MSMD: How to Create a Mod (video demo)

[Firestormm]

Excellent. Appreciate the help

 

[Halberdier12]

I have a problem. I am trying to edit a mod with ordinary Notepad, but when I try to save, it says "Access is denied".

 

[The_J]

Windows Vista or 7, right?
-> you need administrator rights to edit files in the program files folder.

 

[Halberdier12]

Windows 7. How do I get administrator rights?

 

[The_J]

If you make a right click on the file which you want to edit, there should be somewhere an option like "execute as", where you should be able to select an admin account or it will ask you for the admin password (sorry that I'm not clear about it, but I still use XP and don't have any real experience with that).

 

[Yummypie]

I was doing everything said in the video, but encountered a few problems.
1: I have windows 7 and it won't let me change the target for a shortcut
2: I don't have the files in my folders, like assets

 

[The_J]

1) just ignore the shortcut then, it's not that important.

2) NOT Documents\My Games\BtS\Assets
The correct path is C:\Program Files\Firaxis Games\Civ4\Assets (and BtS\Assets)
If that's still not correct, then try it in this way:

Do you have a Civ4 shortcut on your desktop?
If so, then make a right click on it, then click at properties at the bottom.
In that menu it should be displayed to where the shotcut leads to, which means there will definitely be the correct folder.

 

[ceaser1345]

This is the begining of the MSMD series. What I hope is a helpful demo of easy steps to create a Civ4 mod. The audience I am aiming for are all those who would like to make a mod but believe it is to technically challenging. By viewing the steps to do it I am hoping that people realize that it really only takes a few minutes to make a simple mod (and from there they can tweak to their delight).

This forum has tons of fantastic articles on specific processes but I think its hard for new modders to really put all the instructions together in a way that allows them to get started. Once new modders have a foot up with these lessons I hope they go on to make mods and dig into the more detailed guides here on the forum.

Step 1:
How to Create a Mod

Step 2:
How to Add a Leader (segment 1/3)
How to Add a Leader (segment 2/3)
How to Add a Leader (segment 3/3)

Step 3:
How to Add Text

Step 4:
How to Add Audio (segment 1/2)
How to Add Audio (segment 2/2)

Step 5:
How to Add a Civilization (segment 1/2)
How to Add a Civilization (segment 2/2)

If you are having problems with the screen going red while watching the video, it is because your computer is running out of virtual memory. Take note of where you are in the video, refresh your browser and jump back to that point and you should be fine. Sorry for the inconveinance, Abode Captivate isn't the best tool in the world (if you guys know of a better screen capture tool let me know).

can i please download these vidoes please, I would like to put them ont a dved so I can use it when I need them quickly instead of having to bike tot he library.

 

[LordOmega114]

I'm trying to imitate this process on Windows Vista, and I don't have an option to create a shortcut...what should I do?

 

[The_J]

Skip the shortcut.
The shortcut is not really an important part. You can load your mod instead via the ingame menu in Civ4 or via one of the mod choosers in our utilities subforum.


@ceaser1345: I can't see any option to make that stuff downloadable at the moment .

 

[jfgagnon]

Thanks for the videos, they helped me a lot!

JFG

 

[1morey]

I am having problems with a flag decal.

I have attached the image I am using.

In the civilopedia it shows up fine, except the white for the mouth doesn't show.

On the flag, the flag is black, and the ghost is white.

What exactly should I do to fix these issues.

I am using GIMP by the way.

 

[The_J]

Screenshots please (and also the flag).

 

[1morey]

Screenshots please (and also the flag).

If you notice in the Civilopedia page, the green ghost's mouth is the same color as the background. It should be white.

Also ingame for the flag, the ghost is white and the flag is black.

For the buttons, I would like the ghost's mouth to be white and the ghost itself green.

For the flags, I want the flag to be white and the ghost green. And how can I properly scale the image so it is not distorted.

I am using GIMP. So what exactly can I do to fix this?

 

[God-Emperor]

In your civilization art info do you have bWhiteFlag set to 1?

I'm guessing it isn't, in which case the colors are overridden by your civ colors based on the Alpha channel (transparent = civ's primary color, opaque = civ's secondary color).

See this tutorial for more information.

 

[1morey]

In your civilization art info do you have bWhiteFlag set to 1?

I'm guessing it isn't, in which case the colors are overridden by your civ colors based on the Alpha channel (transparent = civ's primary color, opaque = civ's secondary color).

See this tutorial for more information.

Ok, so I followed the tutorial. I have the civ button the way I want it, but the flag is still not right both color-wise and dimensions-wise.

Now everything is black, but I have a green outline for the ghost. I would like the flag to look like my civ button. What exactly do I do in GIMP to make them both look the same?

I am so very confused on what I am supposed to do.

 

[1morey]

Can anyone explain to me what I need to do to make both the civ button AND the flag button look the same color wise?

Also, what should I do to fix the image for the flag so it isn't stretched?

Literally, once I figure out how to make custom civ buttons and flag images, it will take me a bit less time to add in the rest of my civilizations.

This part however, I am very confused, and the tutorials really do not make a lot of sense to me, I follow them exactly, but my image still is not how it is supposed to be.

Also, I plan on doing other work with the mod, but until I get all my civilizations in, I won't work on the other stuff I have planned.

EDIT:

Tried again with the flag decal, and I still cannot get the flag right. Can anybody help me?

Here is what it looks like now:

 

[1morey]

How can I make the leader music loop?

I have a music file playing, but then when it is over, it stops playing. How do I make it loop like in the main game?


Also, I want to change the main menu background and main menu theme for the mod. What do I do for those?

 

[The_J]

Can anyone explain to me what I need to do to make both the civ button AND the flag button look the same color wise?

Also, what should I do to fix the image for the flag so it isn't stretched?

Literally, once I figure out how to make custom civ buttons and flag images, it will take me a bit less time to add in the rest of my civilizations.

This part however, I am very confused, and the tutorials really do not make a lot of sense to me, I follow them exactly, but my image still is not how it is supposed to be.

Also, I plan on doing other work with the mod, but until I get all my civilizations in, I won't work on the other stuff I have planned.

EDIT:

Tried again with the flag decal, and I still cannot get the flag right. Can anybody help me?

Here is what it looks like now:

Attach it again please.

How can I make the leader music loop?

I have a music file playing, but then when it is over, it stops playing. How do I make it loop like in the main game?

The audio2D and 3DScripts.xml have both a variable in the entries called bLooping .

Also, I want to change the main menu background and main menu theme for the mod. What do I do for those?

See here (damnit, should write a tutorial).

 

[1morey]

Attach it again please.

Here it is. The DDS file is 128x128 like it said, but I want the ghost to be the right demensions and not stretched. I understand the ratio needs to be 4:3, but I don't know what that would be in height/width size.