[MODCOM]Improvements Outside Borders

Improvements Outside Borders
By: TheLopez

Last Updated 11/08/06

Version: 0.2w
Patch Compatibility: Warlords v2.0.8.0
MP Compatible: ?
Download Mod v0.2w

Version: 0.1.1
Patch Compatibility: v1.61
MP Compatible: ?
Download Mod v0.1.1

Description:
The Improvements Outside Borders mod adds a new tag in the
CIV4TerrainSchema.xml, <bBuildOutsideBorder>, that lets mod makers indicate if
a particular plot improvement can be built by a worker outside of a players
civilization's cultural borders. By using this mod, forts can now be built in
neutral and enemy territory, improvements can be built on resources prior to
culture borders expanding to include them, etc.

Installation Instructions:

1) Unzip this into the "civ4_install_folder\Mods\" folder.
2) Open the CivilizationIV.ini configuration file
3) Change the Mod line to read: Mod = Mods\Improvements Outside Borders
4) Load the game.
5) Then play as normal.


-----Notes to Modmakers-----

If you want to use this mod component in your mod I have tried to make things
as easy as possible for you. In the XML files I have added
<!-- Improvements Outside Borders Start --> and
<!-- Improvements Outside Borders End --> in all of the places where changes
were made. The only exception to this is the CIV4TerrainSchema.XML file where
this isn't possible. In the SDK files I have added
// < Improvements Outside Borders Start > and
// < Improvements Outside Borders End > in all of the places where changes
were made.

All that needs to be done to allow an improvement to be built outside a
civilization's cultural borders is for:
<bBuildOutsideBorder>1<bBuildOutsideBorder> to be added before the
<iTilesPerGoody> tag in a improvement info definition. The following sample
would enable forts to be built outside of a civilization's cultural border:
<ImprovementInfo>
[TAB]<Type>IMPROVEMENT_FORT</Type>
[TAB]<Description>TXT_KEY_IMPROVEMENT_FORT</Description>
[TAB]<Civilopedia>TXT_KEY_IMPROVEMENT_FORT_PEDIA</Civilopedia>
[TAB]...
[TAB]...
[TAB]<bBuildOutsideBorder>1</bBuildOutsideBorder>
[TAB]<iTilesPerGoody>1</iTilesPerGoody>
[TAB]...
[TAB]...
[TAB]
[TAB]<bGraphicalOnly>0</bGraphicalOnly>
</ImprovementInfo>

As part of the changes to the SDK files I have also included two new methods in
the CvImprovementInfo class and exposed them to python they are:
[TAB]bool CvImprovementInfo::canBuildOutsideBorder() const
[TAB]void CvImprovementInfo::setBuildOutsideBorder(bool bBuild)
This way any improvement in the game can be updated via python so it can be
built outside a civilization's cultural border.


-----Version Information-----

-----v0.1.1------

- Added the fix suggested by Chinese American so the improvement mission info
is displayed correctly. It was still showing the "Must be within our
Cultural Borders" message



-----===Credits & Thanks===-----

- Exavier
[TAB]Composite Mod - readme.txt format
[TAB]
- Testers
[TAB]Jeckel

Ohhhhh.... it's my mom's birthday coming up, not mine

Ooooh, you sly dog you, this is awesome news! Finally I can build a mine on that iron in the middle of tundra before the AI plants a "no good for nothing other than to claim that resource" city.

So what happens, if another civ comes to that resource? Do they have to pillage before building their own? What happens if another civ's culture border grows to overlap it, does it automatically transfer to them?

Rabbit said:

Ooooh, you sly dog you, this is awesome news! Finally I can build a mine on that iron in the middle of tundra before the AI plants a "no good for nothing other than to claim that resource" city.

So what happens, if another civ comes to that resource? Do they have to pillage before building their own? What happens if another civ's culture border grows to overlap it, does it automatically transfer to them?

Click to expand...

Probably doesn't affect those things... I mean, improved tiles trade from one civ to another all the time in the game. Nothing is changed when it comes under new administration.

This may make forts a bit more useful on larger maps.

Wow! You never stop working, do you?!

dh_epic said:

Wow! You never stop working, do you?!

Click to expand...

Not really, I try to have 2-3 mod components near the ready for release stage every two or three weeks.

Thanks so much TheLopez, this was my number one complaint about the game since I first played it. Now I can use my workers to improve the whole contonient and not just my nation. You rock.

As I'm reading this, this MOD is sounding an awful lot like the Civ3 concept of colonization. (please let it be) You can read this post two different ways. (please let it be like colonization) One way could be simply improving the area around the location of a town you want to build. (please not this way, please) The other could be like colonization, when your worker improves the area the resources for that improvement are sent to your capital.

