Medieval: Total War XL

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Pericles

heheh

Yes, the AI factions will build any type of buildings to their hearts content. Yes, even buildings that take 16-20 years to build.

And this only occurs in certain rare occasions. What occasions are those?

Why.... in peace time....

However, peace is sometimes a rare thing in MTW... after all... the game IS called Medieval Total WAR....

Thus, when war does break out... (and isn't that in most cases?)... then all those nice buildings (that took dozens of years to build) can be destroyed in just ONE turn... that advanced faction can then be thrown back into the Stone Age after just one invasion... and it will take that faction (or the one that invaded) many, many years of building just to get back to where it was before the invasion....

And when you have many factions at war over a long period of time.... which is more often the case... you have many factions that have been thrown back into the Stone Age... and they simply don't stand a chance to recover...

That is why I suggest that the fort/fortress/citadel line of buildings should be drastically reduced in build time, with the cost slightly reduced for them.

I would also suggest that all farms be cut in build time and reduced in cost.

I mod these things into my games all the time.... and they work....

The AI is a far greater challenge in my games with these changes....

---

This is why I almost always start in high. The AI has a good economic base to begin with and good troop capabilities, and is much more of a challenge. Though you do have a good point; the AI often does falter sooner rather than later and I can often turn the campaign into a steamroller if I so choose (I try to limit my expansion and play a solid GA campaign to limit the steamroller effect).

But this leads to crazy re-emergences and civil wars, which are fun. :2thumbsup:

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Martok

Unfortunately, having XL (or any other mod) installed prevents one from playing online against people who only have the original MTW/VI.

---

Is it possible to install vanilla MTW VI a second time, giving me one modded version for SP and one unmodded for MP? If so, will I still be able to install the mappacks on the unmodded one, or will all of this just confuse the snot out of my computer (and me).

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by gunslinger

Is it possible to install vanilla MTW VI a second time, giving me one modded version for SP and one unmodded for MP? If so, will I still be able to install the mappacks on the unmodded one, or will all of this just confuse the snot out of my computer (and me).

---

I've heard a number of players say they have a second install of vanilla MTW/VI precisely for the purpose of mutliplayer, so there's no reason that shouldn't be possible.

In regards to your second question, I'm honestly not sure. (I'm not comp-savvy whatsoever, so I'm not the guy to ask. ~;) ) If you post your question in the Jousting Field, however, you should be able to get an answer there.

Yay, I can answer this! (I have 4 installs of MTW)

Install the game again. However, when it asks for you what location to install at, change it. It should by default say C:/Program Files/Total War/Medieval - Total War. Change the "Medieval - Total War" part to "MTW XL" or something so that it doesn't just install over your first install.

Now put VI in. On my computer it won't give you the option to install again on the main menu that pops up so exit it and go into My Computer with the disk in. The D drive should have an icon for MTW, right click it and hit explore. There should be something inside of the screen that popped up named "setup". Hit that and the game will begin to install. Make sure to change the install location to whatever you did before.

Now you have 2 installs of MTW! Now install whatever mod you want, but once again ... make sure to change the install location to whatever you did for the second install.

When you put VI in to play and just hit the "play" button on the run screen it should automatically play the install named "Medieval - Total War" (I think). Regardless, when you want to play a different install, simply exit the screen that runs when you put the disk in, go into my computer, go into your 2nd (or 3rd, 4th, etc) install folder, and double click the MTW icon inside of it to automatically start that version of the game.

Okay, so my instructions were long and probably sound A LOT more complicated than it really it. Someone else might have a simpler version, but that's how I do it and it takes about 3% more effort than usual to play the game. :2thumbsup:

The easy thing is to copy the original, unmodded VI folder, paste it within the main Total War folder, and rename it whatever mod you want to install. Install the mod there, and viola! Two seperate versions!

I've got four so far. I want to install BKB's SuperMod, but I can't find a working link to the patch. So, just vanilla, PMTW, and XL. :2thumbsup:

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by danfda

The easy thing is to copy the original, unmodded VI folder, paste it within the main Total War folder, and rename it whatever mod you want to install. Install the mod there, and viola! Two seperate versions!

I've got four so far. I want to install BKB's SuperMod, but I can't find a working link to the patch. So, just vanilla, PMTW, and XL. :2thumbsup:

---

I could email it to you, if you'd like.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Martok

VikingHorde has been slowly working on a second patch (2.2), but it's not been released yet. So if you have the 2.1 patch installed, go ahead and play XL to your heart's content. :thumbsup:

---

Good to know.

