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Thread: V1.21 Rebuild-ProblemFixer BETA testing thread

  1. #1
    Senior Member Senior Member Carl's Avatar
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    Default V1.21 Rebuild-ProblemFixer BETA testing thread

    As the title says I need BETA testers for my next version of ProblemFixer.

    It was going to be V1.14, but it's such a big set of changes that it's probably going to be V1.2 in reality.

    It includes a lot of tweaks to the campaign map mechanics and tech trees, (to encourage better AI armies and reduce duplicate units), and AI.

    I haven't got a full change log ATM, but thats a good quick summary.

    Leave your name in this thread, I'll also use this as a place for you all to post feedback.

    I simply want you to post thoughts on ANYTHING you spot that feels odd, or that's not right.

    I'd also like info on how you play your battles normally, what factions your using, unit sizes and other similar Little niggles, and weather your blitzing or a slow expander or something in-between.

    That last bit is quite important as I've included some changes to sacking and siege battles that should slow the game down for everyone, but I need to know I haven't gone too far and made it boring for blitzer by slowing them down too much. (although i know most Blitzers want a better challenge).

    I'd also like some people to tell me what they think of the custom battle alterations I've made and also a lot of info on how you find sieges before and after the changes.

    Thanks.

    Carl.

    EDIT: A list below of Voulnteers to date:

    Hore Tore
    Bongaroo
    The Teacher
    chickenhawk
    Gingivitis
    Erik Bloodaxe
    Bob the Insane
    NefariousWolf
    vonsch
    Tristan de Castelreng
    Last edited by Carl; 03-08-2007 at 13:38.
    Find my ProblemFixer Purehere.

    This ProblemFixer fixes the following: 2-Hander bug, Pike Bug, Shield Bug, Chasing Routers, Cav not Charging, Formation Keeping Improved, Trait Bugs, and Ancillary Bugs.

    BETA Testers needed for the current version of RebuildProblemFixer. Thread here

  2. #2
    Member Member Bongaroo's Avatar
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    Default Re: BETA Testers needed for latest version of ProblemFixer

    I'm in, where do I pick up the newest version?

  3. #3
    Senior Member Senior Member Carl's Avatar
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    Default

    Below is a nice example of some feedback somone sent about V1.13 and who is intrested in helping test 1.2.


    Awesome! Count me in. Do you have a thread or forum your using to chat about these things so I can dive in? I think I'll start taking down some notes while I play to help organize my thoughts.

    I tried your mod as a last ditch because I was fed up with the bugs, but I got real big into a Long Venetian campaign and had fun winning.

    I don't do a blitz style of play but usually prefer slow and methodical warfare. Right now I'm playing a russian H/VH campaign trying to keep a high reputation and man is it tough. I probably should have gone with a catholic faction to make it a bit easier but it's interesting.

    A few things off the top of my head that have been annoying me: rebels spawn all the time in lands where the public order is high and religion is 90%+ othrodox and it gets a little annoying since the borders are huge out in the east. makes rebel cleanup a chore. maybe a way to lower their spawn rate in happy provinces?

    the secret love ancilliary for princesses is driving me mad! I haven't had a princess last 5 turns without getting one, must get one the turn before picking one up. not sure if it really messes much else up since with your fixes they can keep the charm higher but it bugs me. I'd disable it completely as a trait instead of have it as it is now if i knew how

    thats it from the top of my head that bugs me in the game currently. oh, one last thing that bugs me is how milan pwns france too easily.
    To give him his reply. I am lowering overall Rebel/Pirate Spawn rates as they are a bit high ATM, however the way rebels are set up theirs nothing I can do to prevent them spawning in provinces with high PO/mostly your religion/e.t.c it's fixed by a single universal value for all provinces.

    The Secret Love still needs tweaking I agree, even in V1.13 it was a bit on the common side. I'm working on that and many other trait tweaks.

    I'll see what I can do about Milan and France, the trouble is Milan littrially gets more income from it's two cities than it can possibbl spend for quite a good portion of the early game, as a result they can easilly feild multipile stacks of troops with good garrissions, whilst other powers have to spread their troops around a lot more, add to that rances lack of early wealth and it's quite easy for Milan to not only have a stronger military overall, but also far more troops in any given area, the best I can do is mabe give france a few more units early on if necessery.

    I'm in, where do I pick up the newest version?
    I'm gonna spend 48 hours or so pulling in more testers, then i'm gonna send out a link to a download.

    If Hore Tore sees this i've made significant updates since I sent him one back before his PC went on the blink. So he'll need the new version too when he's ready.
    Last edited by Carl; 03-20-2007 at 11:30.
    Find my ProblemFixer Purehere.

