Strategic View Icons

Gazebo · Oct 29, 2010

So, since the release of the Mongol DLC, I have been interested in seeing how Firaxis overcame the modding community's problem with strategic icons. In the DLC folder, the following file caught my interest:

Code:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<GameData>
  <ArtDefine_StrategicView>
    <Row>
      <StrategicViewType>ART_DEF_UNIT_GENERAL_KHAN</StrategicViewType>
      <TileType>Unit</TileType>
      <Asset>SV_GreatGeneral.dds</Asset>
    </Row>
    <Row>
      <StrategicViewType>ART_DEF_UNIT_U_MONGOLIAN_KESHIK</StrategicViewType>
      <TileType>Unit</TileType>
      <Asset>SV_Keshik.dds</Asset>
    </Row>
  </ArtDefine_StrategicView>
</GameData>

The file is standalone, and I imagine is loaded via a special mechanism within modbuddy or otherwise that we don't yet know about. Perhaps the 'UpdateDatabase' mechanic only works for XML files, and there is a different 'action' to be done for this type of artwork?

Any thoughts?

G

CommanderZ · Oct 29, 2010

Firaxis could have actually patched the game executable/vanilla resources to make it work (which is what mods can't do).

Gazebo · Oct 29, 2010

CommanderZ said:
Firaxis could have actually patched the game executable/vanilla resources to make it work (which is what mods can't do).

It just seems odd that they would use thing command string instead of the standard svuniticons.xml file. If they could patch it in, why wouldn't they just add it directly to the game's existing file structure?

I think they did something here that we could also do.

Has anyone figured out a way to add in strag. view icons for units, anyways?

G

Gazebo · Oct 29, 2010

No one has any ideas on this?

Gazebo · Oct 31, 2010

Ok, so here are some screens highlighting my woes:

You'll notice that my custom flags work fine, but that the strategic view flags are all messed up.

What gives? Someone out there MUST have the answer!!

smellymummy · Oct 31, 2010

if you use the SQLIte browser addon you can see the table contents of ArtDefine_StrategicView and just add your own rows like the ones already there

Gazebo · Oct 31, 2010

smellymummy said:
if you use the SQLIte browser addon you can see the table contents of ArtDefine_StrategicView and just add your own rows like the ones already there

Perhaps you could elaborate? I'm not sure what you mean here.

smellymummy · Oct 31, 2010

from kael's guide "Viewing the database", there is an addon for the firefox browser

https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/5817/

with that you open up the CIV5 db (my docs/my games/civ5/cache/ CIV5CoreDatabase.db) and you can see all the tables, in this case specifically the ArtDefine_StrategicView

Gazebo · Oct 31, 2010

smellymummy said:
from kael's guide "Viewing the database", there is an addon for the firefox browser

https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/5817/

with that you open up the CIV5 db (my docs/my games/civ5/cache/ CIV5CoreDatabase.db) and you can see all the tables, in this case specifically the ArtDefine_StrategicView

Yeah, I've used the SQL manager before, but is there a way to add your SV art via Modbuddy? Also, do you place the file in the /commons folder or the /dx9 folder?

Thanks again!
G

smellymummy · Oct 31, 2010

i guess you'd add them like any other... if its done like the other assets in ArtDefine_StrategicView it should work right?

Gazebo · Oct 31, 2010

smellymummy said:
i guess you'd add them like any other... if its done like the other assets in ArtDefine_StrategicView it should work right?

I tried adding them to no avail. It seems the system doesn't know how to take in outside files. I've even tried using the same method Firaxis used for the Mongol DLC:

Code:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<GameData>
  <ArtDefine_StrategicView>
    <Row>
      <StrategicViewType>ART_DEF_UNIT_GENERAL_KHAN</StrategicViewType>
      <TileType>Unit</TileType>
      <Asset>SV_GreatGeneral.dds</Asset>
    </Row>
    <Row>
      <StrategicViewType>ART_DEF_UNIT_U_MONGOLIAN_KESHIK</StrategicViewType>
      <TileType>Unit</TileType>
      <Asset>SV_Keshik.dds</Asset>
    </Row>
  </ArtDefine_StrategicView>
</GameData>

But to no avail.

smellymummy · Oct 31, 2010

i see your problem now, the paths dont lead anywhere (mustbe in packed files) and the way its loaded means it should be right out of the root directory. weird

Gazebo · Oct 31, 2010

smellymummy said:
i see your problem now, the paths dont lead anywhere (mustbe in packed files) and the way its loaded means it should be right out of the root directory. weird

Yeah. I haven't seen any other mods with custom SV, so I bet its not possible yet.

G

eviltypeguy · Nov 1, 2010

As far as I can tell, only DLC can provide new art at the moment; there's special XML tags in the .civ5pkg for the mongols as an example:

Code:

	<UnitArtDefines>Civ5ArtDefines_Mongol_Units.xml</UnitArtDefines>
	<UnitArtDefines>Civ5ArtDefines_Mongol_UnitMembers.xml</UnitArtDefines>

I suspect this is the magic that makes it work for the DLC. However, I haven't been able to find anything similar for mods.

Moreover, looking through the executable with a hex editor reveals they've hard-coded the reading of some of the assets for DLCs; they literally have paths in there for DLC_01, DLC_02, and DLC_03. Ick.

However, I should note that it doesn't look like even DLC can provide new art for Wonders or Landmarks unless they were to hard-code that in too. Really, it looks like Firaxis just ran out of time. Because I can't imagine any programmer doing things the way they are now long term. It's just too hacktastic.

Gazebo · Nov 1, 2010

eviltypeguy said:
As far as I can tell, only DLC can provide new art at the moment; there's special XML tags in the .civ5pkg for the mongols as an example:

Code:

<UnitArtDefines>Civ5ArtDefines_Mongol_Units.xml</UnitArtDefines> <UnitArtDefines>Civ5ArtDefines_Mongol_UnitMembers.xml</UnitArtDefines>

I suspect this is the magic that makes it work for the DLC. However, I haven't been able to find anything similar for mods.

Moreover, looking through the executable with a hex editor reveals they've hard-coded the reading of some of the assets for DLCs; they literally have paths in there for DLC_01, DLC_02, and DLC_03. Ick.

However, I should note that it doesn't look like even DLC can provide new art for Wonders or Landmarks unless they were to hard-code that in too. Really, it looks like Firaxis just ran out of time. Because I can't imagine any programmer doing things the way they are now long term. It's just too hacktastic.

Yeah, pretty frustrating that all of our mods (right now) are forced to be half-baked because of wonky modding programs. At least an update on the SDK DLL would be nice...

dream1976 · Sep 20, 2011

For everyone in it for this problem!!!!!

Strategic View Icons

Gazebo

Lord of the Community Patch

CommanderZ

Warlord

Gazebo

Lord of the Community Patch

Gazebo

Lord of the Community Patch

Gazebo

Lord of the Community Patch

Attachments

smellymummy

King

Gazebo

Lord of the Community Patch

smellymummy

King

Gazebo

Lord of the Community Patch

smellymummy

King

Gazebo

Lord of the Community Patch

smellymummy

King

Gazebo

Lord of the Community Patch

eviltypeguy

Warlord

Gazebo

Lord of the Community Patch

dream1976

Chieftain

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