Stronghold 2 Multiplayer Bot Tool Download
Siri Vonbank
Stronghold 2 Multiplayer AI Enabler is an unofficial tool for Stronghold 2 Steam Edition that lets you add AI opponents to multiplayer matches. This feature was originally in the game, but at some point the developers decided to remove it. Many people enjoy playing cooperatively against the AI, so this tool makes it possible again.
You can download this as either 64-bit or 32-bit windows executable. This tool also works on Linux, but it needs to be compiled from source for Linux. Windows users can also compile from source if so desired. More information on compiling is found further down on this page.
If you are hesitant to just download and run stuff from the internet (you should be), then you might want to compile it yourself. If you, or anyone you know, can read C code then it is a simple matter to audit the code for this software. The code is quite small so it should be simple for anyone with familiarity with C. After having checked the code, then you can compile it yourself. This is a great way to verify that software does what it claims to do.
I am not particularly familiar with Windows or developing on Windows. With the help of others, I've gotten the code to a state where it will compile cleanly in Visual Studio, however, I have no experience with compiling this way.
My personally recommended way for compiling C code on Windows would be MSYS2 as it includes all the tools required for preparing and compiling source code the Unix way. It will create a native Windows executable. It also has full support for typical C makefiles.
This will create the executable for the program which you can then move anywhere you like. The CFLAGS="-s" part is not required, but I still recommend it for creating a smaller executable without uneeded symbols.
Short Description: Greetings sire! Your stronghold awaits you. Build a castle economy, besiege unforgettable villains and return to the 'castle sim' that started it all. Experience this classic RTS with upgraded visuals, modernised gameplay, Steam multiplayer and a new campaign.
Tags: 2D Atmospheric Base Building Building City Builder Colony Sim Economy Funny Historical Isometric Medieval Multiplayer Open World Real Time Tactics Resource Management RTS Sandbox Simulation Strategy Tower Defense
A couple of weeks ago I decided to start looking how AI can be enabled for Stronghold 2 multiplayer. I know there are some tools that works for the older versions before the Steam Edition, but I quite like the higher resolution support of the Steam Edition so I decided to figure it out. It took me quite some time to first of all learn how to analyze the game memory as it was running, and then find what I was looking for. There is a specific 1 byte variable in the game memory, this variable is always set to 1, except when you host a multiplayer game. Then the game sets it to 0. As soon as you leave the hobby you hosted, the game switches it back to 1.
When this variable is 1, you can see and click on the button for adding AI in the kingmaker/multiplayer screen. When the variable is 0, this button is not present. The address for this part of memory varies between game launches, but there is a pointer to this memory region at a static location. The pointer is always at an offset of 0x00EC5F28. At this address, you read a 4 byte value, then you add an offset of 0xD28 to this value, and you will always land at the correct address for enabling AI in multiplayer. I then wrote a small little program to simplify the process.
This tool of mine does not touch any game files, so there are no modifications to the game. All it does it overwrite a single byte in the game memory while it is running, so you can add AI when you host a multiplayer game.
The precompiled executable you can get from the download page requires a little bit of interaction. You will need to input the Stronghold 2 PID (process ID) before it can start working. You get the PID from the Task Manager while Stronghold 2 is running.
If you compile the newest source code, then the program will find the PID automatically. I have not updated the download page with this newer version, because I was hoping that some more people would test it. I use Linux, and can only test Windows stuff virtualized, and I would prefer to have some feedback. But if I don't get anymore feedback, I'll probably just update the download anyway in a couple of days.
I got some testing done from people on the Steam forums, so I released the updated version. The official download page has the new version which you simply start and leave running. Then you start Stronghold 2 and you can add AI opponents when you host a multiplayer game. Note that only the game host should be running this.
Hi @ Daerandin , welcome to Stronghold Nation! I've made your links clickable. We have a WYSIWYG editor here, so we need to select the text, click the Link button from the toolbar, and then past the link in the designated textbox.
By the way, do you know if the testers from Steam face any issues? I remember the old Stronghold 2 AI Manager (the tool for AI in multiplayer) was getting detected as a Troyan, even though it wasn't that.
Another thing that would be interesting to know is whether the AI in multiplayer acts as usually in singleplayer, or are there any differences? With the old AI Manager, when you fight against an AI in a multiplayer game, the AI would not be able to build siege engines. He was always missing something, I'm not sure, but I think he wouldn't build siege camps. And they weren't sending their attacks in waves, as they should, but they were sending their troops in columns. That way it was way much easier to defend against those AI's.
We were writing here many times how it would be awesome for Firefly to introduce multiplayer to Stronghold 2. It's really a pity they've never done it. I was hoping so much they they would make it while they were working on the Steam Edition.
Admirable and interesting as your intentions may be @ Daerandin , this form of software is essentially a trainer, in that it's injecting code into the game memory while the game is playing. That means that this discussion is contrary to the site rules. We've had a number of similar topics in the past about these applications, and unfortunately, it wouldn't be fair to those users if this topic now remained open.
The four historic campaigns, which serve as training for different gameplay aspects, follow the first three Crusades, in which the player alternates between commanding Crusader and Arabian forces. New to the game are the desert environment, which holds fertile farming land only in small oases, and Arabian troops available from the Mercenary Post, which do not require weapon production, but are either cheap and only useful in numbers, or powerful but double the price of their European counterparts. Depending on the campaign and the player-set options, the Lord unit can either have a Crusader or an Arabian skin, which also reflects on the cursor (sword or saber).
The game introduces and prominently stresses the skirmish mode, where the player can choose a map and fight against several opponents who do not only differ in appearance, but also in competence and play styles. The four dukes from the original Stronghold (The Rat, The Snake, The Pig and The Wolf) make a return, and they are joined by Saladin, The Sultan, The Caliph, and Richard The Lionheart. Three additional adversaries (Emperor Frederick I, King Phillip I and the Sheriff of Nottingham) were distributed separately in exclusive bonus discs in select stores, but are available for free download on the official website and were part of subsequent re-releases of the game, Stronghold Crusader Extreme and Stronghold Crusader HD.
These adversaries are the player's enemy, in various combinations, throughout the Crusader Trail, a series of 50 linked skirmish missions, which are progressively harder, but can be skipped up to 3 times (using the aptly designed chicken icon). Multiplayer with up to 8 players is available via LAN or over the Internet, and plays exactly like the skirmish mode. In both the skirmish mode and multiplayer, all players, including AI opponents, can use Crusader units alongside Arabian ones.
The Good
Build and defend your forts against your enemies in real time. Train soldiers to man the walls, build towers for them to stand on. The graphics are great and you can make very realistic looking castles. The system requirements are very low for a game which came out in 2002, which is great for people on slower systems. You can now play skirmish against the computer.
The Bad
The new arab units don't need anything to build except gold, so you can instantly create big armies without having to make their weapons. The units seem vaguely racist too, mostly weak units which can't stand up 1-to-1 to the 'western' units, units whose purpose seem suicidal (like torch-bearing slaves who light buildings on fire).
The Bottom Line
An expansion and improvement on the original stronghold. With new units, better gameplay and more game options (like multiplayer).
The Bonus CDs were provided to individual retailers for an incentive to consumers to purchase that specific chain's version. Notable figures Sheriff of Nottingham, King Phillip and Emperor Frederick were provided as detailed AI opponents - along with their unique castles for the player to skirmish with. These characters were also freely downloadable from the official website.
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