Afforess's Modmods

[os79]

OK, I think I understand where you are coming from.

Are you saying that suppose someone were to decide to take making units requiring buildings out of your hands because of your being busy, he/she can because he/she will be using your dll as a standard? Then you just merge his/her work in to that larger pack?

 

[Afforess]

@Afforess

I can't think of any at the moment.

Bear with me since I am not totally familar with all the civ4 terms. I have worked on other game mods such as for Dungeon Siege, Neverwinter Nights, Sim City 4, Sims 2, and Zoo Tycoon 2. Just so I can understand what you mean I will use Neverwinter Night as as an example. In NWN they had "scripting" which was basiclly programing code in which you could do If, Then, etc strings. I am guessing the equivalent of this for Civ 4 is "XML". Am I correct?

The next level up you had "mods" which stood for "moduals" these were the players world and had diffrent scenarios in which the scripting could be performed in. I am not sure what that is for Civ4.

Then there was ".hak" Each modual could load diffrent ".hak" files and they would load int he order tey were put into. Within each hack file you could have texture files like DDS which had compressed TGA image for for player portraits or textures for meshes. Then you would have meshes for objects and monsters. I assume this is similar to the buildings an units in Civ 4. This is what Python is right?

In addition you needed a .2da file in which it had a master list of all the models in the game. Thus you had to list them all by hand if you wanted new custom models to show up in the game. There was also a file for text that did the same thing but i forget its name. If edited you could add new spells to the game.

Anywho is SDK similar to this where its a master file in which you cannot have 2 of them because one will override the other file?

Pretty close. I suspect that that example is a bit simplified, but yes.

OK, I think I understand where you are coming from.

Are you saying that suppose someone were to decide to take making units requiring buildings out of your hands because of your being busy, he/she can because he/she will be using your dll as a standard? Then you just merge his/her work in to that larger pack?

Yeah, I suppose. That's why I thought a community based installer might work better.

 

[Hydromancerx]

@ Afforess

I commend you for trying to be fair to everyone one. However its impossible to make everyone happy or anticipate what future modders will do. You should ultimately make the pack the way you see fit and be open to suggestions. If you are successful and plainly state how you would like it to be then future modders would be more likely to conform their mods to fit yours. For instance one thing I like in RoM is the fact that its realistic and very detailed. Thus mods that would add say fantasy elements like magic or mythical creatures should probably not be added to it. In short you have done a great job so far and I am sure whatever conclusion you ultimately come to will be awesome.

 

[Afforess]

@ Afforess

I commend you for trying to be fair to everyone one. However its impossible to make everyone happy or anticipate what future modders will do. You should ultimately make the pack the way you see fit and be open to suggestions. If you are successful and plainly state how you would like it to be then future modders would be more likely to conform their mods to fit yours. For instance one thing I like in RoM is the fact that its realistic and very detailed. Thus mods that would add say fantasy elements like magic or mythical creatures should probably not be added to it. In short you have done a great job so far and I am sure whatever conclusion you ultimately come to will be awesome.

I don't want conformity, just more features for everyone, but I suppose it's up to them, you are right.

Thanks.

I believe I may change the name of this modmodpack directly to "A New Dawn" and slowly add other quality and completed modmod's, avoiding to bloat my package. I will do my best to keep it less than 100mb.

Likely new additions:

Civic Buildings
Generalstaffs Modular Wonders
Vincentz's modmods (The one's that aren't in RoM, already.)
Fortifications
Some of Generalstaff's assorted buildings (Liquor Store...etc...)
ANM?

Any other suggestions?

 

[Hydromancerx]

Any other suggestions?

General Staff's "Early Buildings" when its done. And eventually "RoM in Space" if it turns out well. Plus any other mods you make from the request thread.

 

[Afforess]

General Staff's "Early Buildings" when its done.

Yep. I'm just waiting for it to be a bit more balanced, and finished, then I will add it too.

And eventually "RoM in Space" if it turns out well. Plus any other mods you make from the request thread.

Any mods I make will always be in. RoM In Space, will be interesting to see.

 

[Dancing Hoskuld]

Yea, Early Buildings should only be turned on for Snail games and off for other games.

As for examples of conflicting mods and modmods AAranda's Religions with RoM Religions since RoM went WoC. AAranda, StrategyOnly and myself have different Shinto Religion implementations.

My Shinto Religion now requires Afforess dll 1.41 or higher since I just added in the % bonus for Geomancy but had not found the + for the beutification buildings yet. I was going to ask if it existed but apparently it does So back to the XML.

then again I cant find the on tech modifier although I found the rest!

 

[strategyonly]

I believe I may change the name of this modmodpack directly to "A New Dawn" and slowly add other quality and completed modmod's, avoiding to bloat my package. I will do my best to keep it less than 100mb.

Likely new additions:

Civic Buildings
Generalstaffs Modular Wonders
Vincentz's modmods (The one's that aren't in RoM, already.)
Fortifications
Some of Generalstaff's assorted buildings (Liquor Store...etc...)
ANM?

Any other suggestions?

You need to add like over 95% of The_J's modcomps, ie:

Militia
Industry Espionage
industry espionage promotion
marauder promotion advanced
Respawn
water
Warriors of God
pioneertank
planetbuster
gencorn
and some others.

Subdue Animals
Capture Slaves
Mercenaries
etc.

 

[Dancing Hoskuld]

You need to add like over 95% of The_J's modcomps, ie:

Militia
Industry Espionage
industry espionage promotion
marauder promotion advanced
Respawn
water
Warriors of God
pioneertank
planetbuster
gencorn
and some others.

