ZandMod I: Troop trees, tweaks and tints [DOWNLOAD QUICKFIX - 2008-12-13]

[Zandman]

This is ZandMod phase I:
DOWNLOAD from the repository
IMPORTANT: To fix a few errors with weapons' damage types, a missing crossbow and a missing horse, please download this tiny patch HERE

* DONE: Include nearly all the "dormant" items in M&B through ItemEditor and make almost all of them merchandise.
* DONE: Tweak weapons to act in a more complex way: You can stab with an axe, e.g., only it will merely do a little bit of blunt damage.
* DONE: Use the new items to create factions and troop types with clearer color codes. This would reduce confusion in the battle field.
* DONE: Expand the troop trees of virtually every faction there is, thanks to the Troop Editor. The five factions will have about 15 different troop types each (some a lot more powerful), some others, like Bandits, a little fewer.
* DONE: Include quite a lot of MageLord's tweaks - the ones I like.

(click to show/hide)

Modding quests:
1. Modify the timer on repeating quests, repeat them sooner!
[DONE:
4. train villagers against bandits, 30
8. move cattle herd, 60
10. deal with looters, 20
12. rescue prisoner lord, 40
15. Lend surgeon, 100
22. Kill local merchant, 40
23. Bring back serfs, 100
24. Follow spy, 100
26. Lend companion, 60]

2. Allow village elders to give quests again after refusing one. [DONE]

3. Allow asking guild masters for a different quest. [DONE]

Modding the arena:
1. Adjusting tournament bet amounts [DONE]

Village/Castle/Town related:
7. Change the amount of money merchants have. This tweak brought to you by Hardrada. [DONE]

11. Add meet with guild master/village elder options to menus. This tweak by Hardrada. [DONE]

Combat/Troop Related:
1. Editing to allow inventory access during sieges. [DONE]

10. Modify the build times on siege towers. [DONE: 6 --> 3]

12. Change to allow inventory/party access in the menu while besieging a town. [DONE]

13. Change the chance of recruited prisoners escaping. [DONE: BASE CHANCE 66 --> 25%]

18. Change the attack menu to allow attacking even if relation is positive. [DONE]

Hero/Lord Related:
7. Change amount of honor lost when refusing to ransom lords. [DONE -1 --> 0]

11. Change the character info screen to show your relation with lords as a #.

Food Related:
1. Change to allow consuming of ale/wine [ERROR! SKIPPED FOR NOW]

Misc:
10. Make the amount you get for prisoners vary based upon the level of the prisoner. [DONE]

14. Change the weekly cost display to show costs for all troops - not just the ones in your party. [DONE]

* DONE: Modify the unit names a little more, to give a sense of uniqueness to each faction - hopefully without confusing people as to what the units do and how high they are in the hierarchy.
* POSTPONED: Fix those horrible, horrible, awful, annoying, horrible roads. Did I say they were horrible? They are. [Encountered unforseen problems with the geometry while merging points in Thorgrim's Map Editor, so I'll have to find another way of fixing this... or maybe just try again]

(click to show/hide)

Oct XX, 2008: Most dormant armors added, some prices changed.
All weapons tweaked - you can now bash by swinging a spear, of course (but pikes are just too damn long). Initial testing seems fine: even though you can now thrust with a two handed axe (mild bashing dmg), troops like Sea Raiders don't suffer from it. On the contrary, battle seems more genuine with a little clumsiness in it, and the Raiders sometimes benefit from scoring a bashing hit instead of being forced to swing their axes and miss. They're still mean and horribly dangerous.

Fri Oct 31, 2008: Vaegir color is WHITE. Troop tree implemented.

Mon Nov 03, 2008: Swadian color is RED. Troop tree implemented.

Tue Nov 04, 2008: Nord color is GRAY (and brown, partly). Troop tree implemented.

Thu Nov 06, 2008: Sea Raiders may have prisoners (Peasant Women), and also some stronger, upgraded units with them...

Fri Nov 07, 2008: Civilians/Mercs expanded and implemented.

Tue Nov 11, 2008:
* Duplicated the Mercenary troop tree for female troops. They may be kept out of the loop in army training with the various factions (plausible, in medieval times), but nothing can stop them from becoming mercenaries if they want to. Same equipment as the males. Will post troop tree as soon as I find the time.
* Made links from almost all civilians and outlaws to the mercenary troop tree. Mercenaries can be found almost everywhere now... they go where the money is, regardless if it's with caravans, mountain bandits or manhunters.
(Not with Sea Raiders, though. Nobody wants to deal with those lunatics).
Wed Nov 12, 2008: Khergit color is YELLOW. Implemented.

* All Bandit troop trees are completed and implemented, and will be posted when I find the time.
* Made duplicates of javelin, jarid and throwing axe into melee weapons. Mini-spears are FUN!

