Modular Fall from Heaven

[CMHistory]

At 12 you really ought to be seeing some serious increase in events occuring, but there is always the possibility that you simple don't have any available for a long period of time. Calabim Refugees is the one I generally used to test things out since it is repeatable and has essentially no requirements. So if you set that to a 100% chance to be included in your game you can get a better feel for how frequently events are really triggering for you.

True that, Xien....I tweaked the percentages for the individual events (set a bunch of them to 100% availability in game) and the 12 really started to matter. Seeing alot more events, now...it's quite entertaining, really, and seems to select from the AI's and human players pretty evenly.

Thanks again for the tips!

 

[Elm]

Very minor nitpick: Your copy of Fall from Heaven 2 031.ini still refers to version 030 (as name of mod, etc).

 

[xienwolf]

Yeah I caught that one after releasing it and figured it wasn't QUITE enough to bother re-packing and uploading everything But nice catch.

 

[Tarquelne]

I have a question.

I was trying to add a building to a module. But the BuildingInfos file kept failing to load. The problem turned out to be the schema file.

I was using the BuildingsSchema file I'd copied from the FFH2 0.31d buildings folder.

I couldn't get my building to load until I replaced that schema file with the BuildingsSchema file from your AI cheat module.

I was using as a template a building definition from 0.31d, btw.

I saw only 1 difference between the two schema files: Your file has a creation time 3 hours earlier than the other file. And if there were any differences I'd expect the 0.31d file to be the only one that'd work...

So my question is: Why does setting the file's creation to 3 hours earlier help?

Or is there something else I'm missing? I'm hoping it's that.

 

[xienwolf]

Well, I don't see any differences in the two files either using a comparison program. Unless you are using an older version of my Modules from before I updated it for .31. Though I cannot recall any fields being added to .31's Building Schema...

Did you maybe do something different with naming the files? I don't know if that particular aspect of the XML is case sensitive, but something like that could be involved.

 

[Tarquelne]

Thanks very much for checking.

The problem finally stopped. I started getting the same error even with the second file... but not always. Oh, how I hunted for typos! But I shut down my computer over supper and when I booted up again the errors were gone. I guess I was getting some intermittent error that just happened to stop for a bit when I used your file.

 

[xienwolf]

Updated the first post to have each Module as an individual .zip file. Also the second post will be used to track other modules posted on the forums.

Since I do not use the installer anymore, that means that people need to remember to set up the Modular Loading for themselves. If there are too many questions about how to do it I may go back to using the installer setup and just make a seperate one for each module or something.

School should finish in about a month. Hopefully I can complete the manual within a week or 2 of that, then I plan to sit down and create more summons to give some love to each sphere, and then I should start working on new Barbarian Hero units and associated Equipment. Though that might have to be a seperate mod if I decide to use some Python. I do prefer to remain as modular as possible though.

 

[Broken Hawk]

Speaking of barbarians, have you seen the Barbarians Scenario from Warlords? If you have the time and interest do you think you could make a modmod based on that? What I know about programming you can put on the head of a pin.

If you are not familar with it, the barbs are a playable civ in their own right. There objective is to pillage and raze cities as they move across the map. They receive gold from such actions with which new and and improved units can be bought. No territory is ever held. Pretty cool I think.

 

[MagisterCultuum]

Speaking of barbarians, have you seen the Barbarians Scenario from Warlords? If you have the time and interest do you think you could make a modmod based on that? What I know about programming you can put on the head of a pin.

If you are not familar with it, the barbs are a playable civ in their own right. There objective is to pillage and raze cities as they move across the map. They receive gold from such actions with which new and and improved units can be bought. No territory is ever held. Pretty cool I think.

It isn't hard to play as the barbs (just change bPlayable from a 0 to a 1 in CIV4CivilizationInfos.xml), but there is a problem; you won't be the only barbarian state in the game. The Barbs are hardcoded in the game engine to some degree, so a human lead barb state isn't the same one as the normal barbs. You will still be able to conduct diplomacy, make peace treaties, etc, and you will be permanently at war with the other barbarian state. It is also really annoying because it is really hard to tell you territory/cities/units apart.

The Barbarian Scenario worked like this, except it playing with the NO BARBS option. The way of purchasing units was basically the same type of code used in Rhye's or in several other mercenaries mods.

 

[Broken Hawk]

Thanks, I take a look at it and see if it is similar to what I have in mind.

 

[xienwolf]

What he said I guess I haven't seen the mod myself.

 

[Broken Hawk]

I looked at what MC suggested and it's not what I really had in mind. My idea would involve replacing the AI barbs with a human player. The barbs would have no use for the trappings of civilization or religion as it exists on Erebus and, therefore, no territory to worry about. They would attempt to destroy cities, improvements and even resources (Roasted/raw pig or horse would feed the warriors. Incense, reagents, copper, etc. can only be used against them) in the pursuit of gold. Their god would be Mammon. The barbs would use that gold to purchase more units so they can destroy more of civilization. Besides the usual suspects, Men, Elves, Dwarves, etc. (every civ has malcontents) would be available to join them. The rising AC would have no or little impact on them. While the Sheiam are planning the Apocalypse. The barbs would be bringing about the Apocalypse. If the human player got things going, it would be like a horde of locust swarming across the map. I know the concept needs more fleshing out but that's what I'm generally thinking about. Sorry for hijacking your thread but I could not resist when you mentioned new barb heroes. You and, for that matter, MC know your stuff when it comes to tinkering with FfH. Thanks for listening.

 

[xienwolf]

Well, I haven't played around with changing Civs too much, but I would imagine you could create a new Civilization to perform this mechanic. Have them possess the Barbarian Trait so that you are at peace with the Barbarian Civilization, and force them to raze all cities so that they cannot keep any. Also deny them the settler unitclass (so that they cannot even get them from the random goody hut).

