EaglePrince

It would be a formal letter I would send with application for a summer school, so it would be a professor who would read it. I know that we were thought that we can start with "To whom it may concern", but I don't know if that doesn't sound weird. Still, that's why I'm here, you know better what does sound appropriate for the situation. :) I just get that feeling of opening being weird only because of how it sounds in my language.

So, this definitely belongs to this subforum, as if this is not game related, nothing is. :) I just wanted to start a short discussion here about what you thing would be a good starting of a formal letter in English? In Serbian I would start with "Po?tovani...", which means "respected" or "the respected one", and was looking many times about how to start a formal letter in English, and each time I feel awkward when I see suggested openings. :) For example, would "Dear Sir or Madam..." sound good? It's that that "dear" in my language wouldn't be used like that, it is more common for an elder person (or perhaps on a higher position) to write "dear", while I would never say "dear professor". :)

Sure. I would be able to play next week. This weekend I will have a lot of work, but after Tuesday I should be free. I was thinking about writing you a personal message about this, as I assume you would like to play against AI lords. :) Also, it would be great if you found some time to see if this works for you, as we have two persons that are unable to use the tool. I can, but Chris can't , and so doesn't Kian. EDIT: Just to add - like I said before, I can host, there would be no need for you to use the tool as well - at least not for that matter. I only wanted to say if you could try it as well, to see how many of us can actually use the tool, but if you wouldn't feel comfortable with that - I wouldn't mind, I understand that. :)

The link does work.

Chris knows more about these stuff than I do, but still, like I said, the only way to know for sure would be to try it on a different computer. I find it interesting that it works for me, but it doesn't work for you. That is why I assumed this may have something to do with OS... Still, there is hope for you. You can make a gaming event here at Stronghold Nation, and if I am able to, I would be willing to come to you and your friend, start you the game, and then leave. That would work. Check the personal message I sent you about that. Also, we hope that Firefly would enable us multiplayer, this is something that many people want.

I don't think that your game installation is corrupt. It's just that something is different. One thing among those is operative system... The other thing - something may be different in the game installation compared to mine. Is you have another computer you could try to install the game there as well, and it it would work on that one. If it does, then it should be about OS... I doubt that reinstalling the game would help, but it you have time for that, you can try that as well... Only I'd say it's little likely to help. Anyway, with who would you like to play against AI's? Maybe this would work on that other machine. It would be enough. For now we know it works on my Windows7 PC's, and on computer of the one who uploaded the YouTube video, and he has Windows XP (or maybe Vista).

Chris, what is your OS? For one thing, we know that what differs between us is OS. On another hand, maybe it could be about the game... In my case - I have Stronghold 2 Deluxe, which I patched to 1.4, and 1.4.1. Also, my game is installed in C:\Program Files (x86)\Firefly Studios\Stronghold 2, and I run the AI Manager tool from My Documents folder. ...or to be more specific: C:\Users\Zahirovic\Documents\Stronghold 2\AI Manager\SH2 Manager...

I get the same with Windows 7... Still, it happens rarely. By the way, if one of you would be willing, we could try playing a test game against some AI lords this evening or something like that? Just to test it if it is enough that only one of us to have the tool working. We can do it quickly - kill the enemy early with spearmen. And one more thing - did you turn off your antivirus protection before running the tool and using it in the game? Also, one more thing. The guy who uploaded the video has several unnecessary steps, it is enough to do it like this: 1. You and your friend start GameRanger, the one who has the tool opens a room, and starts the game when everyone is ready. 2. The host leaves the room as soon as the game loads to him, goes to kingmaker game, minimizes the game, clicks ENABLE, gets back into the game, and hosts another game. (All of this is done within Stronghold 2) 3. By that time you will make everything ready before Stronghold 2 loads to your friend. You just wait them up, and set the game, and play.

Just one more thing... As you had you're on Windows 10, I assume I have Steam version (maybe I'm not correct), and if that is the case, I believe that's the reason... Still, we shall see about that as well. This is something new, and we haven't heard much about it, including about some problems such as yours, and ways to fix them. Still, even if it does crash on your machine, I am almost sure that it would work if somebody else hosted. ;) You can play with us if you want - we can have a Stronghold 2 gaming event now and then to fight against AI opponents. If I understood everything correctly the tool doesn't do "anything special", it "only" unlocks the option to add AI in a multiplayer game. That's how I see it. And of course, for us it is very special tool, I have already burning it on a disc, I certainly don't want to lose it. :)

Welcome to Stronghold Nation, Kian! Did you try some of those usual stuff such as running the game, or the tool in the compatibility mod? Also, do you have Steam version of the game? Maybe that's what causes the problem. If you have Steam version of the game, can you run the game without having Steam running? Maybe that could help.

