[MOD] Privateers, Pirates, and Buccaneers [Archive]

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Kailric

Feb 28, 2009, 11:27 AM

Privateers, Pirates, and Buccaneers (Full Version) v0.5f Alpha DEBUG version
For Colonization version 1.01f

Things to Note:

This is a Debug and Testing version so please post all crashes or things that don't seem right.

Bug Report Update: 9/29
Changes for v 0.5f
- Pirate Leaders start with only 2 Freebooters and a Privateersman instead of 3 and a Unique Unit
-Fixed several bugs
-Freebooters now get a bonus to growing Sugar
-The Kings's Pirate Hunter has Combat Str of 10 and 100% bonus vs Pirates
-New Promotion for Naval units "Pirate Hunter" which gives 100% bonus vs Pirates
-The Swashbuckler profession now cost 50 guns and 25 Rum.. the Rum is lost when used so have a full stock if you want to keep these guys

Play test this version and let me know if the changes help to balance things out please.

v0.5e
- Added a few more discriptions to make learning the game easier
- Slaves can no longer change to the Freebooter profession
- Watergeuzen, Huguenot, and Sea Rover can now do Smuggler Missions

v0.5c Fixes error of not being able to build a Smuggler's Inn

Help Wanted!
If anyone out there would like to help translate the text files into any other languge that would be very much apprieciated!

French XMLs
Thanks to Michelon for his hard work on adding French to the XMLs. Here is the link to his upload (http://forums.civfanatics.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=272716&d=1289898396).

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***Downloads***

Patch V 0.5h
This patch fixes a a few bugs thanks to Aymerick's help. It may help with saved games not being able to be loaded as well. I haven't fully tested this so feed back is welcome. 254301

Download Full Version Here (http://forums.civfanatics.com/downloads.php?do=file&id=12806)

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If your game crashes:
Concerning the error with loading of saved files in your mod I found on one of forums quite simple recommendation. This advice was related to one combined mod (http://rapidshare.com/files/263115149/Terra_Incognita.rar) where "Privateers, Pirates, and Buccaneers 0.40a" where included as one of component part.

The advice is elementary simple. After desktop crash
- switch off computer,
- after few minutes switch on PC,
- load your mod and then the saved file where error happens during loading.

As result the "psevdo-defected" file could be loaded without problems. I tried this method on my files where I had crash on desktop and can confirm the successful loading.

Therefore, I don't think you could find reason of this error in the files that will be send you. At least my "defected" file you and TC01 could load without problems.

If the game crashes when you try to start a game or while playing take note of all the game settings and post any relevant information here. Post a saved game if possible.

If the game crashes during the loading screen take note at what point it crashes:

http://forums.civfanatics.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=223046&stc=1&d=1249130070
Demo Version 1.1 Alpha (http://forums.civfanatics.com/downloads.php?do=file&id=11865) with Official 1.01f Patch.
Demo Version only has a few of the full features.

(This post is a work in progress. Last updated: 8-16-09)

About:

I started this mod to add a bit more flavor to the Privateer side of the WoI. During the period leading up to the Revolution hundreds of ships prowled the seas flying a black flag in search of plunder. Some had recieved a commision from their king to attack enemy shipping while others attacked anything that sailed the seas if it looked like easy prey. During the time of the WoI, Privateers played a major role in naval warfare. While the Rebels had a very small Navy they did have some 2,000 privateers working for their cause. Thanks to all the unit modders and whos graphics I used or moddified.

Note to Modders:
Source code is included. Search for my //tk and //tkend tags before all added code.
Note: I found a few of the changes I made that was not marked with //tk tags but hopefully your compiler will find the discrepancies for you and I'll fix this in next update.

Features of this Mod:

- Play as a Buccaneer Captain with traits designed for Privateering, Raiding, and Pirateing
- New Founding Captains that give you benefits to your whole colony.
- Capture ships with the new Freebooter Unit
- Open a Smuggler's Port and put your Idle Pirates to work in your Colony running Contraband (Cargo that has been band by your King)
- More uses for Criminals. Think they are useless? Think again!
- Over 23 new Units (Art is mostly reskins)

Important:

Very few of the Descriptions have been filled in. But you can find in the Game Concepts section of the Pedia 3 new Categorys for this mod, they are:
- Pirate Affiliation and Infamy
- Privateers, Pirates, Buccaneers, and Freebooters
- Smugglers
Please refer to those while in game for an overview of what to do.

Whats New for v 0.5:

Version 0.5b
-Fix an error that prevented all Privateers from getting all the new Crew Promotions.
- Difficulty settings now effect how early and how often the AI gets new ships. There is a new attribute in the Handicapinfos.xml that effects this, the lower the easier. The settings should go from 0 to 130;
<iPrivateerReinforcements>50</iPrivateerReinforcements>

Version 0.5
-Plunder Trade Route mission changes: This command works as follows... Your Ship will leave for the High Seas and can be seen on the Europe screen. After a few turns the unit will make a check to see if any target transport ships can be intercepted. Only enemy ships that are either in route to Europe or returning from Europe can be intercepted. If one is found your unit will appear at the targets location and you will receive a popup asking you if you want to attack, the combat odds are displayed. You can also evaluate your surroundings and see if what units may can attack you the next turn. If you choose to attack the battle will take place, if not you can control your unit as normal. You can attack that unit, another unit, sail to Europe, or move in another direction.

-Naval Spys: You can now send your transport ships to perform Naval Spy missions. Just move them within the borders of a Rivals territory that you are friendly with and the command will appear. Once your unit becomes a spy you will be able to see that Nations cargo manifest when you mouse over a unit that belongs to that nation. Also, you will be able to see what the unit sees, but you can no longer command that unit. As long as your unit is alive you will be able to do this. If your unit should die you will lose these benefits. Spy Units are listed in your Military Advisor screen as Naval Spys.

-Slaves: You can now capture units. Units that have the new Slaver Promotion have a 50% chance in enslave a unit it defeats. If your Privateers or Pirates defeat a ship at sea that has a Colonist aboard you will automatically receive a slave.

- New Unit- Slave: These units are acquired as above. They have -2 to Manufacturing goods and do not gain the full benefits of bonus resources. Any slave can be "set free" how ever. Just move the Slave into a city and the command to "Purchase Freedom" will appear. This command will cause the unit to accept your leadership and work as one of your normal Colonists. Specialists slaves like Experts and Masters cost more to purchase their freedom. Slaves can not produce crosses, bells, or become students. They can not be missionaries, learn from natives, or become soldiers.
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If one of your units is captured by the Enemy and you recapture it the unit will not be considered a slave as it was yours to begin with. Natives are turned into Converted Natives when you purchase their freedom. When you select a Slave it will be named as such, but its true nature, such as Expert Fisherman, will be displayed out next to its name in the Unit Help Text. Slaves can have the Slave Worker profession which is basicly the pioneer profession but their workrate is reduced by half. If a Nation does not have a City you can not capture any slaves from it at sea.

Pioneer Capture Change: Pioneers use to be the only unit you could capture. That is changed now. Pioneers will defend themselves when attacked now and only "Slavers" can capture them.

-Two new Promotions: Slaver as described above, and Plunderor. Plunderor allows your Privateers to find more plundered treasure when they defeat another ship at sea.

-Sloop-O-War has be reballanced as a anti-Privateer/Pirate ship with a bonus to attack and defend against these units.

-Unload options: When unloading Pirated loot a popup will appear asking you if you want to unload the unit. Once pirated loot is unload into the city it can no longer be spent to increase a City's Pirate Affiliation.

-The Barbary Pirates, Cicilians, or the Knights of Malta are NOT playable yet. I have work still yet to do in codeing their features. Lots of the art is in the game already however.

Whats New for v 0.4:

- Pirate Coves now let you unload trade goods there, which will automaticly be transported to the transporters Home City. Just make sure they have a home city assigned and the goods will arrive safely. You can also now Spend Pludered loot at a Pirate Cove which increases that Unit's Home City's pirate affiliation. Also the Captain is consumed in the Founding of a Pirate Cove so make sure you pick a good spot.

- Founding Captains no longer automaticly award you with a free unit. Instead that Captain is added to the list of possible Captains that you can aquire when a Unit "makes a name for himself". If you have any Founding Captains on that list they will be the next in line to "make a name". Captains have three stats; Prowess, Seamanship, and Leadership. Founding Captains have better stats than other Captains. See the new entrys in the Pedia for more details.

- The French, English, and Dutch have a new Unique Privateering unit each. See the included pics. Privateering Leaders each start with this unit but can not build more until certain conditions are met. See the game for details.

- New unit the Swashbuckler. This unit is the "Dragoon" unit for the pirates. Takes 50 Rum and 50 Guns.

- Cities that have more Freebooters/Criminals in them than other Colonists will create a Freebooter instead of a Free Colonist when the city does its +200 food growth
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Whats New for v 0.3:

-All Empty Trade Ships should have at least a small amout of Plundered Loot on board

-New Founding Captains: By Privateering, pirateing, building pirate buildings, selling pirated loot, etc, you can gain Privateer and Pirate Captain Points. These Points can be spent on the new Founding Captains much like Founding Fathers. Each Captain has its own trait that improves your whole colony. Also, each Captain has its own special unit. Ships with Founding Captains has extra Prowess, Seamanship, and Leadership.

-New Unit Class called: Freebooter

-New or Improved Units:
-Freebooter: This unit is created by sending units to the Smuggler's Inn or Buccaneer's Den. Freebooters can not have the Professions Missionary or Soldier. Instead of a Soldier when equiped with Weapons they become Buccaneers. Freebooters have other special benefits describe below but are the similar to Criminals when working trades in your cities. They do however have a Natural ability in Trapping, Rum Making, and Coat Making. They get a +50% bonus to those professions.
-Master Weaver is now a Female!!! For reasons described below
-Sheebooter: If you have Captain Calico Jack in your Founding Captains he allows the female units to become Sheebooter's when intoxicated instead of Criminals. They are the same as Freebooters in all respects except looks, and thank goodness for that.
-Buccaneer: This is the soldier unit for the Freebooter. Has Grenadier1 instead of Veteran1.
-New Skin for Freebooter Pioneer
-Fast Galleon: a Faster version of the Galleon, holds as much as Merchantman but faster and stronger.

New Freebooter Commands:
-They can turn your trade ships into a Privateer ship excect there is no need to be at war. Just move to a city with Guns and Tools, load the unit into the ship, then select the Freebooter and command it to Covert the trade ship to a Privateer.
-You can Load Freebooters on to anyship, even Privateers and Pirate ships. When you do this if you attack a ship and defeat it you get the option to spend your Freebooter and Capture the ship.

Revised Building:
-Pirate Haven is now a Smuggler's Port. Your Pirate units can be put to work in these Smuggler's Ports. Just send the unit to the City and choose the Change Profession command when on the World Map. You can not be in the City Management Screen to do this.
-Also, each city with a Buccaneer's Den or Smuggler's port gives your Privateers/Pirates one extra chance to Evade death when defeated.
-Smugglers need to consume Rum each turn but when kept well Intoxicated your Pirates can smuggle Contraband goods and sell the excess in your colony each turn instead of it being waisted or lost. As a added benefit from all that extra trade Trade Goods are generated each turn based on the level of the Smuggler.
-Buccaneer's Den: Putting your Colonists in here and Intoxicating them now turns them into Criminals and then Criminals can be turned into full fleged Freebooters!

Three new Leaders:
- one each for Dutch, English, and Frech Colonies. These Leaders are designed as Buccaneer/Privateer leaders and their traits reflect this. When you choose these leaders you also get a different set of starting units. You will start with a Privateer Fast Galleon, a Freebooter Pioneer, a Freebooter Colonist (Used to Capture your first Cargo Ship), and a Buccaneer.

-New Sounds: when Privateers attack you here sounds of crews fighting and if there is a captain on board you here him cheering them on. Other sounds as well.
Warning the Below information may be out of date. See the above information for what is changed.

Major Rule Changes:
- More Naval units will be built by Colonial Powers. Also they will begin to build standing navys to help prevent Pirate attacks. Kings will sometimes send Pirate Hunters to scout for Pirates and Privateers if to many such attacks have been made against his Colony.

- The cost of Privateers has been decreased.

- Privateers can now also be created by moving a Transport Naval unit into a colony and selecting the "Issue Letter of Marque" comand. You will then recieve a pop up detailing the cost amount to upgrade this ship to Privateer status. The cost depends on the type of ship and consists of gold, muskets, and tools. The unit will then change its flags and sails to that of a privateer. You must be at war with a Colonial Power or in your Revolution to create Privateers in this manor. Once Created and if war ends the unit will revert back to its previous status.

- A new concept called "Pirate Affiliation" or PA has been added to the game. There is two ways to increase a towns PA. One you must "Spend Loot" or Pirated goods in that City or Assign that City as a Home city to a Pirate or Privateer then have that unit attack any other unit. A new Icon, a Red Gold coin, will then appear on the City's Billboard name which is next to Defense and Rebel Sentiment and will have a percent next to it displaying the cities PA. A city can build different additional buildings, create Pirates, allow your colony to under go Smuggling Missions, and such depending on its PA. Pirates and Privateers will auto select a Home City if one is not chosen for them when they first attack a vessel.

- New Buildings. At 1% PA a city can build a Smugglers Inn. This building allows a player to turn a citizen into a Pirate by comsuming Rum. It can then begin to under take Smuggling Missions. At 50% PA a city can build a Buccaneer's Den then Pirates and Privateers can start to use this city as an evasion city. At 100% PA the city can build a Pirate Haven. This building increases the cities defense by 25% and allows for the smuggling of goods for 75% profit.

- Pirated Loot: Loot that is captured by your Pirates/Privateers will be tagged as (Pirated) out next to its name. Only Pirated Loot can use the Command "Spend Pirated Loot" while in a city. Once spent it will increase that City's PA. If Pirated Loot is unloaded into a City it will lose its Pirated tag and then revert back to a normal Cargo Unit. Pirated Loot is not Auto unloaded with the new Return Home command.

-Rum: Rum has more uses in this mod. Pirates/Privateers use Rum to perform missions. The new Pirate Buildings require Rum in order to be built. Pirates/Privateers do not auto unload rum when using the Return Home command.

-Two new Commands, Return Home, and Assign Home have been added. Only used by units that can hold Cargo. Use Assign Home to set that Units Home City. Then when you command the unit to Return Home it will head to its home city and auto unload its cargo. If no city is set as home it will return to the nearest city.

- Plunder Trade Routes mission: For Privateers and Pirates. Cost 100 gold and consumes 10 rum which must be stored on the ship. The ship will then make sail for the European trade lanes and once it leaves the map it can be seen on the Eurapeon screen. While "Plundering" the ship is considered to be prowling the shipping lanes in search of a trade vessel to attack. If one is found your ship will attack in real time and you will be able to see the battle take place. Other events can happen while out Plundering and can even be attacked by a Pirate Hunter!

- New Unit called "Plundered Treasure" can be aquired while on Plundering Missions. This Unit is much like a Treasure unit and can be traded in Europe for gold OR can be spent in a coastal town to increase that town's Pirate Affiliation. To spend gold in a town you must move the unit to the town and select the "Spend Loot" command

- New Command: Build Pirate Cove or PC, a PC can only be built near the Coast and costs 500. Any friendly unit can then use the Pirate Cove as a "Safe Hide Out" as it acts as a friendly city. Pirates and Privateers can thus stay here to heal even if an enemy unit is in an adjacent space. Only one per Player can be built. If one is contructed while another exists the original will be destroyed. Best if contructed outside of your Cultural Borders. If within cultrual borders word may get around and the Pirate Cove could be discovered and destroyed by enemy units. They can be contructed by Found Captains or by Privateer Flotilla.

- New Unit: Sloop-O-War, this unit has the same stats as a Privateer but has a bonus vs Privateers. It can use Drydocks and Ship Yards as Evasion Cities. Good for initial defense from Privateers.

- A new concept is introduced called "Infamy": Each player owned Pirate or Privateer keeps a running total of the missions it undertakes and the success of those missions. As a Unit completes missions its Infamy increases. Once a Unit reaches a certain Infamy level the captain of that ship will create a name for itself. That Unit will then be called by that Captains name.

- Pirate Captains: Once an AI Privateer or your Pirate recieves a captain the graphic will be updated and its name changed. Captains can recieve new types of promotions and a new ability at certain Infamy levels called Infamy Upgrade. This ability allows you to add a ship to your fleet increasing its power and cargo size.

- Gaining Infamy: There are two ways to gain Infamy. One is by defeating enemy ships in real time battles the other is by undertaking a "Plunder Trade Routes" mission. As a Captain recieves Infamy his title will grow in rank. All Captains start with "The Shady" title. A captain can also lose infamy if he fails to many missions. The titles are as follows from least to greatest:

The Awful, The Shady, The Foul, The Wicked, The Vile, The Notorious, The Infamous, and The Dread.

- New Command: Infamy Upgrade, this command becomes available twice during a Pirate/Privateers career and requires a certain level of Infamy. It allows the unit to add another unit to its squadron thus increasing cargo space and power.

- Pirate Crews: New promotions are available to Pirate/Privateer Captains in the form of New Crew members. Each successful mission a Captain undertakes offers a chance to add a new Crew Member to his ship. These new promotions can be seen in the Pedia.

- Ocean heal rate has been greatly lowered. Damaged ships must make port or be near the shore to Carreen in order to heal effectively.

- Smuggle Mission: a colony must have a Smugglers Inn in order to start a Smuggle Mission. Only performed by Pirates. Best used for goods that can not be sold in Europe. The ship will attempt to smuggle to Europe goods on board the ship and sell them for a percentage. Goods sold this way do not effect the cost of Europe goods on the market. Percentages are based on what level of PA your colony has and are noted in the smuggle mission help text. Ships with Captains aboard have a better chance to avoid Pirate Hunter's while on mission.

