Looking for BUG mod info

[Bleys]

I have decided to move my main Civ play to my stronger desktop, I have been playing on a laptop that just cannot handle the later turns. It ends up causing me to become impatient with my games and make poor decisions.

So now that I have set up my desktop and lap-top in a tandem style, I can play on one machine and use the other to write up notes and such on games I am playing, since these days I rarely play any true "offline" games at all. Between the Nobles Club, the Lonely Hearts Club, the Pick Your Leader, the BotM, shadowed RPCs, etc etc, I generally do a write up on almost every game I play. Still working on the actual physical set up of the whole package, but I have installed Civ IV on my stronger machine.

Since I have a nice, pristine install of Civ IV: Complete, I want to run a MOD. I have been hooked on the HoF mod ever since I started using it, but I have recently become aware of the BUG MOD. It seems to do everything the HoF MOD does, and then some. I still want to keep the HoF installed for playing those Game of the Months, but for every-day gaming, I think I want to try the BUG MOD, and maybe even the Blue Marble graphics thingy. I have seen some screenshots of those 2 and they look great.

My questions are pretty basic. Is the BUG mod as strong as the HOF mod for day to day play? Is there another MOD I should consider? And finally, WHERE THE HECK IS THE BUG MOD!! LOL I have looked all over the C&C forum, "Search" is no help, since you need 4 letters minimum and searching for BUG is going to net a zillion hits anyway.

I know this barely fringes on a "Strategy" question, but this is my "main" CFC forum, so I am asking here. Heck, the topic itself is reasonalby strategy related, "What MODs help streamline play the most?", right?

 

[Carabodes]

http://http://forums.civfanatics.com/showthread.php?t=245244

This link should give you what you want (I hope), both for BUG and Blue Marble, and the game was entertaining to read as well.

 

[r_rolo1]

BUG forum ( to download search in the "latest version" thread in the OT )

I think that BUG Mod is equally as strong ( even a little stronger ) than HOF in terms of interface help.

And blue marble is a blessing to the eyes ( making Sury look like a human being would be enough , but it makes much more )... don't forget to Download CivScale as well....

Now about playability.... I've heard a lot of players saying that BUG changes the game too much for their taste ( especially RB people, like soooo or swiss pauli ). IMHO I don't think it changes too much, but I agree that will give you a hand in some more boring tasks ( like tech trade possibilities )

 

[Bleys]

Cool, thanks guys. I should have remembered the cool screenshots I saw were yours Rolo, LOL. Should I use Bhruics patch with the BUG mod? I know that the HoF mod is not compatible, but it actually incorporates most of the bigger issues.

 

[huerfanista]

The BUG mod has been a huge boost to my gameplay. I think it's indispensable for those of us who lack the anal-retentive trait.

I play with Bhruic's patch installed - no compatibility issues that I'm aware of.

 

[OTAKUjbski]

I use Bhruic's patch and the latest BUG mod ... so far no complaints from my computer.

The BUG mod only changes as much as you want it to. All it really does is take information that normally takes numerous screens, countless button blicks and several minutes to gather and puts it all on the main screen of your HUD ... 'at your fingertips' so to speak.

I'd say the #1 feature I use is reminders (Alt + M). Especially when I'm preparing whips or consistently drafting under Nationhood, I just can't keep up with that many things without a little help.

Reminders about Gold up for trade is nice if you're not already into checking each turn already.

And, yes ... you definitely want Blue Marble!!!

 

[Bleys]

Blah, there is some kind of problem with using BUG with Civ IV Complete installs. Does anyone know the proper woirkaround? I have posted a question in a forum somewhere, but not sure its the right place. Something about the ini files not being found properly. When I try to run the BUG mod, either as a direct install or as a loaded MOD, I end up with no interface.

I really want to be able to play SGs and other types of "normal" saves and not worry about everyone having to have the same MOD loaded to play from my saves. Any suggestions would be appreciated.

 

[Carboniferous]

I know it's not an explanation, but I had the same problem and the only 'solution' was to uninstall BtS and install it from scratch and then run the Blue marble install and followed by the BUG install. (I didn't need to uninstall the original Civ4). It all works fine now though - except for wonder movies, which crash BtS on both my machines, no idea why

 

[r_rolo1]

Bleys, you are using vista in your new laptop , I suppose?

Read this page

Basically BUG is a XP product ( as HOF... I heard it has the same problem ) and Vista has a diferent registry structure... creating a reg key in the place that BUG expects normally solves the problem ( I had the same problem )

 

[siggboy]

A few things to consider if you want to participate in the xOTMs:

• If you use CivScaler to change the texture settings (CloudCover, for example), the xOTM save file will be rejected because it has "Lock Modified Assets" enabled. This can be worked around by reverting the graphics scaling options to the default values in CivScaler but that does not work for Vanilla Civ. I can not play any Vanilla GOTMs without reinstalling my entire Civ. Make a backup of your Assets folder, you might need it!
• BUG Mod does not contain Bhruic's patch, at least not the latest version (HOF Mod does). So you have to install it manually, but again, since this is a modification to your Assets folder it does not play well with "official" games (HOF/xOTM). Probably it's easily possible to integrate Bhruic's with BUG Mod, though.
• Blue Marble works well (it only changes graphics, so no problems with Lock Modified Assets).
• You can freely adjust the font scalings in CivScaler, as it's not considered an Assets modification.

