Easiest Way To "Permanently" Add Multiple Civilization Modules??

[Eunomiac]

I'd like to use multiple civilizations at once (BtS 3.13), and I'm not sure of the best way to do it. I've already managed to merge all of the civilizations I want to use into a single mod, which I've placed in "Program Files/Civ4/Beyond the Sword/Mods/!AddedCivs." However, I don't want to have to load a specific mod every time I want to play with them, since I'd like to use them with the other mods (like Next War).

As far as I can tell, there are a few ways to do this.

1) Manually Merge All Custom Civs into the Core XML Files: I started doing this, and it worked well for a single custom leaderhead, but then I tried adding a whole civilization with custom leaderheads, music and units, and my head exploded. This would also make it very difficult to reinstall Civ4 or apply patches that change core game files.

2) Manually Merge All Custom Civs into Every Mod I Want to Play Them With: This is sort of where I'm at now, but it's just so clunky and wasteful. Further, I imagine it will be a pain to add another civilization down the road (since I'll have to merge it in with every other mod). I'm really hoping this isn't the only way to do it, but I've got a sinking feeling that it is.

3) Use the CustomAssets Folder: I have no idea how to get this CustomAssets folder to work. I've got ModularLoading in the Civ.ini file set to '1'. I'm aware that they've moved ModularLoading to the mod-specific .ini files, but what ModularLoading value is checked when the game is run with no mods loaded?

I vaguely understand there may be two separate ways to get CustomAssets to work. One is to put everything into the 'CustomAssets/XML/Modules' folder, which I've tried. The other is to take one step up the CustomAssets folder hierarchy to merge everything into the CustomAssets/XML folder itself (i.e. not use modular loading). I have no idea how to do this, and imagine it would approach the complexity of #1.

I'm really hoping I can get #3 to work. If it's possible to get modules loading from CustomAssets, could someone please point me to a crash course explaining how? Using little words and visual aids, if possible, as I'm not the sharpest bulb in the sky. ;-) Maybe I'm using the wrong file name or directory hierarchy conventions. Currently it's looking like:

/My Docs/My Games/Beyond the Sword/CustomAssets
..../XML
......../Modules
............./Custom Civilizations
................../Assyria
........................Assyria_CIV4ArtDefines_Civilization.xml
........................Assyria_CIV4ArtDefinesSchema.xml
........................Assyria_CIV4CivilizationInfos.xml
........................ (etc)
................../Austria
................../Brazil
................../Canada
................../Cherokee
................../Croatia
................../Ireland
................../Iroquois
................../Nazi Germany
................../Poland
................../Sioux
............./Custom Leaderheads
................../Joanofarc
................../Theodora
................../Wilhelmina
............./Custom Units
................../NA Flavor Units

This is how it appears in Mods/!AddedCivs, where it works (after setting ModularLoading = 1 in !AddedCivs.ini, which I don't mind saying frustrated me for HOURS until I figured it out).

Sorry for the length, I wanted to be thorough. Let me know if I've left out key information, and thanks in advance for your help!

 

[purplexus]

Does it even work out of the custom Assets folder?

E:\Program Files\Firaxis Games\Sid Meier's Civilization 4\Beyond the Sword\Mods\More Civs\Assets\Modules\Custom Civilizations

here is an example of where I have been placing my Civilizations

 

[Eunomiac]

The problem with that solution is I can't use those added civilizations with any other mods. I have to switch out of that mod to load Next War, say, and can't play as Canada unless I merge the Canadian civilization into any Mod I want to play it with (see #2, above).

I'm 99% sure I read somewhere that modules in CustomAssets are supposedly loaded automatically every time, but I can't find where I read that. Perhaps I'm wrong. If so, it's kind of an obvious next step for Firaxis in developing the customizability of Civ 4, doncha think? With their modular functionality, it seems very intuitive to me to be able to drag-and-drop modular civilizations into the game without having to load them as part of a distinct mod, and there appears to be a folder earmarked for it (i.e. CustomAssets).

 

[NikNaks]

Well, I don't think modules work out of CustomAssets. Option 2 is your best bet at the moment. Where's Impaler? I'm sure he could get CustomAssets to work. Maybe move the 'Modules' folder from inside XML to under Assets (one folder up)?

P.S. Nice to see someone using my mod

 

[Eunomiac]

Hm. I'm surprised that I appear to be the only one to be missing this functionality... no wonder I couldn't find it elsewhere ;-) There's a CustomAssets folder earmarked for easy customization, and modules designed to allow plug-and-play civilizations... am I the first person to try and put the two together?

