TBS Age of Wonders 1 & 2

[Oreshnik Missile]

Making a new map of the "freeform" type, no overall layout preplanned.

 

[Oreshnik Missile]

Still making slow progress when I feel like it.

 

[Oreshnik Missile]

 

[Oreshnik Missile]

I managed to install it properly once following forum posts, but it was a pain. Fortunately, I never deleted it, and even stored the whole mod before uninstalling it
I think you can install it by just copy-pasting these files and folders over the right places in your AoW installation.
https://www.dropbox.com/sh/z1neyu7qw4sgzix/AADSAcr24gLGCTHZ6xdBtvR3a?dl=0

If that works I should upload this as a version of Warlock's Ruleset that can actually be installed without a gimmicky autistic minefield of batch files, command lines and whatever the fuck else was going on.

 

[octavius]

Thanks, but it didn't work.
Do I need to rename any of the files?

BTW, I deleted my previous post since I made the mistake of starting the game from the base folder. Starting from the Warlocks folder I was able to see the new splash screen at least, but it still crashed when loading a map.

 

[Oreshnik Missile]

Well, you need to run the Warlock-AoW.exe program, so if you're using a shortcut to run the game, I guess you need to rename that to just AoW.exe

 

[Oreshnik Missile]

Starting from the Warlocks folder I was able to see the new splash screen at least, but it still crashed when loading a map.

What's the Warlock's folder?

 

[octavius]

Starting from the Warlocks folder I was able to see the new splash screen at least, but it still crashed when loading a map.

What's the Warlock's folder?

Release->Warlock which contains the release.hss and the .pfs files.

 

[Oreshnik Missile]

Starting from the Warlocks folder I was able to see the new splash screen at least, but it still crashed when loading a map.

What's the Warlock's folder?

Release->Warlock which contains the release.hss and the .pfs files.

Oh sorry, that needs to be renamed too. All of this stuff is supposed to overwrite the default versions of these files, in their default locations, and I just renamed them with "warlock's" so I could store them alongside vanilla in the same directory. And to know what they were of course.

 

[octavius]

Finally got it working!
Turns out I just needed to rename the original Release folder, move the Warlock folder up a notch, and then rename it to Release. This worked with both your files and the older ones. (I guess it's kind of obvious in hindsight)

Now I can load The Mirror of Galadriel map.

 

[Oreshnik Missile]

It is possible to make the .exe reference differently named files, AoW+ does that for .dll instead of .dpl files, and I might even be able to if I had the time.

 

[visions]

I've been replaying the AOW campaign with the Cult of Storms (undead path) this year and and noticed a weird thing about the AI.

I was playing the penultimate map of the campaign and attacked the Highmen leader's army with inferior forces. His leader was out of mana but the leader, an Astra and one swordsman had enchanted weapons, so my plan was to dispel enchanted weapons from his leader and Astra, kill the swordsman with enchanted weapon, then retreat with everyone and attack again with my wraith (choosing autocombat this time, to make it faster). Well, he killed my wraith with Turn Undead III in autocombat (didn't notice he had it). Then I tried again with normal combat and he never used Turn Undead with his leader, just sat there helplessly until I killed him with the wraith.

Come to think of it, I don't remember AI leaders ever using Turn Undead on me when they're out of mana and I go to kill them with a wraith, so I had forgotten that leaders can have Turn Undead. I very rarely use autocombat though (mostly when mopping up helpless enemies with a wraith).

 

[octavius]

Enemy heroes are very afraid of close combat, no matter how tough they are.

 

[Oreshnik Missile]

I wrote some new lore

Basilisks are an accursed race, doomed to ruin their powerful minds with gluttony and wrath. These monsters will fight anything that stands in the way of their next feast. The same gaze which slays enemies imbues flesh with narcotic properties, though Basilisks do not care whether they consume hale meat or rotten.


Basilisks can be manipulated with drugs and promises, but this is dangerous. Sometimes a more lucid Basilisk will turn the tables, forcing Lizardmen to aid it in a desperate campaign of loot and pillage. As each Basilisk feasts, the curse maddens and rapidly ages it. In wartime, desperate Lizardmen may bring a Basilisk to adulthood swiftly by feeding themselves to a hatchling. The resulting beast will be dangerously insane and will soon perish of old age if it slays the foe.


A Basilisk’s regard deals death and pierces deceit exactly like a Beholder’s, but unlike those enigmatic beings, Basilisks despise the past and will destroy ancient relics whenever they may.

 

[octavius]

Some weird happenings...

When I re-installed AoW1 on my current computer (after not having played the game for over ten years), I couldn't get it to display properly (aspect ratio) without using DgVoodoo, something which noticeably slowed down the game.
A while ago I installed Warlock's Rules (without using DgVoodoo) and I noticed I got the proper display (800x600, fullscreen and black borders) without changing the in-game display options, something I at the time attributed to the modified .exe.

Recently I played an old user-made map called Duvian's Rising 1.1, using the Ziggurat mod. After a few turns the Undead razed one of their own cities (Westin), a city they started with and which had Undead population. So the Undead ended up hating themselves and units started deserting. Then a few turns later the Goblins too started hating themselves and their units starting to desert.
So I thought "stupid Bing-a-ling and his changing the racial alignments and relationships" and I istalled a squeaky clean vanilla version of the game instead and restarted the map. I had forgotten to drop the DgVoodoo files into the new AoW folder, but now the game displayed perfectly without it.
And even with vanilla rules the Undead still razed the same city, only a few turns later this time. Didn't notice anything abnormal with the goblins, but the game only lasted ten turns.

