A New Dawn Beta Builds

[AIAndy]

Question about difficulty:

I am now playing Beta Build 2.

Before this, I was playing the last official build.

I had graduated myself up to 'Emperor' level after mastering 'Monarch' difficulty.

However, in the Beta build, I cannot catch a break on Emperor level. The AI kicks my ass consistently and is always considerably more advanced technology wise than me.

So...question:

Is the AI now much tougher?
Is the AI cheating on this level?
If the AI is cheating (or receiving bonuses), which is fair to play on in the Beta build?

Thank you, and thanks for the great mod.

The AI code for all difficulty levels is the same, but it gets some bonuses depending on what difficulty is set for the player. Check Assets/XML/GameInfo/CIV4HandicapInfos.xml for details.

 

[Istanbul_Kop]

Thanks AIAndy.

Think I will revert to Monarch difficulty for the latest builds.

 

[45°38'N-13°47'E]

As AIAndy said, there's no way to make AI smarter with difficulty level. So basically yes, AI is cheating with higher difficulty levels: it simply has faster research and build times, starts with more units and so on. That's what handicapinfo does.

 

[Sgtslick]

Still rev 586?

 

[45°38'N-13°47'E]

Still rev 586?

Yes, looks like jtanner is busy lately 'cause I haven't heard from him since some time (I've also sent him pm). I'm still tweaking xml for balance issues but last week I had a total Windows failure. No data was lost but I still haven't had time to reinstall everything due to my job...
Hopefully I'll resume my work on AND in the next days, but I'm also waiting for jtanner to come back.

 

[crackedup]

ok so i installed the beta and started a custom game. i was greeted by a list of failed writing INI file messages. i deleted all ROM mods and reinstalled AND beta and started a new game. Got the exact same list!

the thumbnail shows what i am talking about. hopefully someone can help me out!

 

[satrapper]

program files is a protected windows location. a mod really shouldnt try to write user settings there. on the asumption that its not a known issue with AND, check your civ4.ini, "Save Path" line.

by default the setting should read: "FileName = 0" and civ and mods should then use your documents folder\my games for that stuff that appeared on your screen.

 

[crackedup]

sorry to be a complete novice but where should i find that file?

 

[satrapper]

well by rights it should be in something akin to:
C:\Users\username\Documents\My Games\Beyond the Sword

there is also a shortcut to it in the folder that you installed bts to. in your case:
c:\program files (x86)\firaxis games\sid meier's civilization 4\beyond the sword

lots of useful little settings in that file btw, prob worth your while checking the forum out about it

 

[crackedup]

found the file it is as you said. am i supposed to change something or leave it like that?

i tried it again with no changes but same issue unsurprisingly

 

[satrapper]

if that line says: FileName = 0, then thats fine, leave it alone.

ok do you use CvAltRoot.py or /ALTROOT in your civ shortcut?

i dont have AND installed so not sure where you'll find it (CvAltRoot.py), its a BUG-related file. itll probably be in the main mod folder. use windows search if not

anyway open that file up, there'll be a line called "rootDir =" change it to match the path to the folder containing the civ4.ini mentioned earlier. save it and copy it into the AND python folder. something like AND\assets\python


(edit) perhaps read the contents of CvAltRoot yourself to aid clarity in the matter

 

[crackedup]

tried that, won't let me save it once i change the path...

 

[satrapper]

ah cause its protected by UAC in windows...
ok copy the file to your desktop first, then edit and save it there. THEN copy that version into the python folder.

 

[crackedup]

nope still no luck

 

[satrapper]

you sure you did it right? does the same errors appear on screen as in the pic you posted above?

CvAltRoot.py should override the user folder location. if the errors still refer to "program files", then civ hasnt found CvAltRoot.

so, go to c:\program files (x86)\firaxis games\sid meier's civilization 4\beyond the sword\rise of mankind - a new dawn\ assets\ python and verify that CvAltRoot.py actually exist there. if it does, open and verify that the "rootDir" line looks like this:

rootDir = "C:/Documents and Settings/[UserName]/My Documents/My Games/Beyond the Sword"

check for \ instead of / and " at the start and end

(edit) obviously substituting your windows user name for [UserName]

 

[JosEPh_II]

Yes, looks like jtanner is busy lately 'cause I haven't heard from him since some time (I've also sent him pm). I'm still tweaking xml for balance issues but last week I had a total Windows failure. No data was lost but I still haven't had time to reinstall everything due to my job...
Hopefully I'll resume my work on AND in the next days, but I'm also waiting for jtanner to come back.

Isabexxx is also a no show, though I have seen her on the boards asking questions in other mods about a week or so ago.

JosEPh

 

[crackedup]

knowing my luck probably not

ill give that all a go later on this evening and report back.

thanks for the help satrapper much appreciated, as is the patience

 

[crackedup]

i've just tried that, and i have looked at the files that it wont write. nothing strikes me as odd but then nothing would.

i'm at a loss.

 

[satrapper]

arse! me too!

they files wont write there cause windows wont allow write permission. if civ was installed to say c:\civ then i would imagine this error wouldnt happen.

have you tried starting civ with administrator permissions? right-click, run as admin

 

[crackedup]

omg, would you believe it was as simple as that no problem at all.