Org Mobile Site
Thread: Pointers for new AAR's
hey since im just starting my own AAR, and have had to learn much by tedious and time-wasting trial and error, i figured it might be nice to have some sort of FAQ for using the formatting of vB codes and other different things nice to have in an AAR. So if all you more experienced AAR writers would join me in contributing things i think we could help new AAR writers to not be so discouraged and also to have better quality Introductions. I will add everything people talk about to this post so that it is easier to get to. Also i think this might be worth a sticky if the Mods do too.
Technical Help
1. Check out the Guild FAQ the 3rd page has the jump code then these two links - vB code and vB code tables
2.the jump code to scroll up and down a page via a link follows also this is only good for each page of your AAR. nameyouwanttoappear
nameyouwanttoappear
so for example
i want to link to "here"
the jump= and anchor= can be any random numbers words or letters as long as its not the same for different jumps on the same page and it is the same as the anchor for which you use it
[anchor=sdlfi1]here[/anchor with a ] at the end
[jump=sdlfi1]jump to here[/jump with a ] at the end
this will make it so when you click on "jump to here" it jumps to the here with the anchor.
3. also if you will be using large spoils is may be nice to put a link to the top of the spoils so people dont have to scroll all the way back up the spoil once they are done looking at it.
4. if you wanna write stuff for your campaign you can easily put Rome in window mode by attaching -ne to the end of the EB shortcut, just right click on the shortcut go to properties and add that -ne to the end of the Target location.(Sassem) WARNING: if you have a slow to medium comp you wont want to use this for playing Rome as Rome runs a good bit slower in window mode
Intro Help
1. Try to include which house rules and mods you will be using.
2. Decide from the beginning how in-depth you're going to be, and stick to it. Will you speak of every adoption, death, battle, etc. or will you give a more "general" overview of a longer period of time, with only the most important events being discussed? Everyone goes at their own pace.(Bootsiuv)
main AAR Help
1. make sure to browse some of the AAR's aready in existance to see the different writing styles that are being used
2. Don't be afraid to PM people that have written AARs to help with issues like learning how to do screenshots.
It also makes your screenshots more realistic when you do a minimal UI and turn off banners and the triangles under the feet of the men. Let me tell you that from experience the first time you do this it has an amazing effect on the visuals of the game.(Chirurgeon)
3.for the best pictures go to Activision\Rome - Total War\EB\preferences\preferences.txt and make the following changes (marked in red and green) - thanks to Sassem for this: theses are 3 thing that can be changed to fit your preferences for better screenies(as preferred by most people has been marked here, make sure to take out the little explanations we have written, just add true or false wherever you want it):
SHOW_BANNERS: FALSE - large unit banners
DISABLE_ARROW_MARKERS:FALSE < Green triangle
MINIMAL_UI:TRUE <--- UI autohide
also for pics look here for Bootsiev's guide to screenshots
Technical Help
1. Check out the Guild FAQ the 3rd page has the jump code then these two links - vB code and vB code tables
2.the jump code to scroll up and down a page via a link follows also this is only good for each page of your AAR. nameyouwanttoappear
nameyouwanttoappear
so for example
i want to link to "here"
the jump= and anchor= can be any random numbers words or letters as long as its not the same for different jumps on the same page and it is the same as the anchor for which you use it
[anchor=sdlfi1]here[/anchor with a ] at the end
[jump=sdlfi1]jump to here[/jump with a ] at the end
this will make it so when you click on "jump to here" it jumps to the here with the anchor.
3. also if you will be using large spoils is may be nice to put a link to the top of the spoils so people dont have to scroll all the way back up the spoil once they are done looking at it.
