IndieStone - Visual Tech Tree Editor

[S3rgeus]

I'm having a bit if a problem booting up the program. I get the splash screen and the main window, but then an error message appears saying that the root element is missing. I have ModBuddy installed and it runs fine.

This is usually indicative of an incorrect Asset Path. (Your asset path pointing to the wrong place doesn't cause any problems with ModBuddy itself.) You can check and change your asset path with regedit as described here.

 

[BackseatTyrant]

This is usually indicative of an incorrect Asset Path. (Your asset path pointing to the wrong place doesn't cause any problems with ModBuddy itself.) You can check and change your asset path with regedit as described here.

I checked regedit, but the only two folders showing below HKCU\Software\Firaxis, is "Civilization5" and "ModBuddy".

 

[S3rgeus]

I checked regedit, but the only two folders showing below HKCU\Software\Firaxis, is "Civilization5" and "ModBuddy".

This means your asset path was never set originally - usually because Modbuddy hasn't been opened, but you've mentioned that ModBuddy is working. Do you usually launch it by running the executable directly or through the launcher within Steam? If you've never done the latter, that may do some additional setup.

Either way, you can always create those keys yourself with regedit (the values are both of type REG_SZ), put in the correct paths for your PC, and then the Editor will start to work.

 

[BackseatTyrant]

This means your asset path was never set originally - usually because Modbuddy hasn't been opened, but you've mentioned that ModBuddy is working. Do you usually launch it by running the executable directly or through the launcher within Steam? If you've never done the latter, that may do some additional setup.

I've launched ModBuddy in both manners of which you described, still no asset path set.

Either way, you can always create those keys yourself with regedit (the values are both of type REG_SZ), put in the correct paths for your PC, and then the Editor will start to work.

Create the keys where in regedit, exactly? Do I need to create new sub-folders? If so, what should they be named?

 

[Nutty]

You'd need to launch Nexus to create the entries in the linked thread. I can't confirm whether this tool uses those Registry entries or not, however.

 

[BackseatTyrant]

Okay, now the folders appeared and I assigned

• ToolAssetPath in HKCU\Software\Firaxis\Tools to \Steam\steamapps\common\Sid Meier's Civilization V
• AssetPath in HKCU\Software\Firaxis\Nexus\Viewer to \Steam\steamapps\common\Sid Meier's Civilization V\Assets

Still getting the same exception error when opening IndieStone, though.

 

[S3rgeus]

Okay, now the folders appeared and I assigned

• ToolAssetPath in HKCU\Software\Firaxis\Tools to \Steam\steamapps\common\Sid Meier's Civilization V
• AssetPath in HKCU\Software\Firaxis\Nexus\Viewer to \Steam\steamapps\common\Sid Meier's Civilization V\Assets

Still getting the same exception error when opening IndieStone, though.

You'll need to provide full paths. So, "C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\SteamApps\common\Sid Meier's Civilization V", replacing as necessary if you've installed Steam somewhere else.

If that's what you've done, are you definitely still getting the "root element missing" error and not a similar exception? It seems like there are some issues with some pseudo-DLC mods (used for multiplayer mods) that add xml files directly to the CiV install directory and they would cause invalid xml errors that would crop up at a similar time during Editor startup. Try removing those and see if it works then.

 

[BackseatTyrant]

[deleted]

 

[BackseatTyrant]

So, I finally got IndieStone working (it turns out I had to temporarily remove an EUI folder from an the game's assets folder), and it turns out I'm a complete noob. Do you have any idea how to merge two tech trees from two different mods (in case you're wondering, it's Future Worlds and the Community Balance Patch) and I have no clue how to actually do it.

 

[S3rgeus]

So, I finally got IndieStone working (it turns out I had to temporarily remove an EUI folder from an the game's assets folder), and it turns out I'm a complete noob. Do you have any idea how to merge two tech trees from two different mods (in case you're wondering, it's Future Worlds and the Community Balance Patch) and I have no clue how to actually do it.

I don't think there's an easy way to merge the two. You can load one mod or the other into the Editor via the Mod menu in the top left, but loading one mod unloads the techs that you already have open in that session.

If you pull out the xml files that define the technologies for both mods into a separate folder, you could load them both at once from xml via the Mod menu. I've never tried this and I would imagine there would be conflicts and duplicates between the two mods which may cause problems, but it's worth a shot.

 

[BackseatTyrant]

I don't think there's an easy way to merge the two. You can load one mod or the other into the Editor via the Mod menu in the top left, but loading one mod unloads the techs that you already have open in that session.

