MTW-Redux Beta Released! [Archive] - Page 3

Axalon

04-28-2012, 17:34

Over at the debug-area daigaku wrote...

... working with the "possible recruition" list of the Norse right now. Being sort of slow player I´m not sure if one campaign is enough to get the whole map "cartographed", but till Khazar conquered all the east now and wrote down everything. Heading for Iberia now (those Aragonese own 3/4 of Europe at the moment - no Germans, no french, no Italians) and have a look what be recruited there....

And...

...´cos already in 1002 didn´t find all the stuff that was in it have simply to say about 1003: COOOOOOOL!!! You keep me glued to the machine in every free minute, so expect more bits and pieces of resonance!

Thanks a lot, daigaku

That's great Daigaku and thanks! It is/was basically the plan here... Offering an exiting, different and fun game-experience etc. etc. So, it makes me very happy to hear that RXB1003 hits so close to home for you. All the same, it's pity that not more people are currently trying it and posting about it here, as it is. I guess we can't get it all...

Anyhow, about the unit availability-stuff for the Norse... I would imagine that it will take some time and multiple campaigns to fill out all the blanks in the template I provided here (see post:496). Anyways, I am considering to set up a new WIP-thread for it already - just to keep all that stuff in one, easy to find, dedicated place. What do you think? I am open for your input and ideas on this. I mean, otherwise it will be chasing down this and that post all over the place and I think it is better to avoid all that by setting up a clear and dedicated area for it (even if that stuff are not completed and done yet). Well, What do you think Dai? (Obviously, all others are free to offer their input as well here).

- A

daigaku

04-29-2012, 13:10

Hi,

sticking to the Norse will keep me busy as well in 1.1 as in 2.01 for quite a while - will shift to other factions only after having mastered this one. Seems though they get really the same units in both versions (wasn´t sure about that one). Question: Why, for all the Gods´ sake, do you deny me the Slavic Foresters, having all the other slavic units in the rooster? Love those forester/pathfinder units...they are great for suicide missions and, till now, never saw them break!

btw, had sent you a mail to the "cyberways"(?) address with all the stuff till right down Khazar - haven´t found it yet? Thought it to be best to collect all at the Grand Master´s place to compile as he likes ;-) Could be the first bit for this WIP-thread (what does WIP mean?) you´re considering. Next faction for me sure will be the English, for the sake of Avalon and Paganism in North/Northwestern Europe ;-) ; making alliances with the Norse and Lithuanians could be fun as English, wiping all those petty christians right off the map....

Keep the Good Work goin´,

greetings daigaku

ps: Hello? anybody else out there playin 1003?

Axalon

04-29-2012, 22:15

Hello Dai,

Yeah I would imagine it will... Yup, both engines have the same units.

Question: Why, for all the Gods´ sake, do you deny me the Slavic Foresters, having all the other slavic units in the rooster?

Have I? If so, it was probably done with the intention to force you to rely on the Norse units... I got to check that...

btw, had sent you a mail to the "cyberways"(?) address with all the stuff till right down Khazar - haven´t found it yet? Thought it to be best to collect all at the Grand Master´s place to compile as he likes ;-) Could be the first bit for this WIP-thread (what does WIP mean?) you´re considering.

Mail replied.... Anyways, you can post you findings directly (t)here once the Norse WIP-thread (Work In Progress) is set up...

Next faction for me sure will be the English, for the sake of Avalon and Paganism in North/Northwestern Europe ;-) ; making alliances with the Norse and Lithuanians could be fun as English, wiping all those petty christians right off the map....

I can't see, why not... The English offer a clearly different experience just as most other factions do in Redux. If you have any questions on that note, feel free to ask...

- A

daigaku

04-29-2012, 22:34

Hi,

okay, I´ll post next time there - but, as stated, will take some time to cover all the map. But I can put it there as well in bits and pieces, so for every region of the map there would be some info.

Have dealt with the English already a bit, so got an idea what strengths and weaknesses they have (NEVER fight Norse units in forests!)

btw, think I broke a personal record: the max. I got done with as Norse Bodyguard till today was about 400-500 men. Today one unit served the cold dish of death to 1272 (out of about 1900) before went down completely. In a forest, of course ;-)

greetings, daigaku

ps the "slavic rooster" was, of course, only meant where they belong to - see mail ;-)

Axalon

05-07-2012, 17:58

Hello Dai,

Well, if it becomes a hurry to set up the Norse WIP-thread let me know. Otherwise, I'll get around to it eventually.

Have dealt with the English already a bit, so got an idea what strengths and weaknesses they have (NEVER fight Norse units in forests!)

Sounds like you might have something to add to the "Battle & Tactics"-thread or possibly the "Tips for a new Redux player?"-thread?

btw, think I broke a personal record: the max. I got done with as Norse Bodyguard till today was about 400-500 men. Today one unit served the cold dish of death to 1272 (out of about 1900) before went down completely. In a forest, of course

Well, that certainly does sound impressive. I take it that the AI was basically using the wrong kind of troops as all this happened. Or possibly that it takes more time and development for Catholic factions to get their armies in order to seriously combat the Norse properly (the Norse being faster at this). Or maybe that you have possibly upgraded your troops so much that they basically must face high tier troops in order to get beaten somehow? Or that the terrian was working more to your favor other then just being in the woods? I don't know, I don't have the data here and so I can't truly say. Anyways, the player will (once experienced enough) always be better at upgrading things then the AI - even in Redux, and that AI strikes me as ridiculously superior to the raw AI on such stuff. The question is hardly if the Norse formations can be beaten or not, but if the AI fields enough troops that can do it - under AI-supervision - I think that is the most important question.

Anyways, speaking of other threads... There is a question in the "Redux: size-settings"-thread (see post:7) that you might want to answer. Check it out...

- A

daigaku

05-08-2012, 00:18

Hi Axalon,

;-)) you know me too good meanwhile - 20 men of Norse Bodyguard, led by a prince, 7star, valour8, became 16 years old two years after the Great Pagan Temple was finished - fighting in a dense wood on a hill, rainy weather, opponents were mainly Spears, Archers, Royal Knights, a few units Regular Infantry, Billmen a.s.o - nothing to fear ;-))
and they died in the end, but only after they had cleared a province for invasion. It´s the usual job I give to unwanted/unloyal princes ;-))

The only thing I can say about tactics AGAINST the Norse is: don´t let them hide, pepper them with arrows/crossbow bolts, and come with NUMBERS!! (even a simple unit of Norse Infantry, except the daigaku-usual morale upgrades nothing special, tricked about 230 men into forest death!) If there are Bodyguards around, even Cav-attacks won´t help much - in open field those 20 men (with Princes/valour5 and up) are able to finish between 90 and 150 HeavyCav....

now will have a look at the other thread ;-))

playful greetings daigaku

Axalon

05-10-2012, 22:18

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

05-10-2012, 23:20

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

05-15-2012, 14:00

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. :wink2:

- A

Axalon

05-15-2012, 15:52

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

05-15-2012, 18:43

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

05-20-2012, 00:06

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

05-21-2012, 03:12

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

05-21-2012, 11:31

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

11-09-2012, 12:12

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

11-20-2012, 13:43

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

Stazi

11-21-2012, 13:23

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.:laugh4:

Axalon

12-13-2012, 21:43

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

12-13-2012, 22:06

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

12-14-2012, 00:20

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. :laugh4:

Am I really that bad? :laugh4:

- A

Axalon

01-04-2013, 18:34

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

02-25-2013, 10:26

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. :laugh4:

Mecoatl

04-03-2013, 09:32

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

05-11-2013, 17:07

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

EDIT:
------------------------------

Hey Raz, don’t get me wrong it’s good to see you here again, but…

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.

I do think you are wrong here. Escaping extinction is hardly a viable form of survival. Survival for a public project/mod - Redux or otherwise - is not made out of apathy, passivity, indifference and relentless silence on the boards (any boards). It is obvious that Redux (or whatever) does not download itself, if people play it (why otherwise download it?), then they certainly do have excellent reasons to discuss it with others – either for information, ideas, tips, questions, strategy or just for the fun of discussing stuff you like with others who like it as well etc. The benefits of any such activities are obvious. The more people that participate in that - the more benefits are to be had for all involved. The more input, the more output basically.

A public project/mod is like a plant, it continuously needs “water and attention” (that translates to “posts and related discussions”) in order to survive and grow beyond total obscurity - becoming more visible on the radar – and benefit more people as a result etc. etc. If it gets no “water and attention” it will eventually die and benefit nobody - as simple as that and that is universal. However all gains/benefits hinges on the public’s ability to actually support the project that yields them. One might be able to fake support and interest for a limited time, but that will only go so far. Eventually only the real deal will sustain a project, empty gestures does not. And, failure to support a project means that all related benefits will disappear as a result. Second chances are few and very difficult to stage successfully, at least for TW-stuff – that’s my experience. If the public (including whatever staff who supposedly serves it) insists on apathy and do nothing (or too little) – the public will eventually have and gain nothing because of it. Constant silence and apathy kills mods/projects – no exceptions…

Raz, I know you are generally active and curious on the boards or at least try to be. And, if we had 20 people active here with that same kind of advantageous attitude you have, then these boards would be a lot more fun and interesting to visit for everybody. As for me, I alone can only take things so far - Redux or otherwise – eventually people must step up, post and participate somehow here or it will never ever go beyond what little I can cook up solo, as simple as that… That regardless the topic…

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 can understand and relate to that - then again once “you” are interested enough in some game or mod – you will play it anyhow, despite of all that.

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.

Well… You can run RXB1003 on modern hardware (this in typical contrast to raw MTW). If you still want to make that mod, you can base it upon the Redux-platform and the new hardware should not be any problem anymore (generally speaking). I have no idea what changes you have in mind or how much Redux corresponds or not to all that – but – it would probably kill the technical problems of running the game for you. Redux these days is very different beast then it was back 2008-2009. Just saying (in the event that it matters)…

Comments on the above? Raz? Anybody?

EDIT II:
------------------------------

Hi Mecoatl, I appreciate the post and the ambition to generate some activity here – this place could use some. Imagine what would and could happen if 5 or 10 people came to that same conclusion at the same time - and acted on it. Things would be more active, fun and interesting here. Anyways…

It is an interesting list you posted, it might not hit close to home for me personally but it can still serve as possible ideas and suggestions to people inclined to change Redux circumstances somehow. The solo/champion-units have been questioned by others before you. Obviously, the most reliable remedy to that is to just shut down all solo-units. I did include all that stuff as it increase possibilities, choices and diversity in the game – and I like and stand by that. I like having the option as a player - diversity and possibility is good stuff for any game. “Heroes” can be very effective at times while they can also be easily overrun or shot down – it all depends on what happens and what we do as players. If you don’t want to explore that and such possibilities in Redux then by all means ignore or remove them completely, problem solved.

As for Redux and changes in general - everybody have ideas on how to tweak stuff to suit them just right. Obviously, my designs can not possibly cater to every preference and idea out there, whatever it may be. It’s a standing and universal problem in the game-industry and typically on the modding scene as well (probably even more so) – this for any game, Redux included. If people think they can design a better game-experience then I can then by all means do it – just don’t blame me if it doesn’t work out. If things go sauer and wreck the game, the designs, the balance or whatever somehow - you are on your own. As long as that is crystal clear, I see no problems with people changing stuff in Redux. To me, it is much better that people have the option to customize (and change) their game-experience then not – Redux was always designed to embrace and enable customization/tailoring and leave room for it – extra troops, buildings and whatever have you. In my experience, the best game-designer for “you” is usually you…

- A

Axalon

05-26-2013, 21:12

Redux News....

I'm happy to announce that the RXB1003 have generated 1000+ downloads. This makes it the most successful "new" Redux beta-release to date. Keep at it and do enjoy the Redux-experience folks. All the same, if people could help me out with general Intel and report in game-experiences on whatever faction they played in Redux - it would make things a lot more easier. Basically, the more solid info I have and get, the better job I can do as to improve Redux for the final release.

- A

Axalon

06-28-2013, 17:56

Redux News....

I'm happy to announce that this week the TWC have set up an official wiki-page to gather both general and detailed information on Redux, in one place. My thanks to the TWC content-branch for their work on this. The Redux-wiki offers analysis, lists and comments on many features and traits, and provides various information of all kinds on Redux. Definitely a must see for all new to or just curious about Redux. I would like to think that this wiki-page can even offer something to experienced Redux players as well, go there and find out.

On general terms, I'm happy to discuss this new Redux-wiki with anybody (regardless the aspect) - however as it is located over at the TWC boards, I think any related discussion should be confined to the TWC Redux-thread as a result. All the same, I you do have suggestions, criticisms, corrections, improvements etc. etc. - feel free to head over there and post away... The more input and the more it is discussed - the better the wiki can become. Now, get over there and have a look!

http://www.twcenter.net/wiki/Medieval_Total_War_%E2%80%93_Redux

- A

Axalon

09-23-2013, 20:57

Redux News....

As it turns out Redux has managed to get 5 years old – and I am still not finished with it, and I’m still supporting it. Imagine that. Who would have thought?! I know I didn’t as I released the first version back in the summer of 2008 (right here at the Org actually). Damn, this project has evolved and travelled far since then. While on the subject, my thanks to all people who supported Redux somehow during these 5 years. Also, some honourable mentions of the people who has been especially helpful or memorable (or both) along the way. And so, my thanks and appreciation to…

Western
Baron von Manteuffel
William the Silent
Lord of the Pies
Victor GB
Daigaku
Plato
Raz
Joh

- A

Axalon

10-24-2013, 04:56

Redux News....

https://forums.totalwar.org/vb/images/redux/images/universal/RegionMap02_Redux.jpg

As of RXB1004, this is how the grand map in Redux will look like - in terms of design. The difference is only a few things, yet the changes are not without importance at regional levels. An extra sea-region outside Flanders to draw “heat” from the English Channel (which it does very nicely, during tests) - in effect cutting the old channel-square into two separate squares. The new (north) square will be called “Flemish Coast” and will add more flexibility to the region, and the English coastline gets another sea-square for potential seaborne-invasions (England gets slightly more difficult to defend). The Malta channel is out (it had too little traffic to warrant a continued place in the game) and will in effect be merged with the “Gulf of Gabes”-square. In North Africa, I have redrawn the borders of Tunisia, Mauritania and Tripolitania for increased dynamics and possibilities in the region. Crusades can now bypass the Tunisia altogether on their way to "the holy land" from Spain etc. Other then that there is no planned changes on the map so far…

Any comments?

- A

Axalon

10-28-2013, 00:36

https://forums.totalwar.org/vb/images/redux/images/universal/RX_ReleaseNote_06.jpg (https://forums.totalwar.org/vb/forumdisplay.php?263-MTW-Redux)

- A

Stazi

10-28-2013, 21:45

I was going to get back to playing MTW. This is the motivation I need. Good to see you still working on your mod.

Axalon

10-31-2013, 19:15

Alright, all links are up... For now, the secondary uploads will be at Gamefront...

https://forums.totalwar.org/vb/images/redux/images/universal/RX_ReleaseNote_06.jpg (https://forums.totalwar.org/vb/forumdisplay.php?263-MTW-Redux)

- A

Cyprian2

11-01-2013, 05:44

Congrats on this latest release, Axalon. Downloading now (and thinking of some AAR possibilities -- something to rival my French campaign in 1003).

Zarakas

11-01-2013, 11:54

Have downloaded and installed unsuccessfully. When I try to start game I get a message "unknown faction label used to indicate building advantage column 13, row 19 PAPIST"

Have I done something wrong?

Thanks in advance.

Axalon

11-01-2013, 17:02

Hi guys,

Zarakas, you have not installed enough stuff/modules to enable Redux to run successfully on the version of MTW you are using (as in VI/v.2.01). Download and install the Redux VI-upgrade ontop and you will then be playin Redux within 10 minutes (check downloads, post 1). BTW, please confirm that you got the game running after all that, alright? Just so we all know for sure that the problem is gone...

***

Thanks Cyp, perhaps you could do Spain or the HRE for your AAR? Yup they are somewhat harder to play but what the hell, be adventurous! Obviously, it would also be advantageous if you posted up the AAR(s) this time, eh? Maybe you could do it as a kind of "miniseries" (so you don't have to do all work and writing, all at once)?

***

BTW, would you guys like me to set up dedicated threads for all regular factions here? One for England, Spain, France etc.? One thread each for any discussion on related strategy, problems, possibilities etc.? Umm... It sounds like a good idea to me, but it will be pointless if you people won't use 'em...

- A

Stazi

11-01-2013, 17:30

BTW, would you guys like me to set up dedicated threads for all regular factions here? One for England, Spain, France etc.? One thread each for any discussion on related strategy, problems, possibilities etc.? Umm... It sounds like a good idea to me, but it will be pointless if you people won't use 'em...
It's a good idea but I doubt there will be enough participants to fill at least half of such threats. But who knows? Anyway, I'm just installing the mod and I'm curious if the rebel fleets are still as strong as I remember from the previous versions? Time will tell. I still don't know which faction I'll start with. Any suggestions (except Poland of course)?

Axalon

11-01-2013, 18:54

True true, well I'm officially putting down you as a supporter of the idea at least. Fleet-wise, I suspect its likely to be less rebel/pirate fleets and more regular faction ships in RXB1004 - generally speaking (that's what my tests showed anyways). Hard to say for sure as each campaign is usually different from the next. As you say, time will tell. Anyways, how about trying the HRE or Russia?

- A

Stazi

11-01-2013, 19:03

I've got a map init error cause there is no low-res version of the map in your mod. Do you know how to force the game to go in high-res?

Forget it. I've found it. It's all about ddraw.dll.

Stazi

11-02-2013, 10:40

Just an idea but maybe you could make two full versions of your mod - one for MTW 1.0/1.1 and one for Gold/VI? And put Gold/VI on top cause probably 90% of people use Gold/VI versions nowadays.

btw I'm wandering around the map and factions. I've just saw 100 men naptha uniit:shocked2:. My 1st thought was like: "Are you MAD?" :wink: I didn't have time to go through all txt files but I'm really looking forward to see this unit in battle. It should be very entertaining to watch them "fighting" :laugh4:.

Cyprian2

11-02-2013, 15:33

Thanks Cyp, perhaps you could do Spain or the HRE for your AAR? Yup they are somewhat harder to play but what the hell, be adventurous! Obviously, it would also be advantageous if you posted up the AAR(s) this time, eh? Maybe you could do it as a kind of "miniseries" (so you don't have to do all work and writing, all at once)?

Well, mission accepted, then. :bow: (I've played as Spain and HRE in earlier builds, and I like the flavour of both factions; still deciding.)

Just a quick comment on rebel fleets: I really hope they've not changed too much! I love the way they dominate the seas in early game. It gives the rebels a much realler presence on the map, and challenges any player who wants to form a mercantile empire too early, as opposed to the vanilla cakewalk.

BTW, would you guys like me to set up dedicated threads for all regular factions here? One for England, Spain, France etc.? One thread each for any discussion on related strategy, problems, possibilities etc.? Umm... It sounds like a good idea to me, but it will be pointless if you people won't use 'em...

I support this idea.

Axalon

11-03-2013, 08:48

Thanks for posting guys... Staz, I moved your post here as it did not really belong in the Install-emergency. Anyways...

Just an idea but maybe you could make two full versions of your mod - one for MTW 1.0/1.1 and one for Gold/VI? And put Gold/VI on top cause probably 90% of people use Gold/VI versions nowadays.

Yeah I could do that. There is nothing wrong with that idea from a strict player/user perspective - but it will still create more problems for me. If people want such versions they are free to create them as much as they like outside the “officially supported” Redux-channels (the TWC, ORG, Com-boards). I know it has been done in the past and so it can be done again, I have no problems with “unofficial” sites/threads supporting/promoting/covering Redux somehow on their own, I welcome it. The more people that get to know about (and try out) Redux, the better.

Regardless, I could give you a ton of explanations and remarks on that idea, back and forth, but I’ll spare you from all that. The bottom line is that I won’t do it as it creates more problems for me then it solves. I am already unhappy with the fact that I had to abandon all patch-like releases as people (or some people) simply could not handle it (as it apparently was too complicated for ‘em). So, it will be as is instead (unfortunately)…

btw I'm wandering around the map and factions. I've just saw 100 men naptha uniit:shocked2:. My 1st thought was like: "Are you MAD?" :wink: I didn't have time to go through all txt files but I'm really looking forward to see this unit in battle. It should be very entertaining to watch them "fighting" :laugh4:.

Yeah… That’s one of the new units introduced with RXB1004… I think it’s more or less a do or die unit. It will be killed by essentially everything - if left unguarded/supported - while it can also kill everything if allowed to throw one big fat volley of Naptha onto its target. So, it’s a kind of a tactical paradox. I hope it will be an interesting and different element in battle, and that's the reason I included them…

***

Well, mission accepted, then. :bow: (I've played as Spain and HRE in earlier builds, and I like the flavour of both factions; still deciding.)

I guess, you got your work cut out for you then…

Just a quick comment on rebel fleets: I really hope they've not changed too much! I love the way they dominate the seas in early game. It gives the rebels a much realler presence on the map, and challenges any player who wants to form a mercantile empire too early, as opposed to the vanilla cakewalk.

Well, fleets are extremely hard to balance on general terms (in terms of AI). All I can say is that the rebel-fleets have sometimes been too strong to be truly entertaining in previous versions. That’s not good - the rebel fleet should be around but not totally crush all opposition on the high-seas which has happened on occasion in RXB1003. In short, I have done what I can to avoid all that this time. Hopefully, it won’t, as a result. At any rate, it will never be watered down to something like the raw MTW cakedwake, that much is clear at least.

I support this idea.

Alright, thanks… The more people that do, the more are the chances it will happen.

- A

Zarakas

11-04-2013, 06:19

daigaku

11-26-2013, 16:15

Hi to all,

...back to THE GAME ;-) ...had been lead astray by "Mount and Blade" for quite some time, but it´s shortcomings too big I`m back to REDUX.
Just saw the new release, but at the moment being involved in an English campaign don´t want to change at once. Axalon: After the English campaign looking forward to the "new stuff" !! Thanks for still working on this gem...

Greetings Daigaku

Axalon

11-27-2013, 18:26

Dai, you truly are a welcome sight for sore eyes... :beam:

This place sure could use some Dai-posts... It has basically been murder on this place ever since the Org-management forced a change of sections and main-index as to "improve the site" in general, back in Aug 2012. Damn near wiped out the MTW-section and essentially killed this place too. I have yet to see any of that "improvement" kick in around here (or anywhere to be honest).

Anyways, none of that has anything to do with you. I'm just glad to see you return here and whatever Redux-babble you want to talk about - I'm game. After all, that is what this place is all about. Um, there are some AI performance-issues on RXB1004 running upon the VI/v.2.01-engine so I suggest you stick to v.1.1 until I fixed/patched it somehow (that recommendation goes for all who do have the option). Whenever you come around to it...

***

Thanks Axalon, all download and working. Looking good.

That's excellent man...

