Improvement Mod v3.1 *TAD only!* *and OLD* file

~~~ ATTENTION! ~~~

Every version of this mod should be installed on a fresh, unmodified version of 'Age of Empires 3 The Asian Dynasties' (must also include 'The War Chiefs' and all games must be updated to the latest versions, v1.03 for TAD)! Mostly recommended only if you have any kind of errors or other problems.

If you have problems with missing models, sounds or buildings icons then try to re-install 'The War Chiefs'. It has some installation problems.

High or medium video settings are recommended for all visual changes to be properly seen.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

This mod started out as a 'Buildings Mod', with the objective to add more nice and useful buildings to the game, but many more improvements where needed and many ideas where coming so the 'Improvement Mod' was born.
For now, this mod tries to upgrade the game with small, big and necessary tweaks, changes and adds to make the gameplay more interesting, fun and challenging.
More great things to come!

Requirements: This mod is only for TAD but requires AOE3+TWC+TAD 1.03

Changes:

- Added the early formed United States of America civilization. The US have a mixed technology tree based on more European civilizations. They cannot revolt. Best units: Gatling Gun, Mounted Rifleman. (they have unique language, units, homecity, cards, improvements and explorer, i think this is the best US civ out there so far)

The US is made as a Western Europe civilization, plus the following unique cards and units:
-- added and renamed the Cassador to Rifleman (Portuguese unit improvements will rename it back to Cassador)(also added all Cassador cards)
-- added the Manor House (spawns one Settler when is built)
-- added the Buy Ironclad cards (from 2 to 4 Ironclads per card, and a total of 3 cards)
-- added the Hire Skilled Miners card (can be used twice and ships 5 miners to mine, gather and build plantations, faster than any villager)
-- added the Gatling Gun plus improvements and shipping cards for it (gun texture changes when improved)
-- the US Colonel's (Explorer) special ability is to train Colonial Militia (promote from Major to Colonel using the Promotion card)
-- added the Pilgrims cards (ships 4 or 2 Pilgrims that can be used infinite times)
-- added the Black Powder Wagons cards (you can ship 4 or 6 Wagons)
-- added the Grenadier (light artillery that throws grenades to defeat infantry or buildings)
-- added the Supply Wagons as HC shipments (Coin, Food and Wood)
-- added the Mounted Rifleman + cards for shipping and improving him (ranged cavalry)
-- added unique Royal Decree improvements

- Added the improved and advanced Draugur AI, made by Felix Hermansson. The AI can choose to build walls, train any of the new units (including Mortar units), build any of the new buildings and research the 'Civilized Government' improvement (details bellow).
The AI will also build two Factories and replace destroyed Forts, and will not spend as many resources on mercenaries and natives as they did before.

- You can now rotate buildings before placing them using the mouse wheel.

- Added the ability to capture/convert buildings to every civilization. Only Field Hospitals, Campfires, Cherry Orchards, Mango Groves, Mills, Farms, Rice Paddies, Plantations and War Tents can now be captured. (mod made by Arkantoz Jr)

- Town Centers and walls can slowly auto-repair for free, but can still be repaired manually.

- Added an improved version of the Unit Upgrades Modpack, which changes most European units appearance as they are improved. (mod made by Imperiosus and modified by me)

- Added the Civilized Government improvement to the Town Center (raises pop cap by 20 and Town Centers support 20 pop, also increases gathering rate for nearby units), to every civilization in the game.

- added the ability to lock and unlock gates (useful when even allies can capture your buildings...)(mod made by Arkantoz Jr)

- modified and improved all moving and standing formations for all units; ships now move in formation (mod made by... many people, including moi)

- trade units (Travois, Stagecoach, Train, etc.) can damage buildings (walls) and units standing in their way (mod made by Simalex)

- Walls can now be built over trade routes. However, if the part on top of the trade route isn't a gate, then they will take damage and finally be destroyed by the trade units. (mod made by Lord_KiLLMS)

- every Revolutionary leader now enables one specific mercenary (see for yourself which gives what)

- Fire Ships slowly lose HP if they are not near a Dock (no burning thing lasts forever...)

- Mortars and Morutarus can now attack ground units (also increased Hand Mortars attack a little)

- unique Church and Mosque improvements are now enabled at the University (after you purchase the card of course)

- Resource production buildings (Banks, Lumber Camps and Bakeries) now also act like mini Markets, buying the building's specific resource, but you need a Market for this option to be enabled. Dutch Banks are more advantaged and Treasuries can spawn chests of coin.

- Now only some Age 4 houses have chimney smoke (West European houses have chimney smoke from Age 2), no change for East European, Mediterranean and Asian houses. (reduces later lag)

- Villagers can now fish if the source is near the shore (like in previous AoE games). Villagers fish slower than Fishing Boats though.

