Creation of an Okami mod! Help please!

[SalemSage]

Hey! So I enjoy playing Civ 5, but I especially enjoy playing with all sorts of mods. Sometimes there's nothing more fun than pitting Snake against Bowser, Dr Wily, The Lich King, and other custom civilizations.
But then I got an itch and decided... hey, I should make a mod! Despite the fact that I don't know that much about modding... but hey, I like a challenge

So I decided to make an Okami mod! As I think it could be a great addition to the multitude of custom civs out there...

If you've never played Okami, it's an action/adventure game that was on the PS2, Wii, and I believe it's been remade in HD for the PS4. It's a stunningly beautiful game which has you play as the great goddess Amaterasu, a white wolf, restoring the land to beauty and vanquishing evil demons.

And I thought... What if Amaterasu was in Civilization 5?

So far, the concept isn't finished, but here's what I have so far:

1) Leader diplomacy values set. Amaterasu is a fairly peaceful leader focusing on religion and culture, but is not afraid to denounce and go to war if it's necessary.
2) Diplomacy dialogue! Since Amaterasu can't talk, her Celestial Envoy Issun will talk for her during diplomatic meetings. He can be a little bit of a loudmouth, and it isn't uncommon for him to commit diplomatic faux-pas, but he and Ammy make a good team. (I tell you what, writing dialogue for the possibility that Amaterasu's Nippon might become an Autocratic civ was pretty odd!)

...aaaand that's about it. I've also updated a few things, though they're incomplete.

Here's what I'm intending for Amaterasu's Nippon:
UA - The Sun Rises - Each Guardian Sapling provides Golden Age points. Faith and culture increases by 15% during Golden Ages. Gain science for each archeological dig you complete. (Might cut this part if it's too overkill, but I love the archeological game, it makes sense if you've completed Okami, and it gives them a subtle edge in science that doesn't kick in until mid-to-late game.)
UB - Issun's Quarters - Replaces the Hermitage. Alongside its normal bonuses the Hermitage provides, it would also have an Artist specialist slot, and provide some extra faith!
UI - Guardian Sapling. Currently I've got it replacing the Chateau (this is modded from France, by the way!), but I feel it might be more appropriate to make it replace the Holy Site that Great Prophets can make. It would probably yield culture and a little food as well as faith.

There probably won't be a UU for this civ because honestly I have no ideas...
...Maybe once all that's put into place, I can add some custom music, too? And I'll probably want a custom model for the Guardian Sapling, but my priority is getting the civ and mechanics to work.

In any case, I'm sure I'll find out how I can achieve what I want, but here's my first issue:
Diplomacy screens/Icons!

I don't think I'll be sticking with the diplomacy image I'm using for Ammy in the end, but it's still nice to have a picture just so I know it's working. But unfortunately, they don't show up in the game... And neither do the Civ icons (although they're not finished yet so I'm not overly concerned about that).



All of the "Import into VFS" fields have been marked True, and I've set it in the project properties to UpdateDatabase with all of the XML files involved in the mod, so I don't know what else could be wrong...

So basically, here's my question for now:
What am I doing wrong with putting this diplomacy screen, and my icons, into the game?

I'm sure as things progress I'll have more questions, probably around how to implement the UA, UU (when I decide what it'll be!) and the UI into the game, but I won't worry about those for now.
In case anyone is interested, I've got a zip file uploaded to my Dropbox, so you can download it and take a look for yourself. Maybe there is a detail I'm missing!
https://www.dropbox.com/s/oixohw6ne8dkm1c/Okami_Nippon.zip?dl=0

I eagerly look forward to some answers, and hopefully soon we can all enjoy building a civilization to stand the test of time, with the guidance of Ammy and Issun

Cheers!

 

[LeeS]

1. See whoward69's what ModBuddy setting for what file types tutorial
2. See whoward69's enable error logging tutorial
3. See whoward69's zip your mods and attach tutorial

1. We need only the built version of the mod as it is withing the game's ~/MODS folder. A zip of the ModBUddy project itself is just more work for us, and does not actually tend to lend confidence that what is being provided is exactly the same as what the game is seeing.
2. "CIV_COLOR_ATLAS_LEGENDS"
   • Everyone and their cousin uses this as the name of their atlas when they make their first mod. If two mods are using the same name of Atlas, one of these mods will get their Atlas not used by the game.
3. I don't see that you have an 'Alpha' atlas for your civ
4. This in the definition of your Improvement:

   <CivilizationType>[color="red"]CIVILIZATION_NIPPON[/color]</CivilizationType>

   Does not match to this in the definition of the civ:

   <Type>CIVILIZATION_SRS_NIPPON</Type>

5. I cannot see anywhere you have defined this

   <ArtDefineTag>ART_DEF_IMPROVEMENT_SRS_GUARDIAN_SAPLING</ArtDefineTag>

   nor included any files that would be used to animate such an art define for a new terrain improvement, nor any icon definitions for the improvement's icon, nor the dds files for such.
6. Nor do I see anywhere that defines the BUILD_ for this unique improvement, nor anywhere that tells the game a worker is ever able to build such an improvmeent
7. UNIT_FRENCH_MUSKETEER already exists within the game. You do not re-define it as you are attempting to do. The game simply discards the entire contents of the xml file where such as attempt is made.
8. If your intention was to make a copy-cat version of the Musketeer, you must name it something new and unique everywhere within your mod where you currently have UNIT_FRENCH_MUSKETEER.
9. If your intention was to simply use the existing Musketeer as a unit also unique for your civilization, then you do not need the Units.xml

 

[SalemSage]

Thank you for your prompt reply!

1) We need only the built version of the mod as it is withing the game's ~/MODS folder. A zip of the ModBUddy project itself is just more work for us, and does not actually tend to lend confidence that what is being provided is exactly the same as what the game is seeing.
My apologies! I will be sure to update my post and provide a more suitable file for people to look at.

2) "CIV_COLOR_ATLAS_LEGENDS"
Everyone and their cousin uses this as the name of their atlas when they make their first mod. If two mods are using the same name of Atlas, one of these mods will get their Atlas not used by the game.
3 ) I don't see that you have an 'Alpha' atlas for your civ
Eek! I should probably look up how to do that...

4) This in the definition of your Improvement:
Does not match to this in the definition of the civ:

Well, don't I feel silly! This is fixed.

5) I cannot see anywhere you have defined this
nor included any files that would be used to animate such an art define for a new terrain improvement, nor any icon definitions for the improvement's icon, nor the dds files for such.
I haven't even got around to that part yet, though I assume from your focus on it that that's an important task to take care of. It's on my list!

6) Nor do I see anywhere that defines the BUILD_ for this unique improvement, nor anywhere that tells the game a worker is ever able to build such an improvmeent
This, on the other hand, I am all too aware of. I don't have the knowledge yet... I will look up the plentiful guides on here and see what they say

7) UNIT_FRENCH_MUSKETEER already exists within the game. You do not re-define it as you are attempting to do. The game simply discards the entire contents of the xml file where such as attempt is made.
8) If your intention was to make a copy-cat version of the Musketeer, you must name it something new and unique everywhere within your mod where you currently have UNIT_FRENCH_MUSKETEER.
9) If your intention was to simply use the existing Musketeer as a unit also unique for your civilization, then you do not need the Units.xml
The Musketeer is entirely unnecessary and I should have deleted it long ago, because I don't intend to do anything with it. As it stands the civ looks like it will have a unique improvement and a unique building, so that XML file is now deleted.

You've given me a good start on how to get this thing working, so thank you very much for your advice! I'll update once progress has been made. Cheers!