JCivED - a toolbox for Civilization

Features:

• MAP and Gamesave editor
  • Edit your MAP/SVE savegames and change nearly everything! Terrain, terrain improvements, visibility, minimap, gold, science, government, tax rate, civ advances, unit types, units, palace, spaceships, governments, cities, city improvements, wonders, ... Basically everything that's already known about MAPs and SVEs !! (except for score chart and replay, which are read-only...)
  • In addition, JCivED can update land values or generate random maps using CivDOS's original algorithms, completely reverse-engineered from CIV.EXE
  • *NEW* since 0.0.20a: CivWin SAV also supported ! JCivED can now open and save CivWin SAV files just like DOS MAP/SVE files (caveat: you'll still need a CivDOS copy around, for the graphics, for the time being...)
• Modding tool
  
  • CIV.EXE patch utility
    
    • Apply (and revert!) several patches to mod your CIV.EXE and enhance you CivDOS gaming experience
    • Supports custom-designed XML patches, that can be added at will in the accompanying /patches folder
    • Hereunder are the patches natively bundled with JCivED (note: CivDOS version support varies by patch):
      
      Spoiler :

      
      CIV1_CUSTOM_TRIBE_NAME+COLOR - Choose the Civ color AND a custom tribe name ! - patch001_choose_tribe+color.xml - source: http://forums.civfanatics.com/showthread.php?p=12686797#post12686797
      

      • After applying this patch, the player will be prompted to enter their own Tribe name even after selecting the Civ color they desire, with no need to press the ESC key

      
      CIV1_PLAY_1TO1 - Play against just 1 computer Civ... Or even 0! - patch002_play_1on1.xml - source: http://forums.civfanatics.com/showthread.php?t=499613
      

      • This patch adds the possibility to select "2 Civilizations" or "1 Civilizations" to the number of Civ selection screen, and then starts the Civ game with the corresponding number of Civs: if 2 is selected, the player is playing against a single computer opponent; if 1 is selected, the player is playing alone!

      
      CIV1_PLAY_FOREVER - Play never-ending games! - patch003_endless_game.xml - source: http://forums.civfanatics.com/showthread.php?t=499911
      

      • This patch removes the "retirement" limitation that ends games on year 2100 (Chieftain) to 2020 (Emperor). It does NOT remove other endgame conditions such as conquest (all opponents destroyed) or space conquest (spaceship reaches Alpha Centauri)

      
      CIV1_EARTH_RAND_START - Play on earth with random starting positions - patch004_random_EARTH_startpos.xml - source: http://forums.civfanatics.com/showthread.php?t=499611
      

      • This patch bypasses the hard-coded starting positions when playing on Earth, and makes Civ choose random positions instead. This can be especially useful when playing with a custom-designed MAP.PIC

      
      CIV1_STARVE_INC_POP - Food-starving cities have their population... increase! - patch005_starve_incs_pop.xml - source: http://forums.civfanatics.com/showthread.php?t=497438
      

      • This pointless -yet fun- patch makes the population of cities that endure food shortage *increase* by 1 instead of decreasing by 1 in the original game rules... My very first CIV.EXE hack

      
      CIV1_NO_POLES - Remove North and South poles - patch006_no_poles.xml - source: http://forums.civfanatics.com/showthread.php?t=495521
      

      • This patch makes CIV bypass the generation of landmass at North and South poles, for both Earth and random maps

      
      CIV1_BUGFIX_LAND_PATHFIND - Fixes a bug in CIV generation of land pathfinding data - patch007_bugfix_pathfind.xml - source: http://forums.civfanatics.com/threads/sve-file-format.493581/page-3#post-12554133
      

      • After applying this patch, the high-level path-finding data for land movement (also present in SVE files) will be generated properly by CIV; the actual impact on CIV games is unknown

      
      CIV1_F10_LOAD_GAME - Rewires F10 shortcut key to load saved game from within CIV - patch008_F10_load.xml - source: http://forums.civfanatics.com/showthread.php?p=12766006#post12766006
      

      • After applying this patch, pressing F10 key will open the "Load Saved Game" screen and allow the player to directly load a previously saved game; the World Map can still be shown by using the menu item from the WORLD menu; note: some side effects have been noticed, this functionality is not guaranteed

