Introduction:
While playing around with BTS Events, I wondered if it was possible to make non-random timed events. After some experimentation I found that it was indeed possible. In this tutorial I will show an example of how it can be achieved.
Explanation:
As I see it (and correct me if I'm wrong) there are 2 tags in the event trigger that determine the randomness of an event being triggered:
<iPercentGamesActive>
<iWeight>
The first determines the percentage that an event is included in a game and the second sets the change of the event occurring in the game. By setting these to the following, I made them non-random.
Code:
<iPercentGamesActive>100</iPercentGamesActive>
<iWeight>-1</iWeight>
This means the event is always included (100%) and is always triggered (-1), providing all the requirements are met.
By setting the <bRecurring> tag to 1, the event will be triggered more than once.
Code:
<bRecurring>1</bRecurring>
The problem now is, that when the requirements are met, the event will trigger each turn. This is where some Python is needed to add a new requirement that isn't possible with the available XML tags.
Let's say you want the event to occur each 10 turns. In the XML for each event trigger there is a tag named <PythonCanDo>. It's this tag you can use to hook in a Python function. In the example below I used:
Code:
<PythonCanDo>canTriggerZeusSpawn</PythonCanDo>
This function called 'canTriggerZeusSpawn' does not exist yet, so you have to add it to CvRandomEventInterface.py
(create a folder Assets/Python/EntryPoints in your mod and copy the default BTS file CvRandomEventInterface.py to that folder)
The function reads as follows:
Code:
def canTriggerZeusSpawn(argsList):
kTriggeredData = argsList[0]
turn = kTriggeredData.iTurn
if (turn % 10 == 0):
return true
return false
For the mathematically challenged
, this uses the modulus operator:
18 % 10 = 8
19 % 10 = 9
20 % 10 = 0
21 % 10 = 1
etc.
So, this function will return true every tenth turn and this return value let's the trigger know the event gets fired.
Example:
Some people might remember the Statue of Zeus from CIV3 that gave free units at certain intervals. With the help of what I have explained above, I have recreated this functionality.
First, set the event trigger's requirement:
Code:
<BuildingsRequired>
<BuildingClass>BUILDINGCLASS_STATUE_OF_ZEUS</BuildingClass>
</BuildingsRequired>
<iNumBuildings>1</iNumBuildings>
This means the event gets triggered for the civ that owns the Statue of Zeus world wonder (only 1 in the game).
Second, set the event
Code:
<UnitClass>UNITCLASS_AXEMAN</UnitClass>
<iNumFreeUnits>4</iNumFreeUnits>
Pretty self-explanatory, but notice that it uses UNITCLASS and not UNIT, which means that civs who have a UU that replaces the axeman, will get 4 of those UU's. For example: if the Greek own the Statue of Zeus, the event will gift 4 phalanxes ("Madness!? This is Sparta!")
Below is a screenshot of all of this in action:
I have added this example as an attachment.
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