Tutorial for HIGH BRIDGES After coming here for help with the high bridges, and after Tokamaps showed me how to build them, I decided that least thing I could do is to make a short tutorial for others about how to do it. The reason I call those high bridges only, and not canyon bridges, is that this is only for "one layer bridge", it's not actually a canyon bridge, but it is simpler to accomplish - the method is pretty fast and simple, and it doesn't involve cropping the map. Another thing is that this works with version 1.4.1, while this trick works with version 1.3.1. 1. place smallest level cliffs and place a river between if you want to have a river below the bridge, as you won't be able to place it later. 2. place descents from those cliffs one against another on exact same place where you want to have your bridge. 3. connect the two cliffs over the two descents you previously placed. For this you will need to have the option to place elevation over water areas set. You can see it in the right side of the panel. 4. hit the undo button, so that this connection disappears. 5. place the bridge from one cliff to another over the connection you just removed by undo button. That's it, there's nothing more you need to do, you have the high bridge. There is only one issue with those bridges, but it is an issue with high bridges in general. If you send large group of troops on the bridge, they will go below the bridge too as it is shown on the following picture. Of course, you won't notice this if you just send your troops to cross over the bridge, or if you don't send large number of troops like this. Naturally, you would most likely send troops before or after the bridge, and you would rarely notice it. Also, AI lords can leave some of their troops under the bridge, but I don't mind about that. PS. I am also sharing the smaller screenshots (40% from there, they are in the attachment) in case Lord Chris would want to make an article from this. Once again, this is tutorial by @Tokamaps, I only wrote it and made the pictures. smaller screenshots.zip

I have just tried it. I played a 2v3 game against Sir William, Lady Seren, and Edwin. My impression about them not using siege camps turned to be true. Because of that they don't use laddermen, and they didn't besiege my or my allies castle as efficiently as they would. Still, it was a fun game, AI lords were pushing as they would in singleplayer game, and they were as hard to kill as in singleplayer game. The only difference is that they didn't start attack on any of two of us - they were just sending those raiding parties. Still, it was fun for me to play, as my ally didn't handle quite well, so I was coming into her rescue which wasn't that easy as well, as our estates were not close enough and the two estates between us were rules at a moment by our enemies.

I completely agree. Having this enabled by a patch from Firefly would be the best! I seems that the game itself is capable for multiplayer with AI lords, but that this option got locked at some point, or it has been locked from the beginning... I may try to play a complete game with this today. If I do, I will let you know how it went. The only thing I have noticed by now is that AI lords don't build siege camps, thus they don't send laddermen upon human lord's castle. Still, I am not quite sure about this one - maybe it acted like this because I had no walls while I was testing the mod, but if I remember correctly, AI lords in singleplayer always build siege camps and train laddermen. If I don't have a wall, they would send it upon my barracks, engineers guild, etc... I could be wrong, and I will see about that yet.

The map has been approved. :) http://www.stronghold-nation.com/downloads/file/425-tri-reke/ I also have another idea for another "balanced" map like this, but that one would be less balanced. Maybe I could say those maps are "semi-balanced". :) I got inspired for that map with Iron Gates, which we call in Serbia Derdap (?erdap), so it is most likely going to be called Derdap. Hmm, now when I saw that it is called Iron Gate in English and in many other languages I may have a look into that topic as well - why do we call it Derdap... :) Still, from now on I will focus more on my obligations regarding my studies, but I will slowly work on that one. Of course, I'll be available for gaming events. :)

Congratulations Floki, it is a deserved victory!

I assume it is GM+0 time zone. :) Lord Chris is from Great Britain, but also when we say "it's ending in 24:00" and don't mention anything else, then it is assumed it's 24:00 at GMT+0, which is 1:00 in Germany and Serbia.

