Installation

Prerequisites

• You must own the Steam version of Rome (original, not Remastered) or Medieval 2. If you have a CD/DVD copy, you can redeem a Steam copy using the CD key.
• Download and install from this link (the official Microsoft server) the latest Visual C++ Redistributable - the one coming with the games will not work.
• You do not need the 4GB/LAA patcher with REX and M2EX.

Note

If you would like to keep a copy of the games without REX/M2EX, you can make a copy of the game folder somewhere and install REX/M2EX either in the original folder or in the copy.

Installing

1. Find the latest “Stable Release” marked with a date in Releases on the Discord server. Don’t download a “Test Release” unless you’re ready for bugs! You can also download the latest GitHub version, but this may not always be as recent.
2. For Rome 1, download REX.7z. For Medieval 2, download M2EX.7z.

The following steps depend on your Operating System:

Windows

1. Extract all files to the game’s root directory (not the \mods subfolder). This can usually be found in:
   • C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps\common\Rome Total War Gold
   • C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps\common\Medieval II Total War
2. Replace any existing files when prompted.
3. Run REX.exe for Rome 1 or M2EX.exe for Medieval 2. Don’t run the games using Steam, as this will launch them without the patch!

Notes

• If you’d like to use the Steam overlay, you can add REX or M2EX to Steam as a Non-Steam Game

• To launch the expansion packs for both games, use the below batch files in the REX/M2EX folder:

  DLC	Batch file
  Rome Total War: Barbarian Invasion	Barbarian Invasion.bat
  Rome Total War: Alexander	Alexander.bat
  Medieval II Total War: Kingdoms (Americas Campaign)	Americas.bat
  Medieval II Total War: Kingdoms (Britannia Campaign)	Britannia.bat
  Medieval II Total War: Kingdoms (Crusades Campaign)	Crusades.bat
  Medieval II Total War: Kingdoms (Teutonic Campaign)	Teutonic.bat

Alexander

Alexander is a seperate game on Steam. Copy the alexander directory from the Alexander installation folder into your REX/Rome installation folder. Alexander.bat won’t launch Alexander if you don’t do this first!

Linux

1. Make sure to download the Steam Windows version.
   • You can force this by going to Rome/Medieval 2’s properties in your Steam library, selecting force the use of a specific compatibility tool -> Proton 10.4 (needs to be a fairly new Proton version). If you have the Feral Linux port of Medieval 2 already installed, this will force a reinstall!
2. Run the game once to make sure Proton works correctly.
3. Extract all files to the root directory for the game (not the /mods subfolder).
4. Replace any existing files when prompted.
5. Add REX / M2EX as Non-Steam Games in Steam. Tell them to use Proton too (version 10 or later) with properties -> force the use of a specific compatibility tool.
6. Launch REX / M2EX from your Steam library - it will crash but that’s supposed to happen! (Steam will generate a new wineprefix, which you’ll need for the next step).
7. Launch ProtonTricks and select the REX / M2EX prefix. Choose the default prefix, then select Install a Windows DLL or component. Scroll down to vcrun2022 and select its checkbox.

Using ProtonTricks

If you have never used ProtonTricks, first make sure it is installed. When you launch it, ProtonTricks displays the Proton prefixes that Steam has created. Steam usually names each prefix after the corresponding game in your library.

1. Select the prefix for REX / M2EX.
2. Select Select the default wineprefix, then choose OK.
3. Select Install a Windows DLL or component, then choose OK.
4. Find and select vcrun2022.
5. Choose OK, then close the remaining dialogs.

Steam Deck

All the steps are the same as above for Linux. The Steam Deck can run ProtonTricks in desktop mode to install vcrun2022. If you are not familiar with installing ProtonTricks for vcrun2022 on SteamDeck check this guidehttps://pimylifeup.com/steam-deck-protontricks/.

If you wonder how to apply a community-made control scheme for REX/M2EX - this is most efficiently done by just using an existing RTW or M2TW one.

If you didn’t like the UI and text scaling for Rome Remastered on this platform or you are simply afraid of it before trying - don’t worry. The resolution on the original RTW and M2TW is great on the device. As a newcomer, you will find that Total War games are fine to handle on the deck, broadly, due to the trackpads.

macOS

You will need virtualisation software like Parallels You can install and run the game by following the Windows instructions on this page for the system within the virtualisation. Other virtualisation software needs testing (we would appreciate any feedback on them), but CrossOver doesn’t work.

A to Z video about Parallels here.

Uninstalling

If you’d ever like to remove REX/M2EX:

1. Find the game in Steam > right-click > Properties…
2. Go to the Installed Files tab
3. Select Verify integrity of game files

This will re-download and revert any files that REX/M2EX changed back to the original versions.