[BtS] DIPLOMACY: a mod for Diplogames!

[The Capo]

I'd like to talk about all of that stuff. Because it seems like really good ideas. But for now I'd rather get Module Pack II finished, and though I am waiting on Bernie to finish the Aussie units, it seems that I have my work cut out for me on getting these damn Congolese units to work properly. It doesn't involve Blender (from what I can tell) or anything. Basically the way it works is you have the model (which is a nif file) and then you have the texture/skin (which is a dds file). The model shows up fine (which means that there is no need for blender), but unfortunately the skin doesn't show up. What I am going to have to do is go back and check if the ORIGINAL model I used worked at all. Which sucks because it means I have to change around some XML and stuff. But anyway, once I do that I'll fix the Iranian units, do the texts (and stats for a couple of UUs and UBs), and then when Bernie is done with the Aussie units my slate will be clean...

...AND THEN we can start talking about making another thirty modules!

But I'd rather have a clean slate before I start racking my brain all over again. Its good to see your exuberance. Just to give you something to think about, I was considering the following ideas for "themed module packs:"

- Europe (obviously, we've already talked about it, and its next)
- Caribbean (your idea)
- The Great Tribes (American Native module pack, your idea)
- Barbarians (Goths, Huns, Lombards, Gauls)
- The Crusades (Mamlukes, Moors, Kingdom of Jerusalem, Templar Knights, Papal States?)
- Medieval Europe (Burgundy, Franks, Normans and the like)
- The Ancient World (Scythians, Hittites, Etruscans, Assyrians)
- Ancient Greece (Spartans/Dorians, Athenians, Trojans, Thebans, Macedonians etc.)
- And I was thinking of a "Just for Fun" pack, where you'd have things like Atlantis, the Soviet Union, Nazi Germany, Confederate States of America, Pirates, Vampires etc. (fantasy stuff)

 

[MadmanOfALeader]

What a coincidence that you mentioned Nazi Germany. I just made a Swastika Decal. But I'll get back to you in a couple o' months for that.

I'll just try to download the America's module for the umpteenth time (don't bother, Capo, it's only my connection problems) and then I'll go play Animal Crossing while you work on those Congolese guys.

 

[The Capo]

Alright, well I finally got the Congolese units to work (well actually Refar did), but not before I made a backup set just in case. So basically I am going to post both versions (one with mask and one without) and you can tell me which set you like better. These are MEDIEVAL units. So they have a Pikeman (the guy with the big shield and spear), crossbowman, maceman (the guy with the feather plume), a knight and a longbowman. Which set do you like better. With mask or without? Personally I think the masks are pretty cool.

 

[The Capo]

And I fixed/changed the Iranian Grenadier and Cannon. Now they look good. Here is a shot of the Iranian industrial units that will appear in the module.

 

[MadmanOfALeader]

Are you kidding me? The masks are awesome. And if you don't end use them Refar will have busted his posterior region for nothing!

 

[The Capo]

Are you kidding me? The masks are awesome. And if you don't end use them Refar will have busted his posterior region for nothing!

I know, I just put them up there to see what people would think. I was going to put the masks in anyway. In fact the ONLY real reason I posted the comparison at all was to to see which Crossbowman people preferred. But I've made my decision anyway.

And another thing, I hate to say this, but I just noticed ANOTHER mistake I made. In my haste to get the new edition out I forgot to change the XML for the Gran Colombian cannon. So it is going to show up as a red orb. I'll fix this and reupload it. I'm terribly sorry, I know a lot of people have been waiting for these modules, so I tried to get it up as soon as I could. (Well at least a couple of folks here and the Diplogame group at Apolyton, so like twenty).

I'll fix it and let you know when I'm finished.

 

[The Capo]

The Americas is back up and this time it should be right. I'll let you know if I come accross anything else. And please, if you do too let me know.

I have also decided to upload a new version of Module Pack one as well. Due to Refar's awesome EARLY SAILING SHIPS, I changed the graphic for the Phoenician UU (because the old one was too white, this one is teamcolored so the Phoenicians can show off their Tyrian purple dye!). I've also been working on streamlining some of the modules from module pack II so I don't have to go through multiple updates like I did with the americas. Once Bernie is finished with the units I should be able to plug them in and get it posted!

 

[MadmanOfALeader]

I think for the America's mod you may have forgotten some cardinal rules... like the one that says "Use only the last name of a non-monarch!". That is, make "Hugo Chavez" just "Chavez". You broke the rule with Bolivar and Marti.

Only bother changing it if you have to make another awkward update. I can do that myself.

