GUIDE: Specifics of Modding Alexander - TW

[Makanyane]

you might need to experiment if no one else has an answer for you, as far as I remember the 'buggy' description was that map actually CTD'd on load for RTW if you tried silly values like 300, so it should be quite clear if you get that! Think I had 130 running fine in RTW before.

Best thing is to test the figure you want by letting computer play itself on campaign map by using -ai in same place you put -show_err on shortcut. That should show up if you're getting problems.

[comrade_general]

ok, thanks. i knew i would have to just try it out and see, i just wanted to check if there was any heads up beforehand, so thanks.

[Bardo]

ATW sometimes crashes to desktop when there is a succesfully ambush, if you are using the fomations_ai file from other RTW versions.
To avoid these ctds when you port descr_formations_ai.txt files to ATW, you need to add this alternative ambush formation (included in the vanilla ATW formation file):

;****************************************************************
; Alternate Ambush deployment
; Column marching formation for the army being ambushed, allows stretching
;****************************************************************

begin_formation alternate_ambush_defender_deployment

	alternate_ambush_defender_deployment
	ai_priority 0.1

	;;; general at the front
	begin_block 0
		min_units				1
		max_units				1
		unit_type				general_unit			1.0
		unit_density			close
		block_formation			line
		block_relative_pos		0 0.0 0.0
		inter_unit_spacing		2.0
		priority				1.0
	end_block

	;;; all other units behind
	begin_block 1
		unit_type				any					1.0
		unit_density			close
		block_formation			column
		block_relative_pos		0 0.0 -2.0
		inter_unit_spacing		2.0
		priority				1.0
	end_block


end_formation

Note the difference with the default RTW ambush formation is that it has been removed the line:
max_unit_width 4
It seems this line causes ctds with ATW engine, at certain map locations (usually forests). And just adding this alternative formation the ctds are fixed.

[Dol Guldur]

Good info Bardo - can you state the exact point at which the CTD occurs with this? Thx.

[Bardo]

Yes, the ctds occur in the loading screen just before the ambush battle is loaded. At the same point that other ctds caused by formations that I have seen.

[Bardo]

I think nobody has commented the possibility to make series of historical battles where you need to play one battle to unlock the next battle. You just need:
-to copy inside the folder of the custom battle the void file named "locked", if you want this battle locked by default
-file unlock.txt with the name of the previous battle needed to unlock this battle
-file order.txt with the order of this battle in the series

[Makanyane]

This is probably a silly question....

but with the above do you have to achieve a victory in the first game to unlock the second? That would be rather neat if it did work that way!

[Hoginator01]

Is it possible to enable stone walled cities for barbarians with alexander.exe as it is with bi?

[Makanyane]

it should be - look for tutorial for doing it in RTW - method should be the same