C3X: EXE Mod including Bug Fixes, Stack Bombard, and Much More Release 22

[Civinator]

Kirejara, at present Civ 3 Complete at GOG is on sale for € 1,29 until 05.04.2021. The Flintlock patch runs very well with the GOG version of Civ 3 Complete. If you do the offline installation of Civ 3Complete, you can use it like a CD version without a third party making changes in your current installation of the game (and additionally you have files to reinstall Civ3 Complete as if you would have a CD).

 

[Flintlock]

I did not read any scripting treads on this forum, I do only simple scripting in python but wouldn't mind to look at code while you working on it, maybe I can find someting there even by accident. Can I ask how you edit civ script?

Civ 3 has no scripting feature, as you've probably already guessed since you've never read anything about it. I am doing things the hard way, decompiling the executable (it was written in C++), analyzing it, and injecting C code of my own. I could share what I'm working with by posting my Ghidra project folder, I haven't bothered yet because it's 125 MB, constantly updated, and no one's asked. But if people really want to see it...

something else came to my mind, would it be difficult to implement stack deleting units? Very often I have stack of 20-30 units I have delete one by one and this is quite tiresome.

This wouldn't be difficult at all. The next release (spoiler warning) will contain stack worker buttons for all the basic worker jobs like road, mine, irrigate, etc. It should be easy to extend that to other stack commands. I was already thinking that stack upgrade would be useful, maybe stack fortify too, I'll make note of stack delete for when I get around to these.

But I assume that a variant for the CD-Version of Civ3 Complete will not come?

I tried to install your mod in my Civ3 (CD), but it totally wrecked the game (good, that I have an up to date backup ).

Adding support for more versions would be a big hassle because there's a lot of analysis that has to be done on an executable so that the mod can work on it, and the larger the mod gets, the more difficult it becomes. Can you say more about what happened when you tried to use the mod on the CD version? Did you get an error message when installing? Even if it's not compatible it shouldn't have wrecked your base game install.

- move the "Wake all" and "Wake transported" to the top of list in the unit menu. This prevents long scrolling and in really large stacks one can not reach the lower end of the list.

- add a "Wake by unit type". This would allow to wake only the requested units (z. B. Bombers or Artillery) needed.

Noted. Improving the right click menu is something I definitely want to do at some point.

 

[Civinator]

I could share what I'm working with by posting my Ghidra project folder, I haven't bothered yet because it's 125 MB, constantly updated, and no one's asked. But if people really want to see it...

Flintlock, I haven´t asked about your Ghidra project, as I had no clue of its existing. Of course I want to see it (and I think many other civers, too). 125 MB is under the current upload limit of max 146.5 MB for an attachment to a normal post at CFC.

The new 'worker army' setting (stack worker buttons for all the basic worker jobs) is a great progress in reducing micromanaging in C3C.

 

[Flintlock]

Flintlock, I haven´t asked about your Ghidra project, as I had no clue of its existing. Of course I want to see it (and I think many other civers, too). 125 MB is under the current upload limit of max 146.5 MB for an attachment to a normal post at CFC.

Have at it then. I was a little hasty when I said it was 125 MB, that's the uncompressed size. Fortunately it compresses really well, with 7-Zip "Ultra" it's just 8 MB. To open the project you'll need Ghidra, download at https://ghidra-sre.org/. Ghidra can be a bit hard to use, to get started just open the project in the manager then double click "Civ3Conquests.exe" to open the main tool with the decompiler etc., then browse the EXE through the panels at the left. The functions I've analyzed are mostly inside the Classes section in the Symbol Tree, the ones I haven't analyzed are named "FUN_..." with some address. The types are in the bottom left, that's mostly Antal's work that I've downloaded off GitHub and imported.

Edit: Forgot to mention that this project is for the GOG executable. I have one for Steam too but it's much less complete, this is because I do all my reverse engineering on the GOG EXE then port over to Steam only what's necessary for the mod.

 

[Civinator]

Flintlock, thank you very much! And I´m sure there are civers around, who are able to understand this much better than I am able to understand it.

 

[Kirejara]

Thanks,

I think that at least I will not need an extra version, as I will take Civinators tip and get the GOG Version (and hopefully I will be able to transfer my mess... ähm... my modded game into it).

After copying the files into my conquest folder, I started the install.bat, that gave me an error message, that it was unable to find the correct civ3conquest.exe.

Following that the game was able to load a save game, but every single message window in Civ3 was blank (except for the closing button). I had to quit the game with the task manager.