- Recruiting John Paul Jones now gives you the John Paul Jones unit instead of a Frigate

Pirate Strategy:
To start turning your Colony into a full fledge Pirate Haven you will need your first Privateer. You can hire one from the Europe market, build one with DryDock, or Declare War on a European Empire and issue one of your ships a Letter of Marque. Once you have aquired your Privateer assign it a Home City thats on the Coast and start plundering ships or send it on a Plundering Trade Lanes mission. Attacking another ship alone will increase your Privateers home city's Pirate Afiliation by 1%. At 1% you can build a Smuggler's Inn. Now you can start to smuggle band goods to Europe and turn Citizens into Freebooters by intoxicating them with Rum for a number of turns. Continue plundering ships and spending the loot in your city. At 50% Pirate Afiliatioin build the Buccaneer's Den. Now your Privateers and Pirates can use this city has an Evasion city. When the Pirate Affiliation reaches 100% or more you can then build the Smuggler's Port! Cheers and happy hunting on the account!

Difficulties:
- Here I will add what the attributes in the GlobalDefinesAlt.xml do exactly and how they effect the game

~Thanks to the modders whos graphics and such I borrowed, like Kael and his team. If you see something of yours and I haven't acknowledged you please let me know. Its hard to keep up with everything I downloaded used or didn't use.

The numbers:

Infamy Upgrades are at Infamy levels 6, 25, and 45. Level 6 is automatic while the other two require you to have another ship available to add to the fleet.

The Define Intergers are found in the GlobalDefinesAlt.XML and I will describe a few below.

OCEAN_HEAL_RATE = 2: determines the heal rate of ocean squares

PRIVATEER_INFAMY_MUTIPLIER = 10: determines the number of levels between each title rank of Infamy.

PRIVATEER_FAME_UPGRADE_ONE = 5: Captain makes a name for himself at 6 (do to a <= bug the Global = 5 though)
PRIVATEER_FAME_UPGRADE_TWO = 25: can use the Infamy upgrade ability
PRIVATEER_FAME_UPGRADE_THREE = 45: can use the Infamy upgrade ability

PRIVATEER_XP_PER_MISSION = 3: determines the amount of xp earned for each Plunder Trade Routes mission

PRIVATEER_FAME_TIME_NEMESIS = 25: determines at what infamy level does the King send warships to track down the infamous Pirate

Testing:

The main thing I am concerned with right now is how many privateer Captains a player can have when he declares Indepence and how this effects the Revolution. Does the added strength of the Captains make the Revolution to easy? And if so what changes need to be made to balance out their effects?

New things to come:

- AI uses all the new rules
- colonies can become Pirate Havens offering new commands and such(Done as of this version)
- Captains will be unique with their own set of abilites(More done now)
- new mission results
- new promotions
- capture ships in real time combat(Done)
- and more

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kaibayashi

Feb 28, 2009, 04:07 PM

wow, sounds real interesting. been wanting the naval aspect to be beefed up a bit, this seems like a good start, with some real potential for interesting gameplay :)

i_diavolorosso

Feb 28, 2009, 06:09 PM

wow
It sound's good
I'll try it after i try marenostrum

Kailric

Feb 28, 2009, 06:48 PM

wow, sounds real interesting. been wanting the naval aspect to be beefed up a bit, this seems like a good start, with some real potential for interesting gameplay :)

The aim of this mod is just that. To add a bit more interest to the gameplay but yet not to extravagant that it distracts from the over all theme of the game. The "Plunder Trade Routes" mission, for example, is pretty simple to manage. All a player needs is a Privateer, 100 gold, and 20 rum for the crew (why is the rum always gone?) then once you start the mission the Privateer pretty much takes care of itself until it returns. If it needs to unload to make room for captured goods it will do so automaticly, if it needs to repair before it sails(the crew want sell with a damaged ship) it will do so automaticly. This helps to eliminate some of the micro managing.

Jabie

Mar 04, 2009, 06:22 AM

I recommend that you check out the Pirates! mod for Warlords (It's in the database on this site) It contains a large number of sea-going promotions that you may wish to consider for your mod.

Dracjn

Mar 07, 2009, 08:52 PM

can you tell me how i add a ship to a fleet? becuase i cant seem to have two ships plundering together

Kailric

Mar 07, 2009, 10:28 PM

can you tell me how i add a ship to a fleet? becuase i cant seem to have two ships plundering together

I believe there is a bug in the original code that caused errors when ships that are in a group sailed to Europe. The unofficial patch causes all units in groups when sailing to Europe to leave their group to prevent this bug. Plundering ships also leave any groups they are in to prevent this bug.

If you are refering to the Infamy Upgrade ability that allows a privateer to add a ship to its fleet this ability is only availabe at Infamy levels 25 and 45. Also note while the graphic shows two ships the unit still functions as a single unit.

Kailric

Mar 15, 2009, 01:33 PM

Notice: I am working on the next version and it will contain the new Official Patch. The AI will use Privateers and the new Infamy levels and such in this new version.

Jeckel

Mar 21, 2009, 02:11 AM

Very nice, this looks like a fun mod. :cool:

Kailric

Apr 10, 2009, 04:49 PM

Very nice, this looks like a fun mod. :cool:

Yes, well if I can find my orginal CD so I can run the new patch. I resently moved and can't find it, so until I do or find some other means I can't test anything using the new patch...

Kailric

Apr 18, 2009, 01:25 PM

Note to Modders:

Here is one thing that needs to be fixed with my current code. In the CvCity.cpp at lines 1419 and 1498 there needs to be added a check for "isHuman()" so that only human players have to "Issue Letters of Marque". This is because the AI does not know how to use the command "Issue Letter of Marque" so they want build any Privateers. I may change this in a later update but for now it makes it simple just to let the AI build Privateers like normal.

When I get the new patch up and running I'll correct this in my next update.

Pfeffersack

Apr 23, 2009, 02:24 PM

Yes, well if I can find my orginal CD so I can run the new patch. I resently moved and can't find it, so until I do or find some other means I can't test anything using the new patch...

Is the CD actually required to run the patch? I have never seen this as requirement to patch other games and moreover, the official patch actually removes the CD requirement for Colonization (so after installing you can play without a CD inserted)

Kailric

Apr 23, 2009, 05:09 PM

Is the CD actually required to run the patch? I have never seen this as requirement to patch other games and moreover, the official patch actually removes the CD requirement for Colonization (so after installing you can play without a CD inserted)

Really, well why didn't someone say so!!

Jeckel

Apr 24, 2009, 03:40 AM

MDiddy

May 07, 2009, 03:21 PM

Pfeffersack

May 07, 2009, 03:57 PM

I dont understand how anyone is using this? I think this sounds AMAZING however, when I load the mod about 25 errors occur yet the game still loads. I can then see the civilopedia with the new units but when I try to start a game it crashes and says "...Colonization has stopped working." Any Ideas?

Perhaps you have already upgraded your game with the official patch 1.01f? It's recommended because of the fixes it brings and necessary for the newest versions of most others mods, but this one hasn't been made compatible yet (see first post)

Kailric

May 07, 2009, 05:26 PM

I dont understand how anyone is using this? I think this sounds AMAZING however, when I load the mod about 25 errors occur yet the game still loads. I can then see the civilopedia with the new units but when I try to start a game it crashes and says "...Colonization has stopped working." Any Ideas?

Yes, sorry I haven't updated this just yet. Had lots of other things going on. But your post does encourage me more so hopefully I'l get too it soon. Just keep checking in on the top post to see when its been updated.

MDiddy

May 07, 2009, 07:18 PM

Well pooh. Well I really want to play this. Is there any way to uninstall a patch? Oh and by the way can 2 MODs be added together? Cause I'd like to use this one MOD I downloaded for everything. Its the Extra Victories one so if anyone knows anything about that I'd appriciate it.:confused:

MDiddy

May 07, 2009, 08:02 PM

Nevermind a little experimenting does wonders. I copied a few files here and there and got the Victories to work with this one. Yes I said this one:p. However I couldnt figure out how to uninstall a patch so I just uninstalled my game and reinstalled lol. However I look forward to the patched version so I can play LAN with my lil bro.

MDiddy

May 10, 2009, 11:46 AM

Kailric

May 11, 2009, 07:11 AM

Sorry to post again but Im just curious if there is something im doing wrong or can this mod not be played multiplayer? Cause me and my lil bro keep playing lan and direct connect but everytime one of us tries to issue a letter of marque the game goes out of sync and when we resync the privateer is gone and back to whatever it was before.

I really am not familiar with the multiplayer part of the game so I haven't designed it with that in mind. But are ya'll on the same team when you play or are ya'll opponents? Test both ways if you can?

What else can happen to make a game go out of sync so I can have something else to compare too? Maybe someone else knows something about this?

This mod version is still in testing phase actually so have you played through a game on single player without any errors yet?

Kailric

May 18, 2009, 08:33 AM

I just updated this mod to the new 1.01f patch. I am not sure about multiplayer though as I have not tested this with that. The AI will start to use the new Privateers and you may see famous Pirate Captains attacking your ships now :evil:

sergunchik

May 20, 2009, 10:41 AM

Did sombody test new version? Im crash do it

Kailric

May 20, 2009, 01:07 PM

Did sombody test new version? Im crash do it

Are you saying it crashed? When, where, how did it crash?

Kailric

May 20, 2009, 01:30 PM

I am working on the next update now so if anyone wants to test this and give some feed back that would be great.

Coming in next update:

Wondering what to do with all that Pirate Loot you get from missions?? Not to worry, now you can spend that loot in your cities. Each time you spend your plundered loot it increases that cities pirates affiliation. Once that affiliation is high enough that city will become a Pirate Haven:goodjob:.

Pirate Havens:

-Allows all Privateers/Pirates/Buccaneers a chance to evade being sunk arriving at the Pirate Haven, empty of cargo and damaged but still alive.
-You can build Privateers at Pirate havens.
-Smuggle Goods command: a new mission that becomes available once you have a pirate haven. Pirates will smuggle goods to Europe and sell them on the black market. You can even sell goods that have you have been banded from buy or selling. These transactions do not cause the Europe market to change prices.
-Pirate Hunters will sometimes try to intercept Smugglers
-Drinking House: this new building acts as a warehouse and adds an extra 50% to defense as pirates act as defenders to the city. Can be upgraded to a Tavern, then an Inn with added benefits.

Also new skins and sounds... stay tuned!!

i_kass

Jun 06, 2009, 07:26 PM

216836Did sombody test new version? Im crash do it

The attachment contains all of the error messages (except the last one).
Please tell me how to resolve this.

Kailric

Jun 06, 2009, 07:58 PM

216836

The attachment contains all of the error messages (except the last one).
Please tell me how to resolve this.

Hey, so sorry. I had uploaded the wrong version... not even sure what version that was but it was not the one I ment to upload.

I just posted a new version on the download page. Please test to make sure. It loaded just fine when I just started it up. Thanks!

i_kass

Jun 07, 2009, 01:09 AM

Great! thanks the game works perfectly now, no bugs to report
Cheers

NightwingX

Jun 20, 2009, 10:53 AM

this sounds awesome, but im new to all this modding. how do i actually get it INTO the game so i can use it?

Kailric

Jun 21, 2009, 11:32 AM

this sounds awesome, but im new to all this modding. how do i actually get it INTO the game so i can use it?

Just download it, Unzip it and add it to your "Sid Meier's Civilization IV Colonization/Mods" folder. Start the game then click Advanced then click Load a Mod. Find the mod and start it up. There you go!

Kailric

Jul 12, 2009, 09:00 PM

Privateers, Pirates, and Buccaneers (Full Version) v0.3 alpha DEBUG version

Just uploaded the new version for Download... check it out!

Features of this Mod:

- Play as a Buccaneer Captain with traits designed for Privateering, Raiding, and Pirateing
- New Founding Captains they give you benefits to your whole colony as well as a ship of their own.
- Capture ships with the new Freebooter Unit
- Open a Smuggler's Port and put your Idle Pirates to work in your Colony running Contraband (Cargo that has been band by your King)
- More uses for Criminals. Think they are useless? Think again!
- Over 20 new Units (Art is mostly reskins)

Important:

Very few of the Descriptions have been filled in. But you can find in the Game Concepts section of the Pedia 3 new Categorys for this mod, they are:
- Pirate Affiliation and Infamy
- Pirates, Buccaneers, Freebooters, and Privateers
- Smugglers
Please refer to those while in game for an overview of what to do.

Kailric

Jul 12, 2009, 10:57 PM

Found a bug already in that you could not play as Piet Hein or game would crash first thing. Just an error in his art file I had accidently changed it trying to fix a typo in his name... blahhh....

Kailric

Jul 13, 2009, 11:10 PM

Just posted some screen shots on front page.

Below you will find some of the Stars of the show. From left to right to back you can see a Freebooter, Buccaneer, Swashbuckler, Master Weaver, Freebooter Scout (just put him together, I am so proud), Sheebooter, and in the back you see a Pirate Sloop.

http://forums.civfanatics.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=220979&d=1247543843

The Swashbuckler and Freebooter scout will be in the next update. Swashbuckler is the new Dragoon unit for the Pirates. It cost 50 guns but 50 Rum instead of Horses.

Thanks to the FFH team for the Swashbuckler unit I used and the Skin for the new scout. Can't remember where I got the Master weaver skin.

sergunchik

Jul 14, 2009, 05:51 AM

Kailric

Jul 14, 2009, 07:41 AM

Dear Kailric! Two days Im testing your creation, great job. But can't finish! because something in new additions of battle screens. First: combat is go under black screen and not return to normal interface. After 200 steps is fall out at all with error message. Can't send log of message something connect to CvCoredll. Sinserely Sergey.

Can you link us a saved game? What is happening when the combat screen goes black, who is attacking who, what units, etc?

But send me a saved game just before the crash or "fall out" happens, ok. You can also press Ctrl-W and bring up the Editor. From there you may can see what is happening. What are the units on the screen at that time? You can also save the game as a scenerio in the Editor. Then reload it, play it and see if crash happens again. If it does, open the Editor again and delete some units, then play a turn. Do this until the crash stops then note what unit or units you deleted. This way you can find out what units are cauesing the problem then I can check the code for that unit.

Thanks for report! I will be back later this evening.

sergunchik

Jul 14, 2009, 09:22 AM

Ok. I'll try do what do you saggest, some result, if it will be, send late

sergunchik

Jul 14, 2009, 11:21 AM

Dear Kailric! I'v made video, but don't know how to send it, too big 48m. All my trys don't gives results, and I made this video. Will attach last save. Sergey

Kailric

Jul 14, 2009, 12:05 PM

Dear Kailric! I'v made video, but don't know how to send it, too big 48m. All my trys don't gives results, and I made this video. Will attach last save. Sergey

Just post the last save you have. You can post things right here on the forums. Just click on the "paper clip" above the text area here and when you are at the Manage Attachment screen just click on "browse" then find you saved game, then click "upload". Now click on the down arrow next to the paper clip up top then select your attachment. It will look something like [Attach112345[\Attach] in this text field. Then just "Submit Reply".

sergunchik

Jul 14, 2009, 12:44 PM

Posting the last save.

Kailric

Jul 14, 2009, 02:10 PM

Posting the last save.

Ok, I got the save. Wow, thats a huge map :) I played through a few turns but have not had a crash yet. When I set the AI to autoplay for me I had a crash, but that could be not even related to your crash as the AI isn't set up yet to use all the units a Human can.

At what turn do you crash in that save? Send me another save if you can but this time save just before a crash happens. Make sure you have given all your units their commands just like in a real game then save it. Hit the next turn then if it crashes send me that save, ok.

sergunchik

Jul 14, 2009, 02:35 PM

Ok, but next time.

Kailric

Jul 14, 2009, 04:12 PM

Ok, but next time.

I seen you had a lot of ships doing the Plunder Trade Routes Mission. That may not be 100% stable yet so if you do that mission make sure to save your game before hand.

sergunchik

Jul 15, 2009, 04:45 AM

The other save.

Kailric

Jul 16, 2009, 05:07 AM

The other save.

K, I got it. I will look at it this evening when I get home from work. Do you have any suggestions on game play? Anything you see that could be changed, adjusted, or added?

sergunchik

Jul 16, 2009, 05:23 AM

Dear Kailric! Second day playing and reach 500 steps, but now I were sending only one ship for plunder, and not eny collision, possible is the matter.Sergey

Kailric

Jul 16, 2009, 06:29 AM

Dear Kailric! Second day playing and reach 500 steps, but now I were sending only one ship for plunder, and not eny collision, possible is the matter.Sergey

Thats great! I'll check out the plundering code more and do some testing on that. Like I mentioned in the first post this version is not complete, there are things yet to add, balance out, and change. The AI needs to be adjusted to accumilate more Founding Captain Points along with other AI improvements as well.

K, happy hunting out there!

sergunchik

Jul 16, 2009, 10:28 AM

Dear Kailric! The other bug with Smuggler's Port. If command to loaded ship(Pirate) to smugle( how you note in the readme) game crashing. Sergey

Kailric

Jul 16, 2009, 03:05 PM

Dear Kailric! The other bug with Smuggler's Port. If command to loaded ship(Pirate) to smugle( how you note in the readme) game crashing. Sergey

Ah, yeah.. I see that. Never tested that with a loaded ship before. That will be an easy fix, just unload before you do the command for now though of course.

Thanks for the bug reports. That's what will make this mod even better. I also seen a few things in your saved games that need to be fixed.