Is the Viking still taking suggestions on things for a possible 2.2? I wonder if it's possible to add any more regions (I was thinking of a divided up Greece in particular). There is probably a set region limit that has already been reached. Alas.

Would that MTW2 used all the factions that the Viking put forward in his splendid mod.

Thanks for the help on playing MP. I guess I'll have to go the route of a new install which I'll use for MP since I've already put XL on my original install, and I don't want to lose my saved games.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Pindar

Good to know.

Is the Viking still taking suggestions on things for a possible 2.2? I wonder if it's possible to add any more regions (I was thinking of a divided up Greece in particular). There is probably a set region limit that has already been reached. Alas.

Would that MTW2 used all the factions that the Viking put forward in his splendid mod.

---

Indeed!

As for taking more suggestions, I'm sure VH is still open to them. I don't know how much more new stuff he'll be able to implement, however. By all indications, he's been pretty busy the last several months and hasn't had much time to work on 2.2.

Hi, I recently installed the XL mod (and its patch), and from what I can see it's great. Unfortunatly, I seem to have done something wrong in the installation, as it now crashes to desktop sometimes when going to the campaign map, either from loading a save or starting a new game. I'll re-install soon and see if it works then. The mod looks great, and I'm really looking forward to playing it when I figure the problem out.

This used to happen to me sometimes also, but has not happened for a long time. I've had to reinstall the mod twice since it has happened to me, though, once because I wanted to play a different mod and again because I got a new computer. I thought it might have happened to me because my old computer wasn't very good, but it could just have been a bad install I guess.

Is there a tech-tree available for XL. I currently playing the Irish in early. I have a few different types of axe-wielding troops with names I can't pronounce (They seem to be based on Viking Units), but I have no idea what I should be working toward building-wise to get some better troops. The upgraded swordsmiths and spearmakers buildings don't show any new troops available in their descriptions. Am I limited to axe-wielding barbarians as the Irish?

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by gunslinger

Is there a tech-tree available for XL. I currently playing the Irish in early. I have a few different types of axe-wielding troops with names I can't pronounce (They seem to be based on Viking Units), but I have no idea what I should be working toward building-wise to get some better troops. The upgraded swordsmiths and spearmakers buildings don't show any new troops available in their descriptions. Am I limited to axe-wielding barbarians as the Irish?

---

Yup, thats pretty much it. Things are pretty limited as the irish, just build kerns, dartmen and bonnachts and use them to weaken the enemy before charging in with gallowglasses, gael gaedhils and fianna eireann. They're a powerfull nation though once you get a hold on some land and get the economy in check

Actually, disregard my previous post. The game CTDs in the vanilla version too, so there's something wrong with my computer, not the mod.

@Pindar
Sadly there isn't any more room for more factions, units or provinces, so the patch will only have bugfixes and improvements to the mod.

@Martok
Yepp, I have been to busy doing other stuff and I have not had a computer for almost 2 mounths! I will soon get my new laptop and I will be ready for some modding again, plus I will also be ready for M2TW :2thumbsup:

@gunslinger
There is a exel file with info about units. If you want to know what units a faction can build, then custom battle is the best way. Here you can see all the units a faction can build. About the Irish, theire unit roster is pretty limited, so you need to make lots of upgrading to the low tech units.

@Napoleon Blownapart
Sounds like it's driver related, try out some other graphics drivers and hopefully it should be solved.

What is the difference between the small and full pack?

I just finished my first GA campaign with Armenia, late, expert. Despite the fact that before the end your homeland GA is taken away (damn Turks :furious3: :laugh4: ) I was able to squeek out a 20 point win.

The big leaders at the end were the Papacy and the English. The English were winning before the final tally and their massive army was threatening to give them the conquest points to win. Thankfully, somehow, without my involvement, they had a massive civil war which lost them all their territory in the med (and some in England!). The pope was going strong too but they were warring with the English which was troubling in one aspect while it was a partial relief.

In Late the crusader orders are devistating! The hospitaliers replaced Byzantium until I took them out and the Teutons are vicious!! Teunic foot nights :furious3: :furious3: :furious3: ! They had the East conqered and were at war with me at the end.