    This ProblemFixer fixes the following: 2-Hander bug, Pike Bug, Shield Bug, Chasing Routers, Cav not Charging, Formation Keeping Improved, Trait Bugs, and Ancillary Bugs.

    BETA Testers needed for the current version of RebuildProblemFixer. Thread here

  4. #4
    has a Senior Member HoreTore's Avatar
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    Default Re: BETA Testers needed for latest version of ProblemFixer

    Quote Originally Posted by Carl
    If Hore Tore sees this i've made significant updates since I sent him one back before his PC went on the blink. So he'll need the new version too when he's ready.
    They went along with the rest of my computer :P

    Anyway, I'm up and running again, so I can join too.

    BTW, have you found a working solution to the thieves guild yet?
    Still maintain that crying on the pitch should warrant a 3 match ban

  5. #5

    Default Re: BETA Testers needed for latest version of ProblemFixer

    im in :) a pre news on the stabilty of this version? i dont want the blue screen of death ...

  6. #6
    Senior Member Senior Member Carl's Avatar
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    Default Re: BETA Testers needed for latest version of ProblemFixer

    Their shouldn't be ANY stability issues, thats what I've been holding off for for so long for. i just need to try a 20-30 turn campaign as somebody and see how my latest trait alliterations play out, then wait see if any more turn up and then send it out, will be late tonight mid day tomorrow probably depending on how what I'm doing now goes, and what uptake is like.

    The Thieves guild seems to be okay now, seen it a few times but never got an offer myself, but I don't use many spies so...
    Find my ProblemFixer Purehere.

    This ProblemFixer fixes the following: 2-Hander bug, Pike Bug, Shield Bug, Chasing Routers, Cav not Charging, Formation Keeping Improved, Trait Bugs, and Ancillary Bugs.

    BETA Testers needed for the current version of RebuildProblemFixer. Thread here

  7. #7

    Default Re: BETA Testers needed for latest version of ProblemFixer

    ok then im in, its just that i run the game on a pc emulator in a mac and dont want the headache of any major problems.

  8. #8
    Senior Member Senior Member Carl's Avatar
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    Default Re: BETA Testers needed for latest version of ProblemFixer

    Fair enough, so far after 26 turns into a Byzantine Campaign everything seems to be working okay, I just need to check a few things and then I wil probably look into one last littile issue regarding Mod folders and go from their. It's looking more like a late tonight/early tommorow morning release.
    Find my ProblemFixer Purehere.

    This ProblemFixer fixes the following: 2-Hander bug, Pike Bug, Shield Bug, Chasing Routers, Cav not Charging, Formation Keeping Improved, Trait Bugs, and Ancillary Bugs.

    BETA Testers needed for the current version of RebuildProblemFixer. Thread here

  9. #9
    Member Member Kraggenmor's Avatar
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    Default Re: BETA Testers needed for latest version of ProblemFixer

    With the CA patch right around the corner, mightn't it be better to wait for it and see how you latest version gets along with it?

    Or do you no longer bother with the stock version of the game at all?


    "No swords for you wannabes! Get back to poking!"
    - Dopp -

  10. #10
    Senior Member Senior Member Carl's Avatar
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    Default Re: BETA Testers needed for latest version of ProblemFixer

    Whilst I will have to update for the upcoming vanilla patch, it's nearly a month away and theirs a lot of campaign related tweaking that will be only slightly changed by what CA does. I've tweaked the Ancillaries, EDB, and Traits almost exactly how I like them, (subject to tester approval of course), and I'm probably nearly their with the Guilds and Faction Standings stuff, so I'll probably continue with my own customized files in this regard. he same with my Descr_Campaign_db file.

    On the other hand I probably will have to modify my Campaign AI file and definitely my EDU file. Likewise their are probably going to be changes to both the Descr_Strat file and other areas that will outright require modification elsewhere and improvements in battle AI and maybe other hidden changes will doubtless shake things up.

    So yes I definitely am not outside the vanilla game totally, on the other hand a fair few files are probably nearing their finished states or are going to be untouched by the patch so I'd like to get some testing in before it comes out too.

    Thanks for the concern though, if the patch had been out this week as intended I'd have held off, but as things are it's probably better to get on with it.
    Last edited by Carl; 03-07-2007 at 20:09.
    Find my ProblemFixer Purehere.

    This ProblemFixer fixes the following: 2-Hander bug, Pike Bug, Shield Bug, Chasing Routers, Cav not Charging, Formation Keeping Improved, Trait Bugs, and Ancillary Bugs.