- decreased Explorers, War Chiefs and Asian monks hitpoints; they can also garrison inside Town Centers and Forts

- increased pets and guardians attack damage and hitpoints, also lowered movement speed for all guardians

- increased buildings attack range for all archers (including crossbow units and mounted archers)

- Elephants, European artillery and War Wagons now make footsteps dust

- decreased movement speed for all ships (except Fishing Boats)

- Cannon based artillery cannot train in blocks anymore

- made Ageing Up more expensive for every age

- made Revolution more expensive and reaserches slower now (also adds more stuff now)

- decreased building speed for most buildings

- made the Petard a little more expensive (not exaggerated)

- increased walls HP (again, not exaggerated)

- added fort walls (details bellow)

Europeans
- Explorers can now build Outposts
- replaced the Saloon with the Command Post (has ranged attack and can be built from age 3)
- added the University (improvement building) to all European civs
- added the Bank (coin production building) to the French and British (weaker than the Dutch Bank which produces coin faster)
- added the Lumber Camp (wood production building) to the Spanish, Portuguese and Ottomans
- added the Bakery (food production building) to the Germans and Russians
- added the build limit of resource production buildings to 2 per game (the Dutch can use cards or improvements to rise the build limit of Banks)
- added the Outpost to the Russians
- replaced the Mediterranean civs (Spanish, Portuguese and Ottomans) walls with the Indian walls
- changed icon of the Ransom Explorer (now matches the portrait)
- added the Fortified Walls improvement (adds fort walls and increases walls HP)(mod made by Lord_KiLLMS)
- remade the Dance Halls card, now affects the Command Post (upgrades Command Post to Command Center, which has Boneguards, elite Circle of Ossus units and etc.)
- decreased the amount of HP the Knighthood improvement adds (from 1000 to 700)
- added the Guard Pikemen improvement to all necessary civs (increases Pikeman attack and HP)
- added the Guard Crossbowman improvement to all necessary civs (increases Crossbowman attack and HP)
- added the Hoop Thrower as mercenary (Knight of Malta that throws flaming hoops)
- Revolution now enables the Black Powder Wagon at the Fort (rams into enemy units and buildings, then explodes dealing lots of damage)
- added the Flag Bearer to all Revolutionary leaders (reconnaissance unit with a good line of sight and can also receive homecity shipments)
- added the Boneguard Rifleman and the Boneguard Swordsman as mercenaries (enabled only by the Command Center card)
- replaced the Spanish Mayan cards with new Conquistador cards (the cards will also upgrade them)
- added the Extensive Fortifications card to the Germans
- only the French are now able to build Native Embassies (buildable by the Explorer)
- replaced the Bandeirantes card from the Portuguese with a new card that ships a General (can fight and train Riflemen)
- added the Extensive Fortifications card to the Russians
- added 2 and 4 Settlers cards to the Russians
- added the Azap to the Ottomans (melee infantry)
- replaced the Hussar from the Ottomans with the Spahi (they have the same basic configuration)
- the Portuguese and the British can build Barracks from the Colonial Age (this is a balance tweak)
- replaced the Heavy Cannon from the Russians with the Great Cannon (Li'l Bombard)(it has the Rocket's same basic configuration)(other European civs can't train the Li'l Bombard as mercenary any more, except from the Home City, but the Asians can still train them)
- added the Schütze to the Dutch (they have the Musketeer's basic configuration)
- replaced the Hussar from the Portuguese with the Cavalaria (they have the same basic configuration)
- added the Skirmisher to the British (because the US got Manors and Rockets, it's fair that the British get Skirmishers)
- Revolution now enables the Fire Ship (rams anything on water, then explodes dealing lots of damage)
- Europeans cannot Revolt with Washington anymore (because, as long as you can play with the US, the revolt has been done already...)
- the Dutch can train Skirmishers from Age 2
- European villagers cannot build Trading Posts anymore (only Explorers can; doesn't affect Asian or Native villagers)
- replaced Roger's Rangers tech with a new tech that ships 20 Schutzens to the British (they can train Skirmishers now; the consulate Roger's Rangers remains the same)

Native Americans
- added the Stronghold (defensive building) to the Aztecs
- added the Lookout (defensive building) to the Sioux
- added the High Temple (improvement building) to the Aztecs
- added the Council's Hut (improvement and coin generation building) to the Sioux and Iroquois
- added the Campfire (healing building) to all Native civs
- enabled the Native Embassy from the beginning of the game for all Native civs
- added native wooden walls to the Sioux
- replaced the wooden walls of the Aztecs with the native wooden walls
- rearranged the Settler building grid for all native civs
- added the Strong Walls improvement to all native civs (increases walls HP)
- added the Town Guard improvement to all native civs (increases Lookout and Stronghold attack and hitpoints)
- added the Treasury to the Aztecs (coin production building)
- added the Ram to the Sioux and Aztecs (trains at the Teepee and Nobles' Hut)
- added the Guard Tower (defensive building) to the Iroquois
- modified the Command Skill card from the Sioux, now it also ships the War Leader (can fight and train Wakina Rifles)
- every native civ will start with a Discovery Travois and a Healer

Asians
- added the Asian Tower to all Asian civs
- replaced the Asian Tower building models, now matching the Asian civs
- enabled the Dojo (military building) from the beginning of the game for the Japanese (but build limit is now 2 instead of 3)
- added the Weapons Cache (military building) to the Chinese
- added the Petard to the Chinese (trains at the Weapons Cache)
- added the Fortified Walls improvement to all Asian civs (adds fort walls and increases walls HP)(mod made by Lord_KiLLMS)
- added the Town Guard improvement to all Asian civs (increases Asian Tower attack and hitpoints)
- added the Spies improvement to all Asian civs (you can see everything your enemies can see)
- added the Fire Ship to the Indians and Japanese (rams anything on the water and explodes)
- added the Hoop Thrower as mercenary (Knight of Malta that throws flaming hoops)
- replaced the Petards card from the British Consulate deck, with a new card that ships a Hot Air Balloon (the Chinese can train their own Petards and the others can train Fire Ships, so...)
