Unlimited zoom for battle camera. For Rome 1, Medieval II and any of their mods. Finished and working! :)

[kostic]

That's it, it works ! And this mod is just awesome !
Here are some shots I was able to take thanks to @p8q:


Many thanks also to you, @bitterhowl, because without your help the mod wouldn't have worked !

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

[bitterhowl]

I'm glad it helped!

Also want to point you at this small tip, I think this way battle animation looks more natural. You can add it into same script as above, just below camera script lines.
Animation-Speed-Tip-(Better-looking-Battles)

[kostic]

Thank you for your proposal, but regarding the speed of the units, I am quite satisfied with my settings.


I often use 0.8 speed to have time to watch my units and better follow my strategy. Except in snowy terrain or in the middle of a forest where the speed of the units is already slowed down.
I noticed that in speed 1.0, when an army is regrouped and asked to move forward, some units go too fast and it spoils the show for me.
Towards the end of the battle, I return to speed 1.0 because the units being tired, they then move more slowly.

[kostic]

Just a small problem: with this mod, you can no longer use the "backspace" key to stop your units: The free and unlimited camera activates and quickly moves away from the unit targeted by the given order.
Moreover, even when I try to change the assignment of a key, the latter is added and does the same thing as the "backspace" key.


I also tried to modify the script file by changing order_alt but I did not find the language that works to assign another key to the free and unlimited camera...


Is there a solution to change this?

[bitterhowl]

Well, I thought how to edit this issue too, but delayed it for future because I use this function now only for making unitcards, not for playing battles.

So, partly I healed it, make the first line of monitor lire this

monitor_event ShortcutTriggered ShortcutTriggered radar dec_scale

This time script will activate after F3 button pressed.

Still camera replacement issue didn't fixed, I tried to comment out ( the line with camera_position command, but in this case there's no effect on free camera zoom.

[p8q]

Thank you for this tutorial it looks very cool!

I keep stumbling with the script the show me how is constantly greyed out do you have any suggestions on how to fix it?

Yes, it happened the same to me. Here is how i fixed it:

In the configuration file of the mod (or the game) whatever_name.cfg, make sure you have these values:

[io]
disable_file_cache = 1

[game]
mute_advisor = 0
blind_advisor = 0
advisor_verbosity = 0

This configuration fix is for Medieval II. I think there's no greyed out button problem in RTW, IIRC.

[p8q]

Let's make it simpler. Do you have Germanicus BAI in your mod?

Thank you for your help in this topic.

I'm sorry for the delay, i just realized right now people are asking questions here. For a long time nobody said anything, and i thought nobody noticed this mod buried under so many other mods.... So, i wasn't checking this topic. How do i get notifications? I have checked the option "Subscribe to this thread and notify me of changes:" and the option "Instantly, using e-mail" but i didn't receive any notification to my e-mail.

Anyways... going back to the topic, we can use this script along with Germanicus BAI, no problem.

I'm sure you already know this, but i will explain in case anybody else read this and need to know:

IIRC, I think what Germanicus BAI does is to delete the thread AdviceThread Help_Game_Options_Scroll_Battle_Thread
If that's the case, we just add it:

;------------------------------------------
AdviceThread Help_Game_Options_Scroll_Battle_Thread
GameArea Battle


Item Help_Game_Options_Scroll_Battle_Text_01
Uninhibitable
Verbosity 0
Threshold 1
Attitude Normal
Presentation Default
Title Help_Game_Options_Scroll_Battle_Text_01_Title
Script scripts\show_me\camhack.txt
Text Help_Game_Options_Scroll_Battle_Text_01_Text1

Plus the trigger:

;------------------------------------------
Trigger 2116B_UI_Panel_Game_Options_Battle_Help_Trigger
WhenToTest ScrollAdviceRequested


Condition ScrollAdviceRequested end_game_scroll
and not I_MapName data/world/maps/campaign/norman_prologue/descr_strat.txt


AdviceThread Help_Game_Options_Scroll_Battle_Thread 0




in the file export_descr_advice.txt

[p8q]

I can see people are having problems with pressing the button to make the script work. I was wondering which button could be better and it's not easy to choose. That, plus realizing i'm declaring a counter that i don't need, i came with this new improved version!

