New installer for Europa Barbarorum with Barbarian Invasion

[Ferromancer]

2009-01-04: Installer updated to EB 1.2
2009-02-02: Includes 1.2 permanent fixes as of 2009-02-01
2009-02-05: Increased compatability with other mods, can play videos
2009-02-15: Fixed bug where the EDU could not be processed by non-english machines.
2009-07-12: Fixed bug where some files had "imperial_campaign" instead of "barbarian_invasion". Added alternate brightness settings. Added giant tree removal.
2010-07-05: Added a number of fixes to the installer, but not many changes to content. Most importantly, a check if the user has version 1.6 of BI, and a check if the user installed to program files in Vista/Windows 7.

Here is a revamped description of my installer that allows you to play Europa Barbarorum with Barbarian Invasion. It now works with EB 1.2! I will try to give as accurate as a description of how it works as well as what I've changed from the previous version. Basically it runs as an installer and gives you several options.

Fixes:
This will install the permanent and optional fixes to EB1.2 as described by the EB 1.2 fixes post. Note that if you install this option, it will not be removed by the uninstaller, so that EB with RTW will still have the fixes.

Main:
Checking this box will allow you to play ANY VERSION of Europa Barbarorum with Barbarian Invasion, past, present, and future. It will basically be the same EB as you're used to, only the AI will be much more advanced and challenging, and will be able to conduct naval invasions. The AI will also retrain units. If you only check this box, other mods can be installed after this installer without being screwed up.

Unit Abilities:
Adds the shield_wall ability to: hoplites, non-makedonian phalanx who had the phalanx ability removed in version 1.1, units with large shields who are either "displined" or "highly trained" (e.g. Hastati, but not Rorarii).
Schiltrom: HAS BEEN REMOVED from the installer due to its extreme bugginess. The AI will get confused and "abandon" units that have schiltrom enabled. Also, sometimes schiltromed units will be unable to fight back, resulting a unit that will be massacred without inflicting to much as a single scratch.
Warcry: Psychotic barbarians (such as naked fanatics) whose ferocity is indicated by their unit description.
Can Swim: skirmishers and lightly armored infantry living near water, light and medium cavarly units.

Night Battles:
Generals now have a chance to acquire the "night battles" trait and fight battles at night for a combat bonus.

Torches:
Adds little torches to your units during night battles to spice up your night life.

Hide Banners/Triangles:
This optional item allows you to remove the floating banners and selection triangles for a more realistic and cinematic experience. If you end up not liking this feature, you can restore it by running the trivial script that comes with EB.

Alternative brightness settings:
Added the option of increasing game brightness, using files that the EB team had included with the game. The default brightness is very dim even on bright monitors.

Giant tree removal:
I am including this fix from Centurio Nixalsverdrus because I feel that this is actually a very serious bug from the original game. There are these giant trees that are so large they cause issues with AI pathfinding and make the battlefield almost impossible to see. If selected, this feature will reduce their size to a more realistic one. See https://forums.totalwar.org/vb/showthread.php?t=112360 for more information.

Victory Conditions:
This copies over the victory conditions text file made by konny from the thread https://forums.totalwar.org/vb/showthread.php?t=86313 to correct certain problems with the AI, namely, that previously they would not attempt to fulfill their victory conditions and simply attack in every direction, or not attack at all. Now they should expand in a realistic and relatively historical manner.


Some notes on the shieldwall and unit stats:
Some units in regular EB already have what's called a "pseudo shield wall". Basically, the unit spacings were tweaked so that the troop would look like it has a shield wall, but doesn't exactly behave like one. In early versions of this installer, I simply added shield wall without removing the pseudo-shield-wall because it was tied to the "loose" formation. In EB 1.x, pseudo-shield-wall was implemented as the default close formation. Let me attempt to visualize this for you:

Old EB:
normal -> pseudo-shield-wall
EB 1.x:
pseudo-shield-wall -> quasi-loose formation
EB for BI:
true shield wall -> normal -> true loose formation

In order for this to work, I had to change unit spacings, so that units in shield_wall mode wouldn't get squished together and bounce around. These unit spacings are the only stats that have been modified. No other stats have been changed.

Also, the multiplayer backup directory is completely untouched, so BI multiplayer *might* be possible at some point in the future using the trivial script. I welcome any ideas for implementing this in your replies.

I have moved this installer into the public domain, which is now hosted at Sourceforge.
Download it now!

NOTES ON MOD COMPATIBILITY:
I have put a lot of work into creating a C# dll that will parse txt files and update them when neccessary. In English, this means that if this installer is installed last, it should be compatible with *any* mini-mod for EB.

