Upcoming Mod - New Generals, 7 day turns & Other Hotness!

[Blood and Thunder Brigade]

Grant's Army of the Tennesse continued...

[Blood and Thunder Brigade]

I am currently looking for a capable & experienced modder to collaborate with who is blessed with extraordinary patience and doesn't mind taking direction from a prick like me. If you'd like to be involved then please do get in touch

[Blood and Thunder Brigade]

Can someone tell me why when adding the ability $abiDoubleCommand1, which appears as $abiAmerican-Indian in the abi_Alias file, the only thing I'm getting is Erroneous Ability/ABI_TEXT_ERRONEOUSABILITY? I've tried both $abiDoubleCommand1 and $abiAmerican-Indian but neither appear to work. Does this not work regardless of what I do?

[Blood and Thunder Brigade]

A general that is going to be added to v1.10 of the mod: The old warhorse, John Ellis Wool.

[AACW3Plz]

Oooh, Wool is a local. I visited his grave a few months ago. I always thought he was overlooked in this game. Nice add.

[Blood and Thunder Brigade]

Oooh, Wool is a local. I visited his grave a few months ago. I always thought he was overlooked in this game. Nice add.

I like that he just didn't want to give it up. He had to be ordered to retire. War was in his blood so it seems

[deguerra]

Oh very nice as well, I've always missed him in CW2. If I may critique very slightly, his neck looks maybe a tiny bit too long. Perhaps you could try moving the (I assume disembodied) head slightly further down?

Otherwise he's great!
-deguerra

[Blood and Thunder Brigade]

Oh very nice as well, I've always missed him in CW2. If I may critique very slightly, his neck looks maybe a tiny bit too long. Perhaps you could try moving the (I assume disembodied) head slightly further down?

Otherwise he's great!
-deguerra

From memory his neck is as far down as it can go but I'm sure I can lower the head slightly so it doesn't look as elongated. Not a difficult thing to fix

[Blood and Thunder Brigade]

I might even try a different portrait for Wool altogether. Same head but a different body... I'll work on that later today.

[Blood and Thunder Brigade]

Oooh, Wool is a local. I visited his grave a few months ago. I always thought he was overlooked in this game. Nice add.

Mate, perhaps you can help me here.
If recruiting/building brigades in Massachusetts for example (I'm in the process of creating infantry brigades, cavalry regiments, sharspshooter, artillery, etc for those states currently without), how do I ensure that those brigades have regiments with Massachusetts names instead of those wretched generic names? Is this something to do with the Custom Names in the models files? I could use some help here.

Muchas gracias.

[deguerra]

Not addressed to me, but perhaps I can help. I'm not at my computer with the game on it, so this is from memory, but yes: the model files each have one extremely long line with custom names grouped by state. I also once added a Massachusetts Brigade back in and from memory had to create a whole new "section" for Massachusetts in that line because from as far as I can tell, those custom names still date from AACW (the first game) when Massachusetts didn't even exist, so the only Massachusetts unit names were given to other states. All in all, those custom names could sorely do with a clean-up.

-deguerra

[Blood and Thunder Brigade]

Not addressed to me, but perhaps I can help. I'm not at my computer with the game on it, so this is from memory, but yes: the model files each have one extremely long line with custom names grouped by state. I also once added a Massachusetts Brigade back in and from memory had to create a whole new "section" for Massachusetts in that line because from as far as I can tell, those custom names still date from AACW (the first game) when Massachusetts didn't even exist, so the only Massachusetts unit names were given to other states. All in all, those custom names could sorely do with a clean-up.

-deguerra

Hey mate, thank you very much for your reply. I appreciate it no end.
Regarding Custom Names, etc, I thought as much but I just wanted some confirmation. But yeah, they're a bit of a mess to say the least but a mess than I intend to fix in the coming weeks. That is the next project, coupled with adding infantry brigades, cavalry regiments, sharspshooters, artillery, etc, to states (both Union and Confederate) that are currently sorely lacking in a number of areas. Massachusetts will be getting quite the touch up to say the least, and Florida will come out of it looking much less troop barren than it currently does - I've already added a 3-regiment infantry only brigade there. I'm excited to get it started.
Just finished adding the last batch of generals (maybe 100 or so) and I'm glad to be done with that let me tell ya...