I'll make a note on front page about this bug. Should have the next version up in a day or two, maybe tonight if I get enough time.

Kailric

Jul 16, 2009, 09:05 PM

The other save.

Did your game crash the very next turn on this save. I can't get it to crash for me. I am playing in Window mode and some times during the turns it hangs for a bit and says its "Not Responding" but it starts back up soon.

I still think its the plundering mission and I'll have to do some extensive testing on that.

Kailric

Jul 20, 2009, 06:19 AM

I am close to unloading the next update on this mod. I made a few changes. Founding Captains no longer give you a Free Pirate ship instead you are asked if you want to give the Captain permission to use your harbors. If you say yes then the Father points are spent and you gain the benefits of that Captain for your whole colony. Then the Captain is added to the list of available Captains. So that when one of your Privateers makes a name for himself. Instead of a normal Captain one of the Founding Father Captains appears. They have better stats than your normal captains.

The Captains have three stats that are:

Prowess: thier ability to do Naval combat
Seamanship: how well they perform at sea
Leadership: thier ability to lead

These factors add bonuses to combat, withdraw, and missions. Leadership plays a factor in all aspects while the other two are situational. For combat, Prowess and Leadership is used. For withdraw Leadership and Seamanship is used. ect.

Also, for the Pirate Haven that can be built the unit is Consumed in the building of the haven. The Pirate Haven now acts more like a pirate base. If you unload trade goods there they are auto sent to that Ships home city. That keeps your ship from haveing to travel long distances to unload its cargo.. yay!

K, several bugs and such have been fixed as well thanks to the bug reports.

~Cheers

Kailric

Jul 22, 2009, 11:15 PM

Just upload version 0.4 alpha for testing. See opening post for pics and details.

~Cheers

Kailric

Jul 23, 2009, 04:24 PM

Source Code is added for those asking about that...

sergunchik

Jul 24, 2009, 07:05 AM

Kailric

Jul 24, 2009, 07:24 AM

KJ Jansson

Jul 24, 2009, 07:29 AM

Dear Kailric! Yesterday I'v loaded new 0.4 version and began to play. First, Buccaneers can't make Plunder Trade route, with rum in the hold, there red inscription: won't without 10 rum. Second, Smuggler's Inn work not properly, criminals use rum, but days of intoxication not countdown. So I stop playing, cause no reason without Plunder. Sergey;)

Maybe, I'm wrong (I have no game on this PC), but to my opinion for Plunger mission in this version are required to have 10 cigars + 10 alcohol + 100 coins.

I agree with Smuggler's Inn delay. Real time of intoxication is longer than 9 turns. However, my criminal became the freebooter with a small delay. I don't know the reason of this delay. Maybe here:

<Type>UNIT_CRIMINAL</Type>
<Class>UNITCLASS_CRIMINAL</Class>
.......
<YieldChange>
<YieldType>YIELD_EDUCATION</YieldType>
<iChange>-2</iChange>
</YieldChange>

Kailric

Jul 24, 2009, 03:31 PM

K, I just uploaded v0.4b for testing. Cigars should no longer be required as they where not ment to be, only rum. Criminals should intoxicate and become freebooters in 6 turns, while other colonist should take 12 turns.

Thanks for the bug reports!

KJ Jansson

Jul 25, 2009, 11:58 AM

Great mod! However it found one very bad feature. Sometimes my attemp to load the saved game results in the crash to desktop. After this maximum that I can do - to load the first file (turn 0). Absolutely the same type errors I observed on previous 0.31 version.

Here one of such error. Please, see the attached file.

222185

Loading => crash on desktop.

AppName: colonization.exe AppVer: 1.0.0.1 ModName: cvgamecoredll.dll
ModVer: 0.0.0.0 Offset: 0010c01c

Current version: Privateer Mod 0.40.
Very strange bug.

Kailric

Jul 25, 2009, 12:43 PM

KJ Jansson

Jul 25, 2009, 12:56 PM

When I tried to load the saved game under Privateer Mod 0.4 it said it required "Privateer Mod". Saved games from older versions of the Privateer Mod are not compatible with each other. Are you getting the screen in the picture below?
http://forums.civfanatics.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=222187&stc=1&d=1248543663

Notice I have Privateer Mod V0.4 loaded as it says in the top right corner. That save requires Privateer Mod so it is an older save. That could be your problem? When I try to load that saved game I get a crash also. If it asks for another Privateer mod than the one you have loaded then its a wrong saved game for that mod.

Does that help?

The directory where I have Privateer Mod has name "Privateer Mod". CvGameCore.dll dated 22.07.2009 21:51. This is version 0.40.

I started the game in this directory about 5 minutes before crash, saved game after few runs (please, see the attached file in my previous post), but then I tried to load the saved file, I had crash and back to desktop.

This save file is impossible to load, if the directory name "Privateer Mod V0.4".

Kailric

Jul 25, 2009, 01:12 PM

The directory where I have Privateer Mod has name "Privateer Mod". CvGameCore.dll dated 22.07.2009 21:51. This is version 0.40.

I started the game in this directory about 5 minutes before crash, saved game after few runs (please, see the attached file in my previous post), but then I tried to load the saved file, I had crash and back to desktop.

This save file is impossible to load, if the directory name "Privateer Mod V0.4".

The directory should be named "Privateer Mod V0.4" and the CvGameCore.dll should be dated for yesterday as I uploaded the most recent version yesterday. Delete all version of Privateer Mod and then just use Privateer Mod V0.4. As I did a quick test and my saved game loaded just fine when my directory was Privateer Mod V0.4.

If that don't help tell me what information you can about that game, like who was your Leader and other leaders in the game.

I tried renaming my directory to "Privateer Mod" but the game want load at all like that.

KJ Jansson

Jul 25, 2009, 02:06 PM

I installed last 0.40b version and start a new game. I will check all leaders, etc. Combination of leaders - maybe could be the reason of crash.

However, I don't think that the directory name somehow could affect on the crash during saved game loading. As far as I know any information about directory name in absent in game codes (source codes, phyton and xml files). Such information appears only in save file. As result you can load the save file only on the game version where this file was created.

KJ Jansson

Jul 27, 2009, 06:25 AM

error, please delete this post

KJ Jansson

Jul 30, 2009, 03:41 PM

I have the same type error as described earlier.

Mod version 0.40b. Mod installed in directory Privateer Mod V0.4.

Save => load => crash on desktop

I have such error message:

AppName: colonization.exe AppVer: 1.0.0.1 ModName: cvgamecoredll.dll
ModVer: 0.0.0.0 Offset: 0010c01c

Please, see the attached save file 040 AD-1494-May.ColonizationSave.

I very hope you could find the reason of such terrible crashes. They happen accidently, moreover after such crash impossible to load not only the last save file, but also previous ones.

Kailric

Jul 30, 2009, 05:16 PM

Nixeh

Jul 31, 2009, 12:04 PM

Kailric, do you know if its possible to do those diplomacy options

Kailric

Jul 31, 2009, 12:13 PM

Kailric, do you know if its possible to do those diplomacy options

Anything is possible :) But I am a novice so I may not can figure out somethings. So you want a diplomacy contract option that allows you to what .. see each others units and the inside of cities but your are not allies?

Do ya'll play Vanilla or do you use a mod?

TC01

Jul 31, 2009, 12:34 PM

Kailric

Jul 31, 2009, 01:04 PM

I really like the new version of this. I downloaded an older version a while ago, and liked it even then. But now, there's so much more stuff here...

Very fun mod. I just started a game as one of the Pirate leaders (the English one). I'll let you know what I think after I get through it some more.

Hey, cool man. I am still working on this Mod too and should have another update soon. One of the guys above is haveing trouble loading saved games, test that out for me please. I haven't had a problem yet saveing and loading.

What I have been working for this mod is a more advanced "Plunder Trade Routes" mission. In the old version the ships you'd encounter would be spawned ships, but I didn't really like that idea. So I have changed that in this next update only ships that are already in the game can be intercepted while on route to Europe. If your Privateer happens to find such a ship the camera will zoom to the spot, and you will get a popup asking you if you want to attack the ship and the odds if you do. You will also get to look around the area for other possible enemy ships to attack in your sight range or ships that may attack you. That way if you encounter a stronger ship you don't have to attack it.

I'll also have a better unloading system for units with Pirated Cargo.

But one of the cooler features is Naval Spys!! You can move a unit to a rivals territory and much like Gift you can turn your Transport into a Spy. That will make that nation like you more as that unit will then become the other players unit but you will see what it sees... not only that but when ever you mouse over any ships by that Nation in which you have a spy you will get a full list of Cargo that is on that ship. That way your privateers and pirates will have a better idea on who that want to attack. I plan to make it so that if a spy unit is defeated at sea there is a chance that it will be captured and made to "squeal" and that nation will know you been spying on them and it will lower their attitude towards you.

I am also thinking of ways to make a full blown Pirate Confederation that has no ties with a Europe power much like the Cheng I and his wife Cheng I Sao, they answered to noone.

This Mod needs balanceing though in that are AI Nations getting Founding Captains way more than the player? And things like that.

Anyway, one of the coolest things I done in my mod is lose my starting ships right from the get go, told the king where to put his ring, then took my freebooter and stole a canoe, searched for a rival Nation, lay in wait, attacked a Caravel and captured it, then went on my way :). It was intense as your little canoe can be easly killed by privateers and other naval units, so you have to stay out of sight while you lay in wait. The free "Incognito" promotiom helps though as enemy units have to be right next to you to know who you really are.

~Cheers

TC01

Jul 31, 2009, 03:43 PM

TC01

Jul 31, 2009, 04:51 PM

Kailric

Jul 31, 2009, 07:59 PM

Alright, I'm into my Caribbean Map game as Captain Christopher Mings, and I've been having a lot of fun with my pirate ship (now squadron).

A minor bug so far: how is the rum-to-freebooter building mechanic supposed to work? My free colonist that was working there vanished from the building after the turns it had to stay there, and then a freebooter appeared in the city. I put the new freebooter to work there again, and sure enough, after however-many-turns-were-needed, my freebooter disappeared from the building and a new one appeared in the city...

EDIT: And, for some reason, after a mission to smuggle goods, my ship is now called "The Dread Captain Pirate Squadron"...

The Rum to Freebooter building is there just to turn Citizens and or Criminals into said Freebooters. The Freebooter is a special unit it that you can capture Cargo ships with it and also you can turn any transport ship into a pirate ship if you say have too many transport ships and could use another Privateer.

Edit: Also, puting the Freebooter back in there drinking Rum was just a joke. They love Rum so of course they are gonna take all that you will give them:) After the time is up you should be getting a message, "A freebooter is drinking all your Rum!"

I wanted a way to limit the ability to Capture ships so having to turn a colonist into a freebooter over time is a means to do just that. If you have any ideas or suggestions on how the mechanics of any part of the Mod could be please feel free to post. All aspects of the Mod are still in the testing phase.

K, I'll check the code on the smuggle mission. When ever a unit does a Smuggling or Plunder Trade Routes mission it automatic changes the name to Smuggleing or Plundering in order to let the player know what the unit is doing. I will have a better way of this comming in the next update though.

Knickohr

Aug 01, 2009, 02:27 AM

Kailric

Aug 01, 2009, 07:37 AM

I started my first game with the Dutch Leader Captain Pieth Hein and got the same Crash to Desktop, after starting a game with one of the other Captains no crash occurs, even with my dutch Captain... :crazyeye:

So, let me get this straight, you started a game as Piet Hein and the game crashed? Then you started another game as another captain and it worked fine, and you can even start a game as Piet Hein now and no problems?

If the game crashes when you try to start a game or while playing take note of all the game settings and post any relevant information here. Post a saved game if possible.

If the game crashes during the loading screen take note at what point it crashes:

http://forums.civfanatics.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=223046&stc=1&d=1249130070

KJ Jansson

Aug 01, 2009, 10:27 AM

I loaded it fine. I put all the units to sleep, hit next turn- still all fine. Next turn- still no crash...

At what point does the game crash during loading? (I mean Python, XML, Engine, Fonts, etc.) Or does it crash after loading?

The mod itself can be loaded without problems. However, sometimes during saved game loading I have a crash to desktop. It's happen during "Setup Map", exactly before "Finishing" step. The map is one of that was included in the mod 0.40b.

I found also a very strange effect. Maybe this one can somehow find the reason of crash.

When I had a crash during save game loading, I rebooted my PC and tried to load the same saved game. Here I had absolutely the same crash on desktop again. After that I sent this file to Kailric as defected.

However, next day I could load this save file without problems. I change nothing in my PC configuration or in the game. Very strange.... :confused:

I have also one additional question-proposal.

After about 150-200 runs the privateer obtains all possible promotions, however the blue aura around such ship remains. This effect creates some discomfort. Maybe it is possible to disactive somehow this aura when no more promotions available.

Kailric

Aug 01, 2009, 11:05 AM

The mod itself can be loaded without problems. However, sometimes during saved game loading I have a crash to desktop. It's happen during "Setup Map", exactly before "Finishing" step. The map is one of that was included in the mod 0.40b.

I found also a very strange effect. Maybe this one can somehow find the reason of crash.

When I had a crash during save game loading, I rebooted my PC and tried to load the same saved game. Here I had absolutely the same crash on desktop again. After that I sent this file to Kailric as defected.

However, next day I could load this save file without problems. I change nothing in my PC configuration or in the game. Very strange.... :confused:

Map? I did not add any maps to the game on purpose. If there are maps I did not put them there. What map is it? Some of the units I use are more graphicly intense than the normal Col units so that may have something to do with it. Before you play I would suggestion a reboot. Maybe that would help, and also defrag or scandisk.

KJ Jansson

Aug 01, 2009, 12:04 PM

Map? I did not add any maps to the game on purpose. If there are maps I did not put them there. What map is it? Some of the units I use are more graphicly intense than the normal Col units so that may have something to do with it. Before you play I would suggestion a reboot. Maybe that would help, and also defrag or scandisk.

Sorry, you are right about maps. They are not included in your mod, however two maps are available when I play Privateers, Pirates, and Buccaneers 0.40b: "A New World" and "Caribbean". I used "A New World" and Piet Hein as a lider.

TC01

Aug 01, 2009, 03:53 PM

Sorry, you are right about maps. They are not included in your mod, however two maps are available when I play Privateers, Pirates, and Buccaneers 0.40b: "A New World" and "Caribbean". I used "A New World" and Piet Hein as a lider.

Well, they are the mapscripts for Colonization (official ones- there are some modder-made ones as well), so they should be available in every mod unless said mod restricts the use of public maps.

My Caribbean game as Mings (the English Captain) worked fine, no crashes...

KJ Jansson

Aug 01, 2009, 04:27 PM

Well, they are the mapscripts for Colonization (official ones- there are some modder-made ones as well), so they should be available in every mod unless said mod restricts the use of public maps.

My Caribbean game as Mings (the English Captain) worked fine, no crashes...

Yes, I know about maps.

However to my opinion, the Caribbean map looks very bad. Northern semisphere is pactically empty, cental part also. Do you know a better and more close to reality map of Caribbean region?

Knickohr

Aug 03, 2009, 04:18 AM

So, let me get this straight, you started a game as Piet Hein and the game crashed? Then you started another game as another captain and it worked fine, and you can even start a game as Piet Hein now and no problems?

If the game crashes when you try to start a game or while playing take note of all the game settings and post any relevant information here. Post a saved game if possible.

If the game crashes during the loading screen take note at what point it crashes

No its the same Problem KJ Jansson described it.
Start with Dutch Captain.
Play with Dutch Captain.
Save Game, no Problems till now.
Load the save Game. On "Setup Maps" the Game crashes.
New Game with Piet Hein->same Problem.
Then the same procedure with the english captain and everything goes fine.I overwrote the first savegames, im sorry. And now i cant reproduce the crash...

Great Mod btw. I love it, because it not just tweaking but gives a new Game Experience as the "pirat way to play". Thanx for that.

Kailric

Aug 03, 2009, 07:27 AM

No its the same Problem KJ Jansson described it.
Start with Dutch Captain.
Play with Dutch Captain.
Save Game, no Problems till now.
Load the save Game. On "Setup Maps" the Game crashes.
New Game with Piet Hein->same Problem.
Then the same procedure with the english captain and everything goes fine.I overwrote the first savegames, im sorry. And now i cant reproduce the crash...

Great Mod btw. I love it, because it not just tweaking but gives a new Game Experience as the "pirat way to play". Thanx for that.

"When I was knee high to a rum barrel, me da wanted me to join the "Royal Navy", but I found a better way... the Pyrates way, hahahaha, give'em a broadsides boys!" :goodjob:

Thanks for the bug report. Hmmm, next time if the game crashes make a save of all your autosaved games in another folder first thing. Then post that for me ok.

Glad you like the mod. Hopefullly, in the next update I'll have it set up so you can play as a "Pirate Confederation". These Leaders will offer you another mode to play in as you don't have a "King" to answer to. Long live the :king:... :lol:

KJ Jansson

Aug 03, 2009, 04:04 PM

Hmmm, next time if the game crashes make a save of all your autosaved games in another folder first thing. Then post that for me ok.

Concerning the error with loading of saved files in your mod I found on one of forums quite simple recommendation. This advice was related to one combined mod (http://rapidshare.com/files/263115149/Terra_Incognita.rar) where "Privateers, Pirates, and Buccaneers 0.40a" where included as one of component part.

The advice is elementary simple. After desktop crash
- switch off computer,
- after few minutes switch on PC,
- load your mod and then the saved file where error happens during loading.

As result the "psevdo-defected" file could be loaded without problems. I tried this method on my files where I had crash on desktop and can confirm the successful loading.

