Does anyone know how to get Unit skins to change at a certain date?

[Joij21]

Does anyone know how to change the skins of units? I know in base civ4 worker units change their skins when you enter into the industrial era. Could a similar thing be done in this mod where units have an earlier skin that changes after a certain date to the default skin?

 

[8BitArchitect]

As far as I am aware there is no functionality in Col or WTP to change skins on a certain date. Most Civ4 mods do this based on Tech/Era, and while Col technically has Eras, I don't believe it advances through them as it doesn't have any tech progression. I'm not familiar enough with unit modding to be sure what would be required to add such a feature, but there is at least one Col mod that changes flags during/after the War of Independence; maybe start there?

 

[raystuttgart]

Does anyone know how to change the skins of units? I know in base civ4 worker units change their skins when you enter into the industrial era. Could a similar thing be done in this mod where units have an earlier skin that changes after a certain date to the default skin?

That base capabiliy would need to be coded in DLL.
(It currently does not exist in Civ4Col Vanilla or WTP.)

In fact there are even code examples e.g. in Dawn of a New Era.
(You could of course also use code from Civ4 BTS as example.)

But it needs C++ programming and a lot of knowledge about Civ4Col-Modding (e.g. how to set up XML / XML-Schema and how to setup the graphics).
Also you need to program a basic progress system e.g. depending on Eras or Techs.

This is not a minor change. This is in fact a major request for a new feature.
Some experienced modder(s) would need to invest time and effort for DLL capability, XML-setup and proper graphics.

 

[Joij21]

Would it then just be easier to have completely new units for the early game instead of skin changing? So like have arquebusiers only available from Europe in the beginning and then later line infantry?

 

[raystuttgart]

Would it then just be easier to have completely new units for the early game instead of skin changing?

Yes, it would be easier but still require DLL coding as well as XML / XML-Schema changes.

Basically it would already be included in the "Tech"-System (partially reusing using code of Civ4-BTS) which we were planning to do.
(The "Tech"-System would even do much more than just replacing Units / unlocking new Units.)

However it seems that currently nobody is working on further features for the mod.
(But there are code and XML examples of that e.g. in Civ4 BTS.)