[Blood and Thunder Brigade]

Another question: how many characters can I use in the naming of these units? Obviously there's a limit, but what is it?

[Blood and Thunder Brigade]

New England gets a new look, and about time

[Blood and Thunder Brigade]

Link to the latest version of the mod below.

To install, first delete all old CW2_AltaroMod files from your CW2 directory, download the latest zip file, extract it to the same CW2 directory, enter "CW2_AltaroMod" into your Modpath File and away you go

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1mn34AX ... sp=sharing

[Blood and Thunder Brigade]

Perhaps one of the fine members of this forum can tell me how if I want to add Union Kentucky units to the April 1861 full theatre campaign into which event file/s am I adding those units to? I've managed to do it with the CSA but adding them to the Union has me a bit stumped at the moment.

I'd be very grateful for your help

[Blood and Thunder Brigade]

The new portrait of Union general George Getty, created by yours truly.

[Blood and Thunder Brigade]

If any of you have a pet idea you'd like to see included in this mod go ahead and post it here. And if like it enough and am able to implement it easily enough then I just might. Fresh ideas are always welcome

[Clarkey]

Hi there. I have a suggestion, although it relates to a pet peeve of mine, so I would totally understand if you felt it was outside the scope of the mod you're developing (which looks excellent, by the way). It has always irritated me that the division numbering system assigns division numbers globally. My understanding is that historically, each division in each army (or sometimes corps) was typically given a number within that formation (hence you would have a 1st Division in the Army of the Potomac, another 1st Division in the Army of the Tennessee, etc). Since you can't change division names manually, my OCD is left to seethe with, for example, the 1st, 2nd, 27th and 58th Divisions all haphazardly co-existing on the same army's OOB. There was a mod on here once upon a time which changed this so that divisions would be named after their commanding general, but I don't know which mod it was, nor how this was achieved.

Also, a quick question, if I may: have you managed to get the 7 day turns working properly, or has that part of the mod been abandoned?

In any case, thanks for your work on this, and do have a Happy New Year.

[Blood and Thunder Brigade]

Hi mate!
First and foremost thank you for taking the time to write and for your compliments. It means a great deal to me. I ought stress that the current version of my mod is very much the Beta version of it and that a much more finely polished version of it will be available within the next few months.

As for your suggestion being "outside the scope", I wouldn't regard pretty much any suggestion as so. If somebody suggests something and I like it then it's highly likely that I'd attempt to include it, and I like your suggestion a great deal.
I actually looked into this maybe 6 months ago as I felt it would make everything look and feel more historical but then I lost track of it. Anyhow, if my memory serves me correctly it's a pretty easy fix that just involves a minor addition to Factions in the GameData file.
If I'm right, then (let's say) the 1st Division (Union) commanded by George Meade should become Meade's Division.
I'll keep you posted on this as this is something I want implemented too.

As for 7 day turns, this is still very much a thing and something I am extremely fond of.
7 day turns has some issues, primarily supply being produced at twice the rate it would ordinarily be. It irks me that it does so but I just don't currently have the expertise to fix it. As such it might lead to the downfall of 7 day turns which would I would regard as a real bummer as the 7 day turns combined with us having tweaked the speed of land movement makes for a much more dynamic game.
I'm currently contemplating releasing two versions of the same mod - one with 7 days and the other with the standard 15 day turns - with a few variations between the two. The idea is still in its infancy though.
To reiterate though, 7 day turns have not been abandoned. I am every bit the convert.

Happy New Year to you, too!

[packersfanmw87]

I could have sworn you posted a link for this and released it. Am I mistaken?

What are you using to color the photos? I have a ton of colorized photos, I actually started coloring photos for lesser missing generals for this very game and then kind of just got into coloring photos and not really doing anything with them for the game. Let me know what you don't have yet. I've colored a ton of Union generals by hand (you can find me at Colorized Past on facebook and elsewhere).

Is this similar to the CWDB mod...that must have been what I've used on my latest gameplays, 7 day turns, a ton of added generals (hence why I was making colorized photos for those guys).

[Blood and Thunder Brigade]

I could have sworn you posted a link for this and released it. Am I mistaken?

What are you using to color the photos? I have a ton of colorized photos, I actually started coloring photos for lesser missing generals for this very game and then kind of just got into coloring photos and not really doing anything with them for the game. Let me know what you don't have yet. I've colored a ton of Union generals by hand (you can find me at Colorized Past on facebook and elsewhere).

