Fairy Tale

[Le Sage]

Stalemate in the East

Angvina is defeated. I took one of their cities and forced them to a costly peace, and have now turned my armies east again. The Krax army has a large stack in my territory.

Here we stand. Two armies opposed, and noone wants to take the first step. The Krax doesn't want to get closer and attack, since my magicians will bomb him immediately as he moves, and I'm faced with the same dilemma. He has a few magicians in his stack and forcing that hill again doesn't seem like an attractive option. He has time on his side though; the longer I wait, the more troops he can get into my land.

This situation is realistic. Both armies standing here, face to face, and noone wants, or dares, make the first attack. It's going to be me though; I can afford the casualties and pushing him out of my kingdom before he gets more troops over is of the essence. Excellent, interesting situation!

(This is like World War One. This is how a WWI mod should have been made. This is probably the key to that...)



The Siege of Bach K'Char

The storming of Bloodstained Hill doesn't cost too much in casualties, but the only way to end the war with Krax is to carry the fight to him. I am therefore persuaded to sign Open Borders with the Collective which is in between me and Krax, so I can get my troops over to pillage his homeland. On the way, I am successful in killing his king, who is coming towards me with a moderate stack.

Approaching the City of Bach K'Char, it seems like an impossible task storming it at first. It is heavily fortified by a large number of troops. However, their quality is moderate, while my approaching army is war experienced and of the highest quality. The Siege is laid as soon as possible and all the troops he tries to get in to boost the garrison are disposed of in an effective manner. He holds out bravely, but soon my Knights are parading through the streets. The city is razed; and judging by the great number of city ruins in the area, this has been an Afghanistan of the Fairy Tale world, heavily contested and a fought-over area.

Now, the armies of Arcana stand on those fought-over grounds, victorious! Krax is forced to sign a peace treaty. Hopefully I will get a few years of peace now, although I have a semi-official war going with Zuur. I might send the Collective an army to help them, for they are also involved in a war against evil Zuur.

 

[Jennvare]

Heya Le Sage,

Just started playing your mod again. I loaded up the Middle Earth scenario and I chose Elrond as my leader. Expecting to play the 'Elves', I was quite suprised to find myself playing Dwarves. Apparently the Elchers Clan was used to represent Elrond. Not sure if this was intended or if you might want to adjust this.

 

[Le Sage]

Yeah. The dispositions on the map aren't really well balanced. I included the map at an early stage of the mod's development, and I remember just being very happy that I got my own nations into Middle Earth, not caring whether they were as correctly placed as possible or not

I will do an update. It will have to be later on though, because I'm currently working hard on Version 7 and I am going to publish it before I go to bed tonight (so that it's authenticated and ready on ModDB when I wake up and it's June 1). Posting map files is really easy though and could be done as a small add-on to V7.

Thanks for notifying me.

 

[Le Sage]

A Military Adventure

Following the greatest victory in the history of Arcana, one of the generals, Aristides Cremona, is supplied with six well-trained Knight units in an effort to invade Zuur and carry the war to them. The operation is not meant to capture cities, but rather to, in a joint effort with the Collective, put some pressure on the enemy to get them to peace.

As Cremona enters Zuur territory, the Collective exits the war and makes peace with the enemy, leaving me alone in the fight. Cremona's stack of only knights can't do much without Collective support and is limited to pillaging a few improvements and useless things like that. No fighting is done on Zuur soil; the enemy is entrenched behind city walls and has a large stack in a fort too.

In the meantime, Krax declares war again and invades the north with a large stack. At Northern Forest, the third annihilation of a Krax army is done, this time with heavy casualties for my side, but with the help of my national hero, The Huntress. Cremona's Knights Corps in the far east is redirected from its useless operations in Zuur and fall on a Krax city, Berkha. The Knights fight down the whole garrison, but one single catapult is left to the next turn as their offensive power is exhausted, and then the enemy transports in another large stack into the city. Cremona has to break the attack at that point and is recalled to the homeland.

After this, I needed to resign the game. I am now going to do the last updates on Version 7, which will be published tomorrow and thus, the saved game will probably be invalidated after that. This game was really fun!



A few things I noted. Three time Krax attacked with large stacks, entered my territory and just took hold of some strategic position (a hill or a forest). Then he just sat there. When I attacked, he didn't move; he did not even retreat. I hope that has to do with the Krax kingdom and not the game overall, because Angvina did a better job at fighting me. I think it has to do with Krax' Flying Carpets. If it isn't better after updating the Krax before V7, I will have to do something about it.

