TerraForm -- a map editor for CIV dos

Two people, krille and lane2006, have stated to me that email that they have sent through civfanatics has not reached me. If anyone is not getting a response try attracting my attention with a Private Message and if that fails you can post here.
 
An update to the Edit/Add/Remove unit function.
The One Click Remove is now functional.

The Unit edit window should now work in a more cohesive way.

You can use the unit list to change the current unit to any other unit.
The current unit is the one listed just below the name of the people.

Add – will allow you to select a new unit for the current square.
Remove - will remove the current unit.
Next – will move the top unit on the Other units on this square list to the current unit.
Exit – will close the window.

Clicking on a unit in the Other units on this square list will make it the current unit.

The choice of unit list is displayed in the following formats
Armor bold for units that you have the advance for
Artillery italics for units that you don't
Catapult strike thru for units that are obsolete


The City unit is assigned to pull down list will allow you assign the current unit to a city.
 
Build 56
TerraForm now displays City walls and the indicator for empty cities.
If you are a current user just download the TerraForm.zip file and copy the exe to the folder where you TerraForm. This will save you the trouble of downloading the whole msi file.


I find it interesting that 12 of the 25 TerraForm users have never posted to civfanatics. I was hoping that this program would spark more interest in posting to Civ Dos fourm, and perhaps inspire some of you to post a scenario for others to play.
 
I hope this map editor is not a cheat then I'll definitely use it. Please confirm Dack. I have played Civ for so long and so honestly :)
 
Grand Dad said: ... cheat ...

It’s a tool.
Only the user can determine its usefulness for any particular purpose. If one is not in competition with another human being can there be cheating? I don’t know the answer to that. To play against an inanimate object are you attempting to judge your self or to entertain? I never thought of computer game play as a philosophical question.

Found this on the web:
cheat: This is a very broad term. A cheat … is defined as anything that can be used to modify the way a game is played, which can be codes or such that were inserted by the developer or external programs that make the game act in a way that was not meant by the programmers.

TerraForm is an external program that can modify the outcome of the game. Is it a cheat or a way to build a scenario? I don’t know, it is what you make it.
 
I hope this is the right place to share a scenario in...

It's a map for those who prefere to play on small maps, where you don't have to control so much. It's 7 civilizations which are fighting on a really small island with really tight placed cities. (It's on the emperor level)

By the way, it would be great if you in terraform could be able to change the difficulty level in the game. Maybe it's impossible to change that through programing, but it would be great if you could.
 

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the difficulty level is one of the easiest things to change. its in the sve file like the rest of the game play data. from troop moves/attack/defence values and so much more :crazyeye: you can even bring back dead civilizations (by giving them a settler) and placing it someone it doesn't get killed. (this works if u change the variable in the sve file that tells how many civilizations are present)

'dos sve file header
cMoved As Integer '2 bytes
cPlayerNum As Integer '2 bytes
cU2 As Integer '2 bytes
cU3 As Integer '2 bytes
cYear As Integer '2 bytes
cDifficulty As Integer '2 bytes
cCivilizations As Integer '2 bytes
Tech_Studying As Integer '2 bytes
cPlayerName(7) As String * 14 '14 * 8 bytes
cPeopleName(7) As String * 12 '12 * 8 bytes
cNationality(7) As String * 11 '11 * 8 bytes
cPlayerMoney(7) As Integer '2bytes
cScienceCompleted(7) As Integer '2 bytes

jus to much to list really :p
 
and not sure if this would be the right place for this but i downloaded the newest version of the map editor and i had a problem with it not working , giving a file not found error on unitdata.dat i created an empty file by that name and the program loads up fine.


........ laughs sorry i didn't wait to get a key... was kinda interested in using it. nice work btw does a great job on the map files. i now have some real scenarios to play from :)
 
giving a file not found error on unitdata.dat i created an empty file by that name and the program loads up fine.

I’m not quite sure what you are attempting. TerraForm uses .map & .sve files with the usual civ 1 names.
 
the version i downloaded off here gave me a file error when i tried to open it.
the error went away when i created that empty file.

it would be ofcourse logical to assume somewhere you call for the file in the code on the latest release (otherwise it wouldn't ask for that specific file). when the file is not present (nothing on it works... you can't load a map or anything).


i'm personally not trying to accomplish anything(i already have). i was just telling you about an error i got when i first tried to run your program :)
 
the version i downloaded off here gave me a file error when i tried to open it.
the error went away when i created that empty file.


