View Full Version : Registration is up and a battle recorder is made public
Erado San
01-08-2002, 01:41
Hi guys,
Cool news on the http://www.totalwar.com/community/index.htm
homepage:
Registration is up again. Haven't tested it yet, but apparently all the redirects are working allright now.
And to top it a battle record option that has been available for debugging can be used right now.
Enjoy.
Catiline
01-08-2002, 02:14
Bingo
Many thx for the info Erado
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Oderint dum metuant
As I’m sure you know, battle replays were one of the things most in demand by the Total War community. Actually, the game always had a replay function which was used for debugging. Recently, however it has been discovered that this can be made to work in release versions too. It was built as a debug feature, so there are a few drawbacks, but in general it works fine. Here’s what to do:
To Record Battles.
To turn on recording you need to run Shogun from a command line prompt with the command line ER. Each battle that is fought will be recorded to a file in the dumplog folder. Unfortunately, recordings are always saved to the same file name, so each battle that is recorded will overwrite the previous recording.
To Replay a Battle
Start Shogun from the command line with the command line mEP. This will replay the most recently recorded battle. At the end of the battle, all the troops will freeze.
However one very important fact here, is that if you want to swap files to watch each others' battles you need make sure you are running identical versions of STW MI/WE. That will mean the same patches etc. This should also work with Shogun Total War, but this has not been fully tested yet.
Gah! so how u do this? Dont understand how to get it to work?
Can i have it simple, and in English plzs. http://www.totalwar.org/ubb/confused.gif
Step by Step....sure alot of other ppl will ask the same.... http://www.totalwar.org/ubb/wink.gif
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Clan Kenchikuka (http://pub14.ezboard.com/fclankenchikukakenchikukacouncilchamber)
Kraellin
01-08-2002, 03:00
i'll be damned. it works! in fact, it works pretty damn well! i just recorded and played back a custom battle. amazing. it's been under our noses all along.
for those that arent that familiar with command line operations, hit your start button, find the menu item called "run". find the browse button and run thru your files till you find the we/mi executable. click on that and it will come up on the run line. put a space after the path and executable name and then add the ER for recording or the mEP for playback and hit ok.
doing this will start your game up as usual. so far i've only tried this in custom but it did record an 8 player custom game and did play it back.
when you launch the game in record mode you cant also play back in that mode. you must quit the game and re-launch using the mEP parameter and the game will launch and automatically play back your recorded game
pretty cool!
one tiny little thing here. the units in the game will display their proper colors and banners, but when you move the cursor over a unit it wont show if it's an enemy or friendly by using the different colors attached to the cursor. they'll all show as white. minor.
edit: if indeed the dumplog folder is where this is being kept then i'm pretty amazed again. the files there were total of about 100k for a roughly 3 minute game. that's pretty compact.
also, if you have no browse button on your RUN item stuff, just enter the path, the executable and then the ER or mEP.
edit: ok. had that 2nd file wrong. there is a checksum file besides the replay.dat file. the checksum file was 691k, not 69k. read it wrong the first time.
K.
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The only absolute is that there are no absolutes.
[This message has been edited by Kraellin (edited 01-07-2002).]
[This message has been edited by Kraellin (edited 01-07-2002).]
no,no,no still cant find it?
Is this what im looking for we/mi executable.?
Which file or folder it be in....Sorry for being so dum....lol http://www.totalwar.org/ubb/smile.gifBut i got so much shit on my comp http://www.totalwar.org/ubb/wink.gif
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Clan Kenchikuka (http://pub14.ezboard.com/fclankenchikukakenchikukacouncilchamber)
If you've got a shortcut to your Shogun exe ( and I know you have ), you can add these command line parameters to that. better still, make a couple of copies of your shortcut to Shogun - 1 for record and one for playback.
anyway, here's how to add the commandline parameters:
Go to Start->Programs->TotalWar (may be wrong cos I don't have it installed )and RIGHTCLICK on the "Shogun: Total War" shortcut.
Now LEFTCLICK properties ( one up from the bottom of the list)
left-click in the "Start In" box, and position the cursor at the end of the text that's in there at the moment.
Now Add a space
NOW add ER if you want to record OR mEP if you want to playback. NOTE: don't enter both, cos it won't work. Only one OR the other.
Click OK.
Now just click on the shortcut like you're firing up a normal game and it should work it's magic.
