Adding Terrain "Lake" [IMPLEMENTED]

[Elirector]

I've seen few "fresh lake" tiles in the game (pretty nice fishing spots without any need for docks of any level), how are they different with the new terrain type you are discussing here?

 

[raystuttgart]

I've seen few "fresh lake" tiles in the game (pretty nice fishing spots without any need for docks of any level), how are they different with the new terrain type you are discussing here?

They are technically a totally different thing.
(Should all be described in the thread. All answers I could give would just repeat that.)

The current Lakes we currently have are still "Ocean / Coast" Terrain that the game just "camouflages" as "Lakes" by "Text".
The new Lakes will be a completely new Terrain "Lakes" of its own with all the benefits it has for modding.

This is not really a discussion for Players. (Because they do not really get other gameplay directly - although we modders can later do a lot with it.)
This is more of a discussion for Modders. (Because it will solve uncounted issues for us and give us new modding possibilities.)

 

[Ramstormp]

@raystuttgart, Got a bit busy with work, but I will keep chiseling away until month is up.

 

[raystuttgart]

@Ramstormp

Thanks.

All I needed was a graphical prototype that can be visually differentiated easily from Ocean / Coast / Large Rivers.
That is enough so I can already test my logic and create a gameplay prototype for other modders.

Once it is working I could contact graphical modders and ask for help. They can then easily test ingame.
If your graphics are already looking great as they are I will of course not need to do so anymore.

 

[raystuttgart]

Ok, finally I can get to work on this.

Since we have a long weekend in Germany due to "Corpus Christi" - I should have enough time to properly work on this.
(Which was the reason why I first started and finished the smaller "Goody System Enhancement.)

My goals for this week:

1. Create the base setup to test and improve graphics and texts.
2. Create basic feature logic to test and improve gameplay.
3. Improve / overhaul all other XMLs to match the new Terrain (Events, Promotions, Units, ...)

My goals for next week:

4. Cooperate / support @Nightinggale to create "MapScript" / "Map" correction logic to replace "fake Lakes" with "real Lakes"
5. Cooperate / support during internal test phase and bugfixing

-------

Summary:

This should keep us busy for about 2 weeks.
(This week I should not need any support though and can work on my own.)

 

[raystuttgart]

Ok guys, the "Terrain Lake" is now implemented.
(Graphics, XML configuration / balancing and feature logic done.)

The feature already works ingame.
But the "Lakes" still have to be placed by Worldbuilder.

So this here is implemented.

1. Create the base setup to test and improve graphics and texts.
2. Create basic feature logic to test and improve gameplay.
3. Improve / overhaul all other XMLs to match the new Terrain (Events, Promotions, Units, ...)

Now this here can start:

4. Cooperate / support @Nightinggale to create "MapScript" / "Map" correction logic to replace "fake Lakes" with "real Lakes"
5. Cooperate / support during internal test phase and bugfixing

----

Now all Lakes are fully balanced in XML.
All useless and imperformant logic in DLL has been removed or replaced.
Gameplay of Lakes has been adjusted to follow similar rules as Large Rivers.
(e.g. Ship Movement, Buildings, Yields, Bonus Ressources, ...)

----

@team and supporters:

This is in the new development branch "Lakes".

Images:

Spoiler :

 

[raystuttgart]

@Mr. ZorG

Could you help me rework the maps? (Adding Lakes where needed).
It is best we do the maps manually like we did for "Large Rivers"

Those are the maps we need to rework:

Everytime I want to start reworking a map, I will post here.
Please do so as well, so we can organize.

Then I will colourcode who is working on it.
(Ray, Mr. Zorg)

Every Map done I will colourcode in green.
(Maps where we would have issues, I would colourcode in red.)

• Amerayca <----- Ray
• Colonial America v2.0_RaR <----- Ray
• New England v1.0_RaR <----- Ray
  
• North America v1.0_RaR <----- Ray
  
• Northwest Passag <----- Ray
• RAR Americas Gigantic - random <----- Ray
• RAR Americas Gigantic <----- Ray
• RAR Americas Huge - random <----- Ray
• RAR Americas Huge <----- Ray
• South America <----- Ray
• TAC America v.1.05_RaR <----- Ray
• TAC Central America v.1.00_RaR <----- Ray
• TAC East Coast v.1.00_RaR <----- Ray
• TAC Northwest Passage v.1.05_RaR <----- Ray
• TAC South America v.1.05_RaR <----- Ray
• The New World <----- Ray
• Two_Continents <----- Ray
• West Indies v1.0_RaR <----- Ray
• Western Hemisphere (Huge) <----- Ray
• Western Hemisphere <----- Ray

-----

A bit of support would be great, so we can finish this a bit faster.