      
      CIV1_BUGFIX_MAP_LAYOUT - Fixes terrain layout glitch - patch009_bugfix_terrain_layout.xml - source: http://forums.civfanatics.com/showthread.php?p=12851553#post12851553
      

      • For some terrain types (jungle, swamp, tundra and arctic), contiguous map squares are rendered using single-square graphics; applying this patch fixes this glitch and makes all terrain types display using their contiguous square graphics

      
      CIV1_BUGFIX_LAND_VALUE - Fixes land value calculation - patch010_landvalue_bugfix.xml - source: http://forums.civfanatics.com/showthread.php?p=12851553#post12851553
      

      • Parts of the original CIV algorithm to compute land calculation is deemed incorrect; this patch fixes this bug

      
      CIV1_RERESPAWN - Opponent Civs can now respawn more than once - patch011_rerespawn.xml - source: http://forums.civfanatics.com/showthread.php?t=514562
      

      • The original CIV code only allows a Civ to be respawned once after it is destroyed (not including the special case of SCHISM); this patch removes this limit by skipping the verification that the Civ is being re-spawned for the 2nd time; Note: discrepancies in the Replay are to be expected

      
      CIV1_1TURN_LAND_IMPROVEMENT - Improving land takes 1 turn only (not railroad) - patch012_1turn_land_impr.xml - source: http://forums.civfanatics.com/showthread.php?t=514255
      

      • This patch changes all terrain characteristics so that improving them (irrigation or mining) takes only 1 turn

      
      CIV1_1TURN_ROAD/RAILROAD - Improving road/railroad takes 1 turn only - patch013_1turn_road_rail.xml - source: http://forums.civfanatics.com/showthread.php?t=514255
      

      • This patch changes the time a Settler takes to make a road/railroad to 1 turn only

      
      CIV1_1TURN_FORTRESS - Improving fortress takes 1 turn only - patch014_1turn_fortress.xml - source: http://forums.civfanatics.com/showthread.php?t=514255
      

      • This patch changes the time a Settler takes to make a fortress to 1 turn only

      
      CIV1_1TURN_DE-POLLUTION - Cleaning pollution takes 1 turn only - patch015_1turn_depollute.xml - source: http://forums.civfanatics.com/showthread.php?t=514255
      

      • This patch changes the time a Settler takes to clean a polluted square to 1 turn only (originally 4)

      
      CIV1_1TURN_TERRAIN_IMPROVMENT_ALL - All terrain improvement tasks take 1 turn - patch016_1turn_ALL.xml - source: http://forums.civfanatics.com/showthread.php?t=514255
      

      • This patch changes the time a Settler takes to perform any terrain improvement task to 1 turn: irrigation, mining, road/railroad building, fortress building and de-pollution

      
      CIV1_USE_CUSTOM_MAP.PIC - Makes CIV user another file than MAP.PIC - patch017_custom_EARTH_file.xml - source: http://forums.civfanatics.com/showthread.php?p=12911488#post12911488
      

      • With this patch, CIV replaces the MAP.PIC filename with a different filename of the user's choice

      
      CIV1_CUSTOM_CIV_COLORS - Replace the standard Civ colors - patch018_custom_colors.xml - source: http://forums.civfanatics.com/showthread.php?t=499617
      

      • With this patch, players can choose different colors for Civs, taken from the SP256.PAL color palette

      
      EXP_CIV1_CUSTOM_CONFIG_DATA - EXPERIMENTAL - replace the standard Civ configuration data - patch023_game_cfg.xml - source: http://forums.civfanatics.com/showthread.php?p=13048160#post13048160
      

      • WARNING: THIS PATCH IS EXPERIMENTAL, APPLY IT AT YOUR OWN RISKS - This patch is a prototype patch that aims to allow the modification of nearly *all* data hard-coded in CIV.EXE: game parameters (such as terrain characteristics), all ingame text (dialogs), etc.

      
      CIV1_CITY_RAILROAD - Allows Settlers to build railroad in cities (finally!) - patch024_railroad_cities.xml - source: http://forums.civfanatics.com/showthread.php?p=13263682#post13263682
      

      • With this patch, Settlers can finally build railroad in cities, at last!

