V1.21 Rebuild-ProblemFixer BETA testing thread

**Carl** · 03-07-2007, 15:30

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

**Bongaroo** · 03-07-2007, 16:00

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

**Carl** · 03-07-2007, 16:02

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.

**HoreTore** · 03-07-2007, 17:50

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?

**The Teacher** · 03-07-2007, 18:13

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

**Carl** · 03-07-2007, 18:25

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...

**The Teacher** · 03-07-2007, 19:00

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.

**The Teacher** · 03-08-2007, 22:50

incredabilly silly question - can i access the beta now?

**todorp** · 04-07-2007, 23:00

Great mod Carl, I can play the vanila MTW2 only with your ProblemFixer.

**Bob the Insane** · 04-07-2007, 23:30

Dismounted Polish Nobles have identical stats to the standard Spearmen available to the Polish.. Is that correct?

**Carl** · 04-08-2007, 00:00

Nearly correct. They have a smaller anti-Cav bonus and light spears instead of ordinary spears, (so they are better vs. infantry). Lastly they have +1 Armour over the standard Spearmen to begin with, but 1 less Armour upgrade so it's the same after all upgrades.

I'll look into making the difference larger BTW.

**Bob the Insane** · 04-08-2007, 04:13

Originally Posted by Carl

Nearly correct. They have a smaller anti-Cav bonus and light spears instead of ordinary spears, (so they are better vs. infantry). Lastly they have +1 Armour over the standard Spearmen to begin with, but 1 less Armour upgrade so it's the same after all upgrades.

I'll look into making the difference larger BTW.

I was a little surprised when I saw it because they are the second level infantry after spearmen ( and they appear no better) and because their stats when so different to their mounted version...

I am at 1204 and the world is an interesting place... We hold a large empire in northeast europe stretching into the steps. The Russians hold the steps, the Truks hold the land to the east of the Black Sea, South of them and stretching into Asia Minor is the Mongal empire. The Byz hold their traditional lands plus much of what was Venetian lands. The Pope hold most of Northern Itally inculding Venice. The Danes hold their homlands plus all of what was the HRE. The Hungarians hold a few provinces to the west of the Black Sea. French lands are divided between Frence, Spain and the English. Spain also hold most of Iberia including the former Portugese lands. The Moors hold all of North Africa and Bagdad. The Scotish hold all of Britain and Ireland. The Middle east is divided between us (the Polish), the French and the Mongels. Egypt holds it's traditional lands and Arabia...

I have been at constant war with the Hungarians (and have recently had the resources free to actually go on the offecsive against them). I have been fights the Russians for a while too and have force them back with many battlesto their starting lands and further east... I was vassels of the Byz for a long time, but for now I am a vassel of the Danes.

We hold Jerusalim and Acre in the Middle East and have been fighting the Egyptains for a long time to keep them. We assisted the Frenach in taking Damascus and the Mongels hold Antioch (I am allied to both the French and Mongels). This has taken some pressure off me.

I plan to secure myself against the Hungarians and the Russians before seeking independance again.

The Polish Royal line is a mess and the present Polish King is utterly insane...

I have also noticed that Bombard are fighteningly accurate. Where they always like that or have you altered them?

**saurial** · 04-08-2007, 05:39

Hello,

Sorry I haven't had a chance to post yet Carl -- been quite busy with work recently and just today got the chance to dig into PF a bit. Anyway, started a campaign as Portugal (short victory conditions) on VH/VH. A couple initial observations / questions.

- The zero starting cash is interesting. My understand was that it (along with the large garrisons) was meant to slow blitzing, but in the case of Portugal (income starts in the red even with max taxes), it has almost the opposite effect. You have lots of troops and little money -- you have to throw them at something immediately. The rebel garrisons are certainly buffed however, though that may have two unintended side effects:
a) The rebel AI seems much more prone to sallying (because its generally better than my initial forces in the strength calculator). This actually tends to speed up initial territory acquisition, as the player can often beat the sallying rebels (player has a general to help with morale and has calvary for formed charges in the open plains in front of the walls). Consequently, I found myself getting towns on the turn I siege them, without having to contend with the towers or starve the AI out. On the first turn, for instance, I sieged Zarazoga and the AI immediately sallied, leading to a heroic victory for me (700 killed, 90 dead). Maybe giving each rebel town a rebel general would help?
b) Because of those big rebel garrisons, the other factions are much more tempting targets for early warfare. While its not great for diplomacy, I'd rather hit Cordoba and fight 2 units than Zarazoga and fight 12. Is there any way to encourage the AI to garrison better?

- Did you change the mechanism for unit experience? After my first battle my general and 2 units of Jinetes were at 3 bronze chevrons each with only light casualties (both Jinete units were around 35/40 men left). Seems a bit excessive, I'll keep an eye out to see if it recurs.

- Diplomat/princess movement speed is wonderful.

- Spy/merchant speed seems excessive -- spies can now scope out 1-2 provinces in a single turn, and merchant "knockoffs" are now much more common (I use the ter, "knockoff" to describe the situation where a merchant is ordered to move onto a resource that is covered by fog of war at the beginning of the turn. If the merchant can reach the resource in the turn and it is occupied by an enemy merchant, the merchant "knocks off" his enemy and gets the resource without having to attempt an acquisition).

Anyway, having lots of fun -- great work!!! I'll keep you posted.