[R&F] A question about editing the game's XML files.

[darkace77450]

I'm wanting to replace drop Monumentality and Exodus of the Evangelicals from the list of Renaissance Era dedications and replace them with Free Inquiry and Pen, Brush, and Voice.

Step 1: Locate Dedications

These appear to be in Expansion1_Moments, about a third of the way down.


Step 2: Identify Target Dedications

The dedication names within the game files don't match those in the actual game, but I'm confident they are as follows:

• SCIENTIFIC = Free Inquiry
• CULTURAL = Pen, Brush, and Voice
• RELIGIOUS = Exodus of the Evangelicals
• INFRASTRUCTURE = Monumentality

Step 3: Edit Dedications

From the looks of things, MinimumGameEra is the era the dedication first appears and MaximumGameEra is the last era it will be available.

If this is as simple as I hope it will be, simply changing MaximumGameEra for Monumentality and Exodus to ERA_MEDIEVAL and Free Inquiry and Pen, Brush, and Voice to ERA_RENAISSANCE should do the trick.


Followup Question

If this really is as simple as a few copy-and-paste edits and saving the file (i.e. I can do everything I want to do directly within the game's XML file without mucking about with mod tools), will the changes take effect for games already in progress?


Any feedback those of you with experience with this sort of thing can throw my way would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.

 

[Infixo]

Yes. You will see a different set of options in the dedication window.
However, if you are past the changes, and e.g. chosen something that in the new reality you created shouldn't be available, I believe the effect will still be there. The modifiers should stay attached to the player. The game cannot do any retroactive changes.
Or, in a rare situation when the modifier attached is still somehow checked against the available set, you will get a CTD. Or it will be detached and you will simply have no effect whatsoever, but the game will work ok.

 

[darkace77450]

Thanks for the reply. I appreciate the feedback. I haven't reached the Renaissance Era in my current game, so I guess I'll see what happens when I get there.

 

[LeeS]

You can directly-edit the game's base files but you need to take careful meaures.

Always back-up a "stable" versions of any changes you have made to some directory on your computer located elsewhere than the game's folders.
Usually it is best to backup an original game-file before you start to fiddle with its code.

If you bork your game you can always do a game integrity-check on Steam and have Steam reload the "correct" versions of any files you have edited. But, an integrity check will always fix all of the game's files to their original condition, not just the one file you think you borked.

Game Patches will over-write previous versions of base-game files as needed, and you never really will have any advance warning that a Game Patch is about to be made.

All this is why we tend to recommend true mods over directly-editing base game files, but as you've discovered there's nothing to stop you editing the game files.