      
      CIV1_SETI_WRITING_POC - Assignes the effect of SETI program to knowing 'Writing' tech - patch025_seti=writing.xml - source: http://forums.civfanatics.com/showthread.php?p=13257808#post13257808
      

      • With this patch, a Civ benefits of the orginal effect of SETI Program as soon as they discover Writing - this is a proof of concept patch, to demonstrate the replacement of Wonder effect with Tech effect

      
      CIV1_SKIP_INTRO_FADEIN - Attempt to speed up the intro logo transition - patch026_fast_title_screen.xml - source: n/a
      

      • Attempt to speed up the intro logo transition

      
      CIV1_SKIP_FADEIN/OUT - Attempt to skip palette fade-in/outs - patch027_skip_palette_fades.xml - source: n/a
      

      • Attempt to skip palette fade-in/outs

      
      CIV1_SKIP_CREDITS - Skip opening credits - patch029_skip_credits.xml - source: n/a
      

      • This patch skips the opening credits and directly opens the main menu

      
      CIV1_NO_QUIZ - Remove Quiz - patch030_no_quiz.xml - source: http://forums.civfanatics.com/showthread.php?p=13387476#post13387476
      

      • This patch bypasses the technology quiz

      
      CIV1_NO_BARBARIANS - Play without Barbarians - patch031_no_barbarians.xml - source: http://forums.civfanatics.com/showthread.php?p=13387379#post13387379
      

      • This patch completely discards Barbarians from the game

      
      CIV1_SKIP_PREGAME_SETUP - Skip the pre-game setup menu - patch032_skip_av_intro.xml - source: n/a
      

      • This patch discards the initial selection menu for video and audio setup

      
      CIV1_CANT_SABOTAGE_CITY_WALLS - Protects City Walls from sabotage by Diplomat - patch033_citywalls_cant_sabotage.xml - source: n/a
      

      • This patch excludes City Walls from possible targets of Diplomat sabotage

      
      CIV1_SKIP_AQUEDUCT - Skips the aqueduct requirement for city size 10+ - patch034_no_aqueduct.xml - source: n/a
      

      • This patch discards the requirement for a city to have an aqueduct for growing above size 10

      
      CIV1_CUSTOM_SETTINGS - Changes the default game settings - patch035_settings.xml - source: n/a
      

      • This patch makes it possible to modify the default game settings: auto advice, sound off, animations, palace, end of turn, ...

      
      CIV1_STARTING_POSITIONS - Changes the EARTH starting positions - patch036_startpos.xml - source: n/a
      

      • This patch allows to modify the starting positions for Civs on EARTH map(MAP.PIC)

      
      CIV1_PRESERVE_IMPR_ON_BUILD_CITY - Preserves terrain improvements when a city is built (mining, fortress) - patch037_build_city_keeps_impr.xml - source: n/a
      

      • This patch keeps improvements on a square when a city is built on it, This only applies to fortress and mining, which are the only improvements forcefully destroyed as part of the Build City routine

      
      CIV1_PRESERVE_IMPR_ON_DESTROY_CITY - Preserves terrain improvements when a city is destroyed - patch038_destroy_city_keeps_impr.xml - source: n/a
      

      • This patch keeps improvements on a square when a city is destroyed

      
      CIV1_UNLIMITED_ADD_SETTLERS - Settlers can be added to a city regardless the size - patch039_unlimited_add_settler.xml - source: n/a
      

      • This patch removes the city population limit which prevents adding settlers to a city of size 10 or more (it actually sets the limit to 127 instead of 10)

      
      CIV1_PILLAGE_MAKES_ARCTIC - Pillaging transform lands to arctic - patch040_pillage_makes_arctic.xml - source: n/a
      

      • This patch replaces the action occuring when pressing SHIFT+P: instead of pillaging, units tranform the land into Arctic

      
      CIV1_F2_LOAD_GAME - Rewires F2 shortcut key to load saved game from within CIV - patch041_F2_load.xml - source:
      

