Viking-esque Civ

[wingshot]

Howdy all, this is my first pseudo-meaningful post here on the forums and I am looking forward to getting to know everyone. I've been playing FfH 2 and FF for the better part of a year now and currently the only thing that has seemed missing to me is a true blue viking like civilization. I can understand that the Doviello probably come to mind but I can't help but feel that they focus more on a primal aspect i.e. animals and the violent side of them.

My idea is to create a civilization of people who fight for the glory of it all (for the record, I am a fan of Norse mythology) and who believe that true glory awaits them should they die honorably in battle. Throw in Viking buildings and units and that is pretty much the bulk of it, naturally it will be adapted to FfH lore and I have every intention of trying to flesh it out with a compelling background. This is the part where I ask for a modder who would make this for more...the only thing is that I realize that that request is a tad unreasonable.

I would like to create this civilization just like how others have made civilizations of their own the only problem is that I can't quite figure out the ins and outs of modding. I have looked at Kael's mod building guide which was very helpful when developing a mod for BtS but the problem right now is that I would like to make this for Fall Further. My request is for some help in the form of advice, how to get myself started, how to reach the point where I am adding the buildings, units, etc...pretty much I don't quite know how to do this and I am hoping that someone can show me the ropes so that I can successfully do this.

 

[Valkrionn]

Starting with xml is rather easy, and quite a bit can be done with it thanks to Xienwolf's work. I'd be more than happy to help you with any questions, and I know quite a few others will also.

 

[Vermicious Knid]

The Jotnar could be modded slightly to increase the Norse feel...that might be a good starting point.

 

[Shatner]

I'm no modder and so I have no advice to offer there. What I do have is game mechanic advice; something you didn't ask for, so I apologize if this proves unwanted. However, I think a viking flavored civ could be cool so here's my two cents.

So, what makes a civ viking themed? Some combination of the following: a strong naval, an early navy, naval invasions, pillaging, possibly razing cities, berserker units (mainly melee), possibly a slavery emphasis... and then we get into the Nordic elements. Nordic elements include berserky stuff, Ice Giants, big animals (frost wolves, the fenis wolf, sea serpents and the like), ravens (Odin), thunder-lightning and hammers (Thor), Yggdrasil, valkyries, dwarves (of the forge and fire variety), trolls (of the turns-to-stone, big and ugly variety), armageddon (Ragnarok) and dragons.

Looking at the existing FFH functionality, the most "viking" combo that currently exists is Hannah running Conquest, Military State, City States and maybe slavery. However, you mention wanting to go all animalistic, so we're probably gonna want to splice in some Doviello elements too.

Here are a few things components that come to mind. Pick and choose as you see fit:
1) Have naval UUs that have extra cargo space
2) Give all (melee?) units the amphibious promotion
3) A bonus for being along the coast (+1 food on water tiles like Lanun)
4) Extra money from pillaging and/or razing cities (the Raider trait?)
5) Have early melee units cause collateral damage (berserking) and maybe grants the enraged promotion. I believe the Chislev hero has an ability like that.
6) Have the civ start at peace with animals
7) Have naval cities enjoy reduced maintenance
8) Make units immune to fear, give them some way to gain the Bravery promotion
9) Give the civ some sort of cold emphasis (bonus food/production on tundra?, the winterborn promotion?)
10) Host of Einherjar (have units come back as battle angels after death, eventually have them come back as Valkyries?)
11) Totem-esque buildings/units. I believe Doviellio+ (or a related modmod) already has something like that implemented
12) Heavy Metal (no, really). Include this only if you don't mind non-serious elements in your mod.
13) casters that can use cold spells (blizzard, tsunami), maelstrom, floating eye and/or can hold a raven unit (note, units can not hold units while on a boat)

In closing, I think you could do well by cherry picking thematic elements and game mechanics from the Lanun, Chislev, Austrin, Doviello and Illians. Good luck.

 

[deadliver]

I'm no modder and so I have no advice to offer there. What I do have is game mechanic advice; something you didn't ask for, so I apologize if this proves unwanted. However, I think a viking flavored civ could be cool so here's my two cents.

So, what makes a civ viking themed? Some combination of the following: a strong naval, an early navy, naval invasions, pillaging, possibly razing cities, berserker units (mainly melee), possibly a slavery emphasis... and then we get into the Nordic elements. Nordic elements include berserky stuff, Ice Giants, big animals (frost wolves, the fenis wolf, sea serpents and the like), ravens (Odin), thunder-lightning and hammers (Thor), Yggdrasil, valkyries, dwarves (of the forge and fire variety), trolls (of the turns-to-stone, big and ugly variety), armageddon (Ragnarok) and dragons.

