This Civ3 BIQ editor allows additional features that are not possible with other editors, and works on Mac and Linux as well as Windows.
To run it, you will need to have Java 8 or later installed, with Java FX. Please read the spoiler below to make sure you have a compatible version of Java.
It is highly recommended that you start the editor by double-clicking "launcher.jar", which is included with it. This sets the Java environment up in a compatible way, whether you are running Java 8, 11, 17, or 21.
If you are running on macOS, please see this post. In short, run Liberica 8 "Full", and follow the instructions for emulating the Aspyr Civ III file structure if you are not running the Aspyr Civ III version (which unfortunately is not supported anymore due to Apple's decision to discontinue 32-bit support).
Screenshots
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After many months of work, the long-rumoured Mac editor is (I believe) ready to be unveiled! Offering the ability to do nearly anything pertaining to Custom Rules or Custom Player Data that you can do with the Windows editor, the hope is that this editor can allow Mac Civ3 fans the ability to at last rely on their native platform for a good part of their Civ3 editing.
Broadening its appeal, the editor also provides some new options for Civ3 modders regardless of platform in the form of configurable Safety Levels. These allow the user to bypass Firaxis's limits on the values any field may have, thus making it possible to, for example, have buildings that produce in excess of 100 culture per turn, or experiment with buildings that cost negative maintenance. While this doubtless will allow many new ways to create invalid BIQs, it should also break down many of these long-unchallenged barriers.
All Conquests BIQs work with the editor, and there is halfway decent BIC/BIX support (but the save is always to BIQ format, so you cannot use this as an editor for Vanilla/PTW scenarios).
It also is possible to extract BIQ files from SAV files with this editor. The same general restrictions apply. At this point only the rules part of the BIQ (not the map) can be recovered from SAVs.
Post any bugs in the thread (not here - I only see this when I upload a new version), and they will be fixed as time permits.
For those of you who are adventurous and would like to explore the actual (rather that Firaxis-imposed) limits of the Civilization III through the editor, please post your results so that the actual boundary conditions can be added to the editor. Also make note of whether you are using the Windows or Mac version of Conquests.
As always, backing up your files before editing them is recommended. It is not believed that there remains any way that files could be overwritten or corrupted without human error or opening multiple files, but this cannot be guaranteed. Fortunately, the editor does provide an autosave functionality that may save you if something does go wrong. As of 0.89, it also provides an auto-archive function that will (optionally) save the previous version of your BIQ with the date and time as part of the name when you make a new save.
To run it, you will need to have Java 8 or later installed, with Java FX. Please read the spoiler below to make sure you have a compatible version of Java.
Spoiler Java Requirements :
It is highly recommended that you start the editor by double-clicking "launcher.jar", which is included with it. This sets the Java environment up in a compatible way, whether you are running Java 8, 11, 17, or 21.
If you are running on macOS, please see this post. In short, run Liberica 8 "Full", and follow the instructions for emulating the Aspyr Civ III file structure if you are not running the Aspyr Civ III version (which unfortunately is not supported anymore due to Apple's decision to discontinue 32-bit support).
Screenshots
Spoiler :
-------
After many months of work, the long-rumoured Mac editor is (I believe) ready to be unveiled! Offering the ability to do nearly anything pertaining to Custom Rules or Custom Player Data that you can do with the Windows editor, the hope is that this editor can allow Mac Civ3 fans the ability to at last rely on their native platform for a good part of their Civ3 editing.
Broadening its appeal, the editor also provides some new options for Civ3 modders regardless of platform in the form of configurable Safety Levels. These allow the user to bypass Firaxis's limits on the values any field may have, thus making it possible to, for example, have buildings that produce in excess of 100 culture per turn, or experiment with buildings that cost negative maintenance. While this doubtless will allow many new ways to create invalid BIQs, it should also break down many of these long-unchallenged barriers.
All Conquests BIQs work with the editor, and there is halfway decent BIC/BIX support (but the save is always to BIQ format, so you cannot use this as an editor for Vanilla/PTW scenarios).
It also is possible to extract BIQ files from SAV files with this editor. The same general restrictions apply. At this point only the rules part of the BIQ (not the map) can be recovered from SAVs.
Post any bugs in the thread (not here - I only see this when I upload a new version), and they will be fixed as time permits.
For those of you who are adventurous and would like to explore the actual (rather that Firaxis-imposed) limits of the Civilization III through the editor, please post your results so that the actual boundary conditions can be added to the editor. Also make note of whether you are using the Windows or Mac version of Conquests.
As always, backing up your files before editing them is recommended. It is not believed that there remains any way that files could be overwritten or corrupted without human error or opening multiple files, but this cannot be guaranteed. Fortunately, the editor does provide an autosave functionality that may save you if something does go wrong. As of 0.89, it also provides an auto-archive function that will (optionally) save the previous version of your BIQ with the date and time as part of the name when you make a new save.
Spoiler Operating Systems Supported :
Spoiler Historical Info :