D&D mod: tjedge1-Mystara

[Eddiit]

How long do you think it'll be before this mod will be ready for release? I've been reding up on this thread for a few weeks and I'm really looking forward to the mod's completion.

 

[tjedge1]

Hopefully the beta will be ready this month. I can't garauntee this, as I'm waiting on Firaxis before doing any text files, as they always mess up modded text when they release a patch. It may not mess with anything, but the DyP team is waiting on it as well, and it's taking forever. I've almost got everything in the editor and there is tons of everything. I'm still sifitng through units and graphix for them. I'm planning to post the 2nd era under the 1st era tech tree in the Overviews. The 3rd era is finished, but I want to wait on feeling it's done till after I finish with units. Same goes for the 4th era. As soon as I get everything typed into the editor, then I'll sort the graphix and organize the folders. I'm waiting on Arghis' maps, and his finalized version of the terrain, gnolls, red steel units (was told they would be done in April), and city lists (almost complete). I think there is something else, but I can't recall at the moment. Still much to do and my RL is not helping. Hopefully this month, if nothing else, will be much more productive.

 

[Sword_Of_Geddon]

Well at least some progress has been made. Can't wait to see the mod when its finished!

 

[tjedge1]

The patch is finally released, but now I'm hearing it has bugs.

At least I have plenty to do until I have to type the text files. I'll just work on those till that patch is worked out or proven to be fine.

EDIT: Well, I can't even download the patch for some reason. I wonder what the deal is. Maybe they realized it's bugged already and are fixing it. I hope.

 

[tjedge1]

Well, now they released a patch to fix the patch.

Here are the previews of the first 2 tech trees.

1st era tech tree:

2nd era tech tree:

EDIT: I hurried the preview of the 2nd era so I'll make the notes for it here. The governements tech is where several civ-specific governments will be. The Giai Theory tech is for civs who will not have the Ritual Sacrifice tech. Each civ will have one or the other. The Giai will give druids, to some civs and maybe some wonders for elves and the like. WHile Ritual Sacrifice is more self explanatory.

 

[Eddiit]

You might want to put stoneworking in the first era as it is one of the first things that man discovered. The wheel might also be a bit far along.

 

[tjedge1]

Very true, about Stone Working. Maybe I'll make an alternate tech for the Aqueduct, as I don't want that available till the second era. Then put Stone Working where in the first era? Any ideas?

 

[Eddiit]

Stoneworking could be the prereq for mining (you need to work stone to mine it right?) starting off that whole tech path.

 

[Eddiit]

Or the same argument could be said for the opposite. Mining then stoneworking right after but it should definetly be on that path of the tree.

 

[tjedge1]

Good idea. I'll put it before mining. I don't want any tech to require mining, since some civs will not be allowed to learn it. Like elves will be allowed to plant forests, but never to mine. Dwarves will mine, but never plant forests. Elves won't irrigate either. I'm giving moore food to the forest than grassland, so elves will be encouraged to plant forest, and other civs will irrigate so they can increase the food in grassland. Ok, I'll do Stone Working, then Mining and Early Prospection will come after and then Bronze Working.

 

[Eddiit]

You should have two types of forests. The first type should be the ordinary forest that is okay but cannot be planted. The second type should be the forest that elves use when planting. Maybe an ancient forest that provides good food and shields. It's a way of not overpowering forests in general but still keeping the elves on par.

 

[tjedge1]

There will be the ancient forest using the LM Forest. That will not be plantable. I've got a plan in the terrain to work out starvation. The Ancient forest will be very nice, so that elves can flurish in it. The normal forest that they will plant, will substitute for their lack of mining and irrigation. It will boost the food 1 over the grassland and add production as well. This will allow the elves to grow and survive and spread their wooded borders. They also ignore terrain costs for forests and that gives them a strategic advantage in the woods. Other civs will irrigate and it will boost the grassland to 2 more food, so it will still produce more than elves and the humans and others can spread like crazy. This will obviously work differently in the random map scenario, but that one is just the base to the scenarios, in which those who can't play on giga maps can make scenarios for the mod themselves.

EDIT: I'm currently still playing with the technique to eliminate starvation, so I won't reveal what I'm trying to do as of yet. Many of my ideas I have expressed are beginning to pop up on other mods so I'll keep a few to myself until it's ready for release.

 

[Eddiit]

Sounds good. Will the AI be able to handle having the plant trees option as elves?Will the civ be AI layable or only human playable? I hope I'm helping development of the mod and not just preoccupying you.

 

[tjedge1]

I haven't tested the AI yet on this, but it should since it won't be able to do much else, except build roads. We'll see. Either way, the AI may not, but it lets players use it if they wish. If the AI doesn't, they will still have advantages in existing forests.

 

[Eddiit]

ou should consider offering mining, irrigation and planting forests to other races at the late tech eras to simulate a more globalized world. For example a group of dwarves defects to a human kingdom... the human workers now have the option build mines. This would be simulated with a tech like Dwarven Mining or Dwarven Defectors. All the tech would do would is give workers new work options. This, of course, would be a late tech development to help make sure the races keep their edge for most of the game.

You really have to work with testing the AI. Make sure you use a universal worker unit for contstruction that technically has all options but cant use all of them. The AI cant figure out how to use units like the legion that is a militairy unit but can build roads(from the rome scenario). So be careful. You dont want to give the player too large of an advantage as it will severeley reduce gameplay.

 

[embryodead]

Eddiiit: the problem is, that it is not possible with Civ3 Editor... mining/irrigation/planting can be attached only to one tech through the game. It doesn't work with disabling the worker actions either, because AI will not build such workers.

 

[Eddiit]

Well that sucks. Then the AI is going to be at a huge disadvantage. I've never seen the AI build a forest even once.

 

[Eddiit]

Also looking at the tech tree woodworking should come before deforestation. Man had the ability to build simple woodworks long before they had the ability to actually deforest an area. The ability to woodwork caused the demand for deforestation...that and irrigation.

 

[Eddiit]

Are you going to include magical and clerical technology? As that is a huge part of the D&D world. Also, I'm not sure how prevalent psionics is in Mystara but it is a consideration.

When it comes to building you'll want to include all the guild. You should probably make them small wonders that spawn units every so often. Fighters guild spawns fighter...thieves guild spawns thieves but could cause unrest or corruption.

Different temples to gods could spawn special clerics of those religions. The god of shadows would spawn a priest that has stealth for example. The temples could be major or minor wonders.

 

[Eddiit]

Is red steel a part of mystara? for some reason I seem to think it is...if it is that could be a very very rare resource that would allow the building of units equipped with it.

How do you intend to incorporate adventurers? wonders that represent great adventurers maybe?