So the questions remain:
How come the game doesn't need DgVoodoo anymore, and where are the Display settings stored anyway? I can't see any files being modified.
I change mods by renaming the folders, BTW, so any outside files or registery will point to the rule set install (vanilla, Ziggurat or Warlock) I currently use.

I've never seen the Undead razing their own Undead cities before. AFAIK these things can't be scripted in AoW1, so what gives? (And why would the Undead have morale anyway?).
And the Goblins suddenly hating themselves is even more mysterious.

 

[<3sRichardSimmons]

AoW1 is notorious for weird graphical glitches that sometimes show up and sometimes don’t and who the fuck knows why.
The undead/goblin thing is very weird though. Never seen anything like that. Are they in an occupied/oppressed state before they raze them? No idea why they would be, but it would at lost explain why it’s negatively affecting the racial relationship.

 

[octavius]

I was starting to wonder if my installation had been bugged somehow, since I suddenly got lots of "exception during mapviewer.showscene" errors, so I uninstalled and reinstalled in a new folder.

But now I see in the ReadMe of the map (Duvian's Rising) that

Well, the first version of this map was really buggy, and I decided to release version 2 without any flaws(that I know of).
Here are the list of fixes:

-AI opponents no longer torch their own cities or disband half their troops

Obviously there were still flaws. Unfortunately the map is password protected, so I can't check it in the editor.

 

[vota DC]

Will the hex code that allow to change interesting stuff like ranged attack (attack, damage, number of attack, range, type of damage) and diplomacy will ever integrated in the "official" resource editor?

 

[octavius]

Hmm...didn't AoW+ come with a custom editor?

One thing I would really have liked to see is for the AI to explore sites and equip items.
I mean, how hard could that have been to program and add to the game??? It's almost unforgivable, and I assume unhackable without the source code.

 

[Oreshnik Missile]

Hmm...didn't AoW+ come with a custom editor?

Only one that's more convenient to use than the previous one in terms of directories or references or whatever IIRC. No added functionality over previously released DevEd.

Will the hex code that allow to change interesting stuff like ranged attack (attack, damage, number of attack, range, type of damage) and diplomacy will ever integrated in the "official" resource editor?

Not by the current roster of modders. we lack the expertise. The AoW2 MPE mod did achieve such integration however.
And of course if you want to learn the hex editing stuff, we can provide our methods and notes.

I was starting to wonder if my installation had been bugged somehow, since I suddenly got lots of "exception during mapviewer.showscene" errors

fix attached to this post. And in future google "showscene crash patch fix age of wonders" and you should find it. I also have it uploaded in the AoW1 discord.

Some weird happenings...
Recently I played an old user-made map called Duvian's Rising 1.1, using the Ziggurat mod. After a few turns the Undead razed one of their own cities (Westin), a city they started with and which had Undead population. So the Undead ended up hating themselves and units started deserting. Then a few turns later the Goblins too started hating themselves and their units starting to desert.
So I thought "stupid Bing-a-ling and his changing the racial alignments and relationships" and I istalled a squeaky clean vanilla version of the game instead and restarted the map. I had forgotten to drop the DgVoodoo files into the new AoW folder, but now the game displayed perfectly without it.
And even with vanilla rules the Undead still razed the same city, only a few turns later this time. Didn't notice anything abnormal with the goblins, but the game only lasted ten turns.

I've never seen the Undead razing their own Undead cities before. AFAIK these things can't be scripted in AoW1, so what gives? (And why would the Undead have morale anyway?).
And the Goblins suddenly hating themselves is even more mysterious.

Well that is beyond me, the map is password protected so I can't rummage around inside, and the AI turns take too long for me to bother playing it much. I did notice they have Shadows which are on Terrible Morale on day 1.... how???

So the questions remain:
How come the game doesn't need DgVoodoo anymore, and where are the Display settings stored anyway? I can't see any files being modified.

I don't know what DgVoodoo is, but Display setting are in the AoWSetup program. Which I have to set to admin/compat mode to run it.

 

[Oreshnik Missile]

BTW, been in a voicechat for a couple hours just now playing a live AoW1 game on the discord.
https://discord.gg/pxVa8ayCxv

 

[Oreshnik Missile]

 

[Oreshnik Missile]

 

[Oreshnik Missile]

Kobolds are the descendants of Athla's first murderers. These kinslayers fled on pain of death, branded foreheads aching. From camps in the mountains, forests, and caves, they raided towns for food and women. Those who killed again found themselves and their children transformed into sinewy, reptilian creatures. Large amber eyes guided them through the darkness which hid their misdeeds.

In this first era of the world, thoughts and deeds changed body and soul swiftly and completely. The Dark Elves of a later time would experience something far gentler after their dedication to revenge.

Kobolds can never be trusted, as their lust to kill has grown as their stature diminished. They find no shelter among the Dark Elves who require obedience from their servants. For Goblins, Kobolds are cunning enough to fear, but weak enough to drive off - the opposite of a Troll or Beetle. But Orcs care little for those weak enough to be killed by a Kobold and so tolerate these creatures as allies.

 

[Oreshnik Missile]