Therefore, I don't think you could find reason of this error in the files that will be send you. At least my "defected" file you and TC01 could load without problems.

Kailric

Aug 04, 2009, 12:36 AM

Concerning the error with loading of saved files in your mod I found on one of forums quite simple recommendation. This advice was related to one combined mod (http://rapidshare.com/files/263115149/Terra_Incognita.rar) where "Privateers, Pirates, and Buccaneers 0.40a" where included as one of component part.

The advice is elementary simple. After desktop crash
- switch off computer,
- after few minutes switch on PC,
- load your mod and then the saved file where error happens during loading.

As result the "psevdo-defected" file could be loaded without problems. I tried this method on my files where I had crash on desktop and can confirm the successful loading.

Therefore, I don't think you could find reason of this error in the files that will be send you. At least my "defected" file you and TC01 could load without problems.

Thanks for this post! Any Idea why this error happens? I'll add this info to the main screen soon.

What all mods are in Terra_Incognita? What language is that posted in? I'll download it and check it out.

KJ Jansson

Aug 04, 2009, 02:29 AM

Any Idea why this error happens? I'll add this info to the main screen soon.

Probably, you are right here:

Some of the units I use are more graphicly intense than the normal Col units so that may have something to do with it.

and something wrong with graphics. Maybe something else. I don't know. To my opinion only if similar to my and Knickohr's desktop crash happens on your computer you could catch the real reason. Any sent you files containing such pseudo-defect couldn't help.

What all mods are in Terra_Incognita? What language is that posted in? I'll download it and check it out.

Information and a lot of screenshots about Terra Incognita is available here (http://www.civfanatics.ru/forum/index.php?showtopic=9710). Language on that forum is Russian.
I understand both English and Russian a little bit and here a very information about this mod.

Mod "Terra Incognita (http://rapidshare.com/files/263115149/Terra_Incognita.rar)" is available only in English and required CivIVCol + 1.01f patch.

This mod is a combination of a number of various modes, including

- Privateers, Pirates, and Buccaneers 0.40а alpha DEBUG version (http://forums.civfanatics.com/showthread.php?t=312206),
- Plantation Economy v0.9 BETA - released june 15 2009 (http://forums.civfanatics.com/showthread.php?t=320916),
- Better Looking Units BLUMod 0_6 (http://forums.civfanatics.com/showthread.php?t=316396),
- 2-Plots City Radius (http://www.civfanatics.ru/forum/index.php?showtopic=8475),
- some elements from Triangle Trade (http://forums.civfanatics.com/showthread.php?t=295813) mod,
- Europe Screen Release 5.0 beta 1 (http://forums.civfanatics.com/showthread.php?t=314294&page=4),
- a number of ideas from "Letter of Marque (http://www.civfanatics.ru/forum/index.php?showtopic=9065)" mod,
- graphic works of King MB, Writing Bull, Fankman aka Terence Hill from German forum (http://www.civforum.de/forumdisplay.php?f=273).
- Planet_Generator_0_68.py, FaireWeatherTweak and a number of scenaries.

Plus a number of features like:

- regeneration of map in the beginning,
- both treasures cannot discover a map,
- possibility to take some money as credit,
- selling ships in Europe,
- possibility to bypass King's embargo in Europe,
- return from Europe in the required city,
- civilians refuse to destroy goods after the King's embargo to buy/sell,
- original city infrastructure system where no building except Basecamp is available in the beginning,
- each building required wood, tools and some special materials to be constructed,
- modified system of European prices and their changes,
etc. etc....

/Sorry, too many information on that forum to translate all/

Kailric

Aug 07, 2009, 05:58 PM

I been working on the next update. Fixed several of the minor bugs and I have added lots of content. Here are some things to come...

Enter the Corsairs!!
Get to play as the Barbary Corsairs or their Arch Rivals the Knights of Malta. The Knights have been given Commission by the Spanish King while the Corsairs hold allegiance to the Ottoman Empire and their Islamic faith. These two powers go head to head in their Crusade to rid the known world of all Infidels and, of course, loot plunder :)

These two offer a slightly different features and experience than the European pirates with Different Units and different traits.

Want to go all out Pirate? Now you can..

Enter the Cicilian Pirate Confederation:

The Cicilians controlled the largest Pirate confederation of all time. Causing havoc all throughout the Mediterranean. It took the might of the Roman Empire to finally put and end to their raids. But now they are back.

These Pirates offer a whole new Experience. You can no longer trade with Europe as normal, nor do you collect Crosses, Liberty Bells or have Immigration. You will be limited to founding only one settlement. You will be able to Capture other Colonists on land and from ships. These units will be labeled as slaves and will not be as efficient as freemen, but You will be able to purchase their freedom in one or two ways. You will also be able to capture Cities.

Also, in order to "trade with Europe" you must enter a friendly city with a ship and command the unit to make port. Then you will be given access to the Europe screen. Here you can trade with that nations Europe but with certain restrictions. If you have slaves you can sell them here also. Experts and Masters go for higher price than other colonist.

Victory Conditions are slightly different. The other Nations about will be amassing an Expedition force to eradicate you. You must build up your Empire and your Fleet especially for when they attack, you must Keep at least one ship alive and you must Defeat their Navy in order to win.

Lots of other tweaks and features will be coming as well.. stay tuned!

kaibayashi

Aug 08, 2009, 05:35 AM

Sounds cool... when do you think you'll release it??

Kailric

Aug 08, 2009, 05:49 AM

Sounds cool... when do you think you'll release it??

Good question. As they say. "when its ready" :p.

Maybe, tomorrow, but I may not have the Cicilians up and running yet cause there is still a lot to do but I may just realease everything else.

I also plain to add the Vikings as a Pirate Confederation. If the Vickings weren't pirates then nobody was. I want to add a way for any of the other Leaders to be played as a Pirate Confederation as well.

Anyway, we'll see....

TC01

Aug 08, 2009, 09:19 AM

I also plain to add the Vikings as a Pirate Confederation. If the Vickings weren't pirates then nobody was. I want to add a way for any of the other Leaders to be played as a Pirate Confederation as well.

I'm wondering if a Viking scenario might be better then adding them as a regular civ? Vikings were long gone by 1492...

Kailric

Aug 08, 2009, 12:14 PM

I'm wondering if a Viking scenario might be better then adding them as a regular civ? Vikings were long gone by 1492...

Yeah, they started fizziling out about the 11th century. I am encluding them and the Cicilians for two reasons. One for scenarios as you mentioned and two just cause they where a large thriving Pirate Community. They want be playble by the AI until a scenrio is create for them. The Cicilians would be a great addition to the Mare Nostrum mod however.

TC01

Aug 08, 2009, 07:16 PM

Yeah, they started fizziling out about the 11th century. I am encluding them and the Cicilians for two reasons. One for scenarios as you mentioned and two just cause they where a large thriving Pirate Community. They want be playble by the AI until a scenrio is create for them. The Cicilians would be a great addition to the Mare Nostrum mod however.

That would be a good idea. Why don't you suggest it in the Mare Nostrum forum?

Kailric

Aug 09, 2009, 10:10 PM

That would be a good idea. Why don't you suggest it in the Mare Nostrum forum?

I will once a get a version up and running thats fun to play :)

Well I didn't get as much done today as I would have liked. A lot father along though. Been working on the Malta Knights. They where based in Malta of course and given charter by the King of Sicily. There they took action against the Muslims and especially the Barbary Pirates sometime around 1530, so that puts them right on time for the setting of Colonization. They took too many liberties though and soon people where calling them "Corsairs parading crosses".

In the next update, the Malta knights and the Barbary Corsairs will add the ability to Capture Colonists. These colonists will be labeled as "Enslaved". They will work at half the efficiency and want be able to create bells, crosses, or education.... but you can place them in a Temple or Monastery (the new Special Buildings for the Knights and Muslim Corsairs). There they want generate crosses instead there will be a chance each turn that they will Convert and accept the one true faith and be as regular Colonist.

Thats some more of whats coming in the next update...

sergunchik

Aug 16, 2009, 05:20 AM

Kailric

Aug 16, 2009, 08:39 AM

Hi guys!I think the mod is succeed, gameplay is fantastic, but developing naval line too far, you quite fogot land units, I do not entirely see how to do this, maybe use generals to promote single unit into cavaleria squadron or regiment and so so. One more, I think artillery play too low role, we have use them to defend citys from naval units. Thats what I think all about the mod.

Thanks for your input. Yes I agree the Naval line overshadows the land combat now in the mod. Thats a good idea though about Generals promoting units. Its hard enough to make time to mod the Naval aspect. Maybe someone else will mod the Land combat someday.

Cannons defending a fortress from naval attacks is a good idea as well. Both your ideas are duely noted!

Kailric

Aug 16, 2009, 10:31 PM

I just uploaded 0.5 for testing. See the first post for details.

KJ Jansson

Aug 17, 2009, 05:06 AM

I just uploaded 0.5 for testing. See the first post for details.
Great mod! A lot of interesting elements. Good luck in development.

No problems during loading, however I found one strange thing. Please, see set of screens.

My ship attacks a French caravel.

http://img200.imageshack.us/img200/3759/clipboard01chn.th.jpg (http://img200.imageshack.us/img200/3759/clipboard01chn.jpg)

In the end of battle a message appears:

http://img33.imageshack.us/img33/9821/clipboard02zwn.th.jpg (http://img33.imageshack.us/img33/9821/clipboard02zwn.jpg)

Answer "Yes", my Freebooter disappears (as should be)

http://img197.imageshack.us/img197/8871/clipboard03s.th.jpg (http://img197.imageshack.us/img197/8871/clipboard03s.jpg)

but where is my just-captured caravel?

The caravel is really absent.

http://img197.imageshack.us/img197/4079/clipboard04r.th.jpg (http://img197.imageshack.us/img197/4079/clipboard04r.jpg)

I lost not only my Freebooter and caravel, but also possible loot and colonists from this ship.

I guess this is a bug.

Kailric

Aug 17, 2009, 06:14 AM

Great mod! A lot of interesting elements. Good luck in development.

No problems during loading, however I found one strange thing. Please, see set of screens.

Thanks for the report. I am uploading a fix as I write this. You can't capture slaves until a Nation has its first city going but there was a bug that prevented captureing ships as well. That has been fixed. Also, the Slaver promotion now requires Looter and Veteran I. The new upload should be ready after about 30-40min after this post.

Knickohr

Aug 17, 2009, 09:55 AM

got him again, the crash on loading a savegame. Tried the mentioned workaround but it doesnt help.

Problemsignatur:
Problemereignisname: APPCRASH
Anwendungsname: Colonization.exe
Anwendungsversion: 1.0.0.1
Anwendungszeitstempel: 49a88196
Fehlermodulname: CvGameCoreDLL.dll
Fehlermodulversion: 0.0.0.0
Fehlermodulzeitstempel: 4a89301c
Ausnahmecode: c0000005
Ausnahmeoffset: 0010ef2c
Betriebsystemversion: 6.0.6001.2.1.0.256.1
Gebietsschema-ID: 1031
Zusatzinformation 1: 35e3
Zusatzinformation 2: 37f4ec5d58068873a21f2805e6aa528f
Zusatzinformation 3: 4f85
Zusatzinformation 4: 20abe835967c4126a1ea4eef143cab78

riddleofsteel

Aug 17, 2009, 11:21 AM

Would it be fairly simple for me to merge this new version into Terra Incognita or should I wait?

Kailric

Aug 17, 2009, 02:04 PM

got him again, the crash on loading a savegame. Tried the mentioned workaround but it doesnt help.

I down loaded the save and it started up just fine for me. It may have something to do with the new Units and your graphics card. Is everything up to date? Try a game without useing the new Privateering Captains as the Vanilla Leaders's units are the same as the normal game and the AI should not be useing "Buccaneer" units and see if you can save and load just.

Would it be fairly simple for me to merge this new version into Terra Incognita or should I wait?

I would wait a few days and see if there are any major bugs present or play through a game yourself and make sure there isn't anything that needs to be fix. But you can do as you please when ever you please :goodjob:

Kailric

Aug 20, 2009, 08:01 PM

Just uploaded a patched version, link is on first page.

Version 0.5b
-Fix an error that prevented all Privateers from getting all the new Crew Promotions.
- Difficulty settings now effect how early and how often the AI gets new ships. There is a new attribute in the Handicapinfos.xml that effects this, the lower the easier. The settings should go from 0 to 130;
<iPrivateerReinforcements>50</iPrivateerReinforcements>

incognet

Aug 27, 2009, 03:30 AM

Kailric

Aug 27, 2009, 06:41 AM

Hello everyone... I think that I have an error to report:

while the pirate-affiliation of my cities is about 130%, I have not received the option to build a smugglers inn/buccaneers den. I have plenty of run, and a "dread pirate" with one of the aforementioned cities as his home port... am I missing something?? Thanks in advance...
Hey, thanks for the report. I uploaded a quickfix for this error. The Civ4BuildingInfos.XML just needs to be changed. The file is linked below:

Bug Report Update: 8/17
Download quickfix patch here (http://forums.civfanatics.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=225885&stc=1&d=1251373062) for v0.5b Alpha . Fixes error of no being able to build your first Smuggler's Inn

incognet

Aug 27, 2009, 03:23 PM

Kailric

Aug 27, 2009, 03:29 PM

Thanks for your prompt reply... copied/pasted the relevant file, but it produced a string of error-message the next time I booted Colonization. I tried to reproduce these messages, but they only appeared once...

As for the game, it appears unchanged.... both on saved files, and when I choose a fresh start. 'Still cannot build a smuggler's inn...

Are you running the most current download. The mod folder should say "Privateer Mod V 0.5" and you need the V 0.5b? I will upload the patched version shortly. It will be V0.5c, look for it being announced on the first post.

incognet

Aug 27, 2009, 03:41 PM

Kailric

Aug 27, 2009, 04:01 PM

I re-installed Colonization & your mod... both appear to be working correctly, and the smuggler's inn is now visible :) As a longtime fan of "Pirates" (played the 1st back in '87), I'm especially keen on your work... keep it up!

Hey, I am a big fan of "Pirates" as well. Had tons of fun playing those titles. I bet thats what really has inspired me to make this mod. I am uploading an updated version now that just fixes the error you reported so you want need to download it. Keep an eye on this thread for future updates and happy hunting on the account :goodjob:

incognet

Aug 27, 2009, 10:52 PM

Hi Kailric, I wanted to list a few suggestions (mostly play-balancing):

1) My starting privateer seems to level-up much to quickly... he's pretty much unstoppable after 30-40 turns, even if I don't use infamy upgrades. Perhaps you should reduce the EXP progression?

2) Pirate hunters are too weak... and seem to just "hover" near a single port. A possible solution (?)= have them appear in squadrons, rather than singly... Or, have them sail in Man-o-Wars...

3) I'm able to pick off AI-controlled privateers with great ease... especially when they spawn 4-6 spaces from my ports! Could you adjust their spawn-location, or scale up their experience to match the player-controlled privateers?

4) After less than 100 turns, the scenario becomes a "victory march": I have 4 cities, a combined population of 30+, and a dread-pirate squadron. The french have been eliminated, the English have a single population point, and the Spanish have 3 small cities (up in N. Canada). This is on "Governor" diff. level... I'm not certain what all the contributing factors are; I haven't even been particularly aggressive.

'Hope I don't seem too critical... I really like what you've coded thus far!

Kailric

Aug 28, 2009, 06:36 AM

'Hope I don't seem too critical... I really like what you've coded thus far!

Hey, you wasn't too critical at all. Thats what I want to hear about the balancing. Does it make it too easy as, you say, is what I want to know. I have played a game where the AI gets ahead of me with a Dread Pirate and just appears at random and beats me down so many times that I can't even get started really. So, each game has a chance of turning out different, maybe. And it depends on who your Leader is. Like Piet gets an Experience boost to Privateersmen and Pirates. So if you had him as a leader then you would defiantly gain xp faster?

I do need to adjust the Pirate Hunters. I'll do that for the next update and have it based on difficulty level. They should grow in strength as Time progresses.

The AI controlled Privateers Spawn at the Starting Location of the AI Leader. So you probably set up your Towns close to those spawn points. I can probably have them spawn at a more secluded area though. I'll look into that.

Was you able to capture a lot of slaves? Did that contribute to your population increase? I haven't really adjust the AI to take advantage of the New rules at this point either. I am mostly concerned with no Bugs from the players actions cause once you start to edit the AI it gets harder to find bugs. But I'll be updating the AI as I go along.

Thanks again for the feedback. I defiantly want to keep the game challenging so any more suggestions you have on that is much appreciated.

arkham4269

Sep 04, 2009, 06:32 PM

Kailric

Sep 04, 2009, 10:45 PM

Two things.

Where do you get the patches? I found the Quick-Fix but not patch C.

Second, (which may have been fixed in the patches) when I visited the Apache Chief (heh-heh-heh) I didn't get a pop-up, just the money and/or artifact.

Plus originally the game started with only one tile to Europe stuck in a corner. Two of the three tiles out of that tile where blocked by ice. The Dutch where stuck there for a few turns till I noticed it and deleted the ice via the Worldbuilder

There are no patches at the moment. v0.5c is the Full Version. Just download it and unzip it into your mods folder and thats all you need. If you tried to patch it you should just delete the version you have and reinstall the v0.5c.

By "pop up" are you refering to the Diplomacy screen that pops up when you choose to "Speak with Chief" and he tells you what profession you can learn and what they are in need of?

There was only 1 tile to Europe on the whole map? Did you start the game as normal with the A_NEW_WORLD map? Or did you use a custom map? The mod has no maps of its own so not all custom maps may work with the mod.