Since I could not find the source of the problem, I steamrolled my current installation and used my backup.

 

[Flintlock]

After copying the files into my conquest folder, I started the install.bat, that gave me an error message, that it was unable to find the correct civ3conquest.exe.

Following that the game was able to load a save game, but every single message window in Civ3 was blank (except for the closing button). I had to quit the game with the task manager.

That explains it. You're not supposed to copy the mod files into the Conquests folder, you're supposed to keep all the mod stuff in its own folder which is located in the Conquests folder. The mod's Text\scripts.txt is only for its own usage, it's not a replacement for the game's file of the same name. I should move and/or rename that file since there's no reason it has to look like a base game file in the first place. By the way, I'd appreciate it if you'd test again with the CD version of Complete and get back to me about whether it works. It's possible that the mod is compatible if the CD version of Complete uses the same executable as the GOG version.

 

[register]

This wouldn't be difficult at all. The next release (spoiler warning) will contain stack worker buttons for all the basic worker jobs like road, mine, irrigate, etc. It should be easy to extend that to other stack commands. I was already thinking that stack upgrade would be useful, maybe stack fortify too, I'll make note of stack delete for when I get around to these.

That would be awesome, stack worker jobs or fortify command or units upgrade.

I will try ghidra after Easter, see what I can do... probably not much but it's worth to try

 

[Kirejara]

Ok, another attempt.

I extracted the zip into its folder and copied same folder into my conquest folder (I hope that this time this was the correct way, I am not a native english speaker ).

Install.bat had run without error this time, but after that run.bat gives this message as in the previous attempts:

Starting the game normal after that and loaded a savegame. All dialog boxes show up correct this time.

The stack bombard icons do not show up after waking my Cannons.

I build a Submarine and put it in the estimated path of a carthagian Cruiser.

Next turn Hannibal declared war as his Cruiser runs over my Submarine.

So I guess, that either I had done something wrong again or your patch is not working with the CD-Version.

 

[Flintlock]

I extracted the zip into its folder and copied same folder into my conquest folder (I hope that this time this was the correct way, I am not a native english speaker ).

That sounds right.

Install.bat had run without error this time, but after that run.bat gives this message as in the previous attempts: ...

It's odd that run.bat and install.bat aren't giving you the same error message, but anyway that message indicates the CD Complete EXE is not compatible (the important line is "Civ3Conquests.exe: Unrecognized"). I was hoping it would be compatible since as far as I know the GOG Complete version is functionally identical to the CD Complete version and I figured maybe the GOG version is just a repackage of that CD version. But unfortunately that's not the case.

 

[Flintlock]

C3X Release 5
New in this version:
- Stack worker commands
- Skip repeated popups asking to replace a tile improvement
- Enable free improvements from small wonders
- Disorder warning recomputes city happiness before running its check
- Stack bombard won't interrupt interception or auto bombard missions
- Mod loads its labels from a file, for translatability
- Renamed script.txt to avoid confusion with base game files

Check this out:

C3X stack worker buttons

• Flintlock
• Apr 6, 2021

Link: https://forums.civfanatics.com/resources/c3x.28759/

For the next version I'm going to look into modifying the AI's behavior w/r/t artillery at least and hopefully naval invasions too. I have no idea difficult that will be, how long it will take, or if it's even possible at all, but that's what makes it interesting. Unlike the stack worker buttons, which are a very useful feature, but before I started work on them I knew it was something I could do without much trouble.

 

[Civinator]

Flintlock, one more time thank you very much for all your brilliant work!

I have tested the stack workers and they are doing their job very well! This is a great improvement for C3C !
I still have to test the free improvements from small wonders function with the Quintillus editor.

 

[Rômulo Prado]

Hello everyone, it is interesting to highlight here some strategies that can be used if you still need to use the Standard Editor, which from now on I will name as Firaxis Editor:

I- For those who find it easier to use the Firaxis Editor:
1- Make all necessary and possible changes in the Firaxis Editor;
2- Then select the SW and change to GW. In this way, free building dialog boxes will open;
3- Select the desired buildings and Save;
4- Open the Quintillus Editor and in the Buildings tab go to the SW that you transformed into GW and reselect it again as SW. In this step you can also make other changes such as units, production bonuses, etc. will not change the behavior of the file.
5- Save the change in the Quintillus Editor and run to play! (Important! In my tests do not open the bic file afterwards under any circumstances again in the Firaxis Editor! In twenty tests that I ran in 10, the modification was lost with 01 free building selected, and when I selected the 02 fields of Free Buildings o error happened 14 times out of 20 and 01 time the file was corrupted) That is, if you don't follow the 05 steps above, which proved to be safe in my tests, you have real chances of not being able to save the file with the inclusion of free buildings and even the possibility of losing your bic file.

