Total Realism Mod Conversation into WoC

Hello everyone,

Sorry for the long delay but I finally made it here to have a chat with you guys. As previously talking with NikNacks, there is an interest in importing our project into WoC.

Our team - once 7 people - has shrunk to about 3 people at this stage. We lack Python and C++ coder and this is literally where it hurts most.

Our mod is still based on Warlords and has not yet been updated to Bts because of this. I would like to know if there is anyone interested in helping us with Python , C++ (SDK) to import TR Code into BtS DLL's/Python and eventually we all together transform the whole into WoC as needed.

I hope we can have a chat about the goals and aims in this thread.

Thank you for your time,
Houman

Oh God, it so honored for me to reply to TR team leader first here! TR was my MOST favorites mod!

Because lack of BTS version I haven't play it for long time, but ALWAYS I miss TR's fantastic units, promotions, especially LAND TRANSPORTS(Humvee, Chinook)! That's my most favorites and it's the motivation to put them in BTS games that I learn modular XML then find my way to WoC.

TR adopting WoC modular model sounds like heaven to me. I'm eagerly waiting this day to come.

I'm also new here and learning, I know only XML but no py & SDK. But if there is anything I can do I'll surely glad to do.

Hello!

Sad to hear your team shrunk that much; but if you'd like to move to WoC, I could offer a little assistance with porting your SDK codebase.

You know how to join the WoC group chat room?
Registration is at http://kingshomeworld.com:8080/red5/login.html (click Login at the top; there you should be able to register a new account).

Regards,
Fabian

Houman said:

Our mod is still based on Warlords and has not yet been updated to Bts because of this. I would like to know if there is anyone interested in helping us with Python , C++ (SDK) to import TR Code into BtS DLL's/Python and eventually we all together transform the whole into WoC as needed.

I hope we can have a chat about the goals and aims in this thread.

Click to expand...

Hi All,

Yes, that's a pity. It seems that we are now only three....
A coder is really needed to help us. We can do the XML job, the Art job.... but not the Python or SDK. Here is the problem.

These two last points are like a black hole for me. I hope that somebody will help us porting TR to BtS and making some bug corrections.

Hian the Frog.

... and now you have met all the team.

As princess Leia would put it: "You're our only hope". Basically, WoC is the only chance now for TR BtS to see the light of day. And that is one thing all three of us sincerely hope for.

Welcome aboard, TAfirehawk is on the road this week. Hes the team manager. Our main coder, Vince will be done with his finals in about 2-3 weeks. Faichele is well versed in the sdk. As is Frank. The main thing is to come to our chat sessions, as posted by Faishele above in post 3. We have guys in Europe and USA so someone is almost always on at some point. Unfortunately its that time of year for vacations and a couple guys are on them now or leaving for them soon. Do you have the code from sourceforge yet? This is the location of the newest core. http://worldofciv.svn.sourceforge.net/svnroot/worldofciv/Assets. This is the Location of the soon to be first public release. http://worldofciv.svn.sourceforge.net/svnroot/worldofciv/V1.00.

The Core of WoC is here, http://worldofciv.svn.sourceforge.net/svnroot/worldofciv/Installer/WoC_Core-v1_00-setup.exe. The current sdk is here, http://worldofciv.svn.sourceforge.net/svnroot/worldofciv/SDK/WoC_Mamba. WE also have a svn setup on sourceforge that has helpful tools, located here, http://worldofciv.svn.sourceforge.net/svnroot/wocmodules/Tools.

Another helpful location is the Wocipedia, located here, http://woc.dreamhosters.com/wiki/index.php?title=Main_Page. Many of your questions can be answered, researched there. Hopefully this is helpful info. Yours was also one of the first mods i played, and i have always enjoyed your work. If you have questions come join us in the chat. Welcome again.

Fantastic. Thank you guys for the warm welcome and for reaching out a hand.

I can understand that these times are difficult for modding hence summer and people are gone. I leave on Tuesday and come back on Sunday.

We have deleted the old version of our initial BTS SVN branch. Because too much has been changed in our Warlords and it didnt made sense anymore. I have to set a new branch and will let you know as soon as this is ready.

In the meanwhile the code of TR Warlords is accessible though:
https://civ4mods.svn.sourceforge.net/svnroot/civ4mods/trunk/civ4.mod.realism/src/mod/TR_Warlords

The SDK folder is easily to be found under : \TR_Warlords\Warlord_SDK\CvGameCoreDLL
So if your SDK specialists like to have a look at that anytime they have the time.

