Help, my all mods crash but the default file

Ok, so I spend several hours revamping all the civilizations, creating new UU etc., then when I ran the loaded the mod as a scenario it immediately crashed. Being suspicious I tried loading some of the mods from this forum; they crash too. In fact, it seems that all the mods but the default crash on me. Anyone know what’s going on here?

Here is an example of what happens step by step:

I start up the game
I load scenario then go to the civ3mod file (now a copy of the xtremeciv3 mod)
I go to directly starting a game
I choose a civilization and hit the green circle
Then it crashes saying:
Civilization3 caused an error in civilization.exe
Then the program closes.

What the heck is that all about!!!

it's a bug in the fact that civ3 knows it's a mod and does things a little differently.

the solution for the time being is to backup your original civ3mod, and call the mod you want to play 'civ3mod'.

start up the game as usual.

no likey the mod? switch back.

don't load as scenario. All the mods are made modifying the civ3.mod, which has no land on its map. no land means no civilizations, so the game crashes

If you change the units in the game, make sure of the following is correct or something...

In the 'Art/Units' folder there's folders with names of all the units of the game. For example making camel riders, make a copy of the horseman folder and its files. Rename the new folder as 'camel rider'. Then in the folder there should be a 'horseman.ini' file. Rename it to 'camel rider.ini'.

Make sure in the editor that the Tools/No map is on if you don't create the map for the mod.

i changed a unit in the game and copyed the folder but ther are no files in any art/units folders that end with .ini
:crazyeyes

Originally posted by Dragon Warrior
i changed a unit in the game and copyed the folder but ther are no files in any art/units folders that end with .ini
:crazyeyes

Click to expand...

If you are using windows, try go to Folder, Option and uncheck hide registered file type. This should show all files in a folder. And there IS one ini file in each of the art\units\ folder.

thanks i found it and the unit works now

Originally posted by Qelebex
don't load as scenario. All the mods are made modifying the civ3.mod, which has no land on its map. no land means no civilizations, so the game crashes

Click to expand...

No, you really *SHOULD* be using the "Load Scenario" functionality if you've got the v1.16f patch. Among other things, this keeps your civ3mod.bic file safe, doesn't mess up savegames, and allows you to play with various mods as you see fit without requiring a rename of the civ3mod.bic file every time you want to switch mods.

Mod makers should, however, be setting the "No Map" flag when they save their mods, and if this is set the game should automatically take you to the world chooser screen. If you skip the world chooser screen on a mod without any land in its map, the game will definitely crash.

Dan

Sorry in advance for the length, I am desperate ...

Duh, maybe someone can help me understand this ... Perhaps some smart Mod Making Person or Dan- a person from Firaxis, could post a little text file explaing this to computer literate but not guru types ...

I have extensively used the Editor to modify unit values and non-unit characterics like wonders or city improvements. I saved the changes as civ3mod.bic. (I had, before this, saved into a different place on my hard disc, the orignial civ3mod.bic, remamed as ORIGINALciv3mod.bic, to be able to restore it. THis is the 1.16f version.) I have never used load sceniaro, always load a game, or, start new game. I have never tried anyones posted mods but want too.

Regarding my little changes, everything has always worked ok. No crashes. Including when using saved games saved before I'd make a change in the editor, then re-opened after making those changes (I make changes all the time, based on neat things I see on these formums.) But I aways just modifiy current units, never a NEW unit or a copy of an old changed to a new, with the original still there.

I do this by opening the editor from the start menu, deselecting Use defaul rules from Tools in the editor, and leave "No Map" there checked. Then Rules>Edit Rules, and make the desired changes. Should I be opeing a specific *.bic by doubleclicking on it in WinExplorer, and then editing it?

So when I load someones mod, I want to use Load Scenairo not load game? More importantly, do I just unzip the mod and put the ?civ3mod.bic? file that comes from decompressing, into the Civilization III folder in place of the current civ3mod.bic, or will it have another name (LWCciv3mod.bic or whatever) and will thus have 2 different *mod.bic files in the folder, and access the "newer" ones by load sceniaro and the original one by load game or new game? Do I need to rename files or anything? Does it go into the Scenaro folder or the main Civilization III folder (where the civ3mod.bic file is now)? The earlier mods seemd to be changed civ3mod.bic files, the newer ones are *.bics ... which go into the Sceniaro folder instead of the main folder??