    BETA Testers needed for the current version of RebuildProblemFixer. Thread here

  11. #11
    Member Member Bongaroo's Avatar
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    Default Re: BETA Testers needed for latest version of ProblemFixer

    Quote Originally Posted by Carl
    Whilst I will have to update for the upcoming vanilla patch, it's nearly a month away and theirs a lot of campaign related tweaking that will be only slightly changed by what CA does. I've tweaked the Ancillaries, EDB, and Traits almost exactly how I like them, (subject to tester approval of course), and I'm probably nearly their with the Guilds and Faction Standings stuff, so I'll probably continue with my own customized files in this regard. he same with my Descr_Campaign_db file.

    On the other hand I probably will have to modify my Campaign AI file and definitely my EDU file. Likewise their are probably going to be changes to both the Descr_Strat file and other areas that will outright require modification elsewhere and improvements in battle AI and maybe other hidden changes will doubtless shake things up.

    So yes I definitely am not outside the vanilla game totally, on the other hand a fair few files are probably nearing their finished states or are going to be untouched by the patch so I'd like to get some testing in before it comes out too.

    Thanks for the concern though, if the patch had been out this week as intended I'd have held off, but as things are it's probably better to get on with it.
    Amen to that, it's too bad about the patch being pushed back but I might not even need it with the fixes to the latest version Carl has mentioned.

  12. #12

    Default Re: BETA Testers needed for latest version of ProblemFixer

    Carl I would be delighted to give your creation a go. I will check back, I promise.

  13. #13
    Senior Member Senior Member Carl's Avatar
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    Default Re: BETA Testers needed for latest version of ProblemFixer

    A list of Volunteers names has now been added to the first post, just so everyone knows.

    p.s. Thanks chikenhawk.
    Find my ProblemFixer Purehere.

    This ProblemFixer fixes the following: 2-Hander bug, Pike Bug, Shield Bug, Chasing Routers, Cav not Charging, Formation Keeping Improved, Trait Bugs, and Ancillary Bugs.

    BETA Testers needed for the current version of RebuildProblemFixer. Thread here

  14. #14

    Default Re: BETA Testers needed for latest version of ProblemFixer

    I'd be glad to kick the tires of your latest Beta now that I know there's going to be a few weeks before the "official" patch anyway. Been using your old one forever so seems fair I should give some feedback.

  15. #15
    Senior Member Senior Member Carl's Avatar
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    Default Re: BETA Testers needed for latest version of ProblemFixer

    Thanks, will add you to the list at the top.

    Anymore.

    Thanks to everyone who's volunteered, as soon as i've checked out that i've got the .cfg issue resolved, (bassiclly i need to make sure you don't end up with any of my graphics settings), then i'll send out links. You can still join after I send out links though, so don't worry about that.

    Thanks.

    Carl.
    Find my ProblemFixer Purehere.

    This ProblemFixer fixes the following: 2-Hander bug, Pike Bug, Shield Bug, Chasing Routers, Cav not Charging, Formation Keeping Improved, Trait Bugs, and Ancillary Bugs.

    BETA Testers needed for the current version of RebuildProblemFixer. Thread here

  16. #16
    Member Member Erik Bloodaxe's Avatar
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    Default Re: BETA Testers needed for latest version of ProblemFixer

    I would also be glad to help if that's needed Carl.

    (If I understood you correctly, average playstyle:
    Slow builder, Byzantine Empire, Egypt and Turkey ftw, normal unit size.)

  17. #17
    Ricardus Insanusaum Member Bob the Insane's Avatar
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    Default Re: BETA Testers needed for latest version of ProblemFixer

    Love you help too, give me something to do until the 2nd patch, BI sort out Armed Assault or Stalker is released...:D

    Anyway I am using your 1.13 right now along side Shab Wangy's Diplomatic Mod v1.5....
    Last edited by Bob the Insane; 03-07-2007 at 23:22.

  18. #18
    Senior Member Senior Member Carl's Avatar
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    Default Re: BETA Testers needed for latest version of ProblemFixer

    Right, thanks for some more voulnteers, I've created my own Diplom,acy changes as it happens, so far it the cfg seems to be workin fine, i just have to create the self extractor now.

    p.s. i'm more intrested on the campaigns you play when you report back, glad to have another Byzantine fan too BTW, it's allways useful to know how well specific faction do.
    Last edited by Carl; 03-07-2007 at 23:33.
    Find my ProblemFixer Purehere.

    This ProblemFixer fixes the following: 2-Hander bug, Pike Bug, Shield Bug, Chasing Routers, Cav not Charging, Formation Keeping Improved, Trait Bugs, and Ancillary Bugs.

    BETA Testers needed for the current version of RebuildProblemFixer. Thread here

  19. #19

    Default Re: BETA Testers needed for latest version of ProblemFixer

    I'm in. I was just about to start a new campaign anyway. However, I'll be out of town this weekend, so I probably won't get to get too much playing in till next weekend.

