Modding BI info from CA

[Myrddraal]

* easily moddable factions via a descr file
* shadow factions, emergent factions, and horde factions are all properties which can be attached to factions in the faction setup
* a new, moddable religious system
* rebalanced charge and spear effects
* improved after-save AI behaviour
* more bug fixes than I care to think about
* much improved battle AI
* removed the limits on uses of console commands
* extended mod system

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[Lord Adherbal]

hum hum sounds good, thanks for posting this.

[Ianofsmeg16]

hmmm, whats it meant by shadow factions? Isn't that what the Romano-Britons are gonna be?

[PseRamesses]

....and what are the conditions for emergent factions? Do they spawn when another fac gets destroyed or at a specific date?

[Encaitar]

sounds promising

[Meneldil]

Sounds really interesting, although there's no word about adding more factions. I suppose we won't be able to do that, but the emerging and horde factions editing might be really great.

[Myrddraal]

If you think back to VI, the main campaign was still playable. If they do this again for BI, then they must add factions to make their own factions. So maybe we won't be able to add our own factions, but at least we might have some extra faction slots to play around with.

[Meneldil]

Yes, that's what I think too, but I also heard CA could use some kind of mod switcher/patch file and simply edit the existing factions.

Anyway, we'll probably have to wait for an official word about this, or for BI release ;)

[Lord Adherbal]

If they do this again for BI, then they must add factions to make their own factions. So maybe we won't be able to add our own factions, but at least we might have some extra faction slots to play around with.

I think it's more likely that there are some sort of eras like in MTW. Each era still has 21 factions, but different ones. After all, the reason why the number of factions is fixed is most likely because the amount of memory given to faction related stuff is fixed. But what you throw into that memory is flexible.

[Bwian]

It really depends if it is going to work like MTW / VI did. The VI game was quite seperate in terms of teh campaign, but the extra features were available in the main game if you wanterd to use them for modding.

That would imply that there WILL be extra factions possible for modding. OF course...you may just find that the total number available remains fixed, and you have fewer factions on teh map at the outset. The extras would arrive as 'horde' or emergent factions. Either way...the options for mod building are significantly improved. More options are always welcome!

Being able to mod religiona, and having more of the faction definitions in a seperate file will also make life easier for total conversion type mods. Improved battle AI is good too, though I wonder if that will be matched by improved AI choices in the strat-map element.

LOTS of bugfixes.....good! We all know they were there...and having them squashed makes it worth paying out for BI alone! I hope to see a full list of what got fixed when the thing is ready for release

And better moddability..... I wonder what the extended mod-system will be. Hopefully allowing mods to be more selectable in game, with a mod 'librarry' setup for ease.

Exciting stuff...and a load of new units too

[Kor Khan]

I think it's more likely that there are some sort of eras like in MTW. Each era still has 21 factions, but different ones. After all, the reason why the number of factions is fixed is most likely because the amount of memory given to faction related stuff is fixed. But what you throw into that memory is flexible.

But if I'm not mistaken, Viking Horde's XL mod added lots of new factions to the main campaign by using the new VI faction slots. Or would the same have been possible with the original M:TW?

I'd have thought that if the same system goes for R:TW, the BI faction slots could be added to the imperial campaign, thus allowing for 19 new factions, or am I mistaken?

[Lord Adherbal]

well only time will tell (or a CA member ;)) but I'm not very optimistic on that matter.

[Professor420]

I think there was an interview somewhere, where a CA Dev stated that some things, like number of factions, was hardcoded, but this was because of time and money restraints. Perhaps this issue has been made to work via the text files instead of the engine, because CA has had all this time to rework the game engine.

Or perhaps I am just falsely remembering things.

[Myrddraal]

Yes, I'm expecting the number to be hardcoded, but I'm wondering if it will be hardcoded at a higher level...

[Atheist_Peace]

Yes, that's what I think too, but I also heard CA could use some kind of mod switcher/patch file and simply edit the existing factions.

Anyway, we'll probably have to wait for an official word about this, or for BI release ;)

Wow if they do something that sleazy then i might "boycott" the next tw game. Adding that system just to screw modders over.

[Myrddraal]

Please Peace, give it a break. I've had my fill of people saying 'I'll boycott if they do this', or 'I'll boycott if they don't include this'.

Wait until we know from CA, then complain if you still think its worth it....

[shifty157]

Yeah. No point in bickering over a product that isnt even out yet.

[Ciaran]

It looks interesting, for sure. Time will tell.
However, I wonder whether or not the culture of a faction will remain hardcoded or not. We will see.

[Meneldil]

Wow if they do something that sleazy then i might "boycott" the next tw game. Adding that system just to screw modders over.

Well, nothing is sure yet, and this is just a rumor. I don't think this is really possible anyway, cause it would mean renaming a whole lot of text, tga and dds files each time someone launch the game.

[PseRamesses]

....and what are the conditions for emergent factions? Do they spawn when another fac gets destroyed or at a specific date?

Well? Anyone... Myrdraal?

[Lord Adherbal]

how exactly should we know ? My guess is that you can specificy a date at which they emerge.
Shadow factions are probably factions that appear out of rebelling cities from other factions (CA said this could happen).

[wlesmana]

I just wish they'd stop hard coding culture. *crosses fingers*

[Myrddraal]

easily moddable factions via a descr file

I think that implies that culture will not be hard coded. Or at least I hope so :smile