Looking at the existing FFH functionality, the most "viking" combo that currently exists is Hannah running Conquest, Military State, City States and maybe slavery. However, you mention wanting to go all animalistic, so we're probably gonna want to splice in some Doviello elements too.

Here are a few things components that come to mind. Pick and choose as you see fit:
1) Have naval UUs that have extra cargo space
2) Give all (melee?) units the amphibious promotion
3) A bonus for being along the coast (+1 food on water tiles like Lanun)
4) Extra money from pillaging and/or razing cities (the Raider trait?)
5) Have early melee units cause collateral damage (berserking) and maybe grants the enraged promotion. I believe the Chislev hero has an ability like that.
6) Have the civ start at peace with animals
7) Have naval cities enjoy reduced maintenance
8) Make units immune to fear, give them some way to gain the Bravery promotion
9) Give the civ some sort of cold emphasis (bonus food/production on tundra?, the winterborn promotion?)
10) Host of Einherjar (have units come back as battle angels after death, eventually have them come back as Valkyries?)
11) Totem-esque buildings/units. I believe Doviellio+ (or a related modmod) already has something like that implemented
12) Heavy Metal (no, really). Include this only if you don't mind non-serious elements in your mod.
13) casters that can use cold spells (blizzard, tsunami), maelstrom, floating eye and/or can hold a raven unit (note, units can not hold units while on a boat)

In closing, I think you could do well by cherry picking thematic elements and game mechanics from the Lanun, Chislev, Austrin, Doviello and Illians. Good luck.

All excellent points Shatner.

I think if you like a viking style civ you also need to decide whether or not they will stay vikingnesque or start colonizing (cough conquering) cities instead of razing them initially (razing them should grant buckets of cash, slaves, maybe a unique promotion upon razing).

Once you have figured that out you'll be good to go. I am working on xml-only modding and learning quite a bit. Took me a long time to build up the courage to release something beyond just idea posts and I find it is fun and only gets easier with experience. All you need to know is what it is you really want the particular thing you are modding to do.

At best this civ would be neutral, basically a naval hippus. Also keep in mind there is a naval civ out there so you'd need to decide if this civ would conflict with them (i.e. become pirates on the high seas) or just stick to coastal and land raids.

edit: Oh yeah, if you feel lost looking at the xml tags (i.e. <PrereqTech>) and you don't know where to look, trust me google is your friend, sure helped me.

 

[Breez]

I love the enraged promotion. I like the idea of units operating outside of the chain of command doing their own thing. Not every unit but the occasional one.... hmmm .5% chance each melee unit created is crazed?

 

[wingshot]

Alright, thank you everyone! You have no idea how nice it is to know people willing to help and the concepts thrown out are a lot better than what I had in mind

Well, today is the first day that I begin working on this so I guess I'll start...

Where should I make the folder and is there anything that I need to keep in mind when making the folder?

 

[deadliver]

Alright, thank you everyone! You have no idea how nice it is to know people willing to help and the concepts thrown out are a lot better than what I had in mind

Well, today is the first day that I begin working on this so I guess I'll start...

Where should I make the folder and is there anything that I need to keep in mind when making the folder?

If you cannot, or will not read the tutorials (frankly some of them confused me) then I recommend you download a module or two and look at the work done there for clues on how to proceed. That is what I did, I took a look at WarKirby's monstrous creatures mod when working on my own. Compare the module's files with the basic game files you'll see what needs to be done.

 

[wingshot]

If you cannot, or will not read the tutorials (frankly some of them confused me) then I recommend you download a module or two and look at the work done there for clues on how to proceed. That is what I did, I took a look at WarKirby's monstrous creatures mod when working on my own. Compare the module's files with the basic game files you'll see what needs to be done.

I actually did go through the mod videos and though it did definitely help, the real problem right now is that it seems like modding Fall Further is substantially different than BtS. I looked at the mod guides before posting and I...can't say that I know how to get everything started. Do I download the thing inside the guide or is that essentially a back up or...? I'm just trying to figure out how to get the foundations built without breaking something (be it my computer or my will to live)

 

[deadliver]

I actually did go through the mod videos and though it did definitely help, the real problem right now is that it seems like modding Fall Further is substantially different than BtS. I looked at the mod guides before posting and I...can't say that I know how to get everything started. Do I download the thing inside the guide or is that essentially a back up or...? I'm just trying to figure out how to get the foundations built without breaking something (be it my computer or my will to live)

the dll file? Don't worry about that unless you are doing more than xml modding. If you haven't already look over xien's page (the first one for the mod modders guide) to see what he has added/changed about ffh2 xml modding

 

[wingshot]

Dll? What is...I'll figure it out later. I take it that I need to add in the civ into this XML file correct?

Civ4CivilizationsSchematics

 

[Valkrionn]

No, any file with the word Schema in it's name should be left alone, aside from copying it into your module. To add a civ, you need to mess with Civ4CivilizationsInfo.xml.

