Battle simulator debug commands? Easter egg?

[Kristoffer O]

It is a debug command, and is probably only working if you run the -d switch.

I have only used it in our debug console to create nice screens etc, so I had forgotten about it.

It is not too useful as a battle sim, since every new unit is in a new squad IIRC.

[Professor_Dyar]

I use the Macintosh version of the game. Do I need to do anything special to activate the debug mode? What other commands are available?

[MaxWilson]

Each unit is a new squad? Hmm, that's interesting. At minimum, I think this will reduce my frustration when I have a nice SC and I'm running around the map trying to find large armies for him to kill--because it's fun to watch--and yet the large enemy armies keep dodging. In other words, if I can blow off my hunger for carnage on simulated units, I can concentrate on actual strategy for the "real" moves.

Edit: P.S. Dyar, activate debug mode by adding "-d" on the command line. There's probably a MacIntosh property or something that tells you the command to execute when you click on the icon. On Windows you would change "C:\Program Files\dominions3demo\dom3.exe" to "C:\Program Files\dominions3demo\dom3.exe -d". I don't use a Mac, but if you're Mac-savvy that should be enough to help you figure it out.

-Max

[Professor_Dyar]

Very curious!

I tried running Dominions3 with the -d command, but it refused to run. Then I ran it in regular mode, and both "K" and "U" functioned, or "K" did in any case. I used "U" to add 10 Lords of Corruption to the battlefield, but they didn't do anything, and both sides seemed to attack them. Then the application crashed!

I think the problem was that I had more than one unique unit on the battlefield. I then, in subsequent battles upon reloading the game, added an Abomination of Desolation, a King of the World, an Eater of Dreams, and a Maker of Ruins. The latter actually disappointed me horribly: it got killed by chaff infantry! However, I seem to have some issue with which side whatever I create is on when it fights. Usually, things I add seem to fight for the attacking player, unless of course they are the aforementioned doom horrors, in which case there seems to be an about 50% chance of joining the attacker's side or being, well, independent horrors.

I tested every other capital letter on the keyboard, and am sad to say that there doesn't appear to be a create commander command, because I would like to explore some commanders now...

[Kristoffer O]

It might be that added units are on side 3, that is neither attacker nor defender. Not sure. Horrors are always unpredictable and might attack anyone.

[moderation]

I stumbled upon this apparent easter egg: Shift+C when viewing a commander's stats on the strategic map shows their current battle orders. It could be more useful if you could actually assign orders in that screen since viewing everyone's orders with T can result in a lot of spam. :\

[MaxWilson]

Funny. I can't make Shift+C work. I'm at the stat-viewing screen, and I hit Shift+C, and nothing happens.

-Max

[Kristoffer O]

You probably need the -d (debug) switch

[elbnar]

I told myself to first be cautious and conservative when using this command.

Five minutes later, half the battlefield was covered with Wyrms.

[MaxWilson]

Another nice thing is that adding a unit changes the pseudorandom generator, which means you get a different outcome. So if you fight battle, you can re-run it a couple of different times to see if the outcome was close or pretty much inevitable, whether you were (un)lucky or using a good strategy. Just add a random archer or something somewhere and see if the battle outcome changes--repeat a few times. (Probably more useful in the late game with lots of units on the battlefield and lots of spells. In the early game, adding an extra unit can divert calvary formations and otherwise change the nature of the battle.)

-Max