Important requests from scenario creators

[Stark22e]

This is a call for help to developers.

I’m a big fan of scenario editors in Age of Empires. And especially that of age of empires 3. Since the release of the game in 2005 I have spent more hours in it than in skirmish or multiplayer.

With the definitive edition there are so many new civilizations and game mechanics that inspire me to create scenarios. I’m having even more fun than before. Except that…

There are terrible things that frustrate me and need to be fixed. My worst nightmare is to see the end of the game support without these basics features…

1. Fix the terrible home city editor bug

This is a feature that worked in the original game!!! *

*You might have to use some tricks (like reset the home city level), but it worked!
Scenarios are bland without home cities, what a pity to have to disable them every time…

I talk about it here in detail. In addition to listing bug reports from other users (@MacabiWarrior @CitingPepper233 and @Rockhounder1 ) that are ignored by the devs:

How to build a custom Home City Deck in the scenario editor ? With a xml file?

Hello, In the original game we can create custom home cities in the scenario editor. It was a bit buggy, but it worked (we must changed the city level in the homecity summay option to display cards again after reloading a scenario). But, in the definitive edition, the level option has disappeared and cards are forever unavailable after reloading the scenario. [01] [02] Furthermore, my new empty deck “Test01” is not visible when I test the scenario in skirmish mode. I think there is an ad…

Additional request: add an option to allow players to use their own decks for certain maps. I found a bug that allows to do it in a very specific case (3rd post of this thread). I know it’s technically possible.

2. Allow to convert a trade route into a water route

I really liked the introduction of the water routes. There is so much potential for naval scenarios.
But it’s impossible to create them in the scenario editor. There is just a missing user interface between me and the existing code to create them. It’s extremely frustrating…

Way to Create Water Trade Routes?

So a few of the African maps from the new DLC have water trade routes with ships and trading sites along the coast. Does anyone know how to make these kinds of trading routes on the scenario editor? Thanks for any help!

3. Save automatically a scenario mod in the scenario folder

I like to share my creations, but they are quite inaccessible for ordinary users. Subscribing a scenario mod requires going into the folders and manually moving it to the correct scenario folder.

This is a basic feature that age of empires 2 has, but age of empires 3 does not. Many people asked me how to install a map in comments. I answer them, but it’s not up to them to do the installation, it’s up to the game. What’s the point of having an official mod center if it doesn’t do its job?

@Troteck has created an installation tutorial for this, but I think they would also like it to be done automatically.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dv0qkpEg8jY

4. Create an usable dialog trigger

And finally a request from @Amianto3279, to fix the existing dialogue triggers or to create a new one that allows to personalize it (or to create a more neutral one). Adding good dialogues in a scenario is important.

Are dialogue triggers bugged?

In game editor, there are eight triggers related to dialogues that are exactly the same. I’m talking about Send Chat, Send Chat as String, Send Chat to player, Send chat to player as string, Send spoofed chat, Send spoofed chat as string, send spoofed chat to player, send spoofed chat to player as string. They can’t be personalized with portraits and names and all give this result [screen37] Plus, there is another trigger "Play Dialog" that works only in Cinematics and is bugged in normal ga…

Furthermore, current dialog triggers do not accept special characters. To write in a language other than English is complicated.

[BannerGecko996]

You really speak from my heart

[Amianto3279]

Thank you for this post, I also enjoy creating scenarios but these bugs ruin my experience…

[EaglemutOP]

These are all very valid requests, I hope the devs look into them. And if they’re gonna dive into the homecity code, I also wonder whether it would be possible to (optionally) allow custom decks in a scenario, instead of preset ones.

[AssertiveWall20]

Trigger Improved Quality of Life

Anything to help with writing triggers. Typing and auto-filling, compressing the multiple tabs onto one page, an index of commands, etc.

[FelipeKahl]

In the original game, there was a way to create an Andean cliff with the vertical textures similar to the cyclopean walls of an Inca fortress, with green grass covering it. I used this cliff to create Inca walkers. Now we have a beautiful Inca civilization, and we don’t have cliffs with vertical textures that resemble andenes, but we do have an Andean cliff with grass on top. A new cliff could be added with the same grass on top, but with the vertical texture of pirka, which already exists in the game (the texture of the stone that is at the base of the buildings of the kanchas, in the first era. This would leave the Andean scenarios that we can build much more interesting, with andenes. Another thing, the so-called Huari fortress, or Inca outpost, which share the same structure, do not exist in real life. It could be replaced by a model of a common 2 or 3 storey Wari construction with Thatched roof The Inca outpost could be replaced by a Tambo, or something similar to a tambo, but raised on a higher stone base.

[chutiencuong]

I can still create my home city with a few tricks in the scenario editors

[Stark22e]

@EaglemutOP

And if they’re gonna dive into the homecity code, I also wonder whether it would be possible to (optionally) allow custom decks in a scenario, instead of preset ones.

I agree and I think it’s technically possible for devs. I found a bug that allows it in a very specific case (3rd post of this thread: https://forums.ageofempires.com/t/how-to-build-a-custom-home-city-deck-in-the-scenario-editor-with-a-xml-file/198016/3 )

"In multiplayer when you play a more recent civ than the scenario.
For exemple, play Mexicans on a scenario made before the Mexican update.
I think, there is no default mexican deck saved in the scenario, so the game allows to choose your own deck.

So an option can be created by the devs which removes all default home city saved in the scenario and allows players to choose there own decks."

PS: I added this request in the main post.

[Amianto3279]

Another idea I have in mind: a Create a Campaign tool. It’s present in every Age of Empires iteration, except III. We can’t put together scenarios. It would be awesome to have a campaign editor with the possibility to use the same home city for every scenario, like the official campaigns.

[DrMaxy4142]

I think the campaign screen is still hard coded…
You could replace the scenarios tho ^^
Edit the campaign file, so the scenario type fits

[Stark22e]

I read on the discord that we could create a mod with these features.

Does anyone know how to mod the scenario editor?

[Stark22e]

In the latest update:

• Scenario files in a mod can now be loaded from the Custom Scenario file browser.

How ? I tried to subscribe to a scenario mod (which has the file at root) and I don’t see it in the browser.

We (scenario creators) need to place scenario files in a specific folder in our mod ?

[Stark22e]

@Stark22e

We (scenario creators) need to place scenario files in a specific folder in our mod ?

I just tested it. Putting the scenario in a folder named “scenario” (at the root of the mod folder) allows to see it in the browser

I’ll have to change the hierarchy of all my scenario mods now. But at least it works. Thanks devs !

[EaglemutOP]

Very good news indeed. Thanks for testing out the fix.

[Stark22e]

I tested it and it works. But only in local.

I can’t share the custom homecity for other players without asking them to place the homecity file in their game’s campaign folder.

And I couldn’t find a solution in the modding system. I tried to create a mod that adds the custom homecity in the right folder but it doesn’t work.

The old homecity editing system of the original game allowed to directly integrate the homecity in the scenario file.

I know that the DE has kept part of this system because importing an old scenario from the legacy game allows me to review the custom homecities that I had created for this scenario.

So I’m still going to do without homecity for my scenarios…

[Stark22e]

Good news! A mod allows to place water trade routes in the scenario editor!

It’s Advance Editor by JokingNewt19966

Mods Single - Age of Empires

An overview of the trade route tool:

But there is nothing to fix the home city editor. We can not have everything… ^^’