Grallonspheres Mods

So I'm done with reorganizing the collection.


1) New interface backgrounds

a) a marble looking frontend background
b) a bas-relief character background
c) a marble looking character background


Here's the preview


EDIT: Pls report to post 10 - 06/01/06


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2) New Character backgrounds

a) 6 kingdom bkgs
b) 3 duchy bkgs
c) 4 county bkgs
d) 3 religious bkgs
e) 2 republic bkgs
f) 2 muslim bkgs
g) 2 turkish bkgs
h) 2 mongol bkgs (not shown)

Here's the preview

EDIT: Pls report to post 10 - 06/01/06



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3) New CoAs and new CoA frames


Here's the preview

EDIT: I'm running out of space so I removed the CoA package - most of those who wanted it already downloaded it anyway. G. -06/10/06



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4) New clothing for female characters


Here's the preview


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5) New Character Traits



The new ones are underlined in red.

Here's the preview (second pic)


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6) The Court Officers Overlay Collection.


Here's the preview of Series 1 (third pic)

Here's the previews of Series 2-3-4


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EDIT: Last Update - 05/25/06

Added a new series of Overlays. See above post for update.


Here's the preview


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7) Title & Generic Frames


Title Frames

a) 2 King frames
b) 7 Duke frames
c) 2 Count frames


Generic Frames

a) 4 thin frames
b) 8 thick frames


Here's the preview


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8) New Startup Background & Buttons (marble looking)


Here's the preview


EDIT: Pls report to post 10 - 06/01/06


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9) Interface Panels



EDIT: Pls report to post 10 - 06/01/06



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10) The Marble Interface Collection



I have reworked the entire interface set - therefore I have removed the previous ZIPs related to this and replaced them with what follows. Unrar and replace - backup your originals.

Here's the list of all files modified:


In CK\Gfx\Interface

- action_bground.bmp
- battle_bground.bmp
- bottom.bmp
- budget_bground.bmp
- char_bground.bmp
- country_bground.bmp
- court_bground.bmp
- dip_confirmpopup.bmp
- header.bmp
- loyaltybox.bmp
- marriage_bground.bmp
- middle.bmp
- minimap.bmp
- pause_button.bmp
- prov_info.bmp
- real_bground.bmp
- searchpanel.bmp
- siege_bg.bmp
- top.bmp
- topbar.bmp
- unit_bground.bmp


In CK\Gfx\Interface\frontend

- bg_frontend.bmp
- bg_start.bmp ** Note you'll need to overwrite bg_start1 and bg_start2 as well
- box_doublesize.bmp
- box_options.bmp
- box_triplesize.bmp
- btn_frontend.bmp
- btn_frontend_big.bmp
- endgame.bmp
- scenariomap_frame.bmp


In CK\Gfx\Interface\button area

- minibtn_coa.bmp
- minibtn_forts.bmp
- minibtn_portraits.bmp
- minibtn_realm.bmp
- minibtn_units.bmp

Note that the package also includes all the character backgrounds.


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First Preview

Second Preview

11) New Province Backgrounds


I tried giving some colour to Paradox' very drab graphics - specifically the provincial/terrain backgrounds. The preview shows the old and new bkgs side by side - as well as an in-game view.


Here's the preview



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Following a request I've divided the Interface Set into several smaller RAR since some of you have upload limit constraints. So instead of one archive there are now 6 covering the entire marble collection.


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12) The Grallonsphere Experience Mod



So since aquiring CK I've modified a lot of things in the various game files and I thought some of you might be interested in playing the game... my way - so to speak. Most of the changes were intended for the purpose of greater 'realism'; some for purely aesthetic reasons; and still others for game balance.

The list of changes is exhaustive and goes from redrawing the borders of duchies & kingdoms to changing improvements' names; from renaming provinces to changing the movement costs on various terrain types.

