Special New in v3.6
This version is dedicated to daniu, DaFranker who helped enormously to upgrade the PFM Mod tool.
- Almost everything from the previous DarthMod: Shogun v3.4 is now imported. The combat realism, the BAI, the CAI, should all be there as you wanted them to be. The special traits and characters upgrades are temporarily removed for the time being because they caused CTD in Campaigns, especially in Sengoku Campaigns (for example the +3 Character points). Additionally one important file that gave special character to Oda and other clans to be more efficient is disabled. When the mod tools allow the editing of these newly updated files, I will insert again.
- Several other fixes that correct issues of the previous compatibility patches, for example the Super Lighting cannon smoke effect when HDR was on.
- Some very strange official vanilla bugs fixed: The Parrot gun smoke is now visible, the Tosa have the correct reload rifle animation and not the muzzle musket, sounds for Sengoku matchlocks and Heavy gunners fixed. One bug that I could not fix was the broken Fatigue system which, in Vanilla as well, does not consider properly the fatigue related to projectiles, therefore missile units tend to tire much less and are fresh if they do not move. (Hoping for an official Fix).
- Many new things were added to Sengoku and RotS gameplay to finetune (unit costs, musket balance, unit behaviour etc. which you will notice especially in battles.)
Now the more special improvements:
- New Darth AI Formation System included by default which is specially designed for FotS battles as it uses better the Line Infantry units and does not "blob" as in vanilla. The new formation system improves the BAI overall and utilizes better attack/defend offsets, no gaps between units, new formation types and swaps efficiently according to circumstances, for example when the AI has a traditional style army it will use the classic Sengoku formations and not the modern Darth line formations. Additionally some bugs have been traced which possibly resulted in the known Passive AI siege bug and reinforcement AI passivity, but more tests are needed to be sure.
- The Darth Effects which are enabled by default are by far, THE BEST AND MORE REALISTIC EVER. NO MORE WORDS HERE. YOU MUST SEE WITH YOUR OWN EYES! All the smoke and cimematic atmosphere you get with these effects are provided with no additional FPS loss = Magic.
- New Projectile Trails that replace those ugly white vanilla lasers with more subtle and gentle ones. Even if you never liked trails in Total War games, these, quite strangely, add to the atmosphere and should be tried out.
And finally FotS improvements to the Maximum as well! The most notable from the hundreds are:
- Realistic Ballistics and Animations provide you a real feel of the gun warfare of the era. The units do not aim, load robotically and have applied 100% accuracy as in vanilla (my god) and have increased effective range according to weapon type. Each weapon type is very much unique and makes each unit having it special as well. For example you will really feel the might of modern breech loaders compared to old muzzle loaded muskets. The basic range increases are:
Old muskets range=150
Bows range=150
Muzzle loaded Rifles=180 (increased to 250 with suppressive fire)
Breech rifles=190 (increased to 250 with suppressive fire)
Sharpshooter rifles (Muzzle or Breech)=250 - Accordingly the Naval Battles are optimised with multiple ways as common logic required. No longer the ships will turn so quickly or shoot with 100 accuracy. Tactics matter more and you will feel the many changes right away once you play your first battle.
-Massive Balance re-work for Land and Naval units. The changes are too many to type and you will notice them while playing and comparing units alike. In general, the traditional troops have the necessary armour and melee superiority against the modern infantry which should prevail with proper gun tactics. Other balance changes include historic adjustments, for example L'Ocean better stats than the Roanoke Class ship, and some fixes, for example Copper plated ships have now some armour (in vanilla they had not in the stats). - The BAI and CAI in FotS is greatly improved overall following the correct recipe of DarthMod: Shogun II. However, there is plenty of room to improve things and feedback is necessary, so head to TWCenter and supply your opinion, suggestion, ideas etc.
Twcenter.net
HotFix included 5/4/2012
- Gatling guns not firing fixed (Thanks to Valky for the feedback).
- Jozai 1st turn crash fixed (Had to remove increased Land Army Radius of DarthMod).
- Messed up archer/gun sound bug fixed (Had to remove the file "unit_tables" responsible mainly for the very important unit cost balances, special area recruitments, increased fleet movement points etc... when the mod tools allow it I shall return it back).
- Kneel Fire available to White Tigers too.
- Kneel Fire available immediately in the campaign for all the units and does not need research. To kneel is not so difficult and it was necessary so to counter the rank fire ability that is inserted for the levies. The previous vanilla research related to Kneel Fire is replaced by accuracy bonuses.
- Some minor unit balance improvements.
- Balanced better the projectile system vs melee.
- Naval projectile damage & accuracy system improved for more realistic and slower battles.
- Some AI formations optimizations.
- Some CAI FotS necessary tweaks.
- Fine tuned volley fire mechanics to show more real and not "Gamey". You will notice that troops will tend to fire controlled massed volleys without your intervention.
Special new in v3.7 (Urgent New version Updated 7/4/2012)
- Reworked all about the AI Battle formations and corrected all issues reported (problems with sieges, ambushes, naval battles, CTD etc.) and not only that, the new formations take full advantage of modern gun warfare. Notice the AI to attack you with rifles as you have never seen it before! You will be scared.
- Better gun reload & drill synchronization (results to devastating volleys).
- Corrected some animation issues which made units to response less quickly.
- Gave special Samurai collision model to some traditional troops to help them even more in melee.
- Made melee even more cinematic and chaotic.
- Rifles should be even better at high range as requested.
- Improved Naval battles overall especially the related BAI.
- Ships will not explode so often.
- CAI should be not be so prone to break alliances and trade agreements as before.
- Realm Divide will happen not so early as before.
- FotS CAI will prefer more the traditional troops but also the Line Infantry as well.
- Gunboats will not be preferred so much by CAI.
- Many more to see for yourself...