      • After applying this patch, pressing F2 key will open the "Load Saved Game" screen and allow the player to directly load a previously saved game; the World Map can still be shown by using the menu item from the WORLD menu; note: some side effects have been noticed, this functionality is not guaranteed

      
      CIV1_REPLAY_LOWER_CASE - Replay text is lower case for all Civs, including player - patch042_lowercase_replay.xml - source:
      

      • After applying this patch, replay text for the player is written in lower case just like for all other civs

      
      CIV1_REPLAY_ESPANOL_PLURAL_2 - Plural for Mongol set to "Mongoles", chinese translated to Chino - patch044_plural_espanol_POC2.xml - source: https://forums.civfanatics.com/threads/edit-tribes.674240/page-2#post-16235770
      

      • Plural for Mongol set to "Mongoles", Chinese translated to Chino as a proof-of-concept for Spanish port

      
      CIV1_REPLAY_poc_espanol_civ_leader_names - Multiple changes to Civ names and leaders - patch045_mod_espanol_POC3.xml - source: https://forums.civfanatics.com/threads/edit-tribes.674240/page-2#post-16235770
      

      • Multiple changes to Civ names and leaders

      
      CIV1_gameover_lower_case - Multiple changes to Civ names and leaders - patch046_lower_case_leader_gameover.xml - source: https://forums.civfanatics.com/threads/edit-caps-defeated-leader.675854/#post-16242419
      

      • Multiple changes to Civ names and leaders

      
      CIV1_BUGFIX_ARCTIC_ANOMALY - Fixes "arctic anomaly" - patch050_bugfix_arctic_anomaly.xml - source: https://forums.civfanatics.com/threads/arctic-anomaly.510277/
      

      • This patch fixes "arctic anomaly" by removing wonder icons from score screen

      
      CIV1_CUSTOM_AUDIO_VIDEO - Replaces default A/V setup - patch051_custom_av.xml - source: n/a
      

      • This patch allows to replace the default audio/video values when used in combination with SKIP A/V patch

      
      CIV1_DISABLE_SPECIAL_CIV_COLORS - Disable special Civ colors (white and grey) - patch052_disable_sepcial_civ_colors.xml - source:
      

      • This patch disables special processing of white and grey Civ colors

      
      CIV1_SPECIAL_RES_RAND - Random special resources - patch101_sepcial_res.xml - source: http://forums.civfanatics.com/showthread.php?p=13224157#post13224157
      

      • This patch rewrites the "CheckSpecialResource" routine that checks whether a map square should be have a special resource or not: the original CIV routine follows a well known pattern, this patch makes it much more random

      
      CIV1_DEBUG_SWITCH - Restore debug cheat - patch201_debug_rev2.xml - source: https://forums.civfanatics.com/threads/shift-5-6-cheat-for-5-version-of-civ-restored-kinda.658262/
      

      • This patch allows you to toggle debug flag ON and OFF (shift+5,6 in original) with Alt+V

      
      CIV1_POWERGRAPH_ANYTIME - Rewrites F10 shortcut key to show Civilization PowerGraph screen - patch204_powergraph_anytime.xml - source:
      

      • After applying this patch, pressing F10 key will open the "CIVILIZATION POWERGraph" screen. The World Map can still be shown by using the menu item from the WORLD menu.

      
      
      
      
  • PIC image editor
    • Open PIC image files, export them as GIFs, edit their color palettes on the fly
    • Convert custom image files to PIC images, import native PIC's palette and overwrite or remap your custom's image colors
    • And with all the above mod you CivDOS PICs at will
  • Font editor
    • Open CivDOS native fonts, export them as GIFs, import modified or original fonts and convert them back to CivDOS-compliant FONTS.CV
  
  

Requirements:

• Java 7 must be installed on your system; note: later versions of Java may be supported as well, but are untested
• Successfully tested on Windows XP, Windows 7 and Linux (Ubuntu); assumed to work on all OS's with Java 7 support
• To enable edition of savegames, an original copy of Sid Meier's Civiliation for MS-DOS must be installed on your system; supported versions are listed below (other versions may be supported too, but are untested):
  • English 474.01
  • English 474.03 (not fully tested)
  • English 474.04 (not fully tested)
  • English 474.05
  • English 475.01
  • French 474.05