Androrc the Orc

Sep 05, 2009, 09:21 AM

Help Wanted!
If anyone out there would like to help translate the text files into any other languge that would be very much apprieciated!

I can translate the text files to Portuguese ;)

Kailric

Sep 05, 2009, 10:18 AM

I can translate the text files to Portuguese ;)

Well is Portuguese one of the Selection languages? If not then maybe we can add it somehow? I have never done that before and don't know what it would entitle. I can look into it though and get back with you on that.

Thanks for your offer to help!

Androrc the Orc

Sep 05, 2009, 10:23 AM

Well is Portuguese one of the Selection languages? If not then maybe we can add it somehow? I have never done that before and don't know what it would entitle. I can look into it though and get back with you on that.

Thanks for your offer to help!

If I remember correctly, it isn't, but it can be changed by XML editing.

EDIT:

This definition in GlobalDefines.xml seems to indicate that new languages can be set elsewhere:

<Define>
<DefineName>MAX_NUM_LANGUAGES</DefineName>
<iDefineIntVal>100</iDefineIntVal>
</Define>

Kailric

Sep 05, 2009, 10:43 AM

If I remember correctly, it isn't, but it can be changed by XML editing.

EDIT:

This definition in GlobalDefines.xml seems to indicate that new languages can be set elsewhere:

<Define>
<DefineName>MAX_NUM_LANGUAGES</DefineName>
<iDefineIntVal>100</iDefineIntVal>
</Define>

K, cool. I am sure we can figure out how its all done then so by all means translate them and I will assuredly add them in next update. Note though that some of the "TEXT_KEYS" are not all set in the CIV4GameText_TKText xml files. Like the below command description and help text is in the PrivateerMod_CIV4CommandInfos.xml itself. A lot of the new commands and such are like this as I haven't taken the time to set up text keys for them all. So, if you have the time you could add those text keys to the CIV4GameText_TKText for English and for Portuguese. I'll be sure to post your name in the Credits for any help you may offer though :)

Examle:

<CommandInfo>
<Type>COMMAND_LETTER_OF_MARQUE</Type>
<Description>Issue Letter of Marque</Description>
<Help>Give permission for this vessel to attack foreign shipping. Cost to outfit the ship for privateering depends on the class of the ship.</Help>
<HotKey/>

arkham4269

Sep 05, 2009, 11:54 AM

By "pop up" are you referring to the Diplomacy screen that pops up when you choose to "Speak with Chief" and he tells you what profession you can learn and what they are in need of?

Exactly, I got the message in the top middle of what the outcome of the meeting was, but didn't get the pop-up where I actually see the Chief and have other options.

There was only 1 tile to Europe on the whole map? Did you start the game as normal with the A_NEW_WORLD map? Or did you use a custom map? The mod has no maps of its own so not all custom maps may work with the mod.

Whoops! Yes, I'm using neat Continents map by TC01 which I really like. I wonder if that's why I'm also having crash problems even with doing the turn-off, wait, reboot actions. I take it I should start a new game w/the A_NEW_WORLD map for now?

arkham4269

Sep 05, 2009, 11:59 AM

Kailric

Sep 05, 2009, 12:14 PM

I have a really stupid request. No, I mean it; it's really stupid. :p

Is there any way you can include what ever script (or whatever) that Civ IV mods like Rise of Mankind or Legends of the Revolution use to allow you to rename individual units? It would be sort of nice to be able to name all you privateers w/unique names.

Actually it's too bad that Col2 probably couldn't use something like the Revolution mod to handle problems in a colony when some cities are for independence and others aren't. I've always thought it would be interesting (and I posted this I think on a AoDII thread) that there should be a "Tory" victory where if there was some mechanism to have a a pop-up when enough cities are ready to go, that you'd could either lead the revolution or take over the loyal Tory cities. Of course I think that would work better if you also had the industrial and economic victory conditions as well. Just a thought.

Yeah, play the game on the default map and see how things go on there. And by "rename individual units" do you mean like automatically? Cause you can manually rename all your units to what ever already. And my mod will rename a Privateer once they "Make a name for themselves", that is reach a certain Infamy level.

I have downloaded those mods that automaticlly rename units but its a really complicated system and not sure what all it will take to get it into Col.

arkham4269

Sep 05, 2009, 01:05 PM

Kailric

Sep 05, 2009, 01:40 PM

I'm still having crash problems with the fix and after shutting down, waiting then rebooting. It doesn't matter what I do. I start the game up again, it gets to where it almost loads then crashes.

I'm playing via Steam on a Vista box.

I just downloaded your saved game and was able to load the save game just fine. So, do me a favor and play a game just using the standard Leaders so you don't get any "Freebooter" units to start with and see if you can save and load the game that way. I believe the error has something to do with one of the "Freebooter" units maybe. If it does maybe I can change out the art with another unit for systems that can't handle the freebooter unit.

Edit: you don't need to play as a Privateer Leader to take advantage of all the features of the game. Privateer leaders only change the starting units and leader traits.

arkham4269

Sep 05, 2009, 07:14 PM

I just downloaded your saved game and was able to load the save game just fine. So, do me a favor and play a game just using the standard Leaders so you don't get any "Freebooter" units to start with and see if you can save and load the game that way. I believe the error has something to do with one of the "Freebooter" units maybe. If it does maybe I can change out the art with another unit for systems that can't handle the freebooter unit.

Edit: you don't need to play as a Privateer Leader to take advantage of all the features of the game. Privateer leaders only change the starting units and leader traits.

Okay, it may be a bit. The long weekend will probably prompt my wife to actually make me do something other than gaming (:eek:) and then I start college (again) on Wednesday! Hopefully I can get in an hour or two tomorrow night to see if I can get it to work.

K25

Sep 07, 2009, 01:58 PM

K25

Sep 07, 2009, 02:33 PM

I should also point out that the leaderheads are ALSO not shown in the diplomacy screen making it IMPOSSIBLE to sue for peace or to trade.. many things go wrong with this being like this.

Kailric

Sep 07, 2009, 07:05 PM

I think I saw someone else had this problem with just the Apache leader but its for all the indians for me. Unless I plop a village down right next to an indian village I don't hear anything. I sent scouts all over and met every village and I got the money and things and found out what they wanted and what they could train in but only threw the graphic picutre not the leader pop up. The only one that worked was the Sioux and that was only the village RIGHT next to city. I wanted to train some cotton planter and sugar planters there in the indian villages because unless I'm wrong I can't get them in Europe. I click on the button to live there and nothing happens then I take them OUT and next turn put bak in and I get the popup sayin Live among natives etc etc and when i click it.. nothing still. Maybe I need to activate something? Please let me know. Also, I tried a fresh map with just world builder and just plopped down colonists to test it out so i know its not just the exact game i was in. Please let me know I really like this MOD!

Hey, thanks for this report. I may have left some "testing code" in the dll that would cause this. Regardless, something is obviously wrong and I'll fix this asap. I'll post an updated version with the fix in the next couple days so look for that. Things are really busy for me now, but maybe I can post the fix tomorrow eveing. K, thanks again for this post.

I should also point out that the leaderheads are ALSO not shown in the diplomacy screen making it IMPOSSIBLE to sue for peace or to trade.. many things go wrong with this being like this.

Ok, if at all possible I'll post a fix for this tomorrow evening.

Kailric

Sep 08, 2009, 08:59 AM

I took sometime this morning and isolated the bug and zapped it. I just uploaded a patch for v0.5c

To get the patch from v0.5c to v0.5d follow the link below:

Patch for Version 0.5c to 0.5d (http://forums.civfanatics.com/downloads.php?do=file&id=13210)

I will also have a full patched version uploaded soon.

mastrude

Sep 19, 2009, 10:33 AM

Kailric

Sep 19, 2009, 01:43 PM

I LOVE this mod. I've had enormous fun trying it. I do have a question though--I've been completely unable to figure out how smuggling works. I built a smugglers inn. I tried to figure out how to re-profession criminals in it, as smugglers, but there's no mechanism I could find. Who do you have to move into the tavern? What buttons do you push then? When you have a smuggler and you put him on a ship, does that become a smuggling ship?

Is a buccaneer's tavern also able to instigate smuggling assignments, as well as a smuggler's inn?

I also built a smuggler's cove. It appears that this is a building within the city. I couldn't move any people into it ever. What buttons do you push to smuggle goods?

Or is all this just not coded yet?

Hey, glad you like the mod.

The buildings works as follows:

Smuggler's Inn and Buccaneer's Tavern simply convert Colonist to the Freebooter unit. Freebooters are special units that have extra commands over your normal colonist. They can board Privateers and while on board if your Privateer defeats a merchant ship they can capture it. They can also convert Merchant ships to a Pirate ship. Freebooter's have a different set of Professions as well that they can become. They can also steal canoes from natives. The Canoe can be used to highjack ships if you can get close enough to them.

The Smuggler's Cove requires a Warehouse Expansion and also the town must have 100% pirate affliation. Once built you put Pirate Ships to work here smuggling goods that your King has Contraband. Only Pirate ships can work here not Colonist or Privateersman.

For Example, you could turn a Free Colonist into a Freebooter by placeing the Free Colonist in a Smuggler's Inn. Now load your Freebooter into a Merchant ship and you will see the command to Convert to Pirate. Once the Ship is Converted to a Pirate Ship it can then be placed in a Smuggler's Cove by moving the ship over a city and selecting "Change Profession".

There are a few Pedia entrys on some of the New concepts refer to those for other info.

Hope this helps, any more questions just ask.

mastrude

Sep 19, 2009, 07:15 PM

mastrude

Sep 19, 2009, 07:36 PM

Deleted -- too dumb.

mastrude

Sep 19, 2009, 08:09 PM

Uh... Thought you might enjoy this:

I am the Pirate King
By WS Gilbert

Oh, better far to live and die
Under the brave black flag I fly,
Then play a hypocritical part
With a pirate head and a pirate heart.
Away to the world across the seas,
Where pirates all have law degrees,
But I'll be true to the song I sing
And live and die a pirate king.

Chorus:
For I am a pirate king (You are, hurrah for a pirate king).
And it is, it is a glorious thing to be the Pirate King.
I am a Pirate King (You are, hurrah for the pirate king).
And it is, it is a glorious thing to be the Pirate King.
(It is, hurrah for a pirate king, hurrah for the Pirate King)

When I venture forth to seek my prey,
I crush my foes in a royal way.
The ladies yield and the ships go down,
Or is it the other way around?
But many a king in a guilded tower,
If he wants to cling to pomp and power,
Must manage somehow to get through
More dirty work than ever I do.

Kailric

Sep 20, 2009, 01:46 PM

Thanks very much.

I'm still puzzled though and smuggling isn't working for me. You said: "Only Pirate ships can work here not Colonist or Privateersman." A privateersman or sea rover is already a pirate ship, right? I tried converting a caravel to pirate, and this seems to have worked. The ship has a little pirate icon although it's still called a caravel. But I still can't undertake smuggling missions from the smuggler's port. Do you have to set the ship for automation somehow? I load goods to smuggle onto the ship, and I see the icon to smuggle greyed out, though there is rum on board.

What unit can go into to Smuggler's Port on the city screen? I don't seem to be able to move freebooters in there. I don't seem to be able to convert freebooters into smugglers either by a profession change.

You talked about a city as a "pirate haven". I have a smuggler's inn or buccaneer's den, a pirate cove etc. Nothing about the city identifies it as a pirate haven but it seems to be working as one--I can build privateers, make freebooters, and defeated pirates can go here. So it's a pirate haven, right? What do you need to have a pirate haven?

Also, I suggest somewhere in the game concepts you refer to freebooters as "prize captains". It took me a long time to figure out that a major function of these guys is to take over ships.

Hope this is clear. Again, thanks for a great mod.

Ok, I see what the problem is. For one thing this mod is still in the development/testing phase. So what you are seeing may be an error. Also, there is just so much to this mod and I am the only one working on it so I can miss things easily. If I make a small change here it can effect the other parts of the game I didn't realize. That why I need testers such as yourself so thanks for reporting this.

So, you can see in the below pic I have coverted a Galleon to a Pirate Ship using my Freebooter. Pirate Ships are different than Privateersmen. Privateersmen can be purchased and are assumed to be working under a "Letter of Marque" while a Pirate is not and is free to attack whom ever when ever. In game purposes both units can attack whom ever when ever but only Pirate Ships can perform certain missions such as the smuggle goods.

http://forums.civfanatics.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=228501&stc=1&d=1253471631

I tested somethings just now and the Smuggler good mission and the Smuggler's Port is not working properly so I will fix this asap and post an update.

Another problem is I have changed so much from when I first started this mod. The Names I have given certain buildings have changed and even I get confused sometimes. A "Pirate Haven" would be when you have a Buccaneer's Den built. This Building allows your Pirates and Privateersman to use that city as an Evasion city.

But you are right there needs to be more info written up about the Units and such. This is all a work in progress. So bare with me here.

PS Thanks for the Pirate King song, thats cool!

mastrude

Sep 21, 2009, 01:57 AM

Playing yesterday, I didn't see a pirate Spanish leader. Is that correct?

Kailric

Sep 29, 2009, 10:49 AM

Playing yesterday, I didn't see a pirate Spanish leader. Is that correct?

Yes, that is correct. As of yet I haven't found an appropriate Spanish Captain for such a role. I have plans to add Pedro de Menendez de Avilles as a new Leader for Spain except he want be portrayed as a "Buccaneer Captain" but rather a "Pirate Hunter" with bonuses designed for anti piracy. Captain Avilles was the Spanish Pirate Hunter who routed the French Huguenots from Fort Caroline in 1565. He also founded a colony in Florida that he named St. Augustine.

I may also add the Knights of Malta as a Spanish Leader as the Knights where granted control of Malta by Emperor Charles V of Spain.

If you have any ideas for a Spanish Buccaneer leader please feel free to let me know.

KJ Jansson

Sep 29, 2009, 12:11 PM

If you have any ideas for a Spanish Buccaneer leader please feel free to let me know.
Here one of possible candidates:

http://www.cancun.com/Isla_Mujeres/

Also worth visiting are the Turtle Protection Center, committed to the preservation of this endangered species, and the remains of the famous pirate Fermin Antonio de Mundaca's estate. Mundaca, who was a dreaded Spanish buccaneer and slave trader, plundered the Caribbean for years until he eventually decided to settle here, and according to legend, he later fell madly in love with a Mayan Indian girl, who rejected him and left him heartbroken and depressed for the rest of his life.

Kailric

Sep 29, 2009, 06:19 PM

Here one of possible candidates:[/url]

Thanks, I'll look into this one. I am uploading the next update. Not much is added new just fix some bugs and added a few more descriptions so the game will be easier to learn. It will be available for download sometime tonight.

Look for version 0.5e.

Androrc the Orc

Oct 04, 2009, 01:46 AM

Kailric

Oct 05, 2009, 06:23 PM

I am anxious to see what the features of the Barbary Pirates, the Sicilians and the Knights of Malta will be. :)

EDIT: Suggestion: How about making it so Rum, instead of being "equipped" by the Swashbuckler, is consumed when the unit becomes of that profession? (as in, the Rum doesn't return to the city if he changes profession later on)

Yeah, that is a good suggestion and was actually on the list of things to do but somehow got over looked. The problem with that would be that each time you change to Swashbuckler you lose 50 rum and never get it back as you always get back your horses for Dragoons. I could make it so that 25 rum is completely consumed instead of 50 to help balance it out though, or maybe some other idea.

I mentioned it in ealier posts but the main features of the Barbary pirates and the Knights will be how they deal with converting captured slaves. You must build a temple and put the slaves to work in the temple and there will be a chance each turn that the slave will convert and be a normal citizen. This is different from the other Civs as you just purchase their freedom. Also, all citizens of these Civs will be just like Freebooters are now. They will also have the Crusader trait that gives a bonus to Privateersmen and Pirates when they attack ships that the player is at war with.

The Cicilians (for ancient Mods) and Pirate Confederation leader Zheng Yi Sao of China for mods set in the current Col time frame will be of a different play style totally as you want be able trade with "Europe" but will have to find other means.

I am also looking forward to these changes but its a slow process at the moment. I am currently on a couple week vacation and want be able to do any coding till I get back.

Thanks for the encourement though and stay tuned :goodjob:

Kailric

Oct 27, 2009, 11:06 AM

Howdy all. Work is slowed down greatly on this but I am still here. My next update I plan to address issues in game balance and other suggestions by players posted above.

~Cheers

mastrude

Nov 11, 2009, 01:16 AM

Kailric

Nov 11, 2009, 07:11 AM

One comment I have on game balance: I think the pirates can really kill the colonies, especially if they can form flotillas. They can really suppress trade and delay victory so the other colonies will definitely lose.

Or the colonies can keep wiping out every new privateer, so the colonies win.

I don't think the game is unbalanced between pirate forces and the regular economy. But I think one or the other will win out based on a very few encounters, a few very high-stakes battles. This may not be so good. It's more fun in the outcome is in doubt for a long game.

I do think flotillas are too powerful and unbalance the game. It's almost impossible to kill them. I tried with 3 frigates in a group and failed.

Also, if you lose your dandy privateer early in the game, it's very difficult to raise up another one because the other colonies keep killing them before they can get any infamy and experience.

What do you guys think?

Hey, thanks for feedback. I am working on game balance atm actually. Thats something thats not easy to do as each player has his own playstyle and playstyles can effect how difficult the game is and also each game can have different outcomes. As one player was complaining that the game was too easy once he got a flotilla. So, flotillas as it seem will tip the balance heavily.

