Vil's Game Improvements: Total War Shogun 2

As this is my first post regarding computer game modding, some background is probably in order. My introduction to modding came with The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind. I'd come back to the game after experiencing disappointment with The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion, and started by downloading some mods to improve the graphics and gameplay. One thing led to another, and inside of a week I was designing my own mods for Morrowind and other games.

Until recently, I had never released any of my mods publicly. I have an unfortunate tendency to become involved in modding well after the initial release of the game, limiting my audience, and I also set fairly high standards for myself. Given the amount of work I put into them, however, it seems ridiculous not to share them, and so I've started making an effort to add that final polish to my past mods and release them.

In my experience, there is an unfortunate correlation between games that support easy modding and games that require modding to meet their full potential. This is the motivation behind a series of mods I've developed for multiple games, called Vil's Game Improvements (VGI), which overhaul large portions of the game. There are two core principles behind all of the VGI mods:

• modularity: while intended for use as a package, individual components should be optional 
• restraint: they are intended to improve the base game, not alter it beyond recognition

Currently, I am focusing my efforts on VGI for Total War: Shogun 2 as the most likely to see actual use. In my opinion, Shogun 2 is the best Total War game to date, with solid vanilla (unmodded) gameplay and superb potential with the right adjustments. Thus far, I've limited myself to the original Sengoku Jidai campaign.

Modding for Shogun 2 has historically been challenging; the presently available modding tools weren't available at the game's release, and frequent patches often broke mods built on older versions. An optimized final patch was released late in 2012, which is great for new mods but significantly reduced the number of compatible older mods available. Presently, there are two major overhaul mods available: Darthmod and the Radious Total War Mod. Darthmod is closer to VGI in spirit, but also makes a significant number of changes I don't agree with, while the Radious mods make major alterations to the base game such as new units and altered game mechanics.

VGI Shogun 2 consists of the following modules:

• AI (planned): Improves the CAI, particularly with regards to army composition and diplomacy.
• Ancillaries (planned): Adjusts the effects of ancillaries/retainers for better balance and more interesting/worthwhile effects.
• Battles (planned): Adjusts unit stats, morale, battle physics, and so on. Will probably include a substantial redesign of the garrison samurai retainers to be more useful.
• Garrisons: Increases castle town garrison sizes. Archers are now present at all castle sizes, and a number of high-level buildings grant additional elite garrison troops. Faction-restricted garrison bug is addressed (game is hardcoded such that it is actually impossible to restrict garrisons by faction).
• General Experience: Grants more experience to stacked generals that participate in a battle and reduces the computer's experience handicap.
• Ministers: Increases the magnitude of minister bonuses, especially the local bonuses and at higher levels.
• Skills: Adjusts the skill trees for all characters and gives three skill points per level. New skills added to many characters, particularly the general, and sources of bonus stars broken up across multiple skills in many places.
• Technology: Expands the gunpowder and horse technologies and tweaks effects of most arts. Reduces unit experience from high-level buildings, preventing units from starting with maximum experience. Also adjusts some building effects and economic parameters.

Most of these are basically ready for release, pending a final round of testing and tweaks. I'll update the descriptions and add download links as they're completed. UPDATE: release post here.