New mod?

[kondi754]

Hi,
Could anyone create a mod for OoB that would reduce the number of available RPs by 50% at the start of each scenario?
I must admit that I think about myself.
The game is slowly starting to be too easy for me, devs are not planning to introduce new levels of difficulty, so something must be done about it.
I'm not a programmer or modder so I have to ask someone for help. I suppose it will not be difficult to create for a specialist.
I am inspired by additional levels of difficulty in PzC - Manstein, Rommel, etc.

(Or maybe something similar already exists, only I don't know about it, then I'm asking for a link )

[terminator]

Warbonds negatives :

Warbonds(negatives).jpg (79.82 KiB) Viewed 2126 times

[kondi754]

Thanks, it's certainly an ad hoc solution at least

EDIT. Unfortunately, it's not perfect, because I'm only talking about 50% of the "new" RPs available (allocated by devs) before each mission but without funds accumulated or saved in earlier scenarios.
It's a bit more complicated, it requires additional calculations but your solution is certainly more difficult for the player...

I wonder if Devs could send me the number of available "new" RPs in each scn in each DLC

[GabeKnight]

What you're asking for is too specific. If you don't want to use terminator's easy solution, better do it yourself, so it's adjusted to your needs perfectly.

Just don't be lazy, Kondi, after all those years you should be able to open the editor in OoB and do a few simple clicks yourself...

1) copy scen folder(s) from base game directory to the "documents/mygame/oob/scen" folder to be able to edit them
2) start oob
3) open editor
4) load scen
5) open settings
6) set whatever RPs you deem necessary...
7) save the scen
8.) repeat from step 4) for every scen until satisfied
9) copy the files back to the original location (make backup of originals first, if you want)

Alternatively to overwriting the stock files, you can copy the whole modified campiagn folder to the "documents/mygame/oob/campaign" location and start as "custom campaign" (works with vanilla, too!)
Good luck!

Screenshot 690.jpg (626.75 KiB) Viewed 2086 times

[kondi754]

Thank you, as I mentioned earlier I'm not a modder and I didn't know it could be done in this way, I think I can handle myself now
Perhaps you're right and I'm a bit lazy because I didn't want to read manuals but you explained everything to me beautifully

[GabeKnight]

I knew you could do it...

You don't have to become an expert modder like myself to change a few things in OoB. Once you learned a few simple steps in the editor, it's really easy to add new factions, change RP, turns, units locations and/or adding additional units to the scens or whatever...

Then you don't need no new difficulty level. Just add some exp. to the enemy, change a few units or add whole new counter-attacks, just as you wish...

PS: One very easy way to increasy difficulty is to do as Erik does in his scens and just give the enemy the same means as yourself to repair its units - give the enemy at least the same amount of RP per turn as yourself. Fair's fair!

[kondi754]

I've modified Blitzkrieg DLC, in each scenario there are now only 50% of the "new" RPs originally available at the start.
I'm at the testing stage (played Mlawa scn), so far it's only a bit harder because it turns out that Devs give very few "new" RPs here, it looks like Blitzkrieg is based on RPs per turn income, so on the resources which player saves earlier and moves to the next mission.

The following changes were introduced:
MLAWA orginally 200 RPs / now 100 RPs
WARSAW 0 / 0
NORWAY 200 / 100
BELGIUM 100 / 50
DUNKIRK 200 / 100
FALL ROT 100 / 50
YUGOSLAVIA 100 / 50
GREECE 100 / 50
MINSK 250 / 125
SMOLENSK 200 / 100
KIEV 150 / 75
MOSCOW 150 / 75

If anyone is interested and wants to try, I can attach the modified files to the thread.
In addition: I fixed the issue with the correct dates of 2nd scn Warsaw
(instead of 2 days for 1 turn now there are 2 turns for 1 day)

[Horst]

I'm not up to play the old campaigns at moment, but you could also consider increasing the RP reserve/income of the AI. Simply adopting the Panzer Corps difficulties should offer enough additional challenges. It also shouldn't be hard to change the turn limits (I know, everyone hates them these days).