Hmm, we need away to balance out pirate flotillas... well in actual history when pirates become an extreme annoyance Kings would send out Pirate Hunters to track them down. Pirate hunter's got their man more times then not it would seem. I have this in the game actually but they are computer controlled so I am thinking that maybe if the player's colony keeps getting wrecked by Pirates then his king will issue him a Pirate hunter unit that he can control. This unit will be especially designed to deal with Flotillas. Once the Pirate Hunter's mark has been retired the unit then returns to his king.

How does something like that sound?

Dazio

Nov 11, 2009, 07:18 AM

Really good realization Kailric. I like very much your mod, very original. You had very good ideas. Congratulations!! I hope that you will continue ameliorating it.

mastrude

Nov 12, 2009, 12:23 AM

Hey, thanks for feedback...

I think your idea about Pirate Hunters is good. We need a way to kill flotillas and squadrons in those cases where a colony can build one or more.

I haven't seen many Pirate Hunters in the current game, and my recollection is that I could sink them fairly easily. Is that incorrect?

I think Pirate Hunters should be kind of mirror images of Flotillas. You could even change the terminology and speak of Pirate Flotillas and Hunter Flotillas. Likewise with Squadrons.

Also, maybe depart from history and have the colony able to build its own Hunter Flotillas in much the same way that Pirate Flotillas are built. Maybe Hunters should recover loot on pirate ships.

Thinking about game balance is making my head hurt, it's so complex, and I don't want to make too long a post here. I see three major issues in the mod. The first is this Flotilla thing we're discussing here.

The second is the knife-edge balance of the early game, where a single incident can make the pirates or merchants get the upper hand for a very long time, or permanently.

The third is the victory conditions. The focus of the Privateers mod is really different from vanilla Colonization. I think the focus is the fight between colonies and between the Pirates and the Merchants; Europe really doesn't have that much to do with this. In regular Colonization the aim is to declare independence from Europe and win the resulting war. The Privateers in the mod--do they really add a help to a colony in this overall aim? Or are they more a distraction--something that makes it harder to win against Europe? Just that much more to do in the limited time available. If that's true, maybe the initial and victory conditions in the Privateers mod should differ from vanilla Colonization.

I don't want my post to be too long, or to discuss too many different areas. I will see if I can find something intelligent to say about issues two and three in separate posts.

Kailric

Nov 12, 2009, 10:16 PM

I think your idea about Pirate Hunters is good. We need a way to kill flotillas and squadrons in those cases where a colony can build one or more.

I haven't seen many Pirate Hunters in the current game, and my recollection is that I could sink them fairly easily. Is that incorrect?

I think Pirate Hunters should be kind of mirror images of Flotillas. You could even change the terminology and speak of Pirate Flotillas and Hunter Flotillas. Likewise with Squadrons.

Also, maybe depart from history and have the colony able to build its own Hunter Flotillas in much the same way that Pirate Flotillas are built. Maybe Hunters should recover loot on pirate ships.

Thinking about game balance is making my head hurt, it's so complex, and I don't want to make too long a post here. I see three major issues in the mod. The first is this Flotilla thing we're discussing here.

The second is the knife-edge balance of the early game, where a single incident can make the pirates or merchants get the upper hand for a very long time, or permanently.

The third is the victory conditions. The focus of the Privateers mod is really different from vanilla Colonization. I think the focus is the fight between colonies and between the Pirates and the Merchants; Europe really doesn't have that much to do with this. In regular Colonization the aim is to declare independence from Europe and win the resulting war. The Privateers in the mod--do they really add a help to a colony in this overall aim? Or are they more a distraction--something that makes it harder to win against Europe? Just that much more to do in the limited time available. If that's true, maybe the initial and victory conditions in the Privateers mod should differ from vanilla Colonization.

I don't want my post to be too long, or to discuss too many different areas. I will see if I can find something intelligent to say about issues two and three in separate posts.

I slowly have been working on the next update. I do believe I have upgraded the current Pirate Hunters if not I will be sure to do that so they will be something to fear.

I have been thinking of creating a leveling system for Naval Ships as well. But in the mean time I could add in a Pirate Hunter Promotion that you could give to your Navy ships. This promotion would greatly increase their chances vs Pirates. That one addition could balance things out perhaps.

Also, the Spanish currently don't have a Buccaneer Captain you can play as.. I was actually thinking of adding in the Pirate Hunter Pedro de Menendez de Avilles as a Leader for Spain. Sense Spain was mostly the target of pirates back in the day it would seem to fit to add an anti-pirate as a leader. Pedro would also seem to fit as he actually founded a colony named St. Augustine which he used as a base and routed (executed) the French pirate Huguenots at Fort Caroline. He would have bonuses vs Pirates of course.

And yes I been thinking on new Victory conditions for this Mod as well. One victory condition could be to amass a certain amount of pirated loot by a certain date. Also, similar to the Revolution but on a different theme you could seek to gain a certain amount of Pirate Affiliation before time expires. Once you do, one of the other kings could declare war on you and send his forces to wipe out your pirate empire. You then must survive the ensuing onslaught.

K, thanks for your feedback. Hopefully I can get an update finished this weekend or by the first of next week.

Kailric

Nov 17, 2009, 07:06 PM

Well I made some changes but I changed the SDK of a previous version so now I have to move those changes over to the current version. :mad: Hopefully I'll get that done tomorrow and post the next update then.

Kailric

Nov 22, 2009, 02:30 PM

I finally got the next update uploaded, version 0.5f.

Changes for v 0.5f

-Fixed several bugs
-Freebooters now get a bonus to growing Sugar
-The Kings's Pirate Hunter has Combat Str of 10 and 100% bonus vs Pirates
-New Promotion for Naval units "Pirate Hunter" which gives 100% bonus vs Pirates

Play test this version and let me know if the changes help to balance things out please.

Nolan08

Dec 03, 2009, 10:21 PM

woot! like it!

Kailric

Dec 25, 2009, 12:41 PM

Patch V 0.5g
This patch fixes a bug where Privateersmen where getting double missions successful when attacking. Also, Missions successful should be award if a ship is captured. The changed source code is included. Just replace the old .dll with this new one in patch.

Patch Link: http://forums.civfanatics.com/attach...1&d=1261765861

ClasuSiosa

Jan 14, 2010, 09:37 PM

Is the patch now part of the main dl or do i still need some sort a patch?
Looks like a great mod. Definatly going 2 dl.

Arrrrrrr!!! Me maity and There she blows. Harrharr. etc...

Aymerick

Jan 17, 2010, 06:22 AM

Hey Kailric,

I'll say this again: Definitly the most fun mod around!!

But... I've got some bugs to report. I've seen here some people have had CTDs when loading saved games, that and others happend to me too...

I first got a CTD when leaving a game to the main menu so I looked into the logs. You've got some audio errors there that should be easy to fix... Here are the details:

[74580.875] ERR: FAudioManager::GetAudioTagIndex(): Could not find string SND_GREAT_CAPTAIN of TagId 0
[74580.875] ERR: FAudioManager::GetAudioTagIndex(): Could not find string SND_REALLY_BAD_EGGS of TagId 0
[74583.296] ERR: FAudioManager::GetAudioTagIndex(): Could not find string ASSS_COASTAL_PIRATE_HAVEN of TagId 5
[74584.109] ERR: FAudioManager::GetAudioTagIndex(): Could not find string AS3D_OTTOMAN_SELECT of TagId 4
[74584.109] ERR: FAudioManager::GetAudioTagIndex(): Could not find string AS3D_OTTOMAN_ORDER of TagId 4
[74584.109] ERR: FAudioManager::GetAudioTagIndex(): Could not find string AS3D_OTTOMAN_SELECT of TagId 4
[74584.109] ERR: FAudioManager::GetAudioTagIndex(): Could not find string AS3D_OTTOMAN_ORDER of TagId 4

And there's also these errors in the logs:

RESMGR: Texture Environment_Light-1.dds failed to load
RESMGR: Texture Environment_Light-1.dds failed to load
RESMGR: Texture teamcolor.bmp failed to load

I played for a while, saved and came back later but couldn't load my save game. I fixed the audio errors but still couldn't load any save games so I compiled a debug dll and started debuging.

I got this first Assert msg while loading the game:

Assert Failed

File: CvGlobals.cpp
Line: 2685
Expression: strcmp(szType, "NONE")==0 || strcmp(szType, "")==0
Message: info type UNIT_PLUNDERED_TREASURE not found, Current XML file is:

modules\privateermod\privateermod_civ4unitinfos.xm l

Seems like that unit type is missing... I fixed that and started debuging again and got these msgs:

Assert Failed

File: CvPlayerAI.cpp
Line: 7891
Expression: false
Message:

Assert Failed

File: CvUnit.cpp
Line: 14927
Expression: false
Message: Unit can not have profession

Assert Failed

File: CvUnit.cpp
Line: 15896
Expression: pTransportUnit->cargoSpaceAvailable(getSpecialUnitType(), getDomainType()) > 0 || getYield() != NO_YIELD
Message: Cargo space is expected to be available

Assert Failed

File: c:\program files (x86)\2k games\firaxis games\sid meier's civilization iv colonization\mods\privateer_mod_v0.5g\cvgamecoredl l\CvPlayerAI.h
Line: 24
Expression: ePlayer >= 0
Message: Player is not assigned a valid value

Assert Failed

File: CvInitCore.cpp
Line: 1456
Expression: eID < (32)
Message: Index in CvInitCore::getCiv expected to be < 32

I think you have some debuging left to do... BTW I'm playing v0.5g

Kailric

Jan 21, 2010, 03:10 PM

Is the patch now part of the main dl or do i still need some sort a patch?
Looks like a great mod. Definatly going 2 dl.

Arrrrrrr!!! Me maity and There she blows. Harrharr. etc...

You need the patch at the moment.

@ Aymerick

Thanks for the debugging info. I need to get what you got and learn how to use it to help debug this stuff so what do you have and how do I get it :)

I'll look into all the bugs you reported and make the changes asap.

ClasuSiosa

Jan 21, 2010, 05:44 PM

Ok thanks.
i lost my rar reader when my comp was rebuilt recently, so ill have to ask my dad what happened to it (and all my saves:sad:).

Kailric

Jan 22, 2010, 06:06 PM

Hey Kailric,
But... I've got some bugs to report.

I am looking into these bugs... Any chance you can post your saved game?

Aymerick

Jan 23, 2010, 06:31 AM

Hey Kailric,

Sorry I haven't kept the savegame, but every game I played ended the same way...

So for everyone's benefit here are some how-to's on logging and debugging:

Logs:
First open the "CivilizationIV.ini" in the "\Documents\My Games\Sid Meier's Civilization IV Colonization" folder, look for "LoggingEnabled" and set this to 1.

You may also want to change the CheatCode to "chipotle". Then by hitting the "~" key it'll open the console and there are many useful commands there. "Console.CreateDocumentation string fileName" will write all those in a file. I find the "Game.AIPlay int iNumTurns" the most useful.
Debugging:
I saw that you made your own logging system there Kailric. In debug mode you won't need that since you can replace those and add your own assertion and they will popup if conditions aren't met.

I'm using Visual Studio 2008 pro (Express works the same...).

So, first download Makefile/Instructions BTS 3.17 SDK/Debugging (http://forums.civfanatics.com/downloads.php?do=file&id=10018) and I'm posting the Makefile I've made here (http://forums.civfanatics.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=240854&stc=1&d=1264246395) where you can put the link to your mod's folder so the the dll will be copied there automaticaly.

Follow those instructions on how the setup the project.

But for running the debugger I have a better way:

Open the project's properties.
Make sure you have the Configuration drop down menu set to debug.
Goto "Configuration Properties/Debugging".
Put those values in there:

Command: Path to the "Colonization.exe"
Command Arguments: mod=\Your mod folder
Working Directory: Path to the "Sid Meier's Civilization IV Colonization" folder
Attach: No

Build your solution in Debug.

Once your solution is built, you can start the game directly from VS and add a Breakpoint anywhere you want the Debugger to stop. If a Assertion fails VS will break there.

Exemple:
Open your CvDLLButtonPopup.cpp and go to the line #958, the "case BUTTONPOPUP_RETURN_HOME:" in the "OnOkClicked".
Add a Breakpoint there (F9 or Debug menu/Toggle Breakpoint).
Next Start Debugging (F5 or Debug menu/Start Debugging), the game will load so you can start a new game and play a little until you can hit the Return Home button for one of your unit.
Once the Breakpoint has been hit the game freeze and you have VS taking over.
In the menu, Debug/Windows/Locals. In this window you can see the values of the variables declared. You can also add a Watch to a specific variable you need to follow.
When a Breakpoint is hit you have 3 options (that follows the yellow arrow) :

Step Over (F10), will follow the code one step at a time.
Step Into (F11), will step into the function called.
Step Out (Shift+F11), will step back so you can see where you came from or where the function was called.

I'll let you try this, let me know if you need help. I could also send you my project if you're having problems setting it up...

Aymerick

Kailric

Jan 24, 2010, 03:08 PM

Thanks Aymerick, I'll be working on installing and figureing this out over the next few days. Just wondering, I use CodeBlocks can that be used instead of Visual Studio 2005 Express?

Aymerick

Jan 25, 2010, 07:45 AM

Thanks Aymerick, I'll be working on installing and figureing this out over the next few days. Just wondering, I use CodeBlocks can that be used instead of Visual Studio 2005 Express?

I've never used CodeBlocks, but from what I know it should allow the same Debug as VS... I just don't now to get that to work, sorry...

Aymerick

Jan 27, 2010, 11:22 AM

Hey Kailric,

I think I found why I can't load savegames! It's the changes you made at the CvGameTextMgr::setYieldPriceHelp function...

The "else if (info.isCargo())" you added is hit by native players and the .getParent is invalid...

I made these changes and it seems to work fine:

void CvGameTextMgr::setYieldPriceHelp(CvWStringBuffer &szBuffer, PlayerTypes ePlayer, YieldTypes eYield, int iAmount)
{
CvYieldInfo& info = GC.getYieldInfo(eYield);
CvPlayer& kPlayer = GET_PLAYER(ePlayer);

szBuffer.append(CvWString::format(SETCOLR L"%s" ENDCOLR, TEXT_COLOR("COLOR_HIGHLIGHT_TEXT"), info.getDescription()));

if (info.isCargo())
{
if (kPlayer.isYieldEuropeTradable(eYield))
{
CvPlayer& kParent = GET_PLAYER(kPlayer.getParent());
szBuffer.append(NEWLINE);
szBuffer.append(gDLL->getText("TXT_KEY_BUY_AND_SELL_YIELD", kParent.getYieldBuyPrice(eYield), kParent.getYieldSellPrice(eYield)));

if (iAmount > 0)
{
szBuffer.append(NEWLINE);
szBuffer.append(L"----------------------------");
szBuffer.append(NEWLINE);
CvWString szTempBuffer;
int iTaxLoss = (iAmount * kParent.getYieldBuyPrice(eYield));
iAmount = kPlayer.getSellToEuropeProfit(eYield, iAmount);
szTempBuffer.Format(L" (%d%c)", iAmount, gDLL->getSymbolID(GOLD_CHAR));
szBuffer.append(gDLL->getText("TXT_SELL_TO_EUROPE_PRICE") + L" ");
szBuffer.append(szTempBuffer);
szBuffer.append(NEWLINE);
szBuffer.append(L"----------------------------");
szBuffer.append(NEWLINE);
iTaxLoss = (iTaxLoss * kPlayer.getTaxRate()) / 100;
szBuffer.append(gDLL->getText("TXT_SELL_TO_EUROPE_TAX_RATE", iTaxLoss, kPlayer.getTaxRate()));
}
}
else if (!kPlayer.isNative())
{
CvPlayer& kParent = GET_PLAYER(kPlayer.getParent());
szBuffer.append(NEWLINE);
szBuffer.append(gDLL->getText("TXT_KEY_CONTRABAND"));
szBuffer.append(NEWLINE);
szBuffer.append(gDLL->getText("TXT_KEY_BUY_AND_SELL_YIELD", kPlayer.getYieldBuyPrice(eYield), kPlayer.getYieldSellPrice(eYield)));
if (iAmount > 0)
{
szBuffer.append(NEWLINE);
szBuffer.append(L"----------------------------");
szBuffer.append(NEWLINE);
CvWString szTempBuffer;
int iTaxLoss = (iAmount * kPlayer.getYieldBuyPrice(eYield));
iAmount = iTaxLoss - ((iTaxLoss * kPlayer.getTaxRate()) / 100);
iTaxLoss = (iTaxLoss * kPlayer.getTaxRate()) / 100;

//iAmount = kPlayer.getSellToEuropeProfit(eYield, iAmount);
szTempBuffer.Format(L" (%d%c)", iAmount, gDLL->getSymbolID(GOLD_CHAR));
szBuffer.append(gDLL->getText("TXT_SELL_TO_EUROPE_PRICE") + L" ");
szBuffer.append(szTempBuffer);
szBuffer.append(NEWLINE);
szBuffer.append(L"----------------------------");
szBuffer.append(NEWLINE);

szBuffer.append(gDLL->getText("TXT_SELL_TO_EUROPE_TAX_RATE", iTaxLoss, kPlayer.getTaxRate()));
}
}
}

szBuffer.append(ENDCOLR);
}

Also, the "case YIELD_MUG:" is missing in the "CvPlayerAI::AI_isYieldForSale" function...

Kailric

Jan 27, 2010, 04:02 PM

Cool man, thanks. Yeah its tough when you are not the original coder trying to figure out all the extra rules that you may not realize is apparent. I am really busy with real life and other projects this week but soon I'll be finished up with most things and I'll be able to concentrate on this project and the Whaling project too.