- A

daigaku

11-28-2013, 10:51

Hi Axalon,
thanks for the warm welcome. Sitting at my English/early campaign and swearing and shouting at you for the incredibly time- and money-consuming building-madness on keep level ;-) taking damned 200 years to build all those petty stability-buildings, offices, and all the other lot belonging to a true daigaku game... You really meant do make it a challenge ;-))
For the Norse and their recruiting possibilities: Somewhere in northern Africa got bored with taking another and another and another ....region ad nauseam, building it up to find there´s nothing to be recruited of any value. Will take a look at some final notes I had made about (on some HDD momentarily out of use) and post, but iirc, there was not much to mention beyond what I wrote before disappearing for some time...
Back to the English: Trying to stick strictly to: Saxon Warriors/Heavy Spearmen, Forresters, Longbows, and the Scottish/Irish Special units. Especially to conquer the Norse, with all the regulars and even heavies of the english rooster no chance (I don´t walk in 4:1, never!!!) So thanks to the special units there is a chance at least to get them ;-)) thanks for those!
Will report about weird and beautiful thingies that turn up,
Greetings from Blackforest,
daigaku

Edith says:
...just found out Morale comes with the 3rd level of those churches a.s.o. (had hoped zeal stays low with as little christian buildings as possible) - will have to start anew completely ´cos of "wrong" priorities in building... grumble... gnagnagna...

Axalon

11-29-2013, 19:42

Will report about weird and beautiful thingies that turn up,

Alright man, you do that, I'll be right here trying to figure out something worthwhile/"fantastic" to say about it all... :laugh4:

Trying to stick strictly to: Saxon Warriors/Heavy Spearmen, Forresters, Longbows, and the Scottish/Irish Special units. Especially to conquer the Norse,

It should present a solid enough shot to take on that mighty Norse shieldwall. Use them archers, they are gold in this context...

- A

daigaku

11-30-2013, 13:27

Hi Axalon (and whoever else looking around here),
the beautiful: Noone stands a chance against my forces. A third up to the half of my army mixed bows, the rest fierce swordsmen from Scotland breaking rows, saxon warriors to take apart the rest and saxon heavy spears to hold any cavalry. Scottish nobles, flanked by Irish Horsemen crashing into flanks, those swift irish Spears tidying up after them - phantastic warfare! About 900 after restart, every relevant province fully built on Castle-level (all those Master-buildings giving a nice boost), after spending hooorendous treasures for building up, slowly the cash comes flowing ;-)
Aragonese, the very first "friends", turned on me, now extinguished. Norse hold Denmark and Sweden, anxious to keep peace, having not a single Longboat in the seas(keep them alive for bitterly needed trade)... Moors crashed into Aquitania 4:1, suffered heavily (some 2400 dead, my losses 167!).
I must admit, this English rooster is a very, very fine one. Had not expected anything could compare with the Norse, but here you go ;-))
A nice experience: Dismounted Royal Knights are about as nasty as those incredible Norse Bodyguard. A bit more vulnerable to arrows it seems, but they sober any enemy force which has to deal with them, standard outcome is 10:400 losses, sometimes up to 650. Comparable with the Norse, with 20 men up to 1200 kills.

Weird: Heirs are strangely chosen. A King, aged 55, married late with 35, dies - and not his 17year old son, but a 48year old brother inherits the throne. Hmmmmmm.......
A Marriage is proposed by another faction, but in the year of the bidding King dies, question about marriage is anwered positively, but new King stays unwed. Hmmmm......

After all this fussing around with other games, it´s great to be back to the One-And-Only. Again, thanks a lot,

greetings from wild southwest germany,

daigaku

Axalon

12-01-2013, 19:52

As ever Dai, it all depends on the circumstances... I bet that one could do similar victories with most factions and their particular unit-rosters. I don't think its the English or the Norse that is the reason for it - its all the other things like terrain, upgrades, troops, generals, tactics, sort of enemies etc. etc. Had it not been like that, then all people would just play the same factions all the time, and use the same units as well - they don't. Still, it sounds like you had a major victory in Aquitaine....

Weird: Heirs are strangely chosen. A King, aged 55, married late with 35, dies - and not his 17year old son, but a 48year old brother inherits the throne.

My guess, either an engine-glitch somehow or that the teen really was a younger brother to the king... Its possible...

A Marriage is proposed by another faction, but in the year of the bidding King dies, question about marriage is anwered positively, but new King stays unwed.

Hard to tell... Got wed before he dies? The marriage is off due to death? Perhaps another engine-glitch? Anyways, get another wife and its sorted. BTW, are you still playing using RXB1003 - waiting for the patch for RXB1004-VI or have you already upgraded?

- A

daigaku

12-02-2013, 09:57

Axalon:
Heir: It was definitely a son, had watched his growing-up from moment of birth announcement. Don´t remember if I had similar experiences in Vanilla, but might be so. Maybe really an engine thing, annoying anyway....
Marriage: Had asked for last daughter of a faction heavily under pressure - hoping to inherit the remaining regions if new and unwed king goes the way of all mortals ;-) ...and, of course, the old king was married already - engine supporting bigamy in year of death?!? ;-)))
Version: Still playing 1003VI, for on my old machinery it´s running better and more stable than 1.1
about my getting-rid-of-unwanted-heirs-battles: Haven`t played many factions in redux, so I can only compare with what I experienced. But if a dismounted 2star princeling, standing in the woods, is attacked by some 20-40 5star enemy general unit and slaughters them till rooting - okay, I admit, I love to lure heavy cavalry into forests to get at them really nicely, but it seems those Royal Knights are really "a big bang for the bucks"...

Meanwhile, except the british islands, from Picardy to Toulouse and all Iberia, as well as Norway and Sweden and the mediterranian islands except Sicily, is mine and being built up, those spanish horse units giving a nice extra "pepper" to my army. Russians, formerly having owned half the world, are facing riots due to bribed-by-me illoyal Generals (yes, I do use heavy cash-flow this way sometimes, having spent about 400.000florins that way ;-)). With only 6 regions producing really decent troops, 3 of them reserved for bow production (a pain in the ass, those 2 and 3 year production cycles!!!), I simply don´t have the masses to conquer some 30 regions from them ...

That´s it for the moment,
wish you to have as much fun as me with the game,
greetings daigaku

btw: Was it really your intention to allow every single region to build every single office building, even cathedral?

daigaku

12-03-2013, 10:29

Hi,
year 1100. 1.3 million florins. Remaining factions: Pope (somewhat strong), a few german and french provinces, some russian, saracene and moorish as well. The biggest problem: me preferring all those local-special troops get difficulties retraining, them all being scattered over the map with often only one (completely built-up) province to retrain. I´m not using those feudal/royal stuff except Royal Knights from former heirs and those increadible Feudal Longbows.
The English rooster, for my taste, is somewhat BIG. So many different types of troops to discover and put to test in battles, so many different needs of buildings for optimal performance of some troops. Sure it´s worth the effort, but really time- , money-, and patience-consuming...
Once more, I didn´t stick to my "Vanilla-approach" of calmly taking only the direct surroundings and some provinces for special troops, but went (in need of high influence) conquering the map. Experience: Even a rebellious region like Scotland gets tired of rebellion after some time, so the regaining-rebellious-region-exploit doesn´t work forever. Otherwise, I might have been content with the british islands and maybe Flanders, Couronia and some mediterranian islands for ship production.
Question Axalon: You know my approach for training men only if all morale/valour buildings are set up from our discussion of the Norse. Do you think it will spoil the game experience if I cut down the building time of some of those badly needed structures? It´s so many I need for my way of gameplay that sometimes I really lose patience ;-))
Question2: Any news about 1004-VI ?
Battle-tired greetings,
daigaku

Axalon

12-03-2013, 22:39

Thanks for posting Dai, as ever...

…it seems those Royal Knights are really "a big bang for the bucks"...

Royal knights are serious and powerful units – few can match them in close-combat. The same can easily be said about Norse bodyguards and Byzantine cataphracts… And as ever, they have all weaknesses, as all troops do…

…bow production (a pain in the ass, those 2 and 3 year production cycles!!!

Considering how good those units are (especially under player-management), I think its only fair (and good) that it does take time to get them. Same thing goes for the Cataphract regiment with its unrivaled 4 turns…

I simply don´t have the masses to conquer some 30 regions from them ...

I guess that is part of the problem/dilemma with armies centred on quality/elite-formations they are seldom available in vast numbers. Enough mass/quantity can eventually “drown” quality – strangely enough that is even more possible in Redux then in raw MTW (units having no negative attack-stats in Redux - if memory serves). Building mass is not really a problem, but the circumstances it creates might very well generate some… I guess the real question here is/was how badly do you want those provinces?

Was it really your intention to allow every single region to build every single office building, even cathedral?

Yup, if you want spend the cash on it then that’s your headache, it won’t hurt the game, but restricting such buildings would… The choice is there for those who want to spend the cash it takes on having several cathedrals or whatever – if you are not one of those then just ignore it. As for the AI, building more the one chancellery (or whatever) is generally a good thing, it functions as backup-infrastructure if another was conquered elsewhere etc. etc. Makes powerful and wealthy factions more durable to pressure (external and internal).

The English rooster, for my taste, is somewhat BIG.

Well, the Norse roster is fairly small for Redux-standards and should not function as a reference to evaluate other faction-rosters. One can generally say that most factions have a bigger variety of units available then the Norse. Optional factions have typically less complex unit-rosters, which obviously makes the more easy to handle in general. The Italy/Lombardy’s roster is probably bigger then Englands (Spain about the same) and the HRE have the largest roster of them all. All that stuff is easily checked in solo-battles, its fairly accurate too…

So many different types of troops to discover and put to test in battles, so many different needs of buildings for optimal performance of some troops. Sure it´s worth the effort, but really time- , money-, and patience-consuming...

Well, all that is part of the diversity of Redux… Its part of all things that defines Redux as Redux and not some MTW-clone… In providing that much choice, diversity and possibility, it also brings obvious dilemmas to the player – the “what should I focus on”-question or the “can I wait for such troops at this stage”-question, do I “have time and cash for it?” etc. etc. Personally, I find the complexity in possible circumstances interesting and entertaining as it really does influence the game I am playing, especially so at start up. It does matter what choices I make, as it creates/shapes/influences the circumstances I get as I play the game. Me like… Anyways, had it not been hard somehow to get the advanced and superior troops, then every player would spam such troops ASAP as they really are better then other lower tier troops, and they really do give an edge (as you have proven time and time again). Its all things like that which combined ends up making Redux superior to raw MTW, as the latter can’t keep up or honestly compete with all that, it never could. That circumstance sets Redux apart from raw MTW and makes the experience of the two very different. You know that as much as I do.

Experience: Even a rebellious region like Scotland gets tired of rebellion after some time, so the regaining-rebellious-region-exploit doesn´t work forever.

Can you blame them? You can only be vanquished and destroyed so many times… When that happens you should already have a healthy batch of experienced troops – and in the event that you don’t - A) then you are doing something very wrong, and B) seek out new hunting-grounds for rebel-slaughter…

Do you think it will spoil the game experience if I cut down the building time of some of those badly needed structures? It´s so many I need for my way of gameplay that sometimes I really lose patience ;-))

If you are asking for my opinion…. I think the building-times are very agreeable/sensible as is and so I would argue against a change/reduction of that (for reference, build-times are with little exception much shorter then raw MTW all over). “Development-time” is just as valid as “development-cash” as a factor, or so I believe… If you cut “time”, you should at least try to compensate that with increased “cash”-levels or you certainly will wreck the challenge in these regards, and ultimately damage the game-experience… That’s what I think… Another alternative is that you lower you maxed standards on troops – imagine that…

Any news about 1004-VI ?

See next post… (My advice, get it and install ASAP - because you will get an improved/better game-experience once you do).

- A

Axalon

12-03-2013, 23:22

The RXB1004 VI-upgrade patched!

Alright, the links are up... The VI-upgrade for RXB1004 has been patched (due to previous performance issues) and is available now. As to kill confusion and possible screw-ups, I decided to patch the VI-upgrade/"Module B" for RXB1004 directly. Furthermore, I have recalled the previous VI-upgrade(s) for RXB1004 as they are now obsolete. All Gold/VI/v.2.01-users are recommended to download the new VI-upgrade and re-install Redux all over and then you folks are good to go with the improved game. It is possible to just install the new "Module B" on top on previous installs BUT there might possibly be anomalies s a result - a fresh re-install is therefore recommended as to minimize such problems.

Overall, the VI-RXB1004e improves AI-performance and fixes some minor previous and detected bugs/errors/typos. It also fixes the strat-map. It’s labelled “RXB1004e” for distinction in the files whenever relevant. Due to various changes in file-structure, this patched/newer version is not save-game compatible with any previous saves. A new game is also required for it to function. Um, some extra links directly here...

http://www.atomicgamer.com/files/106394/mtw-redux-vi-beta1004e

http://www.gamefront.com/files/23893158/MTW-Redux+VI-Beta1004e.rar

Feel free to post your experiences with and/or comment on the RXB1004e for VI/v.2.01....

- A

daigaku

12-04-2013, 08:21

Hi Axalon,

I guess that is part of the problem/dilemma with armies centred on quality/elite-formations they are seldom available in vast numbers. ..I guess the real question here is/was how badly do you want those provinces?

You sure remember from our Norse discussion: That was never a problem for me, but is my standard way of playing. I didn´t need nor want those regions, just wanted to weaken the Rus. And it worked the bribing way as good as if I had spent years with battle..

Yup, if you want spend the cash on it then that’s your headache, it won’t hurt the game,
Cash as well as time I happily spend for morale and valor - that´s why I go for those somewhat remote factions, giving me the calmness of being out of the main troubles to build, later breaking forth with small but tremendously suped-up armies, showing everyone the place of their own - in my backyard ;-))

and the HRE have the largest roster of them all
I never went for those potentially great factions, at least not in Vanilla. HRE, Byzantium, I gave them a try and got bored even on expert setting how easy it was to conquer the greatest part of the map in nearly no time - and not blitzing, thus far you know me... REDUX may be different, sure some time I give it a try just to know what you created there, but for my normal gameplay it´s remote factions like Norse and English, or underdogs like Polish...

Anyways, had it not been hard somehow to get the advanced and superior troops, then every player would spam such troops ASAP as they really are better then other lower tier troops, and they really do give an edge (as you have proven time and time again)
Thanks for the kind words, Axalon. One problem/chance I see, especially in Vanilla (REDUX changed that quite a bit): The AI hardly ever takes the "effort" to build and train in such a manner - had it my style of playing I´d sit in the shit, facing enemies really hard to come by. Would be quite a challenge, breaking out of the Norse forests and facing, for example, an army of some completely souped-up HRE superknights with highest armour, weapons, valor and morale... Mymymy, even my beloved Bodyguards would hesitate for a moment - and crash into them with even more enthusiasm, I could imagine ;-))

AND: Thanks for the links for 1004-VI. Downloaded, and give it a try these days.

Greetings and best wishes for you,
daigaku

Axalon

12-04-2013, 20:11

Hello again Dai...

Cash as well as time I happily spend for morale and valor - that´s why I go for those somewhat remote factions, giving me the calmness of being out of the main troubles to build, later breaking forth with small but tremendously suped-up armies, showing everyone the place of their own - in my backyard ;-))

That’s all fine and well, as long as you have that kind of luxury… Sometimes you don’t and then you are forced to act and make do with what you got. Spain and HRE are typically good examples of that very circumstance.

REDUX may be different, sure some time I give it a try just to know what you created there, but for my normal gameplay it´s remote factions like Norse and English, or underdogs like Polish...

Obviously, Redux is different as it is clearly much harder, diverse and dynamic then the raw game ever was. Poland on expert/veteran is as tough as it gets, Spain is also typically a hard faction to handle. I think it is very possible to lose with both Spain and Poland in RX-classic on "veteran". You can obviously lose with all factions - depending on the circumstances - but those two strikes me as the most likely out of the 6 regular factions… The Norse and Russia are the toughest among the optional factions...

Would be quite a challenge, breaking out of the Norse forests and facing, for example, an army of some completely souped-up HRE superknights with highest armour, weapons, valor and morale... Mymymy, even my beloved Bodyguards would hesitate for a moment - and crash into them with even more enthusiasm, I could imagine ;-))

The HRE has everything it ever needed to utterly crush any opposition. No matter the enemy. It is a matter of development, time, cash and oppourtunity. It has a unit-roster that can counter essentially everything, no true weakness. The Norse infantry are exceptional and very powerful in close combat but if caught standing in front of Frankish and heavy crossbows-formations - they will get slaughtered. Royal archers can also be extremely deadly to the Norse infantry. Had it been multiplayer - the Norse would likely be almost destroyed even before the battle had actually started. They need woods to survive such units in prolonged encounters… Moorish, Byzantine and Slavic archers are also deadly if allowed to operate freely. The point is every faction have their strengths and weaknesses somehow, the Norse is no exception to that. The fact that you like the Norse and that they seem to suit your playing style - is a different matter altogether.

- A

Stazi

12-04-2013, 21:21

Could you explain what was wrong? I've downloaded C version, installed it and the game started as usual. I didn't have time to play so I haven't noticed any bugs.

Axalon

12-05-2013, 21:54

Could you explain what was wrong? I've downloaded C version, installed it and the game started as usual. I didn't have time to play so I haven't noticed any bugs.

In short, whenever you had a Muslim rebellion (not the nobles/peasants-kind, but the general kind) it was made up by spies (yeah, it looked real weird) – you can’t fight spies, if you tried the game crashed. All you could do was to autoresolve. It was all created by the VI-engine as nowhere in my designs were spies listed or even suggested as potential Muslim rebels. The designs and instructions were ignored by the engine while instead generating a bug that could crash the game. Totally unacceptable - and I found that out after I had already released the C-version. Anyway, I had a hunch on what it might be, and if that was right, one could then bypass the whole damn thing. Turned out I was right. The solution (without getting bogged down in details) is now included in the “RXB1004e”-release, and it no longer appears in the game (and troops you CAN fight, appear instead).

- A

daigaku

12-05-2013, 23:26

Hi Axalon,

...and Russia are the toughest among the optional factions...

Interesting you mention them - after my English expedition they were the next ones in my plans ;-)) The Boyars still have their bows, I hope?!? I love multifunctional cavalry...

btw, only the Norse I played on "hard", and this only after the first few trial-campaigns. New factions I always give a start with "casual" - just to get to know their specific mechanics a.s.o.

The point is every faction have their strengths and weaknesses somehow, the Norse is no exception to that. The fact that you like the Norse and that they seem to suit your playing style - is a different matter altogether.

The only thing they are missing, for my taste, are enough (armour piercing)bows. Therefor in Vanilla, I bought always a few mercenary longbows to get that sorted out. In REDUX, till now I never used mercs, for the warning in their description about not fighting to the end. Better to have less bowmen, but some you can trust never ever to run (like pathfinders), than some nice looking bastards with good weapons but no guts to stand and take a fight....did you give the mercenaries a morale penalty or how does this "not fighting to the end" thingy work?!?

In this English campaign I am playing, as written before, a third of every army is longbows and foresters - with horrible effect on every enemy army trying to get at me. Even standing in a forest, some feudal footknights learned, in one of my recent battles, the hard way of dying by projectiles in the belly. Next to the forest was a small hill....you guess the rest ;-)) Good luck , when I played the Norse and took the British Islands, they hadn´t produced longbows in the amount I do. Would possibly have been a quite different result...

A compliment to you is here at place; you crafted those two factions I tried till now in a way they fit me like an old leather glove - no pains, no biting, but welcoming comfortable. Where Vanilla always was some compromise, here everything is straightforward, even monolithic in it´s appearence. And after my experiments with other games during my time-off this is as well challenging as relaxing.

1004-VI: Hadn´t installed yet, so no problem at all. Will download the "e"-version before the Russians are to be tested...

Fleet spamming: Not only the Saracenes, with just 2 or 3 regions of their own, are throwing out tens of fully stacked fleets - they even don´t keep some at their coasts, castrating their trading potential to a mere joke. Painfully stupid behavior, that. Did you find any solution for that in 1004-VI?

Retraining: For the first time, now in my actual campaign, I see a faction, the Norse, retraining their units. If they do after every relevant building or only after Armourer/Weaponsmith upgrade I´m not sure, but after those two they do for sure (their numbers hardly increase, they do not fight anybody those last years, but everytime I take a look some units are improved). So I stand corrected with my idea
The AI hardly ever takes the "effort" to build and train in such a manner.

:laugh4:
Had it been multiplayer - the Norse would likely be almost destroyed even before the battle had actually started ..are there no forests in multiplayer?!?:laugh4:

greetings, and have a good time,

daigaku

Axalon

12-07-2013, 05:28

btw, only the Norse I played on "hard", and this only after the first few trial-campaigns. New factions I always give a start with "casual" - just to get to know their specific mechanics a.s.o.

You mean “standard”-difficulty - as in what is considered as the normal-setting for Redux… Redux don’t have “hard”… It got “veteran”, “standard”, “casual”, “cakewalk/easy” – it always was intended to be played on "standard" (or higher) for a full game-experience. On the other hand, Redux assumes that you do know the game before you play it. The only way to get there is to do test-runs.…

In this English campaign I am playing, as written before, a third of every army is longbows and foresters - with horrible effect on every enemy army trying to get at me. Even standing in a forest, some feudal footknights learned, in one of my recent battles, the hard way of dying by projectiles in the belly. Next to the forest was a small hill....you guess the rest ;-)) Good luck , when I played the Norse and took the British Islands, they hadn´t produced longbows in the amount I do. Would possibly have been a quite different result...

It’s your game, but it sounds like you are "overusing" the longbow-units. There is not much the AI can do about that, it does not have what it takes to successfully challenge that and so it takes little talent to mow down units from a hill with that kind of range and firepower. If you actually want some adventure, then limit yourself to max 3-4 units in total per army and you will get a more exiting game as a result. Of course, its your call...

A compliment to you is here at place; you crafted those two factions I tried till now in a way they fit me like an old leather glove - no pains, no biting, but welcoming comfortable. Where Vanilla always was some compromise, here everything is straightforward, even monolithic in it´s appearence. And after my experiments with other games during my time-off this is as well challenging as relaxing.

Many thanks, I appreciate the remark. I certainly try to make the best and most solid game I can. It’s a lot harder then it looks....

Fleet spamming: Not only the Saracenes, with just 2 or 3 regions of their own, are throwing out tens of fully stacked fleets - they even don´t keep some at their coasts, castrating their trading potential to a mere joke. Painfully stupid behavior, that. Did you find any solution for that in 1004-VI?

As I said elsewhere, it is extremely hard to make the AI handle fleets and ships somehow sensibly, or even project the illusion of that - usually we will have to settle for much less. I certainly tried. There are no parameters that somehow control this aspect of the game properly, and both engines are extremely unreliable when it comes to ships. The Saracens and Byzantines often fall apart due to building too many ships somehow, and to few troops. In short, the 1004e does not spam fleets as much as any version before it and it never was a real problem on the v.1.1-version of RXB1004 to begin with. Basically, less faction-ships = better and healthier game overall. RXB1004(e) has typically less faction-ships and probably is a better and healthier game because of it...

