BFTTree - Multiple Page Tech Tree

[FiresForever]

The count is still not fixed yet but thought i would let you mess around with it, and check for anything else . All these files need to have 'Import into VFS' set to true for it to work.

 

[Decimatus]

The count is still not fixed yet but thought i would let you mess around with it, and check for anything else . All these files need to have 'Import into VFS' set to true for it to work.

Even the CIV5Eras.xml and CIV5Technologies.xml? Did you make any changes to those files?

If I import into VFS, I don't need to update the database with that file right?

 

[FiresForever]

I just set all those files to true and it seemed to work you can always try leaving those as false and see if anything isn't working.

Just made the spelling correction in CIV5Technologies.xml, CIV5Eras.xml has no changes.

Other main change was to the TechCategories.xml as you had deleted the table define in the top section.

 

[Decimatus]

Ah. I was just generally wondering if updating the database and importing to VFS at the same time would cause any issues.

I will test it out with all your files importing but not updating, and with my files updating and see if that works. If not I will import them all and work around with the updates until I find the magic formula.

 

[Decimatus]

Happy to report that it is now working. Looks pretty good.

I didn't import tech.xml or era.xml into VFS, just everything else and it works fine. Also, the sql, techcategories, and techtreetext all update and import without issue, so they can stay that way for now.

My next testing point is to see if I can expand the era blocks independently in each page. Given that all the pages seem to have era blocks based upon the default tree's era block widths, I think it may be statc.

If that is the case, I would like to request independent era block widths in the pages for V7 or 8 of this mod.

Worst case scenario, I can just put dummy techs into the main tree to spread the era blocks out to the desired widths.

Other than that, I think this should work out nicely for most of my needs.

Can't wait to see similar work with the social policy pages!

 

[Decimatus]

So I got all the techs in the game split between 13 pages, and it is working pretty well.

I had to put some 3 letter designators on the pages and techs that go in them so that there is more feedback as to what leads where.

Would it be possible to have a future feature that has partial pipes coming out of the empty area with a little tooltip explaining what tech they are coming from/going to? So a tech that has no external prereqs would have the normal tech to tech pipes, but techs that connect elsewhere would have some kind of graphical indication that they are connected in other pages.

Even better would be the ability to color code these connects, so 1 page is blue, with blue indicators on child techs and it's prereq pipes, another red with red indicators/pipes, etc.

That does sound like tons of work, but if feasible it would make navigating the multiple pages much easier.


My only real bug to report is some random CtD's when you click a category, and a slight bit of lag most other times. The CtD's happen maybe 1 in 30-40 clicks? I had about 3-4 crashes as I navigated in and out of the pages while testing and implementing a complete overhaul of the tree.

Anyway, I am going to pass it to my users now and see what they come up with over the next few days.

Thanks again for the mod, and help bug smashing.

 

[Decimatus]

So splitting up the tech tree into 13 pages is way too much to sift through when playing the game. I narrowed it down to 5 pages though, and it is looking excellent, with plenty of room for tech expansion in the gaps.

Also, narrowing it down to 5 pages seems to have removed the crashes. I didn't have a single one in my transition from one system to the next, and I probably clicked the categories 50+ times without incident.

 

[FiresForever]

So splitting up the tech tree into 13 pages is way too much to sift through when playing the game. I narrowed it down to 5 pages though, and it is looking excellent, with plenty of room for tech expansion in the gaps.

Also, narrowing it down to 5 pages seems to have removed the crashes. I didn't have a single one in my transition from one system to the next, and I probably clicked the categories 50+ times without incident.

I managed to get some play time in with the 13 pages version of your mod, which is great btw, reducing the pages to 5 makes sense as it got a little confusing at times

Also how many additional pages are you looking at adding for the social policies?

 

[Decimatus]

I managed to get some play time in with the 13 pages version of your mod, which is great btw, reducing the pages to 5 makes sense as it got a little confusing at times

Also how many additional pages are you looking at adding for the social policies?

Yeah 5 looks much better, though 2 of the pages are still way too sparse. But I will be filling them out in the future.


3-4 initially, and then maybe more as I come up with uses for them. Governments are partially implemented in V9 now, so I need a page for Gov Ideologies, Religion, Religious Ideologies, and perhaps one for Government systems, another for more Governments, etc.

 

[Decimatus]

So the tech pages is working great.

Any eta on multiple social pages?

 

[Decimatus]

Actually, I do have one request for the Tech pages. Could you add prereqs to the text when you mouse over a tech? Currently it tells you what the tech leads to which is good, but not where it came from.

