tesbs further flavored civilizations [development thread]

tesb said:

@Sephi:

here are all new/modified files.

Current Issues:
Core Python Implementation that needs to be done:
1)
- Death Pact I: only build-able in cities of size 1-5, adds 1 population
- Death Pact II: only build-able in cities of size 6-8, adds 2 population
- Death Pact III: only build-able in cities of size 9-13, adds 3 population
- Death Pact III: only build-able in cities of size 14-16, adds 4 population
- Death Pact IV: only build-able in cities of size 17-25, adds 5 population

2)
-Dark Ritual: Adds 1 Population in all cities you own, lowers faction standings
(this must be done with all 5 versions)
-need to be a national project, like you wrote (i.e. is repeatable but only build able one at a time)

3)
-The world spell (you got this already)

4)
-Implementing the code for Death's Embrace Project, so the calabim can merge into the aristrakh. completing this project should also kill all your nonvampiric living units.



Nice to have:
1)
<help> tag working within CIV4ProjectInfo.xml

2)
<bGraphicalOnly> tag working within CIV4ProjectInfo.xml





Changes i made:
The aristrakh start with an acolytes unit (settler) 2 skeleton spearmen and 1 zombies unit. (i.e. no more hero from the get go, nikephoros is build able once fanaticism is researched)

The colors are only incremental changed from calabim colors, so ingame they will look the same, but the borders will not merge.


Edit:
You can comment out or delete the old spells that add population in aristrakh_civ4spellinfos.xml
==>
SPELL_ADD_POPULATION_GLOBAL5
SPELL_ADD_POPULATION_GLOBAL4
SPELL_ADD_POPULATION_GLOBAL3
SPELL_ADD_POPULATION_GLOBAL2
SPELL_ADD_POPULATION_GLOBAL1

SPELL_ADD_POPULATION_LOCAL5
SPELL_ADD_POPULATION_LOCAL4
SPELL_ADD_POPULATION_LOCAL3
SPELL_ADD_POPULATION_LOCAL2
SPELL_ADD_POPULATION_LOCAL1

Click to expand...

everything done (except the "lowers faction standings" and the kill all living units. Will do the faction thing soon. Not sure about killing all living units. What about Heroes? If you loose them, why switch to a different civ?). Flavorscreens done (they are python). Which preferences should the Civ have in Flavourstarts? (Bonus, terrain, features, etc.)

For Improvements you need to make a new artstyle, yes.

Sephi that is great news
my very thanks!

The kill all living units* is mostly a flavor thing. You can save your heroes by giving them vampire promotion. It would not be a disaster if you don't implement it though. It was also there to emphasize the troop discrepancy between the elite vampires and weak undead horde, eliminating the units in between seems appropriate.

*= vampiric units should also not be affected, so you can save your strongest units (i.e. with lvl 6+)

Flavorscreens done (they are python)

Click to expand...

Did you add a new picture or linked to the calabim? I can provide a custom one (since i can look at the pictures of other civilizations and make new ones with the same resolution)

Which preferences should the Civ have in Flavourstarts? (Bonus, terrain, features, etc.)

Click to expand...

terrain: hills, plains
features: forests, haunted lands
Bonuses: stone/marble/gold not really of importance maybe a bit more isolated start in general.

For Improvements you need to make a new artstyle, yes.

Click to expand...

I will make a general polishing update this week: i will update the vampire phalanx since i am not happy with them, new artstyle, more and better texts, better fitting buildings (i mean the *.nif), etc.

@sephi
any chance to get the tag <PromotionFromCombat> working with promotions?
i want to make a rage system:
after one combat you gain the battle lust promotion this promotion lets you get the battle lust II promotion and so on. each battle lust promotion would have a wear off change and would reduce the normal healing, but increase the healing from combat and increase the combat strength in %.

yes, I can add python for that

thanks

my update is nearly complete i just need to know how can i implement a different graphic for improvements. i got the *.nifs.
for example i want to change the appearance for the workshop, so i go to CIV4PlotSystem.xml and add the lines


however the workshop does not change when a civilization with the infernal artstyle builds a workshop. i know how to implement new improvements, i could for example disable the old workshop and a make new one, but that is not really what i would like to do, i just want to replace the *.nif for certain civilizations.

edit: this is just a test, i am making a unique artstyle for them. i found a tutorial for the cities, but not improvements

edit 2: the nif versions differ so i cant just replace the meshes in the old city nif with the new ones, i guess the cities have to stay the same

Update:

-Tweaked the Button Art for the Worldspell March of Death (put the yellow star on the picture to keep it consistent with other worldspells)



-Changed Artstyle to Infernal

-Included some new Buildings models, all unique buildings have fitting models

-Removed Vampire Phalanx (this was never making much sense, vampires are few, so a phalanx is a bit strange)

-Added Vampire Count (replaces Phalanx, same stats, one model unit)



-Changed Souldrinker promotion from +2deathcombat and +15%heal from combat to +3 Xp from combat