Subdue Animals
Capture Slaves
Mercenaries
etc.

Isn't planetbuster in ANM? and I am working on Subdue Animals for RoM. I need to completely redo some of the buildings and add some more since RoM has more animals. I also want to add in a few animals with buildings. First I have to get AAranda's religions done. Then get further with the RoM wiki.

And Afforess doesn't have to merge anything

 

[strategyonly]

Isn't planetbuster in ANM? and I am working on Subdue Animals for RoM. I need to completely redo some of the buildings and add some more since RoM has more animals. I also want to add in a few animals with buildings. First I have to get AAranda's religions done. Then get further with the RoM wiki.

And Afforess doesn't have to merge anything

Now again see, good info to have, thx.

 

[RobO]

That's why I make installers, so user-friendly.

A couple of suggestions to make it even more user friendly:

• Make it detect the BTS mod install folder. I have to copy and past it every time I install
• Group the modmods in a hierarchical structure. The list is getting very long
• Write a text file with the selected modmods into the install directory. It's difficult to remember what you actually installed.

 

[os79]

I hadn't have this issue yet but for future. I want your installer to be flexible enough to allow me to install to Desktop o that after I select whatever I want to, in case I change my mind or want to mod a bit, I can do so without ruining my fresh RoM.

I say this because once I tried to install your beta to Desktop and it REFUSED! me! I disliked this feature! Dictatorial!

 

[Afforess]

My Shinto Religion now requires Afforess dll 1.41 or higher since I just added in the % bonus for Geomancy but had not found the + for the beutification buildings yet. I was going to ask if it existed but apparently it does So back to the XML.

then again I cant find the on tech modifier although I found the rest!

You will need a slightly updateded DLL. I only just got the text to show correctly last night. It should be save-compatible though. (For everyone else, it makes no other changes, so don't bother downloading it. You will see no differences than in 1.5beta.) I also included a schema with the changes in it, and an XML file with some examples of it in XML.

TechHealth & Happiness XML and DLL.
View attachment 233468

PS, you need 1.5beta1 to use it because of the new gameoptions. It will crash and burn with out it.

 

[Afforess]

You need to add like over 95% of The_J's modcomps, ie:

Militia
Industry Espionage
industry espionage promotion
marauder promotion advanced
Respawn
water
Warriors of God
pioneertank
planetbuster
gencorn
and some others.

Subdue Animals
Capture Slaves
Mercenaries
etc.

I tried adding mercenaries a while ago, but I wasn't good enough at python to get it to work... I think Zappara's going to add it though. The rest of the stuff, is okay, I suppose. I just never saw the need to add things just because they are there. If I have a good idea for them, I have a "reservoir" of ideas to steal from, and then can use them.

Isn't planetbuster in ANM? and I am working on Subdue Animals for RoM. I need to completely redo some of the buildings and add some more since RoM has more animals. I also want to add in a few animals with buildings. First I have to get AAranda's religions done. Then get further with the RoM wiki.

And Afforess doesn't have to merge anything

Yep.

Now again see, good info to have, thx.

A couple of suggestions to make it even more user friendly:

• Make it detect the BTS mod install folder. I have to copy and past it every time I install
• Group the modmods in a hierarchical structure. The list is getting very long
• Write a text file with the selected modmods into the install directory. It's difficult to remember what you actually installed.

It defaults to the standard install location, but yes, I need to work on it detecting the BTS registry path.

Now, what do you mean by hierarchical structure? Alphabetical sorting? Could you give me an example?

The third idea I've already had myself, for logging purposes. I will add it.

I hadn't have this issue yet but for future. I want your installer to be flexible enough to allow me to install to Desktop o that after I select whatever I want to, in case I change my mind or want to mod a bit, I can do so without ruining my fresh RoM.

I say this because once I tried to install your beta to Desktop and it REFUSED! me! I disliked this feature! Dictatorial!

I changed that. Try it now.

 

[RobO]

It defaults to the standard install location, but yes, I need to work on it detecting the BTS registry path.

I'm using Civ4 Complete, and I didn't install in Program Files (to get around any file protection issues).

Now, what do you mean by hierarchical structure? Alphabetical sorting? Could you give me an example?

Grouping according to type of change. For example Civic changes together, new building stuff together (Zoo, Fire buildings, the garden stuff) etc. Terrain changes. Unit changes. Some would have to fall into a "Misc" category. Ideally, have the option to tick off all in the category as well as individual mods.
And I know that the grouping wont be clearcut. You'll just have to think up something.

 

[damunzy]

@AfforessIn NWN they had "scripting" which was basiclly programing code in which you could do If, Then, etc strings. I am guessing the equivalent of this for Civ 4 is "XML". Am I correct?

Actually, a little change to what Afforess said: Python is more of the equal to the scripting in NWN (which is C'ish).

 

[NBAfan]

Afforess, could you merge this into your next dll? It gets rid of the -4 "You have Traded with Our Worst Enemy" when you have not even met them yet.

 

[Afforess]

Afforess, could you merge this into your next dll? It gets rid of the -4 "You have Traded with Our Worst Enemy" when you have not even met them yet.

I already did, a few weeks ago, when I saw that thread myself.

 

[NBAfan]

Oh, so that is why it has not been happening.

 

[Cyrusfan]

I don't know if the Warlord Chief (S) and better units are part of the modmods or in 2.8 already. I seem to be able to build more Warlord Chiefs once I upgrade the existing ones, and I can build both a Chief and a Captain in the same queue. Is this intentional, or are those supposed to be cleared out of my build list once a better version is available?