AND Resurrection Team

[Original message by jtanner28 below inside the spoiler]

• 45°38'N-13°47'E - Mod Manager - dll coding, python, XML, balancing
  
• JosEPh_II - XML and support (on hold)
  
• Vokarya - XML, Python, Tech Tree, Units/Buildings/Wonders
  
• dbkblk - French Translation, AND Launcher/Updater, Translation Platform (on hold)
  
• lordfistas - Polish translation * (on hold)

* with help from attyla and helpful people from civ.org.pl

Also Afforess is always around keeping an eye on project development and contributing with fixes and advices.

We had no words from jtanner28 since August 31st 2012, so I'm taking over the project, with Afforess permission.
If you are interested in helping out just PM me (45°38'N-13°47'E) or post here and we'll see what we can do.

I am willing to help, I can do some betatesting and maybe help with xml
Here's a rar of the files I've modified in my version for rebalancing purposes (right now only on normal speed and noble level, but I'll definetly want to balance the game with every gamespeed and difficulty level). It simply goes in the xml folder of the mod.


Edit: Sorry, there was an error in the file I've uploaded this morning; the one attached now it's the right one.

P.S. Guys, I'll be away for 10 days now, on holiday in UK; but when I get back, I'm more than ready to help

You know I wouldn't mind to offer my help in anything you want. As well as add or improve some of the SDK ideas. I mean, collaboration between KROME and AND.

As far as the religion founding in KROME, what I had planned was to create a new XML tag per leader that gave them a favorite tech and make them the religions. This tag would give them a research bonus for that specific tech. Something like 50% or so. Hence trying to race Isabella to Christianity or Saladin to Islam would be nearly impossible. I never got around to trying to do it though.

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Isabelxxx said:

You know I wouldn't mind to offer my help in anything you want. As well as add or improve some of the SDK ideas. I mean, collaboration between KROME and AND.

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Would you like to join the team Isabelxxx? From your posts in the KROME thread, it's obvious that you know the SDK quite well. Actually probably quite a bit better than me!

We could collaborate on both if you want, or I could just bug you if we get stuck on some sticky SDK problem. Either way is fine.

That's fine for me. I could offer help not only in the SDK but also in art files(leaderheads, modelling, textures for units, etc.) or python if needed.
It will be great to work with a c++ programmer like Blueblood, since knowing how the SDK works is great but I surely lack the experience of a c++ programmer which is necessary for major changes.

Do you have some plans about what to do?

Isabelxxx said:

Do you have some plans about what to do?

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This might be over-optimistic or kinda nuts, but here's my basic battle plan:

1.) Go through the Bugs thread in detail and make a list of every known bug. Run test games to try to confirm the bug. List all confirmed bugs on the SVN bug tracker. Take them down one by one. Some of these will probably be a beast to stomp.

2.) Write a new installer in NSIS that includes the options for installing all the different UI colors, Additional leaderheads, and Blue Marble as options.

3.) Update the RevDCM components to 2.90. Some of this may have actually been done when Afforess merged the last changes from C2C. I know that at least part of it is still incomplete.

4.) Teach the AI how to handle the Hardship Mod, utilize terrain strategically, and the proper placement of forts. I actually have an idea of how to go about this that should make for much more interesting behavior during wartime.

5.) Teach the AI how to properly specialize cities. This will involve not just interpreting the terrain correctly but also the correct selection of appropriate buildings, improvements, civics, and other factors.

6.) Break out all the religions to separate dead-end techs in the tech tree to try to prevent a multi-religion rush by one player or AI. I did this in KROME for partial success. It's also been done in C2C. I've got some other ideas about how to tweak religion founding.

7.) Merge the excellent AI features of K-Mod and tweak it for AND. Along with points 4 and 5 above, this is a MASSIVE undertaking.

8.) Add in the as of yet unreleased SDK version of Mine Warfare. I'll have to ask Orion Veteran for permission to do this of course.

9.) Possibly add in the Power Up modcomp. It's a little over-powered but it can be toned down a bit and would fit nicely with AND's building upgrades and multiple promotion enhancements.

10.) Add worker promotions. Road Builder 1, 2, 3, (speed up the building of routes), Construction Worker 1, 2, 3 (speeds up the builing of mines, windmills, etc) and a bunch of other worker promotions. Use the Occasional Promotions code to allow them to get the promotions based on how often they actually build a thing.

11.) Set routes up so that they downgrade over time. This will cut down on road spamming and created an opportunity cost to keep them maintained. You'd have to keep a road working crew going to keep the roads from falling apart.

12.) AND MORE!!!

I can't figure out how to PM you, guess I need to have more posts or something. I am very interested in helping out in this, still play RoM 2.91 regularly and have been thinking about getting involved in the modding myself for ages.

