Empire Realism | Announcements: Previews + Updates + Changelogs

[DaVinci]

Here we will give frequently development infos and/or content descriptions of upcoming releases or published versions.

Scroll through to find the changelogs and update infos.

Dear visitor, please do not comment in this thread. It is open for JaM and me only just to add changelog-posts etc..

For any comments, please use the 'Feedback' thread.

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Short pre-info to the unit sizes/troop numbers:
Example, some units which have in ETW vanilla max 180 on Ultra unit size, have here 300 or even more.
Players with slow-medium pc's will have a fps drop of course (might be solved with lower graphic detail).
Our troop numbers are completely customised for every unit.
Recommended unit size is therefor Large.
Here for example a Line infantry has 225 men on Large unit size.
Cavalry differ from mainly 90 to 120/140 on Large.
Large unit size might be recommended also as for the quite small battlefields in ETW.

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Changelog list: (from newest to oldest, not cumulative)

# Internal Version 0.72 - post 10
# Published Version 0.68/0.70, naval extra - post 7
# Published Version 0.68/0.70 - post 5
# Published Version 0.66 - post 3
# Published Versions 0.1 - 0.60

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

Outdated, but kept for mod history.
The ER modifications started on Darthmod Empire v2.1/2.2 as sourcebase with sucessively more added files from the vanilla patch.pack.
# Version 0.1 - 0.3
- Technologies changed: research points, requirements.
- Building costs and construction times changed.
- Slight religion convert-changes, especially native american rates.
- Nearly all cavalry units need 2 turns.
- All artillery units need 2 turns.
- All elite units need 2 turns.
- Nearly all ships need at least 2 turns, except sloop and similar.
- Differences between the theaters, example: Colonial Line needs 2 turns, while Euro Line needs 1 turn.
- Changed the Native American training times to stop the unrealistic unit-spam their steamrolling ability.
- Land units, increased or decreased costs/upkeep.
- Naval units, increased some costs and upkeep.
# Update version 0.4
- Elite (DLC units) recruitment limitation up'ed from 1 to 2.
- Diverse recruitment limitations, especially ships clear limited: example 1st Rate max. 2, etc..
# Update version 0.5/0.55
- Recruitment capabilities changed. Examples: Euro Line from on encampment, Cavalry removed from encampment, Native American Canon removed, Native American Mounted Musketeers removed, eastern types Musketeers removed from encampment, Colonial Army units harder to recruit. Some effects: all factions can recruit Line Infantry if have an encampment in settlement (without to research the bajonet requirement for the next barracks level), less early cavalry, eastern factions spread slight later musketeer units, unrealistic native american units removed, more realistic recruitment in colonies.
- Some building costs and construction times adjusted.
- Some unit cost/upkeep and training times adjusted.
# Update version 0.60
- NavalWarfareMod v0.1 by Naimad was added with internal v0.56 (as base for some further own naval changes).
- A vast enhancement+change for the naval part of the game by JaM, see this post (in TWC thread).
- Plus sloops and briggs removed from the naval-war-ports (only available via trade and fishing ports). Max number of these both ship types limited to 18/20.
- A lot changes again for the research/tech tree to support the historical timeline (inventions etc.).
- Some construction times and costs again adjusted.
- Some unit cost adjustments again.
- Some land unit combat stat changed to support the realism aspects.
- Some minor changes in different files to support the intended campaign gameplay.

[DaVinci]

So for now i would like to inform about enhancements for the follow-up version, provided with excellent work by the community (implemented* third party mods, see also in the download+info thread). These additions increase the pack space to 200 MB (it will be compressed of course for the download-file).

Visual improvements:

Equipment Tweak Mod (Link)

This mod adds spoontoons to foot officers, removes the bags from all infantry and replaces them with historical used packages at the front side of the unit model - reflects more the historical reality of field battles.

Proper Militia Mod (Link)

This mod changes all vanilla militia unit skins to quasi historical used ones.

Realistic Flag Set (Link)

Replaces a lot of the vanilla flags in all sections of the game with quasi historical ones.

The famous and by everybody known Blood and Smoke mod (link)

Provides smoke and blood and other effects to offer a higher authencity on the battle field and sea.

Audio improvements:

Atmospheric Battle Sounds (Link)

The mod is adding more realistic battle cries of death and wounded units, offer a higher authencity on the battle field and sea.

GeraldDuval's Realism Soundpack (Link)

Adds realistic canon, musket and rocket sounds (based on real records with historical guns).