How to install and use:

• Unzip the package file JCivED-0.0.23a.zip on your disk
• Double-click jcived.bat (Windows) or jcived.jar to launch JCivED
• For legacy reasons, PIC conversion functions are available from the command line, by running piced_cmd.bat (Windows only), with the following parameters:
  
  Spoiler :

  
  

  Code:

  Usage:
          piced_cmd x -pic <source> -gif <target> [ -pal <palette> ]
                  Extracts a PIC-compatible image file, converting it to a 256-color
                  GIF image file:
  
                   -pic <source>  specifies the input PIC-compatible file
  
                   -gif <target>  specifies the target GIF file
  
                   -pal <palette> an optional palette file
  
                  If no palette is specified, the program will attempt to use the palette
                  included in the input file <source>. If <source> does not contain a
                  palette information, then a default palette is used.
  
                  If the file <palette> contains valid palette information, it supersedes
                  any palette information contained in the <source> file. Otherwise the
                  program proceeds as if no palette was specified.

Release notes:

version 0.0.23a (latest)

• PIC editor:
  • Small hack to support DarkLands PIC files
• Background changes:
  • Preparatory work for city screen update

Wow. Just wow. Very, very, very nice work.

To try things out I ran the Gamesave Editor, built some terrain, gave London population 20 and all city improvements, and changed militia stats to 10/10/10. It all worked. Opens up endless possibilities...

I'm just impressed at the effort you made to do this. Really, really, really nice work. !

jarvisc said:

Wow. Just wow. Very, very, very nice work.

To try things out I ran the Gamesave Editor, built some terrain, gave London population 20 and all city improvements, and changed militia stats to 10/10/10. It all worked. Opens up endless possibilities...

I'm just impressed at the effort you made to do this. Really, really, really nice work. !

Click to expand...

Thanks a lot jarvisc, as always

Actually, they are far from being fully tested from every angle, so bugs are to be expected... Also, as I tried to highlight with the "alpha" mention everywhere, those are really work-in-progress versions, meant to be fixed and enhanced. I really just did this release because I felt I had stable versions in my hands that could be released for everyone to enjoy.

I didn't take the time to make proper roadmaps, but among the various things I intend to enhance are:

• PIC Editor:
  • functionality to convert arbitrary images (GIF, JPG, ...) into PICs to enable graphical modding of Civ; I have been thinking about this form the first release of CIVED, but it is far from straightforward, because of the way Palettes are designed and used in Civ
• GameSave Editor:
  • Fully decipher the SVE contents and enable its editing in the tool, including: map visibility, wonders, governments, history replay, score graph, city resource usage, etc.
  • Improve UI to edit units/cities from the Map view
  • Obviously, enable terrain improvement edition (road/mining/pollution/...)
  • Add special resource and tribe huts (not deciphered yet)
  • Different edition modes, e.g. hacker, where any value can be put anywhere for experimenting with Civ behaviour with invalid data, and safe where the tool enforces game rules (prevent units from different Civs on the same square, cities on the ocean, etc.)
  • Support more versions of Civ, for both savegames and UI graphics, including (if possible) savegames coming from WinCiv and other Civ I ports; and to a further extent, the possibility to convert gamesaves between Civ versions (long road ahead...)
  • Support more platforms, probably meaning to develop adapted UIs (Java Applets for the web, J2ME for mobile devices, etc.)
  • Provide a proper API to manipulate gamesaves (can't do this until I decipher the SVE fully)
  • ...

In a word, I have great ambitions - and consequently there is a great risk that most of the above will never be achieved
Although feedback like yours, jarvisc, is really a good motivator to continue the work!

Anyway, thanks again, and I'll keep you posted with any progress.

Hey darkpanda. That sounds very ambitious!

I was just using your tool to help me experiment with the so-called One City Challenge. I made a random map, then came into JCivED Gamesave Editor to remove almost all the land such that every civ starts on its own continent only big enough for one full city. I've got more ideas after that, too.