    I'll play a Scottish campaign, heavy on the pikes. I promise to give you an earful on how pikes hold up with your pike workarounds.

    Play style: I blitz if it works. I'd prefer if it didn't.

  20. #20
    Senior Member Senior Member Carl's Avatar
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    Default Re: BETA Testers needed for latest version of ProblemFixer

    Thanks, ands RFOFL @ the Pikes, i'll be especiially intrested in how well i've slowed down Blitzing.

    I'm preparing a littile breifing as i've added a couple of features that you need warning about ahead of time or they are going to cause frustration upon first encounter (their the kind of thing that would get a whole pharagraph to themselves in a proper manual).

    After that i'll start sending it round, but I DO need a volunteer to dowload and install it first to check my installation method is working.
    Find my ProblemFixer Purehere.

    This ProblemFixer fixes the following: 2-Hander bug, Pike Bug, Shield Bug, Chasing Routers, Cav not Charging, Formation Keeping Improved, Trait Bugs, and Ancillary Bugs.

    BETA Testers needed for the current version of RebuildProblemFixer. Thread here

  21. #21

    Default Re: BETA Testers needed for latest version of ProblemFixer

    Fire it at me, may not have time to do much else today but will do that for sure.

  22. #22
    Senior Member Senior Member Carl's Avatar
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    Default Re: BETA Testers needed for latest version of ProblemFixer

    Alright, first up is a quick list of basics, it's not exhaustive or particularly deep, but it does give you some idea of basics:

    -- A Minor Reduction In 2-Hander attack so as to reduce the OTT nature of the best 2-handers without overnerfing the lower powered 2-handers to the point of uselessness.

    -- Reductions in sacking money, and a general increase in the quality of starting Rebel Armies so as to make early blitzing somewhat harder than previously. Thus, hopefully, increasing the overall difficulty of the game.

    -- Papal_states and the Aztecs have received significant buffs to their initial armies making giving the Papal States considerably more bite, and also ensuring that the conquest of the new world is significantly harder.

    -- Increases in the power of various walls and tower, both in damage and durability as well as gate durability now ensure that attacking settlements is an expensive business, and that large cities/huge cities/fortresses/citadels are impossibbile to blitz due to the fact that they will almost always inflict significant damage on the attacking army/armies, and once upgraded to cannon/ballistae towers, will now requires significant quantities of siege artillery and/or multiple stacks of infantry to assault. As a result it Will require considerable time and effort to destroy large numbers of such outposts due to the requirements of retraining and replacments after every siege.

    -- Significant increases in heat Fatigue effects in an attempt to make the stat more meaningfully have been implemented.

    -- Significant morale modifications have also been made in an attempt to increases it's relevance and reduce the disparity in terms of staying power between the best and worst units, as well as reduce fight to the death situations.

    -- Significant modifications to buildings in terms of effects, and also major re-arranging of the tech tree's. This has made the AI much better at recruiting good stacks, and has also reduced situations where a faction has access to 2 or 3 nearly identical units at exactly the same time. This has resulted in some units disappearing from some factions and a large number of factions no longer have access to DFK as almost all factions have something that replicates their function available earlier.

    -- Non-Mercenary unit's previously available in custom battles only have been added in where doing so does not clash with the above points. Some factions have also seen minor tech-tree adjustments to encourage particular styles of play, add variety in places, and to generally deal with a few balance issues in some tech trees.

    -- After the prior two points have been accomplished, I have then edited what is available in custom battle to match what is available in the Campaign. With the exception of mercenary units, no unit not available in Campaign mode is available in custom now. This has occasionally resulted in some units ceasing to exist altogether.

    -- Campaign AI tweaked to produce more efficient defenses and reduce the stupid attacks and defenses made with 1 unit that we sometimes see.

    -- Guilds accordance and point accumulation altered to encourage some guilds

    -- Traits added in and others modified to increase the effects of some guilds and also to make reputation more of a factor.

    -- Ancillaries modified to make some easier and some harder.

    -- Faction standing data modified to produce a greater number of factors effecting it, and also to increase the effects of existing factors. Some factors (tall poppy and a few others), removed so as to make diplomacy make sense now.

    -- Projectiles modified so as to produce more sensible and useful exploding shot, Ribualts, and also to reduce anti-building effects of Ballistae and Serpentines and other similar anti-personnel artillery.

    -- A small Money Script has been added to help ensure the AI has enough money in the early part of the game, thus helping to prevent the AI from falling behind the player in development too significantly.

    -- Rebel, Pirate, Heretic, Witch, and Inquisitor spawn has been adjusted. Merchants, Assassins, and Inquisitors have had acquisition, Assassinate, Denounce Chances modified to balance these units. Merchant income and Witch/Heretic conversion rates have also been modified to increase the income/increase the issues these units cause.