Thanks again for the bug report and fix.

Kailric

Jan 30, 2010, 09:58 AM

Patch V 0.5h
This patch fixes a a few bugs thanks to Aymerick's help. It may help with saved games not being able to be loaded as well. I haven't fully tested this so feed back is welcome.

http://forums.civfanatics.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=241403&d=1264866504

ClasuSiosa

Jan 30, 2010, 11:22 AM

DLed still trying to get my rar reader to work.:crazyeye:

Kailric

Jan 31, 2010, 07:11 PM

DLed still trying to get my rar reader to work.:crazyeye:

Just search for a free "winrar" to download and reinstall it.

ClasuSiosa

Feb 01, 2010, 11:11 AM

will do, thanks

mastrude

Feb 28, 2010, 01:21 PM

...the Spanish currently don't have a Buccaneer Captain you can play as.. I was actually thinking of adding in the Pirate Hunter Pedro de Menendez de Avilles as a Leader for Spain.

Sounds good!

It does seem, tho, that since the Spanish were the most despicable colonizers, and pirate are despicable, the Spanish should have a big mean pirate-in-chief. It seems to be true historically, tho, that piracy was kinda fostered by government-sponsored privateering, and the English were the worst. Any serious historians able to set me straight on this? (Once, decades ago, I was a grad student in Medieval History--This is not my period.)

TC01

Feb 28, 2010, 03:06 PM

Sounds good!

It does seem, tho, that since the Spanish were the most despicable colonizers, and pirate are despicable, the Spanish should have a big mean pirate-in-chief. It seems to be true historically, tho, that piracy was kinda fostered by government-sponsored privateering, and the English were the worst. Any serious historians able to set me straight on this? (Once, decades ago, I was a grad student in Medieval History--This is not my period.)

I believe that the Spanish were the ones fighting piracy, because they had a lot of captured treasure and goods flowing from Mesoamerica and South America to Spain. It was everyone else (like the English) who were raiding them. So a Pirate Hunter captain would make sense.

I'm not a historian either though.

Kailric

Feb 28, 2010, 04:49 PM

I believe that the Spanish were the ones fighting piracy, because they had a lot of captured treasure and goods flowing from Mesoamerica and South America to Spain. It was everyone else (like the English) who were raiding them. So a Pirate Hunter captain would make sense.

I'm not a historian either though.

I am not a historian either but I have read a lot of books for this mod. In my reading I never really came across any big name Spanish Pirate Captains, not any worthy of being a Leader in Colonization anyway. Its like TC01 says they was mostly English. I am working on some code for the westward Ho mod when that gets done I plan on getting back on this mod and adding such things as the above mentioned.

mastrude

Jun 03, 2010, 02:19 PM

I think there's a little bug in the 0.5h update. In the root, a folder is called assests instead of assets.

Kailric

Jun 03, 2010, 04:44 PM

I think there's a little bug in the 0.5h update. In the root, a folder is called assests instead of assets.

You are so correct mastrude.. I just posted a fixed version.. thanks for that. :goodjob:

mastrude

Jun 06, 2010, 03:19 AM

Kailric

Jun 06, 2010, 07:05 AM

Don't know if you intended this--I don't think so--but when another player's privateer is in my port, his nationality flag is shown.

I think the game is better balanced now. It's possible to kill a flotilla. (Though John Paul Jones is driving me crazy--I've defeated him five times and each time he escapes.)

Right now I'm trying to use the smuggler system. First, it seems that Pirate's Coves don't have anything to do with smuggling. Smuggler's Inns do. I don't seem to be able to get ships in there. I had trouble figuring this out before. Maybe I have to convert the ships to pirates first or something.

I just tested it and privateers revealing themselves while in port is a bug in Vanilla Colonization. Not sure why that is though.

Yeah, John Paul Jones can be a slippery bastard. Captains get a better chance at Evasion but they can be defeated.

Pirate's Coves are used as a safe haven for your units. You can also unload captured goods there and they will be auto transported to that ships home city.

To quote my tutorial:

- Smuggle Mission: a colony must have a Smugglers Inn in order to start a Smuggle Mission. Only performed by Pirates. Best used for goods that can not be sold in Europe. The ship will attempt to smuggle to Europe goods on board the ship and sell them for a percentage. Goods sold this way do not effect the cost of Europe goods on the market. Percentages are based on what level of PA(Pirate Affiliation) your colony has and are noted in the smuggle mission help text. Ships with Captains aboard have a better chance to avoid Pirate Hunter's while on mission.

Also:

-Smuggler's Port: Your Pirate units can be put to work in these Smuggler's Ports. Just send the unit to the City and choose the Change Profession command when on the World Map. You can not be in the City Management Screen to do this.
-Also, each city with a Buccaneer's Den or Smuggler's port gives your Privateers/Pirates one extra chance to Evade death when defeated.
-Smugglers working in your city need to consume Rum each turn but when kept well Intoxicated your Pirates can smuggle Contraband goods and sell the excess in your colony each turn instead of it being waisted or lost. As a added benefit from all that extra trade, Trade Goods are generated each turn based on the level of the Smuggler.
-Buccaneer's Den: Putting your Colonists in here and Intoxicating them now turns them into Criminals and then Criminals can be turned into full fleged Freebooters!

Smuggler's port works like a Warehouse Expansion in that it sales the overflow of goods stored but only sales the goods that are banded by your King.

mastrude

Jun 12, 2010, 09:30 AM

Dear Kailric:

Oooooh. I see.

I think there's a bug somewhere, relative to John Paul Jones. I played a long, long game, I defeated Jones about 50 times and he escaped every time. His overall record was 4 successes, 50 failures. The documentation says that he has a 75% chance of escape. He can also have a one-time escape that guarantees survival. But the stats from my long test don't show the game working that way. He should have sunk forever after way less than half his 50 defeats. At the end, he was wandering around like a ghost ship, at 0.1 combat strength, never recovering, still trying to attack ships and being ignominiously defeated. Is this what you wanted?

After my long playtest, I think the mod is "there" and should be made ready for prime time and a 1.0 version. Game balance is workable now.

See, personally I have kind of a problem with Colonization: On the one hand, it’s a truly great game. Certainly as good as Civ IV, maybe better, though more limited in scope. However, what interests me personally is creating and running a successful colony, not doing what you have to do to win the game.

Seems to me that to win in Colonization, you have to start to build up a successful colony, based on an export economy. Then, about halfway there, you have to abruptly change course. You start buying every weapon, horse and politician you can afford. You have no soldiers, but you have a ton of guys you can turn into dragoons on Big Night 2. You let your economy and your colonies go to seed, while you prepare for revolution. You build newspapers and bring people into the towns, where the politicians can go to work on them. Then, on Big Night 1, you start building revolutionary sentiment, (and start alarming the king.) You build sentiment as fast as you can.

When you’re able to declare independence, you hold Big Night 2. You turn everyone into a soldier overnight, and abandon the cities unless they can be one of your few strongholds. You don’t even need to farm much any more, except to support weapon, horse and soldier production.

I personally don’t like this about base Colonization. More often than not, I forget about revolution entirely and just build my peacetime economy, feud with my neighbors, etc. I just enjoy the game, and set my own standard for what a win constitutes.

The Privateer mod allows me to play Colonization the way I like. I mostly forget about revolution and work on developing The Pirate Republic. This takes longer than the revolution would allow you to spend, but it can be done now. Doing this, I can defeat every local player in the game. I turn islands with lots of adjacent sea tiles into “breeder colonies”, stock them with fishermen, and start turning out colonists or pirates like crazy. I foster privateers until I can turn them into flotillas, and prepare to completely dominate the sea. The mod will let me stop trading with the King entirely when taxes rise to 50%, and support myself from smuggling.

So, I know you have ambitious plans for the mod, but I suggest you get ready for a 1.0 version with just the Caribbean map, document everything, and release the 1.0 version. I will help by writing doco and helping to polish the game, if you would like.

Kailric

Jun 12, 2010, 11:00 AM

Dear Kailric:
The Privateer mod allows me to play Colonization the way I like. I mostly forget about revolution and work on developing The Pirate Republic. This takes longer than the revolution would allow you to spend, but it can be done now. Doing this, I can defeat every local player in the game. I turn islands with lots of adjacent sea tiles into “breeder colonies”, stock them with fishermen, and start turning out colonists or pirates like crazy. I foster privateers until I can turn them into flotillas, and prepare to completely dominate the sea. The mod will let me stop trading with the King entirely when taxes rise to 50%, and support myself from smuggling.

So, I know you have ambitious plans for the mod, but I suggest you get ready for a 1.0 version with just the Caribbean map, document everything, and release the 1.0 version. I will help by writing doco and helping to polish the game, if you would like.

Hey, thanks for playtesting and your comments. Glad you enjoy the mod. It has definately come a long way. I checked on John Paul Jones before when you mentioned him and I didn't see that he was invicible but I must have missed something cause in 50 dealths he should have died :D I will check again and make sure he can die for next patch. Anything else you can possibly think of that needs tweek, fixed, etc.?

Thanks for the offer to help. I have a few projects going atm and other "real life" stuff but if you want to add in more xml documentations and descriptiongs by all means do so. Just post me what you come up with and I'll add it to the next update.

K, thanks again.

mastrude

Jun 12, 2010, 11:09 AM

Hey, thanks for playtesting and your comments. Glad you enjoy the mod. It has definately come a long way. I checked on John Paul Jones before when you mentioned him and I didn't see that he was invicible but I must have missed something cause in 50 dealths he should have died :D I will check again and make sure he can die for next patch. Anything else you can possibly think of that needs tweek, fixed, etc.?

Thanks for the offer to help. I have a few projects going atm and other "real life" stuff but if you want to add in more xml documentations and descriptiongs by all means do so. Just post me what you come up with and I'll add it to the next update.

K, thanks again.

OK, sure! What about my idea that you issue a version 1.0 now? Think it's ready?

mastrude

Jun 12, 2010, 11:29 AM

Another thing. What happens to treasure in a town with a smuggler's port? It just seems to sit there. It could get smuggled, it would seem.

mastrude

Jun 12, 2010, 12:03 PM

... and another little thing. A slave can get bugged so that when you try to free him, the game crashes. A given slave is bugged or not; if he is, he can never be freed. If he's not, no prob.

Kailric

Jun 12, 2010, 04:28 PM

... and another little thing. A slave can get bugged so that when you try to free him, the game crashes. A given slave is bugged or not; if he is, he can never be freed. If he's not, no prob.

You have a saved game where this happens? Also, what type of slave is he, like was he a Tobacconist, Hardy Pioneer, etc?

1.0 sounds fine, just need to work out these couple bugs.

What type of treasure you refering too? The Pirate Booty or the Vanilla game treasure unit? I am guess the Vanilla game Treasure unit, for like when you can't trade with Europe. Yeah, thats a good idea to allow it to be smuggled. I'll add that in.

mastrude

Jun 12, 2010, 04:55 PM

What type of treasure you refering too? The Pirate Booty or the Vanilla game treasure unit? I am guess the Vanilla game Treasure unit, for like when you can't trade with Europe. Yeah, thats a good idea to allow it to be smuggled. I'll add that in.

Didn't save a bugged slave unit, unfortunately.

mastrude

Jun 13, 2010, 03:54 AM

You have a saved game where this happens? Also, what type of slave is he, like was he a Tobacconist, Hardy Pioneer, etc?

OK, what the heck. I'll play another long game and see if I can generate a bugged slave.

mastrude

Jul 31, 2010, 07:33 PM

Not only cannon but also wagon trains are getting turned into slaves, and they also kill the game.

Lucjan

Aug 03, 2010, 02:42 AM

Kailric

Aug 09, 2010, 06:24 PM

I played two quite long games on marathon during the past days and did not encounter any problems with slaves. However, there was one case of a slave that turned into a slave once freed which was pretty odd. Never encountered a wagon train being turned into a slave. I did capture quite a few cannons from the REF in one game and all worked nicely.

Anyway, the reason I actually wanted to post is: congrats on this mod. I have played many mods for CIV and COL, but I have never enjoyed a mod like this one. Playing as a pirate is just a blast. Please, please, keep up the good work :)

Thanks for the feedback. Really glad you liked the mod. I'll have to look into the slavery code as it does seem to have some glitches as soon as I can. If you liked this mod stay tuned for the Middle Ages mod (http://forums.civfanatics.com/showthread.php?t=332050)I have planned.

I just bought me a laptop the other day so hopefully that will allow me to work on my projects faster. I have been working out of town a whole lot lately and have not been able to work on anything, but hopefully that will change.

Anyway, thanks again for the feedback.

Alexbond45

Oct 28, 2010, 08:20 PM

Kailric

Oct 29, 2010, 01:55 PM

Fun Game! Got my own Dreaded Pirate with a 3 Ship Fleet, REALLY FUN!

However, there are units for an Early Civ Version, for something like Civ Colonization from Holy Roman Empire
Proof is:
At the Bottom of World Builder, there are units different from our current ones.

There is ALSO a Bireme-o-War, which looks like some 2k Yrs ago death Ship, which has same stats as Man-O-War, and it Belongs to the Holy Roman Empire

Any Insite?

Yeah, the "insite" is I never got around to finishing up this mod. I planned on adding the Knights of Malta and Ottomans and maybe some others like the Vikings so that people could use them in other mods. So, those units are just there at the moment and not used. I basicly decided to work on my Middle Ages mod and add Ottomans and Vikings to that mod instead.

So, look for the release of my Middle Ages mod. Glad you had fun with this mod though, thats what its here for :)

mastrude

Oct 30, 2010, 09:26 PM

You remember maybe, I've talked before about how much I liked this mod, and I was just defining my own idea of what "winning" was. I was enjoying establishing the "Pirate Republic" in the Caribbean, forgetting about a political revolution, and having my own criminal revolution instead. I figured out how to crush all opponents by setting up pirate colonies to breed more criminals and others. When I had enough guys, I took over, even if it took until 1965. :-)

I've been playing Civ 5 and I like it. But it's different enough from Civ 4 that I think there will be a role for it for years. The long and short of it is, I'm suggesting you might want to put out your version 1.0 now. There's an audience for it.

Adam Smith

Nov 09, 2010, 02:18 PM

After a few games, I've come to utterly love this mod, and would love to see it expanded!

That being said, there are some things I wanted to note.

First, I want to emphasize the need to create additional nations in the game. I played a game using the Huge Western Hemisphere map, using 2 random leaders from each nation. The game, which ended up having the 3 privateer leaders and 5 regular leaders, was an EXTREMELY intense battle, where I was fighting at least one ship each turn, even when I only kept ships within my own territory (around Brazil). Pirate vs. pirate wars are constant, as we fight to control the seas against one another. Long story short, the game is intense, and amazing! It's 1533 on a marathon time scale, and I'm still fighting to control just my small corner of the ocean due to the huge traffic in the region. For this reason, I would love to see this mod integrated with a mod that added one or more non-pirate nations into the game.

In contrast, I tried playing a 4-nation game, and it just became cumbersome. My 4-nation game (also in a huge Western Hemisphere map) had the bad luck of placing England and France in southern Brazil, just south of my Northern Brazil headquarters. One privateer was set on sentry just outside their colonies, giving me a secure watch over trade there (I later put a second privateer on, just for safe keeping). Spain colonized in Venezuela, so I sent a second privateer outside their gate, setting up a colony near Spain so my privateer could unload its cargo and return to patrol in one turn. Two privateers, and trade to Europe has been stopped dead. Then the game got boring, and I quit. It's hard playing a pirate-focused game when there's no ships to raid anymore.

Here, I want to note one other oddity: Harder difficulty games may actually be easier to play. Opponents set on harder difficulty ratings will produce more resources, allowing increased naval traffic throughout the game. That means more innocent targets to pillage. :)

Second, the Dutch privateer is super-overpowered. In total, he gets +1 movement, +10% strength, and +100% experience for the privateers. In my games, I've been able to easily create massively experienced Dutch pirate fleets, even on harder experience levels. One or more of these bonuses need to be removed (You could probably give the Dutch only +100% experience and they would be completely playable, or get rid of the experience bonus altogether).

Third, the anti-pirate check needs to be expanded. In my 8-player Dutch game, I work to trigger the pirate hunters coming to take my fleet down. Why? Because pirate hunters have got nothing on me! A single 10 attack, +100% against pirates ship vs a 10 attack, +85% attack pirate fleet (fully upgraded with Veteran), and a 75% chance of withdrawal. My strategy involves sending two fleets against the pirate hunter. The first will knock down the ship's strength. More than likely, the result will be a slightly damaged pirate hunter (around 1-3 attack gone) and my ship withdrawing. Then my second fleet moves in (with a buccaneer), and I'm allowed to capture the pirate hunter. I'll have managed to trade a buccaneer for a ship which will be able to shut down privateer raids by itself, rarely ever even being threatened by the computer.

I suggest a few possible modifications to the pirate hunters. First, it might be advisable to give players a non-pirate alternative to fighting pirate fleets, which can hit 18 power relatively easily. My thought was a 5 power, +300% vs. Pirates ship. Second, the national response to pirates is completely underwhelming when my pirates have pretty much ended legitimate trade. Is it possible to make the number of pirate hunters sent out dependent on the number of privateers and fleets around? Third, would it be possible for pirate hunters to similarly create large scale fleets, or be able to upgrade their leadership capabilities just like pirates?

In addition, if you put the privateer system into perspective, it shows that privateers have a MASSIVE advantage over non-privateers. First, let's get one thing straight: Unlike normal military systems, privateers have a permanent return on investment, so they don't operate under the normal system where large standing armies drain an economy. That being said, upgrades to privateers are economic boosts, increasing the rate of economic return by increasing the probability of successful raids). The privateer economy can only be currently countered through military force.

