Flying Mod [SDK Mod]

[Dual]

I loaded up a new custom game when I was having the problems, but it had the same settings. So, I'll try starting a new game with different settings and see what happens.


EDIT: Well, I'm still getting the big cities. I might try re-installing later and see if that has any effect.

 

[RogerBacon]

I'll check the DLL when I get home tonight. It is possible I put the wrong one in there but unlikely since I had just rebuilt it with the changed files removed right before I zipped it up.

Roger Bacon

 

[Sevo]

Great work RB! I've created a transport chopper in my mod and peeps have been asking for a way to transport over coastal waters, which makes sense, really. I've got a few more SDK changes of my own and this will work great.

Thanks for sharing!

 

[RogerBacon]

Updated to version 1.1

The "Flying only" dll actually had everything. My mistake. Thanks to Dual for pointing this out.
Also, I've added my "Camera zoom" mod to the combined dll.
"Added combat zoom mod. In vanilla civ the option to zoom in on battles only applies to battles where you are the attacker. Now if you have the camera zoom option enables it will work for battles where you are the attacker or battles where you are the defender."

Roger Bacon

 

[Rabbit, White]

Who cares about the flying, those bonus features look off the hook! Just kidding, the addition of bFlying tag is awesome and shame on Firaxis for not doing that, but I'm no less excited about the bonus features, especially the enhanced combat zoom. That's right, I said "enhanced".

I have two questions.
First, does the the dll without the "borders over waters" and "three square city radius" mods also has the bonus features?

It's somewhat unrelated but I'm sure you dealt with related files while working on this so, is there anything in sight about making the AI properly use land-based transports? Have you looked into it at all? Is this something that will be possible to do eventually?

 

[Agent 009]

Hmm... this looks really good Roger.

Question: Does having this allow units to actually fly? Example: A Jet Fighter able to move over land as a helpicopter does and even over ocean.

Is this how it works?

I've been wanting to make my air force able to fly so they don't have to be in cities all the time. All of the attemps created problems instead. I either couldn't attack, or the unit was in the ground.

 

[zulu9812]

Can we get this uploaded to CivFanatics please - FileFactory is doing my nut in

 

[Dual]

Updated to version 1.1

The "Flying only" dll actually had everything. My mistake. Thanks to Dual for pointing this out.
Also, I've added my "Camera zoom" mod to the combined dll.
"Added combat zoom mod. In vanilla civ the option to zoom in on battles only applies to battles where you are the attacker. Now if you have the camera zoom option enables it will work for battles where you are the attacker or battles where you are the defender."

Roger Bacon

Thanks for updating it Roger Bacon, I'm downloading it now. I really love the helicopters now.

 

[Lachlan]

is the return of flying ala Civ 2 ?

Flying units can attack cities and ground units ?

 

[RogerBacon]

I have two questions.
First, does the the dll without the "borders over waters" and "three square city radius" mods also has the bonus features?

It's somewhat unrelated but I'm sure you dealt with related files while working on this so, is there anything in sight about making the AI properly use land-based transports? Have you looked into it at all? Is this something that will be possible to do eventually?

Yes, the flying only dll does have the bonus features because they are completely optional so I decided to include them. It probably would have been better for me to make the city size changable from an XML file that way I wouldn't have to maintain two sepreate dlls but I didn't think of that at the time.

I'm not sure about the AI using land transports. It's probably easy enough. I believe there is a transport AI for water. You could probably copy the code and replace DOMAIN_WATER with DOMAIN_LAND in a few places and get it to work.

Question: Does having this allow units to actually fly? Example: A Jet Fighter able to move over land as a helpicopter does and even over ocean.

If you changed your jet fighter to DOMAIN_LAND in the XML file it should work. However, the animations will probably be different. You may have to remove the animations or have someone make new ones. Ask a graphic modder about that because I don't know graphics.

I'm really glad you guys like this. Other than during the testing, I haven't had a game make it into the modern era yet to be able to enjoy the flying units.


Roger Bacon

 

[Spartan117]

shouldnt it be easy to make helos incapable of flying over ocean tiles..shouldnt the code be somewhat similiar to the galleey

i am no programmer by the way and i am only assuming...

i love helos flying over coastal waters but flying over oceans?!?

this would make them the best unit in the game if the helo transports are in the game they would be unstoppable...

but if they can fly just over coastal waters then it would make them ajust a better unit...