I just checked... weren't you going to make the Hockey Rink Canada's UB?

Also, I think the capital of Brazil should be Rio De Janeiro. Brasilia's only been the capital since the Kubitschek administration. It's not like America and Australia, whose capital has been Canberra for most of its history. Note that in Civ IV, the capital of Japan is Kyoto.

 

[MadmanOfALeader]

Also, I thought you were going to invert the colors on Brazil's flag so that forest green is the team color and yellow was the secondary color.

 

[MadmanOfALeader]

I think the Mexican city list is a bit tiny. And Mexico D.F should be called Mexico City. There must be a better list in Civ Gold.

 

[The Capo]

Nice, feedback....

1) I put the entire name when I thought it sounded/looked better. I can change this easily. I'll do another update soon. And as far as the cardinal rule goes; screw the cardinal rule! I do what I want!

2) I never said I was going to make Canda's UB a hockey rink. And I don't intend on doing that. I suppose if you really think I should I could do that, but where would I get a good hockey arena? Not to mention the fact that you can't even see the rink anyway, so it wouldn't be as cool, but if you could show me a cool graphic I'll change it.

3) I almost made rio the capital actually, but I am pretty sure Portugal has Rio de Janeiro in their city list already, and I didn't want to make somenoe's capital the same name as someone's secondary city. That was the reason I did that.

4) I was going to invert the flag, but the units I had for brazil looked better (the swordsman basically) with the yellow teamcolor, plus Mexico was already green, my Nubia module is green, arabia is green (more green than normal), ethiopia is green. I figured there were only two yellow countries in the game. Plus Brazil wears yellow soccer shirts, so I went with yellow.

5) Why should Mexico D.F. be called Mexico City?

 

[The Capo]

Don't get me wrong, I am willing to make changes. In fact I was thinking of doing another update anyway to change the Canadian explorer to look like the American explorer. And you might be right about adding more Mexican cities. But I don't think the Brazilian color issues is that important, the Canadian UB is a possibility but then we have to come up with some new stats, the names are no problem to change and I don't care either way.

Anyway, while I'm waiting on Bernie I have decided to try and perfect the new modules as much as possible. I have found a name for the Minoan unit, I sort of made it up based on the greek word Pelekys (axe/double-headed axe specifically) and made their UU a Pelekyist. The symbol of Minoa was in fact a Pelekys, and it was used in warfare as well as ceremonial sacrafices by priestesses. It is also called a Labrys, which is where the name Labrynth derives from (as it was in Knossos, as part of Minos' palace). SO Pelekyist it is.

So the Minoans are now finished, so I've moved on to finishing up the Congo. Which is pretty much done too (thanks to Refar), but I didn't like the way their UB looked. I thought it looked too much like the granary. The Nkisi is basically what we would call a "medicine man, or witch doctor." You can look it up on wikipedia if you want but that is basically what it is, so I am thinking of making it available on an earlier tech. But I might leave it as is, except for the graphic. Please pick the one you like the best...

 

[MadmanOfALeader]

I like the tall building best. A wise man once said, "Skulls make everything better!" I think the man's name is Ekmek...

 

[The Capo]

Yeah, that's the one I liked too. Where can I find that Hockey rink?

EDIT: Alright, I changed the leader names to only last names (Chavez, Marti, Bolivar, and whoever else, I checked them all), I changed the Canada Corps button (the corners bothered me) and I prepared a button for the Hockey Rink, I used Canada's national team logo which I think looks pretty cool and I gave them the American explorer rather than the English (it looks like a pioneer with a coon-skin hat and a rifle) I'm going to give Mexico more cities, and I'm waiting for the hockey rink. I might give it the exact same stats as the Australian sports complex, I'm not sure what to do about the stats. Unless you find it with the XML and I can just plug that in too.

 

[MadmanOfALeader]

Do you have Esnaz's mod?

 

[The Capo]

Hmm, I'm not too sure I like the way this looks. Should I use it though? The only benefit I can see is that you actually get to see the rink itself, but its kinda strange to just have a hockey rink like this sitting out in the open.

 

[MadmanOfALeader]

Wouldn't it be good to have, like, walls and seats around it?

 

[The Capo]

Yeah it would be good, but this is what his building looks like. I don't know how to edit buildings, so I can't put them on myself. So its either this building, or we stay with the mircowave tower. What do you think?

 

[MadmanOfALeader]

Stay with the tower for now.

 

[MadmanOfALeader]

Hey, by the way, not to ask you to edit the mod, but how can I edit the art files so that Suryavarman and Darius are back to their creepy, yellow and monkeyish selves?