Easy Modding Question...

[Sultan Bhargash]

I want to play the regular game (out of Conquests version) but want to start with three settlers. I do not want the AI to have that advantage though. Yes it sounds like cheating but it's the only way I'm going to play CIII again. Can someone give me quick instructions for how to do that? Is it possible to do with out using the editor to make it a scenario - in other words, to affect the actual game itself?

 

[bobgote]

while i don't have much of an idea of how to do it, i'll give you a good reason why it sounds like cheating, you big cheater

i don't know if it changes the AI's start as well, but there is an option in the rules screen where you can change the second unit you start with (usually a worker), but they only give you two options. they haven't really set it up very well to modify that kind of stuff :\

 

[Admiral8Q]

Just go to the map editor, create a random map, set a scenario with the other civs with the normal start units then give yourself 3 settlers. Save scenario.

No offense or anything, but I find it a bit lame that you will not play unless you have 3 settlers. Just drop the difficulty if you're having a problem.

 

[ainwood]

For a bit more specific instructions...

Open the editor, and from the Scenario menu, choose Custom Player Data.
From teh same menu, click on "Scenario Properties". On the form that appears, click on the "Players" tab.

For Player one (human player), in the starting units, just use the arrows next to the "how many" box to increase the number of settlers to 3.

Save this as a scenario, then load it to play your game.

This will only affect the starting units - nothing else. If you don';t want to run it as a scenario, then you need to save game editor like Gramphos' multitool.

 

[Sultan Bhargash]

Okay, that's what I was wondering, how it easy it was to edit the basic game.

@Admiral 8Q - actually, I'm doing it so I can move up. I've been stuck on Regent forever, which is too easy for me. Monarch is no fun because of constantly getting beat to techs, wonders, and butt whoopings. I think having three settlers would just make it a fun variant. I'm not one who cares about playing Civ as a professional... I just want to get some more fun out of the game before IV comes along.

To have to do this as a scenario is a bit dissappointing, but I'm sure not going to install other programs to make it work.

 

[MadScot]

This actually is a result of Civ3's inane 'difficulty' handicapping system, which basically sandbags the player in the early stages but gets less and less challenging as the game progresses. If they'd actually, oh, I dunno, playtested the game maybe they'd have realised the need for some kind of sliding difficulty handicap system. As it is, anyone who masters the ancient age at a given difficulty can pretty much sleepwalk through the late game on the same difficulty, but to have a challenging late game requires an insane early game.

I don't blame Sultan for this; it's one of the main reasons I don't play any more.....

 

[warpstorm]

They did playtest the game, hundreds of people, hundreds of games. It will come as a shock to you, but most players do not like sliding scales (by this I assume you mean giving them more bonuses as they slip behind). They seem to feel that the AI is cheating even more than giving it a fixed known bonus at game start.

 

[MadScot]

The game was tested? Wonder how PTW didn't actually work when released then? Or do I not remember that fiasco accurately?

Anyway, seems to me most of the supposed testing was functionality of the program, not its game qualities. Otherwise the unbalancing wonders and such added to the 'expansions' wouldn't be there, no?

And by sliding scale I don't mean the handicap is a function of how the player is doing. I mean having adjustable difficulty at different stages in the game - simplistically, play the Ancient on Monarch, the Medieval and Industrial on Emperor but the Modern on Diety, say. Right now the Ai gets a BIG lead in the Ancient era, and the whole game is a catch-up race - and once you catch up, it's basically game over. If the game got more difficult in stages, that would be addressed. (It could be a pre-set thing, or adjustable by the player. It matters not which.)

The lack of functionality in the later game difficulty settings shows a failure to tune the gameplay - they tested the pretty graphics and menus, not the game.

Anyway, I'm wasting my time at fanboy central, I should have remembered that.....

 

[Sultan Bhargash]

Wow, you certainly put the Mad in MadScot!

 

[warpstorm]

MadScot, the fundamantal rule of game testing is that it fixes nothing. The best testers can do is document the flaws. There were many documented flaws that still made it into the released game. The developers have to do the fixes and even then are usually under time and money pressures from the publisher to ship the game. They are working under strict deadlines. Don't meet 'em, don't get paid for your last couple of months work in some cases (I don't know Firaxis' contracts). There are very few developers who can do the "when it's ready" shipping plan. You have to have the money to do all development on your own dime to pull that off.

In any case, PTW was tested. In particular, the accurate state of it was reported to Firaxis (that is to say, not all favorable - especially with regards to MP).

Okay, I like having settings for the ages separately. This way you could tune the challenges to what you like.