Unit additions:

Ornamentum Skinpack (link)

This mod is adding 10 new created historical units in fantastic quality.

*this means, those contents come not as separate packs to activate via user script or mod manager - they are integrated into our mod.pack

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Edit: The above listed content was implemented with v0.66, for more third party mod additions see the separate changelogs.

[DaVinci]

Changelog for version 0.66
(extract of content changes, partly cumulative with former versions - see the main thread for the former changelogs)

Third Party Content
- 7 community mods implemented, see separate sections or credits
- 2 files from Darthmod 2.4 added, see credits
Strategy Aspects
- unrealistic units non-recruitable (native american canon, native american mounted musketeers, puckle gun, household cavalry, myselim)
- troop numbers revised (partially lowered, ie. max 400 on ultra)
- formerly increased upkeep revised (decreased)
- recruit costs adjusted
- cavalry, elites, canons need 2 turns
- line infantry in 1st tier barracks for the main theaters
- cavalry, canons from on 2nd tier barracks
- research tree changes (structure, requirements, time)
- building tree changes (costs, constr. times, requirements)
- boni/penalty adjusted (ie. less penalty)
- religious conversion harder (minus rates increased)
- some CAI file changes (ie. agressiveness slightly lowered and other things to support the gameplay goals)
Tactical Aspects
- accuracy adjusted (mainly slightly lowered)
- ammo partially increased
- reload speed adjusted
- fire-drills revised (more historically based)
- melee system adjusted (ie. cavalry stronger)
- morale system adjusted
- stamina adjusted (ie. increased for cavalry)
- start-experience adjusted
Naval System (with very unique features)
- naval aspects reworked (JaM)

[DaVinci]

Without much fuzz ...

Release:

Empire Realism 0.66 (beta)

The changes are described above (extracts). The dl-file contains a readme and everything you need to install and run the mod.

If you gonna play this mod, please start a new campaign.

Recommendations:

# Difficulty: H/H
# Unit Size: Large (or Ultra)
# Grand Campaign: Long Campaign
# The mod is a standalone modification with a lot implemented community mods (see posts above). Make sure you don't run double-files with your user.script file or modmanager.

DL-Link: See Main Thread "Download&Info" in this forum.

Have fun!

[DaVinci]

Out




Empire Realism v0.70 (v0.70.95) content changes


Released as v0.68, open beta

- CAI files adjusted with the goal to support better strategical/diplomatic AI behaviour
- Morale system anew adjusted to reflect still more the realism on the battlefield
- Dragoons got mass-fire ability to increase their effectiveness
- Swedish Line Inf got mass-fire ability (along JaM's warfare expertise)
- Besides Grenadiers and Guard elite troops, some other units like ie. Scots have mass-fire ability.
- Grappling hooks ability removed from all units except for the grenadiers class (thanks to alpaca here, twc workshop)
- Research things in general slightly adjusted again
- Global balance got a lot tweaks to support historical outcome, or work vs. unhistorical outcome
- Some building boni adjustments
- Accuracy / reload / fire-drill things adjusted again
- Recruitment corrections (fixes) and general adjustments
- Enable some elites/special troops in earlier recruit-tiers
- Mortar one tier earlier available, 12 iber canons stay recruitable (no replacement)
- More differences between the canon effectiveness
- Some general and special unit stat corrections
- Native americans once more adjusted to reduce their still available steam-roller tendency and avoid the odd early US emergence
- Some cost/upkeep stat adjustments again
- Removed square formation from all units for the battle mode (to protect the AI from odd battle behaviour)
- Removed wooden stakes (to protect the AI from odd battle behaviour)
- Some more upkeep penalties removed from research tree
- Diverse unhistorical recruitment options removed (example: Prussia cannot recruit units in the Americas or India anymore)
- Guard units now available from on royal palace tier (added: parallel to the late barracks tier recruitment), means, main factions have those units available from the start, if they have the royal palace tier already
- Unit spacing adjusted to fix the odd line-spreading/overlapping, when Line Inf prepares itself for battle
- A lot of changes for the economy system / cash flow done (examples: certain buildings now provide tax income, and now also the war-ports give a basic income for the region)
Resumed: (along playtest results)
- Finally the native amercan steamroller behaviour is actually fixed, now the 13 Colonies high probably won't loose their regions and even Florida has high chances to remain spanish (as England player, you might need to subjugate Georgia asap to reduce the probability that the Cherokee will capture Florida, as the spanish AI is just retarded, sometimes is moving out of Florida with their units "to offer the Cherokee a way into Florida")
- Further on that means that the ahistorical US emergence is finally reduced to a small probability (ie. also the Iroquois high probably won't capture a 13 Colonies region to enable the US emergence)
- Maratha steamroller is fixed, means, now the Mughal Empire will show their correct historical power
- And, of course, a lot new changes in the naval aspects by JaM.

