EaglePrince

Also this thing - many miss the restart option while in the game. Also, if one plays kingmaker game, if they leave that specific game they would be prompted to the main menu. Maybe it would be better if this worked like in Stronghold Crusader where the player is prompted to the screen for setting skirmish game on that same map, with same AI players, and with the same gold settings. This isn't important to much, but it's a suggestion. :)

Yes, I knew about that option, and I have used it before, but I just didn't know it works so smoothly. Looking forward to see your entry. :) EDIT: I didn't read your message carefully enough, I did not know that actually. :) There is an article from above in which the same or similar thing is described though, but I haven't tried that yet.

I like the idea with ships. Also, maybe we should add this: a warning before leaving the map editor. Even if you don't save the map, you can click the left arrow and leave the editor - you wouldn't be asked a thing, you would just lose what you made. :)

Thanks, Chris. :)

I have tested now what I mentioned... When I send them more wood they complete their estates - they build more farms, stone quarries and iron mines. Another thing I have noticed is that they won't build woodcutters even when they do have wood (which I expected actually), but I also noticed that they won't build ox tethers neither... I will send you the file now. :) Thanks. EDIT. While villages won't build ox tethers, castle lords do build those. Hmm, and maybe AI don't want to cut down my forests, maybe he thinks they are too beautiful to be cut down. :D

It is not for the contest. Actually, truth to be told, you will recognize the map I have already submitted. It is the same landscape, only this one has estates, and the submitted one for contest is not. And I won't be submitting a newer version of the map. I just wanted to make a landscape map for the contest which could be used in singleplayer and multiplayer as well. I will try out those stuff I mentioned now, and that you mentioned. Just to see how it works... From what you said, it could be possible that I was misinterpreting those two estate attributes.

I agree with that. We could rename this tread, or you could create a new one, and I would just repeat what I said here in shorth - together with Nigels suggestions.

It's the same with all estates. They build granary, hovels, few farms, and then they don't build anything else because they don't have any more wood. I will try now this thing - to buy a village next to myself, and to send him wood, and see what happens. My theory is that this way villages will build everything - including iron mines and stone quarries... Truth to be told, I was messing with those settings "AI places buildings" and "AI uses buildings from the map", but I believe I didn't change anything - I was just having a look into that out of curiosity. Right now it is set right I believe - as if it was on "AI uses building from the map" then villages wouldn't build even the stockpile on their own - there would only be a flag. I could send you the map, if you have some time to have a look - just to see if everything is set correctly.

Now I tried what I had in mind, but it didn't work... I just removed all of the flags, and I left only two of castle estates. I started a game, saved the game, and then I renamed the file extension to .s2m... Then I marked the villages over again, but it still acts the same. The game even remembered the type of each village. On the other hand, while doing this I didn't remove each estate color from the map, I just removed those flags by placing another unused color over them, and as there can be only one flag on an estate, one of the flags would disappear. So, the issue remains. :( There is another "solution" - to ignore the fact that villages and castle lords won't build woodcutters on their own, and to add for example three or four woodcutters per each estate. Still, I fear that they wouldn't rebuild the woodcutters if an enemy destroys them... EDIT: Now I also tried with an earlier version of the map, but it also didn't do the job.

Unfortunately no... I didn't put any building in any estate, so when they start they build their stockpile and everything on their own. I don't know if this could help, but is there a way to clear all estate flags from the map? Also, I do have an idea on my mind - to start the game, make the save file, rename it to map file, and mark castle estates over. Of course, before doing this I would make each village tiny, so they can't build anything.

Hi, guys. I hope you'll be able to help me. I've made this new kingmaker map. It's a map I had in my mind for a while, and I found some time to make it. Unfortunately, what makes me very sad right now is the fact that those villages and AI lords don't build woodcutters. Has any of you had this issue before? I have no idea what could it be. If that could help, I could send my map to some of you to have a closer look. For this reason villages don't develop - they just build a granary, few houses, several farms, and that's it...

Nice map, Floki. I don't know if I have told you that before, but you are one of those map makers that show how good Stronghold 2 editor is, and by the map you also show how this editor is not just a tool for making maps that people are going to play. To me it seems that, for you working with this tool is just like painting a picture. You are one of those map makers. And indeed, that is all about this map editor - if one wants to make a map quickly, and still to be nice as well, he will have a bad time, but if one is in the mood to make a good map he will enjoy working on it, and the result can be great. That's why I made that comparison. Here is my entry as well. EDIT: I didn't know that one can make sea waves going in different directions - onto the peninsula from different directions. I like how the direction of the waves changes smoothly. I didn't try that before. Just to be clear, I don't mean on the waves at the shoreline, I mean on the waves on the sea - the direction of the water. map for contest EaglePrince.zip

I was thinking about both of your ideas here, and yes, that would be really great! Only I wasn't writing the second one, but I will write down in the first post here concisely what are all the ideas we got.