It's important to note that I basically recreated the Ottoman empire at it's height. All of north Africa was mine and all the former Byzantine lands were too. This gave me nice choke points and max conquest GA points. I also did and maintained all this with GUNPOWDER units. Once I teched up to that level I used the gun, spear, cav combo I've voiced elsewhere. It's perfect for the lands I held :2thumbsup: .

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Csatadi

What is the difference between the small and full pack?

---

The larger version includes new battle music for the added factions, the smaller version does not. The smaller version also lacks the names for the new provinces on the campaign map (the additional provinces are there, you just can't see their names in the smaller version).

A very nice mod this, and one I'm enjoying muchly. My Crusader army is holding much of the holyland and attempting to support my fellow Christian allies as much as possible, even if it means going to war when I can't afford it, but I assume a proper non-corrupt order would do such a thing. It's nice to be able to churn out those really useful Order Foot soldiers instead of being reduced to having just a few during the entire campaign. Although I'm stuck with Teutonic Sergeants and several kings will come to reign before I can build the proper Order knights.

One thing I've noticed though, and it was something that occurred a bit in the vanilla MTW is that the AI is obsessed with building Master Horse Breeders or whatever the top tier stables are. I flicked between factions and noticed nearly all of them are building these stables even when they don't have a keep or other necessary buildings like spear maker, armourers guild etc. The Germans for example, with about 12 provences are currently constructing 5 top level stables. The Aragonese, Hungarians and just about everyone else are building them too. A massive chunk of the game's economy is wasted on these, as they're only knocked down a level when someone invades, or they can't train any of the advanced cavalry anyway as they lack the necessary facilities. I don't know much about MTW editing, but I had a quick look and noticed the building priorities seem a bit different to standard MTW, so was wondering if anyone else thought the AI was a bit too horse breeder obsessed? Other than that, it's all excellent.

I can´t recall I noticed that, but I´ll keep my eyes open. Could it be an availability issue, i.e. the AI builds all upgrades it can without upgrading the castle? Are the horse breeder upgrades reliant on castle levels (I know that in vanilla they are)?

Appears you only need a basic keep to upgrade the stables to the top. If you don't have a keep, but still have some stables, you can keep upgrading them also. So the AI after taking a provence loses it's keep, but decides to spend about 20 turns and thousands of florins upgrading the stables there even though it can't produce any troops. Neighbouring factions invade, the stables are damaged and so it begins anew (unless the AI decides to actually build something else too).

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by professorspatula

So the AI after taking a provence loses it's keep, but decides to spend about 20 turns and thousands of florins upgrading the stables there even though it can't produce any troops. Neighbouring factions invade, the stables are damaged and so it begins anew (unless the AI decides to actually build something else too).

---

Just another reason to reduce build times and costs for the fort/fortress line of buildings.

I also think that many other buildings should have reduced build times. This will aid the AI and not have the various factions fall so far behind when they are invaded.

I thought I'd take a bit of a breather from my Crusader campaign which was going nicely and see what the AI gets up to when I choose a mostly remote faction to sit things out. So I picked the Teutonic Order in late, gave myself a wad of florins, stuck workonsundays on to quickly build up facilities to prevent the AI from quickly overwhelming me and was churning out some nice Order knights within a dozen years or so. As this wasn't a serious campaign, I took a rebel controlled provence and thought I'd also tech that place up and build a fleet, perhaps so I could send in an army of specialist crusaders to the holy land to help out fellow Christians a hundred or so years later. And crivvens! The things the AI gets up to!

The French expand massively around the northern part of Africa to Egypt and also Scandinavia, and also build massive fleets. Like 20+ ships in one unimportant sea region. They soon collapse, seemingly more interested in ships than soldiers. By 100 years, their last royal family member dies, and along with him up to 80 ships disappear from the seas.

The Danes and Crusaders decide to take over the entire map. Crusaders take Asia Minor, and lower Britain. They only have about 1 ship on the map, so I assume they bribed their way into the country. But they're mega rich. The Danes take much of Spain, bits of France, some of Britain, Golden Horde lands, and much of their nearby starting regions. They also build the biggest fleet known to mankind - kind of like classical era sized fleets. At one point they must have literally had around 150 ships, if not more. One sea region had 50 ships in it alone. This is insane. They were also racking up a crazy number of GA points.

The Hungarians hold their own. They crusade and take a region in Spain, which is something I've seen them do before. They seem well equipped to hold a moderate sized empire.

The Byzantines are rubbish and end up stuck on the pauper isle of Rhodes. The Muslim factions are doomed to die with every Catholic faction under the sun seemingly crusading into their lands within the opening dozen turns. And then if they're not already finished off, along comes Genghis Khan's mob to stick the knife in.

