[MOD] MagisterModmod

[MagisterCultuum]

I honestly don't really have a lot of plans for the mod at this point. (I'm hoping to get a real job soon and won't have so much free time for modding.) Things have largely stabilized. I can't think of much more I can do to make the game more fun and more in keeping with the lore of Erebus using feasible mechanics. The game is slow enough that I don't want to add too much more python, and I'm reluctant to bombard Tholal with SDK requests that would make him do more work and have little benefit to no outside this modmod.

I do intend to keep updating to incorporate new updates of MNAI and Platyping's WorldBuilder.

I probably will try to extend the functionality of WorldBuilder (especially its ability to save things to scenario files) somewhat more myself too, hopefully enough to make ScenarioFunctions.py almost obsolete and allow scenario builders to only have to edit one file.

I may look into tweaking the scenarios to improve them based on better worldbuilder functionality.

I may still look into trying to figure out Python "pickles," as some more experienced python coders have opined that it would make more sense for the resurrection spells to rely on these data saving mechanisms rather than dummy Sluagh units.


I may still tweak some minor things. Since the last release I decided that the Hunting tech should be a bit cheaper and Fishing a bit more expensive, as Octopus Overlords was too easy to found relative Fellowship of the Leaves. I edited a couple of the revolution files a little, mostly to make the code look a bit neater although I hope it makes it run more efficiently too in a few cases. During my last Elohim game I decided that the technology prerequisites of Reliquaries and Chancels of the Guardians would make more sense if switched. I just now figured out why Lightning Elementals seem to be immortal, and fixed it so that the postCombatHealSelf python function which they share with the Heirs of Taranis will only effect the immortality of units with the Avatar promotion.

 

[The Flame8]

Good luck with getting the job .

Things are great already, so though I'm sad to see things slow down, you've done a ton to make it so much better already. Thank you for that!

 

[Calavente]

Are you being serious? Not knocking on Magister, he isn't trying for balance, but his mod most certainly is not balanced.

maybe he means that all FFH mods are unbalanced... but that one is so crazy unbalanced everywhere that it averages....
(I mean a 50 point difference of power means something when you count until 500.... but if the overall crazyness gives power up to 50.000, 50 points or even 100 points unbalance is nothing ^^)

 

[ktos]

The Flame8, +







==========
Drew for myself alternative texture pool, original is always interferes with play in MagisterModmod, a matter of taste.

 

[schargiel]

Hi, I follow this thread, as i am one of this gamers who can´t get used to the new civ 5.

I also made a mod "Game of Thrones" that is based on MagisterMod. It has a szenario with all important houses and characters. I also tried to balance the game, as i only play mulit gamer mode with friends.
As I would like to update this mod to MagisterModmod´s current upgrade, I am looking for a possibility where i can upload the mod for free. Maybe someone can give me an advice.
Thanks

 

[The Flame8]

Sorry didn't see that post before Magister's until now.

No I'm not knocking on anyone really. This modmod isn't perfectly balanced and that's ok. I'm saying it's playable especially compared to the RiFE (or AOE I guess it is now).

 

[zldrago1000]

Is it possible to implement the Mimic's promotions stealing ability as a promotion rather than a unit ability? I think it would be cool for that ability to stay with the unit when they are upgraded.

Also I just want to chime in that this modmod is one of my favorite fall from heaven mods. If and when the endless ai turns bug gets fixed, this mod will definitely be the most enjoyable and playable of the modmods.

I am currently trying to reskin the eidolan from Master of Mana for use as the balseraph Immortals. It is shaping up quite well in my opinion. I am going for the joker from Batman.

I will eventually try and reskin the taskmaster into a Balseraph Berserker, but I put that on hold, as I don't know how to add the fire effect to the units head.

 

[MagisterCultuum]

Yes it is possible, if the effect is moved from CvSpellInterface.py to CvEventManager.py and we use python to check every unit after every combat to see if one of them has the promotion.


I wish that PythonPostCombatLost and PythonPostCombatWon existed for promotions as well as (or even instead of) units, and that PyPerTurn effects worked for units as well as promotions. (In fact, I believe that Kael first added those features after I requested them the other way around.)

However, that change is not really necessary since Tholal re-exposed def onCombatResult(self, argsList): (which unfortunately does slow the game down).


This method is less efficient and would cause the game to slow down, although probably not by very much. I already use this for several things, such as making The Netherblade and Clava Vindex remove immortality and making Lycanthropy spread in ways that allow the unit to be healed of the affliction and return to the previous unit type.