Cheers,
Houman

Yeap. Houman is right: Thank you guys for the warm welcome and for reaching out a hand.

Loosing our work made since....wow... i don't remember, is a real pain to me. I really hope porting TR to BtS and correcting the boring bugs.
In fact, it's quite simple: i have three games at home. Civ4, Warlords and BtS. Why playing another game ? I play to civ (or colonization) since 1994, when i bought my first real PC. (It bought it because of Sid Meier and its addicting game !!!)

Thx.

Hello!

I have briefly seen the homepage for the TR mod, but I never played it myself under Warlords
What would help me determine which parts of the SDK were modified for TR, and how extensive these modifications are is a feature list including new unit missions and whatever additions were made that required modifying the game core DLL and/or Python.

Thanks!

Houman said:

In the meanwhile the code of TR Warlords is accessible though:
https://civ4mods.svn.sourceforge.net/svnroot/civ4mods/trunk/civ4.mod.realism/src/mod/TR_Warlords

The SDK folder is easily to be found under : \TR_Warlords\Warlord_SDK\CvGameCoreDLL
So if your SDK specialists like to have a look at that anytime they have the time.

Click to expand...

faichele said:

Hello!

I have briefly seen the homepage for the TR mod, but I never played it myself under Warlords
What would help me determine which parts of the SDK were modified for TR, and how extensive these modifications are is a feature list including new unit missions and whatever additions were made that required modifying the game core DLL and/or Python.

Thanks!

Click to expand...

Thank you for your help.

We had one main SDK developer and one recently just temporary to help out with bugfixing. From what I know, the code is always wrapped between comments. So that the changes are visible what has been added/changed belonging to which functionality etc.

Hope that helps a bit.

Here, for your convenience, are all the SDK files modified by our coders (unmodified files not included, so this won't compile into a functional dll). There are also a couple of readmes, but I think they are outdated and not comprehensive.

Thanks already had it from Source Forge.

Hello!

Thanks, that's a bit more convenient than having to browse the complete SDK.
As for integrating TR: Since WoC is a modular platform, the SDK source code has to react to the case when a certain functionality is turned off, and fall back to the default Firaxis code instead. That's not a huge modification to do, but it's easier to integrate (and test) this if it's done in smaller portions of code.
Since you'll have to modularize the XML and art for TR units/buildings/techs etc. anyway, my suggestion would be that you suggest where to start, and I'll move along with integrating the necessary SDK code (if there's SDK modifications involved).
As for modularizing XML: There's a converter program that can help you with this; ask rockinroger, he has more experience with that.

Walter Hawkwood said:

Here, for your convenience, are all the SDK files modified by our coders (unmodified files not included, so this won't compile into a functional dll).

Click to expand...

Our lack of coder lately has led to some bugs still remaining in the code that have to be fixed prior to the conversion. I think (actually, I hope), it would be logical to fix them prior to conversion - if any of you would help us out on that, I'd compile the links to user-posted CTD saves and explain the likely culprits; these are likely the results of only one or two actual bugs, so, hopefully, a skilled coder can fix those easily. Just let me know, and I'll find all the stuff.

Of course, I understand that fixing a piece of Warlords code might require actually having Warlords and installing our mod, but if it is not a problem, then I suggest this is the path we take prior to the actual conversion. If it can't be done, then, once again, let me know, and we'll move on - but this will still leave us with those bugs once we convert, AND no user-posted saves that would be helpful in isolating and fixing those.

Walter Hawkwood said:

Our lack of coder lately has led to some bugs still remaining in the code that have to be fixed prior to the conversion. I think (actually, I hope), it would be logical to fix them prior to conversion - if any of you would help us out on that, I'd compile the links to user-posted CTD saves and explain the likely culprits; these are likely the results of only one or two actual bugs, so, hopefully, a skilled coder can fix those easily. Just let me know, and I'll find all the stuff.

Of course, I understand that fixing a piece of Warlords code might require actually having Warlords and installing our mod, but if it is not a problem, then I suggest this is the path we take prior to the actual conversion. If it can't be done, then, once again, let me know, and we'll move on - but this will still leave us with those bugs once we convert, AND no user-posted saves that would be helpful in isolating and fixing those.

Click to expand...

