GotM and UI only mods?

[Lord Yanaek]

Hi. I was wondering what's the "rule" concerning the use of UI only mod?

There are a number of useful mods that simply add screens allowing easier access to some game informations. An example of such a mod is whoward69's Trade Opportunities mod. This mod adds a tab to the diplomacy screen with a summary of your luxuries and other civs luxuries, color coded so you can easily spot what luxes you can trade with whom. You could get the same informations in the unmodded game by opening each civ's diplo screen. This mod gives you no additional information, does not change game rules, is perfectly saved game compatible, and so convenient that i consider it a fix for a badly designed interface rather than a mod

Do you accept the use of such mods for GotM games?

 

[leif erikson]

We have not allowed mods for a variety of reasons. Mostly because we play with standard version of the software, everyone plays the same save and we need not worry about one mod or another and whether it affects anything in the game.

edit - we would also have to check if it affects the submission system in any way.

 

[Lord Yanaek]

we need not worry about one mod or another and whether it affects anything in the game...

Yep, some mods like the one i pointed really don't change anything as they merely make it easier to gather informations but others, even UI mods, will allow players to have more informations. Knowing where to put the "limit" would probably trigger much debate.

Thanks for the confirmation. Your answer was the one i expected but i wanted to be sure, and maybe let you know that some mods don't affect game-play at all in case you don't have your second home in the moding forum

 

[Halcyan2]

Thanks for the confirmation. Your answer was the one i expected but i wanted to be sure, and maybe let you know that some mods don't affect game-play at all in case you don't have your second home in the moding forum

Well, they *do* affect gameplay by saving you time and reducing the chance of making mistakes.

Similarly, a hypothetical mod, which:

1. Improves worker automation
2. Automatically takes care of "production focus" growth for extra hammers
3. Automatically handles some transactions for diplomacy, saving you a little gold

or with safeguards:

4. Keeps tabs on your Science (to accidentally prevent entering an era) or your Social Policies (for timing)

5. Checks to see if a foreign city seems to be building a wonder

In all of these cases, its things that you can do manually in the normal game. But having a mod that "helps" you in these areas does give you an advantage in gameplay.

 

[wloff]

In all of these cases, its things that you can do manually in the normal game. But having a mod that "helps" you in these areas does give you an advantage in gameplay.

I would welcome such mods, to be honest. That sort of micro-management feels extremely tedious to me.

 

[leif erikson]

I would welcome such mods, to be honest. That sort of micro-management feels extremely tedious to me.

Sorry but we have had this discussion and there will be no mods until HoF and GOTM can find a way to produce one to meet our requirements. Among other things, mods interfere with Achievements and so we have reached a consensus not to use them.