Stratagems Mod BETA

[otherdragn]

Updated the installer August10.
It is still 0.7 Beta but adds shortcuts to run the mod without needing to enter steam settings.

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Hey dudes check out the Mod i've released. It features customized VPs and other Stratagems.
http://forums.relicnews.com/showthread.php?275983-RET-Stratagems-multiplayer-strategic-battleground!!

It includes support for Elite mod. No units are edited in my mod, instead all adjustments are applied in the map.

[Dark Riku]

Looks interesting.

Who wants to play test this with me? ^^

[otherdragn]

Thanks for checking it out. Updated to v.6 now.
I returned health regeneration to normal, and added "Night War" mode which removes my speed,range,and melee bonuses.

[Swift]

I really like the look of it, so maybe (a big maybe) one of the regular casters or someone else could cast a particularly spectacular game on it. I would also lime to see this map made a bit smaller for a proper Elite mod game too.

[Swift]

Tried launching it. Used the modname -StratagensElite in the launch options but I don't see anything happening. Launched from steam and Elite shortcut yet nothing happened. Why is this?

[otherdragn]

Hmm
is it Launch Options :
-dev -modname StratagemsElite

not sure if you had a typo in your post -StratagensElite

I'd love to get a caster showing this if we had a good replay. I think first off though it needs MP testing. I've only tested online with 2 players. I'm just praying Sync Errors won't start popping up once 6 players are fighting and things get heavy.
Also the system specs for this mod are beyond normal maps, because of the size and detail. Once a few more people have it, in a few weeks, I'd like to organize a testing event.

As far as making a smaller map, it could be done. The maps need some sort of distance or there isn't really motivation to soft retreat to healing chests. But it could probably still work on a map even half sized. I'm fine with any part or idea from this being used in other mods too. I could post a worldbuilder stamp to bring in the stratagem objects if anyone wants to experiment.

[crazyman64335]

this is for sure 100% complete with elite mod? as in it won't break the unit descriptions or give that weird coding bug? if so i'll give it a vid sometime

[Indrid]

I gave it a look vs AI. My early observations:

Little things:
- Nurgle worship seems to have been nerfed considerably in its regen rate (intended?)
- Some typos/misc issues: some portrait images missing ("img") and the Machine Stratagem says it reinforces "infatry"

Big picture:
- The map looks great. Must have taken an age to make.
- The general design idea of differing types of VPs is interesting.
- There are just too many points/things for three players to cap and effectively hold with a 100 pop army. I counted around 40(!). Some of the bigger points have very long cap times also.
- The monumental size of the map is conducive to Eldar gates/Ravener tunnels. Eldar gates especially will be very powerful. You've made efforts to counteract this by having capturable subway tunnels (another thing you have to cap) and improved movement speed - but that also makes the Eldar even faster!
- The games might take a very long time to complete.
- The UI doesn't seem to be able to display a VP tick of more than 3 per side, so it's not always easy to get a feel of what's happening.

[otherdragn]

Thanks for the feedback Indrid.

I missed the typo, but the icon problems I know of.
As for the nurgle workship, were You playing the original .5 release or the .6 update? I think health regen on worship is one of the things that was broken by how I had disabled regeneration. I've turned that back on, though it now makes the healing chests more powerfull than I'd intended because it's an additive effect. Originally I'd planned on having more variation to what the chests do, so some would for example infiltrate the squad that captures.
If You were playing the latest 0.6 then this is something else I must look into.


-Yes this map was worked on forever! I began it in 2011 in fact, and it took nearly a year to be 99% completed. I was in no hurry, not really planning on releasing it ever. Since then I've had plenty of time to add detail and rework areas when inspired. Basically, by the time the map was near complete, it's playability and fun issues were apparent. That's when I began trying to mod it, to try and make it work better.

-That's a very good point about the eldar. To make matters worse in face, it's currently bugged so that eldar and nids can use their tunnels with the subway network.

-The map layout is another great point. I'd tried many layouts, and with fewer points. It's worth thinking over how I could improve this without it becoming too empty. I could lessen the capture time, and/or reduce the number of points.
If there were only 3 subway tunnels and 3 scanner towers they cold still serve some purpose.

Intentionally gave enough power to each side, so the power farm is not a necessity, but an advantage. I think I cold move the power farm closer to the center. If I gave each side only 2 native power the power farm would be much more vital. Each side could also lose a SP and not be starved.

The VP tickers issue I tried to look into but I think that might be difficult. It gets into messing with the UI which I've had no luck with.

[Indrid]

I was using 0.6. Got it the day I posted.

I think a reduction in cap rate for some of the points would be good. After thinking about it again I don't think it's as bad as I thought to cap/hold all the points because of their positioning. Most of the points are quite natural, so they become "cap and forget" points unless a devious player (Eldar) starts making runs into enemy lines to decap. It also means though the early game could become a very dull memorised and queued up cap order to get all the points near HQs - almost like a build order for another RTS.

Other than that though, most of the fighting will probably be across the central east-west plane with the occasional push in after a favourable engagement. Though it's not always easy to predict how maps will play out.

I think a pop increase (150) would serve it well, more of a big strategic feel.

[otherdragn]

I'm testing an update where I've moved the power farm down the road a bit. It really improves the flow I think. It was easy enough by making a whole map chunk into a stamp, but Ill have clean up the edges.

I have lowered resources considerably. Each side has only 2 natural power, and 4 requisition points. There are only 3 scanner towers now all in the VP region. I also removed the destructible VPs.
It seems to work and focus gameplay. The thing is, the gameplay moves more back to traditional dow 2 style, and becomes a capping marathon on this map. I'll work on what updates I can, and post a new version with this as a low resource version.

[otherdragn]

Updated to version 0.7
Hopefully this update strikes a balance of resources, to focus the battle in the center, with options to push into enemy territory. http://www.moddb.com/mods/stratagems/downloads/stratagems-beta-07

-Fixed missing portraits for scanner tower and subway entrance
-Pop Cap raised to 150
-Team battle and FFA Map layouts revised. Eastern end/powerfarm rearranged.
-In FFA mode, 4 SP and 4 Power added.
-Destructible VPs removed (still in FFA).
-3 Scanner towers
-5 Subway entrances
-Removed deep natural resource points for both sides
-Added 1 contestable SP and Power to the central roadway.

[Helios]

Could I trouble you for a step-by-step instruction on how to install this and then uninstall for when I go back to ELITE? I'm not sure where you want which folders to go in to. Or which I should backup if I need be.

[otherdragn]

You can still play Elite normally with this mod installed. You just need to choose it in steam launch options.
1. In Your steam library, right click Dawn of War II - Retribution and choose Properties.
2. Click Set Launch Options...
3. Add this to the field -dev -modname Elite

But to answer Your question, here are instructions for Installation/Removal -
The new version .07 has an installer/uninstaller. Just make sure in the installer script that it is installing to your Retribution folder. Usually this is Program Files/Steam/SteamApps/common/Dawn of War II - Retribution/
The uninstaller will be in your start menu under stratagems mod.

To run the mod You still need to enable it in Steam launch options
1. In Your steam library right click Dawn of War II - Retribution and choose Properties.
2. Click Set Launch Options...
3. Add this to the field -dev -modname StratagemsElite

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If You had the previous version .5 or .6 and wanted to install/uninstall the process is

There are two folders to delete in Dawn of War II - Retribution/
Stratagems
StratagemsElite
and these two module files also in Dawn of War II - Retribution/
Stratagems.module
StratagemsElite.module