Since release v0.68, released v0.70 (v0.70.95)

Diverse tweaks have been done in a lot important aspects, extract:

- Ottoman recruitment fixed (2 units were disabled for no obvious reason for the campaign-mode, these are enabled now, and the whole recruitment-structure is adjusted anew for them regarding the infantry)
- A new reload bonus (hidden) for all musket units added with socket bayonet research (steel ramrod, a text change might be added later)
- Diverse tax + cashflow + building tweaks
- Diverse unit/recruitment adjustments
- Diverse research requirement adjustments
- The structure (and challenge) to recruit proper troops in the colonies is once more tweaked
- Diverse naval aspects modified (by JaM), see extra naval changelog thread
- Ornamentum unit/skinpack release 2 implemented and customised (again plus 10 new units)
- Naval units, reminder: removed were rocket ships and bomb ketch and steam ships were removed already in earlier versions (unrealistic ships). Further on trade ports have partly better ship recruitment available, especially valid for Spain
- Recruit cost of some cavalry, some elites and of all canons is slightly increased (just to make their key roles more valuable)
- Unit spacing of native americans is increased (after all they didn't bother about formations)
- Changed the landbattle canons to a more historical correct design (calibers, ranges, efficience etc.)
- The Irish Legion unit is only available if France becomes a republic
- Late canons (horse artillery) is dependent on a late research now
- Zone of recruitment system (ZoR) is expanded (example: no home Line Inf in foreign regions, but the lower-morale Provincial Line Inf is possible then in certain buildings as a kind of AoR unit, a re-added unit)
- Some other unit spacing adjusted (ie. light units less tight)
- Campaign AI files adjusted again, the AI will act far smarter in all instances with regards to the historical-realism design
- Grapling hooks are put back into the game for all infantry units, for now. However that might have an impact on the global outcome balance, as factions can high probably far quicker assault a settlement than to have grapling hooks removed.

[DaVinci]

Version 0.68 is released.

DL-link is in the main-thread.

[JaM]

here is the list of naval changes done so far:


- complete renaming of all ships - they no longer all use rating system of Royal Navy.
- Hull resistance and hitpoints significantly increased (+cca 100% over original values)
- completely changed naval guns damage potential - now 32pdr does almost 2x damage as 18pdr, 24pdr 2x more than 12 pdr... round shots can also damage masts, again depends on caliber.
- 1-rate / 100+ gun ships are now always admiral ships. only few were built even by RN and always served as admiral flagships.
- 2-rate / 80-90 gun ships are also admiral flagships, 3-rate is no loner used as a flagship for major factions (Britain, France, Spain), but small nations that were not able to afford bigger ships are able to built 74gun flagships.

- there are two models of 3-rate /70-74 gun ships now for major factions - early model represent ships built in early 18.century -for example British used 3-rate 70gun SOL which was smaller than French or Spanish counterparts.
Spanish ships are larger (more hitpoints), faster, but slightly underarmed (larger caliber was 24 pdr, where British used 32 prd and French 36pdr)
Later 3-rate/74 gun SOL represents models built in the middle of 18.century - those ships are larger than earlier versions, and much heavilly armed - French and Spanish 74gun ships use 36/24/9pdrs, British use 32/18/9pdrs

- with 4-rates there are now 2 models - 60 gun 4-rate and 50 gun 4-rate. Both ships have 24pdrs on lower deck. They are good for escort duty, but have no chance against stronger ships. 24 pdrs give them enough of firepower to take down any early Frigate or pirate ship. Former Galleon is also rated as a 60 gun 4-rate and is only used by Spain (so no pirate with such powerfull ships).

- 5-rate Frigates are completly changed. standard 5-rate is 32 gun single decker armed with 12pdr guns. Only France has access to much larger type of ship - 44 gun Frigate. Frigates have no chance in duel against anything stronger, as their 12pdrs are just not enough to do significant damage to SOLs. but their huge benefit is their campaign map speed, where they are almost 2x faster. They are ideal for attacking trade of enemy, or protecting own trade lines from pirates.
6-rate is 24 gun Frigate armed also with 12 pdrs. same benefits , its just weaker than as 5-rate.

