Dynastic Game Speed Mod

To go with the Gigantic Map mod, I've created a mod that slows down the game even further than the Epic setting. I call it Dynastic. It also significantly extends the total number of turns in the game.

edit: Culture bug fixed, now the zip file contains 2 xml files.

edit: Uploaded most recent version. It doesn't take quite as long to build things now. The turns have been tweaked - you still get a horribly long game. I played for 4 hours last night and didn't hit year 0. The end date is 2500 AD.

another edit:
I've updated my Dynastic mod, with my additional knowledge of the game. It should now be more balanced. It still has a great many turns, but now takes place from 4000BC to 2050AD, just like all the other gamespeed settings. All of the numbers now follow the correct progression that was set down from Quick to Normal to Epic - with the exception of Research, which is even slower than the slow speed it should be. Personal preference, that.

Anyway, here it is.

The proper, accepted way to install a mod is to put it in your MODS directory. I tried to get it to work in the MODS directory, but for some reason it won't. It works in the CustomAssets directory, though. Just stick the 2 files in the customassets\xml\gameinfo directory.

Hm... hold off on downloading that for a bit, folks. Looks like it has a bug. All cities instantly have enough culture to attain Legandary status - from the moment they're built! Build 3 cities for a culture victory.

Looking into it.

Darn it folks, I can't figure this out. It seemed so simple. I just went into the GameSpeedInfo file, copied the text for Epic, and twiddled the numbers.

I figured I must have twiddled the numbers wrong, so I changed them to match the Epic numbers exactly (so I could tweak them one at a time and get it right), and it STILL grants Legendary status to your first city when its built. I can't figure out why.

If anybody wants to take a look at what I did and offer advice, it would be much appreciated.

I found the bug. I needed to edit an additional .xml file. I'm editing my original post to include the new file.

There are possible balance issues... like having to wait over 40 turns for your first military unit... But at least the concept is proven now.

Have fun with it folks, and feel free to make improvements (expecially on the balance issue) and post your changes.

You should have read this thread first. http://forums.civfanatics.com/showthread.php?t=134109

jpinard said:

You should have read this thread first. http://forums.civfanatics.com/showthread.php?t=134109

Click to expand...

humph.

Well, in my defense, that tweak just has you editing the existing Epic setting, which makes it impossible to play a multiplayer game with that setting (hey, some people are insane enough to want to).

If nothing else, my mod will give you an additional Game Speed setting to mess around with, without changing existing Game Speeds.

I did tweak all numbers, not just tech research, which may or may not have been a good idea. I also added more than a hundred turns to the game, and (in the second file I attached) continued the already-existing pattern of having cities require more culture to expand at slower game speeds.

My effort was to change all numbers that the designers changed between quick, normal, and epic. I just carried all the variables along to another speed. Changing only the research rate seems somehow... crude. Though I do admire that page for breaking down the numbers so people can modify some aspects of their game and not others.

>Unzip the file to your Program Files\Firaxis Games\Sid Meier's Civilization 4\Assets\XML\GameInfo
folder, and replace the existing file

WHY??

its safer to leave all the original files alone and have people place any changed files to mod the game into their

C:\Documents and Settings\profilename\My Documents\My Games\Sid Meier's Civilization 4\CustomAssets\xml\gameinfo

any files that are placed in that location overwrite at game launch time the default files.

its a MUCH safer option for adding in modded files, IMO

Latest version has been uploaded above. The years are fixed to make a longer game experience - you spend ages playing before you even reach year 0. Techs still take a very long time to complete, but I sped up city production a bit to make it more playable. Worker improvements take a while to build - it really hurts now when you get pillaged! Securing your empire with fast-moving response units is essential, before pillagers reach your improvements.

Culture is slowed down to match the new game pace, too. It takes longer to culture up your cities, so adjust your strategy accordingly.