Have a lot of development experience, project management & access to a lot of servers. No experience modding CIV and limited Python but not too worried about picking it up. PM me for details, linked in, etc.

nextgenneo,
You need 5 posts and five days on the forum to be able to PM. 2 more and you should be god to go.

@jtanner28,
Any news? Been pretty quiet of late. And shouldn't Isabelaxxx be up and running too?

JosEPh

@jtanner28,

What's up? You've been gone for sometime now. RL take over?

JosEPh

FYI: I am still around. I know 45°38'N-13°47'E is interested in taking over the project, I will assist with the moderators to ensure transitions go smoothly.

Anyone can contact me for any reason at afforess - AT - gmail.com

Thank you again for showing up on the forum Afforess.
Yes, as Afforess said I'm trying to rise this project again before it dies again. As I've stated on a different thread, I'd like to wait until the end of the month to see if jtanner comes back. If he doesn't, a new team will manage the project. So I'm asking to all of you who are interested in helping out with this project to chime in.
But I'd like to stress a couple of points:
1. For the time being, AND2 WILL NOT be revolutionized: I'd like to solve bugs and balance the game. Major changes will have to wait until we can release a stable and bugs-free version.
2. People joining the project should have enough time to work on this project on medium-long term. That doesn't mean to work on it every day; but I don't like the idea of people starting to work on something, working on it for 1 week and then disappearing for 6 months.
3. If someone wants to be placed on hold because he doesn't have enough free time for this project, that's fine: just drop a line on the forum or via PM to let other people know that you're not gonna make it for a while.
4. I'd like people joining the team to introduce themselves by letting other people know what their modding experiences are and in what way they think they can enhance AND2. You an simply reply in this thread.
I've asked Afforess permission to add other people on sourceforge; either he will add new members by himself, or I will do it if he grants me permission to do so. But in order for this project not to die or to completely lose direction, we will work as a team with brainstorming, discussions about changes, etc. Just keep in mind point 1, at least for the time being. Thank you.

Hello there!
It's been a while...
I'm fraternizing the tought that I'm joining to the team.
I'we got enough time, I'm a programmer and I love ROM - AND.
Is there a list of bugs and balance issues somewhere?

E_Pluribus_Unum said:

Hello there!
It's been a while...
I'm fraternizing the tought that I'm joining to the team.
I'we got enough time, I'm a programmer and I love ROM - AND.
Is there a list of bugs and balance issues somewhere?

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Hi E_Pluribus_Unum,

it's good to see you around!
If you want you can surely join the team; at the moment, there's a thread I started to list AND2 bugs but it's still incomplete. In accordance with jtanner I started this thread: http://forums.civfanatics.com/showthread.php?t=474185 That's because there was another sticky thread for bugs reporting but it was a mess because bugs were reported there for every version (1.75C and earlier, 1.75, AND2, SVN etc.) In this thread only AND2 bugs should be reported. I'm currently working on balancing techs research tweaking mostly gameinfo's folder xml files; plus other small things. But before we all jump in action, I'd like a bit of discussion to see where we're going.

Its good to see someone its bringing back AND. Especially since C2C has become so different from RoM/AND. Rise of Mankind will always have a special place in my gamer heart.

Hydromancerx said:

Its good to see someone its bringing back AND. Especially since C2C has become so different from RoM/AND. Rise of Mankind will always have a special place in my gamer heart.

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Thank you Hydro, we're trying to restart developement (with some difficulties, but we're going on); it's good to see you here. If you happen to look at this subforum from time to time, we could surely use some advice from you

Hydro's early Farms from his HAND Modmod were really good. I'd eventually like to see them resurface in AND2.

JosEPh

We need someone who can Track down and fix CTDs. Especially thru the SVN. I just do not have the knowledge for this. Maybe 45*38'N does.

Wonder when BlueBlood is supposed to return?

JosEPh

JosEPh_II said:

We need someone who can Track down and fix CTDs. Especially thru the SVN. I just do not have the knowledge for this. Maybe 45*38'N does.

Wonder when BlueBlood is supposed to return?

JosEPh

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I could try to track these kind of bugs but I can't promise I'll be succesfull; it could be beyond my reach. I'll have a try anyway. About BlueBlood, he actually didn't tell me anything about a time when he was thinking to return; he said he was too busy and although not leaving the project for good, he simply didn't have enough free time to work on AND2.

Let me welcome aboard a new member of AND Resurrection Team, Vokarya. He's been one of the modders of C2C and he has some very nice ideas for AND2. Soon he'll start some threads about the changes he's proposing so that we can discuss about them. Welcome aboard Vokarya!

Vokarya