II- Now the most recommended procedure:
1- Work on the generation of the map in the Firaxis and Save Editor.
2- Open the Quintillus Editor and work on all terrain modifications, unit inclusions, Buildings and scenario configurations.
3-Save the bic file. That is, all the customization and configuration of the mod itself is done by the Quintillus editor. In 4 batteries of 20 tests each, there were 0 errors.

And my congratulations and thank you very much Flintlock for sharing this wonderful work with all of us!

 

[Civinator]

... that message indicates the CD Complete EXE is not compatible (the important line is "Civ3Conquests.exe: Unrecognized"). I was hoping it would be compatible since as far as I know the GOG Complete version is functionally identical to the CD Complete version and I figured maybe the GOG version is just a repackage of that CD version. But unfortunately that's not the case.

In my eyes it is too early to say generally, that your mod/patch is not working with the CD version of Civ 3 Complete, because there were sold several different CD versions of Civ 3 Complete, some of them without the old copy protection that is no longer supported by microsoft and therefore don´t have the installation problemes, that other CD version of Civ 3 Complete and C3C have. I surely know this about the Civ Chronicles version of Civ 3 Complete and I was told, that the German Green Pepper version of civ 3 Complete is another version with this change.

As I changed the Civ Chronicles exe with a NoCD exe, I cannot say, if your mod/patch is working with the Civ Chronicles exe. I only can say, that your mod/patch is not recognizing the NoCD exe.

I think it could be a good idea, if new reports will include the CD Civ 3 Complete version that was used for that report.

 

[Kirejara]

As I changed the Civ Chronicles exe with a NoCD exe, I cannot say, if your mod/patch is working with the Civ Chronicles exe. I only can say, that your mod/patch is not recognizing the NoCD exe.

I think it could be a good idea, if new reports will include the CD Civ 3 Complete version that was used for that report.

I have the Green Pepper Version of Civ3 Complete (Version with working Vanilla and PtW). I had tried both the original Civ3Conquest.exe and the noraze-Civ3Conquest.exe.

I hope this is helpful.

I have not yet installed the GOG-Version. And I really do not know, when I will find the time to do so. Sorry!

 

[Sutsuj]

Wow, this is really cool work Flintlock! I look forward to giving it a test. The option for small wonders to provide buildings was something I've wished for before; now it's a reality! Also, the railroad limit option seems like it provides a lot of nice scenario design options. Thank you for your generosity.

I know the wishlist is already super long, but in case you have time to get to it, I'd be super excited if multiplayer games could have more than 8 players. Really, all I'd hope for is that we could have more AI. There are a lot of really cool scenarios that members of this community have already developed which have way more than 8 civilizations, so trying to play with a few friends leaves large portions of the map empty. If there was a "fill all remaining scenario slots with AI" option, that'd be great!

 

[Civinator]

I'd be super excited if multiplayer games could have more than 8 players.

Hi Sutsuj, you can be super excited just now. The multiplayer tool created by Sima Qian allows C3C games for up to 31 players. You can find it here: https://forums.civfanatics.com/threads/multiplayer-tool-play-scenarios-up-to-31-players.456432/ and it is also attached to my mod CCM 2.50.

 

[Sutsuj]

Hi Civinator, thank you for the reply! I was aware of Sima's tool, but to my understanding it is only for hotseat and PBEM games. Do you know if there's a way to use it for internet (real-time) games?

 

[AnthonyBoscia]

Flintlock, I'm adding my wish list here as well, if any of these are areas you would like to explore. Either way, your work thus far is much appreciated. Perhaps some of these may be helpful to others also. Thank you.

• Building prerequisite requirement to build unit in city
• Resource in city radius required to build unit in city
• Era graphics changes for mines, radar towers, etc.
• Decoupling city icons from current building mechanics and assigning them elsewhere
• Interception mission takes effect immediately

Good luck in your continued endeavors.

 

[Civinator]

Hi Civinator, thank you for the reply! I was aware of Sima's tool, but to my understanding it is only for hotseat and PBEM games. Do you know if there's a way to use it for internet (real-time) games?

Yes, Sima posted, that it is for hotseat and PBEM games (both multiplayer games) - and you have only asked about multiplayer games with more than eight civs. I´m not playing multiplayer games and therefore, unfortunately, cannot answer your now much more specific additional question.