So here goes:


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In CK\DB\province.csv

- numerous changes related to duchy & kingdom borders (for instance Egypt now includes the duchy of Cyrenaica)
- numerous changes related to the revenues & manpower of various provinces (mostly in England, France and Byzantium)
- numerous changes realted to province names (mostly in France where provinces were named after their chief towns rather their their true names - ex: Bourges is the capital of Berry)

In CK\DB\dynasties.txt

- added numerous new families - mostly in France, England, Byzantium and Russia

In CK\DB\Events.txt

- using the SOLMYR mod as well as the Education Beta Mod - this file is thus related to the various event files included as well as the text files in CK\Config - also included

In CK\DB\provinceeffects.txt

- changed the effects of various maluses - specifically: only the Bubonic plague is now 90% crippling - all the other epidemics are 50% crippling. I also changed the effects of revolts - theyr are 30% crippling since I reasoned that a province with roving bands of rebels isn't exactly propitious to launching building projects... ! Similarly, a looted province is no production powerhouse - so a 10% crippling factor was added.

In CK\DB\provinceiprovements.txt

- increased the price of virtually every improvement. This is an attempt to slow down the development of provinces and to establish a clear distinction between provinces (wealthy or not). Specifically:

- transformed the Royal Post (whose domain bonus has been transfered to the Medium Castle) into the Templar Keep

- transformed the Templar House into the Merchant Guild Hall

- transformed the War Academy (whose recruitment bonus has been transfered to the Huge Castle) into the Trade Fair

- eliminated the Domed Church - there is now the Church (using the large church graphic), the Large Church (using the domed church graphic) and the Cathedral as religious structures

- most of the other changes deal with the various effects of the buildings or the prerequisites for building them (much more advances are required for the high end buildings) - specifically the piety costs for looting religious buildings have been jacked up considerably

In CK\DB\characternames.csv

- added numerous names, mostly in frankish, norman, english, russian and greek ones


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In CK\Config\world_names.csv

- changed many duchy names (ex: Cumberland became Northumberland - Gloucester became Somerset - Poitou became Aquitaine - etc)

In CK\Config\provinceimprovement_names.csv

- those alterations made in provinceimprovements.txt are mirrored here

In CK\Config\provincenames.csv

- those alterations made in province.csv are mirrored here

In CK\Conofig\event_text.csv , modtext.csv and extra_text.csv

- the various events in CK\DB\Events are reported here

In CK\Config\text.csv

- changed certain titles (pagan counts & dukes are now karlars and jarls) and tier names (pagan counties & duchies are now 'tribes' - while the pagan kingdoms are 'nations'). Too bad the game contains so many inconsistencies (you can rename muslim counties & duchies but not the kingdoms... same with the pagan kings titles which cannot be changed... *rolleyes*)


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In CK\GFX\provinceimprovements.txt

- changed the graphics used for various buildings - in accordance to the changes made in CK\DB\provinceimprovements.txt


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In CK\Scenarios

- changed the initial 1066 scenario so that the Byzantine emperor is no longer an incapable Dukas but a Ikurei - just to give Byzantium a chance to survive; despite that it is recommended to load a new game first as Byzantium, make peace with the Seljuks immediatly, save and then reload as your country of choice - otherwise the byzantines disapear almost always very quickly.

- changed the initial province setups for certain key provinces in 1066_scenario_provinces.inc:

- Byzantium has a lot of advances & buildings right from the get go - the only cathedral (Hagha Sofia) in all Christendom as well as the only Grand Palace anywhere;
- Rome & Antioch are the only provinces with large churches (formally domed chuches);
- Antioch, Venice, Genoa, Hormuz, and Cadiz have harbours at the beginning - to reflect their importance as major transit points

- added certain characters in 1088_scenario_characters.inc - and their relationships in 1066_scenario_titles & relations.inc
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Since I also uses the Muslim nations Mod I've included the executable to patch the main executable - the 1066 scenario file you will find here already contains the necessary changes to play with this particular Mod.

I have also included an xls file detailing the improvements - for reference.

So backup your files, unrar, overwrite and enjoy.


EDIT: sorry there was a problem with 1066_scenarios_provinces.inc - I changed it.

EDIT2: Errr ... I had also forgotten to add the main INC file - it is now corrected.


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13) New Interface Backgrounds



Some have expressed a dissatisfaction with the greek looking bkgs included in the original Marble Collection so I madenew ones. Due to lack of space I can no longer upload here so whoever wants them PM me and I'll email them to you.


Here's the preview


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