Ian command - more than just a tester.

**Betito** · 03-23-2006, 03:32

The part that i like the most about -ian is the switching factions.

Let's see if i can remember the exact mechanics... you typed the number of the faction and it automatically switched; if the number is above 10, then it was shift-number:

For example:
to play as the rebels, type 1
for almos is 2, byz are 3, turks were 12 or 14(shift-2 or shift-4), can't remember

You can bring a dead campagin to life again in no time, it's just a matter of switching to every single faction and using .deadringer. on them. Or raising a strong empire only to switch and play a weaker one. Try it some time

**acesman** · 03-23-2006, 03:45

I have never heard of this before, could it be used to do a kind of crude multi-player campaign?

**NodachiSam** · 03-23-2006, 04:07

Cool thanks Betito.

Acesman, theorhetically it could be. ONe person plays until they would normally pres end turn then switches faction and saves it and sends it. It depend on the honour of the players but it is doable..

**Roark** · 03-23-2006, 04:47

Can the -ian cheat be used to play as the Swiss in unmodded MTW:VI 2.01, even though they are not normally a playable faction?

Coz I've never bothered to learn how to mod, but I would love to play as the mighty Swiss.

**Csargo** · 03-23-2006, 04:56

Is there anything else you can do with this cheat other than switch factions?

**NodachiSam** · 03-23-2006, 06:44

Oh my!!!

I was looking at the other factions when I accidently hit turn not in my own and the AI's choice of actions are retarded in the extreme. Arbitrary deployment of troops, breaking of sea connections despite ~every~ piece of water having about 4 ships!!!! He did bribe the two livian stacks at once which is kinda cool since I won't have to fight anything but it also put about 8 of my stacks in lithuania (everything around there except for one of my trading partners, the novogordian fins, was mine. Then they bribed one stack in northumbria out of 4 that were there and then broke the sea links so I can't support it! The ai was never made to manage large empires I guess. Really pathetic. It'll take a decade to fix this retardation! Arrrggh!!

Of course, I think it just crashed on me too...

Roark, only if the swiss show up (which I've never seen personally) If they do you would be able to play them. You can play the papacy and rebels too.

**Weebeast** · 03-23-2006, 09:28

Ooops, sorry to hear that lol.

I'm suprised there are people really use this to play. Cool. I thought I was crazy.

breaking of sea connections despite ~every~ piece of water having about 4 ships!!!!

LoL yeah this one makes me sad. I remember I had to keep moving Sicilians ships just to make sure they're getting money from trading.

**Ludens** · 03-23-2006, 14:40

Originally Posted by acesman

I have never heard of this before, could it be used to do a kind of crude multi-player campaign?

Originally Posted by NodachiSam

Acesman, theorhetically it could be. ONe person plays until they would normally pres end turn then switches faction and saves it and sends it. It depend on the honour of the players but it is doable..

A couple of .Org members actually tried this: you can find the thread here (and the story thread is here); but they didn't get far beyond start-up. I assume this is because they had chosen a very difficult scenario and the A.I. did not want to cooperate in their diplomatic ventures.

**acesman** · 03-23-2006, 16:58

I tried the -ian command out, but I think the XL mod that I am using may present some problems. I could switch to some factions, but some of them, like Scotland, could not be played. I could not find the keys to access all the factions, the number keys seem to work for several factions, but that leaves a lot of them out. Any ideas?

**Geezer57** · 03-24-2006, 02:48

Originally Posted by acesman

I tried the -ian command out, but I think the XL mod that I am using may present some problems. I could switch to some factions, but some of them, like Scotland, could not be played. I could not find the keys to access all the factions, the number keys seem to work for several factions, but that leaves a lot of them out. Any ideas?

See this thread over here (5 pages worth): http://p223.ezboard.com/fshoguntotal...ID=17059.topic

The 3rd paragraph says you can use SHIFT + the number keys to access other factions.

**NodachiSam** · 03-24-2006, 06:40

I really like this command but you just have to remember to switch back to your own faction before turning. It can be used to make some of the less likely situations possible, like ai-argonese supremacy or seeing the french crusader state actually survive for a while. :)

Thanks for the link Geezer57. I havn't read too much yet but the one problem I could forsee with a chain game is the AI playing with people's empires during the end turn sequence.

**Geezer57** · 03-24-2006, 17:35

Obviously, the "chain game in debug mode" concept works better with a smaller group of players, as the AI has fewer years in which to mess up your empire. The folks over at the ezboard.com forum found their best games with 4 or fewer players on the VI map, after agreeing to adopt starting positions remote from each other.

Too bad CA never saw strategic multiplayer as a viable option. For now, this is as close as it gets....