In short, having a blast!

jarvis

PS good luck deciphering all that save data format. I like how for now, you just exposed all the "unknown data" arrays to look at in the data editor.

very good! I like the simple interface!
I'll look into it more hopefully soon when I have more time.
keep up the good work!

axx said:

very good! I like the simple interface!
I'll look into it more hopefully soon when I have more time.
keep up the good work!

Click to expand...

Thanks axx! Hopefully you won't be discouraged by too many bugs!

darkpanda said:

it is far from straightforward, because of the way Palettes are designed and used in Civ

Click to expand...

What's up with the palette anyway? I expected to see 256 VGA colors but obviously not. It also looks like there's room for 280 colors in the palettes; I'm assuming this is just due to representation and not capacity.

Whelkman said:

What's up with the palette anyway? I expected to see 256 VGA colors but obviously not. It also looks like there's room for 280 colors in the palettes; I'm assuming this is just due to representation and not capacity.

Click to expand...

You're right, it is due to representation, not capacity: actual palettes can only have up to 256 colors, and accordingly each pixel of a PIC image is just a single byte, which value ranges from 0 to 255, representing an index in the 256-color palette.

It is not straightforward because different types of PICs are actually using only limited ranges from the color-palette: in the screenshot from PIC editor (see first post), you can see all the magenta color in the palette which is actually unused.
I am assuming this makes it possible to combine multiple PICs within the screen at the same time, without all the PIC's palettes colliding with each other; e.g. GOVT*.PIC (members of government) + BACK*.PIC (diplomacy background, depends on type of government) + KING*.PIC (leader graphics) would have non-colliding palettes to when combining them to display a diplomacy screen.
So whenever someone wants to customize those graphics, care should be taken with the palette.
This is just an assumption, though, and I didn't explore all the details yet so I may be mistaken.

Another problem is: how to create the palette of an arbitrary, imported image (PNG, GIF, JPG) ? generate it automatically ? "cast" the image onto an existing PIC Palette ? allow the user to manually create his own palette ?
Probably, all of the above would be nice, but then it takes time to design and implement, and I would rather code 1 function properly than 3 or 4 half-baked buggy algorithms... So, time will tell which way I will go first!

Thanks for the heads-up anyway!

I just added support to change tax rate and science rate in my latest dev version of GameSave Editor, and tried to put some impossible values:



Civ seems to have accepted them,as you can see in the screenshot (in French, sorry) but I wonder what the actual effect could be

I havent figured out how to you it yet.. but looks awesome. I play civ on dos box and havent been successful starting it yet.. its a work in progress.

I've been enthusiastic about your work as it promises great prospects, so I made all you spoke about - installed Java7, then downloaded and launched JCivEd0.0.1a. For the first time I chose the save of this scenario http://forums.civfanatics.com/showthread.php?t=276242.

I tried to change population of Venice - entered 9 instead of 8; it didn't work. Then I tried to reassign Venice from the German civ to the Chinese (represent Hungary); to do this I changed owning civ number from 3 (Germany's one) to 5 (Chinese); it gave nothing. Each time I switch on another item (a city or a civ) old data are being restored.

How to make it work?
Thanks.

fluyt said:

I've been enthusiastic about your work as it promises great prospects, so I made all you spoke about - installed Java7, then downloaded and launched JCivEd0.0.1a. For the first time I chose the save of this scenario http://forums.civfanatics.com/showthread.php?t=276242.
View attachment 342020
I tried to change population of Venice - entered 9 instead of 8; it didn't work. Then I tried to reassign Venice from the German civ to the Chinese (represent Hungary); to do this I changed owning civ number from 3 (Germany's one) to 5 (Chinese); it gave nothing. Each time I switch on another item (a city or a civ) old data are being restored.
View attachment 342023
How to make it work?
Thanks.

Click to expand...

Hi fluyt!

Thanks a lot for you enthusiasm and your bug report.

As a matter of fact, I downloaded the custom save game you linked above, but failed to open with JCivED GameSave Editor, getting an "Invalid format exception" ... I think the MAP format, being custom and non-standard, cannot be opened succesfully (I should look into that, by the way...)

So I loaded it in Civ and then re-saved it, so Civ would generate the format supported by JCivED: this worked.

