Editor Help - complete novice

[benjy]

Ive just made a few changes to the game rules (changing corruption levels and unit abilities) and have saved the changes with a new name in the scenario file. i keep reading the warnings from Dan Magaha and others not to alter the .bic file - im not sure what this means. am i altering it?

is the method of saving the scenario im using safe? if i click "New Game" i presume the game will just start with the default rules rather than my altered version?

Thanks for help.

 

[Lt. 'Killer' M.]

there is a file called civ3mod.bic. This is the one you shouldn't alter. Simply open it in the ediotr, change all you want, but save it under a different name!!!.

Then, when you want to play, choose 'Load Scenario', then the file you just created.

Your presumtion is right, New Game will take the civ3mod.bic file (which you haven't changed if you8 never saved your changes to that name).

 

[benjy]

Thanks, i was hoping someone would say that! whats the big deal with backing up your civ3mod.bic file then, as long as you save using a different name there never need be a problem?

 

[Lt. 'Killer' M.]

well, if you are in a hurry and simply close the ediotr after making changes, there will be a pop-up asking if you want to safe the changes. if you accidently click 'yes'.....

also, I changed my civ3mod.bic because I do not want to use the original one. If I need, I can simply rename the modded one, then restore the original one to the Civ3 directory.

 

[benjy]

great you obviously know yer stuff so im gonna quiz you a bit further! when you make changes to the games rules, does the AI appreciate how to use those changes. i mean, stuff like allowing cruise missiles to be fired from a sub (i think you can make that happen in the editor) - can i expecft the AI to use a sub for that purpose.

similiarly, if you create a new unit will the AI no how to use it?

 

[Lt. 'Killer' M.]

in general the AI know what to do, but it cannot be expected to use new units to their full advantage if the unit has characteristics that no other unit has. Combining 'hidden nationailty' and combat capability (that is A and D values different from 0) doesn't work too good, the Ai uses these units, but misses the big point. They are tough as harrassment units, which is exactly how the AI uses them, but a human quickly starts using them for conquest - whihc the AI then is incapable of dealing with (see the DS3 thread in Succession Games Forum).
So, the AI will use the missiles from the sub, but it may have problems using a 'all-as-roads' bombard unit......