Edit: I dealt with Krax. The Flying Carpet had the wrong AI pack. It functioned like a regular unit and not as an explorer. I also turned off Better AI's special Air Combat rules so they won't interfere with the Magician (who uses Air Combat for his long range power). This should do it. Fairy Tale Version 7 is available tomorrow on June 1.

The Magician rules the battlefield and the AI uses him to some effect too. I might need to make the Magician more expensive though, and a tad weaker perhaps.

The Zuur got the Matriarch (the unique Crystallin King) instead of Great Generals. I don't know what that's about. I've tried fixing it.

The Dal Clan didn't do as well anymore.

The situation in the area of the City of Bach K'Char was intriguing. It was an Afghanistan there. It had been fought-over during the entire game, as it was crammed in between three of the greatest nations, and I did an attack there as well. When the game ended, the Dal founded a town there again, but there were cultural remnants of four major nations in the area and three city ruins. Wow. Seeing phenomena like these makes it all worth while.

80% of my battles were fought in the fields using battle tactics in the terrain, the small rest was attacking cities.

 

[Le Sage]

Fairy Tale Version 7
Civilization IV, BtS 3.19


Better AI and a New Kingdom to play are the major features of this important update.

Think you can beat the Computer!? Fairy Tale has now been merged with Jdog5000's excellent Better BtS AI which actually makes the computer a worthy opponent. Finally, the AI can actually pose a challenge even on the lower levels of play; it works towards set goals and tries its best to hinder the player's progress towards his. Being more terrible and dangerous in wartime and more efficient in peace, you can now watch the Computer show off for once in Civilization. Excellent fun!

Come with us to Fairy Tale Arabia! Say hello to the Kraxantine Sultanate, a new Kingdom based on Middle Eastern/Arabic Fairy Tales. Of course, the new Kingdom comes with all the clichés, such as flying carpets, camels and bazaars, but it's also real fun to play and has some good looking and effective units in its arsenal and several unique buildings. It also makes for a real dangerous opponent to watch out for.

This update has loads more. There are new buildings, buttons and further game balancing and tuning to make Fairy Tale even better than it already is!

The World of Fairy Tale is waiting.


Download


Installation

NOTE: If you have a previous installation of Fairy Tale, it is advised that you delete that install before installing this new one.

Unpack and just drag-n'-drop the Fairy Tale folder found within the .zip to your Mods folder in the Beyond the Swords folder. Do NOT put it in the MyGames folder. To run, in the Civ Main Menu, choose "Advanced", then "Load a Mod" and pick Fairy Tale in the list. Off you go!

Due to the large amounts of catalog changes and because of all the new additions, it wasn't possible to create a patch to update V6 to V7. You will have to download the whole mod anew, but in exchange you'll get the absolutely latest and most tuned and well-running version of Fairy Tale and you'll have absolutely no remnants over from before. Just delete the previous version of Fairy Tale before installing the new. Also, if you have saved games going, finish them before the install of V7, since this invalidates saved games.

Need more help or do you have comments and suggestions? You can write comments on Fairy Tale's ModDB page (http://www.moddb.com/mods/fairy-tale - it is regularly checked and you'll have a quick answer), or write on the mod's CivFanatics discussion thread (http://forums.civfanatics.com/showthread.php?t=353813). You can also mail LeSage777@windowslive.com.


Screenshots




Changelog

V7 Update, June 1, 2010

*Corrected a serious Mix-up error between the Collective and the Dal civs.
*Removed the Trireme and made the Heavy Transport only defensive.
*The Purple Tower texts were changed. No more references to the Apostolic Palace.
*Made the custom random events less frequent.
*The Monument is now The Watchtower with a new building too.
*Added a Dungeon building to control war weariness in the Kingdom.
*Updated some building buttons in the process.
*Added a new deadly dangerous leader to the Erezon Empire, Denzhen Zhen.
*Added the Random Mapscript Strategea by Zerzes.
*Added a new Fairy Tale Kingdom, the Kraxantine Sultanate, of course complete with unique units, two leaders, flag and symbol, special buildings and all the buttons. It is also placed on the 100x100 World Map.
*Merged with Better BtS AI by Jdog5000. Read the Full Version History for Better AI 1.0 at http://forums.civfanatics.com/showthread.php?t=364793 to get a grasp of the immense update this really is!
*All Fairy Tale leaders were accordingly tweaked according to Better BtS AI standards.
*Removed those useless Moai Statues once and for all. That's a most important update, to say the least!
*Balancing and playtesting again! I made the Age of Lore go faster. It was boring. Now The Age of Fairy Tale will come quicker with all the action.