- A

daigaku

12-07-2013, 11:40

Hi Axalon,

but it sounds like you are "overusing" the longbow-units

Now, I try to adapt to the possibilitiey and strengths of every faction. As Norse, the increadible infantry was the way to go for winning every single battle(and worked for some 95%), with the English it´s the mix of Longbow/Forester, Claymore and mainly Saxon/Irish units to break the foe. Starting Russia, it will be the multipurpose Cavalry to "make my day" (hopefully there is a "fast moving" unit with bow and sword, with some melee ability)....And, for my taste, it "pulls even" if having Foresters with those few men, peppering units of 60-100 men, and if necessary taking up the melee with the reminding foes. Due to this, my army is always some 200-400 men less than the enemy. btw, it seems you gave the Foresters the same range as the Longbows. Did I see that right?

It’s a lot harder then it looks....

I do not even dare to try to imagine what work is necessary to create "REDUX". Having fuddled around with a few things myself (for example, changing the danish to pagans in vanilla), remembering the work it was to stop the game giving me already at startup some nasty messages.... well, herefor the compliment ;-)

Fleet: Had the same stuff in Vanilla. Sometimes it was necessary to have full-stack fleets from the Strait of Gibraltar up to Finland just to keep my trade going. So from the experience, I know the problem and can handle it. It was just surprising that they didn´t even keep some ship at their coast for trade. Would have made some difference, those regions along the Eastern Mediterranean giving quite some income.

so far for now,
greetings daigaku

Axalon

12-10-2013, 20:04

Now, I try to adapt to the possibilitiey and strengths of every faction. As Norse, the increadible infantry was the way to go for winning every single battle(and worked for some 95%), with the English it´s the mix of Longbow/Forester, Claymore and mainly Saxon/Irish units to break the foe. Starting Russia, it will be the multipurpose Cavalry to "make my day" (hopefully there is a "fast moving" unit with bow and sword, with some melee ability)....And, for my taste, it "pulls even" if having Foresters with those few men, peppering units of 60-100 men, and if necessary taking up the melee with the reminding foes. Due to this, my army is always some 200-400 men less than the enemy.

Ok, fair enough, its a valid argument.

btw, it seems you gave the Foresters the same range as the Longbows. Did I see that right?

Yup, you did...

Fleet: Had the same stuff in Vanilla. Sometimes it was necessary to have full-stack fleets from the Strait of Gibraltar up to Finland just to keep my trade going. So from the experience, I know the problem and can handle it. It was just surprising that they didn´t even keep some ship at their coast for trade. Would have made some difference, those regions along the Eastern Mediterranean giving quite some income.

The problem is not if the player can handle it or not - but the AI - and how it screws up with ships. Building too many (when it should not), placing and using them all wrong etc. etc. That stuff is the problem and I as a designer have almost zero means/parameters to fix that. That circumstance is the real problem here. Anyway, the RXB1004e makes trade a bit tougher in general. Ships cost more, even to support, overall making it somewhat harder to set up and maintain trade-routs. All that stuff will probably eventually find its way to the v.1.1-version as well, somehow I would imagine. As I typically strive sync both versions as much as possible.

- A

daigaku

12-13-2013, 18:27

Hi Axalon,

but if caught standing in front of Frankish and heavy crossbows-formations - they will get slaughtered

.....gave those HeavyCrossbows a try - in my eyes, they are completely useless. They got off some 3 - 5 volleys before the Inf was on them and they got slaughtered. I was horribly outnumbered (about 4:1), seas blocked due to one of those usual surprise-attacks from a "friend", didn´t have enough heavy spears to cover them well. With those 40men units of FeudalLongbows or the "ordinary" 60Longbows the outcome would have been surely completely different (had already comparable circumstances, but with bows - and won!). Okay, defending a castle may be different, but in open field, and not real NUMBERS to cover them, I won´t use them again. Got to stick to what works ;-))

greetings, daigaku

Zarakas

12-14-2013, 03:29

Hi Daigaku

In my opinion;

I find crossbows more effective when defending, and also when defending from higher ground. The higher the better. I concentrate all their fire on the strongest units. I wipe them out individually before reaching my position. In addition to this, i back up the crossbows with appropriate cover in the form of heavy calvary and heavy infantry. I rarely use crossbows as melee units, unless i can charge them into enemy lines while at the same time charging my calvary directly behind the same enemy unit. Each battle varies, this is why MTW is best the game, and redux has made it so much better.

Cheers
Zarakas

Stazi

12-14-2013, 11:27

Crossbows useless!?:shocked2: Crossbows with proper tactic and support are devastating. Each of my armies contain 3-4 units of them. Those units regularly score 30-40% of all kills in a battle. Just take a look (2900 French vs 1000 HRE):
11450
This is the basic composition of my HRE defending garrisons. Heavy crossbows and Tyrolian cavalry (armed with xbows too) scored 3/4 of all kills and they still have about half of ammo left (compare the archers). Of course, Longobows are far better than even Royal archers. That's why I don't play England and don't use them. Very long range combined with unrealistic damage and armor piercing capabilities make them totally overpowered. They are like xbows but with ridiculous range and higher rate of fire. I've tried them once and it feels like playing on easy. No fun at all.

Axalon

12-15-2013, 04:32

Hi guys and thanks for posting...

Heavy Crossbows, "completely useless"? ...The unit obviously can harm other enemy units in battle and thus utterly proves you wrong by definition and that beyond question (as Stazis post/pic clearly illustrates. As for tactics, see both Zarakas and Stazis posts). Maybe you don't like the unit or it don't fit your fighting-style or they are not as effective as you would like or something else - but all that is a very different matter from being "completely useless", is it not? In truth, I can't think of any unit in Redux or even raw MTW that is completely useless. A few units can be argued to be fairly close to the concept but never totally without uses and/or functions all the same.

Anyways Dai, if you don't like them, then don't use them. And, are you really surprised that Heavy Crossbows could not match the English Longbows in performance? The possibly best ranged unit in the whole game?

***

Longbows "unrealistic damage"? As compared to what, Staz? Raw MTW archer-stats? I'll turn the tables on that claim (and in doing so explaining why I disagree with it)...

Now, I would argue that the archer-damage of raw MTW can easily be described as unreasonably low and thus too insignificant in effect to be believable/credible. Because of that circumstance it reduces ranged units/archers to little else then (redundant) curiosities in battle as their inability to actually do any serious impact or significant damage in combat (using arrows) is virtually constant. Resulting in that archers can be successfully ignored as any serious factor in battle - and this at all times. Now, that strikes me as unrealistic if anything and the circumstance is due to the assigned damage (of raw MTW)...

In Redux the circumstance is very different, as archers/ranged units can not be ignored as their impact and damage in battle is too high to allow it as a viable/sensible practice. A circumstance that certainly strikes me as far more convincing and reasonable then the raw MTW circumstances (as outlined above). In effect, Redux is actively forcing every commander to consider all such units in as a factor - this due to assigned damage - as the impact and damage made by such units - if unchecked - is simply too great to be ignored. It typically forces a commander consider such units, and adapt accordingly - this regardless if he likes it or not. Failing to do so will typically result in excessive losses (potentially even losing the entire battle as a result). Again, that circumstance sounds far more realistic and credible to me...

EDIT:
--------------------

I'm considering to change bows on the "English Forester"-unit. Applying the same bow for 'em as the Norse Pathfinders has... Thoughts?
I'm toying with the idea to change (decrease) the longbow armor piercing capacity to 66% - instead of the current 50%. Armour would then be cut to 2/3's efficiency instead of half - as is. In effect making crossbows unrivaled in that aspect. Any thoughts?

- A

Stazi

12-15-2013, 11:47

Longbows "unrealistic damage"? As compared to what, Staz? Raw MTW archer-stats?
I mean some modern tests (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/English_longbow) of longbow. They clearly show that plate armor was generally impenetrable for the english longbow (barely penetrable at range of <10m). Even mail armor with good, thick linen jacket was hardly penetrable. AFAIK in MTW there is no dependency of armor penetration and distance. Longbow is the same as deadly at its max range as at point blank range. That's why I think longbow damage is so unrealistic. It does the same damage no matter of distance and makes people think that the xbow with its short range, flat trajectory and low rate of fire is useless. The xbows are not generally useless but when you have access to longbows, using xbows is pointless.

I'm considering to change bows on the "English Forester"-unit. Applying the same bow for 'em as the Norse Pathfinders has... Thoughts?
I'm toying with the idea to change (decrease) the longbow armor piercing capacity to 66% - instead of the current 50%. Armour would then be cut to 2/3's efficiency instead of half - as is. In effect making crossbows unrivaled in that aspect. Any thoughts?

IMHO xbow should has much higher armor penetration (compared to longbow) and longbow should have a little lower range to compensate the lack of range<->armor penetration mechanic. Of course, it has to be still better than any other bows. Maybe reducing armor penetration (even more than to 66%) and slightly increasing lethality will help to better balance the longbow?

Zarakas

12-16-2013, 05:15

I agree with change to longbows to 66%

In my opinion, against an advanced well armoured enemy, archer units would be used to pin down advancing enemy units and slowing them down with some bonus damage/killing when conditions are favorable. Crossbows would be used to do maximum damage against highly armoured enemy units.

In my opinion, against a light armoured, non armoured or ranged enemy, archer units are more effective and deadly at long range. Should be able to create maximum damage if used correctly and supported by calvary etc.

IMO, Foot archers are a defensive unit. However, horsed archers and forester/pth finder units can also be used as offensive units due mobility etc. They can be used to set the stage for the onslaught by your more powerful units, by positioning or/and seperating the enemy formations. (And of course killing the enemy commander early)

Not sure about bow change to offer opinion. What is the difference to forrester bow with pathfinder bow?

daigaku

12-17-2013, 15:21

Hi, Friends of THE GAME,

thanks for looking by and comment.
Zarakas:

I find crossbows more effective when defending, and also when defending from higher ground. The higher the better. I concentrate all their fire on the strongest units

Higher ground, I didn´t have - I use it when there is some. Besides that, I tried to get at those strongest units, but the range of the crossbow in plains isn´t that far, and as written I was outnumbered 4:1, getting attacked by a faction I was friends with for over 150 years. Didn´t expect them to attack, because they had easier aims around them.

In addition to this, i back up the crossbows with appropriate cover in the form of heavy calvary and heavy infantry. I rarely use crossbows as melee units

Simply hadn´t enough men to cover them properly (as written above), and if the enemy is on you, hardly any space to retreat, projectile units got to do some melee work....

Each battle varies, this is why MTW is best the game, and redux has made it so much better.

+1 :2thumbsup: here I agree completely ;-))
Stazi:

Crossbows with proper tactic and support are devastating.

With neither the terrain nor the support they need to be that, they simply are at loss. I can imagine, in mountain regions or a castle defend situation, with appropriate Spearmen (like SaxonHeavy) and some flanking force (Claymores), they can be horrible. But under the described circumstances there was hardly any chance (pity I didn´t make some screenies, I was so upset about the attack I didn´t even think about).

That's why I don't play England and don't use them

Being an expert on the Danish in vanilla, till now I only had played the Norse to get a feel for Redux (having startet with Redux only last year). Now being back to it, I wanted to play a faction I quite liked in Vanilla as well: The English, with their Longbows and (in Vanilla) those nice Billmen. Besides that, I prefer factions giving me the time to build up in my style, heavily discussed with Axalon about the Norse. That the Longbows were that powerful in Redux I learned in my first few battles, and since, like "overusing" the increadible Norse Bodyguards, I do so with those Bows, with a slight preferrence for the Foresters because of their hiding abilities. Nevertheless, I want to try out every unit in the game, and built up for example one region only to produce those units coming from Feudal/Royal buildings. You see, still experimenting around with this new-to-me faction, and sure I still have to learn the proper use of some units I hardly even used in Vanilla. To relativate the "completely useless" some: Under the given circumstances, with the given terrain and the lack of proper support, they were useless.

I've tried them once and it feels like playing on easy. No fun at all.

My usual ratio in battles is 1:2 upwards. Sitting in a province with about 750men, cut off from reinforcements, getting invaded by some 2300 foes, I´m quite happy about the "overpowering" strength of those bow units. What I need besides them is SaxonHeavySpears, a few SaxonWarriors, some Claymores, the general mainly being RoyalKnight, and 1 or 2 IrishHorsemen to chase down routers. With this mix, till now I got along quite good. Hadn´t to face the HRE till now, them most times being (at beginning) neutral or friends, later on crumbling down to a mere nothing, me still protecting them some to keep them alive. Axalon told me (see above), that the HRE has the ability to get some of the strongest all-over units in the game, but luckily I never had to face them till now.
Axalon:

...but all that is a very different matter from being "completely useless", is it not?

Sorry for that one, I corrected above. Was due to me being upset about the whole situation this assault put me in....

And, are you really surprised that Heavy Crossbows could not match the English Longbows in performance? The possibly best ranged unit in the whole game?

I never expected that, but by their values I thought they would do more damage, even under not-so-optimal circumstances for their abilities. The slowness of reloading, compared with any bow, is crucial in situations as they were in, and so I lost a battle. No real damage done, but something more learned. Will try to get a situation I can use them in a castle defending battle - sure they will work out there!

Anyways Dai, if you don't like them, then don't use them

As said, still experimenting around, not a question of like or not, but one of experience ;-))

I'm considering to change bows on the "English Forester"-unit. Applying the same bow for 'em as the Norse Pathfinders has... Thoughts?

Never had compared them, only found out in battles about the range of the forester to be the same as longbow. The Pathfinders, I used always as an assault-and-jump-into-melee unit, because due to their morale they put up a fight against really evil odds (like those few men with bows cutting down some 35 spears (of a 100men unit), and flankin in giving them hell till some remaining 12men rout for their lifes;-)) real fun to see them doing the dirty work....How do these bow stats compare? Range? AP?

I'm toying with the idea to change (decrease) the longbow armor piercing capacity to 66% - instead of the current 50%

That would cut out some of the overpowering abilities they have; if range would stay as it is, I see no reason why not doing it. The melee will have to work some more this way ;-) which I like, as you know (set hte melee is a GOOD one;-)) getting some action for Claymores to cut up those tin cans ;-))
Stazi:

I mean some modern tests of longbow

it was at least 360 newtons (81 pounds-force) and possibly more than 600 N (130 lbf), with some estimates as high as 900 N (200 lbf)

Skeletons of longbow archers are recognisably adapted, with enlarged left arms and often bone spurs on left wrists, left shoulders and right fingers

If we go for the somewhat higher values (which are not unrealistic at all), and take into consideration the skeleton deformations, NO modern "longbow" gets near the strength of those in the past. Same with crossbows - who, except maybe some realism-crazed reenactor, would build a crossbow with 400pounds upwards? I saw some of those "documentations" about longbow abilities and had to laugh quite a bit. If a nowadays sports archer (20-50pound, including "hunting bows" for field target aso) is able to bend a so-called longbow (what took 10-15years of training in their days, bows adapted to the growing strength) with quite some ease, I tend to shake my head and cannot take the results of such experimentation seriously. Not wanting to go too deep into historical research, but the outcome of quite some battles in the 100years war telling their story of efficiency.

Thankful greetings to all,
daigaku

Stazi

12-17-2013, 21:28

If we go for the somewhat higher values (which are not unrealistic at all), and take into consideration the skeleton deformations, NO modern "longbow" gets near the strength of those in the past.
Any proof/tests or it's actually what you think? Are you aware that a bow don't have to be tested by a men? It can be mechanically drawn which gives you perfectly measurable and repeatable results. It's even easier for a crossbow because it has only two states: ready/loaded and free (sorry for the lack of technical terms). I'd be sceptical if it'd be one or two tests but I've read about several tests methodology (for example made by US and British army) and the most of them confirms what you can find in wikipedia. Denying all those tests without any reasonable proof is not so wise.

Not wanting to go too deep into historical research, but the outcome of quite some battles in the 100years war telling their story of efficiency.

I think it's exactly the same situation like you saying that crossbow is useless. Tactic and terrain advantage is the key. English have been using the longbow properly/efficiently on a massive scale and that's how the myth of a super bow was born. Like wiki says:

Modern tests and contemporary accounts agree therefore that well-made plate armour could protect against longbows. However this did not necessarily make the longbow ineffective; thousands of longbowmen were deployed in the English victory at Agincourt against plate armoured French knights in 1415. Clifford Rogers has argued that while longbows might not have been able to penetrate steel breastplates at Agincourt they could still penetrate the thinner armour on the limbs. Most of the French knights advanced on foot but, exhausted by walking across wet muddy terrain in heavy armour enduring a "terrifying hail of arrow shot", they were overwhelmed in the melee.

Less heavily armoured soldiers were more vulnerable than knights. For example, enemy crossbowmen were forced to retreat at Crecy when deployed without their protecting pavises (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pavises). Horses were generally less well protected than the knights themselves; shooting the French knights' horses from the side (where they were less well armoured) is described by contemporary accounts of the Battle of Poitiers (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Poitiers_(1356)), and at Agincourt John Keegan has argued that the main effect of the longbow would have been in injuring the horses of the mounted French knights.

daigaku

12-18-2013, 14:04

Hi Stazi,

http://www.currentmiddleages.org/artsci/docs/Champ_Bane_Archery-Testing.pdf

This test was made with a bow with only 75lbs and arrows with a weight at the lower end of the ones found on the "Mary Rose" (Die leichtesten Bögen wiesen ein Zuggewicht von 100 Pfund auf. Ein Langbogen besaß ein Zuggewicht von 185 Pfund). Double the lbs and go for about 1200grains, the outcome would be even more devastating (heavy arrows, shot in an arch, do not loose that much energy as, let´s say, a bullet on it´s way, or the quarrel with it´s ?flater trajectory? off a crossbow). That he takes in account the "body deformation" is a plus, in my eyes, which by other tests quite some time is not used as a damage factor. That the ability to penetrate heavy plate depends on many factors is out of question (hardening of the bodkins, for example, or how good an armourer you had at hand to get a really "beaten-dense" steel for the armour aso), but that it was possible under certain circumstances, due to the short research I made (just for you! haven´t dug out my books yet, stored in some 20odd banana boxes underneath my bed ;-)) seems obvious to me. The fact that most knights gone down because their horses were hit is shown in quite some temporary reports as well, so no credit for the longbow´s armour penetration ability, but it´s effectivity in the usual warfare of the time (if you can´t get at the tin can get his mount). And pinning a knight´s leg (where the plate is some thinner than the breastplate) to the saddle does take some spirit out of him, don´t you think?

English have been using the longbow properly/efficiently on a massive scale and that's how the myth of a super bow was born

That is always the point, and I agree with you that every weapon, wielded well in the right moment and the proper terrain, can terribly destroy te enemy. If therefore one should call the Longbow a "superbow" is another story (history always being written by the victors, and the English won quite some battles due to the longbow, though they lost the war in the end iirc). That it was a great weapon is, on the other hand, out of question.

greetings, daigaku

Axalon

12-18-2013, 22:32

Regardless guys…

The longbow outperformed the crossbow in range and in fire rate – and bodkin arrows were used for increased effect/lethality, in times of war. Crossbows also had advantages, but all that is another story. Redux reflects some of the traits of the English/Welsh longbow, more so then ever done before in MTW. The relevant question here, is it possible to reflect the distinctive traits of the English longbow better in Redux? Can Redux (figuratively) capture the “essence” of the longbow - beyond what already is done (within existing and possible mechanics)? That is the question here.

We all seem to agree that lowering armour-piercing levels to 33% efficiency is – at least a move in the right direction. So, it seems like a good idea for several reasons (and it doesn’t conflict with the wiki-info on the longbow either). I will probably do the change in future releases. I’ll also slightly lower lethality/damage on it, probably. Hopefully, the longbows will fit better into the overall game as a result – they will however still be exceptional despite all that, as that general circumstance will not change much.

***

Anyway, as some people asked for it... The RX-bow stats...

Bows of RXB1004: (current)
=================================
Peasant bow ---------- Range 100m, Accur 52%, Lethal 1.15, AP 0, Reload 6
Standard* ------------- Range 150m, Accur 80%, Lethal 1.75, AP 0, Reload 4
Warbow** ------------ Range 170m, Accur 93%, Lethal 2, AP 0, Reload 5
Longbow*** ---------- Range 280m, Accur 76%, Lethal 2, AP 50%, Reload 5

* Moorish-, Byzantine-, Feudal Archers, Slavic Bowmen and Foresters etc. etc.
** Norse Pathfinders, Royal Archers, Russian Boyars etc.
*** English Foresters, Longbowmen and Feudal version.

Bows of RXB100x: (considered)
=================================
Peasant bow ---------- Range 100m, Accur 52%, Lethal 1.15, AP 0, Reload 6
Standard* ------------- Range 150m, Accur 80%, Lethal 1.75, AP 0, Reload 4
Warbow** ------------ Range 170m, Accur 93%, Lethal 2, AP 0, Reload 5
Longbow*** ---------- Range 280m, Accur 76%, Lethal 1.85, AP 33%, Reload 5

- A

daigaku

12-19-2013, 15:01

Hi Axalon,

...now I know why the volleys of those NorsePathfinders took such a toll - Accur93, Lethal2, that´s a word. From the description, I presume that the SlavicBowmen use the same bow or am I mistaken there?

The changes for the Longbow I´d call sensible, you might even cut down the range to 250 I think without spoiling their superiority.

Thanks for sorting out (you remember, Win98SEblabla, Wordpadblabla),

still-playing-English greetings,

daigaku

daigaku

12-30-2013, 09:02

Hi Axalon,

horrible. Simply horrible. Starting off as Russian with the all-new-to-me 1004e-VI, the first thing I see, hanging like a 2feet carrot before the donkey´s nose, is KHAZAR - with a beautifully shaped Citadel, and with IRON! But - taking it, this carrot tastes awful! NO WAY to get some weapon/attack boost to all those great Russian units...None of those being able to be recruited there. That wasn´t nice of you to do that, you know?!? Showing a great opportunity to keep the Byz out of the steppes, and then this. Nasty, nasty guy you are ;-))

As I had to find out, you rose the price as well as the upkeep for ships quite a bit. For the Russians, soil-bound as they are at the beginning, no problem - but it will hurt the Norse and the English, depending quite a bit on trade for a decent income.

btw, about ships: As far as my experience goes, till now it were mainly the Saracenes being involved in fleet spamming (that was still 1003). They did it regularly, no change of their behaviour after several restarts, and, as long I played as English, no other faction did the same as excessively.

Will report more after being a bit further into the Russian campaign,

greetings daigaku

btw.....found out how to get the GnomeEditor running in Win98SE. That´s solved. Nice tool.

Axalon

01-14-2014, 12:10

A (late) happy new year folks... Some notes/remarks to self, as tradition would have it...

Redux & 2013
-----------------------------

Releases: RXB1004, RXB1004-VIa, RXB1004-VIe and a map-hotfix...
Downloads RXB1004: 300 (roughly)
Downloads RXB1003: 1000 (roughly, prior to RXB1004)
Views: +19000-20000
Posts: +50 (this thread)

In reference to posts... 22 posts were mine which is less than 50% of the posts made in total, and I consider that to be a good thing. Much is owed to Daigaku for that circumstance... He has been a force of nature in the Redux-area and kept things going, making it lively here when the rest of us failed to do so. My thanks and appreciation to Dai for that relentless drive and activity here, it makes this a better place (and certainly much more fun to visit as a result). A few new threads were also created during 2013, two (initiated) AAR-threads (by Stazi and Cyprian2) and another third thread about buildings (by Dai). In 2013, many people obviously visited this place and thread (which is great), but they (still) did not post as much, which is dull - and typically bad for Redux - as it needs posts to generate further notice, interest and exposure to survive, like any public project...