- added the Gunners's Quadrant and the Trunion improvements to the Chinese (improves at the Weapons Cache)
- Cherry Orchads and Mango Groves now spawn one Villager when built
- the Chinese will also be able to train Great Cannons after they ally with the Russians and command a Factory (but they don't have access to the unit's Imperial upgrade)
- added the War Tent to the Chinese and Japanese (it has the Teepee's basic configuration)
- each time you choose an European ally you get a Flag Bearer (and each Flag Bearer speaks the language of the civ from which it came, but they will not be able to receive shipments)
- the Japanese can get Schützens (heavy ranged infantry) if they ally with the Dutch

Campaigns
- all the non-civs changes made to the game are also present in the campaigns
- added the Rodelero to Knights of St. John from the 'Blood' campaign
- added some cards to Knights of St. John from the 'Blood' campaign
- added the Saloon to John Black's Mercenaries from the 'Ice' campaign
- replaced the US from the 'Steel' campaign with the US made for this mod
- added the Saloon to Black Family Estate from the 'Fire and Shadow' campaigns
- added the Guard Tower to Black Family estate from the 'Fire and Shadow' campaigns
- fixed the home city from the 'India' campaign
- the Tower is buildable in all Asian campaigns
- fixed Knights of St. John Church model

Plus
- fixed Cherry Orchad and Mango Grove destruction effects
- fixed destruction ruble for all Wonders
- Flaming Arrows now change their look after being improved (was disabled before)
- changed the reload animation for all infantry units with the word 'Rifle' in their name
- fixed Cherokee Rifleman animations
- replaced the Dragoon's pistol with a musket (as his portrait shows, he used a musket not a pistol)
- fixed Rifle Rider reload animations
- made the Ottomans look more truly to their origins (modified Settlers and Minuteman)
- replaced the Strelet's animations (they where buggy before)
- fixed Kalmuck sounds
- fixed Dock Rickshaw sounds
- fixed Light Cannon sounds
- Fortified Outposts don't have chimney smoke anymore (they don't even have a chimney...)
- fixed Siege Wrokshop building models
- fixed Discovery Travois sounds
- fixed long standing visual glitch with the Fishing Boats (both European and Native Fishing Boats now have proper human models controlling them)
- fixed Fune portrait
- fixed Revolutionary cards icons
- fixed Chinese Monk bored animation (didn't match before)
- fixed the Hire Li'l Bombards card icon (they are not Heavy Cannons...)
- fixed the Counting Coup card (improves War Chief area damage)
- fixed European healers (Priest, Imam and Missionary) attack sounds
- Asian ships now have more voices (two different voices per civ)
- fixed Russian Consulate shipments (Factory now has the right texture, Blockhouses can be improved and can train Strelets)
- Manor Houses can now be deleted (even Town Centers can be deleted, so why not Manors...)
- added proper building animations and models to all new buildings
- many other little or big, important or much needed things...

Known Problems
- the Bakery doesn't have destruction animations, i could have added the one from the Saloon, but that couldn't been right...
- the Lookout doesn't have destruction animations

NOTES
- If you find any more problems, bugs or glitches please leave any information in the comments section.
- This mod works perfect on LAN, as long as the other players have the same version of the mod of course.

Special thanks to aLEN, Don Omar, Arkantoz, Napoleonic Era and everyone else!

Un/Installation
- make sure you have the latest versions of all 3 games (v1.03 for TAD), get the latest patches from the game's official website or use the game's updater
- make a backup of the 'data' and 'AI3' folders from your aoe3 folder
- copy everything from inside the 'improvement_mod' folder to your aoe3 folder, and everything from inside the 'usa_civ' folder to 'My Documents'
- to remove this mod, delete the 'data' and 'AI3' folders from your aoe3 folder and restore the backups

Screenshots *the screenshots are old, but i am too lazy to make new ones:D*
Img713.imageshack.us

Video preview of the mod here:

FOR UPDATES AND NEW VERSIONS OF THE MOD PLEASE CHECK OUT AOE3 HEAVEN:
Aoe3.heavengames.com