I also have a question to the BUG users: I used to have it installed in my Assets folder directly, so I wouldn't have to load the mod and my save games wouldn't require it to be loaded. However, for the reasons mentioned above (HOF/xOTM participation) I have now installed it in the Mods folder and I'm loading it manually. Since I've done this, the Domestic Advisor screen is missing some features (there were loads more views available to me before I've changed my install).
How do I get the "complete" domestic advisor back without reinstalling BUG into my Assets folder?

 

[siggboy]

It all works fine now though - except for wonder movies, which crash BtS on both my machines, no idea why

I had to turn all movies off for the same reason (they crash my machine reproduceably). I'm running Windows XP with an Nvidia 6600 GT. I don't think the movie problem is in any way mod related (it happened before I had any modifications installed whatsoever).

 

[Sunesha]

I think BUG mod is great. It is like HOF but a bit more configurable. Greatly recommended , is the only mod I use today with expection off HOF

 

[Bleys]

My laptop is XP, as well as my Desktop, so no worries there. I have found the answers to most of my problems and questions, including the way to be able to play HoF games with the BUG mod installed. There is a thread here that addresses a lot of the problems involved with both HoF and Civ IV Complete registry entries.

 

[huerfanista]

Bleys, you are using vista in your new laptop , I suppose?

Read this page

Basically BUG is a XP product ( as HOF... I heard it has the same problem ) and Vista has a diferent registry structure... creating a reg key in the place that BUG expects normally solves the problem ( I had the same problem )

Really? I'm running Vista Ultimate, I installed BTS, official patches, BUG, Bhruic, and have had no problems at all.

Edit: oops, I see this is a problem with CivComplete (whatever that is).

 

[Bleys]

Edit: oops, I see this is a problem with CivComplete (whatever that is).

Exactly. The problem is actually similar to the Vista issues, in that when you install the game from Civ IV: Complete, the registry entries do not include certain software path lines that the BUG mod looks for, that exist when you install the expansions individually. Specifically, I had to add an INSTALLDIR line to my Firaxis\Beyond the Sword entry to include the location of my BTS installation, even though I used the defaults in all cases. The BUG guys seem to have a pretty good grasp on the problem in that thread I linked, so anyone who is having any BUG issues with Civ IV Complete should head there.

The whole concept of the game being installed in a couple places is pretty confusing to me. I have the "main game files" in Program Files\2KGames\Civ IV Complete\ folder on my C: drive, and the saves, screenshots, and bunches of other files are installed in My Docs\My Games\Beyond the Sword. Its crazy confusing.

BTW, rolo, BUG and Blue Marble are the BOMB bro! I shoulda let you talk me into using them a long time ago! Its like a totally different game! If I have time after my current projects I am going to re-play the Roman LHC at Prince so I can see all the Wonder Movies on my "better" machine and see the world through Blue Marble Eyes. Funny how hooked I already am on the gameplay alone, eye-candy is just that, eye-candy, but it sure has a big "WOW" effect!

 

[Rub'Rum]

For extra eye-candy... http://forums.civfanatics.com/showthread.php?t=237192

I've been thinking of using BUG too, but I'm starting to wonder how that'll fit in with Varietas Delectat and Blue Marble and a the Bhruic files I use. I think I'm about to make my Civ 4 die.

 

[Bleys]

I've been thinking of using BUG too, but I'm starting to wonder how that'll fit in with Varietas Delectat and Blue Marble and a the Bhruic files I use. I think I'm about to make my Civ 4 die.

Not sure about VD, but I wholeheartedly recommend BUG + BM + Bhruic. The 3 of them run very well together. You can actually use them all without the worry of even "loading" a MOD. There is a way to install it so that any normal save or SG game save can be opened with BUG, and saves you create using BUG can be opened by others who dont have it installed. Of course, you can also install BUG as a MOD-MOD, and load/unload it that way as well.

Be careful installing it, though, especially if you have Civ IV: Complete. Read the documentation thoroughly, and back up everything you can think of, heh. When I first installed BUG, I ended up with no interface at all, LOL, and even after I uninstalled it, I still had the same problem. I ended up with a fine mess of a problem, but managed to work it through thanks to the BUG developers and some key posts by others who has similar problems.

 

[alerum68]

hehehe... think I found it Bleys.

BAT Mod BTW, contains VD, and the latest version of VD uses the latest full release of BUG. There is also a Fall From Heaven BUG Mod add on in their forum, and several other mods out there, (Like Amra's) uses BUG as well. All of these need to be loaded form a MOD folder, but are well worth it.

And yes, BUG and Bhuric's Patch play nice together...

 

[Bleys]

Ah, hey there alerum, LOL, was just about to link this thread back to the other. Thanks for the input, can always use the help of an expert.