 

[The Flame8]

Ktos you gave me a +, I give you one. I like that alternative design

 

[zldrago1000]

Yes it is possible, if the effect is moved from CvSpellInterface.py to CvEventManager.py and we use python to check every unit after every combat to see if one of them has the promotion.


I wish that PythonPostCombatLost and PythonPostCombatWon existed for promotions as well as (or even instead of) units, and that PyPerTurn effects worked for units as well as promotions. (In fact, I believe that Kael first added those features after I requested them the other way around.)

However, that change is not really necessary since Tholal re-exposed def onCombatResult(self, argsList): (which unfortunately does slow the game down).


This method is less efficient and would cause the game to slow down, although probably not by very much. I already use this for several things, such as making The Netherblade and Clava Vindex remove immortality and making Lycanthropy spread in ways that allow the unit to be healed of the affliction and return to the previous unit type.

Cool, I dont think that would slow things much if it is anything like the current implementation of the werewolves.

Additionally, what does the fair winds promotion affect? I was thinking it would probably make sense for it to affect units with the winged promotion since they are flying, or have it affect units that have the ability to fly.

 

[MagisterCultuum]

I just implemented the new Mimic mechanic. It seems to be working fine, and at least in the short test games I've run its effect on speed is not noticeable.

Because I thought it might be more efficient, I placed those promotions that I did not ever wanted mimicked (like weapons promotions, since having iron and bronze together is too much) in a list and checked the promotions in the for loop against that list rather than saving the variables separately and checking them separately. I also decided to just make Hidden Nationality ineligible rather than having a separate check that must also make sure that the unit is not in a group in order to prevent certain AI problems.

I placed it just after the Scavenger code, which means that the Mimic will not copy promotions from units that it captures (through Subdue Animal, Subdue Beast, or the vanilla Civ way of capturing workers, although it could still copy them from units captured through the Command promotions or Crown of Command equipment) instead of kills. It also means that it will not copy promotions from limited duration summons.



The Fair Winds promotion only effects UNITCOMBAT_NAVAL units. Logically speaking, it only applies to ships that are propelled by sails, although the unit combat does make it also apply to Water Elementals and The Trojan horse in my modmod (since those need that unitcombat in order to be able to get cargo-related promotions). It does not represent flight, just the weather being very favorable to push the boat along its journey without needed to resort to rowing or using complicating tacking maneuvers.

I guess I could make it also apply to winged or flying units regardless of unitcombat, but that would require switching it from an efficient XML-only spell to a less efficient python one. I don't think it is worth it to use a python prereq that could require looping through huge stacks of units when the promotion is a low level one which every adept could have from free mana and every Hippus adept would always have.

 

[zldrago1000]

I just implemented the new Mimic mechanic. It seems to be working fine, and at least in the short test games I've run its effect on speed is not noticeable.

Because I thought it might be more efficient, I placed those promotions that I did not ever wanted mimicked (like weapons promotions, since having iron and bronze together is too much) in a list and checked the promotions in the for loop against that list rather than saving the variables separately and checking them separately. I also decided to just make Hidden Nationality ineligible rather than having a separate check that must also make sure that the unit is not in a group in order to prevent certain AI problems. I placed it just after the Scavenger code, which means that the Mimic will not copy promotions from units that it captures (through Subdue Animal, Subdue Beast, or the vanilla Civ way of capturing workers) instead of kills.



The Fair Winds promotion only effects UNITCOMBAT_NAVAL units. Logically speaking, it only applies to ships that are propelled by sails, although the unit combat does make it also apply to Water Elementals and The Trojan horse in my modmod (since those need that unitcombat in order to be able to get cargo-related promotions). It does not represent flight, just the weather being very favorable to push the boat along its journey without needed to resort to rowing or using complicating tacking maneuvers.

I guess I could make it also apply to winged or flying units regardless of unitcombat, but that would require switching it from an efficient XML-only spell to a less efficient python one. I don't think it is worth it to use a python prereq that could require looping through huge stacks of units when the promotion is a low level one which every adept could have from free mana and every Hippus adept would always have.

Nice, I am looking forward to testing out the new mimic mechanic.

I don't think its worth pursuing the fair winds thing if it will slow down the games that much though. Seems like that would cause more problems than it would solve.

 

[The Flame8]

Anyone else having problems with workers trying to improve plots outside the city's workable area.

