Solver's Unofficial BtS Patch

[Tristan daCunha]

Moderator Action: This is not a Firaxis bashing thread. Keep it on topic, such as suggest other fixes for Solver to do!

Thanks for keeping us on topic. The first download link doesn't work, so folks will need to visit the forum link, and download from there.

If Solver is open to suggestions, I would like to see squashed the bug which allows forts to be built in our lands by other civs, destroying our improvements. And yes, we shouldn't be allowed to do that to the AI civs either, which we currently can.

And, of course, the notorious -24 health for 24 turns poison bug needs to be toned down. I fixed it via modifying the XML files, but some people are reluctant to experiment so it would be nice to help them.

 

[Methos]

The first download link doesn't work, so folks will need to visit the forum link, and download from there.

Thanks. I'll fix it when I get home from work tonight. I believe Solver said he changed it.

Edit: Odd, the links in the poly thread download are the same as mine. Is anyone else having trouble with the download link?

 

[Solver]

Methos, you can't link to that file externally, it's only downloadable when referenced from Apolyton (e.g., downloading from the forum thread).

If Solver is open to suggestions, I would like to see squashed the bug which allows forts to be built in our lands by other civs, destroying our improvements. And yes, we shouldn't be allowed to do that to the AI civs either, which we currently can.

Thanks for noting, is that confirmed?

 

[Sarkyn]

Solver,

I understand if this is outwith your current grasp, but the biggest game-breaker for me is the population-allocation in cities bug.

Basically, the AI for both MY cities and it's cities, repeatedly stalls city growth by allocating insufficient workers to food. This ultimately results in the city remaining at "Stagnant" until the player manually interferes. And of course, for the enemy AI, we are unable to do this, resulting in mixed results.

This, for me, is probably the biggest problem - it requires a micromanagement solution that makes the game sufficiently tedious that I will stop playing and go back to Warlords mods, or FFH2 for vanilla...

If you could shed any light on it, or if you find it easy to spot and fix, it'd be most appreciated by the whole community.

 

[RedRalph]

I know this is a real pain, But I'd appreciate if anyone could tell me here or PM me step by step instructions on how to use this patch. I'm not technicallly savvy so anyone would be doing me a real favour by telling me how to unzip, install it etc

 

[Solver]

I suppose that would be in order.

The zip file includes CvGameCore.dll and some files with names like CvTeamAI.cpp. If you're not a programmer, you'll only need the dll file - the rest are changed source code files.

To apply the patch, just unzip the dll file to where your current one is - that'd be Program Files\Firaxis Games\Civilization 4\Beyond the Sword\Assets, for example. It's recommended to back up the existing CvGameCore.dll (you can just rename it to something else) before installing mine.

 

[RedRalph]

It's recommended to back up the existing CvGameCore.dll (you can just rename it to something else) before installing mine.

Thanks a million man, Really appreciate it. Re: The above, you just mean basically copy & paste the existing DDL file and keep it somewhere else just in case something goes wrong with the new one?

 

[Solver]

Yes. It's not so much in case something goes "wrong" with the new one (though, that, too) - it's that you would need the original one in case you wanted to play online (you need to have the same files as the other players for an online game).

 

[aelf]

Solver is now a developer?

Well, congrats then, Solver

 

[DrJambo]

Solver, could one just put the dll file it in the Custom Assets folder?

 

[Solver]

No. The game was changed so that it no longer recognizes dll files put in CustomAssets, so that won't work anymore.

Tristan, thanks for noting the Fort bug, I've fixed that now.

 

[IronCrown]

It's great that you fix AI issues, but shouldn't Blake be doing that right now? And if he does... why would two people in (or associated with) the company do the same work?

 

[Solver]

Two people can do more than one Really, though, Blake is currently working on more advanced issues. While I make a few small improvements, he's dealing with more complex improvements.

 

[IronCrown]

Ah, that's good to hear

 

[Solver]

Cool stuff. I wanted to chime in with another example of how Domination AI can be improved. The Khmer were a mere 2% of the world's population away from victory. They absolutely refused to research medicine. Those hospitals would have won them the game!

In a nutshell, if the AI is on the verge of a population based Domination victory, it should emphasize research that will increase the size of its cities and hence put them over the edge of their goal.

Good point. I've made a tweak so that an AI close to population domination would love Genetics, also value Medicine more.

 

[Admiral Willem]

Solver,

Huzzah for tweaks.

I applied your patch but I am still encountering the "wait forever" problem. I encountered what plenty of others have - AI takes over a barbarian city, gives it to a newly founded colony, wait forever. Would you like me to email you my saved game?

 

[Brancaleone]

I have a question;

i got BTS from Steam, so i dont have a .../Program Files/Firaxis/CivIV/BTS folder. The game is inside .../Program Files/Steam/ and its a million "civ4.lol" files, theres no proper Assets folder in there for me to replace by Solver Files. I do have a .../My Documents/My Games/BTS with Assets, Custom Assets, Mods, etc, so i droped this AI fix in the Assets folder (it didnt replaced anything) but so far i didnt noticed any change. I did something wrong or is the fix already working for me?

 

[Solver]

Willem - sure, why not. I'll look at it, though probably won't figure it out

Brancaleone, I don't have the Steam version, so I can't be sure. Did the Assets folder where you put my DLL already have a DLL file in it?

 

[Solver]

Updated

* Fixed the bug allowing Forts in foreign territory, which would result in Forts overrunning useful rival improvements.
* AIs close to domination population will have a high priority for health buildings in cities that are unhealthy.
* AIs close to domination population will put a high priority on researching Genetics and will like other health techs better.
* The AI will be less reluctant to raze cities that have its state religion if it doesn't have the shrine for that religion.

Methos, you want to update the first post?

 

[Methos]

Methos, you can't link to that file externally, it's only downloadable when referenced from Apolyton (e.g., downloading from the forum thread).

Thanks. I didn't realize that.

Methos, you want to update the first post?

Done and thanks for your excellent work! Looks like I'll have to add this to my custom assets folder, so it doesn't make any HOF games illegal for altered assets. Noted the post above about not being allowed. Guess I can't use this.