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Quote MagyarKhans Cham:
i even suspect Target is coming here to hype things up.[/QUOTE]
MagyarKhans Cham
01-08-2002, 07:06
damn target what hyping secrets u hide more from my Khan?
http://www.totalwar.org/ubb/smile.gif
MagyarKhans Cham
01-08-2002, 07:08
btw how will it effect 4 vs 4 in onlineplay?
will it be more laggy?
solypsist
01-08-2002, 07:45
nice recorder.
someone please wrap all this jargon up in a nice package so all i have to do is click on a windows icon to see the movie, please http://www.totalwar.org/ubb/biggrin.gif
MagyarKhans Cham
01-08-2002, 07:56
jeez i tried every version but the dumplog dir stays empty.... http://www.totalwar.org/ubb/frown.gif
solypsist
01-08-2002, 07:57
okay i just tried the registration, and got nothing http://www.totalwar.org/ubb/mad.gif
MagyarKhans Cham
01-08-2002, 08:00
jeeez i hope this isnt your buggest hyping action:
i tried running ER suffix from porperties and from start run
it were all costum battles, should it be online battle only?
Quote Originally posted by Target:
Go to Start->Programs->TotalWar (may be wrong cos I don't have it installed )and RIGHTCLICK on the "Shogun: Total War" shortcut.
Now LEFTCLICK properties ( one up from the bottom of the list)
left-click in the "Start In" box, and position the cursor at the end of the text that's in there at the moment.
Now Add a space
NOW add ER if you want to record OR mEP if you want to playback. NOTE: don't enter both, cos it won't work. Only one OR the other.
Click OK.
Now just click on the shortcut like you're firing up a normal game and it should work it's magic.
[/QUOTE]In the start in box i just keep getting invalid?Plzs help.... http://www.totalwar.org/ubb/mad.gif
Kraellin
01-08-2002, 08:36
k. Target made one little boo boo there. you dont add it to the 'start in' box; you add it in the 'Target' box. otherwise, just like he said. and yes, it does work.
i've now recorded 2 online battles. both were 2v2 games. i've also recorded one custom 4v4 games, so it seems to work in most modes. it ONLY works during an actual battle, as far as i can tell, so dont expect to see captures of your campaign maps. i dont think it'll do that.
also, and this is really cool for those that like to make stories of stw battles with screenshots, you CAN take a screenshot during the replay of your recorded battle and it will save this in the normal location, the tga folder. you can also pause the replay just like in a normal custom battle. if there are any more controls i havent found them yet, except escape...that one will end the replay and kick you back to your desktop.
in my replay i could move the camera around wherever i wanted to, but, i have camera limits set to off in my options anyways, so i dont know if this will hold up if you do have your camera limited in normal mode. i suspect it wont. the replay seems to take the viewpoint of being completely objective. it wont show you YOUR unit's icons like in a battle and it wont display the control buttons at the top. it will display the radar map.
i havent noticed any particularly noticable lag in multi games with the recorder on. nice :)
now for the bad news. the replay saves to 2 files. one is a replay.dat file and the other is a checksum file. in one very LONG game, these 2 files combined for 9 megs worth of saves. that's pretty hefty at first glance. however, the game was indeed very long, prolly a half hour to an hour.
just remember, every successive game you play will overwrite the last game, so if you want to save that great battle you just played, alt-tab out of the game and copy BOTH of those files to another folder! to replay that saved file you'll have to copy it back into the dumplog folder and then run in replay mode.
if yer having trouble making extra shortcuts of the executable, put one on your desktop and right click on it. pick the menu item for creating shortcut and voila', you'll have a 2nd one.
this puppy is pretty slick. thanks CA!
K.
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The only absolute is that there are no absolutes.
Kraellin
01-08-2002, 08:44
magy,
i know you have more than one executable in your directories. make sure yer editing the right one and make sure you add a space before the ER or the mEP, but after the .exe file and on the same line. then just run your game in the normal manner from that executable. you wont get any message that yer now running in record mode and in playback mode it will skip all the intro stuff, including the menu pages and will go directly to the playback. when it ends, just escape out.
so far, this works in custom and online games. havent tried the campaigns.
K.
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The only absolute is that there are no absolutes.
I'll be damned!! A battle recorder! Can't wait to go home and try it out.. argghhh 8 more hrs in the office to go..
So, the recording quality is good? Now we can have great story-telling!