- A

Axalon

01-14-2014, 12:16

...None of those being able to be recruited there. That wasn´t nice of you to do that, you know?!? Showing a great opportunity to keep the Byz out of the steppes, and then this. Nasty, nasty guy you are ;-))

I try, I try... :wink:

Will report more after being a bit further into the Russian campaign,

Please do...

...found out how to get the GnomeEditor running in Win98SE. That´s solved. Nice tool.

Yup, sure is... And it can provide players (like yourself) with plenty of info on Redux-units, -buildings etc.

- A

daigaku

01-15-2014, 13:45

Hi, friends of the once-and-forever game,
Axalon

First, thanks for your kind words. A force of nature I wouldn´d call myself, but a stubborn and still unexhausted MTW-and-nearly-nothing-else player? That would fit ;-))

About:Statistics

My, my - 19000+ views, 1300 downloads - and sooo few posts only; sure a hard bread to chew on. WHAT are you all doing out there? Playing so much, there isn´t even time for posting? Come on, please!!

About: 1004-VIe/Russian/Casual(because first try of 1004 AND Russians in Redux):

Really great and balanced roster; I allowed myself to activate the Khanate Horse Archers for all factions in Khazar, not only rebels - otherwise, Khazar would be too much of a waste with all it´s giving. More about campaign in "battle and tactics".

One thing about the new map wasn´t really to my taste, but I left it as it was: Breaking the English Channel into two pieces. Too good an opportunity to block entirely with two regions building ships alternately. As you know, out of necessity I´m a moneymaker in the game, and this means 1st to loose some granted income and 2nd one has to build more ships to "go the long way ´round", especially in the beginning.
The ship stuff - don´t know if I go d´accord there; it works so far that i didn´t have to blow thousand of enemy ships to the ocean´s ground, but mere hundreds. The upkeep is, nevertheless, chewing holes into the purse (as always going for naval superiority).

@All:

Please, guys and gals out there playing Redux, respond a bit to this tremendous piece of work with a few words. Of praise, of critics, of questions, of ideas for changes, it doesn´t matter. Since I came back after an absence of about 10 months (trying to get into another game and gave it up) there were around only a handful of posters, but 300 downloads of 1004. Nothing to tell? Nothing to share? It´s hard to believe, so please, write a few words and keep this place a bit busy.

greetings to everybody,
daigaku

Axalon

01-16-2014, 04:53

About: Statistics

Yup, I always found all that strange ever since Redux started having that kind of statistics – which it have had for quite some time. I have certainly tried to make people post here but with little success…

Really great and balanced roster; I allowed myself to activate the Khanate Horse Archers for all factions in Khazar, not only rebels - otherwise, Khazar would be too much of a waste with all it´s giving. More about campaign in "battle and tactics".

I generally think one should at least try out the default designs on units first before one starts change/altering anything like that – of course, it’s your call obviously. Maybe it’s just me and what I would do...

One thing about the new map wasn´t really to my taste, but I left it as it was: Breaking the English Channel into two pieces. Too good an opportunity to block entirely with two regions building ships alternately. As you know, out of necessity I´m a moneymaker in the game, and this means 1st to loose some granted income and 2nd one has to build more ships to "go the long way ´round", especially in the beginning.

Well, I guess it is unavoidable that we eventually find something to seemingly disagree upon. I split the English Channel as I think it serves the overall game in a good way. If the new circumstances don’t work out for you, then you will have to adapt or perish – and I’m pretty sure even you can manage to adapt just fine (even if reluctantly). This despite your specific playing-style. The principle here is that it is supposed to be some sort of a game, meaning the outcome and survival of your faction - including England - should be uncertain and fought for somehow, not the other way around. There should be some challenges somehow. This change serves that end, or so I believe…

The ship stuff - don´t know if I go d´accord there; it works so far that i didn´t have to blow thousand of enemy ships to the ocean´s ground, but mere hundreds. The upkeep is, nevertheless, chewing holes into the purse (as always going for naval superiority).

Previously, players were able to routinely achieve naval significance or even superiority, too easily - evidently. This due to my (previous) unsuccessful designs on ships. I have now tried to remedy that and as a result players will have to work and pay for it more to get there. That’s a good thing, Dai – not the other way around… If you want easy - raw MTW stands ready to serve, and it won’t get much easier then that in MTW. Redux is a poor choice for “cakewalk”-play.

Redux is supposed to be tough on "standard” and “veteran”-difficulty at least, playing the regular factions - as is representative for how Redux was actually intended and designed to be played. Redux was never intended to cater greenhorn-, casual- and average players or some half-assed posers. There are already plenty of stuff done for MTW that caters to that crowd. If such people still want to play Redux - excellent, fine and OK by me - but it was/is originally designed for veteran and skilled players in mind, and that shows all over in the game. In short, Redux is was clearly supposed to be tough - without being punishing - and deliver an interesting, uncertain and dramatic experience etc. etc.

Please, guys and gals out there playing Redux, respond a bit to this tremendous piece of work with a few words. Of praise, of critics, of questions, of ideas for changes, it doesn´t matter.

Agreed...

- A

daigaku

01-16-2014, 15:39

Hi Axalon,

I have certainly tried to make people post here but with little success…

Really a pity, that. I imagine there is so much to say/write about the experience with Redux that it strikes me as really weird there is so little traffic here. The other side: I think, most people playing it are quite some individualists (just like you yourself, for example ;-)) and so care more about their own experience than about sharing it. Understandable, but a pity anyway.

one should at least try out the default designs

Well, I did for the first 100 years, but sorry, I really disliked the idea of having this great province and not being able to do too much with it. I even hardly use those guys (they´re not too good a bang for the buck), but wanted to be able to recruit something special in this part of the world.

to adapt just fine (even if reluctantly)

Of course, Axalon. And momentarily, playing the Rus, it´s not really a pain in the ass. But I wonder how it will be playing English or Norse.

achieve naval significance or even superiority, too easily

Sure I will stick to this strategy, no matter what the cost. For my gameplay it is vital to have blocked direct enemy access to my provinces - can´t have 15000 Saracenes or Byz or French standing on my doorstep in Norway, me having a garrison of 700 men ;-)) Things like that I let happen when the game was published - and learned fast....

Redux is supposed to be tough on "standard” and “veteran”-difficulty at least

Be assured, it is. Parallel to my current Russian campaign I started another Norse/veteran in 1003, having a hell of a time - and fun clearing the English out of their islands (good luck there are forests in GB as well ;-)) And Lithuanian Cavalry does wonders against Longbow units...

but it was/is originally designed for veteran and skilled players

;-) ...no problem about that, I´d say - and, again, a big THANKS (yes, this is meant shouting) for that, dear Axalon.

greetings from rainy Blackforest, daigaku

Axalon

01-22-2014, 01:15

Hello again all, I found some stuff that I thought was interesting enough to share here, hopefully people visiting here will agree...

Below are some old pics, the results of a test/experiment I did in Jan 2013 as to evaluate Redux and its overall challenge-levels. The experiment (or test) was essentially: “can one achieve victory in raw MTW within 100 turns? Even if the difficulty is maxed out? If not, how close can one get then? Can one do it with Redux? How will raw MTW compare to Redux in this regard? What are the actual differences between the two in this context? What conclusions can be drawn from the results?” etc. etc. I also tried XL for additional and broader reference (while I never came around to do a Redux-campaign at that point in time. I did it later on however). These were the combined results….

https://forums.totalwar.org/vb/images/redux/images/Ref_Victory01.jpg

Raw MTW, playing as Spain (a hard faction), Early-era, expert level, default unit-size... Full throttle enabled... 80 turns in (1167 AD), I was offered victory. I was amazed at the result as I did not expect it to be that easy, as things had actually turned out. Thinking back, I remember I was essentially swimming in florins all the time, no matter what I did. I was constantly at war ever since turn 5 or 6. I never ever used any mercenaries or crap troops like peasants for garrisoning, I never built any save, 2-3 units of spearmen at start up - I had little choice, no other troops were available at that point. Once I could build feudal men at arms, I used little else for infantry and my armies.

https://forums.totalwar.org/vb/images/redux/images/Ref_Victory02.jpg

Same Spanish campaign in raw MTW... 94 turns in (1181 AD), I was offered total victory. I was surprised at the speed it all have happened, some 40(!) provinces conquered in just 14 turns... All this while the famous "rebel-bug" was in full swing (causing some minor problems, but it was never much beyond that, due to the overly effective watchtowers and some additional spies)...

https://forums.totalwar.org/vb/images/redux/images/Ref_Victory03.jpg

MTW-XL 3.0, playing as Armenians (a hard faction), Early-era, expert level, default unit-size... Full throttle enabled... 96 turns in (1176 AD), I was offered (minor) victory. I did not bother pursuing a total victory after that as I already had the info I was looking for. Its possible that I could have shaven off some few turns, if I had been more experienced with both XL and the Armenians... All I remember is that I killed the Turks first and then killed the Egyptians while at war with Byzantium too. The Turks and Egyptians were a joke in regards to troops once I could get my hands on some functional cavalry, then it was all over... After Constantinople every faction was fair game, as I was done playing nice and went berserk across XL-Europe.

Raw MTW was slightly easier then XL. I had little problems with cash, troops, order, rebels and buildings in neither - I could build whatever I wanted without any fuss or protest anywhere, this at any given time - although it certainly took time to build stuff. Building-time, more then anything was the greatest obstacle in these two campaigns. Ships take like forever to build, and so I basically ignored a building a big fleet and do trade - I had no time for it (in this context), nor did I seriously need it. AI-factions was typically no threat on, or from, the seas anyways. I also remember that I was in constant war, all the time, with two or more factions as a rule. At first I started them, later it was the AI all the way... I never made peace or dishonoured an alliance, in either two campaigns.

https://forums.totalwar.org/vb/images/redux/images/Ref_Victory04.jpg

MTW-Redux using a 1004-prototype (about 3 months later, Apr 2013)... Playing as Spain, veteran level, default unit-size... Full throttle enabled... 100 turns in (800 AD), I have managed to scrape together some 13 provinces, and securing the Iberian peninsula and a buffer zone in France and Morocco but little else (save Flanders!). This screen shows the northern borders into France... My armies are hardly spectacular nor superior to my foes (here or elsewhere). In fact the French armies are actually better then mine at this point and so my troops get slaughtered every time I actually try to attack French held territories... My troops are simply outclassed in terms of equipment to the Frankish knights. I managed to build my very first unit of royal spearmen which is probably the only thing that will break these well equipped Frankish knights in battle, since little else will (at least from Spain, save archers, of which I don't have enough to pull it off). In short, Spain's armies are still in internal disorder and in need of upgrades due to the massive pressure during the first 100 turns, especially from the Moors. Spain has little or no reserves, and its armies are still very much under construction to cover past losses. Plenty of cheap units still around as I basically could not afford quality units at the rate I had lost them, and I had to get new troops to survive...

https://forums.totalwar.org/vb/images/redux/images/Ref_Victory05.jpg

Same Spanish campaign in Redux... The southern borders in Africa... Spain under my reign was hardly mighty, and it is first now slowly recovering from some 80+ turns of multiple wars (on several fronts), constant shortages, battles and rebellions. Spain was never strong enough to wipe out the Moors when it had the chance - not enough troops to do it. The economy has for the most part on the verge of collapse as it has been is overstretched by various demands, needs and plans. I had to fine-tune taxes many times just to maintain some internal order and avoid rebellions. I simply had no troops to deal with that too... I have been fighting for survival multiple times against the Moors, who damn near wiped me off the map - had it not been for a series of spectacular/fancy wins that ultimately saved Spain from annihilation. I mean, I could have lost the entire game some 5-6 times at least, had I lost any of those crucial battles. The initial Moorish onslaught was relentless and without mercy, I was fighting for survival. After some 100 turns of toil and serious struggle in Redux, what did I have to show for it all?

...Some 9,974 florins and 13 provinces - hard earned.

- A

daigaku

01-27-2014, 16:10

Hi Axalon,

..."blitzing", were you?!? what you describe here is exactly why I love redux. Your playing style sure being totally different to mine, but what I see here is shouting for !;-) micromanagement;-)! of all sorts.
What is lowest stability? Income per year? Loyalty of generals? Of troops? Influence? Allies?
For a slow player like me, no way to do something like that. As a counterpart, I might post the slowest development in my current 1003VI/Norse/veteran campaign...

headshaking greetings, daigaku

Axalon

01-30-2014, 07:23

Hello Zarakas and thanks for posting…

I have been thinking back and forth… And, it’s my conclusion that I can never create a game that is “immune” to Staz and Dai’s playing-style - not within the parameters in which it has been “discovered” or made visible. The designs can always be improved upon somehow, and that in turn that will influence and improve the overall game - but - I see no serious alternative or solution to the outlined dilemma (above) beyond switching to veteran level. It’s optional of course, but it is the only rational alternative if one truly desires to seriously combat the problem as outlined. If things are too easy, you make it a bit harder or simply accept that the challenge is not at full capacity, as that option was then actively discarded by you.

So the problem is effectively gone and the premise is void (its my fault for no seeing that in the first place). Dai and Staz have a choice to make and it’s not our problem but theirs. “Will I play on veteran-level or not?” essentially... I’ll comment on your suggestions anyhow as I hate to throw away your suggestions unexamined for nothing... Also, thanks a ton for your general praise of Redux, I appreciate it - especially when providing a clue on what you actually liked! Anyways….

MTW original offered different periods and units, in addition, it also had the Mongols. This added the need to prepare, and change of strategy for the player.

Yup it did, but it never had the dynamics and action of Redux. Whatever that stuff brought to the table is already there in Redux as it is. As of 1004, the Saracens and Moors as faction’s works in similar ways the Mongols did in the raw game. If unchecked they will probably become very powerful and dangerous for all, due to sheer numbers and resources alone. Instead of having a threat entering the map from the east at a fixed and known date, we have in Redux (usually) a threat brewing start-up in the south and it is likely to grow steadily and organically to become very dangerous to all factions if nothing is done about it. Same thing goes for the rebels, a factor that essentially does not exist in raw MTW, not as a serious one anyway. Rebels in Redux can become very strong if left alone in “castle-provinces” for too long. As I see it, there is hardly any shortage of the need to “prepare” and “adapt” in Redux. As for the “Eras”, they served little actual purpose in the game, other then holding back the player from tech and units (and it created bugs). I see no real market for that here. The plan for Redux is to have an organic dynamics which is not fixed to dates or certain triggers but to ever changing, shifting circumstances which is unpredictable and uncertain. That’s the plan - that is what the designs are set to achieve.

1. Maybe a stronger power to the East or North East, say a greater Russia or Steppes faction to challange the Byzantines.

I think it is the other way around. Regardless, Byzantium is not a regular faction, meaning they are not priority or a reason to make other factions stronger as to rival them more successfully. Byzantium is this strong as to rival other factions successfully, in the first place… It is not actually designed with a player in mind, in contrast to say Italy, Spain or England for instance which are regular factions because of they were explicitly designed with the player in mind. Byzantium is an optional faction for people who want to play them anyway, well aware that it will not really be the same thing in terms of appearance, challenge and complexity.

2. Maybe an addition to unit types

I just don’t see how Redux need much more of that. And, what would that be? It already have some 200+ units providing a level of choice and freedom which is unheard of in the raw MTW. I also try to have actual purpose and distinction for units, which again was a blatant problem in raw MTW. At this point its not easy as most stuff and aspects is already covered somehow in the unit-grid. If you got any fantastic ideas, lets hear them, but very doubtful it will go much further then that. Last time I made a unit suggested to me was like 2008 or 2009… Still, try me…

- A

daigaku

01-30-2014, 13:05

Hi,
Axalon:

While a bit more generous with occasions for expressing your praise Dai, I still very much appreciate it, all the same… As ever… :)

Which greater praise is possible than playing your mod day and night (ask my wife...;-)) ?!? digging into it´s depths with my means and drilling holes into it´s very bottom to find out about mechanics and possibilities?!?
Sorry if I don´t write too much about all this, I´m mostly interested in the ways to understand, for the game to follow my style of playing, and then give some summary.

And, it’s my conclusion that I can never create a game that is “immune” to Staz and Dai’s playing-style

SIR!

:bounce:We do not strive for immunity, no we don´t, and we will not have it! For stubborn men immunity doesn´t exist, never will, and every attempt to reach there is in vain.:laugh4:

greetings, daigaku

p.s. A question about my more talkative moments: Is there a chance you´d admit an "off topic" - thread?!?

daigaku

02-01-2014, 10:13

Hi Axalon,

...as it seems to me, you´ve changed unit availability in 1004e-VI. Do I see this right?

If yes, is there any chance for a sort of tabella(?) about this? I see myself already again building structures to find out what´s possibly available (example: playing the English, ItalianNobles available in Sardinia).

greetings, daigaku

Zarakas

02-03-2014, 02:05

Hello Axalon, and thanks for detailed response.

I will concentrate on playing with regular factions. I do have difficulty with the rebels at times, in particular when my faction has internal rebellion. I hate rebuilding.

Italy's position is close enough to Byzatium!

Cheers
Zarakas

daigaku

02-03-2014, 14:23

Hi,
Axalon: I myself never understood this differentiation between major and minor factions. Already in Vanilla I was annoyed not being able to play Novgorod in early, for example. My personal opinion is: If it´s on the map, it should be playable (except the Pope maybe, for his special role in the game). In Redux, for example, I´d like to have a go with the Portugese, starting with a single province and quite some challenge on the doorstep. Or the Hungarians, stuck in the middle of hell between Germans, Italians, Polish and Byzantium. Being a rather poor modder, I´m at loss there. I enjoy the game anyway, as you might know ;-))
Zarakas: Running danger to annoy, I say again: My all-time-favourite faction are the Danish/Norse, optional factions in both Vanilla and Redux (never thought really about it, just played them). And for me, my personal style of playing, my preferrence being turtling around till I strike fast and hard, they are simply the perfect faction. In Redux, the Russians as well, and the English with their ranged warfare, are a treat for themselves.
To make the Byz some more challenging in Redux, maybe a way would be to let alone the Saracenes for a while till they tech up. If that´s the case, they might become the challenge you seek for the Byz, especially in desert warfare, where those heavily tanked up ByzCav exhaust themselves already just standing around in the heat ;-))

Wish you much fun playing,

greetings daigaku

Cyprian2

02-03-2014, 23:56

Hi,
I myself never understood this differentiation between major and minor factions. Already in Vanilla I was annoyed not being able to play Novgorod in early, for example. My personal opinion is: If it´s on the map, it should be playable (except the Pope maybe, for his special role in the game). In Redux, for example, I´d like to have a go with the Portugese, starting with a single province and quite some challenge on the doorstep. Or the Hungarians, stuck in the middle of hell between Germans, Italians, Polish and Byzantium. Being a rather poor modder, I´m at loss there. I enjoy the game anyway, as you might know ;-))

Hello again (and again, and again :laugh4:)daigaku:

I'm sure Axalon will be along to answer this shortly, but I'll see if I can beat him to it.

It's extremely easy to make unplayable factions playable (save the pope), provided you're using the VI engine -- even for an inexperienced modder such as myself.

You simply go to the startpos file, scroll down to where the factions are listed in "minor" and "major" columns, and simply copy/paste the "minor" (i.e. unplayable) faction to the "major" column, et voila!

I've done this with the Hungarians, Aragonese, and Burgundians in my game.

Zarakas

02-10-2014, 02:33

Hi,

Zarakas: Running danger to annoy, I say again: My all-time-favourite faction are the Danish/Norse, optional factions in both Vanilla and Redux (never thought really about it, just played them). And for me, my personal style of playing, my preferrence being turtling around till I strike fast and hard, they are simply the perfect faction. In Redux, the Russians as well, and the English with their ranged warfare, are a treat for themselves.
To make the Byz some more challenging in Redux, maybe a way would be to let alone the Saracenes for a while till they tech up. If that´s the case, they might become the challenge you seek for the Byz, especially in desert warfare, where those heavily tanked up ByzCav exhaust themselves already just standing around in the heat ;-))

Wish you much fun playing,

greetings daigaku

Thank you Daigaku

I am currently playing the Italians (a standard faction). Its year 957AD, I have had two rebeliions, the first one I lost half my armies to rebel generals. I defeated all of them and kept the provinces. I find the king always has very low loyalty to start with. I dont know why, and it does not seem to increase with time.

I also enjoy playing the Norse, great infantry, however they also rebel consistantly. I will try the Byz again, and take up your suggestions.

Greetings Zarakas

daigaku

02-10-2014, 11:43

Hi Zarakas,

...can´t imagine why you get all those rebellions. Hardly ever happens to me, except when I want a province to be rebellious, to get my King´s influence higher by taking it back from them ;-)) It´s an exploit, I know, but there´s no fun with 6star generals with a mere 3 loyalty...
My style of playing includes building up, parallel to economy, all those happiness/stability/morale buildings as well. Keeps rebellions low, less need for garrison aso. Give it a try, maybe?

Haven´t played the Italians yet, but seen geographically they must be quite a challenge. Pope, HRE, Byz, Lombards, even Hungarians near to keep at bay - might be really hard to get them going with my playstyle (too slow to cope with all the dangers around).

I wish you great battles, and good luck to your Kings,

greetings daigaku

Zarakas

02-11-2014, 03:11

Thanks Daigaku

I will take advice and use the King more in battle. I do this early, but then use King less as game progresses.

I play a similiar style, build economy, build provinces and expand slowly. I avoid conflict with other factions (if possible) until I am in a position to defend if offence strategy not successful.

At the moment the Italians are bordered by a powerfull army of French (10 stacks) and a less powerfull army of Polish (12 stacks) to the North and West. I have unleashed 8 Inquisitors to destroy French Generals. Wiill do this for a few turns and then attack the French hard in two provinces on my borders. Hopefully, if i destroy their main army they will rebel. I am not in a position to wipe out as they hold many provinces, and this would weaken my defences. The French are not currently in favour with the pope and have been excommunicated, good time to attack.
I have enough forces to deal with Polish if they decide to attack at same time. Strategy - Defence with Polish and Offence with French.

Zarakas

Axalon

02-11-2014, 06:10

A General note...

I have been doing some general maintenance all over the Redux-area, in case anybody wonders
why things might look slightly different. The changes, new stickies, overall clean up etc. etc. are
all on me (and it is supposed to be that way, no worries). Its all biz as usual folks, carry on...

***

...as it seems to me, you´ve changed unit availability in 1004e-VI. Do I see this right?

In regards to what? Use a Gnome-Editor and find out, whatever it is you are looking for...

- A

daigaku

02-11-2014, 10:45

Hi Axalon,

In regards to what? Use a Gnome-Editor and find out, whatever it is you are looking for...

