of the shorcut on the desktop (if you really want to play one of the kingdopms campaigns, if not don't even bother) or simply install EB2 and play it directly.

I had many troubles with the GamersGate retail version but they all had a silly solution in the end.