NOTES ON SAVE GAME COMPATABILITY:
Saved games from vanilla EB should be playable. You will get all the new unit abilities and the enhanced AI. The only exception is night battles; you'll have to start a new game to enabled them.

LUCKY BONUS:
As promised, here are some pictures that I've taken on my honeymoon in Greece, Italy and Turkey that have all kinds of pictures of ruins, as well as vases depicting ancient battles, as well as genuine bronze armor and weapons:
Click here to see neat old stuff!

[gosam]

Many thanks!!! I've been waiting for this for along time!

Though it's still not working perfectly for me. I can load saved games fine, but not start new ones. I get a message telling me to select an item from the list.
Also custom battles no longer work. Once I choose my army composition and click next, I get back to the faction choice screen.

[Ferromancer]

Apparently a file the installer was supposed to copy over isn't. I manually placed the file and I could create a new game successfully. I'll see if I can fix the installer.

[Ferromancer]

Okay, I put the fixed installer online. Please uninstall the old one first, then run the new one. Sorry 'bout that.

[Mouzafphaerre]

.
Great news!

Re PS: zSHARE and FileFront are decent. Beware Rapidshare.
.

[gosam]

I redownloaded the installer and it's still not working. I did uninstall the old one before.

To make sure, the new version I have is 1.1.0.3.

[Ferromancer]

.
Great news!

Re PS: zSHARE and FileFront are decent. Beware Rapidshare.
.

zShare looks great, thanks! In case my website goes down (which happened last night while I was sleeping ), you will still be able to download it directly (I edited the link above).

[Ferromancer]

I redownloaded the installer and it's still not working. I did uninstall the old one before.

To make sure, the new version I have is 1.1.0.3.

You have to uninstall the old version 1.0.1.2, and the bugged version of 1.1.0.3. THEN install the fixed version. A reinstall won't fix the problem.

[gosam]

That's what I did. I never had the 1.1.0.2 installed.
Anyways, redownloaded another time (from the zshare link), and it's working now.

Many thanks again.

PS : I read that the EB team modified the hoplites' stats to make them behave like in a shield wall, wouldn't it be redundant with BI's function (giving them too much bonuses)? Did you cancel out those changes?

[Ferromancer]

PS : I read that the EB team modified the hoplites' stats to make them behave like in a shield wall, wouldn't it be redundant with BI's function (giving them too much bonuses)? Did you cancel out those changes?

It's called "pseudoshieldwall", and you activate it by hitting the loose formation button. It only *looks* like a shieldwall though and doesn't work the same way as the real BI shieldwall.

I haven't disabled it yet though. I'm a bit afraid of changing the formation stats as I have no idea how they work. Anybody have any idea how to "restore" the loose formation?

[Intranetusa]

Is this save game compatible & does it work with TW Fanatics' phalanx/Roman cohort mod?

[Admetos]

I'm not sure about save game compatible, but I don't think it'd compatible with Fanatic's mod if you select to install shield wall, war cry, etc as to add them you obviously need to change the EDU, which Fanatic's mod also does. But if it's like the last one, you'll be able to install without changing the EDU so it will be compatible, but you'll lose the special BI abilties.

[BerkeleyBoi]

Does the AI use the BI formations? I think in the first version the AI never did. Is this hardcoded or has it been changed?

[Ferromancer]

Does the AI use the BI formations? I think in the first version the AI never did. Is this hardcoded or has it been changed?

I was playing the other day and an AI unit turned on schiltrom as I was about to attack it from two sides, so yes, sometimes the AI will use special abilities.

[Sarkiss]

is it possible to install it without enabling special formations? imo they are unbalancing things a bit
and thanks a lot for the installer

[Ferromancer]

is it possible to install it without enabling special formations? imo they are unbalancing things a bit
and thanks a lot for the installer

Just uncheck the option to install special formations. But I disagree that they unbalance the game, since I haven't changed any stats. They just give you more tactical options. Any advantage that a formation gives is offset by its disadvantages; schiltrom is good against attacks on all sides, but weak against missile. Shield wall offers good protection on the front, but is weak against attacks from the rear. The only ability that might unbalance the game is war cry, but the stat bonuses are temporary and the units that use it are nearly naked anyway.