Was about things like "Coptic Nobles" which weren´t, iirc, available in 1003. Gnome editor does give a lot of info, but (maybe it´s the version I use) not about regional availability, only some cultural. Some other units (sorry, haven´t written down the moment I thought "something´s different here") have changed availability (were in 1003, aren´t in 1004e)as well. I´ll look it up again and list what I found out.

greetings, daigaku

mccaffery

03-23-2014, 18:15

hi i wonder if you can tell me what i doing wrong i have tryed to install the mod both the 1st 1 plus the vi patch but when i try to run the game it says faction not found papcy just wondering what i doing wrong ?
cheers in advance guys.brian

tmodelsk

03-24-2014, 20:53

Hi Mc Caferry ,
I would advice : install clean MTW and try if it works, then install Redux & try if works, then install Redux patch & try if works.
Such simple procedure can help to understood roots of problem.
regards, Tomasz.

citka85

06-17-2014, 12:15

Axalon,

I have been playing MTW off and on the past 12 years; and I just wanted to say thank you for all your hard work in putting out this mod. It truly is something different, and the feature that I like the most is the level of difficulty. It really can become a struggle. Secondly, the unit sizes reflect a certain realism to me, as the less populated nations should not have many units with 100 man units - a second part to that is the addition of the champion units that can reek havoc on you if you aren't careful. Just simply awesome, and this is coming from a guy that is all about the "realism" that a "game" should portray. Just an awesome modification.

Thank you!

Axalon

08-16-2014, 03:50

Hi guys, sorry for the late replies here...

...Was about things like "Coptic Nobles" which weren´t, iirc, available in 1003. Gnome editor does give a lot of info, but (maybe it´s the version I use) not about regional availability, only some cultural. Some other units (sorry, haven´t written down the moment I thought "something´s different here") have changed availability (were in 1003, aren´t in 1004e)as well. I´ll look it up again and list what I found out.

The RXB1004 introduced a few new units to Redux... If memory serves, these were... “Coptic Nobles”, “Armenian Nobles”, "Desert Skirmishers", Naptha Runners, -Infantry and -Regiment... The RXB1005 introduces 2 new additional units - “Halberdiers” and the “Mounted Scouts” which will actually replace both “Hobilars” and “Byzantines Scouts”-units as these are now removed from Redux, as of RXB1005. Also, “Khazar Horse Archers” will be available in Khazar and Crimea for all factions. The Greatswords Guard will also be available for the Italians (and Lombards) once enough tech has been developed in northern (modern) Italy (the unit will only be available there, along with all the previous German zones).

hi i wonder if you can tell me what i doing wrong i have tryed to install the mod both the 1st 1 plus the vi patch but when i try to run the game it says faction not found papcy just wondering what i doing wrong ?
cheers in advance guys.brian

See Install Emergency (https://forums.totalwar.org/vb/showthread.php?109049-Redux-Install-Emergency%21&p=2053609177#post2053609177)... The last 3-4 posts covers that very problem....

...I would advice : install clean MTW and try if it works, then install Redux & try if works, then install Redux patch & try if works.
Such simple procedure can help to understood roots of problem. ...

Thanks Tomas for helping out here... I always appreciate that kind of attitude and effort (and probably others do too), after all it benefits us all. BTW, its sound advice too...

I have been playing MTW off and on...

Its always MUCH more fun to receive some kind of appreciation/encouragement/input for what you do, instead of plain nothing/silence (as is typical of this place). If more people would bother doing what you did right here - posting up a “thank you” with some comments essentially – this place would be a lot more fun to visit, not just for me, but probably for all others as well. You are totally welcome to post some more here if you like. I appreciate the post man...

As ever, thanks for posting guys...

- A

Axalon

08-16-2014, 03:53

Alright, all da links are up...

https://forums.totalwar.org/vb/images/redux/images/universal/RX_ReleaseNote_07.jpg (http://www.twcenter.net/forums/showthread.php?190721-Medieval-Total-War-Redux-(Beta))

The 1005 version upgrades, changes or introduce over 400 files in total, scattered all over the game. It brings many and important changes to Redux, and a whole bunch of totally new stuff and features as well. The new (more intricate) circumstances and designs have been included as to improve and enrich the overall game-experience, and its different stages. The global total provincial raw income of 30.000 fl. has been cut down to 25.000 fl. – the original game have about 32.000 for the same amount of regions (and to that significantly lower prices). The game-world have essentially become poorer all over - every turn - making regional development ever more important to maintain good finances and order. The 1005 includes probably the largest and most diverse tech-tree ever created for MTW. It will matter what you build and in what order, as the pressure is on. If not careful, you might be crushed by rebellions or an invading force before you have secured your kingdom. Trade is more difficult to set up due to prices and pirates. Unruliness and stability-levels have been made a more prominent factors in Redux, forcing you to consider and adapt to these factors more often, especially in poorly developed provinces. Your subjects and nobles are more inclined to rebel against you if there is little or no infrastructure or garrison that ensures regional order. There is a new land-bridge to Ireland from Scotland and plenty of other stuff for you to explore and discover with this version.

Overall, with some of the initial steps taken with the 1004 release, the 1005 version signals a departure from the previous experience and many designs we had in 1001-1003. Redux have evolved and ended up being even tougher and more complex then before. There are many differences and plenty of new designs with this 1005-version and I hope you will like this new direction and experience as much as I do...

Lastly, all found and identified bugs (and errors) have been killed or fixed, as much as possible, and due to some changes in file-structures, this version is NOT save-game compatible with ANY previous versions of Redux. Sorry for that. You must thus start a fresh new game to run beta 1005.

Text taken from the RXB1005-release notes...

- A

Axalon

08-18-2014, 18:21

The few people that managed to download RXB1005 (and module B) prior to this post (or today essentially), please re-download it again. I made some last minute changes that hopefully will improve the overall game-experience. Just download, re-install and you guys will be all set (again). The stuff is fully save-game compatible so you can use any previous RXB1005-saves if you like.

As for the rest of you folks, much of the reason I released the 1005 in the first place was so you guys can get a chance to be on the same page as I am, while playing Redux. Its just so much more interesting for me to discuss/babble about the version I am actually working on/playing... Imagine that...

- A

jingo7

09-01-2014, 13:33

Hi, friends,
Now, you know what my excitement is? To get as many of my brave guys as possible home after battle. Every lost man is my personal failure. I simply imagine a REAL battle, thinking about my men and about the country they live in, and I don´t want to loose neighter men nor land to anybody not caring for them/it as good as I do (there should be, in my opinion, even some influence increase in the game for keeping my people happy, rich and alive!). The kick is to build up, as far as possible, to have the best drill possible, and, if really necessary, to beat the enemy with the least lost men possible.
Redux does make that quite a bit harder than Vanilla, therefor I play it. And, as said quite often, con mucho gusto ;-)
daigaku

How fascinating. It's interesting how our play styles as gamers reflects some of our beliefs/idiosyncrasies/ideologies.
I share your 'getting a kick' out of building provinces/armies to the max. But as for 'bringing as many soldiers home as possible', what a wonderfully modern idea to impose on a game about the middle-ages! Less than a century ago our rulers were sending hundreds of thousands of men to their deaths for their own benefit! It's a very modern idea that at least in Western armies, there is a 'maximum loss' threshold after which you can only achieve Phyrric victories. Or the idea of a 'clean war' in which individual life in sanctified (at least in law if not in reality).
I really like a good bloodbath. That is, I favour more of a 'meatgrinder' approach which seems more adequate to my (perverted?) sense of realism. I feel it would be wrong for a faction of minimal influence to make extraordinary gains against a much more powerful faction. Although obviously history has its moments of this happening, of inspired leadership and luck etc., most of the time it's a case of raw productive/population power. More resources/production/population = the winner.
It's because of this that I could never play as a faction like Aragon or Sicily. I can't see a alternative history where these factions displace Spain/France etc.
Not to mention I also feel sympathy with these peasant revolts, since I know these peasants are the real producers on upon which my fragile pompous empire depends. Do they get a share of the 'income' that is generated through trade and production? Lol I think not.
Anyway I wouldn't play games if I wanted realism at all costs, since as Axalon has said elsewhere, games are really simplified symbolic representations of historical forces. I mention this just because some of it has a direct relationship to how I play, as it does for you, which I find fascinating.

Axalon

12-01-2014, 22:48

Anyhow, some Redux news... Today the unipatch for RXB1005 is released...

https://forums.totalwar.org/vb/images/redux/images/universal/RX_Unipatch_Logo.jpg

The Redux universal patch is valid for all 1005-versions, and what does is to update RXB1005 to RXB1005c. As such it updates and corrects a number of minor errors of previous 1005-releases, regardless the kind. The "unipatch" is fully save-game compatible and does not change the game-experience in any way, other then correcting detected errors, bugs and typos. It is important that you select/use/apply ONLY the stuff from the folder that corresponds to the MTW-version you are using. If you do that, there will be no problems with this patch and Redux will update just fine upon install (using standard method of copy, paste and replace in game-directory).

Patch Name: RXB-Unipatch 1005c
Patch Version: 1005c
Language: English
Terms of Use: P.U.O, Personal Use Only (restricted material).
Size: Zipped 0.5MB/Uncompressed 1.4MB
Compatibility: RXB1005 versions only (all versions).
Operating System: -
Hardware: -
Description: see above...
Credits: Axalon all over...
Download Links:

Download zip-version: (primary)
http://www.atomicgamer.com/files/108818/rx-unipatch1005c

Download rar-version: (reserve)
Pending...

----------------------------------------------------------------------------
THE BUGS & ERRORS FIXED:
----------------------------------------------------------------------------

• Building completed string, “shipyard 4” is now included...
• University colorpic for Catholic factions is now the right one...
• Errata on the rebel-kill description for “grim justice” corrected.
• 8th star promotion for generals will no longer stack up with the 9th star promotion description.
• Townwatch, Orthodox factions, Level1 has now the proper GFX assigned, as was always intended...
• Name on “large Warehouse” is wrong. Changed to “Large Warehouse”, as it should be...
• "Daimyo"/ruler promoted string/blurb is no longer missing...
• All pagan sacred stones will now use the correct GFX, as always intended...

- A

Axalon

01-04-2015, 14:28

A happy new year folks... Some notes/remarks to self, as tradition would have it...

Redux & 2014
-----------------------------

Releases: RXB1005, RXB1005-VI, Unipatch 1...
Downloads RXB1005: 550 (roughly)
Downloads RXB1004: 800 (roughly, prior to RXB1005)
Views: +15000-20000
Posts: +25 (this thread)

In reference to posts... 2014 generated 50% less posts in this very thread then the previous year... 10 posts were mine which is less than half of the posts made in total over the year and I generally consider that aspect to be a good thing. A few new and additional RX-threads was created here at the ORG in 2014 while over at the TWC the general Redux-thread finally surpassed this one as the largest and most visited Redux-thread in the world. Both general RX-threads (here and over there) hit the 100.000 views marker during the summer of 2014. Up to that point, the TWC-thread had always been about 10.000 views the junior to this thread, but in 2014 all that changed. As I write this the TWC counterpart have some 3000+ views beyond this one. In that light, if the ORG-administration continues with the same practices and attitudes, as displayed over the last 3 years or so - that switched gap is likely to only grow bigger. The general decline of this site and the overall "unsuccessful" management of the entire ORG-forum have obviously had its repercussions to this sub-forum/section as well. Sad but true.

- A

Mecoatl

04-23-2015, 03:10

Well, I still visit here from time to time. Always have to check up on new Redux releases. Great mods never die.

Axalon

04-24-2015, 15:43

Hi Meco, and thanks for posting...

I totally welcome your visits and all that, but I fear that your occasional visits and posts will not be enough to keep this place going, or to sustain Redux in general, or any immortality. We both rely on this place/area somehow yet we do little to sustain or maintain it. I mean, neither of us manage to conjure up a measly 1 post per month at this place, now do we? And as small and ridiculous as that sounds, even that will still be drastic improvement for this place if we just managed that much - yet we don't.... See what I mean... Our reasons/excuses for that probably differ big time, but the result - right here - that will be the same, and that in a bad way...

Personally, I think that the occasional visit, a singular post here and there - does not sustain this area/sub-forum, or any mod in general. I actually doubt it ever did. I think that if you guys want this Redux-forum around, you probably have too do more then that, a lot more. You will have to do your part somehow, and if you do, others will eventually follow. And that will actually matter here, and this place will be better for it... 1 post per month, its not much, hell its even borderline ridiculous - but - it is a start... That's what I think...

- A

Axalon

04-24-2015, 17:48

Redux news...

Previously this month (april) the RXB1005 hit the 1000+ downloads marker, which means it has managed to achieve similar levels of success to that of the RXB1003 and RXB1004 before it. Typically, I consider any release (Redux or otherwise) that does manage to go north of 500+ downloads to be a success far and well beyond rational expectations - that for any material - but especially so for all stuff that does depend on/apply to ancient/old games - such as MTW for instance... Basically, its a brilliant success beyond my expectations with the RXB1005, but also for Redux in general, obviously I am very happy about all this stuff...
...

Another update for the RXB1005 is planned for public release in 2015... Currently I am working on compiling materials intended to for release somehow as the “unipatch 2” and I have done that for quite some time. I thus can confirm that there will be another update for the RXB1005. Unipatch 2 will include everything from the previous unipatch and it will also be save-game compatible (only some few nominal potential anomalies, if any, using previous saves). Obviously it will also be designated differently as “RXB1005d” or something higher for easy distinction. And the release of “unipatch 2” will definitely be sometime this year, but I am actually hoping for an early release - possibly even as early as sometime in May – that is, if all goes well... It is too soon to tell for sure or make any big promises on that, but I’m hoping for the best, and would be thrilled to see it happen... Anyhow, unipatch 2 will obviously introduce a bunch of additional updates, changes, fixes and various GFX-improvements to the RXB1005, and so far that means...

New GFX for England (flag/banner/shields)...
New GFX for Byzantium (flag/banner/shields)...
New GFX for Saracens (flag/banner/shields)...
New GFX for Moors (shields/flag)...
Improved castle-flag for France...
New separate unitpics on “woodsmen”, distinct for catholic-, orthodox- or pagan-cultures...
New unitpic for the “Imperial Guard”-unit (HRE)...
New and improved picture-set for “orthodox churches”...
Fixing the “Grand pagan idol” error...
Fixing the “Dismounted Nobles” error...
Fixing the “Norse Axemen” error...
“Norse Warriors” will become “Norse Nobles”, and reduced to 20 men units and better stats... I think it will probably result in a better game- and faction-balance this way (and it corresponds better to what I originally had in mind for the Norse as a faction-experience and the circumstances they should have). Also, these new guys will get the correct swords as was intended ever since RXB1004 or something along those lines... Previously they used the regular swords i battle when they should have used the barbarian/norse styled ones.... Compare with "Slavic Warriors" and their swords in battle-mode, for reference...
???

- A

dimitrios the samian

04-28-2015, 01:25

Well done Axalon !
I will be downloading sometime soon ...
I have been away for a very long time but im so pleased that people like yourself are still making a great game better !
cheers

Axalon

04-29-2015, 14:10

Hi Dimitrios,

Ummm feel free to do so... A lot has happened in MTW modding the last 10 years, and especially the last 5. Redux is very much an expression of that progress and process, and that shows all over basically. Hopefully you will like (most things in) the experience Redux provides. If you do have any questions, experiences or other things related to Redux you want to share with the rest of us, please post here at your discretion....

- A

jingo7

05-19-2015, 19:18

I have a taste for some MTW again. I'm going to dl the the new patch and play.
Last time I played as France and boy was it a challenge. Everything from pirate navies, saracen civil-wars and invincible English knights (the English took an isolationist policy which upset me, they didn't seem to build many ships or use them to invade). Anyway, I feel to play some muslims this time.

Axalon

05-20-2015, 00:02

Hi Jingo,

Well MTW/Redux is like that... Time goes and suddenly you want to play it all over again. France huh? Challenge? Well, I think that is part of what makes Redux stand out from other mods/projects, it is typically much tougher then all other stuff made for MTW, and obviously everything is tougher then raw MTW. France is a standard faction in Redux (as is England, HRE, Spain, Italy and Poland), which means it is supposed to deliver a solid challenge somehow. Some factions are tougher (Spain and Poland are the hardest), some are easier (England easiest amongst the regular factions) and some are in between (HRE, Italy and France). As for the rest, they are typically easier to handle, due to being less complex, better starting points and potential bonuses and so forth. The Muslim factions are probably the easiest optional factions in Redux (followed by the Byzantines). Saracens being the easiest of them all...

As for the English and their ships (in your example)... Well, if they got the cash and tech for it, they typically build a bunch of ships, and use them. Of course there are always exceptions to that, but that is usually what happens. My guess would be that something was not in place, or the enemy lands they (England) could attack was too well defended, could be that too... Try another campaign with France and see what happens, RX-campaigns have a strong tendency to be very different each time, much more so then ever was the case in the raw game, but it could differ quite a bit in the raw MTW too. Just a suggestion, while you wait for unipatch2...

- A

jingo7

05-20-2015, 01:38

Yeah for sure the urge to play MTW comes in waves. I was hooked for weeks last time, as it was my discovering your mod on top of discovering that I could actually play MTW at all on newer hardware after 10 years. Needless to say, it was a struggle to do anything other than play redux for those weeks.
Regarding my French campaign, there was an odd sea glitch that I will try to grab a save-file of. Something like the ships I was building from Flanders would become immobile, or when I touched them they switched to rebel or something, whatever it was it was very annoying.
Also, not a glitch, but there was a meeting point in central europe where 4 factions shared borders, swabia or somewhere. Basically I think there was so much army build-up that no faction could attack without exposing itself to counter-attack. It led to a MASSIVE troop build-up which lagged the campaign map quite a bit. So I get what you mean, no 2 games are the same and some unique happyfuntimes to be had.

Axalon

05-21-2015, 02:15

Regarding my French campaign, there was an odd sea glitch that I will try to grab a save-file of. Something like the ships I was building from Flanders would become immobile, or when I touched them they switched to rebel or something, whatever it was it was very annoying.

It is probably a corrupt save (it sure sounds like it) as those are fairly common on the V.2.01-engine. Its important to point out that this is not in any way connected to Redux but is generated by the MTW-engine itself and is as frequent in raw game as well - this due being poorly crafted and tested in the first place by CA. Its more uncommon in V.1.1 but that version is clearly more unstable in turn (among a few other things). Usually corrupt saves are generated from a save made just ahead of an unresolved battle, when offered to save, don't. Best place to save is at the very beginning of a new turn. If you are going to save, the safest way to do so is to do a proper regular saves. There is a RX-thread about corrupt saves and its probably the most unpopular thread ever created here, as nobody has ever posted there, this since its creation back in 2008. It has still useful info on corrupt saves despite all things... :laugh4:

Also, not a glitch, but there was a meeting point in central europe where 4 factions shared borders, swabia or somewhere. Basically I think there was so much army build-up that no faction could attack without exposing itself to counter-attack. It led to a MASSIVE troop build-up which lagged the campaign map quite a bit. So I get what you mean, no 2 games are the same and some unique happyfuntimes to be had.

It happens from time to time. I usually try kill off gigantic armies (even rebel ones) as to eliminate the delay that such massive amounts of troops tends to generate in turn-progression. And once they are gone, the AI-progression in turns returns to normal. Of course it will take a serious army to kill some 10.000-15.000+ army (default unit-size), obviously.

Overall, the AI-principle on troops in Redux is (very) different from that of raw MTW. The RX-doctrine for the AI can basically be summed up like this: build troops so you can act on the map, no troops means no capacity to act, not acting means you will die, therefore build troops to ensure own survival and the death of existing enemies. More troops is arguably the most important prerequisite to do anything in Redux and the AI is forced (by design) to act accordingly (as is implicitly the player). If a player fails to act against powerful AI-factions by waiting too long to counter them (including rebels), she may very well lose the entire game simply because she have not the armies to survive the onslaught. Of course, sheer skill will also matter since a skilled player can successfully withstand and survive much heavier odds then the average player can...

- A

jingo7

05-23-2015, 14:19

It happens from time to time. I usually try kill off gigantic armies (even rebel ones) as to eliminate the delay that such massive amounts of troops tends to generate in turn-progression. And once they are gone, the AI-progression in turns returns to normal. Of course it will take a serious army to kill some 10.000-15.000+ army (default unit-size), obviously.

Overall, the AI-principle on troops in Redux is (very) different from that of raw MTW. The RX-doctrine for the AI can basically be summed up like this: build troops so you can act on the map, no troops means no capacity to act, not acting means you will die, therefore build troops to ensure own survival and the death of existing enemies. More troops is arguably the most important prerequisite to do anything in Redux and the AI is forced (by design) to act accordingly (as is implicitly the player). If a player fails to act against powerful AI-factions by waiting too long to counter them (including rebels), she may very well lose the entire game simply because she have not the armies to survive the onslaught. Of course, sheer skill will also matter since a skilled player can successfully withstand and survive much heavier odds then the average player can...

- A

This is the only thing that continues to bother me about redux. These massive AI stacks haunt my games. I don't want to play the global policeman, having to kill of stacks to keep the game going! I want the AI to fight among themselves. I mean, it's great that the AI is comfortable with building big armies, but these armies seem to generate less conflict, not more. I'm sure it's a complicated affair, but what exactly does the AI consider when going to war/attacking a province? It seems a stack or 2 is enough to dissuade the AI from attacking, even when said AI has 6 stacks. I suppose it's about the quality of troops too, and the AIs (at the moment in my Moors-Supremacy campaign) are all of a similar tech level.

I don't mean this to be a whiny post or anything like that, you have created something far superior to the original even with this problem as I see it. But I do rack my brains at the AI behaviour.

Axalon

05-30-2015, 12:00

Over at the debug-area Jingo posted this remark...

This makes sense. It's just good to know that this is intentional design. This is an excellent way to make the player fight hard to open his/her trade routes, but I worry about the AI (I assume they do fight the rebels at sea too). Seems that some factions just aren't interested in shipbuilding no matter how clear the waters, and some love it.

Some factions are more inclined to do maritime stuff then others - due to my designs. That said, my experience is that the AI behavior on ships is one of the most irrational and difficult things to control in the entire game, there are no or few means or parameters to somehow control it. The AI have also a tendency to do things regardless of instructions when it comes to ships (much in the same way as agents, which is also virtually hopeless to properly control). One the most reoccurring problems is that the AI cant stop building ships at sensible levels and this might very well lead to a self-destruct due to enormous costs of ridiculously large fleets that it has no true use for...

I know that many gamers/player have over the years called for stronger fleets and more active AI’s on the seas, this in Redux as well. The reality is that it is very rare that the AI can actually handle that kind of thing properly and instead ends up self-destructing and crippling itself because of the fact. It is with that reality in mind that I have actively “encouraged” certain factions (as I cant properly control the AI on this stuff, no solid means for it) to more or less ignore ships and all that comes with it because the faction ends being healthier and stronger as a result - which is a good thing. If I had not done that, many factions would have become weak once they could build ships due to squandering most of their resources and strength on building ships that they had little actual use for.

Again, the simple reality is that a ship can never defend or conquer a territory while armies can do just that, and the AI needs that far more then it does ships, this with little exception. That is my claim and I question the notion that it will ever be a good game because we would allow (by design) the AI to build ships like crazy. I have seen little that would actually support such notions while I have seen plenty that would suggest otherwise.