    -- Bribery Chances, (much easier and cheaper, although a half stack of militia is still about 8K with a reliable reputation), and a few other campaign related factors have also been modified to improve the playing experience.
    Next I'm going to go into a few new features.

    1. Honest Ruler & Dishonest Ruler.

    Quite an Important one this one as it could mess up many a carefully laid plan if you aren't careful of it.

    Honest Ruler/Dishonest Ruler are the names of 2 new traits I've added, only, Faction Leaders get them and only under very specific circumstances, but their effects are considerable and far reaching, (as you'd expect).

    In fact they are more an extension of the existing Reputation information in the Diplomatic scroll and represent the general opinion of the International community of your rulers rule in international terms.

    They are in fact directly tied to reputation and it is reputation that is the only trigger for getting these.

    You need a reputation of reliable or better for the Honest ruler line, and Dubious or worse for the Dishonest Ruler line.

    Their are 5 levels of each, and you need a steadily higher reputation to go up each level, in addition if your reputation drops below, (or goes above in the case of Dishonest ruler), the threshold that got you to the current level then you will lose a level. For example you have to have a reputation level of Immaculate to get the fifth level of Honest Ruler. If it ever drops below Immaculate you will immediately lose a level and drop to the fourth level.

    Just so you Know, Honest Ruler Gives Chivalry and Authority and Piety. Dishonest Ruler Gives Dread and Authority, but removes Piety.

    The next point is that depending on whether your ruler is honest or dishonest you may not be able to get some traits, and you will lose some existing traits if you have them.

    For example an Honest Ruler cannot get any points for:

    CaptorDread (got through executing prisoners)
    RansomDread (Got through refusing Ransom demands for your own troops)
    BattleDread (got by slaughtering entire armies of troops when you massively outnumber them)
    StrategyDread (Got through having a blue face happiness population, (except when taxes are low), through the building of spies and assassins in the same settlement, and through the use of assassins if Faction Leader)

    I'm thinking of adding Bloodthirsty, Genocide, and Berserker to that but would like opinions.

    For Dishonest Ruler the traits are the Chivalric equivalents of the above listed.

    In addition to not being able to get the listed traits you also slowly lose any already acquired points of these traits.

    The basic Idea is that an Honest ruler will always be Chivalrous and a Dishonest one Dreadful. It is theoretically possible to have Dreadful Honest Rulers, and Chivalrous Dishonest ones, but it takes considerable hard work to do, which is pretty sensible, a ruler who acts in a dishonest faction politically but is personally quite chivalrous will be slightly chivalrous overall, and vice-versa.

    This has important implications. For fairly simple reasons, high dread generals tend to make good Field commanders, whilst high chivalry ones make good governors, so if you want a Field king your going to have to be fairly dastardly or accept the lesser abilities of a chivalrous one.

    It also means that you have to bear the future reputation of the kingdom in mind when creating your faction heir, it's no good building a really dreadful heir up if he's going to lose it all to the Honest ruler line.

    In effect it makes reputation all the more important, it isn't just for diplomacy anymore, it also effects exactly what your leader is good at and makes you do some forward planning in raising your heirs.

    2. Reputation Modifiers and Prisoners

    I've increased the reputation effects of sacking, exterminating, and occupying, both positive and negative, and have removed the prisoner minimum number condition from both the prisoner reputation effects, and the Captor/ransomChivalry/Dread traits so any amount of prisoners released/executed/ransomed/accept ransom/refuse ransom can effect both your reputation and traits. I personally found I rarely captured enough people to trigger these triggers myself, although thats started to change of late.

    Lastly, I've added some reputation triggers that check the chivalry/dread of ALL your generals, (not including Faction Heir and Faction Leader), and depending on the amount they have and type will raise or lower your reputation. It's not a big effect, but over 10 turns or so it can show up in noticeable amounts. A 10 chivalry/dread general creates a bigger change than a 1 chivalry/dread one too.

    Chivalry raise rep, Dread lowers it.

    Again this is another forward planning bit, if you want the benefits of Honest Ruler you have to work at it. You can have the odd dreadful general for field work, but you'll need a lot of chivalrous generals to counteract them if they are really high dread.

    Thus in general someone who expands slowly will probably have good rep and thus need plenty of high chivalry governors. Whilst a fast expander or blitzer will need high-dread Field generals more and will probably have low rep.

    Also be aware that if you can keep your rep high enough and your relations at Very good or above then you can get trusted alliances, these are literally unbreakable. This is another advantage to going slow now, if you get a good rep you can guard your borders via strong alliances meaning you need minimal armies and need only fight on those fronts you want to fight on. good rep also makes alliances easier to get too.