Who's this Impaler character? (Sorry, I'm kinda new.) I'd love it if someone could get this working. I'm sort of OCD so it appeals to me on a neat-and-tidy level, too, compared to clunkily (yes, "clunkily") merging new civs into other Mods ;-)

Which mods are yours that I'm running? I love them all (though Joan of Arc's bandana shows up as a bright pink bar on my system :-( )

Edited: Oh, BUG! Yeah very awesome. Utterly off-topic question: Is the downloadable version good for 3.13 yet?

 

[NikNaks]

Heh, I meant the Native America mod.

Impaler designed and coded the Modular loading SDK, so he's the guru on such matters.

Oh, and BUG is good for 2.13 AFAIK. The glance screen is back (and improved).

 

[bmarnz]

Well, for most mods, you can just paste the modules folder into the mods\assets folder. With the new patch make sure the mod.ini file has modular set to 1.

 

[Eunomiac]

NikNaks93: Ah, yeah, I love the NA mod - very necessary addition, I think. I'm Canadian and went through Canadian history, so was irked at "Native American" appearing as a single civilization. Might as well have lumped all Europeans into a "White People" civilization and called it a day ;-)

Got BUG working, about to test BAT (from the SourceForge repository). We'll see how it goes.

bmarnz: Yeah, I could do that, but given the way they've set up CustomAssets/modules, it just seems like things are SUPPOSED to work as I described in #3. I need things to work properly. While I don't often stare at my Program Files hierarchy and pine for organized, aesthetic perfection, knowing that this clunky work-around is in place would rankle me like the Tell-Tale Heart. OCD much? Oh yes.

Speaking of which, I thought of another way to try this out, by placing my civilizations into "CustomAssets/modules" and adding "ModularLoading = 1" to the top of the Bug Mod.ini file. This didn't work (civilizations still missing). Ugh.

 

[bmarnz]

Well, you're just gonna have to pick one mod (oh, say MarnzMod for examle) and stick with it.

 

[TAfirehawk]

Do not use CustomAssets anymore.

Why can't you add the modular civs to other mods? If they are really modular then you can add them to anything just like I swap things around in WoC...including DLL's.

You need to use Option 4, which you didn't list....make the Civs modular as done in the WoC.

We are no longer waiting on Impaler....the WoC just yesterday fixed the "modular" xml loading in BtS. What was done previous was just OVERWRITING, not true modular....but that is 95% fixed for Units and Civilizations now.

I will have to dig into why you can't add a Civ as I can but in the end Civs will need major rework to really be modular with Unique Units, Unique Buildings, Civics, etc.


In general the entire WoC concept solves your problem....we should have a release out in a few weeks. After v1.00 shows all the modders what can be done when everybody uses the same standards, then ANY BtS mod that is modular can be added....check out the WoC Forum.

 

[Eunomiac]

Ahhh, so THIS is what WoC is all about. I've seen a few links posted (in sig files, maybe?) that link directly to the forums, which at first glance didn't give any sense of a cohesive project. I just thought it was a mod site getting started that didn't have any mods yet ;-) Thanks for the info and I'll keep an eye on WoC!

 

[purplexus]

The WOC is very much about creating an environment the practices proper coding. This ensures that all mods will be able to work with each other. It should allow all machines to play the new mods properly at the same standards that firaxis has set out. Notice that all modules placed within the plug and play forum have the opportunity to be upgraded to such a standard.

We all want the flexibility of creating our own type of game we like to play.

 

[TAfirehawk]

I do have to appologize for not better explaining and promoting the WoC....but until just a few days ago the project was near failure.

Neither Impaler nor Firaxis had done PROPER modular xml loading so it was 100% impossible to combine a group of modules together...for instance Civics with UU's and give the player the choice of either one or both together since they are in the same CivilizationInfos.xml

But now mrgenie has got a 'work in progress' that is TRUE modular (still bugs and details to workout with testing of course). All current modules will need tweaked, but once you see what we are doing you will be 1,000,000% amazed at how much easier modding will become using the WoC.

BTW, the WoC is not a mod itself, but as purplexus has said, it is a standard modding system to be used by any and all BtS mods/modules/modcomps/etc.

 

[DrJambo]

Ah, I'd been hoping to get modules to run from the CustomAssets folder too... so it's impossible, right? Damn. I wonder why they made it so?!