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

declare_counter is_script_ready_to_end




while I_CompareCounter is_script_ready_to_end = 0
end_while

Therefore, I have made this new improved version. Now, you just have to click the "show_me_how" button and the script already works. Then press any button that moves the camera "ASDW" or whatever button, and automatically everything is ok and the camera is unlimited.

Here is the new script:

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

script


declare_show_me

camera_restrictions_set off
camera_position -45.866, 303.729, -700.577 0 50 700
camera_position 0, 50, 700 -45.866 303.729 -700.577

end_script

Who was going to imagine doing the code more simple it was going to work better!

I will edit the main first post of this forum with this new update.

If anyone knows how to make the camera comeback to normal position without pressing any camera button, that would be wonderful. So far in docudemons i only found this:

Identifier: camera_position
Parameters: position x,y,z target x,y,z
Description: Immediately places the camera at the specified position
Sample use: "camera_position 0 0 0 0 0 -1"
Class: CAMERA_POSITION

In my second camera_position command i'm trying to bring the camera to a normal position, but it doesn't work and i don't know why. However, I'll leave it like this for further research and improvement.

I hope you guys enjoy this mini mod, i felt satisfaction when i saw someone likes it and the screenshots

[Aerys IV le Grand]

Hi! I successfully installed your mod in Third Age but noticed it doesn't allow to freely pan the camera by pressing one of the mouse buttons?
Thanks for your amazing work!

[kostic]

Your upgrade is working great, thank you ! Now the camera goes into "free" mode as soon as I click on the "start deployment" panel. So I no longer have a problem playing the battle and using the "backspace" key to cancel an order or stop a unit.
Only small inconvenience, the jump in the free camera interrupts the general's sentence and requires using the "home" key to return to him.

[Mr.IAmHere]

Has anyone been able to get this working with DaC V5? The advisor does not pop up in custom battles nor is there a question mark button when I press escape during the deployment phase.

[Mr_Nygren]

Has anyone been able to get this working with DaC V5? The advisor does not pop up in custom battles nor is there a question mark button when I press escape during the deployment phase.

I did just attempt to install this mod in Hyrule Total War: Classic Ultimate and I have the same problem..

- I've added the lines in the .cfg-file, I've added the scripts-folder with the new .txt-file named camhack.txt and in the export_descr_advice-file I've added the additional lines regarding the camhack-mod. I haven't changed the files in the text-folder?

So when I jump into a custom battle and click on ESC the menu comes up including the question-mark, when I click the question-mark the advisor pops up - but when I click on the Advisor the "show me how"-button is not turning green or allowing me to press it - it remains grey and the Advisor just slides to the side and disappears.

So I can't activate the "show me how"-button. It remains grey while the advisor just slides to the side when clicked on?

Edit: I tried resetting the advisor and I also changed the camera to "Total War Camera" - nothing worked.

[Mr_Nygren]

So you can just temporary replace "scripts" folder with one from my archive https://drive.google.com/file/d/12uR...ew?usp=sharing

You linked the wrong file in the "text"-folder - the text-file there is named "export_descr_advice" while the BIN-file is named export_advice - I do believe that you uploaded the file that's supposed to be placed in the data-folder rather than the other file. If it worked for the other guy it's because the bin-file is correct - but I need the text-file as I would need to compare with the Hyrule file as it's much larger.

Edit, it worked after adding the files by Bitterbowl - great work you guys!

I'm using the Steam version of the game!

Hopefully this will still work on the CD whenever Steam stops working next year on my Windows 7 computer!

Oh, I love that it works for Rome! Gonna use it in Lord of the Rings Total War.

[realm56]

I have the following for EBII:
export_descr_advice.txt

;------------------------------------------
AdviceThread Help_Game_Options_Scroll_Battle_Thread
    GameArea Battle




    Item Help_Game_Options_Scroll_Battle_Text_01
        Uninhibitable
        Verbosity 0
        Priority 2
        Threshold 1
        Attitude Normal
        Presentation Default
        Title Help_Game_Options_Scroll_Battle_Text_01_Title
        Script scripts\show_me\camhack.txt
        Text Help_Game_Options_Scroll_Battle_Text_01_Text1

This one at the start

;------------------------------------------
Trigger 2116B_UI_Panel_Game_Options_Battle_Help_Trigger
    WhenToTest ScrollAdviceRequested