    A fast expander with lots of dreadful generals and poor rep can't get that kind of alliance and can expect to be back-stabbed and thus needs really strong border armies and will be fighting on all fronts, in addition he might well have to face extremely solid AI alliances against him.

    3. Sieges and early on.

    Be aware that early o the rebels are a LOT more powerful than before, (I've had them beat back half stacks before, and decimate half stacks that do win too).

    Sieges are more destructive too so I'd strongly recommend you auto-resolve against rebel Castles. You can take them on the battle map early on, but your going to need a full stack, a good general and as much siege equipment as you can afford. If you could wait till you got some Pro troops out of your own castles or have a few catapults running round you'd probably do fine. Unfortunately the auto-resolve bug means the AI will find it much easier than you, and thus will probably be able to take them long before you can.

    Thus I advise you only fight Castle Sieges against rebels in the first 30 turns or so if you want a REALLY serious challenge, once CA fixes the Auto-Resolve bug of course it will be a different matter.

    Regarding siges. You might want to deploy your siege artillery a bit further back against arrow towers now as I've extended them to musket ranges, add in their elevated position and they don't tend to have any issues reaching stuff deployed "on the line" as it where.

    Lastly, I'm afraid sieges with the AI as the attacker are going to be a bit dull ATM, until CA fixes various siege AI bugs, (especially the standing around), they're going to keep getting shot to death before they even launch an attack.

    Oh yeah, as a rule of thumb, once Ballistae/Cannon towers show up your going to need 2 stacks of semi decent infantry, and a stack of artillery to attack a single wall, add another full stack of infantry and half stack of artillery for every wall after that. Taking cities and Citadels is now VERY costly in troops, more because the towers tend to kill at least half your army before you hit the walls so you need a lot of troops to actually make it to the walls with enough troops to do any good.


    I know everything in the last 3 sections sounds depressing, but thats partially why i want you guys to help. I'm not even half way their with siege balance, and I want to check that my changes to reputations, traits, and ancillaries aren't going too far and railroading people TOO much. I'd also say it sounds much worse than it actually is.

    Now all I need is someone willing to let me send them the link and test the installation method for me.
    Find my ProblemFixer Purehere.

    This ProblemFixer fixes the following: 2-Hander bug, Pike Bug, Shield Bug, Chasing Routers, Cav not Charging, Formation Keeping Improved, Trait Bugs, and Ancillary Bugs.

    BETA Testers needed for the current version of RebuildProblemFixer. Thread here

  23. #23

    Default Re: BETA Testers needed for latest version of ProblemFixer

    Fire it at me, may not have time to do much else today but will do that for sure.

    PM me, will attempt instal immediatly.

  24. #24
    Senior Member Senior Member Carl's Avatar
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    Default Re: BETA Testers needed for latest version of ProblemFixer

    Thanks, thought you'd gone offluine or would have when I posted the above as i saw your reply as soon as I finishd the above.
    Find my ProblemFixer Purehere.

    This ProblemFixer fixes the following: 2-Hander bug, Pike Bug, Shield Bug, Chasing Routers, Cav not Charging, Formation Keeping Improved, Trait Bugs, and Ancillary Bugs.

    BETA Testers needed for the current version of RebuildProblemFixer. Thread here

  25. #25

    Default Re: BETA Testers needed for latest version of ProblemFixer

    Carl,

    This is more of a true mod than a "fixer."

    But it does sound interesting. If you want one more user of 1.13 as a tester, I'm game.

    The changes to diplomacy sound interesting, as do the reputation things. The seige changes scare me a bit. I prefer field battles to seiges. That comes with preferring strategy to tactics, I suspect.

    I tend to play it slow, and so far haven't gotten beyond turn 60 in the long campaign. I will blitz early to make some breathing room, if I can. Then I tend to slow to 1 region every 5 turns or so, mostly when someone attacks me. I've played a lot of starts. Most of them were England or Portugal though. Also dabbled in Spain, Moors, Russia and Milan. I like seeing the differences in factions.

    I also like developing generals, so that aspect of what you're doing appeals to me a lot. I need to find a better way to prune the ol' family tree though. The lost causes need to get lost, not hang around occupying real estate and inciting unrest!

    Will your installer do a separate mod folder for it?

  26. #26
    Senior Member Senior Member Carl's Avatar
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    Default Re: BETA Testers needed for latest version of ProblemFixer

    V1.13 is very much a pure fixer. V1.2 attempts to fix the AI and also make it harder to Blitz as a lot of people have complained that it's easy to just Blitz their way to victory in 40 or so turns.

    Whilst I agree it's nearly a full mod now, it is still only tweaking things a fair few people have complained at, their personal "Problems" as it where. Which has been the intent all along really, fix what people feel are bugs/core problems with the game mechanics, rather than just stuff that falls under the bug list.