This is the only thing that continues to bother me about redux. These massive AI stacks haunt my games. I don't want to play the global policeman, having to kill of stacks to keep the game going! I want the AI to fight among themselves. I mean, it's great that the AI is comfortable with building big armies, but these armies seem to generate less conflict, not more. I'm sure it's a complicated affair, but what exactly does the AI consider when going to war/attacking a province? It seems a stack or 2 is enough to dissuade the AI from attacking, even when said AI has 6 stacks. I suppose it's about the quality of troops too, and the AIs (at the moment in my Moors-Supremacy campaign) are all of a similar tech level.

I don't mean this to be a whiny post or anything like that, you have created something far superior to the original even with this problem as I see it. But I do rack my brains at the AI behaviour.

I think it would be highly unrealistic to expect that you somehow will like every aspect of Redux all over, all the time - there is always something that people dont like or care for, no matter what. I cant please everybody with my designs or with the many design-choices I make, regardless of anything. We have all different playing styles, and that of course will make an impact on our general game-experiences, this in Redux as well. All the same, Redux does afford much more diversity in play-style and still manage to present a solid game-experience despite anything you do. It is obviously tougher and much more complex then the raw game, and it has too be in order to deliver that solid experience despite different playing-styles.

The AI typically does fight amongst themselves once there are no juicy rebel-held land to be had. The AI is basically a greedy coward and hopeless opportunist that tries to avoid war as long as possible, yet it is by nature drawn to it and will eventually commit to war once it has run out of other viable options (if it feels it is advantageous to do so). The Army build-up ensures internal order and safety (which is needed in Redux) while it at the same also provides capacity to strike externally. If all AI-factions are strong they will get cautious and only commit to war if it is certain it can win AND that the prize exceeds the pricetag/risks involved (a rich province). If there is a stalemate – it is temporary, it always is. At some time a factor X will break that deadlock. In many cases that factor X is the player (and I am basically counting on it in my designs), and it does not even need to to be directly either but implictly due to changing circumstances elsewhere that will somehow eventually influence the local stalemate as well. If it is not the player, she will have too a some point deal with strong AI-factions that obviously guard their territory succesfully. In short, forced to build an army that can take on such formidable garrisons - if not, the game will basically be lost... To act like world-police is hardly required in Redux and it actually boils down to playing-style - personally I like engaging/crushing vast armies just to stirr things around a bit - but it is not a must, its a choice. All the same, in the end it is hard to escape that you are supposed to conquer the map at some point (usually anyways)...

- A

Axalon

05-30-2015, 12:16

https://forums.totalwar.org/vb/images/redux/images/universal/RX_Unipatch_Logo.jpg

This second universal patch for Redux is valid for all 1005-versions, and what does is to update RXB1005/1005c up to RXB1005e. As such it updates several minor things and corrects a number of minor errors in previous 1005-releases, regardless the kind. The "unipatch" should be fully save-game compatible and it makes several small changes to the game. Furthermore it corrects detected errors, bugs and typos, including all and everything of the unipatch1 fixes as well. It is important that you select/use/apply ONLY the stuff from the folder that corresponds to the MTW-version you are using. If you do that, there will be no problems with this patch and Redux will update just fine upon install (using standard method of copy, paste and replace in game-directory). Enjoy...

Patch Name: RXB-Unipatch 1005e
Patch Version: 1005e
Language: English
Terms of Use: P.U.O, Personal Use Only (restricted material).
Size: Zipped 2.34MB/Uncompressed 5.74MB
Compatibility: RXB1005 versions only (all versions).
Operating System: 2000/XP/W7 (Vista/W8 unconfirmed)
Hardware: -
Description: see above...
Credits: Axalon all over...
Except 2 errors/bugs found by Stazi.
(The dismounted nobles and grand pagan idol-stuff)
Download Links:

Download zip-version: (primary)
http://www.atomicgamer.com/files/109988/rxb-unipatch-1005e

Download rar-version: (reserve)
Pending...

----------------------------------------------------------------------------
CHANGES & UPDATES:
----------------------------------------------------------------------------

New GFX for England (flag/banner/shields)...
New GFX for Byzantium (flag/banner/shields)...
New GFX for Saracens (flag/banner/shields)...
New GFX for Moors (shields/flag)...
Improved castle-flag for France...
New separate unitpics on “woodsmen”, distinct for catholic-, orthodox- or pagan-cultures...
Papacy get access to Light Halberdiers, Halberdiers and Heavy Halberdiers...
Raider Horse Archers cut to 60 men units (at default)...
Norse Spearmen enabled at spearmaker Lvl 2...
Norse Nobles enabled at Swordsmith Lvl 2...
Norse Cavalry changed to 20 men units (at default)...
RX-classic campaign updated on Norse Nobles...
Increased hitpoints on Large castle walls to 4000p (previously 2500p. Original MTW 1500p).
Increased hitpoints on Small castle walls to 3000p (previously 2000p. Original MTW 1000p).
All naptha units can damage castles, walls, towers and gates (this is a side-effect of their increased damage. It is not really intentional on my part).
Orthodox church infopics updated... (Both)...
Time to build basic forts increased to 6 turns...
New Royal Spearmen infopic...
New Imperial Guard infopic...
Norse Nobles replace the “Norse Warriors” units, and are reduced to 20 men units and better stats. I think it will probably result in a better game- and faction-balance this way (and it corresponds better to what I originally had in mind for the Norse as a faction-experience and the circumstances they should have). Also, these new guys will get the correct swords as was intended ever since RXB1004 or something along those lines... Previously they used the regular swords i battle when they should have used the barbarian/norse styled ones. Norse Nobles (swordmen) will be set to potential general candidates (unlike the previous unit).

----------------------------------------------------------------------------
BUGS & ERRORS FIXED:
----------------------------------------------------------------------------

The “Grand pagan idol” no longer is missing a building completed-file... As it should be.
The “Norse Axemen” now listed correctly as infantry...
Norse Infantry (Axemen) no longer general candidates...
The “Dismounted Nobles” error fixed... Exclusive for Gold/VI/2.01-versions only....
Longboats cost 550 florins in all versions...
Building completed string, “shipyard 4” is now included...
University colorpic for Catholic factions is now the right one...
Errata on the rebel-kill description for “grim justice” corrected.
8th star promotion for generals will no longer stack up with the 9th star promotion description.
Townwatch, Orthodox factions, Level1 has now the proper GFX assigned, as was always intended...
Name on “large Warehouse” is wrong. Changed to “Large Warehouse”, as it should be...
"Daimyo"/ruler promoted string/blurb is no longer missing...
All pagan sacred stones will now use the correct GFX, as always intended...

- A

oz_wwjd

06-29-2015, 08:48

Matt714

06-29-2015, 22:41

The link for the Unipatch is dead.

"Sorry, but the file you requested could not be found. Please use our searching or browsing capabilities on the left side to help you find the file."

[EDIT] Nevermind, the second server works fine.

Axalon

07-02-2015, 02:21

On the note that the AI tries to avoid war for as long as possible,does this mean that it respects alliances,or not? I haven't played Redux yet,but in Vanilla MTW as the Byzantines I used to get a alliance with Hungary so that they wouldn't attack me,while I dealt with Egypt and the Turks,and for the most part it mainly worked. Of course I kept strong garrisons on the border,so they wouldn't get any funny ideas..

It depends on faction, the circumstances in the area, and anything stupid you might have done to that faction in the past etc. etc. Every campaign in Redux is basically different and so its virtually impossible to actually make any universal and reliable predictions on that note. Some factions hold grudges and have typically a harder time to get along - check the design-notes in the "Redux Bonus Material", the "MTW-Redux_ConflictGrid.txt"-file. You will get as good answers as one can get on these things out of that. After all, there are no explicit parameters to control this stuff directly and so its all a matter of circumstances and encouragement and the mere probable results out of all that jazz. "Certainty" is rarely to be had in alliances....

***

The link for the Unipatch is dead. ...Nevermind, the second server works fine.

I have uploaded another extra copy of Unipatch2 at Gamefront as an operational reserve due to the increased demand on that stuff since the Steam-release of MTW. Its an extra failsafe for such potential problems...

- A

Axalon

07-02-2015, 02:28

About Redux & Steam...

Leviath have kindly confirmed that Redux works just fine with Steam, provided all parts of Redux are also correctly installed. For running Redux on Steam you need to also apply the VI/Gold/v.2.01-upgrade for Redux - this at all times. Also, using the corresponding material of “Unipatch 2” is also recommended all the way - you will get a better experience as a result. I’ll update/clarify the first post somewhat in regards to Steam. Anyhow, he outlines all you need to do to play Redux on Steam like this, and I quote (slightly edited and formatted by me for increased clarity here)...

Hey guys,

I am listing here big mods still available and working for the Steam version of the game. I tested all of them myself to be sure. Be advised, mods overrun vanilla game files so if you want to desinstall a mod and play the vanilla game again, you'll have to delete the game from steam and delete the "Total war medieval 1 gold" folder in the steam folder manually, then reinstall the game.

MTW-Redux :
*********************************************************************************
Developped by Axalon, it offers a campaign spanning from 700 to 1260 AD with 11 factions playable,
challenging AI, new campaign map textures (splendid) and new units.

First download and install the Redux Beta 1005 :
http://www.atomicgamer.com/files/108144/mtw-redux-beta1005

Then the Redux VI Upgrade :
http://www.atomicgamer.com/files/108145/mtw-redux-vi-beta1005

Finally, the Unipatch2 :
http://www.atomicgamer.com/files/109988/rxb-unipatch-1005e

Intallation is all about copy/pasting files into the game folder, see the README.txt for more infos.

Thread on TWC :
http://www.twcenter.net/forums/showthread.php?190721-Medieval-Total-War-Redux-(Beta)

Anything else, fire away folks...

- A

oz_wwjd

07-03-2015, 13:56

I understand that in REdux there's large variety of new Units. In MTW one of the biggest disappointment I had was when I found that CA decided to make the Varangian Guard,as I was a mostly Byzantine player at that time only recruitable in Early and High,and once you got to late,they simply weren't available ,without anything that replaced them,which left a hole in my army,as I used them for flanking and emergency reserve duty,such as when a heavy cavalry charge devastated my infantry centre. Do units in Redux once I've built the buildings required to recruit them,stay available all through the game?

Axalon

07-04-2015, 07:30

Do units in Redux once I've built the buildings required to recruit them,stay available all through the game?

Yes...

- A

oz_wwjd

07-07-2015, 13:37

Having now played the Mod, I'd like to complement you on a extremely well-done job. There's a nice variety of units,and I was rather surprised when I tried taking 3 provinces rather rapidly that looked empty,and I then had to put down several rather unpleasant rebellions as a consequence. I just hope my mercenaries don't decide to strike out for themselves at any point,as my army consists of a large number of them at the moment. Although it is possible to grant merc titles and such? As one of them would be a extremely good governor as well as shaping up to be a reasonable general..

Axalon

07-09-2015, 01:34

Having now played the Mod, I'd like to complement you on a extremely well-done job.

Thanks...

There's a nice variety of units, ...

Yup...

...and I then had to put down several rather unpleasant rebellions as a consequence.

Rebels and rebellions are more dangerous in Redux then elsewhere... Always have been...

Although it is possible to grant merc titles and such?

Nope... Only way that will happen - by conventional means - is him being captured in combat and you ransoming him back - then he becomes a regular troop (while as expensive to support as ever) and can be promoted as such. Its hardcoded stuff...

- A

Axalon

11-02-2015, 19:16

Redux news/statistics...

During October 2015, the RXB1005 (any kind), broke the 2000-downloads milestone marker (previously it had 1050 downloads at AtomicGamer - before the shut down - plus some 980 downloads at Gamefront, as I write this) - this some 14 months after official release - making it the most downloaded modern Redux-version to date. No previous modern version of Redux has ever done that before it. Previously, both RXB1003 and 1004 managed to break the 1000 downloads barrier (the RXB1003 was in service/circulation for roughly 18 months before it was replaced, and the RXB1004 was in service less then a year). Overall, it still amazes me personally that this virtual "underground"-mod can still gather that much attention and players for something is based on a 13 year old combat/command-simulator-game. Well, I am not complaining. Do enjoy MTW-Redux folks, after all that primarily was (and still is) the point of me making it a public release in the first place.

- A

Axalon

12-31-2015, 14:53

A happy new year folks... Some notes/remarks to self, as tradition would have it...

Redux & 2015
-----------------------------

Releases: Unipatch 2 (RXB1005)...
Downloads RXB1005: 1800 (roughly)
Views: +30.000
Posts: +21 (this thread)

In reference to posts... 2015 generated somewhat less posts in this very thread then the previous year (compare with TWC RX-thread and 69 posts, 26 mine, same period). 13 posts were mine, which is a bit more then half of the posts made in total over the year (in this thread) and I generally consider that circumstance to be a bad thing. It means this thread is moving in the direction of becoming a thread for general announcements, news and statements, a kind of one-way news-channel instead of a place for discussing and exchanging experiences, tips and information between folks who play and are interested in Redux somehow. Obviously, Redux does not download itself, or generate that many views out of thin air - somebody is watching and reading here, somebody is downloading and playing Redux, yet failing to post and take part here. Damn shame, as it is an opportunity being squandered for nothing. Doing nothing will also yield nothing. Zero input means zero output as well, both in this thread and elsewhere.

In the summer of 2015, Atomic Gamer shut down, which was both sad and bad for Redux and modding at large. The entire Redux-legacy archive was thus lost, not to mention the primary zip-uploads as well. I have yet to find a replacement site/host as good and reliable as Atomic was (any suggestions would be welcome BTW). As it is the existing Gamefront uploads have had to soldier on alone since then, and still do. Hardly optimal or desirable. MTW also got ported to Steam™, and more importantly it was made more agreeable to W8 (W10 too?) and newer hardware. Typically of CA, it was only for the steam-version, for which we are again forced to pay for in full (all over again) despite having paid full price already for previous copies of MTW. So CA's poor business practices are still alive and well...

During 2015 my activity here was in general both periodic and sporadic. I was often absent for longer then a month at a time. Obviously my time is limited, but I am also displeased with Org-management at large as they have kept, and insisted upon, clearly unsuccessful practices and doctrines that has severely damaged this site ever since 2011 - and the flat out ridiculous site-index is also left unchanged. The only way to make this entire site somehow relevant again (and as a result the RX-area too), is to throw all that crap out the window and rebuild from scratch. Starting with attitude. This is a TW-site, do not be apologetic for that, stop acting as if it was supposed to be anything else or that anything else will save this site somehow. Its a TW-site, and the focus should have stayed there all the time, let other sites worry about other things, its in TW this site has a future, it was in TW former glory was built and it is here it can hope to compete. It is from TW it can draw strength and attract visitors and members once again, and it is in the equal treatment of all TW-games (new and old alike, no favorites) that this place can offer something that no other does. It is in treating modding seriously and favourably that this place can have a future, and any TW-game can have a future. As it is, nothing of this is done and we are left with what now is a virtual ghost-site with pitiful levels activity and traffic – so obvious that not even the Org-staff can not pretend to be oblivious of/ignore it any longer (although some have certainly tried). Everyone knows it, openly or silently. And its extra irritating to me as I have invested so much work and effort in this place/site over the years due to Redux (and other things). All that, and indeed the entire site, seemingly squandered due to petty prestige and the evident paralysis and incompetence of current site-management. There, I said it (not that it will matter much).

- A

huth

05-31-2016, 11:42

Stazi

05-31-2016, 12:52

So, where can I download Redux from? No links :(
Maybe some of you guys could spare a few hosted files?
After all these years it'd be nice to try REDUX. Going Caravel for now, XL and BKB beaten so long ago.

Check here. (http://www.twcenter.net/forums/showthread.php?190721-Medieval-Total-War-Redux-(Beta)&p=14844354&viewfull=1#post14844354)

huth

05-31-2016, 22:52

You have my thanks

Axalon

06-22-2016, 11:24

Alright, I have updated this thread (see first post) with new (temporary) uploads of all RXB1005-releases (flag-fix can already be found at the debug-area/thread). Bercor have (over at the TWC) made a fully functional third-party upload of the latest Redux 1005 releases as well (all files included). You can use that as an alternative/reserve to my uploads (although, that won't work using Explorer-browser. Chrome or something else will work. Don't ask me why...). After all, both Atomic and Gamefront are gone, so that have certainly screwed things up for Redux in terms of regular availability/distribution of RXB-1005 files. Anyhow, link to Bercors upload would be...

https://mega.nz/#!VNsTmTjQ!8rkGp04FaSnpwlw7UpMvqv713CYXl5OChZ31gy-wWFk

- A

Axalon

08-04-2016, 17:12

Hi and thanks man... I'll take yours and any other support, recognition and/or encouragement
for Redux I can get these days - and especially so at this forum - because typically its scarce.

- A

Axalon

08-12-2016, 14:09

3000+ downloads!

As of this month the RXB1005 has managed to generate over 3000 downloads in total (since release), which of course is fantastic but also somewhat amazing as the base-game (MTW1) is... 14 freaking years old, which is essentially a humongous period in the fleeting world of video-games... Yup, 14 years old (AND it has a sequel too!), as unlikely candidate as that, and it is still not down and out, but somehow fighting on, as (some) people evidently keep playing MTW - and Redux right along with it. It is some 10 years since the RX-project started - 8 years (and counting) on the public scene (also a much longer period then most projects lasts). Needles to say, it certainly have exceeded any expectation I ever had (or dared to have) on it, as I first started working on it in 2006. Its all somewhat unreal yet its true... Imagine that....

Any comments/thoughts on all this?

- A

Leith

08-12-2016, 20:40

Congratulations and I'm not surprised at all Axalon. Your mod is a big leap forward in all aspects. I have learnt a lot from your mod. Thank you! Doesn't this give you the incentive to continue modding MTW ?

dimitrios the samian

08-13-2016, 05:51

Well done Axe !
When I'm done modding some pieces & creating another that we so desperately need for our Ancients Mods ,
I will install your Redux & give it a solid workout :yes: , then I will also know how you have made it so very challenging .
cheers

Axalon

08-16-2016, 08:24

Thanks guys, and thanks for posting - this place could use a little activity... Yan, thanks for the recognition, it is appreciated…

***

Leith!

You honour me… Using Redux as reference-work means you clearly found significance with it - beyond mere entertainment - much in the same way I once did with other major works that predates my own. Its full circle basically... Before I created Redux, I too studied the files and work of the major public mods available up to that point, MedMod (2005), BKB SupMod (2004) and XL(2007) - all the major stuff with a medieval theme. These works showed me what had been done up to that point, the how things could be done, and the way things should be done, and the mistakes one should avoid. I still credit them for general inspiration, to this day...

As for incentive and continuing modding MTW… I have no actual plans to quit as it is, as I have not completed/finished Redux the way I see it – I have merely released a bunch of consecutive WIP’s/betas. And I also plan to release RXB1006, later this year (with lots of new stuff, as usual). I just don’t visit (or bother with) the Org as much as I once used too. There are several reasons for it and we don’t need to get into that here. I am usually somewhat more active at the TWC....

***

Dimitrios!

If you have not tried Redux already, then you really should. After all, it is one of the most tested and celebrated mods out there for MTW - aren't you interested in exploring/discovering what all the fuss is about? On your own? ...Well, many have, and plenty also liked what they found. Redux is a different experience, its tougher and more unpredictable, diverse and complex, and the battles are (much) more lethal and brutal. Its not a continuation or further development of MTW but an alternative and new take on it. And, its designed for skilled and experienced players in mind primarily (thus the higher levels of challenge). Cater to that crowd for a change, unlike many other things done for MTW…

- A

Axalon

08-25-2016, 18:42

Anyhow, it is high time we had another edition of them "old questions, new answers"
-compilations. This time out of a RXB1005-perspective... Go!
======================================================

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

Q. Why is Redux so hard?!?
A. Redux is primarily designed with skilled or veteran players in mind. Its designs and generated experience usually reflects that, and thus it is significantly harder to master then raw/basic MTW (or close modifications of that).

Long answer…
---------------------
Redux is not made to suit everyone, it has no such goals or intentions. If you want easy and safe wins, you play raw MTW, as simple as that - you hardly go to Redux for any such thing. You go to Redux because you want get away from all that and still keep that distinct battlefield-simulator experience. That said, there are still some easier and optional factions available in Redux that should enable average and inexperienced players to play and enjoy Redux despite all things. And some people seems to have selected to stick with optional RX-factions only, or lower difficulty settings, as to control or reduce the challenge-levels. This instead of going for the real deal, playing the regular RX-factions and at standard/veteran difficulty - the way Redux was meant to be played. The challenge can thus be tailored somewhat to better suit individual skill-levels. Increasing unit-size usually makes things a bit easier as well (just as it will in raw MTW)...

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 here 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 spot in Redux, and thus were taken out of the game 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…. Next question….

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. Where is the Turkish faction?
A. Nowhere, they are not included in Redux, due to new and different designs…. The same came can be said of the Swiss, Sicilians, Novgorods, Golden Horde and Denmark. I did redesign the game all over and this is one of the results of all that. Next question….

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

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 25.000 fl. MTW got about 32.000+ fl. in raw tax-value on the same amount of provinces. So, Redux has roughly 7000 fl. less assigned to it, every turn. 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….

Ok, so much for this latest repeat of "old questions, new answers”…

- A

Leith

08-29-2016, 19:58

Some of the wonderful things about Redux, which are often overlooked, are the weapons and shields. Not only do they look great but their co-ordinates are quite accurate. Tyberius' mod in my opinion represented a quantum leap when it comes to getting weapons and shields right especially in terms of getting their positions right in the soldiers' hands.

However, Axalon further corrects those positions almost to the point of perfection. It so happens that I'm working on modifying the ChainHelm bif in vanilla MTW, so I wanted to see what other modders did with this bif. I found out that only Redux got the sword fighting animation right, let alone the fact that the shields look far better than any other mod.

Long story short, this missive is meant to give Axalon some of the recognition he truely deserves as a modder and an artist, since I really think Redux is a work of art. Thank you, Axalon, for your great gift to the MTW community.

Axalon

09-12-2016, 16:56

Hello again Leith, and thanks...

Yup, I agree... The shield and weapon-calibrations of Redux are totally one of the many overlooked and unrecognized parts of the project. I worked hard and extensively on that stuff, cleaning up all those screwed up and weird original CA-files for all BIF-plates used in Redux. Continuously over several releases actually... All the same, none of this ever gets mentioned or recognized anywhere whenever people talk or post about the project. Why that is I don't know - to me the difference is pretty damn obvious, once you do look at the units fighting. In truth, I think you are the very first to ever mention this stuff and pointed it out in public - this since 2011 - when the first batch of this particular work was released. Imagine that... I am glad someone noticed! Finally!

While I am still babbling here - much of the other things I have done in especially in battle-mode are still unrecognized to this day. For instance the new and various bridge-textures, they too are pretty obvious, or the textures for all churches or war-machines etc. etc. All that stuff are hardly ever recognized or mention by people, if at all, and its hardly much doubt that all that look way better then all of their original counterparts - having higher resolutions, more details, better colors etc. Same thing goes for a bunch of unit BIF-plates too, no one ever mentions that... Or the original music I created for Redux... To this day, I don't think anyone have EVER bothered to comment on that music. Personally, I think it sounds pretty cool, and have a darker vibe to it then the original score, maybe its just me... My overall point being here that are a lot of things that hardly gets any recognition in Redux, so whenever someone like you comes along, and bothers to recognize and notice something that essentially all else have ignored - I'm obviously thankful for it! As for the art-part of things, I try my best (usually)...