 

[FiresForever]

Sorry for the long delay in replying but been a very busy

Actually, I do have one request for the Tech pages. Could you add prereqs to the text when you mouse over a tech? Currently it tells you what the tech leads to which is good, but not where it came from.

Will post an update here soon for you to add to your mod Decimatus that includes this and a few fixes, see pic

So the tech pages is working great.

Any eta on multiple social pages?

No specific eta on the social panels but i got a semi working solution for it running so should not be too long just a matter of finding the time to finish at this point

 

[FiresForever]

Attached is the update, just copy and paste over your old files.

There is one new file "TechHelpInclude.lua" which you will need to add to your mod and do the VFS true thing

 

[Decimatus]

Sorry for the long delay in replying but been a very busy

I am just glad you are alive.

Will post an update here soon for you to add to your mod Decimatus that includes this and a few fixes, see pic

Sweet action! I will see if I can get this to my testers before bed.

No specific eta on the social panels but i got a semi working solution for it running so should not be too long just a matter of finding the time to finish at this point

No rush. I got some things to implement that should at least take another week or two. And I need to theorycraft on what my first page of new social policies will be.

Attached is the update, just copy and paste over your old files.

There is one new file "TechHelpInclude.lua" which you will need to add to your mod and do the VFS true thing

What does the new lua do? Edit: Nm, I see now.

 

[Decimatus]

Fires, what all did you change in the newest version? It feels much smoother when navigating, and the buttons look a little sleeker.

Did you manage to find/fix any bugs that causes CtD's roughly one in every 10-50 clicks of the category buttons? Just by how smooth it feels, I have hopes that the issue is removed. I will upload this shortly, so we can see how the users like it.

And the "Requires" line on the tech help is a great addition, thanks.

You should download my latest version on sourceforge when you get a chance. I have it pretty well streamlined on 3 of my 5 pages, which should show how well your mod is working out for my project. Once I get some more techs to fill in some of the gaps on the other pages it will be even better.

 

[FiresForever]

I went through the original files and compared them to the new patch version and made some updates, as was suggested by someone in your mod thread, hopefully it improves stability .

You should download my latest version on sourceforge when you get a chance. I have it pretty well streamlined on 3 of my 5 pages, which should show how well your mod is working out for my project. Once I get some more techs to fill in some of the gaps on the other pages it will be even better.

I will be doing

 

[Decimatus]

Can you make the default tech tree button disappear when there are no techs inside it? A too few many people get confused by it.

I have still seen a CtD here and there from the category buttons, but it is smoother moving in and around the pages.

 

[FiresForever]

Can you make the default tech tree button disappear when there are no techs inside it? A too few many people get confused by it.

I have still seen a CtD here and there from the category buttons, but it is smoother moving in and around the pages.

I have found where the CTD is coming from but how i fix it depends on where i go from here since atm i am thinking about actually making a version specifically made for your mod, as i love it so much , it would get rid of the CTD's and also remove the delay between pressing buttons. I'll have some mock up pictures at some point to show some of additional features i would be thinking of adding if i go down this route

also i have around middle of Feb penciled in for a release of the BFSPanels

 

[Decimatus]

I have found where the CTD is coming from but how i fix it depends on where i go from here since atm i am thinking about actually making a version specifically made for your mod, as i love it so much , it would get rid of the CTD's and also remove the delay between pressing buttons. I'll have some mock up pictures at some point to show some of additional features i would be thinking of adding if i go down this route

Nice. What would be the difference between the two versions?

also i have around middle of Feb penciled in for a release of the BFSPanels

Awesome!

I might have to travel for work near the end of Feb, but if you get it in around the middle I may be able to pump out a second page of social policies.



Do you know of any limitations to X on the tech tree? I expanded ancient, classical, medieval, and renaissance out to 4 spaces wide like the other eras, putting Future Tech at X=32, and I have some unsolvable era width issues.

Edit: Nm, some Leprechaun fixed it for me... lol Magic.

 

[FiresForever]

Nice. What would be the difference between the two versions?

Well because i know exactly how many tech pages you are using i can break the single TechTreeCategories.lua file into individual ones, atm in your mod 5 pages, so that each category tree has its own .lua file eg. category1.lua category2.lua etc. This way the tech tree pages are not having to be created and destroyed each time someone presses and closes the pages, which is where the problem is coming from.

With this method we would only run into problems if you are going to create 20+ trees.

One nice side effect of this is that we can add some tree specific bits and pieces to the individual trees, for example eventually we can add buttons as in pic 1, that are placed statically.

Also I am thinking that we can change the tree selection page to something more visual, using icons, as in pic 2 with pop up descriptions when the mouse rolls over them.