4. if you wanna write stuff for your campaign you can easily put Rome in window mode by attaching -ne to the end of the EB shortcut, just right click on the shortcut go to properties and add that -ne to the end of the Target location.(Sassem) WARNING: if you have a slow to medium comp you wont want to use this for playing Rome as Rome runs a good bit slower in window mode
Intro Help
1. Try to include which house rules and mods you will be using.
2. Decide from the beginning how in-depth you're going to be, and stick to it. Will you speak of every adoption, death, battle, etc. or will you give a more "general" overview of a longer period of time, with only the most important events being discussed? Everyone goes at their own pace.(Bootsiuv)
main AAR Help
1. make sure to browse some of the AAR's aready in existance to see the different writing styles that are being used
2. Don't be afraid to PM people that have written AARs to help with issues like learning how to do screenshots.
It also makes your screenshots more realistic when you do a minimal UI and turn off banners and the triangles under the feet of the men. Let me tell you that from experience the first time you do this it has an amazing effect on the visuals of the game.(Chirurgeon)
3.for the best pictures go to Activision\Rome - Total War\EB\preferences\preferences.txt and make the following changes (marked in red and green) - thanks to Sassem for this: theses are 3 thing that can be changed to fit your preferences for better screenies(as preferred by most people has been marked here, make sure to take out the little explanations we have written, just add true or false wherever you want it):
SHOW_BANNERS: FALSE - large unit banners
DISABLE_ARROW_MARKERS:FALSE < Green triangle
MINIMAL_UI:TRUE <--- UI autohide
also for pics look here for Bootsiev's guide to screenshots
nice timing
I'll be sure to use it in the coming days
I'll be sure to use it in the coming days
Don't be afraid to PM people that have written AARs to help with issues like learning how to do screenshots.
It also makes your screenshots more realistic when you do a minimal UI and turn off banners and the triangles under the feet of the men. Let me tell you that from experience the first time you do this it has an amazing effect on the visuals of the game. I think there was a thread buried in here that explained exactly how to do it. I think its in the preferences file or something.
Have fun and let game events dictate the course of the story.
It also makes your screenshots more realistic when you do a minimal UI and turn off banners and the triangles under the feet of the men. Let me tell you that from experience the first time you do this it has an amazing effect on the visuals of the game. I think there was a thread buried in here that explained exactly how to do it. I think its in the preferences file or something.
Have fun and let game events dictate the course of the story.
Take notes, but keep them simple.
Decide from the beginning how in-depth you're going to be, and stick to it. Will you speak of every adoption, death, battle, etc. or will you give a more "general" overview of a longer period of time, with only the most important events being discussed?
Don't try and do too much at once. Everyone goes at their own pace. An aar which is updated once every two weeks but has a good storyline and nice screenshots is preferable to a oft' updated, poorly-written story.
Decide from the beginning how in-depth you're going to be, and stick to it. Will you speak of every adoption, death, battle, etc. or will you give a more "general" overview of a longer period of time, with only the most important events being discussed?
Don't try and do too much at once. Everyone goes at their own pace. An aar which is updated once every two weeks but has a good storyline and nice screenshots is preferable to a oft' updated, poorly-written story.
a somwhat simple tutorial has been added to the top for jump commands under technical help
as well as chirugeon and poulp's input thx for thee help with this guys!
as well as chirugeon and poulp's input thx for thee help with this guys!
Originally Posted by madmatg:
It also makes your screenshots more realistic when you do a minimal UI and turn off banners and the triangles under the feet of the men. Let me tell you that from experience the first time you do this it has an amazing effect on the visuals of the game.(Chirurgeon)
How can I make this?It also makes your screenshots more realistic when you do a minimal UI and turn off banners and the triangles under the feet of the men. Let me tell you that from experience the first time you do this it has an amazing effect on the visuals of the game.(Chirurgeon)
Spoiler Alert, click show to read:
This txt file could be found in (your install) Activision\Rome - Total War\EB\preferences.txt
please correct me if I'm wrong I'm not 100% sure
It's in Activision\Rome - Total War\EB\preferences ;)
But it works thx ^^
But it works thx ^^
No longer relevant (fixed the problem).
Originally Posted by Sassem:
please correct me if I'm wrong I'm not 100% sure
It is SHOW_BANNERS:TRUE not UNIT_USE_SHADERS:TRUE ;)please correct me if I'm wrong I'm not 100% sure
EDIT: with minimal ui, where can i speed up?
