Advice from Locutus

[The Great Apple]

Too busy with Warlords to work on this, but a few pointers from someone who has some experience with this (i.e. worked on the CtP2 project):

1) Only do in C++ what must be done in C++, do as much in Python/XML as possible. Adding new hooks into the game engine for Python/XML is better than doing everything in the SDK.

2) Providing losts of new hooks for modmakers is a good idea anyway, even if you don't have any immediate need for using it, under the motto "build it and they will come" (or use it, as the case may be).

3) People have very widely differing ideas on what constitutes 'improvement', use INI switches/game options for all changes you make (aside from obvious bug fixes/performance boosters). Then again, you also don't want to go overboard and overload the user with options, that'll just scare people off and makes it less likely people will use your mod in MP (the more options there are the harder it is to find people who want to play on the same settings as you). You may want to consider making 2 or 3 different standard versions with varying degrees of changes.

4) AI coding is HARD. Test everything you change very extensively to make sure it's actually an improvement.

5) Get a SVN server.

6) Document your changes very, very well. When Warlords comes out, you'll have one hell of a time updating the SDK for that to be compatible with what you're doing here until then. Also, it makes it easier for Firaxians to copy your stuff should they want to

7) Good luck!

Source: http://apolyton.net/forums/showthread.php?postid=4377373#post4377373

 

[SpoiledFruit]

You know if we do this right mabey Firaxis will use our improved DLL. While it would be cool to have our names in the credits, I would just be glad knowing our work has helped make Civilization a better game. It might also encourage Firaxis to make other games more moddable or more apt to give out SDKs or source code.

 

[The Great Apple]

You know if we do this right mabey Firaxis will use our improved DLL. While it would be cool to have our names in the credits, I would just be glad knowing our work has helped make Civilization a better game. It might also encourage Firaxis to make other games more moddable or more apt to give out SDKs or source code.

They may not use our DLL as such, but if we keep everything neat, I see no reason why they won't duplicate some of the code we do and use it themselves. Especially with things like bug fixes.

 

[Dale]

This will not happen. If they are interested it would only be used as a mod with full credits to the writer/s, not to change vanilla.

 

[12monkeys]

This will not happen. If they are interested it would only be used as a mod with full credits to the writer/s, not to change vanilla.

It may happen. They surely don't use all our changes, but they may be inspired of some of them and give us credits. They also may copy some parts. They did both already.

Anway, the chance that it will happen is quite low. If it happens its great, if not who cares.

12m

 

[Dale]

12monkeys:

But remember, they did it for the release version, and they were two things that fixed problems. Now that Civ4 is stable and complete, they won't change the vanilla methods in the XP's. Trust me, it will be implemented as a mod if they use it.

Dale

 

[12monkeys]

12monkeys:

But remember, they did it for the release version, and they were two things that fixed problems. Now that Civ4 is stable and complete, they won't change the vanilla methods in the XP's. Trust me, it will be implemented as a mod if they use it.

Dale

Hmmm. The two things I talk about aren't fixes they are improvements of the user interface. However, I still don't see a reason why they shouldn't do it again of whatever kind the changes are.
Bot OK, you're closer to them than me you may have a better feeling about what they will do or not.

12m