 

[Ajidica]

I'll have to dl this. Looks like my Zuur AAR was DOA. On a brighter note, I should be releasing the alpha version of TPKW merge in the next few days. That is, if I didn't just curse myself by saying that.

 

[Highwayhoss]

I'll have to dl this. Looks like my Zuur AAR was DOA. On a brighter note, I should be releasing the alpha version of TPKW merge in the next few days. That is, if I didn't just curse myself by saying that.

A TPKW/FT Merge? Oh I am so curious....details plz.

 

[Ajidica]

Not to completly derail the thread but I am reffering to my merger of The Peacekeeper Wars with Final Frontier Plus. Since now its just down to cosmetics becasue the game runs fine apparently, I should have v1 released in the next day or two.

 

[Highwayhoss]

Not to completly derail the thread but I am reffering to my merger of The Peacekeeper Wars with Final Frontier Plus. Since now its just down to cosmetics becasue the game runs fine apparently, I should have v1 released in the next day or two.

Oh OK Sorry Got confused there for a sec

Looking forward to FTV7, LeSage...Cant wait to try it out (and maybe customize it to my tastes: I got a few ideas...)

Some ideas for you consideration:

1. Have you looked at JustATourist's JARM Mod? It has some additional religious graphics you might want to st... oops, borrow for your religions; the Druid graphics would be ideal for the Tree religion for example...

2. Also have you seen Strategyonly's Custom Civs? He's made a lot of civs including some fantasy ones....could be useful as a source of ideas for new civs....maybe for example a Lizardman civ? Also can be a source for units.

EDIT: FTV7 is cleared for downloading! DLing now...

 

[Highwayhoss]

Sorry to break the news LeSage but I found a couple of problems in both the ArtDefines_Building and ArtDefines_Unit files (The Krax Paladin has incorrect Art Defines)
Here are the corrected files, just replace in the XML Art Folder. Hope this helps.

 

[Le Sage]

Thanks, HighwayHoss. I checked the Krax Paladin (I even have him in one of the screenshots) and he seemed to be working and moving fine on my screen, but I'm at work right now and will have to look it over when I get home.

How did he behave wrongly? What did the BuildingInfos report?

I'll write more to you two later. I haven't forgotten you, but, as said, I'm supposed to be working right now. There will inevitably be a correction patch for V7 in the future. Better AI is also to a large extent tweakable, so I might do balancing there too. I hope the mod is otherwise working fine though.

 

[Le Sage]

OK. Coffee break here, so I'll spend that on answering your posts!

@Ajidica. I'm so looking forward to your Peacekeeper update. I'll write an AAR for your mod when you get the update going! AAR's are a good, simple way to support a mod and raise the awareness of it!

Sad thing about the Zuur AAR though. I was looking forward to the next instalment.

@HighwayHoss. I will check out the mods you recommend. SaibotLieh is also making new female missionary units right now, and I will be using them for some of my religions, but a druid sounds really interesting too.

Thanks again for the corrections to the artDefines. I'll check them out when I get home. I'm also interested in hearing what tweaks you are making on your personal copy! It might supply me with some ideas too.

I won't be updating the mod so often anymore. I think I've got the basics pretty good. There will be corrections updates though, maybe additions of new civs and so (modular perhaps), but the big update will take a while.

My cup of Coffee is empty now. Back to chores.

 

[Highwayhoss]

OK. Coffee break here, so I'll spend that on answering your posts!
@HighwayHoss. I will check out the mods you recommend. SaibotLieh is also making new female missionary units right now, and I will be using them for some of my religions, but a druid sounds really interesting too.

I was thinking that the Druid buildings would fit the Tree religion perfectly....Some of the other religious graphics could be useful too...

Thanks again for the corrections to the artDefines. I'll check them out when I get home. I'm also interested in hearing what Gametweaks you are making on your personal copy! It might supply me with some ideas too.

OK Well actually it could be a full blown ModMod....mostly I'm concentrating on adding a few of my favorite modcomps; here's what I want to add:

1. Fuyu's Better BUG AI This is one I've been thinking of merging for a while. Its basically Better BtS AI with BUG,BULL and some extras. V7 will make this merge a LOT easier.

