Adding new civs to RFC?

After playing RFC for BtS for more than a year, I have always been eager to see the mod expand to allow for more interesting/custom civilizations. Considering the scope of the mod, adding new civilizations is most likely difficult and time-consuming. But, out of interest and curiosity, is it possible? And, how does someone go about doing it?

 

Theoretically, yes, but that requires copious knowledge of SDK and Python.

 

The code by Rhye is very constrained, it takes hours to add a single civ and then of course comes the question of gameplay.

 

Adding Napoli would be nice. Or Genoa and Venezia should want all of italy. It's not really fun you can get Italy with every nation because no ai tries to get it.

bye Myri

 

Lets say if you wanted to change a civilization in the 600 C.E. start instead of making a new one. Which files would need to be altered to basically have it be playable? This would be emphasizing location, name, and spawn date.

 

Some things are located in Assets\Python, however, many important things are in the .dll file. If you want to change the spawn location, you need to change the areas and capital in Consts.py. However, starting date, settler's map (coaching the AI where to settle), unique modifiers for each civ's growth production and others, all of that is in the .dll file. You basically need to figure out how to recompile the .dll.

 

When I try to edit the .dll file it says the file can not be edited in DOS mode. However I am not in DOS mod. Any ideas?

Edition: I am looking at the Consts.py file and there is a section of the code referring to birth dates.

# civ birth dates

tBirth = (
0, #3000BC
0, #3000BC
0, #3000BC
0, #3000BC
50, #1600BC
84, #844BC
86, #814BC
90, #753BC
97, #660BC
121, #300BC
145, #60AD
177, #551AD
183, #622AD
187, #657AD
193, #718AD
196, #751AD
203, #829AD
205, #843AD
207, #860AD
213, #922AD
220, #989AD
234, #1128AD
236, #1150AD
240, #1190AD
241, #1195AD
249, #1280AD (1071AD)
346, #1775AD #332 for 1733AD

 

This is only one place. This tells the game when to create the starting units of the civ as well as to flip the cities and so on. You also need to change the .dll file.

You cannot just open a dll file and edit it like Python or XML. You have to edit the C++ source code and then recompile it. Here are some references, look for modding and .dll and C++.

http://civ4.wikidot.com/

 

Is there a map which shows the coordinates with the actual game plots? It would certainly make this easier. Right now I am referring to an Excel spread sheet of the plots, no coordinates, and the atlas, no coordinates.

 

Not that I know of. You can start RFC, go to World Builder, add a label to a spot, then save the WB file (with some new name), then open the new WB file (with a text editor) and you can find the label's coordinates at the bottom of the file.

 

Thanks for all the advice. I will try to label via World Builder then.

 

This is a bit more tedious than I thought... In the Consts.py file, am I supposed to assume that the normal area is the, "light green," area of the civilization, and that the broader area is the, "yellow,"? if that is true does the normal area also include the core and the broader area include the core, normal, and broad area?

 

Broader areas are obsolete. Core is the area that you get on spawn and normal is the area that counts for respawn. Both count for stability purposes.

The array that teaches the AI where to settle is in the C++ code.

And yes, adding or even modifying an exiting civ is very tedious.

 

If instead of editing too much python and DLL files I created a World Builder scenario. That way I would only need to edit stability regions, to start, and the rest can be done with World Builder. This would be much easier right?

 

You cannot have late spawn dates in regular Civ. You need RFC for that and the only way to change the spawn date would be to work with both Python and .dll.

Also if you wish to change the AI settlers map (and for both stability and adequate AI game behavior you will have to), you will have to edit the .dll.

In many ways, RFC does not act like a regular Civ IV scenario. RFC relies a lot on Python and .dll, so editing tech trees and such is not trivial. BTW to edit the tech tree you have to go to XML (any python for stability purposes).

If you add/remove units (UU or otherwise) you have to go to Python and make sure the Barbarian invasions would spawn with appropriate units. And so on....

 

I meant creating a World Builder scenario in the Rhyes and Fall of Civilization mod. This would be equivalent to the different starts, except I would have the major countries with their later colonial empires.

 

What do you mean by "equivalent to the different starts". I just don't understand exactly what you are trying to make.

 

I want to make the Mayans Australia. I have edited the stability for their core area. I would create a World Builder save, in Rhyes and Fall of Civilization, representing the world as it was in 1855. This mainly includes the colonial possessions of Europe. That way I can use World Builder to set up Australia. I guess the basis of my question is, "Can I create a scenario in RFC similar to the 3000 B.C.E. start and the 600 C.E. start?"

 

AI controlled Australia will not work. Human controlled might work, but there will be stability issues since some of the stability parameters are in the .dll file.

Actually I don't know if it will even work. Let me know if it does.

 

Well, creating the scenario works. In fact the only thing really needed is to have all the cities flip to Australia. As of now I just gave them Melbourne, Sydney, Wellington, and Hobart. These are the capital cities of the regions that were granted independence in 1855-1856. Australia also is basically the Mayans in the Industrial age. Here is the save in case you would like to look at it. Should I post my, "official," thread in this mod mod subforum, or the main forum? You can also play any of the other civilizations. Also If people try this and like this scenario then I will try to make the Mayans even more Australian with a unique unit, building, and power.

Edition: I cannot seem to upload the WB save so I will just post a save of Australia, though if you really feel compelled you can save the Australian game as a WB save and then get to play any civilization.