Now, I identified your issue: if you input a value in a field and then click in another field without pressing Enter, your change will be lost. But if you press Enter before leaving the field, your change is saved.

I have done the changes you mentioned and it worked fine, as you can see below (I moved the submarine as well so I could discover Venice, invisible by default):



By the way, any such change you perform in the Data tab is immediately visible on the Map tab, so it is a good way to confirm whether your changes are taken into account:



To conclude: I know this bug sucks, and I had already fixed it before you mentioned it, in the current DEV version, so that if you just click outside the field (loses focus), then the change is saved. But I don't plan to patch the existing release yet, as there is a workaround for it, unless you convince me that your life is impossible without it

A new, better release will come within weeks anyway

Thanks again, and good luck!

Oh thanks! It changed a lot - I have been bearing a plan of creating a scenario for CivI and now it's become possible!


Well, forgive me if it's off-topic, but I think this is a great Civ red deserving attention and available tools in my humble opinion are sufficient to do one's own toil.
First of all I started a customized game (with little land), waited a turn, saved and cleaned the map up. I got two saves - one with reserved ice caps and the second without.
View attachment blank map with ice caps.rar
View attachment blank map w-o ice caps.rar

Tomorrow I'm planning to find a suitable physical map, define the exact borders of the region and correlate the scale of the implemented region with the Civ's 80x50 map.

Hi everyone,

Finally I could code an Image-to-PIC function in JCivED PICED that seems to do the job, I am so excited that I can't resist sharing a screenshot of this achievement:



The actual PIC editor release that makes this possible will come in a few days, after I make sure there aren't (too many) loose ends crippling the thing.

I am also attaching the actual KING04.PIC created this way, for anyone who wants to try it out (sorry for the ZIP format, this forum doesn't seem to allow PIC files):

View attachment KING04.zip

For the record, the original GIF still has to be properly engineered, in order to match the original PIC's size (320x200) and contain fewer than 256 colors (this is actually not mandatory because the palette casting discards the original colors).

Cheers

Abraham Lincoln has never looked so good.

It's been and still is a hardnut as I've never been making a single map or scenario, so it's going to take a while.

First of all, I was in search of a suitable map so it could be set to the Civ map with ease. My original idea - a map of Baltic - I had to throw off because I didn't see an optimal way to cut edges, so I delayed it until better times and switched on West Europe; I have a clear idea concerning what to do, but I won't reveal the historical epoque for the time being.

I resorted to the method described here: http://forums.civfanatics.com/showthread.php?t=29350. I was making a list of over 40 cities writing down their x's and y's of .gif (finding absent cities in google/wiki) and divided them on the number to correlate them with Civ coordinates. Then I mapped cities by 1-tile spots of grassland and disposed settlers there.



To have possibility of editing map (i.e. improving land and building roads) I placed one settler of every nation to prevent the auto victory by conquest or any bug, while Egyptians were assigned a human player ID as well as all anew created settlers. So after having built all world cities I would be able to improve terrain peacefully; also I can create endless number of settlers without need to assign them to certain cities, so the process will take not much time.

fluyt said:

To have possibility of editing map (i.e. improving land and building roads) I placed one settler of every nation to prevent the auto victory by conquest or any bug, while Egyptians were assigned a human player ID as well as all anew created settlers.

Click to expand...

Would you prefer to be able to edit improvements through JCivED ?

If so, I can focus on that functionality and try to release it ASAP. Should be quite straightforward.

darkpanda said:

Would you prefer to be able to edit improvements through JCivED ?

If so, I can focus on that functionality and try to release it ASAP. Should be quite straightforward.

Click to expand...

Yes, it'd be definitely helpful.

Hi everyone,

A quick word to notify of the fresh release of JCivED 0.0.2a!

Download link and release notes available in the first post of this thread.

Most noticeable new fetaures:
- PIC Editor:
- Image to PIC conversion, making it possible to mod Civ's images at last
- GameSave Editor:
- editable map visibility per Civ
- editable terrain improvements
- editable governments, city worker allocation, tax rate, science rate, ...

More work is in progress, so that means more updates to come in the future !

Enjoy

Wow this looks really good. Is it stable? I could spend a few days looked away with this tool!