If I later want to make a NEW unit MYSELF, I copy an older units (which is being changed), its files from Art/units/whatever (ie the ini, the flc, the wav's etc) into a new folder also at Art/units/new units name, named for the new unit, and remame the file names inside that folder to match the new units name, then modify the desireable characterics in the editor? But the unit will LOOK LIKE and animinate like the original the files were for, right? In peoples mods they replace say the *.pcx?? to change the way a unit looks on the map? or in the production queue? Or the *.flc for the animiation? I don't see any *.pcx file in the units folders. What file has the (static) appearance of a unit- I assume *.flc has the animiation only? The Copytool does all this for me?

AND WHAT DOES THE MAPS HAVE TO DO WITH THIS? I've tried to read the how tos with the maps and for example, how to reloacate a civ's starting location. Guess I'm too stupid to understand, I tried wading though the thread on using the Copy Tool and there is so much info I get confused, this bit about VB runtimes, sometime 2 sets of files, sometimes only one? I am confused about loading a map vs. loading a game/sceniaro. You load map, save, reopen in a specific bic- by usnig load sceniaro??? (which one- or do you all ways rename a "Specific MOD"civ3mod.bic to civ3mod.bic?) OR reopen a specific sceniaro? Loading a Sceniaro means loading a specific map ?(I see Earth(hugh) and Earth(Standard) when I click Load sceniaro at the startup screen, if I have a mod in there, I will have other options, no? Are these "sceniaros" provided with the game are just a different sized map then the "normal" one- size wasn't set in the set up screen for the game but "hardwired" to those two sizes?? Is there any difference between getting "hugh" or "Standard" in the load new game's start up screens vs. selecting Load sceniaro and then picking hugh or standard?)

IS there a civ3.mod file? I can't find it. thecrazyroach refers to civ3mod, do he mean civ3mod.bic? Qelebix refers to a civ3.mod. Are these two different files or is this something else? Are they meaing the same thing (civ3mod.bic??)

Sorry this was so long but this is NOT straightforward, IMHO. I have donwloaded practiacally every file in those threads (copy tool) but since I really don't know how to set them up. I'm, afraid I'll screw up my install (especially setting up the VBruntimes- will this mess up my OS? I have win98). So they are still there zipped. At one place in the copytool thread, the bossman posted TWO cab files, to another person only one. Don't understand which is needed and how it will effect my OS if I install them. And HOW do I install them?? Can I uninstall them if I have problems from them?

ANYONE who can help, I'd be grateful. I'd like to understand the process before I go changing all kinds of files! If you are of a bent to help but don't want to clog up the forum, send me a private message. Even some help on PART of these questions will help, maybe a few people could each tackle a part???

Thanks very much! Anyone patient enough to help here is a TRULY NICE PERSON. I know there are a zillion questions, maybe rather then answering them all, just post a short "how to ..." for the diffrent areas with an overview of it all?? I'm afraid I understand only part of it all, and like all who understand only a little of something, its "enough to be dangerous".

DAN can anyone at Firaxies help? Anything helping me about this would probably help a LOT of people, as I'm sure most people with this many questions are too inhibitedd about sounding stupid to post all of this. Maybe a "How to " thread that covers not just modding but something about how it all fits together?

Thank you all. Sorry again for the length. SOMEONE PLEASE!! HELP!

OK I see now that the scenaros are for EARTH maps, hugh or standard, ie in the Load Scenairo approach- whereas New game (or load game) gives you NON earth ie random maps. Stupid me, Should have realised that.

ANYone know, if you go to Customise Map from the first screen after selecting hugh or standard, you get custimized versons of earth maps- small, tiny, etc? What happens if you change the climate and age- still the same continents we know, but with more desert for dryer, more jungle for wetter, etc.?? OR do you wind up with random maps again?

Thanks for anyone who helps!