Oh... Would your way also include cropping the map? If it would then it wouldn't help me with the map I'm currently working on. :( I later realized. that. It's not just that I have already started the map, but with positions of those four bridges I wanted to add would be impossible to do the task. Maybe only if I decided to build two high bridges, and the other two to replace with simple crossing across the river. Well, you can show me, but only if it wouldn't take to much of your time. :) The thing is that I would like to add at least two bridges like that into my map (preferably four), but I don't know if that is possible. The way I saw it in the article if one wants to build those bridges he needs to know where he wants to put them before actually making the map. In my case I would like to build those bridges around an island - to the north, south, west and east, while a compromise would be building those only in east and west.

By the way, I believe this topic should be made sticky, or perhaps merged with Mathew's topic, and renamed into Stronghold 2 map editor tricks, or something like that. It would be pity if at one point it went away on the second page or something like that, it should be visible, it's a real treasure for those who want to put those interesting stuff into their maps, but don't know how. :) Also, I'm looking for an article or a forum posts about making those stone bridges between cliffs - when a bridge is under another bridge. :) EDIT: http://www.stronghold-nation.com/article/65-bridges-over-canyons I have found it. :)

Thanks Chris! That sounds really great!:) I hope they would implement at least some of those things. If someone else have some ideas about what could be added in Stronghold 2 or Stronghold Legends, me could say it here. Hopefully they will listen.

Thanks, Chris! :) I am sure that if I asked this on various forums that we could collect lots of players who would like to see these things, but I should only add that for this we shouldn't try seeking for people only at Stronghold 2 forums, but in other forums as well. In my opinion, after Stronghold 2 and Stronghold 3 they have noticed that many like playing Stronghold with simpler economy, so they could bring a mod with simpler economy for those players. Besides this, all those additional options I have would be really great for most of players: multiplayer with AI lords, stuff that they introduced in Stronghold Legends (which as far as I know uses the same engine as Stronghold 2) such as auto-buy and auto-sell options, better looking moats like in Stronghold Legends, ability to save a multiplayer game, and using custom crests in multiplayer. Also, they could make the thing with crests somewhat different - for example, I can choose a shield which would be mine, and depending of what my color in the multiplayer game is, the color would change, meaning if I choose the red dragon on white shield, if I get to be the green player, I would have a green dragon on white shield. The game would just pick one of those eight shields. This would work perfectly with all those crests made by Firefly, while if one wants to use his custom crest in multiplayer he would need to make eight crests for each of eight colors, and one doesn't do it that way, the game would choose the default green shield for him if he is about to be the green player. All those things are something that were people asking for a long time, it would be great to see those. :) I hope they would make this possible. Also, if we were able to play multiplayer game with AI lords, maybe we could have multiplayer scenarios, but that may be going too far for now. :) This would be great because many players have never actually given a chance to Stronghold 2 because of rats, gong and crime. I like this concept, and it doesn't actually make the game any harder, but unfortunately that is the case with many players. If those players learned the game better they would have different opinion about it. And, once again - there are many awesome maps which make the game way more beautiful.

I am writing here as this is related to Stronghold 2, and after what I was told here. If they don't work on Crusader 2, maybe they could have a look into Stronghold 2. Many games have their HD versions and things like that released years after the original game release. In this case we miss: -AI lords in multiplayer (it doesn't matter to me if they don't attack all players, or things like that, it's just that it would be interesting to have fight with your friend against six Williams for example). -they could add few more kingmaker mods such as: no rates, no gong, no crime... which is of the things that drove away many potential players of the game. I like those things, but I think that Firefly could benefit from that. -they could also add a mod without honor. In Crusader 2 they just took this logic: "simpler it is, more players will like it". To some extent I believe that this is why more people play Crusader. When they see gong in Stronghold 2 they just say "what the heck is this". smile -they could add auto-buy and auto-sell options like in Stronghold Legends -they could make moats better looking - they way they look in Stronghold Legends at least. They have the experience from SHL, it should be easier for them those accomplish those two. -another thing they could give us is ability to save game in multiplayer, or maybe to have autosave as well. I believe this could be done easily - the one who hosts would make a save of the game on his machine, and when they want to continue they just come back, and all players need to remember who was player 1, who was player 2, etc... And when they are in their places the host just loads the game, and they can finish what they started. I say this as I realize that in Stronghold 2 everything is on the hosts PC (or something like that). -maybe they could even enable using custom shields in multiplayer games, so I wouldn't be the only one who would see my custom shields and banners. And one more thing. Now, years after the original release, we have seen how great Stronghold 2 maps can be, and now there are tons of maps and scenarios downloadable from here and from Stronghold Heaven. So - there are tons of maps, while the original release had few of them, and none of them is as good as The Chokepoint Island made by Tokamaps for example. There are lots of great maps, so: -the gameplay of Stronghold 2 is way better than the one is Stronghold 2 and Crusader 2, while with those suggestions I had it would be better in anyone's opinion. I mean, come on, Crusader 2 doesn't even have laddermen (correct me if I'm wrong, that is if I missed that they added those guys in a patch)... sad -they already have this game, so only some small additional work would be needed to accomplish this. -the graphics in the game is really good, in my opinion it's not that much behind those newer games. Plus, like I said, there are many awesome maps out there, so with those they could show to people that Stronghold 2 maps are not just "huge green plains like a carpet" - they have a great map editor by which stunning landscapes can be done. Sorry for making it too long maybe, I hope you will read this. smile I just think that they could give us those things that we miss in Stronghold 2 really easily, and if you're asking me, I would pay a DLC that would bring us those things. smile Just look at Rise of Nations: Extended Edition, that is basically the same game with few details added, better water reflection and stuff like that, while this what I wrote about would be completely extended edition which would fit every Stronghold fan! smile