If you pull out the xml files that define the technologies for both mods into a separate folder, you could load them both at once from xml via the Mod menu. I've never tried this and I would imagine there would be conflicts and duplicates between the two mods which may cause problems, but it's worth a shot.

I downloaded this tool in the first place, because I thought it would make the process easier.

 

[S3rgeus]

I downloaded this tool in the first place, because I thought it would make the process easier.

It's arguably easier than the normal XML approach where you need to keep reloading the game and combining the techs by hand in XML. There just isn't one button that does it automatically, and part of the reason for that is there's no real way to know *how* two arbitrary sets of technologies with unrelated dependencies and potentially ambiguous overlaps could be combined. It requires a human who makes design decisions about what they want to keep. I've presented a way that it could be made to help - has that worked for you?

 

[S3rgeus]

Greetings, folks! I've been using the Tech Tree Editor for my own mod project, which has meant that I ran into a few issues and then set out to fix them! I've uploaded a new version (downloadable from the same place as before) with some bug fixes.

Change log:

• Fixed an error that stopped you from exporting the tech tree more than once per session if you've edited or added any techs.
• The Editor no longer refuses to let you change the file name you're exporting to if you don't have Repeat set on any of your techs. (The lack of a Repeat is handled correctly by CiV, so it doesn't need to stop you from omitting it from the tree!)
• Fixed a crash when trying to edit the text values of some technologies, caused by stray characters in between XML tags in the base game XML files provided by Firaxis.

EDIT:

Added another new version for a simple enough change (same download page as usual):

• Added a "Yes to all" option to the "Should this file be overwritten?" dialog, when exporting a tree and some (or all) of the files being exported already exist.

 

[S3rgeus]

I've uploaded another new version with some fixes, to the same place as always:

• Fixed a bug where some tech unlocks (units, buildings, etc.) would not be right clickable after scrolling within the tree.
• Fixed a bug where right clicking would sometimes present the context menu for the wrong unlock (unit, building, etc).
• Fixed a bug where a duplicated unlock that was already assigned to a tech would be invisible until the user interacted with the tree in some other way.

Enjoy!

 

[Chrisy15]

Is it possible to make the VTTE output SQL files? Or do I have to manually convert them myself if I so wish?

 

[S3rgeus]

Is it possible to make the VTTE output SQL files? Or do I have to manually convert them myself if I so wish?

I don't think it's possible to do this, so you'd need to convert them after the fact, I'm afraid!

 

[Chrisy15]

I don't think it's possible to do this, so you'd need to convert them after the fact, I'm afraid!

That's a shame - it'll just mean that things like mod support and user settings will take longer to set up, I guess.

Thanks for maintaining this program - it really is a nice tool, and I can't wait to make a proper mod with it!

 

[S3rgeus]

New version! Same download link as always. Not bug fixes this time, a small feature that I'll be using to author my own mod with this:

• Added a view option (new View menu on the top) which allows the user to toggle names on and off for unlocks on the actual tree window.

So if you're authoring a new tree with a bunch of new content but don't have art for it yet, this should make telling things apart much easier!

Quick screenshot preview of one that I've chosen because it fit well (some techs that have many unlocks may become difficult to read - the text will resize when you click and drag the unlock, which may help for inspecting individual items).

Sometimes these labels are obscured by other techs immediately below. I'm aware of this issue, but wanted to let people try out the labels to see if they're useful before investing too much time in making them work for all cases.

That's a shame - it'll just mean that things like mod support and user settings will take longer to set up, I guess.

I'm not familiar with setting up this kind of stuff via SQL, what kind of settings? And is that support for other mods in addition to the one you're authoring?

The Editor doesn't emit full mods, just XML files that can be loaded into a mod, so you could combine that output with separate SQL files of your own.

Thanks for maintaining this program - it really is a nice tool, and I can't wait to make a proper mod with it!

Glad to help!

 

[Chrisy15]

I'm not familiar with setting up this kind of stuff via SQL, what kind of settings? And is that support for other mods in addition to the one you're authoring?

SQL Tables can be used to create checks that cause database entries to only be performed if said check is true; for example, a custom tech would only be inserted into the Technologies table if a boolean selected from a setting table is true. A similar method can be used to make changes if a mod is detected (through it making an insertion into the database; like EE adding the Flintlock tech). However, this isn't possible in XML, and so XML files generated by the VTTE will need to be converted into SQL for these checks can be used - thankfully, this is a simple enough process.

 

[BackseatTyrant]

You know what would've been nice? Being able to quickly see the requirements of a tech when you select it.