So far, I love this mod! It really feels like an epic/almost realistic pace in Civ.

kattana said:

>Unzip the file to your Program Files\Firaxis Games\Sid Meier's Civilization 4\Assets\XML\GameInfo
folder, and replace the existing file

WHY??

its safer to leave all the original files alone and have people place any changed files to mod the game into their

C:\Documents and Settings\profilename\My Documents\My Games\Sid Meier's Civilization 4\CustomAssets\xml\gameinfo

any files that are placed in that location overwrite at game launch time the default files.

its a MUCH safer option for adding in modded files, IMO

Click to expand...

i would say, create a new folder (mod name; dynasty) inside your mod folder in the original game folder (not inside mydocuments), this way it also works and when you play with mods online, this is the only way it works (according so some reactions from people)

a great mod thank you! has greatly improved the lifespan of this game for me, its back to the good old civ days.

although im wondering when i select dynastic mode, is it automatically accompnied by a gigantic map? i'm sure i selected huge map yet this is my 1st dynastic game and the map is gigantic looking..

Hi, cool edit!

Comments:

• The Growth Rate : Turn ratio is 0.125 compared to Normal and Epic's 0.233. That's out of proportion, but I can understand why you set rate low to produce a lower ratio, since it would take forever to produce anything.
• CULTURELEVEL_NONE should also have a dynastic entry just to keep a clean standard.
• The dynastic entry in <SpeedThresholds> in the culture file should be placed a top to match the descending order of game speeds (i.e dynastic>epic>normal>quick), or you could switch the other three into ascending order.

MerakSpielman said:

To go with the Gigantic Map mod, I've created a mod that slows down the game even further than the Epic setting. I call it Dynastic. It also significantly extends the total number of turns in the game.

It should be trivial to change the file so that you can have 1-year turns straight through from 4000 BC to 2200 AD. But I'll save that for another day...

I strongly recommend backing up all files in your Gameinfo folder before installing mods. Any user mod has the potential for damaging the game. Take no risks.

Unzip the file to your Program Files\Firaxis Games\Sid Meier's Civilization 4\Assets\XML\GameInfo
folder, and replace the existing file.

You access this mod when starting a new game with the Custom Game option, under the Speed pulldown menu.

It's not playtested. Let me know if there are any bugs. I'll see what I can do to fix them, though there are no promises.

edit: Culture bug fixed, now the zip file contains 2 xml files.

edit: Uploaded most recent version. It doesn't take quite as long to build things now. The turns have been tweaked - you still get a horribly long game. I played for 4 hours last night and didn't hit year 0. The end date is 2500 AD.

Click to expand...

Actually thats not the right place to unzip it into.

There is a MOD folder where ppl should be placing these mods and loading them via the load mod option in advanced features in the game.

If you dont do it this way when you get into MP it will tell the other party that your files have been changed and that will be a little cheesy for you

My 2 cents...and thanxs for the mod.

I have tried this mod and its slow alright but it finish 1102 AD and not 2500 AD.
I think it also needs some tweeking with the research because in my game the chinese had infantry 1100 AD.

I've updated this mod and changed the attachment in the original post. It should be a LOT more balanced and playable now. See the final edit above for a quick summary of the changes.

I have been searching the forums and I cant find this answer, Im probably brain dead by now.

When I load the mods and go to my screen that allows me to pick
game speed, types of maps, etc. The new mods titles show up with
"xxx_TXT_GAMESPEED_DYNASTIC"

I have checked every thing, but it all looks ok-- whats up?

Hm... I've only gotten this mod to work if it's in the CustomAssets directory, not the MODS directory.

I'm not sure why you're seeing that. When I run the game, either a Custom or a regular single player, the word "Dynastic" shows up right in line with the other ones.

Have you cleared out the cache?

I cut and pasted the dynastic information into the game speed as if it came with original files, checked it, and there is no problem running it. As far
as the cache goes, its there when I first start the game, on load up.
Will the cache stay there when you close the program, and how do you clear it out?

I get the same look with the "Gigantic" map mod that was made, I cut and pasted that in as well.

Thanks,

mirrored this file at http://civilization4.filefront.com/ for you MerakSpielman