Carronade Frigates are now doubledeckers with 48 guns ,18pdrs on lower deck and 32pdr carronades on upper deck. They are almost a match for 4-rates, but faster. but at least they are worth the investment into carronade research..

- as mentioned before - campaign movement is different based on ship class
SOLs have 65 movement points, Frigates and Small ships 120. Indiamans 80, 4-rate SOLs 70. Galleys 50 (they never sailed far from shore) That makes Fleet of strong SOLs very bad chaser, so Frigates are needed for antipiracy duty. SOLs are good for blocades and major fighting.

- there are some compromises done in regards to number of guns - because we are not able to add guns to ship model, certain ships had less guns than their description says. (French 2-class 80 gun doubledecker has only 74 guns) This is slightly adjusted by adding more gunners to the ship (so instead of 148 gunners 80gunner had 160 gunners), and also those ships have stronger hulls and more hitpoints.

- Reloading attribute is based on size of ship (how much space gun crew had to reload the gun) and faction expertise - so British ships are slightly faster in reloading than French crews ( often stated that British crews were able to outshoot French crews 3:2)

- morale effect reworked - now the most effective way is to shoot into enemy stern - even strong ships will surrender if you hit them with few broadsides from close range (but not from small ships - small guns have much weaker effect)

- short range fire does about 2x more damage than fire from medium distances, long range fire does 2x less damage.

- Indiaman is now 38 gun doubledecker, so it can partially defend itself, but it is no match for any military ship as Indiamans never had experienced gunners on board.

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hope i didnt forget something, if true i will add it later.

[DaVinci]

Public version 0.70 is released.

DL link in the main thread.

[DaVinci]

Preview extract of our Masterplan: Content goals for ER version 1.0


# Early and Late Line Infantry, perhaps here and there extended to other unit classes.

# A complete revised recruitment and unit system for the land and naval warfare.

# The successive addition of some extra units per faction.

# The modification of the startpos file (start map) to support the historical realism goals of the project.

Those changes are longterm goals of our project.


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A changelog for v0.72 will follow soon.

[DaVinci]

So we decided to pack an internal testversion 0.72 for the upcoming weekend. The main content changes are:

DaVinci's departments:
- Some recruitment changes (for a better deployment-mixture), especially in the american colonies
- Cavalry melee stats toned down (attack, charge, defence)
- Some other small but effective balancing tweaks here and there
- Changed native american mounted bodyguard and lancers into foot troops (those elite foot lancers though carry pitchforks now, hope we can solve that soon)
- Implemented the Headwear mod by Ahiga, what will also change the militia class recruitment/unit structure (edit: a custom solution was planned, but atm. provides issues with the Proper Militia mod, which is disabled for now for the foot militia units, so using atm. the standard militia with the enhanced headmodels/tricorn)
JaM's departments:
- Land artillery projectile changes: canister slightly improved, but has now higher dispersion, projectile speeds reduced so shots bounce more
- Naval, Sloops now different for major countries: British have Brig-Sloop, French have Corvette, US have Frigate-Sloop of War
- Naval, battery adjustments for early 3-rates: British 70 gun 3-rate have now 24pdr main battery, but is cheaper. Spanish early 74-gun SOL has also 24pdr main battery, but instead of 12 pdr have 18pdrs on upper decks. French 74-gun SOL have 36/18/9pdrs
- KV-rules changes to naval and land arty, effective ranges
- and some other smaller different improvements.

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The plan is to have a more complete version 0.75. Here we will also have most probable some more unit additions (and reskins) implemented.

Update info: The next public ER release will happen after CA has released its patch 1.4.

Anyway, this planned new public version, besides a lot other usual updates, will most probable contain a lot reskins and additional units from (ETW mods hosted on TWC):
# United Provinces skin mod (hopefully the full version with the new units)
# a selection from Toon's AWI mod (20 units are already prepared by Toon for us), listed here: http://www.twcenter.net/forums/showt...94#post5973794
# Gary's new Prussian units
# diverse new units from Preussen Gloria's Sweden and Austria mod
# some selected units from Sir Caesars reskins
# and some of Remo's reskins
# plus (if done then already) danova's new units from planned Ornamentum 1.3.
All those units will be completely implemented and the new units customised (stats etc., and partly its usage and perhaps its names) to make them fitting to ER's design.

Update info:

Unit expansion:
Since vonPeretz joined our team, the next release will include complete new created units for certain factions.
See the unit preview thread(s).