I believe that you have downloaded the TerraForm exe. That file is just the exe it is for people that have previously downloaded the msi file. If you are a first time user you will need the msi file it is needed as it contains the support files that TerraForm needs. Sorry if the instructions at the top of this thread were not clear.
 
the directions were fairly clear but i found no link for a msi installer (don't need it any more now anyways) just needed to add that file.
You should think about staticly linking the runtime files for your program into 1 executable file (then no installer is needed) this is possible with vb aswell(with some modifications)


my email however was never returned over a reg code for me to use the program you made so i went ahead and cracked it. again i'll say (nice work)
i do believe though much can be gained by adding a few more things to the editor for creating more customizable scenarios

1. allow for a game start (set players total moves back to 0) this allows you to be able to choose the race and set the year back to 4000 bc.
2. Editing troop capabilities

scenarios inwich troops like mech inf(becomes a land troop carrier) or other variations would be easily possible, if you add a troop editor for the sve files themselves (not add/remove troops) but actually change there statistics. how many times a bomber can move. if they can hold troops. land based/sea and so forth. on a large island.

This one the mech inf was changed to a Trp. Trans. (troop transport) with a max carry capacity of 4 troops (Requirements 'Bridge Building'). some attack/defensive values were changed. aswell as settlers being able to have 2 moves instead of 1. You will be able to select the difficulty and people you wish to start from. One fairly large island with many resources avaliable.
the year starts in 4000 B.C.

ofcourse being a bit more creative will allow for some nice scenarios.

ok i've typed way way too much! hope everyone enjoys the scenario (isn't as easy on emperor as you may think) especially with the new troop values
 

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CIV_moss
Your map & sve file are excellent. Setting the game back to the start so that the game sets up the other countries. VERY GOOD!

Your map & sve starts with the choice of difficult level, number of opponents, and your name. This is the most exciting thing I seen in sve file manipulation in a long while.

Your 1 – I like this very much!!!
2 – I always like playing the game in the games set of rules and have only played with changing unit capabilities. There is a program some ware that does that but I think it works on the civ.exe. I never like altering the civ.exe modifying the map & sve seem more civilized.


Again setting the game back to year 1 – great idea, never dreamed that one could get these results.

Why are you just now on civfanatics?
 
I posted a scenario here a couple of days ago, but today I realised that I posted the wrong scenario. I have changed the attached scenario now in my old post. Enjoy!
 
I am against cheating in any game in any form, if you chaps feel that modifying a map to suit you...well you are welcome! I still feel it's a form of cheating!
Elsewhere I have said that once I tried to reload a saved game (out of frustration) when some of my strong units like a Knight were defeated by a Militia unit...but I gave up as I realized that it too was a form of cheating. :(
 
I am against cheating in any game in any form, if you chaps feel that modifying a map to suit you...well you are welcome! I still feel it's a form of cheating!

To each his own of course, but the goal of this program is to produce maps of various terrains. One can of course alter terrain during game play to ones own advantage. In my use of this program, I like at the beginning of a game to connect islands to form larger ones or separate the different civilizations so that when I meet them they are fortifiable foes. As I have stated else where my ultimate goal is to produce worlds automatically and randomly with more user control than the limited amount of choices given by the setup currently in the game.

Enjoy the game as you see fit.
 
civ_moss said:
This one the mech inf was changed to a Trp. Trans. (troop transport) with a max carry capacity of 4 troops (Requirements 'Bridge Building').

I sort of looked over that section of the sve file. Saw that it had the list of names and associated data. Never thought about it again. The troop transport trans port idea is very clever. I always thought that a Aeroplane that could carry paratroopers was really missing from the game. The only downside I see to this is that the game itself isn’t programmed to take advantage of these modifications.

This is very innovative modification to the sve file. Everyone should check out civ_moss map & sve file.


Have you ever published your sve file editor?
 
no i have not released my save file editor. i would be more then willing to share the source however with whomever want it. i would also like however some information on civ map files. i believe if we were to put our two heads together with the knowlege we have. we would be able to create a nice game/map editor. the most important part of my save file editor is missing the map files laughs..... perhaps we should work together to develope a program to do it all together.
 
On another note however the plane idea to drop troops is actually doable for the game itself as a bomber or fighter should also be able to have a carrying capacity like all other units themselves. could very easily set a unit with bomber like capabilities (2 turns to move) with 8 moves (more or less) quite possible.


As to cheating (that is all up to the person that does the action). If you do something inwich gives you an unfair advantage (money cheats etc..) then its cheating. to call it cheating because you using a custom scenario though (isn't cheating) the whole point of making custom scenarios is to give players options and levels in the game wich was not done intially. A game as old as civilization i would think people who still play it more then welcome new scenarios and ways to play the game (without neccessarily cheating) editing a map isn't cheating unless you give yourself an advantage (eg add cities etc..) i would like however to see more scenarios developed with result in a move 0 (you pick leader/difficulty etc..).

i will work on another scenario however wich involves troop transports and a form of paratroopers (with the planes to drop them) ideas though for this scenario are quite welcome :) (i will make this one of the most difficult scenarios possible however) i don't like things that are easy (no point in playing if u know u can win)
 
Greetings Dack,

I have finally fixed my windows installer, and have tried 56, however, it is an exe file rather than an msi file? It doesn't work.
 
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