Is this similar to the CWDB mod...that must have been what I've used on my latest gameplays, 7 day turns, a ton of added generals (hence why I was making colorized photos for those guys).

Hey mate, it's really good to see you back here. It's been a while.

And no, you are not mistaken. There are links to this mod included in this thread here somewhere and in my post in the main forum. I'll post a link here again soon.
I feel obliged to say, as I was saying to at @Clarkey earlier that the current version is very much the Beta version and a much more polished version will be forthcoming within the next few months. Not only are @Durk and I are currently giving the game a good PBEM testing I'm running through it in a solo game where I play both sides just to pick up on anything that needs to be remedied.

I use Palette.fm, which will often do quite a good job of colourising the head but will leave the uniform wanting. As such I had to get quite creative, specifically with generals of whom no colourised portrait seemed to exist.
The process there involved colourising the head of a general to what I believed was a satisfactory degree then photo shopping everything but the head out of the photo and removing the background and then superimposing that head over the top of an existing colourised photograph or one of the portraits from the CW2 graphics/portraits folder and then 'trimming the fat' away from said portrait and what was left was either remarkably good or perfectly acceptable. Provided one doesn't look too close
There's a portrait of General George Getty (among a number of others) in a earlier post of mine in this very thread where you can see the end results of that process.
And, complete disclosure, I used quite a number of colourised photographs that are your work and I have given full credit to you on a number of occasions. I can only hope that you are okay with it.
To be perfectly frank, your work is just so consistently head and shoulders above the work of any other that I felt that using it in such a way was a fitting tribute somehow. Having said that, if you have even more colourised photographs that I've not yet seen then I would truly love to see them and make use of them. Again, there are none that come close, in my humble opinion, to the quality of your work. Truly.
I've not only seen your Facebook page but follow it as well. You and I have had a few chats about your colourisations and if you remember it I recently recommended putting your work into a book. I earnestly believe that what you do isn't just outstanding colourisation but work of true historical significance.

Is it indeed very similar to the CWDB mod. I don't think there's a great deal of fundamental difference but enough differences there are to make my mod its own beast.
I, too, have added vast amounts of new generals but I think I've gone even further than @johandenver2 with the restructuring of existing brigades and the addition of units (cavalry brigades and battalions, infantry battalions, Indian units, sharpshooters, etc, etc, etc) and the implementation of several other key ideas that I feel vastly improve the game, particularly when combined with the 7 day turns.
The idea is to cherry pick all those cool mods and ideas I've seen floated around in this forum and then bring them under one banner using my (limited) capabilities. I have a dream

Again, it's very good to see you back.

[packersfanmw87]

Thanks a lot! Yeah, unfortunately I've gotten away from coloring...just not a lot of time, but I'm trying to get back into it (but feeling frustrated with the process and results, guess I'm just out of practice). I think everything I've colored should be on my facebook page (again, I'm so out of touch with this stuff now...time has flown by). I'm guessing what I have uploaded is sufficient for making these portraits (even as jpg and only 1080p) considering the images for the game are much smaller.

I can never tell for sure when my work has been used. I know there are a few pictures used in Grand Tactician Civil War that look like they COULD be mine...but at the same time, AI is getting really good, and of course there are other colorers who are even better than my humble efforts.

I started playing with the link available a few posts up. Done maybe 6 turns or so (been so long since I've played AGEOD...very different the Grand Tactician). After every turn, I get one message in the message box regarding the mod, some event. I figure that is just a message related to it being a 7 day turn? IDK. Not something I noticed the CWDB mod doing. Otherwise, I haven't run into any issues.

[Blood and Thunder Brigade]

Well, I think it's something you should consider getting back into as you really do have incredible talent. Yeah, I'm repeating myself but what you've contributed to the history of the American Civil War is of true importance and one can only hope that you find the fire for it yet again.

