Better method to distribute Art

[Impaler[WrG]]

The fan art submistions posted here have been a critical pillar of the moding process, without which many mods would be so very plain. Up untill now artists have generaly released their content as a folder containing the raw .nif, .kfm, .dds files they have altered or created. This dose keep the download small but it means everyone who wants to us it needs to do at minimum 10 minutes of XML cutting and pasting (and that assumes your experienced). Ofcorse their wasn't much of an alternative, UNTILL NOW THAT IS!

I've recently perfected a robust modular xml loading mod to the SDK which allows content such as a unit or building to be packaged into a folder and then loaded by the game. The end user donts even need to know what XML is. Creating a modual is very similar to the process you normaly go through to get raw art into the game so you can take a screenshot of it, makeing an ArtDefine, pointing at the files, making new Info entries, pointing at the ArtDef ect ect. The only big difference is that you put them on their own private little XMLs and put an '_' infront of the normal file name, and infront of the underscore a descriptive name if you like. Then throw everything in a folder and zip. The only major downside is you need to include some Schemas and I havent been able to crack the LPlotSystem so you should include some instructions on the read me for what to add.

My main thread is at http://forums.civfanatics.com/showthread.php?t=197584

You can download the core mod on the first post. Put the DLL is a mod or in your Custom Assets and then you can load moduals from either of thouse locations. It also includes templates which can greatly speed up the work of making a modual, just copy some existing element and change the names. Artists can probably also skip the Text files and just copy another unit for the Info file, get your fans to write the rest for you

The second Post contains the download of my current Modual Library which you can use for examples. I'll be expanding this library with new submitions, please post them here for now and I'll add them asap.

[Prestidigitator]

Wow thanks Impaler , this would have HUGE potential.