Getting own movies to work in mods

[BeBro]

I'm in the process to make some victory movies for the Final Frontier mod. I made one for testing purposes, named FF_Domination.bik, put under My_Final Frontier/Assets/Art/Movies/Victory/ (My_FF is where I have all my FF modifications).

So I also have a Assets\XML\Art\CIV4ArtDefines_Movie.xml looking like this

<?xml version="1.0"?>
<!-- edited with XMLSPY v2004 rel. 2 U (http://www.xmlspy.com) by Jesse Smith (Firaxis Games) -->
<!-- Sid Meier's Civilization 4 -->
<!-- Copyright Firaxis Games 2005 -->
<!-- -->
<!-- Movie art path information -->
<Civ4ArtDefines xmlns="x-schema:CIV4ArtDefinesSchema.xml">
<MovieArtInfos>
<MovieArtInfo>
<Type>ART_DEF_MOVIE_PLACEHOLDER</Type>
<Path>Assets/Art/Movies/Placeholder.bik</Path>
</MovieArtInfo>
<MovieArtInfo>
<Type>ART_DEF_MOVIE_VICTORY_CONQUEST</Type>
<Path>Art/Movies/Victory/FF_Domination.bik</Path>
</MovieArtInfo>
<MovieArtInfo>
<Type>ART_DEF_MOVIE_VICTORY_DOMINATION</Type>
<Path>Art/Movies/Victory/FF_Domination.bik</Path>
</MovieArtInfo>
</MovieArtInfos>
</Civ4ArtDefines>

I did some test runs, with worldbuilder help to get me a conquest win fast, but when it comes to the movie I always get the error msg "Your movies are not installed correctly" or so. I assume it's the path info, but I'm not sure what to put in. I tried now:

<Path>My_Final Frontier/Assets/Art/Movies/Victory/FF_Domination.bik</Path>
<Path>Assets/Art/Movies/Victory/FF_Domination.bik</Path>
<Path>Art/Movies/Victory/FF_Domination.bik</Path>

...but same result. Can anybody help me here?

Or are there other things that could cause the error?


Secondary question, is there an easy way to get an empty Hall of Fame again? After several test runs it's full of "cheated" victories which I don't like.

 

[BeBro]

Ahh...solved it, I forgot to edit the Civ4VictoryInfo accordingly

Well, there's still the secondary question, so if someone knows how to empty the HoF.....

 

[BeBro]

Work on the movie is going well now - is someone actually interested in getting these? Then I'd post them....

I plan to make two for now (maybe more later), one for the conquest victory, the other for domination.

Finished a 'beta' version of the latter so far (looks good IMO, but some room for improvement and no sound yet). I use the ship models from the FF mod to have some (IMO) nice space anims. Here's a screenshot as example:

 

[Ajidica]

Sort of to dark to see, but I'd like them when theyre done for the FF mod I'm working on.

 

[The_J]

I also want to have a look at it .

 

[BeBro]

I made an .exe of the beta movie available here as preview:
http://files.filefront.com/13538061

Simply dl and start via double-click. Hope this gives a better impression than the static screen.

As for "dark" - you don't sit on an old CRT monitor Ajidica? Because I remember when I changed from one to a modern flat screen monitor it was a complete difference for gfx.

Aside from that it's intentionally a bit dark, because in space it is dark unless something is directly hit by the sunlight ) and also because it hides weaknesses of models and textures a bit (after all the in game models and textures are quite low poly/low detail to save resources). Otoh the planets etc. I added use hires textures.

 

[Agent327]

Nice one.

Sort of to dark to see, but I'd like them when theyre done for the FF mod I'm working on.

Just curious: What FF mod are you working on?

 

[Ajidica]

@BeBro:Yes, I am using a CRT monitor(at least I'm pretty sure that it is a CRT, its not a flat screen). I probably just need to turn the brightness up a bit.
@Jeelen: Its a combo of Farscape, Dominic Flandry, Dune, and other sci-fi sources that I like. If you go to the thread Fiat Voluntas Tua and scroll down to about the end, it gives you the info and stuff. I hope to have a pre-alpha release out later today/monday. Also, with MOO2, did you ever get new promotions to working it? I tried to add a new promotion, I changed promotion infos, and textobjects, but it still isnt showing up.

EDIT: Not bad, music would add alot. Since it is domination, perhaps include a small space battle, or are you saving that for Conquest?

 

[BeBro]

Yeah, I thought I save the big action for the conquest movie. Though maybe you're right, I could add a bit to the domination one as well.

Sound will be in the final version(s) definately.

 

[Ajidica]

I showed the film to one of my friends who has made a short film before, he said it was pretty good, but it feels like the stuff is going by too fast and the ending just appears. Still is good though.

 

[BeBro]

Well - too fast: yeah, the movies are quite short, but the original victory movies from Civ aren't that long either, mostly under 30 seconds.

As for the ending, I agree, though it's difficult to find some better one. Do you have an idea?

I'm working on the conquest movie right now, rendering some battle scenes between two fleets. I didn't change the domination movie you know from the preview so far.

 

[Ajidica]

Actualy, what I ment by too fast, is that the ships went by to fast, not to the length of the movie. Not that you have to change it unless you want to.

 

[BeBro]

Ahh, I see. Well I think I'll release them as they are soon, maybe make improved versions later

Here's a preview .exe of the conquest version:
http://rapidshare.com/files/219300383/FF_Conquest.exe.html

Just need to find some music to mix in.

 

[Ajidica]

Looks nice, the laser effects and explosions could use a bit of work, but still nice. Feels slower than the domination one which is nice. Perhaps though if you go back to redo it, include in the opening a couple of capital class ships duking it out at range before the battle is joined. If you have seen the TV miniseries Farscape:The Peacekeeper Wars, the opening cinematic is what I am talking about.

For music, perhaps Aaron Coplands Fanfare of the Common Man would work? If you want I can upload it.

EDIT: For the conquest movie, the Imperial March (or whatever it is called, Darth Vaders theme song) would be nice.

 

[Agent327]

@Jeelen: Its a combo of Farscape, Dominic Flandry, Dune, and other sci-fi sources that I like. If you go to the thread Fiat Voluntas Tua and scroll down to about the end, it gives you the info and stuff. I hope to have a pre-alpha release out later today/monday. Also, with MOO2, did you ever get new promotions to working it? I tried to add a new promotion, I changed promotion infos, and textobjects, but it still isnt showing up.

Sorry for the late reply: I haven't added any new promotions (I think), but deanej did plenty of that with his Star Trek mod.

 

[BeBro]

Released: http://forums.civfanatics.com/showthread.php?p=7979407#post7979407