    Thanks for volunteering too, Sieges will actually be less common as the money script means the AI builds a decent economy early on and within 30 turns you can expect full stack armies to be popping in for tea, they'll mostly be militia for the first 100 turns or so, but as time goes by they'll ratchet up to the very best available.

    I also understand your worry about sieges, frankly I'm happy with Huge Stone Walls in Cities and thats it. The rest still need extensive tweaking before I'll claim to be happy with the balance, Citadels in particular are far harder than I'd like. even with 7-8 stacks the AI struggles ATM, a fix to the AI standing around so much might help here, but theirs only so much you can do to counteract all the firepower that 3 walls can put out. The first walls easy if you rush it hard and fast with multiple armies, it's when you start having to deal with more than 1. the AI's pretty poor at grabbing the unused Ladders and taking them inside to mention nothing of artillery use.

    3 Humans with good armies could easily take the first 2 walls of a citadel with cannon towers and give the third a good go. If the Citadel didn't have cannon towers they could probably take all 3 even, and with much lower losses. It's stupid AI, and the capabilities of cannon towers when used right thats the issue right now. Bad programing on CA's part really as I'd prefer Cannon towers to fire a lot less cannon balls, but also fire some arrows. as it is they fire lots of cannon balls to make up for the lack of arrows and not only does it look daft but it makes them rather too effective vs. infantry for my tastes and too weak vs. artillery.

    Thats why I want testers really, i need ideas.
    Find my ProblemFixer Purehere.

    This ProblemFixer fixes the following: 2-Hander bug, Pike Bug, Shield Bug, Chasing Routers, Cav not Charging, Formation Keeping Improved, Trait Bugs, and Ancillary Bugs.

    BETA Testers needed for the current version of RebuildProblemFixer. Thread here

  27. #27

    Default Re: BETA Testers needed for latest version of ProblemFixer

    Sounds like I need to study up on how to maintain reputation. My efforts are mixed, at present. Chivalry is no issue; that's easy.

    In my current English campaign despite keeping my end of diplomatic agreements I'm still sitting at mixed. I've seen reliable in the past. Not sure what is different.

    I've mostly stopped sacking. At least sacking cities with the same religion. It means my captured cities progress in size a lot faster, and I get more tax income, but I give up the immediate cash infusion and the several turn fear bonus to counter unrest. But it really helps chivalry maintenance.

    It's interesting, though. The AI cities are usually bigger than mine when I capture them. Not as developed in buildings, but bigger populations. The AI either gets growth bonuses (this is on Hard) or it taxes enough lower that it gets the 0.5-1.5% extra growth. I suspect it's a combination of cash awards and low to no taxes.

    I hope the influx of cash to the Papacy won't mean the PS are aggressive. I like seeing them defend themselves, but hate to see them go on the offensive due to the implications to the Catholic faction player.

    From the sound of things, a slower pace WILL result. Real seiges may be in order: force the defenders to sally so you can defeat them in the field. That means significant slowdown wth developed regions. They will hold out more than a few turns.

  28. #28

    Default Re: BETA Testers needed for latest version of ProblemFixer

    Quote Originally Posted by Carl
    3 Humans with good armies could easily take the first 2 walls of a citadel with cannon towers and give the third a good go. If the Citadel didn't have cannon towers they could probably take all 3 even, and with much lower losses. It's stupid AI, and the capabilities of cannon towers when used right thats the issue right now. Bad programing on CA's part really as I'd prefer Cannon towers to fire a lot less cannon balls, but also fire some arrows. as it is they fire lots of cannon balls to make up for the lack of arrows and not only does it look daft but it makes them rather too effective vs. infantry for my tastes and too weak vs. artillery.

    Thats why I want testers really, i need ideas.
    Idea #1, make mortar towers not canon towers, if possible.

    Idea#2, make what is currently ballista towers some type of boiling oil equivalent and ballista towers the top level.

    Idea #3 create the ability to build siege ramps roman style, it might take 5 or six turns but it would make the first wall really cheap.

    comment #1, Spys that can open gates are going to be much more important.

  29. #29
    Senior Member Senior Member Carl's Avatar
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    Default

    From the sound of things, a slower pace WILL result. Real sieges may be in order: force the defenders to sally so you can defeat them in the field. That means significant slowdown with developed regions. They will hold out more than a few turns.
    That was the idea. In a real situation troops have been known to defeat sieging forces 2 or 3 times their size in real history. I see no reason why it should be any different.

    Likewise wall mounted siege artillery often out-ranged that of the attackers as it didn't have to be portable or easy to build, it could be built decades in advance if needs be.