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tootee the goldfish
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best new year gift i've ever received http://www.totalwar.org/ubb/redface.gif http://www.totalwar.org/ubb/biggrin.gif
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http://chat.carleton.ca/~fbai/pix/sig1.jpg (http://www.totalwar.gametribe.net)
• UglyPolar •
ok i tried it on my pc. the 1st time i launched with Shogun.exe. it didnt work. then i used ShogunM.exe to launch, it worked.
so basically, just use "ShogunM.exe ER" to start recording (ShogunW.exe for warlord edition), and "ShogunM.exe mEP" for replay.
since its only a debug function, we cant expect a nice interface, hope it will be made a standard feature for MTW. my only complain is, why output the checksum.txt in ascii format?? its a waste of disk space! i know it maybe easier to read for debuging, but...c'mon....reading a binary file with hexeditor is not that hard http://www.totalwar.org/ubb/smile.gif same goes for log files, even i keep deleting unimportant ones, my logfile folder is still over 300mb!! it would be only a few percentage of that amount if the files were output in binary http://www.totalwar.org/ubb/frown.gif
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http://chat.carleton.ca/~fbai/pix/sig1.jpg (http://www.totalwar.gametribe.net)
• UglyPolar •
Papewaio
01-08-2002, 12:07
Cool those file sizes seem the size of 6 large jps which works out the same as some of Solys visual posts on battles.
Will be cool to have links to sites to download these and view as both boasting verification, mega horde viewing {timer off, popcorn on} and as educational viewing... how to beat campers, how flanking really is strategic rear, primers for newbies (defending/attacking bridges and castles} the possibilities are huge!
If you could save multiple versions without Alt-Tab. And could replay from a selection it would be awesome.
I'm going to have to try this out!
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Never start a land war in Asia
Never bet with a Scilian when death is on the line
Never expect anything more then sarcasm from an Australian
does recording battle slow the MP slow signigicantly? Cya in 4/5 hrs times.
Kraellin
01-08-2002, 18:12
Target,
you realize you've just opened pandora's box, right? the standard for future games from CA is now raised a notch ;)
it's a great addition! i hope you have a few other little surprises for us left ;) much thanks!
K.
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The only absolute is that there are no absolutes.
Magyar Khan
01-08-2002, 20:10
wil this baby unreveal all my 3 vs 3 tactics?? snif snif
sorry about the bad info there, and thanks Kraellin for covering for me.
I should point out that the battle recorder was absolutely nothing to do with me. Like the official site says, it was done as a debug tool by the guys who did the battle map side, and discovered to work on gold-disk exes when someone did some patient experimentation. All I did was tell you guys who were unsure how to set it up - and I even did that wrong :|
I'll tell the guys involved how ecstatic you all seem to be. They'll be chuffed.
Oh, and Polar the log files were only ever included cos Erado-San asked for them, so they're written in a format that's sort-of easy to read without needing any specialist tools.
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Quote MagyarKhans Cham:
i even suspect Target is coming here to hype things up.[/QUOTE]
Really cool
thx.
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Honour to Clan Kenchikuka (http://www.kenchi.cjb.net/).
I'm from Malta, but I'm not a Malteser. http://terazawa.totalwar.org/malta_md_clr.gif
Visit my resource site here! (http://terazawa.totalwar.org/)
Nope Still no luck http://www.totalwar.org/ubb/frown.gif Still says invalid when try?
Tried in Target box like said still no good.
My start up in;"C:\Program Files\Total War\Shogun - Total War"
Have a short cut to it.
Made 2 more copies of short cut......
But still wont go in?
Yep target box keeps saying in valid file.
This is how it supposed to be put in.....
"C:\Program Files\Total War\Shogun - Total War\shogun.exe ER"
And the same with the other but mEP?
Run through it again;must be taking a wrong turning somewhere http://www.totalwar.org/ubb/confused.gif
Man i want to see this work.... http://www.totalwar.org/ubb/mad.gif
Help! bloody help!..Driving me nuts........
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Clan Kenchikuka (http://pub14.ezboard.com/fclankenchikukakenchikukacouncilchamber)
MagyarKhans Cham
01-09-2002, 01:18
i have the same probs but havent tried this yet
"so basically, just use "ShogunM.exe ER" to start recording (ShogunW.exe for warlord edition), and "ShogunM.exe mEP" for replay."
Try:
"C:\Program Files\Total War\Shogun - Total War - Warlord Edition\ShogunW.exe" ER
--------------------NOT----------------
"C:\Program Files\Total War\Shogun - Total War\shogun.exe ER"
----------------------------------------
My point being, the space+ER should be outside of the quote block.
And of course, you want to have the correct path and intial execusable to begin with.
If your path is diffrent from mine, just replace
"C:\Program Files\Total War\Shogun - Total War - Warlord Edition\ShogunW.exe"
with whatever applicable.