The lack of colonization in Civ4 is the single greatest oversight. (OH MAN, I hope this is colonization) So, is this colonization like in Civ3? Not that it matters to me ... you know, I don't really care. (but I do! I really hope it's colonization)

Just incase anyone is interested, I "assimilated" this mod in the latests CCP release (see post by TGA). XML taging is identical so any ImprovmentInfos.xml used here will be compatable with both DLL's. The setBuildOutsideBorders was droped as this would have affected all players ability to build which I dont belive was the intent (at some later date it might be nice to include a boolean for the player which will get Anded with the improvment boolean, this would allow some interesting additions to Expansive Trait).

Thanks for the great components Lopez, I look forward to using more of your Mods in the CCP.

Impaler[WrG] said:

Just incase anyone is interested, I "assimilated" this mod in the latests CCP release (see post by TGA). XML taging is identical so any ImprovmentInfos.xml used here will be compatable with both DLL's. The setBuildOutsideBorders was droped as this would have affected all players ability to build which I dont belive was the intent (at some later date it might be nice to include a boolean for the player which will get Anded with the improvment boolean, this would allow some interesting additions to Expansive Trait).

Thanks for the great components Lopez, I look forward to using more of your Mods in the CCP.

Click to expand...

Impaler, actually the setBuildOutsideBorders is meant to affect all the players. I added this as a utility method for the Great Options Mod so players could configure which improvements can be built outside of borders through the configuration file. You can see this in action in the latest version of the Great Options Mod, Core Editions.

We're on v1.61, downloaded and followed the install instructions. Unfortunately, our workers aren't allowing improvements to be built outside Cultural boundaries.

Thoughts?

What improvement are you trying to build outside your cultural borders?

Sorry ... should've included that. Was trying to build a Quarry for Marble.

Mike, did you add the tags to the definition for quarrys so you can build them outside of your cultural borders? Please understand that this is not a stand alone mod. It is just a component.

I know I'm good at meddling with your mods, but is it possible/desirable for a fort to put out culture?

I'd love to see a fort built in neutral territory that produces culture for it's base square only (or maybe just one square out), then if an enemy sets up another city and their culture engulfs your fort, you don't necessarily lose the square. So you could try to hold squares for later or deny the AI resources.

This would be realistic too in that if you have a well defended fort somewhere, your troops aren't going to just pack up and go home if a foreign city sets up in the area.

Maybe just pump out 1 culture a turn. I wouldn't want it to expand too much, a fort shouldn't be able to block off a lot of territory, but maybe just a bit. If you want to get extra complicated, have the terrain give a bonus to the culture output. Like if you build on a hill then the fort gives off 1.25 culture.

OzzyKP said:

I know I'm good at meddling with your mods, but is it possible/desirable for a fort to put out culture?

I'd love to see a fort built in neutral territory that produces culture for it's base square only (or maybe just one square out), then if an enemy sets up another city and their culture engulfs your fort, you don't necessarily lose the square. So you could try to hold squares for later or deny the AI resources.

This would be realistic too in that if you have a well defended fort somewhere, your troops aren't going to just pack up and go home if a foreign city sets up in the area.

Maybe just pump out 1 culture a turn. I wouldn't want it to expand too much, a fort shouldn't be able to block off a lot of territory, but maybe just a bit. If you want to get extra complicated, have the terrain give a bonus to the culture output. Like if you build on a hill then the fort gives off 1.25 culture.

Click to expand...

Ozzy, well maybe it should be a configurable option with the default set to 0.

I see my error, TheLopez, I apologize for my ignorance. But now I think I've got the MOD bug ... ACK!

OzzyKP said:

I know I'm good at meddling with your mods, but is it possible/desirable for a fort to put out culture?

I'd love to see a fort built in neutral territory that produces culture for it's base square only (or maybe just one square out), then if an enemy sets up another city and their culture engulfs your fort, you don't necessarily lose the square. So you could try to hold squares for later or deny the AI resources.

This would be realistic too in that if you have a well defended fort somewhere, your troops aren't going to just pack up and go home if a foreign city sets up in the area.

Maybe just pump out 1 culture a turn. I wouldn't want it to expand too much, a fort shouldn't be able to block off a lot of territory, but maybe just a bit. If you want to get extra complicated, have the terrain give a bonus to the culture output. Like if you build on a hill then the fort gives off 1.25 culture.

Click to expand...

That's a GREAT idea. History is peppered with cities that are out-growths of large forts. Great idea.

I would lobby that the fort should only produce culture if it were manned AND, while culture would continue to collect, the influence would only grow one space out. Thoughts? Would this MOD require work in the SDK?

GenghisMike said:

That's a GREAT idea. History is peppered with cities that are out-growths of large forts. Great idea.

I would lobby that the fort should only produce culture if it were manned AND, while culture would continue to collect, the influence would only grow one space out. Thoughts? Would this MOD require work in the SDK?

Click to expand...

Yep, it would definately require work in the SDK.