Modmodmodmodding Wildmana/Xtended

[Linvega]

Hey guys, I'll start with my own problem:
I just got the makefile running with nmake. But afterwards if I start civ4, all buttons are missing in-game, as well as research sliders etc.. I get the message "Bug Core - mod PLE not initialized ; removing" in the message line where also the ingame message are shown like "city x is celebrating", but I don't quite know what to make of this. The game itself starts just fine, the civpedia works, choosing options works, it's only when actually playing that things aren't shown.

I already asked a question in the quick modding question thread in general modding since esvath always stresses that he doesn't know how to do anything about the dll and I didn't expect anyone else to know, but I it doesn't hurt to ask here, too, and I wanted to start a modmodmodmodding thread anyway.
So if you know, please share it here.
And if you have your own problems with modding, please share them, too. Maybe someone can help. Though probably not me, sorry.

 

[Ogi123]

Do you have BUG/BULL installed? I had similar problem when I had it. After uninstall I could play normally, I'm of course talking about version that you integrate with civ. Message by itself is harmless. Even after lo of games I still get it at beginning.

 

[Linvega]

Do you have BUG/BULL installed? I had similar problem when I had it. After uninstall I could play normally, I'm of course talking about version that you integrate with civ. Message by itself is harmless. Even after lo of games I still get it at beginning.

As far as I can remember, no. And shouldn't I then have problems even with the normal dll? This only happens if I use my own compiled dll.

 

[esvath]

Oh, you are compiling your own dll? That sounds exciting! Maybe you could help squashing the terrible Ogres in current build? *hopeful*

 

[Linvega]

Oh, you are compiling your own dll? That sounds exciting! Maybe you could help squashing the terrible Ogres in current build? *hopeful*

Well, that's my goal. But that goal unfortunately still seems to be far away since I don't quite know what to do about my problem
I found some portion in the c++ code that seemed fishy to me and might be the culprit for the ogre situation and since then I'm trying to learn how to compile this thing.

 

[Linvega]

Update: I noticed now that the message in fact comes up even when everything works, I just didn't notice it. So whatever the problem is, it's not connected to the message.

 

[dommain]

Well, that's my goal. But that goal unfortunately still seems to be far away since I don't quite know what to do about my problem
I found some portion in the c++ code that seemed fishy to me and might be the culprit for the ogre situation and since then I'm trying to learn how to compile this thing.

http://forums.civfanatics.com/threads/a-simple-guide-to-compiling-the-dll.405444/

Make sure you have completed the first 3 steps to get the Microsoft dll library linked to be able to compile/debug. What issues are you having directly?

 

[Linvega]

http://forums.civfanatics.com/threads/a-simple-guide-to-compiling-the-dll.405444/

Make sure you have completed the first 3 steps to get the Microsoft dll library linked to be able to compile/debug. What issues are you having directly?

That's actually exactly the thread I used to compile the dll. I tried it with vs 2008 and with directly using nmake, but both work out identically.
My problem is that while the compilation itself goes fine without any errors, if I start the game with the compiled dll, most buttons and sliders in-game are missing, so I can't actually do anything. Since I didn't change anything about the code, something in the compilation has to have gone wrong.

 

[Cor'e =)]

Missing UIs sounds like resource pathing is not right. ?

 

[dommain]

That's actually exactly the thread I used to compile the dll. I tried it with vs 2008 and with directly using nmake, but both work out identically.
My problem is that while the compilation itself goes fine without any errors, if I start the game with the compiled dll, most buttons and sliders in-game are missing, so I can't actually do anything. Since I didn't change anything about the code, something in the compilation has to have gone wrong.

Can you post the compile log?

Could be that windows SDK needs to be compatible with the version with which the exe was compiled. It could be a resource path improperly set. Could be a compile bug, basically hit a snag some where but doesn't error out on you unless you look at log.

 

[Linvega]

Can you post the compile log?
Could be that windows SDK needs to be compatible with the version with which the exe was compiled. It could be a resource path improperly set. Could be a compile bug, basically hit a snag some where but doesn't error out on you unless you look at log.

On your remark I tried v6.0a and v6.1, but both turn out identically. Here's the compilation log for 6.1:

http://s000.tinyupload.com/index.php?file_id=02601088830516563643

I would have uploaded/posted it here, but unfortunately the file extension isn't allowed and it breaks the character limit, too.

Oh, and some unrelated questions:
-Is there some simple way to let a promotion do something on a units death?
-Is there a way to increase global sea yield with a civic? The term "globalseaplotyieldchanges" is only applicable to buildings as it seems.