Sun Nov 16, 2008: Rhodok color is GREEN (and brown). Troop tree implemented.

Tue Nov 18, 2008: Tried to implement all the MageLord tweaks I wanted at the same time... and failed miserably - M&B crashed before I even got to open it. That's what you get for being impatient. Next time, I'm writing them in one by one and checking them as I go.

Thu Nov 20, 2008: Implemented the MageLord tweaks properly and slowly. Couldn't make the consumable goods code working properly, and decided to skip it for now - it isn't really essential.

Mon, Nov 24, 2008: Using Thorgrim's Map Editor to fix the roads... but I'm failing. Game crashes and I scream in fury.

Tue, Nov 25, 2008: Using Thorgrim's Map Editor again after discovering a n00b screwup. Better this time, but I've encountered a strange defect in the map - hope I don't have to start all over again.

Mon, Dec 01, 2008: Discovered a couple of nasty errors in testing, so I have to extend the testing period a little.

TROOP TREES:

(click to show/hide)

Vaegir Recruit
|
Vaegir Footman
/            \
Vaegir Bowman        Vaegir Veteran
/                            /             \
Vaegir Archer        Vaegir Infantry       Vaegir Horseman
|                      |                       |
Vaegir Marksman      Vaegir Guard          Vaegir Knight
|                      |                       |
Vaegir Deadshot     Vaegir Tower Guard      Vaegir Champion
|                      |                       
Vaegir Master Bowman       Vaegir Royal Guard                            

(click to show/hide)

Swadian Recruit
|
Swadian Militia
/            \
Swadian Skirmisher     Swadian Foot Soldier
/                            /             \
Swadian Boltman       Swadian Corporal       Swadian Man-At-Arms
|                           |                            |
Swadian Crossbowman      Swadian Sergeant         Swadian Knight
|                           |                            |
Swadian Heavy Crossbowman    Swadian Lieutenant      Swadian Master Knight
                                                  |                             |                       
                                                    Swadian Captain           Swadian Hero                 

(click to show/hide)

Nord Recruit
/              \
Nord Huntsman           Nord Footman
/                 \                             \
Nord Archer     Nord Javelin Thrower   Nord Strong Footman
/                            |                            \
Nord Strong Archer    Nord Strong         Nord Warrior
                                         Javelin Thrower                    |               
                                                                Nord Strong Warrior
                                                                      |
                                                                   Nord Huscarl
                                                                        /      \
                                                                        Nord Heavy Swordsman    Nord Heavy Axeman
                                                                        |                  |
                                                                        Nord Master Swordsman    Nord Master Axeman

(click to show/hide)

Khergit Tribesman
/                       \
Khergit Skirmisher                Khergit Horseman
             /                  \                          |             \ 
Khergit              Khergit               Khergit                 \
  Horse Archer      Javelin Thrower    Horse Swordsman    \
            |                             |                               |             |       
Khergit  Veteran        Khergit  Veteran         KhergitVeteran        Khergit
Horse Archer             Javelin Thrower          Horse Swordsman     Lancer
                |                        |                                     |                 |       
          Khergit                    Khergit                  Khergit Mounted         Khergit
                  Marksman                 Impaler                  Bladesman                  Heavy Lancer

(click to show/hide)

Rhodok Tribesman
/           \
Rhodok Crossbowman    Rhodok Spearman
/               |                 |
       Rhodok Trained    Rhodok Light        Rhodok Trained
Crossbowman      Crossbowman      Spearman
|                 |                      |
                       |                 |          Rhodok Veteran Spearman
|                 |                      |
Rhodok            Rhodok Light    Rhodok
Sharpshooter    Sharpshooter    Sergeant
|                 |                      |
Rhodok         Rhodok Light          Rhodok
    Sniper       Sniper               Lieutenant
                                            | 
                                                Rhodok
                                                Captain
                                            | 
                                                Rhodok Battle Commander

(click to show/hide)

Sea Raider
/        \
 Berserk   Crusher
|               |
      Cleaver    Mounted Raider

(click to show/hide)

Farmer    Townsman
|        \/        |
Watchman    Manhunter
/                     /         \
/           Mercenary         *
/            Crossbowman         
/                    |            \         
      Caravan    Mercenary Heavy      Mercenary       
      Guard       Crossbowman             Archer       
      /         |                     |                     |             
Mercenary       Mercenary     Mercenary             Mercenary              
Horseman      Swordsman    Sharpshooter         Master Archer         
|                   |                                                       
Mercenary Cavalry    Hired Blade                                                                   
|                                   
        Duelist                                           

* Manhunter troop tree

(click to show/hide)

---

FUTURE PLANS:

Of course, I've been bitten by the modding bug now, so I have lots and lots of ideas for new features I will include for version 2.0... that is, when I get more skilled at making stuff.
Many features will require that some of my modding questions get answered, and I'll appreciate all the help I can get.