If you never settle a city to begin with, I think that the game keeps you in a condition where loss is determined by having no more units remaining, so the only way you will ever lose is if someone completely wipes you out.

Also give them the raider trait (for more gold from pillaging), and possible a UU version of everything so that you can have each unit provide extra gold from combat. Or at least plenty of units with this functionality. Each of the UU should be assigned bAlwaysHostile so that you can properly rampage with them without bothering about war declarations. Though in reality you are essentially always at war with everyone.

Not having any cities already solves the dilema of religions and trade not being an issue. But you will also be unable to gain any technology. So either set up an event which is basically like Eyes & Ears Network, allowing you to automatically gain any Technology which is known by 2/3 of the Civs currently alive, or just realize that Technology is largely irrelevant and overwhelming numbers with a quick finish is the goal.

For creating new units, you have every unit be capable of casting a "recruit" spell (easiest way is with a default racial promotion which is required for the spell). Cast the spell, lose some gold, gain a unit on that tile. If you set it up to gain Technologies, then you allow stronger recruit spells at certain tech levels. Otherwise you just have a small sample of generic units and you understand that with enough gold they'll wind up with PLENTY of units. (Think Guild of the Nine, but cheaper and without having to be in a City at all)

It couldn't hurt to allow 1 or 2 of the starting units to be those UU's with extra gold from combat and bAlwaysHostile to also have Invisible_land. This is what Shadows use and can only be seen by Hawks, Floating Eyes and other Shadows pretty much (not by every recon unit who can see a spider). If you also give these units Marksman, then they will be your "moneymakers" in case of a bad wipe and being reduced to just these units. You can roam around killing workers and weaklings, pillaging the countryside and amassing wealth so that you can rebuild your army.

 

[MagisterCultuum]

I didn't "suggest" anything. I just pointed out that what you want is basically impossible, and that you would get stuck with what I assume you just played with. You cannot play the "real" barb civ, and if you don't turn them off the game becomes almost unplayable. Getting what you would want would probably require giving the barbs agnostic/scorched earth (I think this trait is still in, albeit not used), and making lots of (mostly python) changes to give you the ability to purchase units.

 

[Broken Hawk]

OK, "suggest" was a poor choice of words. If it can be done in Warlords, I don't understand why it can't be done in BtS/FfH. Never mind, it's all over my head anyway. I was just trying to present what I think is a good idea. Thanks for your comments.

 

[MagisterCultuum]

The simple answer is that it can't be done in Warlords, not really. You aren't really the barbarian state, just another normal civ that uses the same xml defines. I'm pretty sure that the scenario used the no barbs and the always war tags, so you didn't notice the other "you" and couldn't ask the "real civs" for anything. The ability to purchase units is basically the Mercenaries component used in Rhye's, which has not been included in FfH. It wouldn't be impossible for you to make a BtS/FfH based scenario act the same way as that one, but it wouldn't all be the same. I think that units that turn barb as well as the Armageddon heroes would go the real barb state, not you, causing them to enter the game and causing lots of problems for you too.

Actually, I don't think there is any reason why the scenario could not be made for vanilla civ IV either. I noticed no difference between when I tried playing as the barbs before or after FfH moved to BtS (except that thanks to advanced starts I wouldn't lose on the first turn if I forgot to give the barbarian state some starting units)

 

[xienwolf]

It is a good idea, and I think that what I drafted up could pull it off pretty well. Without any cities you would be hard pressed to ever get the kind of score that would break peace with the "real" Barbarians, so it would just be like there is another tribe of them out there running around wreaking havoc. Shouldn't be too big of an issue in that case, and you could even allow your own units to possess a spell to convert any "real" Barbarian to your cause, thus allowing you to find and recruit all of the various Barbarian Heroes and other assorted units out there.

If my plate weren't already pretty full I would definitely go ahead and write this one up as a mod. Such a different playstyle would be enjoyable to try out.

 

[xienwolf]

Uploaded a new version of the More Animals Mod to work the same way that the Wolves and Wolf Packs work.

 

[tyranny12]

So while working on a few different things I just learned that apparently redesigning techs is not one of the capabilities of modular XML 9: - anyone know what the limits of modXML are in relation to technologies? Xien I've seen from other posts that you've pushed those limits quite a bit.

The reason I ask is that I'm currently finishing off an updated redesign of the tech tree, but would like to be able to add to it modularly... I'll be annoyed if anything relating to a new tech can't be modular.

By the way, I should have a few more mini-modmods for your thread, soon.

 

[xienwolf]

I haven't touched Technologies yet, except having them enable things, which is fairly indirect. So I can't say for certain. But I can tell you the quick way to check what does and doesn't load.

Every element in the XML is <something></something>. Many of them are not used in each item, so will be either <something>0</something> or <something>NONE</something>. By changing all of the >0< & >NONE< to just ><, you can create a "Dummy Index" entry. It should basically say nothing about nothing.

Now, form a dummy index as a standalone module, then load the game. In some certain cases the system absolutely REFUSES to have a blank space, so will yell at you. Fill that one in, then load again and repeat that until it doesn't yell at you anymore. Then go back and copy your properly (minimally) filled Dummy Index about 10 times (really 2 is sufficient, but I like lots, just in case).

Now load the game again, and check the Civlopedia for the relevant section. Look at the first few entries and see if there are any random blanks popping up (ie - A Pre-req or "leads to" space that shows up on mouseover as a nameless, pictureless tech, or "Technology enables____". Those are your entries which aren't loading properly for Modular Files.