- A

Axalon

10-19-2016, 12:16

Folks…

I’m sitting here wondering if there are any active, old or previous Redux-players on “da Internetz” today that also use the steam-version? I don’t, so I can’t really produce the information I’m looking for here and I was hoping someone out there could help me on that note. I want to include a solid and simple guide on how to install Redux successfully on Steam and then put it in the RXB1006-ReadMe. Anyone that post up such a thing or seriously helps to that end - I will credit and get included in the Redux-credits list of future releases (starting with RXB1006). So, If you want a credit (or expand it) in Redux, here is your chance! Hopefully someone will find this magic offer simply irresistible!

Seriously, I appreciate any help on this matter. As I said, I don’t have a Steam-version so I could not do it even if I wanted too…

- A

macsen rufus

10-24-2016, 00:18

Hi Axalon,

I don't think there's any great mystery to installing to Steam versions beyond the usual 'make a new copy' rule - I had Beta Testers for Ancient 2 who used Steam and all worked ok based on the usual install instructions (the only problems came from resolution settings, ie don't use 800x600 if your system can do better....)

I'm looking forward to trying your mod as soon as I can clear the disc space :2thumbsup:

Axalon

10-29-2016, 13:03

Hi Mac and thanks for your input on this stuff,

Again, I know little about Steam and MTW as I don't have that combination myself. All I know is that it works just fine with Redux - as that is what people who do use Redux and Steam are telling me. I feared it would be much worse being steam and all, but it seems I am wrong on that note - thankfully...

As for trying Redux... I welcome anyone to give it a try and see if it is something for them. Some like it, some don't (less experienced players tend to think it is a bit too hard - then again it was not made for such players to begin with). Redux is not for all, and it was never made with such intentions. All the same, I do think that people should definitely try it and see for themselves what all the fuss is about. This of course goes for you too Mac... I can only hope you like the adventures it offers, but only you can tell for sure.

BTW, I have certainly had my eye one your stuff too - don't you dare think otherwise! However as a closed beta - its closed - as far as I can tell, so... I guess I will have too wait to release... On general terms I totally welcome that you and da boys are working on the ancient-project thou. Folks into MTW are easily better off with you guys around - working on creating yet more stuff for MTW with a bunch of new materials, settings and options... What's not to like? :D

- A

Axalon

11-06-2016, 22:58

Folks...

Today, its the 6th November... Time we had some update on RXB1006... So, lets have some... Princesses! Can it ever
get more important?!? Even the greeks of old knew that it was important enough cause to start wars over!

https://forums.totalwar.org/vb/images/redux/images/universal/Promo_PrincessRXB1006.jpg

:D

- A

Leith

11-07-2016, 00:49

They look fabulous, Axalon! Should we expect more eye-candy in the RXB1006 update? I certainly hope so!

dimitrios the samian

11-07-2016, 02:01

Ax
I gotta be brutally honest here .....
they all are the same woman with different clothes , attire & makeup .

Axalon

11-07-2016, 11:08

Hi and thanks for posting guys... I start with Leith...

They look fabulous, Axalon! Should we expect more eye-candy in the RXB1006 update? I certainly hope so!

That is exactly the kind of reaction I am always hoping for whenever I do present or release something/anything in public! And I always like ‘em… Thank you Leith for kindly delivering just that, right here, on this note. Now, as for other/further eye-candy coming in RXB1006 - yup I totally think so… Is there anything special you had in mind? Or wanted more details/news on?

***

I gotta be brutally honest here .....
they all are the same woman with different clothes , attire & makeup .

Short version...
At the end of the day, I think these girls are good enough for public release, and better then the previous ones - thus I will include them as a part of RXB1006. Naturally, I am hoping that as many people as possible will like them and agree with me on that general assessment, but if they don't... Well, that is a shame - but it happens...

Long version...
You are honest, there is value in that. Let me put it like this...

The way I have worked on this stuff is common practice within the game-industry. You develop a template or templates, and work out of those towards the numbers you need. MTW1 did it, MTW2 did it even more, and so have I. Its nothing strange with that practice. As it is, I won't be doing some roughly 250 new females all with distinctive faces, fully frontal, any time soon. I can understand what you are saying, its almost the same woman, but not quite. In reality "she" has a few minor/subtle face-variants actually, various eye-variants, and a few lip-variants, some complexions etc etc. Its all pretty subtle - standardized, and almost randomized in colours if you will.

However, to see all this you will have to look really close, into detail, to discover all that, and I don't expect you or other folks here to do that. People usually don't, so it can hardly be expected to be different this time around. And the portraits are pretty small to begin with. In my experience, it is typically the princesses/females that is held to the highest visual standards, and scrutinized the hardest – why that is, I don’t know.

I think it will be roughly 200 different (combinations that make up) princesses in RXB1006, and then some 50-ish copies to actually get a full set for the orthodox-culture (as it has only three colours to work with, there was not really much choice - Byzantine purple, Russian blue, default white). I doubt it’s a coincidence that Redux is probably the only major project for MTW1 that - to this day - has tried to offer serious alternative sets of portraits all over, including the princesses. This with actual original work done directly for the RX-project - not some copy & paste-stuff, overtly scavenged out of god knows where. Obviously created for a completely other context then where it has been applied – and that with little or no attempts at blending it properly, with the rest of the visual material for the project.

At any rate, this stuff will still form and offer a full alternative sets to those of us who truly wants that - instead of the original MTW sets of princesses. Me being one of those people, that for many years. Personally, I have never really or generally liked the MTW original portraits - including the princesses. Raw MTW works primarily with angles to build up quantity in portraits, usually 3-4 angles of the same portrait. I deliberately use colors instead, and this is extra visible on the princesses - all with a fixed frontal angle and a standardized background. Much to deliberatly eliminate the need for creating many distinct originals and parts. Its true that MTW1 do have more varied faces, by direct comparison, but those artists got paid for creating that, and they used 3D. I don't, this in both instances - thus I won't be doing that. Doing just these sets are ridiculously time-consuming already as it is...

At the end of the day, I think these girls are good enough for public release, and better then the previous ones - thus I will include them as a part of RXB1006. Naturally, I am hoping that as many people as possible will like them and agree with me on that general assessment, but if they don't... Well, that is a shame - but it happens...

- A

Leith

11-08-2016, 20:36

Hello Axalon! I was curious to learn more about what graphical improvement we would see in your next release and whether new or modified unit graphics might be considered for future releases. Thank you!

Axalon

11-11-2016, 16:53

Hi again Leith and thanks for posting (as ever)...

Well... There will be several GFX-changes on units - which I personally would regard as improvements. It is all a matter of altered units basically, but there won't be any completely new units - as I don't work in 3D (Its simply not my thing, and I lack the patience for it). So all new unit-stuff for RXB1006, are altered units - and mostly its a matter of altering color-patterns. Some 12-13 unit-plates will be altered somehow out of the 36(?) existing ones. There will be changes/improvements in weapons or shields too, but not on that scale. So yeah, overall there will plenty of that stuff in RXB1006...

There will be plenty of other GFX beyond all that too. So the RXB1006 will be a massive upgrade in many ways, probably one of the biggest yet. Much of it is general polishing existing material further, but there will be plenty of new stuff too - as usual. Maybe I could do some screens on some units and post 'em up later - if there are any interest in that?

- A

Leith

11-11-2016, 19:43

Excellent news! I was not expecting completely new units. The way you modified some of the bifs, such as the original Viking bif, has been inspirational to me so much so that I decided to alter the Viking bif almost completely. Now I can change the hair, the pants' colour, the armour, the helm and the belt at will. It's these little graphical touches that I am looking for, e.g changing the Vikings' pants color from dark blue to yellow.

I'd welcome any screens you might share with us. Thank you in advance!

Axalon

11-20-2016, 12:18

Alright... I'll try to do some screens later on...

- A

Axalon

12-06-2016, 23:25

Folks, the RXB1006 is happening and its taking Redux to the next level... Get ready and grab your copy on the 16th...

https://forums.totalwar.org/vb/images/redux/images/universal/RX_ReleaseNote_08.jpg (http://www.twcenter.net/forums/showthread.php?190721-Medieval-Total-War-Redux-(Beta))

- A

Leith

12-07-2016, 21:53

Excellent news indeed!:yes:

dimitrios the samian

12-08-2016, 04:30

Looking forward to most definately playing Redux this time around .
Well done Axalon.

western

12-16-2016, 00:37

Tomorrow's the day. Looking forward to seeing what Axalon has in store - and how much I need to redo any tweaks for personal use I've made over the years :dizzy2:

Axalon

12-16-2016, 23:54

Alright guys, while (unfortunately) delayed for several hours, here it finally is... The RXB1006... The links are live...

https://forums.totalwar.org/vb/images/redux/images/screens/RX_Outnow00.jpg (http://www.twcenter.net/forums/showthread.php?190721-Medieval-Total-War-Redux-(Beta))

- A

dimitrios the samian

12-19-2016, 10:46

downloaded ! .....3rd time lucky .

Axalon

12-22-2016, 17:56

Re-download & re-install RXB1006...

As usual, some (damned) errors find their way into my release, and the RXB1006 is no exception. While its good that I can spot some of that stuff on my own, it still creates some problems in general (as one could expect). Anyhow, as it has not even been a full week since the initial release - I am basically left was left with two choices... A). Create a new patch that 50% of people probably won't even bother downloading anyhow... B). Patch Redux myself and re-upload it and recommend people to re-download and re-install it to fix them errors permanently. I decided to go with the latter...

Thus, I fully recommend and request that ALL people that currently play, or plan to play, or have downloaded RXB1006 prior to Dec 22, please do re-download and then re-install it to fix the various small errors I already spotted/found within the initial release (made the 16th). The new release is fully save-game compatible with the previous RXB1006, and it won't break your current game, just improve and fix it. As it so close to the original and first release, I have not even bothered updating the version-number. The new uploads are already in place, and the links for them are live (see post: 1).

Here is a small list of the changes the new upload of RXB1006 will bring...

Fixing the Nubian warriors...
Various glory shields corrected...
Lower upkeep on Muslim nobles…
Removing defect quickbattle files...
Thresholds for honour on all hero & champion (or similar) units adjusted...
Castle descriptions provided wrong stability numbers…
Muslim Princess-feature corrected (VI-versions only).
Deadpage coords updated (VI-versions only).

As a compensation for the inconvenience, I have also included...

New design-document on castle-variables in RXB1006. (bonus materials)
Updated design document on stability in Redux. (bonus materials)
+6 new orthodox portraits for generals... (bonus materials)

- A

Axalon

02-25-2017, 14:38

The customary notes to self...

Redux & 2016:
*************************************************************
Releases: RXB1006, RXB-VI1006... (released Dec 16, both patched Dec 22)
Downloads RXB1006: 50+ (estimate)
Downloads RXB1005: 800-1200 (estimate)
Views in 2016: +29.000, this thread... (the TWC Redux-thread had +32.000 views)
Posts in 2016: +33 & 15 where mine, this thread... (the TWC Redux-thread had 79 posts & 31 was mine).

Overall, I think the best thing that happened in 2016 for Redux - apart from the release of RXB1006 - was the re-organization of the Org-index, which includes Redux directly. It can not get a better spot then that - lets hope that this welcome change did not come too late, and that the Redux-area, and indeed the entire site can finally recover again from the past years disasters and mistreatment (of TW-games). It sure needs it, both Redux and the site... The worst thing that happened for Redux in 2016 was the regretful shutdown of the old GameFront - which caused problems and a mess in terms of getting any accurate statistics on downloads. Essentially it all went out the window after that, the best I can do at this point are rough estimates. Anyhow, in 2017, MTW will become 15 years old in August, while Redux will become 9 (also in August) - and I am still working on the damn thing...

Time sure flies.

- A

Axalon

02-25-2017, 15:45

Alright folks,

I have updated post:1 - and for the first time since the summer of 2015, Redux has once again fully operational primary
and reserve uploads ready for business. I also updated the install-emergency, and updated the debug-thread as well...

Once again... All who uses VI-/GOLD-/ERAS-/STEAM-versions to run Redux are hereby extremely recommended to
once again re-download the new and updated RX VI-module, and apply it on top of the previous install. For a full details,
go to the debug-area (post:133).

- A

Cyprian2

05-02-2017, 02:10

Axalon, congrats on the latest release and thanks for your hard work and (as always) your dedication to keeping things fresh. I've finally had a chance to fire up the latest version of Redux and start a campaign as my old standby, the Spanish. This time I am using Steam, since my good 'ol Windows XP rig died on me. :( First impressions: Steam and Redux seem to fit well together. It's very early in my campaign, but no crashes so far. However, I wonder if there's a way to slow down scrolling on the campaign map. I'm not sure if this a Windows 10 thing or a Steam thing, but my cursor just speeds across the map now and I'm hardly ever able to stop on a province when I need to...

Axalon

05-08-2017, 04:12

Hello Cyp, nice to see you posting here again in this dusty old place...

Before I answer your question, I just want to say that I have neither any Steam(-version) or W10 and therefore I am happy to receive any intel/info on Redux, Steam and W10 you can send my way. I could probably use it somehow, somewhere... As for your problem - I have no idea... Perhaps you could use the arrow-buttons instead? They work... If you punch in num-lock you can use those keys too, and zoom in/out as well. Maybe that could remedy your problem? At any rate...

****************************************************************

Dear all lurkers...

Cyprian have just proven here - simply by posting - that this place is actually open for business (to anybody willing) - all it takes is you posting here. If you (yes that means you) want new stuff to happen here, if you actually want to have new stuff to read about Redux - then you post... As simple as that... It is the only way - there are no alternative or other way for keeping this place active and interesting...

If you do not post - then nothing will happen here, and I will be as active here as that, and you will as a direct result get zero output and stuff to read here. That translates to zero things to lurk on, alright? I can only take this place so far on my own. Besides, having me babbling here to myself gets old real fast. Even I get that... Ergo, this place needs some kind dialog and input in order to have a meaningful output of any kind, it is a simple as that. And that means posts, in all its forms and sizes. No posts equals no activity - and ultimately nothing for you to lurk on here, alright?

I just thought I should clear this up here, once and for all. Now, feel free to
surprise me, and start actually using this place, who ever you are...

- A

Cyprian2

05-16-2017, 23:12

Hey, Ax. Thanks for the reply. Good suggestion re: using the arrow keys. For some reason, this Win 10/Steam version just seems to scroll super fast, but it's a bit better with the arrows because I can at least choose where to stop. Also, every twenty turns or so, I will get a freeze-up on the Redux splash screen after hitting escape on the campaign map. Most frustratingly, it usually happens when I'm trying to save after a large battle. Not sure why this happens, but quick-save is my friend now.

I am really enjoying some of the new elements. Just a couple questions:

1. What is the ultimate payoff of following the brewery chain to the top? Just extra florins? Is it worth it considering my generals will also gain the "often drunk" trait?

EDIT: Not florins, I meant public order. So the question being: is it simply a happiness modifier, or is there ever a financial benefit?

2. Whatever happened to the Hungarian dragon knights from versions long ago? I really miss those guys, and feel they added some extra spice to the game. I also enjoyed bribing them when playing as Poland. If I recall correctly, there was also a dismounted version. Would you ever consider bringing them back?

So far I've played as Spain and Poland. Both campaigns ended because my king died without heirs. :(

As always, thanks for the hard work. I've got screenies to share eventually.

Axalon

05-19-2017, 08:12

Heya Cyp,

...every twenty turns or so, I will get a freeze-up on the Redux splash screen after hitting escape on the campaign map. Most frustratingly, it usually happens when I'm trying to save after a large battle.

I have no idea (nota bene) - my guess would be its driver or hardware-related... Never heard of anything like it before. Maybe its a steam-version thing, but I doubt it (I would probably have heard something about it before now, had that been the case)...

I am really enjoying some of the new elements.

Great to hear, I really wish that more people and players would sound off regarding the 1006 somehow - likes/dislikes/opinions/something. Its only the most extensive RX-release since 2011 - but who is keeping tabs on such fleeting details anyways? Save me perhaps - the guy who does all the work... :P

So far I've played as Spain and Poland. Both campaigns ended because my king died without heirs. :(

Never liked that part/element in the game.... Once I commented (jokingly) on all this stuff...

"Personally, I never approved of that part of that game and as a result I constantly use the "unfreeze-cheat" to bypass that crap as much as possible (as it is all hardcoded). Same with the marriages, I never approved of that nonsense either and so I happily use debug mode to just bypass that too. Both were absent in STW1, and it is clearly better off as a game because of it... After all, I don't play any TW to broker some damn marriages or to worry about (almost) pointless kings and their ridiculous children/heirs that barely lasts beyond 20-30 turns anyhow (generally speaking). Play some damn Sims-game for that crap! Yes, it is a bit simplified, but the sentiment should be plain enough for all to see anyhow. This is Total War! Not kindergarten or baby-fest!" :D

***

As for da questions...

1. What is the ultimate payoff of following the brewery chain to the top? Just extra florins? Is it worth it considering my generals will also gain the "often drunk" trait?

EDIT: Not florins, I meant public order. So the question being: is it simply a happiness modifier, or is there ever a financial benefit?

The maxed out Brewer-tech yields +5% stability and (about) +8 fl. per turn and little else (which is kind of good actually). It does not influence or generate traits/vices as such (I wish, but it does not). Vices are usually random (unfortunately)...

2. Whatever happened to the Hungarian dragon knights from versions long ago? I really miss those guys, and feel they added some extra spice to the game. I also enjoyed bribing them when playing as Poland. If I recall correctly, there was also a dismounted version. Would you ever consider bringing them back?

They are still in Redux... Its just that the requirements have been increased for them (in1005?) and so the Hungarians can not build some Dragon Knights until they have developed all the necessary tech for it. You could obviously mod this back and forth if you like - giving them all the stuff necessary at start up (in start pos-file), or do other changes on this note. And no... There never was a dismounted version for these boys...

Alright, that's all I have for you this time - and feel free to share any Redux
screens here - this place could use some action.

- A

Axalon

07-15-2017, 15:30

Folks, I would like to have some opinions on these "Muslim princesses" - as I am somewhat torn... See images below. Which do
you guys prefer/like the most? The black and white alternative princesses - or - the standard gold and orange kind? ...Thoughts?

https://forums.totalwar.org/vb/images/redux/images/RX_NawarGO_01.jpg
These are the standard gold and orange kind...

https://forums.totalwar.org/vb/images/redux/images/RX_NawarBW_01.jpg
These are the alternative white and black kind...

Basically, help me decide.

- A

macsen rufus

07-16-2017, 06:09

I think I'd go for black and white myself :bow:

Axalon

07-21-2017, 12:53

Thanks for your input here Mac (this forum is obviously not as active as it used to be),

As it turns out you have been "outvoted" by folks over at the TWC, who preferred the standard princesses. I tell you what, I'll include the black and white version as additional bonus material for RXB1007 - leaving every or any player with the option to use that alternative - if so desired. I think that is the best I can do on this note.

- A

Axalon

09-01-2017, 16:23

200.000+ views sure is a lot of views... Anyways...

https://forums.totalwar.org/vb/images/redux/images/universal/RX_ReleaseNote_2017_Black01.jpg (http://www.twcenter.net/forums/showthread.php?190721-Medieval-Total-War-Redux-(Beta))

Or...

https://forums.totalwar.org/vb/images/redux/images/universal/RX_ReleaseNote_2017_Green02.jpg (http://www.twcenter.net/forums/showthread.php?190721-Medieval-Total-War-Redux-(Beta))

- A

fresco

10-09-2017, 14:35

i can't wait for tomorrow release!

Axalon

10-10-2017, 17:30

Alright folks, the links are live...

https://forums.totalwar.org/vb/images/redux/images/universal/RX_Outnow01.jpg (https://forums.totalwar.org/vb/showthread.php?106497-MTW-Redux-Beta-Released!)

- A

fresco

10-10-2017, 23:30

With last version,I play great without any type of problem.
Now with this version I've immediatly a CDT

Axalon

10-11-2017, 16:40

Excellent that you posted up a screen.... Now, if you get one of these messages.... (And yes, its identical)....

https://forums.totalwar.org/vb/images/redux/images/universal/RX_ErrorMessage03.jpg

Means that you have not been reading the provided instructions, and that you are trying to run (basic "module A") Redux
without the VI-upgrade upon a VI/v.2.01/Gold/Steam-game. To fix it, apply/install the VI-upgrade (aka. "module B") for
1007 ASAP and install it on top (as in last) - and you will be playing Redux in no time....

Its found as a separate folder in the RXB1007-package - named "Redux - VI-UPGRADE".

- A

fresco

10-11-2017, 23:29

All works ok,thanks!

Axalon

10-14-2017, 15:38

Excellent that it has worked out for you Fresco...

Anyhow, I thought I could - if nothing else happens here - show some visual differences between
the original MTW and RXB1007 by posting a few big (1920x1080p) comparative screens...

See in spoiler folks...

Now, lets start with having a look the campaign-mode and its differences... Using England as an example... First out, raw MTW...

https://forums.totalwar.org/vb/images/redux/images/screens/RX_screen_001.jpg

And then... The RXB1007 counterpart...

https://forums.totalwar.org/vb/images/redux/images/screens/RX_screen_002.jpg

***

So, lets have a look at the Royal knights... First out, raw MTW...

https://forums.totalwar.org/vb/images/redux/images/screens/RX_screen_004.jpg

And then... The RXB1007 counterpart...

https://forums.totalwar.org/vb/images/redux/images/screens/RX_screen_003.jpg

***

Now, lets have a look at some plain spearmen (using Italians)... First out, raw MTW...

https://forums.totalwar.org/vb/images/redux/images/screens/RX_screen_005.jpg

And then... The RXB1007 counterpart... (Using Poles)...

https://forums.totalwar.org/vb/images/redux/images/screens/RX_screen_006.jpg

***

Finally, lets have a look at some other unit... Italian infantry, for instance... First out, raw MTW...

https://forums.totalwar.org/vb/images/redux/images/screens/RX_screen_007.jpg

And then... The RXB1007 counterpart...

https://forums.totalwar.org/vb/images/redux/images/screens/RX_screen_008b.jpg

***

Any thoughts and comments on all this?

- A

dimitrios the samian

10-20-2017, 10:31

nice work Axalon ...
looks much more alive .

jingo7

10-22-2017, 19:15

Great stuff as usual Axalon. The new map is more atmospheric and varied. The new farming techs are good at slowing down the rate of improvement, I have yet to see how the AI uses it.

Axalon

10-25-2017, 23:32

Thanks for posting guys...

Jingo, as far as I can tell the new farming system of RXB1007, hits both player and AI in terms of speed. General development of any province are typically and clearly slowed down. However, a skilled player will always outperform the AI - no matter the designs. This change basically "even things out" somewhat in terms of speed - as the player will now inevitably need longer time/more turns to set up a functional economy in any province, just like the AI (assuming we do this from scratch). This, before she can seriously focus on events beyond her borders - so to speak.