Now, let's compare that to a conventional economic model. If I plan on trading with Europe, it is essential that I first secure trade routes. That means as a prerequisite to setting up that trade route, I have two choices: overcoming or avoiding the pirates. Negotiating doesn't work because privateers can raid anyone, regardless of national affiliation.

I can avoid pirates fairly easily with good nation-building strategies. My current trade system involves fast galleons hopping from one city to the next, not spending a moment in the ocean. Although this works for me, the AI isn't programmed to do that, and random maps won't always allow me to do this.

That leaves the normal option, overcoming pirates. The pirate nations already have an advantage in this, both by having that first privateer from day 1, and by having leader upgrades to the privateers. Add to that the fact that privateers are extremely cheap (the first purchased privateer costing 1500, the second costing 2550). The game really doesn't have a non-pirate ship that can answer the privateer. That means the norm in naval warfare will be privateer vs. privateer wars, in which the pirate leaders will excel.

The only alternatives to European trade which don't involve naval trade are trade with Natives or other colonies. That's fine, but limited. Plus, in the long term (when taxes are +50%), even the European trade network is limited for non-pirates (pirates will be smuggling resources to Europe, whereas legitimate nations can't dodge the taxes unless they got into the pirate game).

Fourth, the mod seems to be missing one key feature of piracy. In a previous game which I threw out for being too easy, I established a strong internal economic cycle. One colony was producing the rum necessary to fund my privateers, plus producing more than enough to export. Three colonies were producing about +40 food per turn, and the last was a 3-colonist buccaneer-heavy colony which I would ship food to, producing new buccaneers. There was just one slight problem.

I had all these extra buccaneers, which I was putting on my pirate fleets to hijack enemy ships. Everything was going fine, until I stopped for a moment to ask myself why I was doing this stuff. Buccaneers can only steal pirate hunters or transport ships. Since all my privateers can transport goods, I don't need too many galleons to transport people. These ships can all be converted to privateers for the purpose of creating flotillas, but that's a limited use. Long story short, I would love to be able to sell ships back to Europe.

Long story short, I'm having a blast with this mod. Normally with Colonization, my sole goal is economic growth. With this mod, I find myself completely neglecting my economy for the sake of grabbing more pirates for my expanding economy. Where I usually create multiple cities with well-established trade routes, I'm now instead simply using my colonies to create more buccaneers to take control of the seas. I relish in knowing that I've been able to leave my opponents in a perpetual recession, with my largest adversary being a Spain colony with about 5 population total in both their cities.

However, I wonder whether I got this victory cheaply. Being able to blitz my opponents from day 1, there is always something running in the back of my mind, asking me if I fought for this, or if the game is inherently built with a pro-pirate advantage to such a degree that it's almost impossible for the AI to overcome.

Side questions: Does privateer combat increase your military points? If you modded the point system so that privateers/flotillas/buccaneers would help only your Captain score instead of the military score, it would create two different score trees: the pirate-only score, and the non-pirate combat score to create a distinction between privateer training and legitimate military warfare, and to prevent privateers from conquering two great person groups.

Also, there were two other oddities I noticed in one game. I played a tiny "play now" map. After exploring the entire map, I found that there were no other European colonies in the game. I didn't see any ships of any sort (not even other privateers, which would explain the lack of other nations).

Second, I stopped declaring war on other nations because the land combat got one-sided. For some reason, it seems like the AI doesn't stock sufficient weapons anymore. It could just be that my privateers have caused their economies to stagnate, allowing my armies to easily take them down. However, I've had entire wars where I took control of 100% of enemy colonies without having to fire a bullet (all colonies simply have 0 weapons). It seems problematic that a nation under external duress from privateers would sell all its weapons to natives, rather than stockpiling at least the basics.****Correction: I ran a game, allowing a couple nations to develop without raiding their coasts. The AI will still build up weapons stockpiles. So there's no problem, and the explanation was simply that I monopolized European trade.

Update: On Governor difficulty, reached the point of no contestable fleets just now: 3 pirate hunters and 1 fully upgraded flotilla (just lost my second flotilla fleet to a pirate hunter that caught me off guard...) :(

Still seems easy... I haven't even really been managing the economy aspect of the game. I'll try upping the difficulty.

Alexbond45

Nov 10, 2010, 04:45 PM

Another thing:
The Dutch Pirate Leader has no Eyes, and the Spanish could use one.

EDIT:
Declaring Independence isnt a nice option for the Privateers, perhaps adding a Pirate Victory?

Suggested Renames for Ranks
If your like me, and prefer to put the difficulty level before your name here are my Examples
Ensign (Pilgrim)
Lt.
Lt. Commander
Captain
Commodore
Rear Admiral
Admiral

Kailric

Nov 10, 2010, 05:44 PM

Heya guys, thanks for the Awesome feedback. Its been a while sense I updated this mod but after reading all your suggestions it makes me want to work on it some more. I been working on a couple of other Mods atm (Middle Ages and WestwardHo). After I get some work done on those I'll get back to this one and make a more indepth reply to the suggestions above.

Glad you guys enjoy the mod so far. It does need some improvement and the info you gave will help in doing that. So, please keep the feedback and suggetions coming.

Adam Smith

Nov 10, 2010, 06:21 PM

Oh, one other note, after playing a game further through:

A natural pirate hunter from each nation's king has 20 attack total against a pirate. A fully upgraded flotilla has 20.5 attack (slightly higher, but enough to make the win chance 60%), plus a huge withdrawal chance. To be able to take down pirate hunters, you just need to hide under a rock whenever the hunter starts patrolling, at least initially. In my games, I've only had to hide during the first round of patrols. By the 3rd or 4th King patrol as the Netherlands leader (this being a fairly liberal estimate... usually it's the 2nd patrol), I've been able to get my first privateer fully upgraded for a killing shot against the patrols. The result, as I've already stated, is that a single pirate flotilla and a modest supply of buccaneers can hijack a solid fleet of pirate hunters. From there, a convoy of one pirate hunter and one privateer can be devastating, as the privateers are usually only vulnerable to fellow privateers, which the pirate hunter can shut down.

Michelon

Nov 11, 2010, 08:44 AM

Kailric

Nov 11, 2010, 03:37 PM

In the french version, no words appear in the "captains" advantages... only comas. I saw a picture of the english version and everything looks perfect. Is it a question of traduction or fonts ? Very enjoying mod !!! Bravo !

This is an easy fix. Just open up the CIV4GameText_TKText_Privateer.xml and or the other two Text files in this mod in any text editor, then see the example below.

In the example below you can see where the English line is and see the English words "from Slavery". Simply Copy the whole line "[COLOR_PLAYER_RED]-%d1 from Slavery[COLOR_REVERT]" and then paste it in between the <French> tags.

<TEXT>
<Tag>TXT_KEY_SLAVE_PENALTY</Tag>
<English>[COLOR_PLAYER_RED]-%d1 from Slavery[COLOR_REVERT]</English>
<French>.</French>
<German>.</German>
<Italian>.</Italian>
<Spanish>.</Spanish>
</TEXT>

In the below example the French text will now appear in the game. It wouldn't be in French however as I don't know the French translation for "from Slavery".

<TEXT>
<Tag>TXT_KEY_SLAVE_PENALTY</Tag>
<English>[COLOR_PLAYER_RED]-%d1 from Slavery[COLOR_REVERT]</English>
<French>[COLOR_PLAYER_RED]-%d1 from Slavery[COLOR_REVERT]</French>
<German>.</German>
<Italian>.</Italian>
<Spanish>.</Spanish>
</TEXT>

If you was to translate all the English text into French in the xml files like above I'll add them to this Mod in the next update. If I remember I'll at least make it so that the English tags will be in the game for all languages.

Michelon

Nov 12, 2010, 12:04 AM

I've started the job editing with Notes, so I save the beginning in .txt file . What is the best and most useful editor for .xml files ?

Kailric

Nov 12, 2010, 05:47 AM

I've started the job editing with Notes, so I save the beginning in .txt file . What is the best and most useful editor for .xml files ?

There are a few free ones on the web. I use Visiual Web Developer 2008 Express. The 2010 version may be available for free now as well. Some people use Notepad++. Just search for them and get what you like :)

They need to be saved in xml format. If you open in Notes just click "save" instead of "save as".

Michelon

Nov 12, 2010, 10:59 AM

Kailric

Nov 12, 2010, 03:37 PM

One or a lot questions more ...
Sorry I want to do my best...
I will use Notepad++ (Thank you for the advice)
I understand what to do with the "CIV4GameText_TKText_Privateer.xml" but what I have to do if I want to translate in french Galleon Privateer in the "PrivateerMod_CIV4UnitClassInfos.xml" ? Is it the same way <french>.....(/<french).... ?

- What about the resources Crab, corn and fish ? Are they effective actually ?
- What is the real job of a Crewman Cooper ? (Not easy to translate like that)
- Is a rival a competitor ?

Thank you

You can just translate "Galleon Privateer" to French and save it or you can create a Text Name Key for it. You create a Text Name Key like the examples above.

Add the below text to CIV4GameText_TKText_Privateer.

<TEXT>
<Tag>TXT_KEY_GALLEON_PRIVATEER</Tag>
<English>Galleon Privateer</English>
<French>Galleon Privateer</French>
<German>Galleon Privateer</German>
<Italian>Galleon Privateer</Italian>
<Spanish>Galleon Privateer</Spanish>
</TEXT>

Now add the below code to the PrivateerMod_CIV4UnitClassInfos. If you do it like this the text will change depending on what language you have selected.

<UnitClassInfo>
<Type>UNITCLASS_GALLEON_PRIVATEER</Type>
<Description>TXT_KEY_GALLEON_PRIVATEER</Description>
<DefaultUnit>UNIT_GALLEON_PRIVATEER_BUILT</DefaultUnit>
</UnitClassInfo>

But you will also need to change the Descriptions in the PrivateerMod_CIV4UnitInfos.xml as well as below.

<UnitInfo>
<Type>UNIT_PRIVATEER_GALLEON</Type>
<Class>UNITCLASS_PRIVATEER</Class>
<UniqueNames/>
<Special>NONE</Special>
<Capture>NONE</Capture>
<Combat>UNITCOMBAT_PRIVATEER</Combat>
<Domain>DOMAIN_SEA</Domain>
<DefaultUnitAI>UNITAI_PIRATE_SEA</DefaultUnitAI>
<DefaultProfession>PROFESSION_PIRATE_SHIP</DefaultProfession>
<Invisible>NONE</Invisible>
<SeeInvisible>NONE</SeeInvisible>
<Description>Galleon</Description>
<Civilopedia>TXT_KEY_NEEDS_DESCRIPTION</Civilopedia>

I believe the the mod automaticly adds the title "Privateer" to ships they you turn into Privateers.

Crab, corn and such should already be translated.

A Crewman Cooper is a Barrel Maker. He makes and repairs the Barrels that stores the wine, rum, and food that Ship's need in order to make long journeys. If a ship has a good Barrel Maker food and drink last longer.

A rival is sometimes your most hated competitor or a competitor that gives you the most competition :)

Michelon

Nov 13, 2010, 01:05 AM

A great thank for that...
What is the difference betwween GALLEON_PRIVATEER and PRIVATEER_GALLEON. Both are in the UnitInfo.xml ?

Kailric

Nov 13, 2010, 04:48 AM

A great thank for that...
What is the difference betwween GALLEON_PRIVATEER and PRIVATEER_GALLEON. Both are in the UnitInfo.xml ?

The UNITCLASS_GALLEON_PRIVATEER are the Unique Privateer ships that the Pirate Civs can build, like the Sea Dog and Huguenot. The PRIVATEER_GALLEON is when you convert a Galleon into a Privateer or Pirate ship.

Michelon

Nov 13, 2010, 05:35 AM

Fine.
I had a new Text_Privateer, Text_Pedia and Text_Diplo .xml
Where do you want me to post them ?
The first one is complete. The 2 and 3 are waiting for some informations.

Kailric

Nov 13, 2010, 08:18 AM

Fine.
I had a new Text_Privateer, Text_Pedia and Text_Diplo .xml
Where do you want me to post them ?
The first one is complete. The 2 and 3 are waiting for some informations.

Do you know how to "zip" them with a program like WinRar and then "attach" them to a post?

Michelon

Nov 13, 2010, 12:11 PM

Hope it works !!!

Kailric

Nov 14, 2010, 07:57 PM

Hope it works !!!

Thanks a lot Michelon. I added the new XMLs to the first post for others to download as well.

To answer your questions:

- If you don't play Michel de Grammont or the new ones, it is not easy too understand what to do with the olders because the conditions of victory are the genuine conditions.

Not sure exactly what you are saying here? The only difference really in playing the older Leaders is the Traits they have and they don't start with a Privateer. The game should play the same.

When you explain that Smugglers needs Rum. Do you want to say : Rum or Mugs ? -use Rum as it cost Rum each turn for your smugglers to work

- In the CIV4GameText_TKText_Privateer.xml, a description is written twice (1514 & 1522) and the end of the line 1691 seems "bizarre" (.ff). What is the meaning of : A Captain is consumed (Line 1683)

The description written twice is an error, should only be written once. The "ff" should not be there. "A captain is consumed" means the Captain is destroyed when you use the command.

I saw that the % of the lifesaver is (+1240112%). The same with the Storm chaser (+1239984%). Is Ironman involved with that?

Not sure what you are asking? Where did you see the %? And what is "Ironman" you talk about.

-I don't know where I can find the abilities of the new heroes and Fathers. So I didn't translate this.

They are found in the CIV4GameText_TKText_Privateer.. example: TXT_KEY_TRAIT_INTOXICATE_CHANGE

Michelon

Nov 15, 2010, 07:12 AM

Kailric

Nov 15, 2010, 09:21 AM

I sent you a first approch, so please: don't put it like that to the others players because I am sure there are some mistakes. I will finish the work by playing with it so please wait a while.
Thank you

Ok, just let me know when you are "finished". For some reason the files didn't get posted on the first page anyway.

Michelon

Nov 15, 2010, 11:18 AM

Impossible to find where I saw (Lifesaver= Defends +1240112%) and (Storm Chaser=Defends + 1239984%) ... but I saw it !... and Ironman was (a bad) joke about the movie Heroe and his strenght.
When I write 10[ICON_GOLD], I do have a fine gold icon after 10. What I have to do to have a fine mug icon (cos i wrote [ICON_MUGS], [ICON_YIELD_MUG] and a lot of things like that but it doesn't work and I have Text instead of an icon)?
When I was speaking about crab or other new foods, I wanted to know what is their utility. I saw some colony with crabs combined with fishes, but noone to fetch them...
I am still working on the traduction (I must play sometimes to improve the translation...) so I will send you the final work soon because I have found some mistakes still.
Thank you

Kailric

Nov 15, 2010, 12:44 PM

When I write 10[ICON_GOLD], I do have a fine gold icon after 10. What I have to do to have a fine mug icon (cos i wrote [ICON_MUGS], [ICON_YIELD_MUG] and a lot of things like that but it doesn't work and I have Text instead of an icon)?
When I was speaking about crab or other new foods, I wanted to know what is their utility. I saw some colony with crabs combined with fishes, but noone to fetch them...

Yields like Rum or Mugs do not have a code like ICON_GOLD. In order to display their icon you have to have it setup in C++ code to do so. In the example below we use %F to display the Rum icon in the game. C++ will translate %F into the Rum Icon. Also, You have to put a number out next to %F depending on its order in the translated text. In the example %F1_yield is the first variable in the line so we put a 1 next to the %F. The "_yield" is not even necessary to be there. Its just there to remind you what the %F1 represents. You can write it as %F1_rum and it will still work.

The next variable is %d, which represents a number. In this case the number of Rum needed. We put a 2 next to the %d because it is the second variable in the line.

Hope this helps.

<TEXT>
<Tag>TXT_KEY_NO_ACTION_NEED_RUM</Tag>
<English>[COLOR_WARNING_TEXT]Crew wont sail without %F1_yield(%d2)[COLOR_REVERT]</English>
<French>.</French>
<German>.</German>
<Italian>.</Italian>
<Spanish>.</Spanish>
</TEXT>

Crabs, Fish, and Corn are bonus resources that are in the normal game. They simple add extra food to the plot.

Michelon

Nov 16, 2010, 03:07 AM

That's it...
Bon jeu !

Ariete

Nov 23, 2010, 10:35 AM

the best mod i've plaied - thanx kairlic

ClasuSiosa

Nov 25, 2010, 08:01 AM

Michelon

Nov 25, 2010, 09:10 AM

I am really waiting the next step...
I found the mod "Slavery" , quite good ...
The slave's design are cool... maybe mix there ? as the mod by itself with plunered treasure and all the best .

Kailric

Nov 29, 2010, 03:34 PM

I finaly got around to implementing this mod and now the game gives me a bazzillion XML errors! Where am i supposed to put all the files? I put the core code stuff in the "custom mods" folder and i put the assets in the "custom assets" folder, what did i do wrong???

Sorry, just now seeing this post. When you unpack the files from the zip they will all be in old folder called "Privateer". Place the "Privateer" folder in the Colonization/Mods folder and thats all you have to do. Place the "Patch" files in the same folder and click yes when it asks you if you want to copy over the orginals.

@Michelon

I added your French XMLs files to the first post. When I make the next update I'll add them to the main download.

Yeah, I would love to merge in the Slavery mod. Its just hard to do everything I would want to do cause I just don't have the time.

ClasuSiosa

Dec 01, 2010, 06:47 PM

Got it now, looks great