    Condition ScrollAdviceRequested end_game_scroll
          and not I_MapName data/world/maps/campaign/norman_prologue/descr_strat.txt




    AdviceThread Help_Game_Options_Scroll_Battle_Thread 0

This one put after activate background script

export_advice.txt

{Help_Game_Options_Scroll_Battle_Text_01_Title} UNLIMITED ZOOM CAMERA MOD.
{Help_Game_Options_Scroll_Battle_Text_01_Text1} Click Show me how button. Select any unit you want. Press backspace key (or any key you have configured for stopping a unit), your camera will go nuts for a second. Don't worry, press End button to go to the unit you selected and that's it. Your camera is freeeee!!

camhack.txt

script




declare_show_me


camera_restrictions_set off
camera_position -45.866, 303.729, -700.577 0 50 700
camera_position 0, 50, 700 -45.866 303.729 -700.577


end_script

EBII.cfg

[io]
file_first = 1
disable_file_cache = 1


[game]
allusers = 1
unlimited_men_on_battlefield = 1
advisor_verbosity = 0
blind_advisor = 0
mute_advisor = 0
auto_save = 0
event_cutscenes = 0

But when I try to apply the mod in-game, it did not work.

I had total war camera on and minimum UI on.

[Mr_Nygren]

I have the following for EBII:
export_descr_advice.txt

;------------------------------------------
AdviceThread Help_Game_Options_Scroll_Battle_Thread
    GameArea Battle




    Item Help_Game_Options_Scroll_Battle_Text_01
        Uninhibitable
        Verbosity 0
        Priority 2
        Threshold 1
        Attitude Normal
        Presentation Default
        Title Help_Game_Options_Scroll_Battle_Text_01_Title
        Script scripts\show_me\camhack.txt
        Text Help_Game_Options_Scroll_Battle_Text_01_Text1

This one at the start

;------------------------------------------
Trigger 2116B_UI_Panel_Game_Options_Battle_Help_Trigger
    WhenToTest ScrollAdviceRequested




    Condition ScrollAdviceRequested end_game_scroll
          and not I_MapName data/world/maps/campaign/norman_prologue/descr_strat.txt




    AdviceThread Help_Game_Options_Scroll_Battle_Thread 0

This one put after activate background script

export_advice.txt

{Help_Game_Options_Scroll_Battle_Text_01_Title} UNLIMITED ZOOM CAMERA MOD.
{Help_Game_Options_Scroll_Battle_Text_01_Text1} Click Show me how button. Select any unit you want. Press backspace key (or any key you have configured for stopping a unit), your camera will go nuts for a second. Don't worry, press End button to go to the unit you selected and that's it. Your camera is freeeee!!

camhack.txt

script




declare_show_me


camera_restrictions_set off
camera_position -45.866, 303.729, -700.577 0 50 700
camera_position 0, 50, 700 -45.866 303.729 -700.577


end_script

EBII.cfg

[io]
file_first = 1
disable_file_cache = 1


[game]
allusers = 1
unlimited_men_on_battlefield = 1
advisor_verbosity = 0
blind_advisor = 0
mute_advisor = 0
auto_save = 0
event_cutscenes = 0

But when I try to apply the mod in-game, it did not work.

I had total war camera on and minimum UI on.

It didn't work for me neither before I just copy/pasted Bitterhowl's files- but Bitterhowl did place the wrong text-file in the text-folder - You only needed the .bin file for the mod to work - but this means that some lines from the original mod might be lost when replacing the files.

[TokiWartooth]

I got this working after testing a custom battle. Started another custom battle to test again and it was reset to default camera. I had to hit the "?" and "Show me how" process again for the second battle. So does it have to be activated again for each battle? Or should the camera setting be saving somewhere?
I skipped step 4 because I don't have a mod folder? I have a disc Gold Edition from way back in the day v1.5
It still works though and it's great thank you p8q. Easy to follow your instructions.

Was Playing Med 1 recently. The default unrestricted camera lets you zoom so high up the map disappears from view draw distance. I still hadn't hit the ceiling and was worried so I didn't test the full zoom height. I was in orbit and that was high enough. I was expecting to reset back at ground level, but nope. It just keeps going up. Madness! There has to be a limit somewhere but I was too anxious to try.