 

[wingshot]

No, any file with the word Schema in it's name should be left alone, aside from copying it into your module. To add a civ, you need to mess with Civ4CivilizationsInfo.xml.

Thank you, I'll try and do this the same way the video said...I can't help but feel like my computer is going to commit hari-kiri the second I start doing this

 

[wingshot]

Alright, I just copy and pasted the Bannor at the bottom, removed every BANNOR from every line and replaced it with FRAELIM. Removed two of the leaders and changed the other to NHOJ YEANEK, and switched the hero from DONAL to SENOJ. Is there anything vital that I am currently missing (other than actually making all the units and stuff)?

By the way, thank you to everybody who has posted here so far; especially Valkrionn, Deadliver, and Shatner

 

[Valkrionn]

Lets see if I can remember the files I had to edit to add the Mechanos...

Civilizations Folder
Civ4CivilizationInfos.xml
Civ4LeaderHeadInfos.xml <-- Leaders. Horrible file to edit, mainly because each entry is pretty large. Easy to do, though.
Civ4UnitArtStyleType.xml <-- Special art for units, that you don't want to be UU's. For now, you can just put in a blank, like

Spoiler :

		<UnitArtStyleTypeInfo>
			<Type>UNIT_ARTSTYLE_MECHANOS</Type>
			<StyleUnits>
				<StyleUnit>
				</StyleUnit>
			</StyleUnits>
		</UnitArtStyleTypeInfo>

Civ4TraitInfos.xml <-- Only if you want to add a new trait.

Art Folder
Civ4ArtDefinesCivilization.xml <-- Flag, border colors, etc. Has to be defined if you use a new artstyle for the civilization, which if you renamed everything you have.
Civ4ArtDefinesLeaderhead.xml <-- Leader art.

Interface Folder
CIV4PlayerColorInfos <-- Colors for the border/flag. Only need it if you want a custom color.



I can't think of anything else atm, but I'm sure it's there...

Ah. One last thing. In civilizationinfos.xml, the <ArtStyleType>ARTSTYLE_(civilization here)</ArtStyleType> should be set to the same as a preexisting civ for now... Sets the city art. I'd pick one that you like and copy it for now, MUCH simpler that way.

 

[wingshot]

Alright, I replaced the city art from ORDER to WILDERNESS (seems like it fits the best for now) and I changed the unit art to DOVIELLO (again, best for now)
*looks at file*
I think that that is everything...I guess its time to make the Fraelim a new leader

Thanks again Val, you have no idea how much this helps and I have a tendency to say thanks in just about every post so you will hear this a lot

 

[wingshot]

Alright I just did the leader.
Started off by copying and pasting Maer to the bottom and switching each line that said MAER to NHOJ (also made sure this matches the leader name in the civ info files).
From there I switched the traits to RAIDERS and AGGRESSIVE.
Changed the Religion Weight Modifiers for all religions to 0 except for the Empyrean which is now -20
Favorite building is Form of the Titan and favorite civic is Conquest
And...those are the only changes that I can remember/find, I'll mess more with the AI once its all well and done
Also, the traits, favorite anything, weight, etc are all subject to change once I figure out what I'm doing

Final note: Thanks again to all who have been helping Time for me to try and figure out ArtDefinesCivilization

 

[wingshot]

Hey how about that, question time!

<Type>ART_DEF_CIVILIZATION_FRAELIM</Type>
<Button>,Art/Interface/Teamcolor/Fraelimbutton.dds</Button>
<Path>Art/Interface/TeamColor/Fraelimflag.dds</Path>

I'm not quite sure where to start with this one, what exactly am I supposed to do now that I have made it Frealimwhatever.dds?

 

[Valkrionn]

If you're basing this off FFPlus (I assume you are, as you copied Maer ), should probably set the religion weight for Machinarum very low. I don't see vikings following a technology-focused religion.

Now, you need to find a flag. http://forums.civfanatics.com/downloads.php?do=cat&id=36

If you go to assets/art/Interface/Teamcolor, you'll see some examples from other civs, and that link will help you find a flag and button.

 

[wingshot]

If you're basing this off FFPlus (I assume you are, as you copied Maer ), should probably set the religion weight for Machinarum very low. I don't see vikings following a technology-focused religion.

Now, you need to find a flag. http://forums.civfanatics.com/downloads.php?do=cat&id=36


If you go to assets/art/Interface/Teamcolor, you'll see some examples from other civs, and that link will help you find a flag and button.

Point taken about the religion

I do not have time to finish up the coding for that part tonight so I'll hunt down a flag and continue working tomorrow
Thank you so much Val, I can't begin to imagine how painful this would be if you weren't such a gigantic help