Mods for Battlegrounds' Matrix Edition

[Rhetor]

Dear Matrixgames,

as everybody knows, original battlegrounds were easily moddable. It took only replacing the original files to get a brand new battle. There was even a fanmade launcher, which made manual replacing unnecessary.

So I have a question - will it be retained in the Matrix's BGs?

[1925frank]

That's a good question.
 
The original games did not come with editors.  I believe I saw at one time there was an editor patch on the Talonsoft website.  I remember there were patches, at any rate.  I wouldn't know anything about the mods from other sources.
 
I don't think Matrix is going to create anything new for the games, but I'm wondering whether Matrix is going to incorporate any of the already existing improvements, from whatever source, into the game.
 
I believe the screenshots show some modifications to the information panel that runs along the bottom of the screen, so I'm hoping there was some cutting and pasting and some editing from existing improvements that will go into the games Matrix releases.

[Adraeth]

i wonder a seven years war or even malbourough mod[:)]

[acwbuff63]

Will someone with the TS version be able to PBEM with the Matrix version?

[dalelast]

That is a very, very good question. There are a lot of people out there already with the TS versions and a lot of Vista users waiting very patiently for this release so they can get their BG games back. Will they be able to play vs the old TS versions?

[Rhetor]

Too bad we have received no answer so far

This is an important question. I still have "Battlefield Eylau", the very first fanmade battle for "Napoleon in Russia", and quite a few others. The community has mostly switched to modding "Campaign Eckmühl", but as far as I can see on the websites, HPS has blocked the possibility of adding custom maps in one of the patches.

[captskillet]

Rhetor there 'may' be transportability between the 2 systems since they are the same games only updated to XP and Vista standards........see the link below.


tm.asp?m=1330196&mpage=2&#1498913

[acwbuff63]

The problem with PBEM is they were so sensitive to .exe file changes.  Both players HAD to use the same version in order to exchange PBEM file.  So if the past is any indication, any .exe file change would prevent players from PBEM, unless both used the exact same file. 
 
So only Matrix can definitively answer this question.  But my gut says no.  Player will have to have the matrix version.
 
I could be wrong.
 

[Leopejo]

A normal game file is definitely a text file, but was the .bte-file coded? Yes I think so, with passwords and such.
 
If Matrix decides to go the not compatible-way (I hope not!) I guess the difference is just in a number or checksum in the .bte-file. Someone with some good programming abilities should be able to make a "convert .bte-file to TS format" program. I don't think it would be illegal, would it?

[Leopejo]

But I still hope Matrix Games is wise and makes the game files compatible. There is not a big BG gaming community, if it is divided into two "groups" (TS and MG) I fear there won't be enough interest for the game.

[Leopejo]

ORIGINAL: Rhetor

Too bad we have received no answer so far

This is an important question. I still have "Battlefield Eylau", the very first fanmade battle for "Napoleon in Russia", and quite a few others. The community has mostly switched to modding "Campaign Eckmühl", but as far as I can see on the websites, HPS has blocked the possibility of adding custom maps in one of the patches.

Battlefield Eylau was superb! I have a gut feeling that the next HPS title could be the Polish campaign 1806-1807.

I read somewhere that there would be the scenario editor, I really hope so!

[Erik Rutins]

Sorry, I missed this thread earlier. As far as I know, our re-released BG bundles will be 100% compatible with all previous BG mods and also just as easy to mod going forward as the old games were.

Regards,

- Erik

[kbear]

Outstanding
Good to Hear - Looking all the more forward to the release.
Thanks

[Luciano B]

I tested with the new Matrix release a couple of the add-on's I made some years ago for the TS ACW games, one using BGBR engine and the other BGC engine; both work perfectly with the new version.

[sullafelix]

I remember the addons ( at least for the Napoleon games ) as being very tedious and you had to get everything just right. There was never a simple installer like most game mods have. Has any of this changed or were the mods just stopped in their development years ago? Thanks.