Originally Posted by LotW89:
It is SHOW_BANNERS:TRUE not UNIT_USE_SHADERS:TRUE ;)
EDIT: with minimal ui, where can i speed up?
It is SHOW_BANNERS:TRUE not UNIT_USE_SHADERS:TRUE ;)
EDIT: with minimal ui, where can i speed up?
Thank you i corrected it i hope that i didn't screw up Bootsiuv EB
the keys are: Ctrl+t
For on the battle screen I don't know i don't use it it irritates me
edit: sassem beat me to it
Originally Posted by Sassem:
Thank you i corrected it i hope that i didn't screw up Bootsiuv EB
the keys are: Ctrl+t
For on the battle screen I don't know i don't use it it irritates me
No it was my own fault.Thank you i corrected it i hope that i didn't screw up Bootsiuv EB
the keys are: Ctrl+t
For on the battle screen I don't know i don't use it it irritates me
For anyone interested, there is a link to a mini-guide I made on posting screenshots in my signature. (a few members have pm'ed me about it, so I figured I would just release it to anyone who might find it useful).
Maybe this is useful too for writing AAR's or making KH reports 
you can have your EB game in window mode it's easy if you want quick access for names etc.
(your EB install folder) \RomeTW.exe" -mod:eb -nm -show_err -ne
This goes to the target line of the EB desktop icon for window view
Just make a Quick link (snelkoppeling) to your Desktop and use that one for window view and fill in the line above
That's my
you can have your EB game in window mode it's easy if you want quick access for names etc.
(your EB install folder) \RomeTW.exe" -mod:eb -nm -show_err -ne
This goes to the target line of the EB desktop icon for window view
Just make a Quick link (snelkoppeling) to your Desktop and use that one for window view and fill in the line above
That's my
I did not know that Sassem.
Thanks for the info, I'll definitely find a use for that.
Thanks for the info, I'll definitely find a use for that.
thx for that info sass it will help tremendously, especailly for writing notes about my game for AAR
The biggest advie I can give is to not bite off more than you can chew. Perhaps if you are unsure of your writing skills, start by posting a Battle Report and see what people say.
Also remember - Replies are not a good way of telling if you are getting readers (Though they do help). Instead look for the views. If you post an update see how many views you have and then how many you have the next day. That many people have at least clicked on your thread.
Also remember - Replies are not a good way of telling if you are getting readers (Though they do help). Instead look for the views. If you post an update see how many views you have and then how many you have the next day. That many people have at least clicked on your thread.
how can i remove the lighting of the units when i click on them?
to remove the lighting look at the original post under main AAR help number 3 DISABLE_ARROW_MARKERS:FALSE < Green triangle
Not the green arrows^^
When you select a unit, then the men of this unit illuminate
When you select a unit, then the men of this unit illuminate
nah, its good if that stays, this way you can still kinda tell which unit you are clicking.....
im starting a bactria AAR soon
im starting a bactria AAR soon
I'm pretty sure it is impossible to remove the slight ilumination of selected units. I always just hit CTRL-B before taking pictures, since I never have siege equiptment. (Though, there is a 'deselect' key, which I never remember.)
What does Control B do exactly?
I always just hold down control and deselect units with the mouse.
I always just hold down control and deselect units with the mouse.
Originally Posted by MarcusAureliusAntoninus:
I'm pretty sure it is impossible to remove the slight ilumination of selected units. I always just hit CTRL-B before taking pictures, since I never have siege equiptment. (Though, there is a 'deselect' key, which I never remember.)
I think it's the ENTER key for deselectionI'm pretty sure it is impossible to remove the slight ilumination of selected units. I always just hit CTRL-B before taking pictures, since I never have siege equiptment. (Though, there is a 'deselect' key, which I never remember.)
Originally Posted by LotW89:
how can i remove the lighting of the units when i click on them?
I believe there is a Highlight option.how can i remove the lighting of the units when i click on them?
Single Sign On provided by vBSSO