Beginner's Questions

[Javolenus]

Hi All,

Apologies in advance for these beginner's questions. I'm new to EB and thought I'd display my ignorance by asking the following cringy questions. Here goes:

1. I keep reading about FoW - is that 'Fog of War'? And how do you toggle it ON/OFF?

2. How can you take screenshots?

3. Can you print screen in EB? I have a print screen key but it doesn't seem to work. Is there another way of printing the screen?

4. Sometimes the game stutters (audio and graphics) in battle mode. I presume this means my PC is struggling to cope. The stuttering thing isn't really bad, but if I could cure it completely that would be good.

5. What's XGM? Presumably another mod?

Again, apologies for level of questions, but a few pointers would be great.

[Horst Nordfink]

To toggle FOW on/off, click the ` key (next to your 1 key) so the console screen appears. Once on, type toggle_fow. This will remove all the blacked out areas and let you see the whole map.

[Admetos]

2. Press Print Screen and the game will save the shots in a folder called "tgas" in the folder where you installed EB.

5. XGM - Extended Greek Mod

[beatoangelico]

2. Press Print Screen and the game will save the shots in a folder called "tgas" in the folder where you installed EB.

this doesn't work always, make sure that after pressing the key the game freeze for a moment, otherwise the screenshot won't be saved

4. Sometimes the game stutters (audio and graphics) in battle mode. I presume this means my PC is struggling to cope. The stuttering thing isn't really bad, but if I could cure it completely that would be good.

I have the same issue, I suppose is for the crappy PC. We can't do much about it other than upgrade the PC

[Lysander13]

Originally Posted by Javolenus Priscus

1. I keep reading about FoW - is that 'Fog of War'? And how do you toggle it ON/OFF?

Answered by Horst Nordfink. Normally used to see how the AI factions are progressing and as a cheat of sorts. If your one who doesn't like surprises and would like to take a peak and see who controls the land over the next mountain so to speak without sending scouts or spies.

2. How can you take screenshots?

Howie's Quick Screen Capture Tool is a really simple and user friendly way to take screenshots. Here's a link if you'd like to check it out....It's listed in the misc software section of the page.
http://www.howiesfunware.com

3. Can you print screen in EB? I have a print screen key but it doesn't seem to work. Is there another way of printing the screen?

See answer for #2

4. Sometimes the game stutters (audio and graphics) in battle mode. I presume this means my PC is struggling to cope.

Pretty much....yes. Not sure what your video card and RAM situation is but perhaps you'd like to consider upgrading these areas.

5. What's XGM? Presumably another mod?

Answered by Admetos and if i might add, an excellent mod as well for those who would like to keep a vanilla feel with the mods they play.

Again, apologies for level of questions, but a few pointers would be great.

No need for apologies friend...That's a part of what these forums are for as well. BTW, welcome to the Org.

[Javolenus]

Hi Guys,

Many thanks for the excellent replies. I checked out Howie's Quick Screen Capture Tool - very nice! Thanks again.

[overweightninja]

You know...sounds obvious to most of us but I see it so much in other games, you have checked your video options haven't you? Higher resolutions/settings will obviously hurt your framerates....

[Javolenus]

Hi Ninja,

Thanks for this. Yes, you are right - I checked and the video setting is on high, so I can change that in order to improve the way the game runs. Hopefully I'll upgrade PC next year and then all will be good. Thanks for replies.

[V.T. Marvin]

Ad taking screenshots - if you have Anti-aliasing turned on in the Graphic settings, the screenshot saved in the tga folder would be only a black screen. I do not know the Howie´s thingy, but FRAPS worked for me very well with Anti-aliasing enabled (it captures video sequences too!) and it is for free. See http://www.fraps.com/download.php

[Mouzafphaerre]

.
Fog of War can be turned on/off also in the preferences file (EB\Preferences\Preferences.txt) by switching between the parametres TRUE and FALSE.

And I certainly don't consider turning it off to be a cheat. To the contrary, it's IMHO a C&C/Starcraft sort of function, which is totally out of place in a Total War game. Medieval's plain map was a much better feature; EU3's map is OK too, but not FOW.
.

[Javolenus]

Hi Mouzafphaerre,

Good tip - many thanks for that. BTW, what's EU3?

[Lysander13]

Good tip - many thanks for that. BTW, what's EU3?

EU3 = Europa Universalis III
It's a computer game as well. A very good one....or at least i like it anyway.

[Long lost Caesar]

looks like most questions have been answered in full already, so i cant give any advice. but one thing id like to know is does anyone have a link to XGM, as im interested to see its website/forum. and btw priscus, welcome to the forum!

[Lysander13]

XGM has a thread somewhere here at the org but their main forum is over at TWC. Here you go......
http://www.twcenter.net/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=127

[Long lost Caesar]

cheers sander, ill check it out now

[Gugus]

I have a crapy PC and EB was lagging all the time, this helped a fair bit:
https://forums.totalwar.org/vb/showthread.php?t=75948

[Javolenus]

Hi Gugus,

Thanks for this - I followed the link and learned lot. Also my system and EB are both performing a lot better. And so you've helped me a lot - which is great! Cheers! And, on a general note, this is the best forum I've been in.