 

[Cutlass]

I don't ever put my workers on auto. So I don't see it. But I do notice that the AI's workers often improve plots that have no use to the AI.

 

[schargiel]

I have a question and am asking for aid.
It looks like you wanted units with hidden nationality to be able to use the spell dominate without declaring war.

if eTeam.isAtWar(pUnit.getTeam()) or (pCaster.getTeam() != pUnit.getTeam() and (pCaster.isHiddenNationality() or gc.getUnitInfo(pCaster.getUnitType()).isAlwaysHostile() or pUnit.isHiddenNationality() or gc.getUnitInfo(pUnit.getUnitType()).isAlwaysHostile())):

I like the idea but it doen´t work. What has to be changed?

thanks for help

 

[MagisterCultuum]

Thanks for pointing that out. I did not know it was broken.

It turns out that there is nothing wrong with the python code. This is a simple XML issue.

The problem is that the spell's prereq and result both rely on the function pUnit.getResistChance(pCaster, gc.getInfoTypeForString('SPELL_DOMINATION')), which is returning a 100% chance to resist the spell because I did not edit CIV4SpellInfos.xml to remove the line <bImmuneNeutral>1</bImmuneNeutral> (or change the 1 to a 0) from this spell. That line which makes sure that every unit that does not belong to an enemy player or a teammate will not be effected by the spell.

(Since the spell still uses <bImmuneTeam>1</bImmuneTeam>, the pCaster.getTeam() != pUnit.getTeam() is not really needed. It is probably faster to check this first than to check all team units for Hidden Nationality or Always Hostile status though.)

 

[schargiel]

thanks. it is working fine.

 

[Calavente]

Hi.
I started a game yesterday: Erebus Continent, blessing of amathon, living world (so double bonus, double events), I'm playing grigori.

bug:
I have an issue: every 10 turns, (maybe instead of events ???) there is the "you have discovered a new ressource" popup... and a creation mana appears somewhere on the map.
turn 60 or so, I have had it at least 5 times. it is a bit strange I have to say.

balance:
I find that scouts with "light" are fun to play, but the -30%str of "light" is a bit a huge nerf. they become really squishy. (2str-30% is not much...)
and hunters upgraded from scouts are 3mvt, flat movement cost, -30%str !!
it is a bit of an issue for my adventurer unit that started on the scout line.

maybe put scouts at 3str ? so that they have 3 -30% ?
and also thus give "light" to all recon units ? hunter : 1mvt, 5str, light, ranger 1mvt, 7str, light..
so that starting with scout is not a "bad start" for the recon line.

wishes grigori :
their unique buildings are far in the tech tree (but why not).
they get much force mana... (1 in palace, 3 if they get access to a great prophet) but force mana is not so good... force 1 is weak, save maybe to defend against a mass stack of specters ? or iras ? force 2 is nice, but it is a defensive spell, without city effect...and with AI that doesn't use summons much; force 3 is a weaker for of mistform (less str, can't target catapults, risk of target strong druid, can't attack while in peace), so it is a bit sad for grigori.

I really like the +1specialist per homestead of the palace, and +1specialist per winery of adventurer tavern...
however somehow, I'd have liked to have +1per homestead on other cities too... not all of them, but the possibility of some of them... maybe at least for summer/winter palaces ? or for some "grigori museum" / "grigori school" ... maybe available only in 1 city per 3 grigori tavern and not in capital ? or something

 

[akatosh]

light is a great promotion... removing it would be a nerf for everyone except Svarts, who are the only civ that will really fight with a lot of recon units.

for adventurers, promote to scout, get the free promotion, and let them sit in your capital. They'll devolve into an adventurer and you can promote them up a different line. Adventurers are super strong in Magister modmod

 

[Calavente]

akatosh : please do not make me say what I don't want to say.
light is super... !
but scouts getting eaten by wolfs is boring. ... they in fact only have 1,4 str !!
I never proposed to remove it.. only to boost scouts to 3 str, and give 1mvt + light instead of 2 mvt to all recon line... maybe up hunters to 5 str to compensate the -30%str.
for adv, I know that, and am using it.
however, making your 1.4 str adventurer survive until he gets enough promotions to compete, at least when defending, with wolves, lions and gorilla.... was difficult. in fact I upgraded him to warrior, earned xp / promos, then to scout, then to horseman.
as a horseman he is strong, even with -30%, but mainly because I could give him heroic str I et 2.