    Sounds like I need to study up on how to maintain reputation. My efforts are mixed, at present. Chivalry is no issue; that's easy.

    In my current English campaign despite keeping my end of diplomatic agreements I'm still sitting at mixed. I've seen reliable in the past. Not sure what is different.

    I've mostly stopped sacking. At least sacking cities with the same religion. It means my captured cities progress in size a lot faster, and I get more tax income, but I give up the immediate cash infusion and the several turn fear bonus to counter unrest. But it really helps chivalry maintenance.

    It's interesting, though. The AI cities are usually bigger than mine when I capture them. Not as developed in buildings, but bigger populations. The AI either gets growth bonuses (this is on Hard) or it taxes enough lower that it gets the 0.5-1.5% extra growth. I suspect it's a combination of cash awards and low to no taxes.
    A word of note. Being at war lowers rep, alliances raise it (weather they are unbreakable or not), attacking others first lowers it, as does attacking anyone without a bad rep even if they hit first. Sacking AND exterminating lower it as does executing prisoners, (even through refused ransoms i think), and I think refusing ransoms for your own troops does it. I've generally increased most values so as to make them have bigger effects as before only sack and exterminate actually mattered.

    release all prisoners, get all your own back, occupy constantly, and only attack back people who have attacked you and have got their rep well down.

    Basically those who take it slow and steady and manipulate rep and unbreakable alliance need never fight a battle they can't win, However it will take a fair old while to pull off.

    The growth benefits from all the chivalry will also give you a massive income too.

    Blitzers can mostly ignore diplomacy and reputation, but pay for it through being under constant attack and having poor economies that in the long terms the reduced sacking can't make up for, so you need to be as quick as possible. Blitzing is for those that just want battles, but not complex campaign mechanics. Slow and steady for those that want the complex relations.


    A few extras I missed.

    The Excommunication Public Order Penalty is much larger, expect massive income hits from the lowered taxes.

    Most dread giving traits deduct from Piety, so Blitzers have a lot to fear from inquisitors in spite of the lowered chance of a kill, lowered numbers, and lowered spawn rate of said inquisitors. Most Chivalry traits now give Piety However. It's normally +/-1 occasionally 2. Only Honest/Dishonest Ruler hits +/- 3.

    Lastly, since I expect even Blitzers to be pushed for time, i've changed it to 1 turn per year and modified the events so they turn up after the same number of turns.

    If you want to go back to 2 years per turn, modify it to be so in the Descr_Strat file and delete the Descr_Events file.

    comment #1, Spys that can open gates are going to be much more important.
    Most defintlly, but heavy Spy usage hits rep, just like heavy assasin usage so it's a balancing act.

    Idea #1, make mortar towers not canon towers, if possible.

    Idea#2, make what is currently ballista towers some type of boiling oil equivalent and ballista towers the top level.

    Idea #3 create the ability to build siege ramps roman style, it might take 5 or six turns but it would make the first wall really cheap.
    What do you man by ramps?

    An idea to follow on from what you've just said. Make a new type of Ballista Bolt, and then make the flaming versions the Cannon Balls. That way it still makes seige equipment less important and Artillary more so, yet dosen't have the insane killing power vs. infantry.

    I'm not sure how easy to do your ideas would be, but they all sound good. i'd love boiling oil back.
    Last edited by Carl; 03-20-2007 at 11:31.
    Find my ProblemFixer Purehere.

    This ProblemFixer fixes the following: 2-Hander bug, Pike Bug, Shield Bug, Chasing Routers, Cav not Charging, Formation Keeping Improved, Trait Bugs, and Ancillary Bugs.

    BETA Testers needed for the current version of RebuildProblemFixer. Thread here

  30. #30

    Default Re: BETA Testers needed for latest version of ProblemFixer

    Quote Originally Posted by Carl
    only attack back people who have attacked you and have got their rep well down.
    I find that attacking enemies that are on my own soil doesn't SEEM to hurt me. And the Pope never protests when I'm Catholic.

    But attacking ships at sea, even those blockading, appears to be bad for rep.

    Not sure about the blockading. Does lower my rep with the involved faction, at least.

    I didn't know that the enemy's rep mattered. That would explain some things. When I am central, and taking on the usual suspects (Venice, etc), they usually have bad reps. France too. The Iberians often have better reps. Maybe the handy Moors help with that.

    Heh, taking out the poor Scots by turn 5 might also put me in the hole a bit when playing England. I don't wait for them to attack me.


    Yeah, the changes to time passing make sense. And the adjustment of events to turns instead of years also does. This last game is the first time I really saw any of those. I was at 0.5 for a while, then 1, now back to 2 (with 1.13). I wanted to see SOME of the events, even if I haven't get ever seen gunpowder.

    I get bored too fast.

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