 

[RogerBacon]

shouldnt it be easy to make helos incapable of flying over ocean tiles..shouldnt the code be somewhat similiar to the galleey

i am no programmer by the way and i am only assuming...

i love helos flying over coastal waters but flying over oceans?!?

this would make them the best unit in the game if the helo transports are in the game they would be unstoppable...

but if they can fly just over coastal waters then it would make them ajust a better unit...

You are correct that you can limit a flying unit's movement over ocean the same way you limit the galley. I mention that in the readme file.

Roger Bacon

 

[Spartan117]

You are correct that you can limit a flying unit's movement over ocean the same way you limit the galley. I mention that in the readme file.

Roger Bacon

thanks

maybe i should read the readme file next time

 

[Shqype]

So, the "flying" unit can attack naval units... can Naval units attack the flying unit, though.

Yes.

Might I suggest expanding this to include a 3rd new XML tag, something like <bAerialAttack> which, if true, allows a unit (sea or land) to attack a unit with <bFlying>?

It's silly for a Galley or a Knight to be able to attack a Gunship, but not for a Battleship or modern-era unit (such as SAM Infantry or Tank).

 

[Agent 009]

If you changed your jet fighter to DOMAIN_LAND in the XML file it should work. However, the animations will probably be different. You may have to remove the animations or have someone make new ones. Ask a graphic modder about that because I don't know graphics.

Actually a while ago when I tried to make jets and stealths fly, one of the things I tried was changing it to DOMAIN_LAND... and well it ended up making the unit halfway in the ground.

I tried a few things... even made them helicopter units, and well nothing worked.

If it is possible with this new function to allow air units to move around so that it seems like they are flying, and even allow them to attack units but at the same time still retain their bombing and recon abilities, then I am all for it.

 

[Sevo]

It's somewhat unrelated but I'm sure you dealt with related files while working on this so, is there anything in sight about making the AI properly use land-based transports? Have you looked into it at all? Is this something that will be possible to do eventually?

I've been puddling through all the SDK AI and my first observation is that it's actually remarkably sophisticated. I guess it's easy to poke fun at the dumb things the AI sometimes does or "doesn't get", but I suppose we should be impressed at how well it does play!

Anyway, most of the AI decision making with regards to units comes on a per-unit basis depending on the unit's situation. I'm don't yet fully understand how the AI has any overall tactical gameplan (or if it's just an accumulation of unit decisions?).

Anyway, the AI would be unlikely to use land transports because the unit itself would look and decide it could get there by "walking", so to speak. Depending on the type of transport you're talking about (let's assume jeeps), you'd have to add some process wherein the units look at available transports in their vicinity and then decide if hitching a ride might be faster.

Anyway, sorry about the hijack RB...just thinking out loud.

 

[Wolfwood]

Just one question about this (very much needed and welcome) mod: Can I install it while I have an ongoing game going on (and have it active the next time I continue my game), or should I install it only before I start my next game?

 

[Agent 009]

Just one question about this (very much needed and welcome) mod: Can I install it while I have an ongoing game going on (and have it active the next time I continue my game), or should I install it only before I start my next game?

I don't think saved games will work if you add this to your custom assets folder. (if that can be done) And even if you add this to a mod you are currently playing and then try to continue your saved game it will likely result in a crash.

The unit XML file has the new <bFlying> tag so this will have to be present in the file causing your saved game to become incompatible. Therefor I suggest to finish your current game before installing this.

 

[Imdement]

The flying unit is exactly what I was looking for.

Just one thing I can't figure out. I have a transport chopper and special force unit that can load on a ship separately, but will not load if the spec ops unit is already loaded on the chopper. Is there a way around this? My spec ops unit can load/unload if the ship is next to the shore, where my chopper can fly out to the ship and load. As you can see the dilemma is I want to fly out to the ship my spec ops unit on the chopper.

Can you assign multiple domain names as cargo types. Like aircraft carriers that can have planes troops and choppers? Right now I have only figured out how to place land units on other ships.

 

[RogerBacon]

Just one question about this (very much needed and welcome) mod: Can I install it while I have an ongoing game going on (and have it active the next time I continue my game), or should I install it only before I start my next game?

As Agent009 said, it would probably be better to start a fresh game. XML changes can sometimes cause saved games to not load. If you are using hte combined mod I know it definately won't work for a game started without it because the size of teh city array is different.

Well, I finally got to play my first game in the modern era since I made this mod. It was an island map and it was quite a bit of fun. I island hopped from one island to the next with waves of gunships and transoprts. If not for those pesky SAM infantry it would have been a cakewalk.

Roger Bacon