England seem to suffer at the hands of the French, and I barely see them with more than one ship. But seeing as their rivals have so many ships, it's impossible for them to amass a fleet unless they're not at war.

The Russians seem quite resourceful, but that's probably just because my teched up Teutonic order are their allies and non-aggressive towards them.

Anyway, I was getting a bit bored, so thought I'd try and engineer a few changes before leaving the campaign and returning to my proper one. So I carved a way to the Crimea so I could launch fleets and armies to the Holy lands if need be. I also decided the Danes needed a bit of a humbling and began to burn all their generals and princes. I had to take on their fleets and this is where I think the AI obsession with ships is overdone. I was able to churn out about 3 top level ships every 3-4 years. I put them into large fleets and took on the Danes. Every turn for the near 50 years, I'd seemingly be sinking an endless tide of ships. I'd also lose 12 ships in a year when 50 Danish ones turn up unexpected. I could clear a few sea regions of Danish ships, but then they'd just make every port churn out a ship. All they were building were ships. Which I'd sink. Meanwhile the other AI factions and rebellions caused them to lose territories because they weren't producing soldiers to defend them. The AI has gone from making hardly any ships in standard MTW to insane levels. Fortunately some factions are content to be land lubbers so are less affected by this nautical obsession and thus prosper.


Changes I'd like to see: less ships; reduced number of sea regions; less obsession with top tier stables; lowered fortification building times; banks to actually be worthwhile building; monkeys wearing hats.

I do however think that sea trade levels shouldn't be altered. Until you have a large number of linked trade routes, you're barely making much profits so they seem fine.

By the way, when does the game end?

Hi,

I'm trying to edit the early era unit production file (forgot the exact name) with the Gnome unit editor. I want to make it so that every unit only takes 1 turn to build each. When set each time to 1, then the times in the game are all 2.

What do I do to make it 1?

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by professorspatula

Changes I'd like to see: <edit> lowered fortification building times; <edit> monkeys wearing hats.

---

I definitely concur with shortening the build times for fortifications. I could do without the monkeys, though. ~;p

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by professorspatula

I do however think that sea trade levels shouldn't be altered. Until you have a large number of linked trade routes, you're barely making much profits so they seem fine.

---

I think that trade income could possibly be lowered a little bit further, but I'm not complaining. VH already did a good job with nerfing trade so that it's not nearly so overpowered. :thumbsup: Actually, what might work better is if farm upgrades were worth a little more. I know they're already more valuable than what they are in vanilla MTW/VI, but I think they could probably stand to be improved a bit more, say 15-20% over their current levels.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by professorspatula

By the way, when does the game end?

---

The end date is still 1453.

Sorry if this was asked before but does the mod work with MTW Gold edition?

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by marc 0k01

Sorry if this was asked before but does the mod work with MTW Gold edition?

---

Yes, it should work with gold edition without any problems :2thumbsup:

VikingHorde: I heard that you are working on a new patch for XL. if this is tha case, can you consider changing the Bulgarian name roster to a more accurate one, such as the one from the BKB mod? I will be extremely grateful if you do so, for all these Greek names do nothing to inspire me when I play with what should be my favorite faction.

what can i say this mod is grate,but i was disappointed to see that none of the romanian principates are in the faction lists,moreover,moldavia and wallachia are ocuppied by a pagan faction :O(this never happened).

so please,if you are workin` to a new version,try to include Wallachia or Moldavia faction because they were important in that age,thanks to this factions the Turks never passed the Danube on their conquest mission over western europe.if you need any info, i can give it to you

just a little completation of what i wrote,here is a wiki about Mircea cel Batran(one of the gratest rullers of wallachia):

'' The "bravest and ablest of the Christian princes", as he was described by German historian Leunclavius, ruled Wallachia for thirty-two years. Apart from his military successes Mircea was an art lover, leaving us among other monuments beautiful Cozia Monastery, built after the model of the Krusevac Church (Krusevac) in Serbia.

Towards the end of his ruling, Mircea signed a treaty with the Ottomans who recognized the freedom of Wallachia in return for a 3,000 gold pieces per year tribute (a small amount). Keeping the country free from becoming an Ottoman province ("pashalik") also meant keeping the Ottomans away from Western Europe, a feat which retrospectively might not sound impressive, but was a very important accomplishment at the time.''