 

[Aletr]

I tried to compile it too, and as far as I understood, 2008 is not the version was used to compile latest xtended (I tried them all, probably). But after I ran into hundreds of compile errors time after time, I just gave up.

Probably a word from the last successful compiler would help.

 

[dommain]

I would have uploaded/posted it here, but unfortunately the file extension isn't allowed and it breaks the character limit, too.

Oh, and some unrelated questions:
-Is there some simple way to let a promotion do something on a units death?
-Is there a way to increase global sea yield with a civic? The term "globalseaplotyieldchanges" is only applicable to buildings as it seems.

You could zip it or just convert it to a file type that you can post....

There are promotions like immortality that and second chance that activate on death.

You can make increases based on resources. Tile increase are slightly harder as there is a way for certain tile type like desert, Ice but has to be with civilization trait I think.

I tried to compile it too, and as far as I understood, 2008 is not the version was used to compile latest xtended (I tried them all, probably). But after I ran into hundreds of compile errors time after time, I just gave up.

Probably a word from the last successful compiler would help.

The last person is not available, that is the problem. It could actually be compiled with 2010 then... which requires a bunch of special settings. Its the actual reason why I gave up because I would fixed allot of things if I knew.

 

[Cor'e =)]

Maybe get whatever dll source is running AND2 (or?) and tweak it to work as a replacement source for this mod?

 

[esvath]

This is email from CarnivalBizarre when he tried to teach me how to mod DLL. Hopefully this will help?

Spoiler :

Well, I meant installing visual studio so you can start the stuff in debug mode basically. Then you get much more feedback from issues that might not crash Civ4 but still is an indication of problems.



Goto https://www.visualstudio.com/en-us/products/visual-studio-express-vs.aspx and scroll down to Express 2013 for Windows Desktop, need to make a login for msdn, it’s free.



The installation instructions for compiling the SDK is more complicated than that for sure, but that is the start.



You also need http://www.mediafire.com/?iyfcfdd8eezh01m (Microsoft Visual C++ Toolkit 2003) to compile, needs to be installed as well.



§ Download the following three library files and put them in this folder: C:\Program Files blab la (x86)\Microsoft Visual C++ Toolkit 2003\lib

§ msvcrt.lib

§ msvcrtd.lib

§ msvcprt.lib





After all that is done, you have to try open the project in the Devsource folder in your repository, where you put it with tortoise.

 

[Linvega]

This is email from CarnivalBizarre when he tried to teach me how to mod DLL. Hopefully this will help?

Spoiler :

Well, I meant installing visual studio so you can start the stuff in debug mode basically. Then you get much more feedback from issues that might not crash Civ4 but still is an indication of problems.



Goto https://www.visualstudio.com/en-us/products/visual-studio-express-vs.aspx and scroll down to Express 2013 for Windows Desktop, need to make a login for msdn, it’s free.



The installation instructions for compiling the SDK is more complicated than that for sure, but that is the start.



You also need http://www.mediafire.com/?iyfcfdd8eezh01m (Microsoft Visual C++ Toolkit 2003) to compile, needs to be installed as well.



§ Download the following three library files and put them in this folder: C:\Program Files blab la (x86)\Microsoft Visual C++ Toolkit 2003\lib

§ msvcrt.lib

§ msvcrtd.lib

§ msvcprt.lib





After all that is done, you have to try open the project in the Devsource folder in your repository, where you put it with tortoise.

Did someone else get some idea from this? I tried the three libraries, but they don't seem to be different from the regular toolkit 2003 libs.

Anyway, one idea I had was using a decompiler on both dlls and comparing them. Decompiling with IDA Pro works fine, but any plugins for comparisons seem to be to old so that I can't find a working download link (patchdiff) or they don't work for some reason on my pc(bindiff). If someone else is experienced/motivated enough to try it, please do so.

You could zip it or just convert it to a file type that you can post....

There are promotions like immortality that and second chance that activate on death.

You can make increases based on resources. Tile increase are slightly harder as there is a way for certain tile type like desert, Ice but has to be with civilization trait I think.


The last person is not available, that is the problem. It could actually be compiled with 2010 then... which requires a bunch of special settings. Its the actual reason why I gave up because I would fixed allot of things if I knew.

Well, I wasn't sure which hile extensions were legal here, so posting an upload link seemed to be the more straightforward option. It's not like you have any disadvantages from doing it this way.

Yeah, I already looked at second chance, but its core functionality is coded in c++, so it doesn't seem to me like I can do a similar promotion in xml or python. But i forgot about immortality, thanks for that remark.

I already added a (big) fishing boats bonus as a stand-in for a water tiles bonus, but it's not really the same. I'll look into civ traits.