I have not run a ton of tests on this, but from what I have seen so far it seems to work (as intended). It should work well in theory, at least... At any rate, it certainly is harder to generate cash now, as it takes more time and investments to get there, and on top of that, several prices/costs have been (deliberately) increased too. Feel free to monitor this aspect of the Redux more closely if you like, and share your findings here. I would speculate that some AI-factions (HRE, Poland and Russia, for instance) will probably have a harder time dealing with this farming-model then other factions (ultimately, needing more time). On the other end, "supremacy-bonus-factions" like Byzantium, Moors and Saracens are probably hit much less by it...

- A

Axalon

12-31-2017, 18:48

A happy new year folks... The customary notes to self...

Redux & 2017:
*************************************************************
Releases: RXB1007, and some hotfixes...
Downloads RXB1007: 498
Downloads RXB1006: 739
Views in 2017: +48.000 (!), this thread... (the TWC Redux-thread had +46.000 views)
Posts in 2017: +18 & 11 where mine, this thread... (the TWC Redux-thread had 51 posts & 20 was mine).

Well, its the end of 2017 and Redux is still around (even here at the Org!) and its almost 10 years old at this point (as a public entity). Imagine that! MTW is still around too, and that is a freaking 15-year old game by now. To me, this whole circumstance is exceptional and extreme all over, as I have never ever played - or modded - ANY videogame like this. Its totally unique for Redux and MTW. And I can't really explain it, other then I clearly still like 'em somehow (otherwise I would have left it behind long ago, obviously), despite all things and all the time passed. Its just unbelievable and extreme. Who would have believed any of this back in 2008, right?

- A

Axalon

10-23-2018, 16:18

2000+ Downloads!

As of this week the RXB1007 managed to reach 2000+ downloads! Obviously this is good news for Redux on general terms, as it definitely shows that this mod still generates much interest and players after all these years (10 in fact!). Typically, I consider any release (Redux or otherwise) that manage to go north of 500+ downloads to be a success far and well beyond rational expectations - that for any material - but especially so for all stuff that does depend on/apply to ancient/old games - such as MTW. So these news/statistics are welcome yet unexpected success for the RXB1007 as such, but also for the Redux-project in general. Obviously I am very happy about all this stuff...

Any comments/thoughts on all this?

- A

Leith

10-23-2018, 20:38

Hello and congrats, Axalon. It's only natural that Redux continues to generate interest as it is one of the best MTW mods out there in my opinion. Thank you for the many hours of joy your mod provided me with. Cannot wait for the next release.

Axalon

10-29-2018, 18:54

Hi Leith and thanks for posting (as always),

Umm, I have no idea when the next release of Redux will be at this point, its TBA essentially. And whenever I do, I will obviously post some note about it right here... And just maybe, you might be able to have some more adventures in "Redux-land". We will see. Anyhow, thanks again Leith...

- A

Axalon

10-29-2018, 18:56

10 years at the Org!

As it stands, Redux has managed to go beyond to the 10-year marker... Imagine that, 10 mighty years! By internet time it’s a small eternity, and its kind of hard to believe for me too. At the Org, it all started with this very thread in Aug 2008, and here I am, still posting here! Amazing! I remember, over at the TWC, I was so frustrated that I could not get any damned people to post and especially to actually try my mod/work! It was annoying as hell, just read the first 30-40 posts or so (over there) in that thread and you can see that all over. While here at the Org, it was a different story altogether! In a good way! Obviously, things changed, and tons of stuff happened on the road to get all the way to now 2018. Its a long journey...

The first version of Redux really was a very different beast then what you guys can download today. It really was more of an expansion of the raw game, building on that. However it had some inovations too. For instance, the colorized campaign-map was included in that release. Before then, such a notion was thing was essentially unheard of in the world of MTW. Another inovation was the use faction-colors applied to the knigts horses. Maybe some more but I don’t remember…

https://axelhaig.com/redux/images/screens/RX_2ndEd_montage02.jpg
One of the first promo-pics I ever did for Redux, back in 2008. One of the innovations with Redux 1.0 was the active use of faction-colours on agents like
emissaries & princesses for instance. Previously it had always been confined to the base only .Note that the princess-pieces were also very different back
then, as were their portraits and the Lombard shields too. The logo was different as well...

Over the years there have been so many changes, that I more or less lost track of it all. Few things are still included today, that came with the initial (public) release. Some of these few things are the various portraits/artwork of Spies, Druids and Bishops. I still use them today… Also, a bunch of the Hero-portraits (Catholic) has managed this feat, as well. Other then that there is not much left of that first release back in Aug 2008. And that was just for V1.1, as there was no VI/V2.01-version around at first.

Soon after, in October a second edition dubbed “Redux 1.0b”, was publicly released. It was basically an improved and more polished version of its predecessor, but the overall ideas and designs where still rather similar, and fairly close to the raw game by todays standards. Despite all that, it still managed to end up tougher and more challenging then the raw game. Due to improved designs. Of course, it was nowhere close to the possible challenge-levels we got today in Redux - but in those days it was generally considered tough. Close to that release, there was various patches crafted and Redux became ported to VI/V.2.01 games, for the first time.

https://axelhaig.com/redux/images/screens/SiegeEngines_02.jpg
By 2009, the plans for a 3rd Edition of Redux was in full swing. Planned to be released in the summer. It would never happen, as Redux got delayed well
beyond that point. Also, note that the Portuguese unit-banners where quite different back then...

https://axelhaig.com/redux/images/screens/RX_3rdED_preview06.jpg
By 2010, 3rd Edition Redux was still not released when this promowork was made public. Note the cryptic "release 2010". Anyhow, the pagan Norse have
always had a special place in Redux, much more so then in raw MTW. The 3rd Edition was planned to offer more such content and units then had been
included before and make each unit more distinct too. Btw, many of these units are still in use even today...

It would take some 3 years (March 2011) before another version of Redux actually publicly released. It was dubbed the Redux Beta 1000... Once released, it showed that tons of things had happened up to that point, both in the project as such - drastic changes in designs and artwork for instance, but also around the project. It had established itself in the public eye, as one of the then “big four” (BKB-supermod, MedMod, XL and Redux). It had even been awarded and recognized here at the Org, in 2010. Together with the beta1001 (released a month or two later) it would lay the first foundation of what we know as Redux today. I had worked like crazy with that release. New AI-system, redesigned combat-model, new weapons & shield-animations, new tech-tree – you name it. I also had help from a few brave souls that helped out in various ways "for the greater good of Redux"… At any rate, the changes introduced with the Beta1000/1001 was massive. Despite all that, there was plenty of errors and bugs - so the beta1002 was published in the summer of 2011. It was a much better release, as I recall.

https://axelhaig.com/redux/images/universal/RX_MapEvol.jpg
It might be interesting in retrospect to see how Redux campmaps have actually evolved during these ten years. It started out as fairly faithful to the original
map but in 2011 all that was gone - instead we had an entirely new style for Redux - which eventually became darker and darker for some reason...

In 2012 came the beta1003, which was better and more polished version then the beta1002. At the end of 2013, the beta1004 was finally introduced (having been delayed). And with it we take yet another important jump closer to the Redux we know today… Initially it had problems with the AI-performance as the AI had been redesigned yet again (problems were limited to the VI/v.2.01-variant, as the V1.1 performed just fine)… After a bunch of bugs and serious panic, it seems to have been resolved to decent enough levels anyways. 2014 the beta1005 was introduced. The beta1005 had a much better release, and much less problems as I remember it. All the same, in 2016, beta1006 hit the world. Lots of new and important artwork in that release – princesses! What else could be more important?! Over the years, few things have generated as much fuss and opinions as the RX-princesses. There are only a few things that I have worked on as much, and as hard as these damn girls. Now, since people have ceased to post opinions about them (da girls!). I take it that they are good and sexy enough by now…

https://axelhaig.com/redux/images/universal/Promo_PrincessRXB1006.jpg
This montage was created to showcase the various new princesses included in the RXB1006, released at the end of 2016. Redux had several incarnations and
versions of princesses before this batch - but these are probably the most "spot-on" in terms of style and what I always wanted for Redux...

Anyways, at the end of 2017 we had the last release that make up Redux as we know it today – the beta1007. Comparing that with the first release of 2008 is more or less like night and day, I think. Yet it too contains some errors/bugs here and there, which are slowly fixed and stamped out - up till now there have been released 3 hotfixes, so far. So that particular part have not changed much... Still, I think the 1007 have come a long way from the early days, the designs are radically different, as is the overall experience and circumstances delivered, as is the visual experience provided if we compare it all to both the original game or the first Redux of 2008...

Anyhow, what do you folks think of the long journey Redux have had over the last decade and the current RXB1007-
performance and experience in general, do tell/post! After all, its not every day we honour/celebrate 10 years here!

- A

Ludens

10-31-2018, 14:16

Congratulations on this milestone, Axalon, and thanks for sticking with us.

~:thumb:

Here's to many more years of MTW-Redux!

Togakure

12-25-2018, 23:13

Looks fantastic! It's been a long time since I played a campaign, but this gives me good reason to do so in the near future. Outstanding, Axalon. Thank you for these amazing contributions to one of my favorite games of all time.

Cyprian2

12-31-2018, 15:57

Hard to believe it's been 10 years! Redux was the first mod I ever installed -- back when I didn't have access to Viking Invasion, and had to find something good for regular MTW. Redux really made the grade, and provided countless hours of entertainment. Believe it or not, I still have one of the earliest builds (from 2008?) and I occasionally revisit an old campaign as the Polish. Though the new map is absolutely gorgeous, the older maps still have their charms.

Congrats on continuing the legacy, Ax. Looking forward to what 2019 might bring for Redux!

Axalon

01-04-2019, 16:32

Thanks for posting guys... Anyways, the traditional "notes to self" for 2018...
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Redux & 2018:
*************************************************************
Releases: 1 hotfix...
Downloads RXB1007: 1837
Views in 2018: +24.000, this thread... (For comparison, the TWC Redux-thread had +39.000 views)
Posts in 2018: +7 & 3 where mine, this thread... (For comparison, the TWC Redux-thread had 22 posts & 11 was mine).

In 2018, I was away from the Org and the RX-area for 8 months straight (Jan-Aug). From May to Aug this entire section (the RX-area) was effectively shut down due to Org-management had screwed up after their "upgrade of the site" - leaving all major threads in the RX-area totally inaccessible and thus impossible to post in/edit as a result. Why? Because they simply failed (or did not bother) to check out the site properly AFTER they applied that "upgrade".... You know, like normal/serious sites do....

I discovered all this as I returned here, and once I complained it was finally fixed. This within 24 hrs, and that is the only good thing I can say about this entire affair. The TWO other moderators assigned to this place (by the administration!) - besides myself - where were they during those 3 months of shutdown, one wonders? Again, what is the point of assigning any additional moderators to this place/section if they will not patrol the area somehow, sometime? If you ask me, its just some more of that "Org-logics" in all its glory...

I have no doubt that my personal absence here AND the administrations screw-up from May to Aug have somehow influenced the numbers we get for the Redux-area in 2018 (both for views and posts). Strictly statistically speaking, 2018 was a rather poor year, especially for this thread compared with 2017 - as it generated only half the views it had generated back then. In terms of posts its more of the same - less then half of that of 2017. I think these final numbers and the related circumstances here show somehow what happens when practices are as poor as we have had here, thus far. Poor practices, generates poor results... Imagine that.

Now, if we look at sheer downloads - Redux fared much better then the statistics related to this Redux-area (and site) would suggest. In fact, it has been an exceptionally good year for the project in terms of sheer downloads - so it can hardly be that people in general have somehow lost interest in it. Nah, the statistics paint us different picture - and one that stands in great contrast to this place (and site) at large - things has essentially never been as good as it was in 2018 for Redux, as it was downloaded more then ever (since I first released the 1000-betas)...

REDUX Betas (3rd ED)
----------------------------------
Year & downloads:
----------------------------------
2011 ---- 500+
2012 ---- 950
2013 ---- 1300
2014 ---- 1350
2015 ---- 1800
2016 ---- 1050
2017 ---- 1237
2018 ---- 1837 (All-time high? It looks like it...)

So that don't match up with the relatively poor numbers that we have had from this site/area, this year (again, compare with the TWC-thread). Instead it seems to be something that is not working well around here (at the Org). Furthermore, I have not seen any attempts to improve or combat the obviously poor practices by Org-staff thus far - either here at the RX-area directly, or the site at large - this since August 2018. I can only explain the administrations unconcern/disinterest for combating such overtly deficient practices due to complacency. Or is it just more of that notorious "Org-logics" at work, or is it perhaps both? ...Who knows? ...Who cares?

- A

Leith

01-29-2019, 03:41

Couldn't agree more, YanBG. Redux is undervalued even though it is one of the best MTW mods ever. It is unique in almost every single aspect:
the unit roster, the map, the graphics, even the rebels, who can be deadly in this mod. I would like to thank Axalon for his great work on getting the weapons/shields co-ordinates right. Thanks to his hard work, my vanilla units finally look decent enough. Wish him more success.

edyzmedieval

04-11-2019, 01:53

Axalon, I will give your mod a significant try-out, now that you released the 2018 / 2019 version. Should be great fun. :bow:

Goalum

04-11-2019, 07:58

Yeah, this is a mod with a lot of effort put in it, kudos for still going at it..:yes:~:)

Axalon

07-10-2019, 10:21

Hello folks and thanks for posting guys... How are things on da Org-side of the world?

... Redux should be more popular and played on Youtube even, but i guess it's tied to the game's overall fanbase?

Well, I agree but the fanbase is rather small these days... I would welcome some more Redux-youtube clips any day - playthrough or battles, makes no difference to me. It would just be fun to have some more of that. Another thing is that many who still bother with MTW are convinced "purists" - especially here at the Org, it seems. Redux is all about doing the very stuff that the purist-crowd don't like... Changing, altering and improving things...

Redux is undervalued even though it is one of the best MTW mods ever. ...

I would say that Redux is undervalued by some people but not all - often, it is by people who never even tried it, or actually understand what it does and brings. However, it is hard to escape that there are plenty of folks that do like and value Redux. While it does not show much here at the Org - despite the existing Redux-section here - it does show some more over at the TWC where Redux has ended up as No:1 MTW-work/mod in both posts and traffic (there). Obviously, it would be fun if Redux had more support around here - but what can you do? If people or the site (as such) don't want to actively support your stuff - you can't force them. Anyhow, I have always valued your support and posts here...

Axalon, I will give your mod a significant try-out, now that you released the 2018 / 2019 version. Should be great fun. :bow:

Hi Edyz, you have ended up an administrator?!? That's quite a promotion... Congratulations? You may very well be the first Org-administrator - since Tosa - that I might actually get along with. That is a welcome change. Let's hope for that. Anyhow, I do welcome this unexpected surprise but I can't help but to wonder what changed your mind? I mean, Redux have been around and supported here for more then 10 years - so why the sudden urge to play it now? Is there a special reason for this?

- A

Axalon

07-10-2019, 10:28

3000+ downloads!

As of this weekend the RXB1007 has managed to generate over 3000 downloads in total (since release), which of course is fantastic but also amazing as the base-game (MTW1) is... Almost 17 freaking years old, which is essentially a small eternity in the fleeting world of video-games. Yup, almost 17 years old AND a sequel on top as well! As unlikely candidate as that, and still some people evidently keep playing MTW and Redux all the same! It is some 13 years since the RX-project started - more then 10 years (and counting) on the public scene. Needles to say, the RXB1007 and the entire Redux-project have exceeded any expectation I had (or dared to have) on it, as I first started working on it in 2006. Its all somewhat unbelievable and amazing to me - yet its true... Imagine that....

Any comments/thoughts on all this?

- A

edyzmedieval

08-07-2019, 01:42

HHi Edyz, you have ended up an administrator?!? That's quite a promotion... Congratulations? You may very well be the first Org-administrator - since Tosa - that I might actually get along with. That is a welcome change. Let's hope for that. Anyhow, I do welcome this unexpected surprise but I can't help but to wonder what changed your mind? I mean, Redux have been around and supported here for more then 10 years - so why the sudden urge to play it now? Is there a special reason for this?- A

Hi there Ax,

Thank you for the kind words. :bow:

To be fair to you, the state of modern gaming right now has left me a bit indifferent. I mean there are still plenty of games I do play but that fantastic excitement of playing a game like MTW is not there with the new games. And I've played vanilla TW for a while, so I'm looking to freshen things up a bit.

William the Silent

07-31-2020, 17:59

Hey Axalon, I'm still playing your Mod. I once made an AAR on an early Spanish campaign and fooled you with a picture of upside down trees in your Mod as a game tester.
MTW-I already was a fun game, more enjoyable then the newer, far too complex all eye candy games, but your mod still does it for me. When I'm bored there is Redux TW.

Still being your creative self?

daigaku

03-13-2021, 10:53

Hi,

I just want to say "hello" again ;-)

this night I downloaded 1007 to give it a try, after having been content with 1003 till now actually.

I will give response to it as soon as I got a grip how it's to be played in "daigaku style" ;-)

Greetings to all still playing M:TW and especially REDUX, daigaku

daigaku

03-13-2021, 17:19

.........oooohhhkayyy........let me put it that way: That's simply ridiculous.

I do like a challenge, as everybody kowing my style of playing remembers. But having to build for 120 years (as Norse) to get together a minimum of recruiting possibilities, a more or less decent income and some stability, fighting and building nonstop with no benefit at all ("Builder"with increased Loyalty or, for god's sake, after 15-20 won battles with max. two third of men a Star as general!) makes it pointless to play on. I'll stick to 1.003, rather balanced, really challenging, but with rewards for the eager player.

Greetings, daigaku

Axalon

06-02-2021, 02:28

Hello everyone and thanks for posting guys…

I do like a challenge, as everybody kowing my style of playing remembers. But having to build for 120 years (as Norse) to get together a minimum of recruiting possibilities, a more or less decent income and some stability, fighting and building nonstop with no benefit at all ("Builder"with increased Loyalty or, for god's sake, after 15-20 won battles with max. two third of men a Star as general!) makes it pointless to play on. I'll stick to 1.003, rather balanced, really challenging, but with rewards for the eager player.

It is unfortunate that you feel this way... On general terms, The Norse is supposed to be one of the harder factions to play in terms of challenge compared with most other RX-factions. The Norse are also intended to provide a different - if not unique – experience something other then what you might get by playing other factions in Redux. I certainly tried to make culture matter much more in Redux, and that in ways that never really happened (or was considered) in the raw game. If RXB1003 does it for you then by all means play that - but you will miss out on whole lot of content and stuff. The difference between RXB1003 and RXB1007 is rather substantial - not just in terms of GFX, but in designs, solutions and overall experience as well. I do all such changes with the constant goal of making things better somehow in Redux. If that ends up successful or not, and if that pleases all players – is another matter…

And just to be clear here, due to time-limitations I won’t be able support any other release then the most current version of Redux.

- A

Axalon

06-02-2021, 02:32

While I am here, some (lost) Redux-stats for both 2019 & 2020…

Redux & 2019:
*************************************************************
Releases: None...
Downloads RXB1007: 1190
Views in 2019: +21.723, this thread... (the TWC Redux-thread had +59.305 views)
Posts in 2019: +8 & 3 where mine, this thread... (the TWC Redux-thread had 14 posts & 7 was mine).

No commentary for this year… Ummm, the TWC awarded MTW-Redux with some kind of editors-choice award, if memory serves.

Redux & 2020:
*************************************************************
Releases: None...
Downloads RXB1007: 1086
Views in 2020: +37.897, this thread... (the TWC Redux-thread had +88.708 views)
Posts in 2020: +1 & 0 where mine, this thread... (the TWC Redux-thread had 32 posts & 6 was mine).

No commentary for this year… Corona happened…

- A

Axalon

06-02-2021, 02:36

5000+ Downloads!

Over the weekend the RXB1007 reached the 5000 DL-marker - and today it stands at some 5020 DL's as I write this. Whenever I load up these releases - I dare hope for some 500 DL’s perhaps - but everything above of that is just sheer bonus for me. I never expected that anything I released for Redux (or otherwise) would some day end up exceeding 5000 downloads. Naturally, I am very happy about all this. The RXB1007 have truly soldiered on for almost 5 years now – it isn’t perfect (as the 3 available hot-fixes will show), but there certainly are lots cool stuff in it to enjoy anyways. Some things can certainly be improved upon - and I will probably strive to do just that - once I get around working with of another release of the redux beta. I have no idea when that will be however…

Let me just finish up by saying that “Redux-land” (that’s the game) is still open for adventures and visits from you guys. Thanks to all you folks who played and supported MTW-Redux over the years.

- A

Cyprian2

01-07-2022, 04:34

I'm back to playing Redux in 2022! Like daigaku, I've started a campaign as the Norse. In the past, I've found the Norse campaign to be challenging yet satisfying. True, their unit selection is rather limited, but angry Norsemen can steamroll the map given proper handling. At least, that was my past experience... I've said this elsewhere, but the *constant province rebellions* in 1007 make for an unfair challenge, I feel. I can handle a few years of rebellion -- that comes with the territory in MTW. But these uprisings never seem to end! Any rebel province I conquer will have rebellions year after year, to the point where I can't even think of taking on other factions. This drains a lot of fun from the campaign, since I'm just babysitting provinces the whole time. Anyway, I've made my point, and Redux is still so great in many other ways. I just wish you could tone this down somehow. I wonder if changing the campaign difficulty would make a difference, though I am no noob, and playing anything less than "veteran" seems like failure to me. Thoughts?

Axalon

01-10-2023, 19:35

Hello Cyp, it is now 2023 and I have finally managed to make myself post here (again) and in that, a reply to your post no less! Anyways...

I have also looked into the matter of rebels (in general) - and I have landed in the conclusion that there is in some cases a possibility for rebels becoming too strong for "the game's" own good. There is a "window" for it to happen due to existing designs (my designs, so the fault is mine), and especially so if one does not play in the same or similar ways that I typically do (routinely killing off any rebels and ships that stands in my way somehow). Thus, I will probably redesign the rebel circumstances and tech somehow (yet again) and make them more limited in their capacity to "flood" the game. On general terms, it is not the plan that rebels should dominate the map in Redux. Regular factions should (ideally) do that, not rebels. I suppose that is somewhat in line with what you are hoping/asking for here, or did I get that wrong? BTW, all these remarks suggest that there should be another release for Redux further down the road.

Having said that, the Norse faction do have a bit weaker infrastructure for generating stability levels then other factions do (eg. Catholic or Islamic ones). However, the stuff that is available to
The Norse should still be enough tech to manage most provinces on the map just fine eventually ? it will take several turns to get there however. This in turn makes all things somewhat harder (at least on paper) for the Norse to expand and then keep them new territories (assuming you don?t have humongous armies available). It will probably take at least some 20+ turns of intense building and upgrading before the rebels cool down somewhat in most places. Islands might be some sort of exception to that rule?

Finally, changing difficulty might make the rebels somewhat easier to handle, as they might not rebel as easily as they do on veteran. I seen some such claims (by others) that suggest this. However, I can neither confirm nor contest this (I have no reliable way to confirm/disprove it, basically). Regardless, the veteran-level will make the enemy tougher anyways in combat-sim due to various applied difficulty-bonuses there. This much is clear at least. Playing on veteran-level is in no way mandatory, but I prefer it myself... Playing on the lower levels will make the game increasingly easier overall, no revelations there, but it is true all the same.

- A