Art Stuff

[phungus420]

a) It seems that a rarely some of my lines will be indented funny. Its only the </UnitArtInfo> or similar headers. I know you said white space doesnt effect xml, but its annoying. Regular notebook did it to me too.

Notepad++ automatically indents when you cut and paste based on the line above. This is on the most part helpfull, but can lead to an irritating extra indentation when you cut and paste entries in the XML. The way I get around this is to cut and past from the line above, I mean this:

			<FreePromotionUnitCombats/>
		</TraitInfo>[b]This is where I make my cut[/b]
		<TraitInfo>
			<Type>TRAIT_ENLIGHTENED</Type>
			<Description>TXT_KEY_TRAIT_ENLIGHTENED</Description>
			<ShortDescription>TXT_KEY_TRAIT_ENLIGHTENED_SHORT</ShortDescription>
			<iHealth>0</iHealth>
			<iHappiness>0</iHappiness>

And then past accordingly.

b) Is Notebook++ what I need to edit python?

Yep, Notepad++ is what you use to edit python, and C++ source files. It's good for any code files actually. Notepad++ is infinitely better then regular old notepad, you'll be happy with the switch.

 

[achilleszero]

Phungus, depending on how much time I have this weekend, I might have the units done (its a longshot though). So if you do start on art I guess the cities would be good. Even if I dont finish soon, I am almost done and you would have to do double work anyway considering the base artsyles cross over so much. Im at a point to where it would just be less hassle and confusing to just finish it up.

That being said, the new Ethnic City Styles is out. I was planning on looking through it and see what can stay and what could go. Do you think it would be best to get the old CityPlot files all in order before attempting to add new stuff?

Yep, Notepad++ is what you use to edit python, and C++ source files. It's good for any code files actually. Notepad++ is infinitely better then regular old notepad, you'll be happy with the switch.

Is there a good tutorial for python in the the Tutorials section? Where did you learn python? I have no desire to really be a full blown modder. I only want to learn to make a trait, some new promotions, and unit abilities. Or at the very least understand it enough to incorporate other's pthon into a modcomp.

EDIT: on second that its definately best to wait and pour through these new city styles. There seems to be major changes and its alot bigger.

 

[phungus420]

Phungus, depending on how much time I have this weekend, I might have the units done (its a longshot though). So if you do start on art I guess the cities would be good. Even if I dont finish soon, I am almost done and you would have to do double work anyway considering the base artsyles cross over so much. Im at a point to where it would just be less hassle and confusing to just finish it up.

I'm not done with the SDK work yet anyway, and just got a job so likely wol't pick up on the art, I'll just defer to your expertise on it.

That being said, the new Ethnic City Styles is out. I was planning on looking through it and see what can stay and what could go. Do you think it would be best to get the old CityPlot files all in order before attempting to add new stuff?

The Unit ethnic art is being built from scratch, same thing would be best to do with the city art.

Is there a good tutorial for python in the the Tutorials section? Where did you learn python? I have no desire to really be a full blown modder. I only want to learn to make a trait, some new promotions, and unit abilities. Or at the very least understand it enough to incorporate other's pthon into a modcomp.

Here is how I learned. I wanted to do something specific (rebuild the city distance penalty in Revolutions), so I asked jdog where it was and he pointed to Revolution.py. Then I looked over revolution.py and used common sense to figure out what was going on (most of the code in Civ4 uses common sense names, look at the XML, you can figure out what the tag does by its name, and it's similar with python and even the SDK, you just have to use common sense. Like I was able to figure out pCity.getX() was asking what the X coordinate for the city the code was just by looking at it), then I wrote pseudo code based on what stuff I saw looked like. Obviously my code didn't work because I had no idea what I was doing, just winging it. So I went on the Python and SDK forum and presented my goal, and showed my code and asked what was wrong. Xienwolf and Emperor Fool walked me through it, but the whole time I was actually writing my own code, just getting help. The people here don't like to write code for you, but they seem happy to give you direction when you're lost, and point out mistakes and troubleshooting strategies. You just need to be specific and detailed when asking for help. I still get alot of help on that forum when I inevitably screw up. Anyway that's how I am learning how to code in Civ4.

 

[achilleszero]

Phungus, in the LoR lite you still have TROOPER as part of the Mechanized Infantry mesh. But there is no trooper entry in the art defines and its not in the art folder. Also if you could go through and change all the frontiersman references in your LoRLite to pathfinder, so it'll match my xml im making.

 

[phungus420]

Ah, good catch. That's why it's a test build If you're using the test build and need a fix (as that is a critical bug), let me know and I'll upload a patch for it. Otherwise I'll put out a new version with the new SDK stuff I've just written in a day or two. I'm waiting to see if jdog responds to me, as I'd really like to clone some of the revolution modifiers from the civics into the traits. Unfortunately I'm stuck because the way these functions operate do so in an esoteric way through a specific revolution python file (RevCivicUtils), and so it's not as simple as most of the SDK stuff I've cloned.