2.Promotions and Perks updated to BtS. Another ModComp I like; Enhanced promotions and lots of new ones. Units will be much more dangerous while limiting Stacks of Doom. Adventurer promotions will be beefed up to compensate.

3.Orion's Mod Collection.I'm already adding the Bazaar and Water Well; looking at this thread for other ideas.

4.Traits: Got some ideas for modifying the traits from a couple of sources; make the traits more balanced and use the new promotions from P@P mod.

5.Civics: Looking at Davane's Civics mod and topsecret's Civics mod for ideas.

I won't be updating the mod so often anymore. I think I've got the basics pretty good.There will be corrections and updates though, maybe additions of new civs and so (modular perhaps), but the big update will take a while.
My cup of Coffee is empty now. Back to chores.

Yep I got to get back on the road myself. I will be back this weekend,though.

 

[Le Sage]

Thanks for the tips. I'm actually VERY interested in the Promotions mod you mention! I have been thinking about changing the traits too; I had an "Intellectual" trait planned, but binned it due to its likeness to "Philosophical", but I may do a makeover for them all. That would be quite a suitable project.

Keep me updated on how your merging goes.

But what exactly did you do to the Art Defines files and what faults did you find there? I could note no changes at all between the ones you posted and mine; I bet I'm not looking at the right items. I checked the Kraxantine Paladin, and it seemed exactly the same. You may have changed something else?

Good luck on the road, and Keep on Truckin'.

 

[Le Sage]

A Fairy Tale-based Story

I set up a story called A Military History of The Principality, really based on the playtesting report I did earlier in the weekend her eon my own thread. Hope this game will be just as fun!

 

[Ajidica]

I'm a bit bumed about my Zuur AAR, however it was harded to write than I thought as for alot of the time very little interesting things happened. I'll quick wrap up the cliffhanger when I get a chance.

EDIT: I took a quick look at your AAR and its looking pretty good. Could you elaborate on how to use the Dragon? I rarely build them as they are too expensive. However the factions I've played as have good early game units so that may make a difference.

 

[Jennvare]

Hey Le Sage,

Just started to play the Elven Civil War scenario, and I cannot even get started with it. I chose the Federation to start play. Almost immediately, all my units went on strike even all research, culture, and espionage was set to zero.

It was impossible to get started. Any worker I created was immediately disbanded so I could not make any improvements and making a courthouse or market would take 90 turns. Meanwhile, I saw that my competition was able to build cities!!!

Just curious if that scenario was meant to be like that.

 

[Le Sage]

@Ajidica Yeah! I know what you mean. The early stages of the game aren't too exciting. It's just about setting down the foundations for your Kingdom and exploring, doing reconnaissance and finding where your friends and foes are. While it's not a boring game, it may seem like boring when trying to write exciting things about how I overcame the great depression of -53, or how I boosted the research of Tech Money to be able to build markets, and stuff like that. But it doesn't take long for the action to break loose. It just did for me! I'll continue on it tomorrow though.

The Dragon is real good at taking badly defended Barbarian cities too. In my present game, I got a strategically important city that way. At times, I've also taken cities on the other side of oceans using the Dragon, since he flies over water too. In wartime, he's really good at burning those enemy resources. I always use him to take out Horse and Iron. Mainly, he's a really good reconnaissance unit and for Kingdoms with bad starting units, he's very important.

@Jennvare No. That hasn't happened before. There is something wrong with that scenario. It was created a long time ago, and maybe all the updates since then have invalidated it somehow. I must take a look.

Edit: I checked it now! This is what I did: I turned down the research to zero. I then built "Wealth" in some of the cities. I then got the economy going somewhat. I then changed the Civics of the Elven Federation too. It's really an uphill battle. It's quite a challenge to get the game going with the Elven Fed in that scenario! But it's possible. It wasn't really intended like that and updates to the mod that came later, have made it unbalanced. It should be an interesting game though, but I need to rework it, so thanks again for notifying me.

Here, Jennvare. I've updated the Elven Civil War with starting cash, workers and courthouses. It should now be a lot more playable! Download here and just put the WorldBuilderSave into the PrivateMaps folder of Fairy Tale!

 

[Jennvare]

Le Sage,

With the new map file, should I delete the old Elven Civil War map and rename this new one with the original maps name?

 

[Le Sage]

You can delete the old one to avoid confusion, but you don't have to rename the new one at all. It will have the name "Elven Civil War Updated" in your scenario selection menu.