So, I have been fiddling around, as I wasn't sure what I did or didn't do that others who got this utility to work did (or didn't... hmm) do.
First an observation:
When I run the batchfile, there are TWO dos boxes that pop up. One of them holds the 'press any key to continue' text, the other just sits there. the first time I used the util, I pressed a key instantly - then the popup came where to select the vanilla/HTTT and so on.
Now I waited patiently - the second DOS popup that appears to just sit there eventually went away on its own. THEN I pressed a key and continued.
Beats me if that did anything, but just noticing stuff.
Loading the new Vicky game that showed up. As advertised, I started with an insignificant nation (Switserland as it turned out). Weird thing was, the Swiss had a literacy score of -3600% - beats me how they managed that.
Regardless of the Swiss ability to read properly, I saved after two days, then departed the Alps to load, this time changing my nation to Spain.
Upon loading Spain, there was not a single military unit on the map. No ships, no armies - nothing. Also, not a single factory.
Not entirely sure what the use is of starting as an insignificant minor, then loading the nations I really wanted, I skipped that step.
So, I started immediately in the game created through the utility as Spain. Lo and behold: all my ships, all my troops were there. Granted, a LOT of them were in really weird locations, but I at least got them, and with an empire the size of what I ended EU3 with, I need every able bodied man to keep the natives from rebelling (they do anyway - ingrates).
Still no factories. Now, as I checked my budget, I figured that maybe the AI (when running Spain for two days while I was being Swiss) decided that 100 Man-o-Wars and 200 Frigates plus 400+ divisions were too much, compared that to what other nations had and quickly disbaned the lot of them to balance the budget? I don't know how the AI decides things, but it felt like the only viable conclusion barring better info.
Now, glad that I had my vaunted navy and army back, I still was annoyed to not have a single factory.
I also was a little surprised to see a huge imbalance in my biudget whereas at the end of EU3 I could manage without trouble. Maybe there should be a better transef of the econmy between the two games, I mused as I was about to leave - no factories felt like I was at a serious disadvantage. But to my surprise I got 44 factories on day 6...
Happy to see that my economy now turned much more healthy and I still had my military AND with the increased production capability I could easily balance the budget through exporting, I went on to continue.
It had been a while since I played Vick:R so I made a few mistakes and restarted from the beginning. Then I noticed a few weird things:
1) The amount and division of armies and fleets is apparently somewhat random. the first time around I got 182 cavalry and 241 infantry, the second time I got 197 cavalry and 252 infantry.
Same with ships - the composition of my fleet was different.
2) Locations are also somewhat random. A few units were in different provinces on the restart. There were also about 25 ships in a 'No province' location. I could select them through the overview but could not order them around or actually see them on the map. Ended up disbanding them.
3) Types and amount of factories also appear to be random. First time around I got two small arms factories and four machine parts factories, second time around no small arms and one machineparts.
Now, I don't mind this, but it struck me as weird - should the conversion not try and convert according to a set system of routines in which randomness has no place?
Last question for now - I now do not use the step in the conversion where you first play a few days as a minor nation, then save and load as your preferred nation. I just start as preferred nation right from the bat. What does the 'start as minor then swicth' actually accomplish - what am I missing by NOT doing as instructed?
First an observation:
When I run the batchfile, there are TWO dos boxes that pop up. One of them holds the 'press any key to continue' text, the other just sits there. the first time I used the util, I pressed a key instantly - then the popup came where to select the vanilla/HTTT and so on.
Now I waited patiently - the second DOS popup that appears to just sit there eventually went away on its own. THEN I pressed a key and continued.
Beats me if that did anything, but just noticing stuff.
Loading the new Vicky game that showed up. As advertised, I started with an insignificant nation (Switserland as it turned out). Weird thing was, the Swiss had a literacy score of -3600% - beats me how they managed that.
Regardless of the Swiss ability to read properly, I saved after two days, then departed the Alps to load, this time changing my nation to Spain.
Upon loading Spain, there was not a single military unit on the map. No ships, no armies - nothing. Also, not a single factory.
Not entirely sure what the use is of starting as an insignificant minor, then loading the nations I really wanted, I skipped that step.
So, I started immediately in the game created through the utility as Spain. Lo and behold: all my ships, all my troops were there. Granted, a LOT of them were in really weird locations, but I at least got them, and with an empire the size of what I ended EU3 with, I need every able bodied man to keep the natives from rebelling (they do anyway - ingrates).
Still no factories. Now, as I checked my budget, I figured that maybe the AI (when running Spain for two days while I was being Swiss) decided that 100 Man-o-Wars and 200 Frigates plus 400+ divisions were too much, compared that to what other nations had and quickly disbaned the lot of them to balance the budget? I don't know how the AI decides things, but it felt like the only viable conclusion barring better info.
Now, glad that I had my vaunted navy and army back, I still was annoyed to not have a single factory.
I also was a little surprised to see a huge imbalance in my biudget whereas at the end of EU3 I could manage without trouble. Maybe there should be a better transef of the econmy between the two games, I mused as I was about to leave - no factories felt like I was at a serious disadvantage. But to my surprise I got 44 factories on day 6...
Happy to see that my economy now turned much more healthy and I still had my military AND with the increased production capability I could easily balance the budget through exporting, I went on to continue.
It had been a while since I played Vick:R so I made a few mistakes and restarted from the beginning. Then I noticed a few weird things:
1) The amount and division of armies and fleets is apparently somewhat random. the first time around I got 182 cavalry and 241 infantry, the second time I got 197 cavalry and 252 infantry.
Same with ships - the composition of my fleet was different.
2) Locations are also somewhat random. A few units were in different provinces on the restart. There were also about 25 ships in a 'No province' location. I could select them through the overview but could not order them around or actually see them on the map. Ended up disbanding them.
3) Types and amount of factories also appear to be random. First time around I got two small arms factories and four machine parts factories, second time around no small arms and one machineparts.
Now, I don't mind this, but it struck me as weird - should the conversion not try and convert according to a set system of routines in which randomness has no place?
Last question for now - I now do not use the step in the conversion where you first play a few days as a minor nation, then save and load as your preferred nation. I just start as preferred nation right from the bat. What does the 'start as minor then swicth' actually accomplish - what am I missing by NOT doing as instructed?