-added a frenzy system for all aristrakh vampires (nikephoros, ancient vampires, vampire lords, vampire counts, bruhjas):
the vampire gains the murderous frenzy promotion after combat (+10%strength +10% heal after combat -10% normal healrate, 10% chance to wear off, stacks up to five times*)


-buffed ancient vampires a bit to compensate for souldrinker nerf

-the promotion zombie mob and banshee exclude fear, to avoid picking a redundant promotion

-some pedia entry updates

-tweaked the leader picture of nikephoros

-some minor adjustments



@sephi i include the models for the improvements that i would like to see replaced (just different art)

lumbermill: art/structures/buildings/aristrakh/shadowsawmill4.nif
workshop: art/structures/buildings/aristrakh/shadowfoundry2.nif
windmill: art/structures/buildings/aristrakh/undeadsawmill.nif
quarry: art/structures/buildings/aristrakh/undeadquarry.nif

if you don't want to add those, you can delete them they are not referenced in the xml files (but don't delete the whole folder).
you can also delete the vampire phalanx model and button art:
art/units/civs/aristrakh/vampire_phalanx/
art/interface/buttons/units/vampphalanx.dds


*actually there are 5 different promotions in the code, but they all have the same name ingame, only one is shown in the pedia and they upgrade to each other so only one promotion i shown on your units (similar to the workaround of the banishing weapons)


Notes:
Besides further pedia entries i am done with the aristrakh. once spehi merged them i will make a new thread with a complete overview. Any suggestions are welcome as always. I assume once they are ingame it will take some time to balance them completely.

Edit: I just realized i forgot one folder in the path for buttons of the new buildings in the aristrakh2 update. make sure the buttons for the buildings are in assets/art/interface/buttons/buildings
(the old wrong path was assets/interface/buttons/buildings)

Edit 2:
future updates include help text and the graphical only tag for rituals (just to remind myself, when patch 9 is released)

Wow! That model looks incredible!

Very nice indeed. Keep up the good work, tesb.

@sephi i forgot to block the herbalist just add the lines


to ARISTRAKH_CIV4CivilizationInfos.xml

or replace the file with the new one in the attachment

ok, done

@sephi
a small update containing:
- additional pedia entires to bone cage and burial mound written by deadomancer
- you accidentally switched the button art between burial mound and halls of the dead, i fixed this

just replace the three files with the ones in the attachment

urgh i had connectivity problems i re-uploaded the files in case they were corrupted

epic destiny for the Aristrakh added:

edit: fixed the dracolich riders

@sephi
an other update containing:
-pedia entries for catacombs, vamprie counts and corrupted soil written by deadomancer
-tweaked the visibility properties of some buildings a bit

just override the three existing files.

added two new buildings:



1) Mortuary Enclosure: replaces gambling house, gives 1 and 3


2) Sacrificial Pit: replaces water well , gives 4

both are more expensive then the originals.

edit:
@sephi just replace the old files with the ones in the attachment

@sephi

i have now played a couple of games as the aristrakh and i think it would be a nice improvement in gameplay if, in addition to upgrading your troops, you could build them as well, but they still would cost population to do so.

for that to work however i need a tag for unitinfos like: <icostpopulation>x</icostpopulation> where x is the amount of population needed (the units should not be trainable if the city does not have enough population)


@graywarden/deadomancer
i am currently thinking about increasing the cost of the higher tier death pact rituals (the ones that increase the population only in the city they are build in) and decrease the cost of the dark ritual in higher tiers a bit more, so you have a good reason to
1) use dark ritual
2) don't sit on a ton of very big cities

i hope you have a good time playing them

tesb said:

@sephi

i have now played a couple of games as the aristrakh and i think it would be a nice improvement in gameplay if, in addition to upgrading your troops, you could build them as well, but they still would cost population to do so.

for that to work however i need a tag for unitinfos like: <icostpopulation>x</icostpopulation> where x is the amount of population needed (the units should not be trainable if the city does not have enough population)


@graywarden/deadomancer
i am currently thinking about increasing the cost of the higher tier death pact rituals (the ones that increase the population only in the city they are build in) and decrease the cost of the dark ritual in higher tiers a bit more, so you have a good reason to
1) use dark ritual
2) don't sit on a ton of very big cities

i hope you have a good time playing them

Click to expand...

Deadomancer adopted to the new game play method a lot faster then I..... haha

If you are able to build the upgraded units, then yes a higher cost for death pact II & III would be a balancer then. If it stays as is, then leave as is, or a small increase in cost only.

i await a full fledged aar (after action report) from you guys
and suggestion/opinions

tesb said:

i await a full fledged aar (after action report) from you guys
and suggestion/opinions

Click to expand...

I was thinking the Banshee Pair/Banshee Triple should have different unit icons. Show the pair as a pair, and allow two spells per turn. Same with the Triple. Make them cost more if needed to balance. maybe two population for the pair and three for the triplets.

the banshees already cost more population (2 and 4 respectively). i think giving them the ability to cast multiple spells per turns is really too strong, having access to higher tier spells should be enough. i may change the buttons though