View Full Version : Two questions for modders about my scenario


Koryo
Apr 08, 2007, 11:44 PM
I have two questions about a custom scenario that I’m making. Once I resolve these and one or two other issues, I’ll post the scenario on the board. It’s an alternate history in which, among other things, China colonizes some Pacific islands and the US west coast, and the Aztec empire rises to defend against the foreigners.

The first question deals with several units using the same pictures and flics. The second question deals with a custom ancient age technology graphic.

I have Civ 3 conquests version 1.22

First, I have expanded on the Jaguar warrior unit to include three new units: Jaguar Warrior, Elite Jaguar Warrior, and Jaguar Commando (to sort of mirror the 3 Legionary units in the Rise of Rome scenario. You might call this the Rise of the Aztec scenario.). All three units use the same graphics and flics, which is the original for the Jaguar warrior. I have built a custom tech tree for the Aztecs in the ancient age. One of the technology paths goes like this: Jaguar Warrior, Elite Jaguar Warrior, Jaguar Commando. Each tech unlocks the unit of the same name. The “Jaguar Warrior” tech is required to research “Elite Jaguar Warrior”, which is required to research “Jaguar Commando.” Each unit upgrades to the next one in line. These are the only three units in this particular line. Nothing else upgrades into them, and they don’t upgrade into anything else. The tech tree looks like this.

http://i147.photobucket.com/albums/r306/Koryo9/JaguarProgression.jpg

I apologize for the lack of red arrows pointing the way through the tech tree. I’ll mention that in my second question. Anyway, my problem is this: I’ve already begun playtesting this scenario. I start with the ability to build Jaguar Warriors. Once I research the Elite Jaguar Warrior technology, the old Jaguar Warrior disappears from the list of available units in the city production screen, and is replaced by Elite Jaguar Warrior. Alright so far. But, when I research Jaguar Commando, it does not replace the Elite Jaguar Warrior in the city production screen. I don’t know why.
I have separate civilopedia entries and PRTO entries for all three units, and I have added all three units in the Civilization 3 Editor. When I use the editor to manually insert a Jaguar Commando on the map, he gives the game no problems (there are no “file X not detected, game will not exit” messages). But researching the Jaguar Commando tech does not seem to allow me to build Jaguar Commandos. It’s probably something small that I overlooked. Does anyone have any ideas?

And now for my second question. I apologize for the long-windedness. As you could tell from my first question, I have created a custom technology tree for the ancient age. I’m not particularly skilled with graphic programs, and perhaps that’s part of my problem here. I only have Microsoft paint and Microsoft PhotoDraw. Perhaps this is the wrong way to go about it, but I opened the “science_ancient.pcx” file, copied a small square of the background and pasted it repeatedly over all the red lines. I ended up with a blank advisor picture. It seems to work fine, except for one problem. It carries with it the overlays from other advisers screens. Here are the two pictures.

http://i147.photobucket.com/albums/r306/Koryo9/AztecWarTechs.jpg
http://i147.photobucket.com/albums/r306/Koryo9/AztecWarTechsMessedUp.jpg

If I click on, for instance, the domestic adviser, and then click on the science advisor, all of the colored boxes and such, including the domestic advisor’s head, are brought over to the science adviser screen. It only appears “clean” the very first time I open it in the game. How do I fix this?

Other than these two issues, the scenario works fine. I’ve been playtesting it lately, and I will post it in the completed scenarios forum once I have finished a few tweaks. Thanks so much if you can help with his.

LizardmenRule!
Apr 08, 2007, 11:49 PM
Does the Jaguar Commando require any resources? Cos if it does and you dont have access to it, the Elite Jaguar Warrior will still be buildable.

Another thing is you may have forgotten to flag the "upgrade" option for the Elite Jaguar

The tech tree issue i havent encountered before, so i cant help you there, sorry

Koryo
Apr 09, 2007, 12:45 AM
It doesn't require a resource, and the Elite Jaguar does have "upgrades to: Jaguar Commando" in its Civ editor entry. Thanks for the suggestion, though. The answer will probably me something as small as that.

I'm posting a picture of the Civ editor entry for the Jaguar Commando, just incase anyone sees anything I'm missing.

http://i147.photobucket.com/albums/r306/Koryo9/JaguarCommandoEditor.jpg

Plotinus
Apr 09, 2007, 01:49 AM
It's a bit of a puzzle to me. If the Elite Jaguar is the Aztecs' UU, then it can always be built if a Golden Age has not yet happened. That would explain why it doesn't disappear from the build options when you research the Jaguar Commando. But if that's the reason then you should be able to build both of them when the Jaguar Commando comes along.

I have no idea what's wrong with your background, as you seem to have used exactly the same method I have in the past. Maybe if you post the pcx file someone might see what's wrong with it.

Koryo
Apr 09, 2007, 02:15 AM
Since all three of the Jaguar units are unique to the Aztec, along with an Aztec horseman and an Aztec knight, I removed their ability to start a golden age. I figured this entire scenario is basically the Aztec's golden age.

I'd post the .pcx file, but it's almost 8 mega bytes.

Civinator
Apr 09, 2007, 02:55 AM
The next possibility for your problem:

You havenīt made the Jaguar Command available to the Aztec civ in the editor.

Concerning your background file: If it has 8MB there is definitely something wrong with it.

Virote_Considon
Apr 09, 2007, 05:35 AM
You don't have "King" selected further down in the unit abilities, do you?

embryodead
Apr 09, 2007, 07:52 AM
If your background file has 8mb it means your graphics program saved it as 16-32 bit PCX file instead of 8-bit (256-colors) PCX that the civ3 uses. Here (http://forums.civfanatics.com/showthread.php?t=73453) is a more detailed explanation on how to make 256-colors palette with proper transparency (another requirement of civ3 PCX files). It's for PS but you should get the idea. I'm pretty sure MS Paint is unusable for Civ3 PCXs, though PhotoDraw should be ok.

Koryo
Apr 09, 2007, 11:10 PM
I do have the Aztecs listed as the only civilization available for the Jaguars, and it's not a King unit. I might have figured out the problem with the Jaguar, but I have to get up early tomorrow morning so I won't be able to test it tonight.

What embryodead says about the .pcx file sounds very likely. I'll be sure to look at that link tomorrow when I get back from work. I'll let you know if it works out.

Thanks all.