Gathering interest for a utility to help make playing GOTM games easier to set up

[Tech Step]

All.

I am thinking of writing a little utility that can automatically change the 3 main text files that are needed to be altered for switching between GOTM and Vanilla games.

ie: To play a GOTM game after a standard game you have to change 3 text files in your CIV3\.....\text\.. folder, and vice versa if you want to play a vanilla game after a GOTM game.

I would just like to check if anyone would be interested in using it. I will be writing it in VB, VB.net or Java so you will have to have the VB runtime, .net framework or the JRE 1.4.x (depending on which language is chosen)

basically all you will have to do is choose what sort if game you want to play and the correct text files will be placed in the correspoding spot and then you can run the game without having to much around.

Plase fill out the poll so that I know if anyone is interested as I dont want to write it if no one will use it.

 

[Tech Step]

Well to answer my own question, I voted for VB.net because that is what I would prefer to write it in.

 

[tao]

The Macintosh player community already has such a little script and it is a tremendeous help to need just a doubleclick for switching in and out of gotm-mode.

 

[AlanH]

Good idea, but note this only applies to Civ 1.29 players on Windows. PtW has scenario folders that are supposed to handle this invisibly. And the Mac users already have a utility. Tao created an AppleScript some time ago to do just this, except he remembered to include the resources.pcx and resourceshadows.pcx swaps as well .

I actually don't use Tao's script, as I just have multiple copies of the Civ3 installation on my hard drive, each modded to a different state, with appropriately-named shortcuts to each executable. At one point I was playing three different versions - gotm, an older gotm-sg, and standard. I sometimes have two running at once.

So I'm a "don't care", but having said that, if you do write it in Java, I'll be happy to check/adapt it for Mac compatibility. If you use VB you're on your own ...

 

[ainwood]

If its VB, he wouldn't specifically be on his own.....

This is a good idea. It was suggested to me a while back, but it was just one of the many things that I didn't get around to.

In addition to the text files, it would be useful to pick up the resources.pcx and resources_shadows.pcx files as well (probably more important, even).

For those that don't know this, we have confirmed that at least pediaicons.txt can handle way more than 32 entries, therefore it should actually be possible to release a version that has every civ in it, and should therefore not require swapping. It actually the pcx files that are more of a pain IMHO.

As for language: Don't think it really matters too much. Use whatever you're comfortable in. Are (for example) java file copy commands platform independent?

 

[AlanH]

Originally posted by ainwood
If its VB, he wouldn't specifically be on his own.....

Purely a personal statement

For those that don't know this, we have confirmed that at least pediaicons.txt can handle way more than 32 entries, therefore it should actually be possible to release a version that has every civ in it, and should therefore not require swapping.

Absolutely! We should just do it!

As for language: Don't think it really matters too much. Use whatever you're comfortable in. Are (for example) java file copy commands platform independent?

Platform independence is Java's big claim to immortality. As an example, the Java version of Mapstat reads and writes files, and one code version works fine across platforms. The only place it would get tricky is if you get clever and read registry keys to find the Civ installation, or rely on it being at a specific location. If you simply let the user browse to the installation folder on first use, and then remember that path in a settings file, then it should just work.

 

[Capt Buttkick]

Yes please.
Any version as long as we lazy people can run it

 

[bluebox]

i already have such a utility in use for months - it's a simple dos batch file. a doubleclick on the desktop symbol switches between the std. + gotm versions (single installation of vers.1.29). i even have a batch file to switch between 6 different terrain files!
i thought about posting it to download, but i found it not foolproof enough to set up. if you are interested in any information about how my batch file system works, feel free to pm me.

personally, i would like to have the choice between all versions of the gotms; i haven't implemented that in my batch file, yet, but i believe, there are 4 gotm setups:
1. the early std. games (no need to change anything for that, it's the regular epic games);
2. the modded gotms 16 - 19 with regular resources (the squid, the volcanos, the fog & the pictish warrior were implemented);
3. gotm 20 (Spain I) with unique resources;
4. gotm 21 and further with mediterrainian resources.

this to make it easier to play older gotms.

as ainwood pointed out, a consolidated pediaicons-file would do the trick for all games + gotms. putting the right resources files in the right place would be important.

 

[Tech Step]

Originally posted by AlanH
Good idea, but note this only applies to Civ 1.29 players on Windows. PtW has scenario folders that are supposed to handle this invisibly.

Alan.

I am not sure if you are correct.

I use PTW and if I dont change the Diplomacy.txt, Pediaicons.txt and one other (I cant remember the name) I get a load error when trying to play a standard game. I usually just take the files from the "Pre GOTM 20" (I think thats the name) and swap them with the current GOTM txt files. Everything seems to work from then on in.

Basically that is what I was thinking of implementing to start with. Afte that I will look at standard CIV (Will have to do some uninstallation. although that is a huge trial.

 

[felagund]

If you switch to Conquests for GOTM I am not sure that this would be a problem... at least until all the conquests civs have been played

 

[AlanH]

Originally posted by Tech Step
Alan.

I am not sure if you are correct.

I use PTW and if I dont change the Diplomacy.txt, Pediaicons.txt and one other (I cant remember the name) I get a load error when trying to play a standard game. I usually just take the files from the "Pre GOTM 20" (I think thats the name) and swap them with the current GOTM txt files. Everything seems to work from then on in.

Basically that is what I was thinking of implementing to start with. Afte that I will look at standard CIV (Will have to do some uninstallation. although that is a huge trial.

Well, as I don't have the PtW software I can't comment, other than to say Firaxis are even crazier than I thought if they've not implemented text file selection using the scenario system. I'd have thought that was essential if any mod was going to work If we can produce a proper set of text files with a full superset of the civs represented than I don't think that text file wapping will be required at all, on any version, so your utility might have a rather short life.

 

[Dianthus]

Originally posted by Tech Step
I use PTW and if I dont change the Diplomacy.txt, Pediaicons.txt and one other (I cant remember the name) I get a load error when trying to play a standard game.

Tech Step, the GOTM installs don't change the standard versions of those files, they just install those files in the GOTMxx scenarios directories. Maybe at some point in the past you have installed a GOTM install?

Note that I use and don't have to do any swapping of files to switch between GOTM and a standard game.

 

[ainwood]

As Dianthus alluded to and Alan hoped...

The PTW version allows separate text files and resources.pcx files in the scenarios directory.

@Techstep: If yuo are getting load errors, it is probable that you copied a GOTM pediaicons.txt file over you standard PTW version.

The utility should only have to change files for vanilla-civ players.