Medieval II Total War - Starting to Mod Thread

• Hello everyone!

I have been considering to start my own modding path in Medieval II - Total War. This one is a game I truly like and always feel like tweaking it and other people's mods.

In order to start practicing I decided to alter a mod I thoroughly enjoy - Thera: Legacy of the Great Torment - which is available in the Total War Center Forums and with which I have had many technical problems - Twcenter.net. Now, a disclaimer, as it appears, the long disappeared creator of the mod's wish was not to have any submods not approved by him/her be published - I however, don't intend to do so, using it mostly as a training ground for I find it to be more productive to start out with things I truly enjoy.

I am aware of the modding tutorials on the Total War Forums, and I will be exploring them accordingly.

My intent with this board is to ask for all of your opinions, if this is feasible, how difficult it is and tips if you'd like!

As such, I will list my main ideas, from easiest to most difficult as I perceive it.

1. Nominal and qualitative edits to factions:

• Units - the first and easiest thing to do (which I have already done) is to edit units across the board: changing stats, abilities, numbers, name changing etc.
• Regions - I also which to alter the names of certain settlements.

2. Adding new dynamics to one single faction:

This will be focused on a specific faction of the mod. For those unaware of the setting, it is very anachronistic ( see: Tvtropes.org for an interesting rundown). There is one faction in particular that is stuck in a pre-modern style of warfare, but that is close to modern factions, with muskets, rifles, artillery and sophisticated plate armour.

My intent is, in adding a little lore, making it so that this faction is able to recruit such units as well. That would probably not be too hard, apart from creating unit entries and importing models from vanilla or other mods. But I want to make it something more interesting. I have noticed through other mods that the type of events I will describe ahead seem possible.

I wish that the ability to recruit those units be based on the completion of these conditions:

1. the conquest of determined settlements;
2. the initiation of trade relations to a faction which has more advanced armament - I want this to be a one time thing, so it doesn't get anuled after relations break, so it might be something else involving contact with other factions other than trade.

This way I wish to simulate an exchange of ideas and technologies, born from connections but also the will of the sovereign to consolidate and modernize his country.

The conditions would allow the following:

1. new recruitment options (the new units) would be available in the recruiting buildings, and maybe also through certain city/castle levels.
2. maybe allow some new buildings.
3. at least some of the old units would become unavailable.

Still for this faction I would like to, if possible or easy enough, change the flag and character names.

3. Mercenary buildings

The latest Elder Scrolls: Total War mod allows, in the 4th Age Campaign, for loyal Skyrim to build a legion camp and recruit units. I noticed by going through the files a bit that the building relies on an hidden resource in order to be built in a region, and that the units aren't in code the same as the imperial faction.

Using something like this, I would like to add Mercenary camp buildings that would recruit certain mercenaries according to regions (and maybe the owner?)

4. Adding new settlements

This is what I think would be most troublesome, but I also want to learn to add settlements and change borders, etc..

Conclusion

This is all! I humbly ask for your opinions on the matter:

Is it too ambitious? Where should I start? Do you have any tips you can provide?

Thank you all!

KeeperPt

I stand somewhat confused?