vincentz just an question will u be adding
IndieRevolution Gameplay Mechanics ? i believe that the VIP Project Would benefit a lot from it
I doubt it would
Reasons :
It most likely require SDK changes and even if not, it would require huge Python changes. As VIP stands right now, its only xml (all by me in Notepad since most mods use RevDCM or other SDK changes, so Copy/Paste is not an option. I took the hard lesson when using Rise of Mankinds techtree), graphics (every .nif and .dds is inspected, removing animations if it uses a vanilla one) and lastly very few python changes (I did all of them myself except mapgenerator and scrollbar in corporation screen).
So I know every little change personal. (which in turn, is why the VIP progress is soo slow. If I used graphic modpacks like VD or took unitxmls from other mods, I would have been finished a looong time ago). This process keeps the mod trimmed and optimized. If you look in most other big mods, there will be tons and tons of unused building/unit graphics just taking up space.
Putting in another mans work (which was an unfinished alpha) in a coding language Im not strong with, would be a potent disaster. Its one of the reasons why I dont use RevDCM. I simply wouldnt be able to do anything about a bug, and would have a very hard time tracking it down.
Also if it required SDK changes the VIP mod would loose its crossplatform compability and it looked like it would loose its Multiplayer ability too. At least the later means a great deal to me as I sometimes play with a friend (last time untill 1 AD in one sit, without any OOS, delay or crashes of any sort before he had to go home. Strangely it was actually faster, due to the AI taking its turns simultaneous and the machine hosting was faster than the one Im sitting on).
Last, but perhaps most important. Does the AI knows how to play it? Every time I make a new addition, I try to do it for the AI, then the player. Sometimes the AI grasps a concept in ways I couldnt think about myself, and I almost cry "cheater!", only to later discover how the AI had used the new rules to its advantages. (this was indeed true when I changed the movements and the barbs warriors would keep on killing my workers. The barbs had simply taken a shortcut over an oasis.)
So I have to say no, but also have to say : Damn! It looks nice!
Sorry for the long answer, but I guess I had to justify to myself why stuff like this cant be put into VIP
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Changed Animals : Now instead of being units that can be seen and hunted down, they are predators in their own habitat. If you enter a forest with Bears, you will not be aware of it before your unit is under attack. Likewise will the Lions of the Savannah and the Tigers of the Jungle not let themselves be seen or heard, but step into the hyngry cats territory and they'll be sure to hunt you down. The Wolves will tear the flesh of unescorted settlers, and a single worker cutting a path in the jungle could very well become Panther food.
Dont walk alone in the forest at night!
The habitats will slowly regrow (heal) if the animal won, or retreated, but slowly disappear when the first barbs appear (like in vanilla & bts) unless I can find a way to let them stay.