Civ Assist

[ainwood]

Thanks guys.

I am working in partnership with another guy on this, and he takes a lot of time in sorting out the UI (improving the look and usability). I think he's done a fantastic job.

It doesn't support multiplayer directly (yet), although the way the program has been structured, it won't be that difficult to add (I hope!), but in the mean time, we're concentrating on just getting a usable version released (will probably add a few extra things later).

 

[Moonsinger]

Well, we're just pulling a few of the last details together, and doing a bit of play testing to iron-out any problems we find.

We hope to have it out fairly soon, but, seeing as you asked, here are a few screenshots:

Not bad! Not bad at all!

I am working in partnership with another guy on this, and he takes a lot of time in sorting out the UI (improving the look and usability). I think he's done a fantastic job.

Who is he? I'm just curious...

 

[ainwood]

Who is he? I'm just curious...

Tomas Vilim. He is a serial forum lurker - doesn't even have an account here. He initially contacted me with some suggestions about improving the UI on the VB version. After a bit of discussion, we reached an agreement where we would work on the new version together; I gave him the source code to the old version and in return he taught me the basics of C# (which is what this version is written in).

So far, I've managed to pick-up the basic syntax, and an understanding of how true object-oriented lanaguages work (proper inheritance etc, rather than the VB implementation of it!), but not enough to do anything overly clever - all of the those bits are Tomas's!

 

[Moonsinger]

So far, I've managed to pick-up the basic syntax, and an understanding of how true object-oriented lanaguages work (proper inheritance etc, rather than the VB implementation of it!), but not enough to do anything overly clever - all of the those bits are Tomas's!

Although I have never programmed in C#, if it's anything similar to C++, you are definitely on the right track. It will be good to list an object-oriented programming skill on your resume. Good luck with your study!

 

[Roland Johansen]

This looks really, really great.

The new layout looks very tidy and I like the new options that were/ are being added.

But seeing all these screenshots, my mind is already producing lots of questions. Sorry, can't help it. Maybe it's a bit early to ask questions as the utility isn't finished yet, but I'll try my luck anyway.

-I noticed the screenshots were based on the normal unmodded version of Civ. Will the utility be able to handle mods like previous versions could? For instance: Does the economy screen look in the editor to learn the advantages of buildings or is it "hardcoded" that a university give a 50% science bonus?

-How does the alert "rival has a lot of cash" work? Does it take into account available gold per turn of your rival? That would be very nice but maybe also very difficult. And is it in any way related to the amount you earn per turn as the definition of "a lot of cash" changes a lot throughout the game. Maybe the player should define "a lot" by specifying an amount. I don't know what would be ideal, but if this alert will function well, than it will be one of the best additions to this already great utility.

The worldmap with city planning looks really great.

Looking at all these tidy nice screens full of information, I think Firaxis could really learn from you two.

Thank you for making such a great utility.

 

[ainwood]

But seeing all these screenshots, my mind is already producing lots of questions. Sorry, can't help it. Maybe it's a bit early to ask questions as the utility isn't finished yet, but I'll try my luck anyway.

-I noticed the screenshots were based on the normal unmodded version of Civ. Will the utility be able to handle mods like previous versions could? For instance: Does the economy screen look in the editor to learn the advantages of buildings or is it "hardcoded" that a university give a 50% science bonus?

Well, I might as well answer a few!

We haven't specifically tested it with mods, but in as many cases as possible, the rules are read. Therefore, in the example you give, if Universities had been modded to give 100% science bonus, yes, it would update to reflect that.

-How does the alert "rival has a lot of cash" work? Does it take into account available gold per turn of your rival? That would be very nice but maybe also very difficult. And is it in any way related to the amount you earn per turn as the definition of "a lot of cash" changes a lot throughout the game. Maybe the player should define "a lot" by specifying an amount. I don't know what would be ideal, but if this alert will function well, than it will be one of the best additions to this already great utility.

It changes if the amount of gold they have changes by > 10% of the cost of the tech you are currently researching. So far it seems to work OK, but can be refined if required.


Oh - and to answer Ginger Ale's previous question: People without C3C can view C3C scenarios - that is, those with embedded rules. For 'other' C3C saves, they'll need to install the C3C v1.22f patch, so that they have the standard BIQ available to be read.

 

[Turner]

And how long until this is released?

 

[DaveShack]

Or to put that a different way, need another tester?

 

[Michelangelo]

Or to put that a different way, need another tester?

Sign me up as well

If it works as great as it looks i'll be spending more time in civ-assist than in civ itself. Firaxis would do great if the took a really hard look at civassist (and mapstat of course) to fullfill their aim of reducing tiring MM and so lose unfun aspects while keeping the ability to gain by looking to the details.

Good work

 

[Roland Johansen]

Well, I might as well answer a few!

Thank you for the quick answers. It sounds great.

 

[MOTH]

I have to keep wiping up piles of drool when I think about this. One of your playtesters is cruel enough to keep posting screen shots in the DemoGame forums.

/me waiting patiently for my new toy

 

[vmxa]

Sorry if this was already reported, but you can ignore it if that is the case. Anyway I just noticed that the Production Tab has a section label food waste.

This section is not cleared from previous loads. I just started a game and saw it had a list of cities that it said were wasting up 12 food or more. It says that cities need things like aquas, shakespears and so on.

It is 4000BC, I only have one city, so I am guessing some tables or fields were not initialize to blanks.

 

[Mahler]

Civassist does not work with the attached save. The software says that the save is multiplayer, but it is not.

 

[Ginger_Ale]

I know that if you play a multiplayer game, and then load up your single player game WITHOUT restarting civ (exiting and quitting), then it will say that. On the other hand if you haven't played multiplayer ever, well, something's wrong.

 

[Mahler]

I know that if you play a multiplayer game, and then load up your single player game WITHOUT restarting civ (exiting and quitting), then it will say that. On the other hand if you haven't played multiplayer ever, well, something's wrong.

No, it is not the case. I loaded the save after launching civ. Maybe, it is an issue related to the German version of the game .

 

[ainwood]

No, it is not the case. I loaded the save after launching civ. Maybe, it is an issue related to the German version of the game .

As GingerAle said, there is some strange issue with the files getting a multiplayer section added to them when a multi-player game has been loaded, then a single player game is also loaded. Not sure why.

Anyway - the new version detects multiplayer differently, so it will work.

Coming "soon"

I know, I know....

 

[Ginger_Ale]

Keep working ainwood! Meanwhile, I have another question:

In the territory tab (of 1.1.2), what constitutes an unimproved tile and a bare tile? And under "roaded tiles", if I add worked + unworked roaded tiles, that gives me the number of tiles that have been roaded in our lands, correct?

Thanks to whoever answers.

 

[ainwood]

Unimproved means no irrigation / mining. Bare means no road, no irrigation, no mine.

 

[handy900]

Note to self to download this when I get home, and to spend more time in the utility forum.

Thanks ainwood.

 

[Ginger_Ale]

Unimproved means no irrigation / mining. Bare means no road, no irrigation, no mine.

That is what I thought.

However, the numbers don't seem to add up right. I have 56 citizens (all following data is via CivAssist), and 54 tiles worked.

So tiles worked should = bare tiles + unimproved + irrigated + mined, right? Since adding unimproved also has roaded tiles, we don't add that in. But BT + UN + IRR + MINE = 48, not 54. Any ideas? I'm probably over looking something - would non-roaded mined or irrigated tiles be the culprit?