I made extensive use of the images from your Facebook page (giving all due credit to you and the link to your FB page in the very first release of this mod) and I'd say that a good 98% of colourised images that I used that I didn't create myself were taken from your page as none matched you for quality, quantity and consistency. Believe me, I scoured the web for everything I could find and you're ahead by a country mile. I can only hope that my plugging of your FB page has contributed to an upturn in views, etc.
"humble efforts" be darned! You are a wizard, Sir

I think the event you run into in the messages is the entrenchment event. It's the work of Altaris. Basically, it's an event we came up that caps the CSA entrenchment levels at 2 up until January of 1864. We felt that it was a nice way of simulating to some degree the Confederate transition of focus from highly mobile, offensive warfare to that of entrenchments and the defensive. I think it works quite well but I stand to be corrected.
Lots of Beta-ing. So much Beta-ing

I've included a colourised portrait I did of Confederate General James Archer as I think this was one of very few occasions when I walked away happy with a colourisation of a Confederate general that I'd actually done. Do/did you find Rebel generals exceedingly difficult to work with?

[packersfanmw87]

Really any photo will a lower quality is just that much harder to look right (and I'm in a rut right now trying to get back into coloring because I'm struggling with even really good quality photos). This confederate general looks excellent.

[Blood and Thunder Brigade]

Thanks for the compliment though I must confess it's not really due to any talent that I have. I just run them through Palette.fm and it scans the photo and gives a bunch of colourised options and sometimes I get lucky. I also found Remini Web AI enhancer quite useful is giving an otherwise shabby looking photo a bit of polish.

I do hope you find the knack again because as I've said before, few, if any, compare. I've seen other colourisers (who shall remain nameless) who've attained quite a following but are not even nearly in your league.

[Blood and Thunder Brigade]

While I'm here I'm hoping that someone can enlighten me on a question that I have.
To explain, I created a new general (among many others), John E. Wool. I also created the necessary Models & Units files for him to be promotable to 2-star major general. Having gained the requisite amount of seniority points to then be promoted I did so and all appeared to work just fine. There was Wool with the 2 stars on his portrait and a notification in the games messages saying he'd been promoted. I then went to form a corps under his command and found that I could not do so, even though Wool had Rosecrans in the same region commanding an army. That was/is perplexing. Even more perplexing is when I promoted other brigadier generals after I'd promoted Wool I saw game messages notifying me that Wool was 'angered' at having been passed over. So the game is still thinking of Wool as a 1-star brigadier general and not the 2-star major general that for all intents and purposes he appears to be. Does anybody know why this might happen?
Interestingly, I created a third model file for (base game general) Phil Kearny (again, among many others) so that he could be promoted to 3-star lieutenant general. Again, having gained sufficient amounts of seniority points I promoted him to lieutenant general. Again, he appears as 3-star general, again I'm notified that he has been promoted, but upon going to form an under army under him I see that there is not an option to do so. What gives? Does anybody know what I must have missed?

[packersfanmw87]

Well, I just did a coloring of Brewster. An outdoor photo as well, so not just the portrait. Turned out surprisingly well (though I've spent the last two days - really finished the bulk of the coloring on day one in an hour or so - but the last two days tinkering with the brightness and contrast and trying to get the skin just right).

250108-Brewster-Willliam-R.jpg (850.19 KiB) Viewed 6491 times

[Blood and Thunder Brigade]

Well, I just did a coloring of Brewster. An outdoor photo as well, so not just the portrait. Turned out surprisingly well (though I've spent the last two days - really finished the bulk of the coloring on day one in an hour or so - but the last two days tinkering with the brightness and contrast and trying to get the skin just right).

250108-Brewster-Willliam-R.jpg

That looks outstanding. I really love how it highlights the amount of gear he's packing in his tent and the wine bottle on that small table. I like how it really brings out just how well used the grass looks at the entry of his tent, too. It's the little details like that that bring a picture to life. Fantastic work.

I'm wondering if I can impose upon you to colourise the attached images as I want to use it as the graphic for colored infantry in the game. I tried doing it with Palette.fm but it just didn't cut it. No offence if you're not interested
By the way, I can email you this image with higher resolution if required.

[packersfanmw87]

I actually think there is at least a staff officer or two hiding in the tent. You can actually see a full on uniform and boots seated just in the shadow. I notice that a lot of colorings tend to make the grass too pristine. Sure in certain areas, but if you've ever been at a fairground or music festival or campground, that grass is trampled, pale green, yellow, brown, and either dusty or muddy.

I'll see what I can do. Coloring drawings is always a little more difficult. And a higher resolution always helps.