Very interesting landscape, Tokamaps, though I was expecting nothing less. :) It is very good landscape despite what you may think. There are lots of details I like in your map as well - you know how to make those rocky areas, but those greener areas as well - such as that part near the coast on the cliff where you have several trees and some green grass, that part looks really refreshing. Besides that, I like how you put those branches below your bridge - near the waterfall. It looks really cool - just like those branches got stuck there. That geyser also looks really good - though I'm not sure if it's a geyser or actually a volcano. Also, the wooden bridge is interesting, but I wasn't surprised to see something like that on your map, and I like how you used those tunnels to look like mines. :) That is another great idea. Both of your maps look really great! Now, when it comes to someone who has no chance for winning - that is me. :p On the other hand, I wasn't making anything like your maps. You made small maps - just as a scenery, and just what we were asked to do. I was working on my map, I thought it's going to have beautiful landscape, so I decided to submit it. Still, it is perhaps one of the best maps I have ever made. :)

Guys, look at this video! It is the AI Manager for 1.4.1 version of the game, it's there, and it works, I have just tried it! :) Note that the flickering that occurred in his video while he was playing the game doesn't happen actually, it's only about his recording program. Still, I should again say - the file is being reported as a virus. I myself believe it is a false positive, but you don't have to risk actually. For example, if you play with me, I would host and only the host needs to work with this tool to add AI lords.

I have submitted the map, and yes - I look forward to playing it in multiplayer. :) It is true that we already have several maps that we want to play in multiplayer, but we will find time for all that at some moment. I'd also like to add that not all villages had the problem with ox tethers - only one of them did, and that is the one that was close to me while I was doing my test. I removed some trees and bushes from around those mines and quarries, so now it all works fine, and it is a good thing that I noticed the issue with ox tethers as well. Here are some screenshots by the way. :)

Guys, I have figured it out! It appears that those kind of threes I was placing on the map (the trees you can see on the image in the bottom), and it happens in all villages because this is the only type of threes I was placing besides bushes. I added that regular type of evergreen/periwinkle trees (please, correct me, I don't know which of those two words is correct :D ), and then villages built their woodcutters. Another issue were ox tethers, and I figured out about them as well, though that was easier part, and somewhat obvious. While I was looking at the my new quick map I made few minutes ago I noticed that villages build their ox tethers differently than castle lords! While castle lords build those near all their stone quarries and iron mines, villages build their ox tethers near the stone quarry or the iron mine they built first. Village wanted to build all seven ox tethers near their first stone quarry while that wasn't possible because of threes. I have removed those trees, and now villages do build ox tethers! Thanks for your help, guys! :) We made it. :) Some time later I am going to fix those things, and I will submit my map to the Downloads Central. You shall see, it is going to be a great map for multiplayer and singleplayer - I wanted it to be perfectly "balanced", and I have accomplished that. By the way, I said "perfectly" because not all positions are same - it is perfectly balanced when played by four players, and but I wanted it to be good for many combinations. I will show you the minimap now. The minimap is going to remain the same, I will only make those adjustments. :) And those are the trees that made me problems.

Now I tried making a new map with several villages, and they work well - they build three saw pits, and they work until the village has built everything - including two iron mines, two stone quarries and seven ox tethers. I also tried Bradley's map 3 men's land, and yes, this works fine on it. By the way, Tokamaps, do you remember on which maps you had this issue? Did those maps have the high bridges placed in the same way you showed me few days ago? It's not that I see a connection between those two, it would make no sense to me that those bridges had effected the villages in this way, but I'm asking just in case. And no - I won't give up my bridges on this map. :D I may try some time later to put river crossings instead of the bridges but that would be saved as a new map.

It's 1.4.1... I have checked my older maps already, and this doesn't happen on them. I could try making a new blank map for test only, but I believe everything will work fine on it. I will let you know! You could be right, maybe the installation it's messed up. Of it turns to be this map, I could try deleting forests, and bringing it back... Or, I could simply add those woodcutters on the map, and that way villages should develop fine. Until someone destroys the saw pits, that is. But, from the bright side - those bordering villages rarely develop anyway.

That's the article I said i was reading yesterday. Indeed a good article, and I like how waves can be used for waterfalls and rivet streams. :)

I did mention doing that, but this is not that version. I tried using that trick only to fix the map, but it didn't work. And this map is the version from before I did that trick.

Yes, that is also a good idea. The good thing in Stronghold 2 is that, when you start as a freeman, then on one hand you do have a way to get peace time. It's similar in Age of Empires 3 where played usually need few minutes before that are able to advance technologically, and only then they are able to train army. Still, being able to have this peace time would be great, and not just for being able to start as dukes. It would be great for anyone who doesn't prefer rushing in multiplayer games.