The differences between the Warlords and BtS SDK are not that big (apart from espionage and corporations), I can handle these (usually).
Consequently, I'd not attempt to fix bugs under the Warlords SDK and then move to BtS, but fix whatever problems arise under BtS. That's another reason for moving over in smaller chunks; as said, easier to integrate and test.

faichele said:

The differences between the Warlords and BtS SDK are not that big (apart from espionage and corporations), I can handle these (usually).
Consequently, I'd not attempt to fix bugs under the Warlords SDK and then move to BtS, but fix whatever problems arise under BtS. That's another reason for moving over in smaller chunks; as said, easier to integrate and test.

Click to expand...

Then we once again have two different strategies to choose from. You either migrate the most stable chunks of code first, or start with those likely to cause problems for easier testing.

Then let's just pick one TR addition that involves SDK modifications from each category: One you deem as stable, and one that possibly contains errors. I'll give each a try.

The most likely error-prone addition is the most recent one: the resource converter. It is a component that should allow buildings to take in some resources and output other resources. It was designed along these lines of functionality:

- Input resources aren't consumed by buildings; they are still there to be, for example, traded away.
- Output resources are global; they can be connected to other cities and traded between civs.
- The number of functional buildings one can construct and operate depends on the availability of input resources. For example, if you have 3 coal and 2 iron, you can build 2 steel mills (each takes 1 coal and 1 iron as input, and outputs 1 steel); if then you trade away or lose (for example, in war) 1 iron, then one of these will stop, leaving you with only 1 steel produced.
- One input resource can be simultaneously used in several chains; for example, if you have one steel, you can use it to operate both an automobile factory AND a firearms plant.

There is at least one well-documented, if totally undefeated bug in the converter code now. As the game progresses, converter buildings start randomly turning off at the beginning of the turn, as if due to a resource shortage (when the resources are actually available); this effect seems to accumulate, and the further the game progresses, the more turn off messages there are. The buildings retain their functionality later the same turn (as they are still supplied with resources really), but this might be more than just a visual annoyance, especially as the effect accumulates, it might be causing CTDs. The trigger setting off individual shortage messages seems to randomly be ANY action modifying ANY resources - discovery of new resources, connection of new resources (even ones having nothing to do with any conversion whatsoever), trade between players.

Also, and this is likely connected to the first issue, sometimes at the beginning of the player's turn, any city production requiring ANY resource (once again, even not involved in conversion process, like horses) is discontinued as if due to the lack of resources. The player can manually resume the production after that the same turn (even as soon as he gets the message), since the supply of resource isn't actually broken.

Lastly, this likely also leads to CTDs late in game (must be some overflow happening). Players reportedly can avoid CTD in a save where it is otherwise unavoidable by declaring war on the most advanced AI civ (my explanation is that this leads to disruption of some trade deals).

Since the resource converter component is the latest developed, the process can easily be retraced through our SVN, which could help you do some reverse engineering, probably. There are many issues already fixed about it lately, but, since we no longer work with the guy who developed and fixed it, this is a work not finished.

All other components are pretty stable and well-tested. There can also be some (likely random) CTD due to better AI component, but other than that, most other stuff included has a long history of stable use.

That's a "non-trivial" addition to debug first, but I can take a look at it first.
I'll report back when I tracked down the locations of the additions in the SDK related to that resource conversion component; even if I haven't worked directly with resources/trade routes in the SDK yet, I'll give it a try.

If this helps, initially, the component was based on this: http://forums.civfanatics.com/showthread.php?t=179993

It has come a very long way from then, though. Here are the SVN revisions that deal with the converter, if that helps:

http://civ4mods.svn.sourceforge.net/viewvc/civ4mods?view=rev&revision=1501
http://civ4mods.svn.sourceforge.net/viewvc/civ4mods?view=rev&revision=1560
http://civ4mods.svn.sourceforge.net/viewvc/civ4mods?view=rev&revision=1656
http://civ4mods.svn.sourceforge.net/viewvc/civ4mods?view=rev&revision=1821
http://civ4mods.svn.sourceforge.net/viewvc/civ4mods?view=rev&revision=1826
http://civ4mods.svn.sourceforge.net/viewvc/civ4mods?view=rev&revision=1835
http://civ4mods.svn.sourceforge.net/viewvc/civ4mods?view=rev&revision=1841
http://civ4mods.svn.sourceforge.net/viewvc/civ4mods?view=rev&revision=1862
http://civ4mods.svn.sourceforge.net/viewvc/civ4mods?view=rev&revision=1908