 

[achilleszero]

Hey phungus, how hard was it to code in the Blue planet stuff? And how hard would it be to remove it completely? I was just wondering cuz Cold fever used to regularly update BluePlanet, so I might need to knowhow to do it to my own game.

 

[phungus420]

No coding whatsoever. It's just the BlueMarble.fpk (I just took the art and packed it in it's own fpk, and set up the installer to have the option to install it as an add on). The coding stuff from blue marble is all deep in BtS, which I'm not going to alter someone's core game, so I only incorporated the art that can be added as a mod, which all of that uses default BtS names, so no XML definitions need to change, just the art itself.

 

[achilleszero]

Ok cool. I was actually thinking about adding Chuggi's Improved Graphics to my own game. It has some genuine graphics imprvements as opposed to just slightly better textures. The only reason that I never suggested it, back when the BlueMarble debate was going, is that it seems to have lost any support with Chuggi's disappearance.

 

[achilleszero]

Phungus, I know before last few releases you had the gallic warrior changing according to eras. Did that work, if so Ill put it back that way.

And why the hell is firaxis too lazy to change names. Like the Gallic being called celtic barbarian. And dont even get me started with the Phalanx-spearman name switch without changing the file names.

 

[phungus420]

Yeah, it worked. It was pointing to a non existant kfm, so I removed them before I realized what was wrong, and then when I realized it, I didn't feel like hunting down the different era styles.

 

[achilleszero]

Ok, I know the aesthetics thing is my department, but I gota ask since this would pertain to the unit infos and thusly LoRLite. I was thinking that since you would only really get to see the Gallic sword change once since your not likely to have more than a random/forgotten one at industrial age. What would be cooler: a) having the Gallic change as we have it now or, B) Having a 3 mesh group for them, where all 3 units are different to make them really look like a horde of crazy celts.

Secondly, almost missed that you changed the Vietcong to Motown Infantry. Do you want a 2 soldier/1 vehicle mesh for it? I guess they really dont need it.. But if you wanted that, I could find a rickity truck that might fit them.

This one doestn really pertain to Lite. What would make a better keshik. The original one like in LoR lite, or the mongol horse archer like in v0.94 and before. I know keshiks were supposed to actually be the light cavalry, ie: horse archers, so I guess that would be realistic. But the vanilla keshik model looks more like a knight. Theres even 2 more heavy knight mongols to use, that look even better.

 

[phungus420]

re gallic: Think it would be cooler to use 3 seperate models to look like a horde, like what is done with the Oromo Warrior

re Vietcong: They are a motorized inf replacement, they are not motorized inf.

re keshik: Whatever floats your boat.


Going through I've realized that the fireworks festival could use a different graphic and button.

 

[achilleszero]

re gallic: Think it would be cooler to use 3 seperate models to look like a horde, like what is done with the Oromo Warrior

Ok

re Vietcong: They are a motorized inf replacement, they are not motorized inf.

Good point.

re keshik: Whatever floats your boat.

Crap, alright then...

Going through I've realized that the fireworks festival could use a different graphic and button.

Aww, you dont like the circus. You thinking a better graphic for fireworks festival, or a different graphic as in different building that does the same thing.

 

[phungus420]

Just a different graphic, and the button is just a copy of the hwacha. It's the only straight cloned button the mod has other then the fishery, which is fine, the fishing button makes sense, plus it's such a late game building anyway. But yeah, definatly needs a new button, and I'm not a fan of the circus tent as representing a fireworks display either. Not really sure what would work better though

 

[achilleszero]

Just a different graphic, and the button is just a copy of the hwacha. It's the only straight cloned button the mod has other then the fishery, which is fine, the fishing button makes sense, plus it's such a late game building anyway. But yeah, definatly needs a new button, and I'm not a fan of the circus tent as representing a fireworks display either. Not really sure what would work better though

Yeah the buttons easy, pic of firework exploding in the sky or something. Building though, I dunno. Its not really a structure.

 

[achilleszero]

Ok Im completely stumped as to how to make a fireworks festival. Scoured through the DB, as well as I cant even make up something in my head to represent it. I suppose we could make it like the heroic epic where its kinda representory instead of a structure. Like several stereotypical fireworks rockets and firecrakers. But that would be kind of a cop out.

 

[Merri]

Instead of a structure why not just have fireworks? You can't really see a festival far away, but you can see the fireworks.

 

[achilleszero]

Instead of a structure why not just have fireworks? You can't really see a festival far away, but you can see the fireworks.

True enough. But it needs something visible in the civlopedia. So far I dont think any of the FX actually show up in the pedia viewport.

 

[Merri]

A park with people?

 

[De Begerac]

I stumbled across this picture by chance and it made me think of this thread. Admittedly it's perhaps too heavily americanised but is this a possibility for Fireworks Festival?

http://warchild13.com/images/2009/07/CAIROXYN-Clarence Holbrook Carter.jpg

Edit: Oh and this one: http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/34/RoyalFireworks.jpg


As for the title screen have you tried creating anything in Vue? Another exceptional 3d programme and can be used in conjunction with 3d max but concentrates specially on detailed and beautiful terrain.

Cyrano