 

[raystuttgart]

@Nightinggale

Could you meanwhile try to find a solution for the "MapScripts" considering "Lakes" ?
(@Mr. ZorG and myself will take care of properly correcting the Maps.)

Maybe also ask around if there is somebody who could support us considering MapScripts.
Maybe we might then also find somebody who could help with "Large Rivers" ...

 

[Mr. ZorG]

Could you help me rework the maps? (Adding Lakes where needed).

sure.
write down these maps for me:

• Amerayca
• Colonial America v2.0_RaR
• New England v1.0_RaR
• North America v1.0_RaR
• Northwest Passage

 

[raystuttgart]

First Map is now "laked".
(Two Continents now contains Lakes to be played.)

 

[raystuttgart]

@Mr. ZorG
Thanks.

As requested / offered:

• Amerayca <----- Mr. Zorg
• Colonial America v2.0_RaR <----- Mr. Zorg
• New England v1.0_RaR <----- Mr. Zorg
• North America v1.0_RaR <----- Mr. Zorg
• Northwest Passage <----- Mr. Zorg

I will take these here next:
(They are the most played and thus I will prioritize them)

• RAR Americas Gigantic - random <----- Ray
  
• RAR Americas Gigantic <----- Ray
  
• RAR Americas Huge - random <----- Ray
  
• RAR Americas Huge <----- Ray
  
• The New World <----- Ray

Edit:
Done

 

[raystuttgart]

@Kendon / @Fürstbischof

Could one of you guys write the Pedia entry text for Lakes?
TXT_KEY_LAKE_PEDIA

Thanks in advance.

 

[raystuttgart]

@Raubwuerger

Would you maybe be interested to create one or two Events for "Lakes"?
(Since it is now a specific Terrain, we can also have specific Events for it.)

Thanks in advance.

 

[raystuttgart]

Ok, the first set of Maps has been updated.
(see green)

These are the next maps I will work on:

• TAC America v.1.05_RaR <----- Ray
• TAC Central America v.1.00_RaR <----- Ray
• TAC East Coast v.1.00_RaR <----- Ray
• TAC Northwest Passage v.1.05_RaR <----- Ray
• TAC South America v.1.05_RaR <----- Ray

Edit:
Done.

 

[raystuttgart]

Ok, the next pack of maps has been updated for Lakes.

Now I will start working on these:

• South America <----- Ray
• West Indies v1.0_RaR <----- Ray
• Western Hemisphere (Huge) <----- Ray
• Western Hemisphere <----- Ray

 

[modmod]

Guys!

Why did you kept the same version number for maps?
And why did not marked those are for WTP (as new lakes/ large rivers come from it)?

 

[raystuttgart]

Why did you kept the same version number for maps?

Noticed that already. The versions should be removed. They are pointless by now.
We changed the maps many many times already.

And why did not marked those are for WTP (as new lakes/ large rivers come from it)?

All of them are "WTP" because they are shipped with the mod releases.

TAC / RaR at the beginning is basically just: This is when they were originally created.
RaR at the end was basically just meant: The map is "not compatible" anymore with other mods. (e.g. TAC, DoaNE, ...)

But yes, we can rename the maps.
(It was simply not done, because it did not really matter.)

1. Version names will be removed.
2. RaR at the end will be removed.
3. TAC / RaR at the beginning will be removed.
4. Every Map will have its "Map Size" in the name.

 

[Kendon]

@Kendon / @Fürstbischof

Could one of you guys write the Pedia entry text for Lakes?
TXT_KEY_LAKE_PEDIA

Thanks in advance.

Here's sample body text.

[TAB]Lakes are typically found in mountain ranges, or where their beds were hollowed out by glaciers at the end of the last ice age. They’re fresh water, larger than ponds, and often are part of a river system.[NEWLINE]While waterways may have predictable routes, Canada famously has a deranged drainage pattern because the basins are still too young.[NEWLINE]Fishing is often good and travel across lakes is calm compared to fighting river currents, though great lakes can be as stormy as the ocean.[NEWLINE]Because lakes hold enough water to moderate the local climate, they have always been a desirable place to live.[NEWLINE]

 

[raystuttgart]

Here's sample body text.

Thanks.
Will create the German translation for it myself.

 

[raystuttgart]

@Mr. ZorG

I have taken care of all maps that were on my list.
Let me know which maps you have already started with and which are still open.

I will take care of the ones you have not yet started.
I am most likely a lot faster with updating Maps because I have already done it so often.

You could then continue to test with the current development branches instead.