[This message has been edited by Gothmog (edited 01-08-2002).]
lunchbox147
01-09-2002, 01:23
i get the same thing shoko, can someone plz givs a rundown of how to make this work for us computer idiots plz
Just follow what Target and Kraellin said. The only inaccurate part of Target's description is, as what Kraellin has pointed out: the "start in" should be "target". (Guess for once, Target didn't do his shameless self-promoting http://www.totalwar.org/ubb/biggrin.gif)
ShadesWolf
01-09-2002, 01:53
I wonder how many other hidden things there r behind the scenes of shogun
Kraellin
01-09-2002, 01:54
no worries, target,
your lifetime membership to the forums is not being revoked ;) and again, thanks for showing us the way.
shoko,
you've got the wrong executable. re-read this topic with your eyeglasses on this time. ;)
myself, i had to sort thru about 6 executables to find the right one to tweak. also make sure yer in the right directory...remember, you prolly own stw also so there's going to be a very similar .exe file there. get the right path and the right .exe and things shld work fine.
K.
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The only absolute is that there are no absolutes.
all you guys cant get it working are using the wrong exe!
Quote so basically, just use "ShogunM.exe ER" to start recording (ShogunW.exe for warlord edition), and "ShogunM.exe mEP" for replay.[/QUOTE]
the shortcut on your desktop are linked to "Shogun.exe" by default. change it to "ShogunM.exe" for MI version or "ShogunW.exe" for WE version. (see the difference? http://www.totalwar.org/ubb/wink.gif) then add ER and mEP.
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• UglyPolar •
Hell.
FIND A SHORTCUT TO SHOGUN, PRACTICALLY IS THE ICON YOU CLICK TO START SHOGUN!!!
GO TO THE TAB 'SHORTCUT'. FIND THE FIELD 'TARGET'. THE PATH SHOULD READ LIKE THIS:
(wherever it is installed)\Shogun.exe
NOW CHANGE THAT TO:
(wherever it is installed)\ShogunM.exe ER
IF YOU HAVE WARLORD EDITION DO ShogunW INSTEAD OF ShogunM.
NOW YOU GOT THE RECORDER INSTALLED.
RUN THE GAME...PLAY THE GAME YOU WANT TO RECORD.
******************
TO VIEW THE BATTLE:
CREATE ANOTHER COPY FOR THE SHORTCUT OF SHOGUN, BUT THIS TIME CHANGE THE TARGET PATH TO:
(wherever it is installed)\ShogunM.exe mEP (or ShogunW if WE)
RUN THE PROGRAM FROM THIS SHORTCUT AND VIEW YOUR LAST BATTLE. ENJOY.
NO MORE QUESTIONS ON INSTALLATION http://www.totalwar.org/ubb/mad.gif
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Honour to Clan Kenchikuka (http://www.kenchi.cjb.net/).
I'm from Malta, but I'm not a Malteser. http://terazawa.totalwar.org/malta_md_clr.gif
Visit my resource site here! (http://terazawa.totalwar.org/)
[This message has been edited by Terazawa Tokugawa (edited 01-08-2002).]
theforce
01-09-2002, 02:54
Links seem to be down to me now. There is an error page eveywhere in those pages it cannot find the damn page!!!!
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Don't use only honour, use theforce, too.
http://lod.nipogames.com/default.html
Major Robert Dump
01-09-2002, 03:25
This is amazing and I send a big fat kiss to whoever is responsible for getting us this ... and it even has sound!
WOOHOO
Yeah yeah yeah it http://www.totalwar.org/ubb/cool.gif
This is how mine worked,hope it will help others who have same prob! http://www.totalwar.org/ubb/smile.gif
"C:\Program Files\Total War\Shogun - Total War\ShogunM.exe" ER
This works for me http://www.totalwar.org/ubb/wink.gif
Yep i got there in the end! http://www.totalwar.org/ubb/eek.gif http://www.totalwar.org/ubb/eek.gif
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Clan Kenchikuka (http://pub14.ezboard.com/fclankenchikukakenchikukacouncilchamber)
Ah so! Now it is all clear! http://www.totalwar.org/ubb/eek.gif
So... since I'm holed up in the cube farm grazing over my keyboard... can somebody pop an MPG onto the Org here of a recorded battle so we can experience the thing as we would from our own PCs at home? Just wanna see it... [Drools]
So... Can you 'view' the battle from any of the players 'recorded' (ie, any of the 8 points of view in a 4v4)? If not, GAH! If so, GAH! GAH!
http://www.totalwar.org/ubb/confused.gif
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