* Adding lots of wonderful armors from the Open Source Project. Those people involved in the OSP rock.
* Unique items... but HOW? THREAD
* Shield bash - whenever I figure out how to include that.
* Throwing spears - I've started to do that, but I've run into unexpected problems. THREAD
* New equipment out of old templates. M&B had a lot of dormant armors that have names that don't match their look - mainly, they all look like nobleman outfits. I intend to fix some of that.
* Brand-new equipment for troops. I've already started making a skull helmet for my Berserk units. There will be more.

[Al3xand3r]

How about you complete it, then offer it for download, and ask people what they think at that point? "I have a mod idea" threads don't go anywhere most of the time.

[Zandman]

How about you complete it, then offer it for download, and ask people what they think at that point? "I have a mod idea" threads don't go anywhere most of the time.

- because if it doesn't sound interesting to anyone but me, I won't bother zipping it, cleaning the files, testing it and uploading it, that's why. Saves me a lot of time and hassle.

And I'm doing this. I've finished designing the troop trees, and I've started to organize armors and items in categories.
Weapons are already adjusted.

Oh, and thanks for commenting without even bothering to vote.

[sneakey pete]

You could put it in the correct sub forum before you start getting all up yourself, mate.

[Dindi]

Seems like several mods which are already in production, also you dont need to use Magelord's fixes as we now have the module system.

[Zathan]

Huh, the comments here prove one shouldn't step very far off the beaten path or risk a public hanging.
How about giving a guy with an intiative a break?

Zandman, for a first mod, it sounds great, and while the scope is small, it will probably fit people who feel native is nice to play, but who wants to have TMLs tweaks included.

PS: I think the 'planned' in your heading is what ticks off these people. How about renaming it 'Minimod Troops&Tweaks' or something?
And ask a moderator to move your topic to the 'Mods' section and you're all set.

GL!

Zathan

@Dindi: unless you know how to edit those tweaks in with the module system, simply following TMLs guide is the easier way to do it. Since Zandman talks of using the TroopEditor to add new troops and ItemEditor to add items, I'll assume he's not too familiar with the module system.

[Dindi]

@Dindi: unless you know how to edit those tweaks in with the module system, simply following TMLs guide is the easier way to do it. Since Zandman talks of using the TroopEditor to add new troops and ItemEditor to add items, I'll assume he's not too familiar with the module system.

Hmm I suppose, but it would be easier for new modders in the long term if they learned how to use the module system first before attempting to make a mod.

[Zandman]

This module system you're talking about, and has been so eagerly awaited - is it baked in as a part of 1.010 or is it an external system? I haven't installed 1.010 yet, thanks to all the reports on possible bugs and savegame incompatibility.

Thanks for the feedback, Zathan - and I'm changing the heading, as you suggested 

[Dindi]

Im not trying to stop you from doing this, but if in the future you want to make more mods, or expand on this mod you need to be able to know how to use the module system.

is it baked in as a part of 1.010 or is it an external system?

Im not sure by what you mean here, but as the name suggest the module system effects the module which it is targeted at, which you set up in module_info.py. E.g:

Code: [Select]

export_dir = "C:/Program Files/Mount&Blade/Modules/Copy of Native/"

[Zandman]

Im not sure by what you mean hereE.g: [...]

I mean is it part of 1.010? When you install and boot M&B 1.010, is the module system in there, integrated, or is it another program altogether that you have to download and learn how to use?

[Dindi]

ahh, link: http://forums.taleworlds.net/index.php/topic,49267.0.html

This might help if your having any trouble setting it up: http://forums.taleworlds.net/index.php/topic,5408.0.html

And this : http://forums.taleworlds.net/index.php/topic,35044.0.html

[Zandman]

Thanks, Dindi.
Already downloaded it, and I'm aching to see what it's all about.

If i see that it's no big trouble redoing the things I've already done with the mod through the Mod System, I'll do that, definitely. But first, I'll have to test 1.010 a little bit and read more to find out if it's bugged or if it's just a bunch of people unable to open their tweaked 1.003 savegames.


[EDITED]

I see here that it's not the easy-to-use program that I hoped for, with a neat interface and nice menus, but that I have to learn Python or something. Oh, dear... I'm no programmer, and I haven't been close to being one since making a balloon fly across the TV screen on my Commodore 64.

[bob505]

If you want me to download a mod your going to make just add a feature where i can be king and i will download it without being hesitant.

[Longblade]

I like the idea of most of the tweaks you have mentioned, but too much complexity makes things confusing, so not keen on the idea of highly expanded troop trees

[Maximilian]

Sounds great, real great.

I'm all in!

Release it!