Colonel
Player Prestige: 100%
Player Experience: 100%
Player Strength: 0
AI Prestige: 100%
AI Experience: 100%
AI Strength: 0
Turns: 0
AI Level: 1

General
Player Prestige: 100%
Player Experience: 100%
Player Strength: 0
AI Prestige: 150%
AI Experience: 100%
AI Strength: 0
Turns: 0
AI Level: 2

Field Marshal
Player Prestige: 100%
Player Experience: 50%
Player Strength: 0
AI Prestige: 150%
AI Experience: 100%
AI Strength: 0
Turns: 0
AI Level: 2

Guderian
Player Prestige: 100%
Player Experience: 100%
Player Strength: 0
AI Prestige: 150%
AI Experience: 100%
AI Strength: 0
Turns: -5
AI Level: 2

Manstein
Player Prestige: 100%
Player Experience: 100%
Player Strength: 0
AI Prestige: 150%
AI Experience: 100%
AI Strength: +5
Turns: 0
AI Level: 2

Rommel
Player Prestige: 50%
Player Experience: 100%
Player Strength: 0
AI Prestige: 150%
AI Experience: 100%
AI Strength: 0
Turns: 0
AI Level: 2

Ultimate
Player Prestige: 50%
Player Experience: 50%
Player Strength: 0
AI Prestige: 150%
AI Experience: 100%
AI Strength: +5
Turns: -5
AI Level: 2

[kondi754]

I'm not up to play the old campaigns at moment, but you could also consider increasing the RP reserve/income of the AI. Simply adopting the Panzer Corps difficulties should offer enough additional challenges. It also shouldn't be hard to change the turn limits (I know, everyone hates them these days). [...]

I suppose you're right.
The next step I "take care" about AI income, but it will be much difficult for proper balance, it will require much more precision tests for sure.

[terminator]

I'm not up to play the old campaigns at moment, but you could also consider increasing the RP reserve/income of the AI. Simply adopting the Panzer Corps difficulties should offer enough additional challenges. It also shouldn't be hard to change the turn limits (I know, everyone hates them these days).

You could also increase the AI Units Experience :

Screenshot 528.png (746.64 KiB) Viewed 1823 times

Screenshot 529.png (852.36 KiB) Viewed 1823 times

[kondi754]

After completing a few missions, I can say that reducing the available RPs is a good solution, the game is much more demanding (player really can't afford to lose "expensive" units), but probably the better solution will be to increase the capabilities of AI.
I am afraid that after importing the core from BK to PK, more than 50% RPs will be necessary because it's not enough to buy all necessary units. The Devs didn't anticipate any special resource surplus for further play, so it would probably be better to strengthen your opponent than to weaken yourself ... (The solution would be to transfer unused RPs between campaigns but it's beyond my knowledge about editing & modding )

[Horst]

Quite nifty XP-trigger you created there, Arnie!

Kondi: yep, I also think that totally gimping a player's RP isn't really fun anymore if you are forced to just play with a horde of infantry units and at-guns.
I've been playing lately a custom campaign (Desert Rats) with a lot of AI units. As long as the AI has still RP available it's quite tricky to hold the line in defense. The AI can handle moving damaged units to the rear to make room for fresh troops at the front line. Give the AI enough resources and it will sooner or later run the player dry. That is when the challenge begins.
It all depends how many units the AI has of course and how it is scripted, otherwise the player can typically outnumber/flank the AI in every situation. Enough artillery for the AI can also make it quite difficult for players who are in the offensive. AI-arty is often lacking in scenarios.

Screenshot below: here is a triggered way to spawn additional units for specific difficulties. This way, you can keep it at original level on low-mid level and vastely increase it rather only on the higher levels. Besides unit spawning, you could also add in the same trigger more RP for the AI.
The advantage of this is that every difficulty tuning is tied to a single scenario-start trigger that you can disable anytime in the editor if you don't want to play with it. Original settings won't be touched by this.