Actually, that is why I created this tread... http://forums.stronghold-nation.com/topic/722-try-to-appeal-to-firefly-to-give-us-ai-in-multiplayer/ If they don't work on Crusader 2, maybe they could have a look into Stronghold 2. Many games have their HD versions and things like that released years after the original game release. In this case we miss: -AI lords in multiplayer (it doesn't matter to me if they don't attack all players, or things like that, it's just that it would be interesting to have fight with your friend against six Williams for example). -they could add few more kingmaker mods such as: no rates, no gong, no crime... which is of the things that drove away many potential players of the game. I like those things, but I think that Firefly could benefit from that. -they could also add a mod without honor. In Crusader 2 they just took this logic: "simpler it is, more players will like it". To some extent I believe that this is why more people play Crusader. When they see gong in Stronghold 2 they just say "what the heck is this". :) -they could add auto-buy and auto-sell options like in Stronghold Legends -they could make moats better looking - they way they look in Stronghold Legends at least. They have the experience from SHL, it should be easier for them those accomplish those two. -another thing they could give us is ability to save game in multiplayer, or maybe to have autosave as well. I believe this could be done easily - the one who hosts would make a save of the game on his machine, and when they want to continue they just come back, and all players need to remember who was player 1, who was player 2, etc... And when they are in their places the host just loads the game, and they can finish what they started. I say this as I realize that in Stronghold 2 everything is on the hosts PC (or something like that). -maybe they could even enable using custom shields in multiplayer games, so I wouldn't be the only one who would see my custom shields and banners. And one more thing. Now, years after the original release, we have seen how great Stronghold 2 maps can be, and now there are tons of maps and scenarios downloadable from here and from Stronghold Heaven. So - there are tons of maps, while the original release had few of them, and none of them is as good as The Chokepoint Island made by Tokamaps for example. There are lots of great maps, so: -the gameplay of Stronghold 2 is way better than the one is Stronghold 2 and Crusader 2, while with those suggestions I had it would be better in anyone's opinion. I mean, come on, Crusader 2 doesn't even have laddermen (correct me if I'm wrong, that is if I missed that they added those guys in a patch)... :( -they already have this game, so only some small additional work would be needed to accomplish this. -the graphics in the game is really good, in my opinion it's not that much behind those newer games. Plus, like I said, there are many awesome maps out there, so with those they could show to people that Stronghold 2 maps are not just "huge green plains like a carpet" - they have a great map editor by which stunning landscapes can be done. Sorry for making it too long maybe, I hope you will read this. :) I just think that they could give us those things that we miss in Stronghold 2 really easily, and if you're asking me, I would pay a DLC that would bring us those things. :) Just look at Rise of Nations: Extended Edition, that is basically the same game with few details added, better water reflection and stuff like that, while this what I wrote about would be completely extended edition which would fit every Stronghold fan! :)

Hopefully someone else would come knowing the answer as well. :) It makes sense to me that it makes completely as Stronghold 1 and Crusader 1, but we shall see.

Thanks, Chris! I shall make a kingmaker blank map (landscapes only), as I do have two ideas for kingmaker maps. One "downside" of those ideas is that both of them are about balanced maps - one completely balanced, and the other one would be completely balanced when played in teams of two. Still, it will be possible to make a good scenario as well on those maps. :) I hope I'll make it till Saturday. :)

I see this is going to be one fine scenario. :) It looks really good, while the scenario itself also seems indeed interesting.

I could give it a try. Would you send me on email? sw(dot)eagleprince(at)gmail(dot)com

Just one question... I can make this as a kingmaker map, and leave everything blank, right? Or this has to be a scenario? Hopefully, I could make it kingmaker, and later to convert the map into scenario map with no estates, events, etc?

Hi, what do you think about this idea? This is something almost all of us would want us to have! Stronghold 2 is the best game when we want to enjoy running our castles, and for that reason many of those who choose Stronghold 2 over Stronghold Crusader may not like competitive multiplayer games. Because of that when many of us, when they are about to play Stronghold 2 with their friends, want to play together against AI lords instead of playing against each other. Even if those AI lords would attack only one human player it would be enough for us to have fun, because right now if we want to play a game like this we can only start a game as enemies and fight against outlaws which is that challenging - one can easily kill them once he is able to train archers and spearmen. So, what do you think, would this be worth to try? I realize most of us don't believe they would come back to this game for this, but I don't think it would be to much work (for them) to do. There could be some limitations, but even with them it would mean us a lot. Just look at this forum or at Stronghold Heaven, I'd say that people come often to ask about Stronghold 2 AI Managed which unfortunately works only with 1.3.1 version, and I am sure that there are even more people out there who would love this, but which haven't spoken about this on a forum. Our ideas