tesbs further flavored civilizations [development thread]

[tesb]

1. Motivation:
I always felt like some civilizations were not flashed out enough. With this project i am trying to correct this.
The first civilization that is going to get attention are the Sheaim. A concept for the Sidar is also waiting to be coded. (Update: Sidar are done too see post #18 #19 and #66)
One important thing to note is that I do not want to alter existing gamestyles, but add to them. If you don't like the additions you can just ignore them.
Also please keep in mind that this is a development thread, especially balance it not yet addressed.

2. Introduction:

"All power demands sacrifice." -Sindri

As seen in this thread: http://forums.civfanatics.com/showthread.php?t=355121&highlight=sheaim
I felt that the planar gates were not offering much for what the player invests, nor did raising the Armageddon Counter play an important enough role.

I wanted an option for the Sheaim that makes the player more powerful, while still wrecking the economy.

With this modification the Sheaim will get a new state wonder, the Demonic Enclave:

Spoiler :

Once build, it will give every city the Summoning Rites.

Spoiler :

In game you cities will look like this, once the Demonic Enclave is build:

Spoiler :

Update: Sheaim got a new spell, see post #12

Every demon that stays in your cities will gain the Demonic Empowerment promotion. The demon will heal fast, walk faster, is immortal and ai controlled.
The concept is that once you have a lot of Planar Gates and a high Armageddon Counter the demons will be like a flood pouring out of your cities, wrecking everything their path. If the Demonic Enclave is build to early they will only be free experience for your enemies.
The main drawback however will be that your research, production and food production will be severely damaged. (This is not yet implemented on the screenshots.)

If you have further ideas or concerns please let me know

 

[tesb]

3. What is done so far:
I implemented the *xml code for the buildings and the promotion. I created button art for them too and made a "new" (i copied and tweaked an old) animation for the Summoning Rites.

Spoiler :

What you can not see, is that those have an animation and since i have no video recording software, you just have to believe me.
+many more

4. What still needs to be done:
The sidar worldspell need to be tweaked, see post #66 ==> Done



I also noticed that the button art files are in a new format, i do not know how this is done, currently they are in the standard *.dss button art.

 

[tesb]

5. The files:
The *.xml files are fully modular within wildmana. The new animation uses 3 new textures, which are in the same size of the ones they replaced. Since the new animation also uses some textures of the old animation i kept them in the same order.
The button art files are in their respective orders too.

I separated the *.xml files from the art files in the attachment.

Update:
I updated all the files (see post 12: http://forums.civfanatics.com/showpost.php?p=9138647&postcount=12)
From now on I will only upload the current files in this post. I will of course say so when doing so.

All files are updated see post #19.

All files are updated see post #66.

 

[wapamingo]

looks great!

 

[[to_xp]Gekko]

awesome

 

[Kalina]

A concept for the Sidar is also waiting to be coded.

What is your concept for Sidar, if I may ask ?

 

[tesb]

just wait until the weekend

 

[Valkrionn]

Based on civ choices alone I'd say you somehow got into RifE's team forum... But your changes are different, so I'm rather interested in seeing how you proceed.

 

[BasilAbdef]

Honestly, I think the Hippus need work more than anyone. They just seem so...bland.

 

[Valkrionn]

Bland, but strong. Isn't it possible that that was exactly what was intended with them?

 

[tesb]

Honestly, I think the Hippus need work more than anyone. They just seem so...bland.

one step at a time


the current balance is as follows:
Demonic Enclave:
-Set the cost from the Demonic Enclave to 600.
-The demonic enclave requires demonic pact and the ashen veil as a state religion, the ashen veil must also be present in the city where the Demonic Enclave is build.
Summoning Rites:
-Reduces the food production by 25%. This can somehow be mitigated by a waterwell and agrarianism, but the best way is to adopt sacrifice the weak.
-Reduces the production by 25%, this can be mitigated by a forge

I do no want to touch the gold income, but i may tweak the research rate. any feedback is welcome.

The balance will not be final until i can playtest this mod, for which i need the next WM patch (for the new promotion tag). I attach the current BuildingsInfos.xml.

 

[tesb]

I am done with the balancing as of now.
Summoning Rites:
-Reduces the food production by 30%
-Reduces the production by 25%
-Reduces happiness by 2

Demonic Enclave:
-Set the cost of the Demonic Enclave to 600.
-The demonic enclave requires demonic pact and the ashen veil as a state religion, the ashen veil must also be present in the city where the Demonic Enclave is build.
-Allows to you to switch your citizens with Demonic Citizens (kills 9 population):

Spoiler :

Keep in mind that Demonic Citizens don't provide unhealthiness nor unhappiness, but they still require food. Also you can only switch the population in the city with the Demonic Enclave. The spell does not affect the rest of your cities and is only castable in this one city.

I will upload all the necessary files in Post 3 and replace the old ones.

The only demur i have is that every demon will get the empowerment promotion that means not just the ones spawned from you Planar Gates, but also Eidolons for example.
This is intended, but i don't know how much of an effect this will have in the late game.

 

[Aline]

I would leave the reserch alone, after all it is the AV trademark, otherwise its an interesting idea, but i think it makes the lategame a bit booring, after all you have nothing to do but look at the ai getting all the fun.

 

[tesb]

I would leave the reserch alone, after all it is the AV trademark

i agree, i did not change it.

but i think it makes the lategame a bit booring, after all you have nothing to do but look at the ai getting all the fun.

You still control your mages, assassins, pyrozombies, ... and you don't have to use it. If you don't like the mechanic just don't build the Demonic Enclave. In the end it comes down to playtesting and tweaking it when something does not feel right.

I will leave the sheaim alone for now (untill the next WM patch) and code the sidar concept.

 

[Tholal]

Nice concept!

 

[Sephi]

I will leave the sheaim alone for now (untill the next WM patch) and code the sidar concept.

let me know if you need another XML tag

 

[Tarquelne]

Starting at line 2792.

 

[tesb]

Update: Sidar

The concept:
I liked the background of the sidar to quote the manual:

Men who have traded portions of their soul for immortality, the Grey are detached from the events of the world.
Only intervening to protect themselves or striking out to destroy undead (they see undead as aberrations despite their own use
of magic to extend their life), they are happy to keep to their hidden cities, out of the eyes, and the wars, of the younger races.

Sadly this did not translate too well into the actual gameplay, so i added the option for the sidar to hide their cities.

After researching passage through the ether, every sidar mage* will gain the ability to hide one of their cities.

Spoiler :

A hidden city will, no longer trade and have its worktile radius reduced to 1. On the other hand it will be much harder to conquer and the surroundings mists will give a benefit to the food production.

Spoiler :

Spoiler :

It will also give a bonus to units within the city:

Spoiler :

For the Hidden City to work you need to add

Spoiler :

def spellHideCity(caster):
	pPlot = caster.plot()
	pPlot.setMinLevel(5)

to python. (I have not tested this yet, it should work since it is only a copy of wall of force. Thanks to Tarquelne )

I am still tweaking a bit the graphics, i will therefore post the files and ingame screenshots a bit later. Since the Hidden City requires the mage to stay, highly promoted assassins will be the best counter.


*adepts, mages and archmages with at least level 6

 

[tesb]

here is an example of the looks ingame:

Spoiler :

There are two effects:
1) from the hidden city, it is the "bubble" with animated borders
2) from the mist, it is a bit hard to tell on the screenshots because it is also animated, but you will see mists around your cities (~1tile)

I'll update post #3 with the newest files.

 

[blade117]

Cool concept.