[Sarkiss]

Just uncheck the option to install special formations. But I disagree that they unbalance the game, since I haven't changed any stats. They just give you more tactical options. Any advantage that a formation gives is offset by its disadvantages; schiltrom is good against attacks on all sides, but weak against missile. Shield wall offers good protection on the front, but is weak against attacks from the rear. The only ability that might unbalance the game is war cry, but the stat bonuses are temporary and the units that use it are nearly naked anyway.

yes, it aint that bad but placing a unit of hoplites in shield formations makes it practically invincible. it is especially through when defending narrow city street. needs a bit of work imo to maybe adjust status accordingly, keeping new formations abilities in mind. i also experienced weird AI behaviour forming a schiltrom in the field with no tread of being surronded or outflanked. a unit would just stand there all alone while the rest of the army is gone. and as we all know AI is bad enough already. i was keen on having BI formation at first but after playing with it for a while changed my mind. it is just a matter of a personal preferences i guess. strangely enough, warcry is the only option that works for me.
thanks again

[Ferromancer]

yes, it aint that bad but placing a unit of hoplites in shield formations makes it practically invincible. it is especially through when defending narrow city street.

Isn't that the idea though? You would have the same situation with the phalanx formation. To counter you would assault the unit from behind.

i also experienced weird AI behaviour forming a schiltrom in the field with no tread of being surronded or outflanked. a unit would just stand there all alone while the rest of the army is gone.

I've had that happen too, but it makes sense doesn't it? If your band of spearmen was split off from the rest of the army, wouldn't you get into a defensive formation? In my situation the units near the spearmen went off to chase down some archers. Near by (but not quite next to it) the unit was faced down with two phalanges and a unit of heavy cavalry. My units closed in, but the spearmen lasted quite a while in the schiltrom formation.

Thankfully if it annoys you, you can just uninstall and uncheck the unit formations option when you reinstall.

[Theages]

Shouldn't the line
campaign imperial_campaign

in descr_strat.txt read:
campaign barbarian_invasion
?

[Sarkiss]

Isn't that the idea though? You would have the same situation with the phalanx formation. To counter you would assault the unit from behind.

pretty much, but shield wall makes them completely impossible to penetrate trough does it not? iirc, its something like phalanx formation but twice as thight and strong.

I've had that happen too, but it makes sense doesn't it? If your band of spearmen was split off from the rest of the army, wouldn't you get into a defensive formation? In my situation the units near the spearmen went off to chase down some archers. Near by (but not quite next to it) the unit was faced down with two phalanges and a unit of heavy cavalry. My units closed in, but the spearmen lasted quite a while in the schiltrom formation.

im my case, however, they just desided not to follow to rest of their troops but separate themselves instead.

Thankfully if it annoys you, you can just uninstall and uncheck the unit formations option when you reinstall.

yep, which was a good idea on your end, thanks.
ah, what the heck, i think i'll give the formations a new try with 1.1 released.
btw, are you planning on updating the installer then?

[gosam]

I also noticed that while the hoplites shield wall makes them quite good at defending, it also made them kill almost no one.

[leeho730]

I also noticed that while the hoplites shield wall makes them quite good at defending, it also made them kill almost no one.

It seems way more historical that way.

Traditionally, when Greeks fought in tight phalanx formation, there was almost no casualties; they just formed a scrum with their shields and pushed each other. When one side broke during the scrum, then the killing began.

[Geoffrey S]

Night battles:
Generals now have a chance to acquire the "night battles" trait and fight battles at night for a combat bonus and some interesting special effects.

Can't remember what exactly, but EB team members mentioned that feature had been removed from EB because it broke something else. Might want to look into that.

[Lysander13]

Can't remember what exactly, but EB team members mentioned that feature had been removed from EB because it broke something else. Might want to look into that.

Hmmmm....Really?...I modded in Night Battles awhile back, torches and all; I don't recall ever having any problems. I for one would be curious to know what it breaks if it's true.

[MarcusAureliusAntoninus]

Having night battles on makes some event screens, such as faction defeated screens, appear as blank. Why those two things have any connection, who knows.

[I Am Herenow]

Could you and TWFanatic combine forces (or, more to the point, minimods) and produce one all-encompassing superminimod?

[Senatus Populusque Romanus]

Thx for this great installer!!

[Senatus Populusque Romanus]

And this is save-game compatible.

[Ferromancer]

And this is save-game compatible.

The only thing that doesn't work in a previously saved game are night battles. You'll get the traits for it, but the option will never appear. Other than that, yes, it's save-game compatible.

[Ferromancer]

Could you and TWFanatic combine forces (or, more to the point, minimods) and produce one all-encompassing superminimod?

Maybe, but probably not. My mod is intented ONLY to add features that were introduced with Barbarian Invasion to RTW. If stats are modified or units added, I won't merge with it.