Merging Better AI with BUG 3.5

[Dresden]

Regarding the new terrain, we've had that exact same request from someone else posted to the BUG forum. I wonder if it uses the Chuggi terrain now since the two complaints (plains vs grassland and a pixelated ocean) are also my major complaints with Chuggi's terrain. If you aren't afraid to break stuff () you can always simply delete (or move elsewhere) everything in BAT's Art\Terrain folder with the possible exception of the Art\Terrain\Routes\Modern Roads folder (keep that if you want to keep the asphalt roads). But if you keep a watch on BUG/BAT Terrain alerum will probably have a better answer soon.

 

[morchuflex]

Hello.

I need help!

I don't know which of your three methods to follow because I don't know which situation I am in. I think it's the second one, but my BUG isn't exactly in Customassets: it's in ...whatever...\My documents\my games\Beyond the sword.

I do want better AI to replace the normal AI, not use it as a mod.

What shall I do?

 

[PieceOfMind]

Hello.

I need help!

I don't know which of your three methods to follow because I don't know which situation I am in. I think it's the second one, but my BUG isn't exactly in Customassets: it's in ...whatever...\My documents\my games\Beyond the sword.

I do want better AI to replace the normal AI, not use it as a mod.

What shall I do?

When you load up the game, at the start menu, does it say something like BUG mod in the top right corner? If so then you are loading the game as a MOD and it is probably located in you "My documents\my games\Beyond the sword\MODS" folder.

If not, you probably installed it to CustomAssets, wanting it to load everytime you start the game. In this case, you would notice that in the "My documents\my games\Beyond the sword" the CustomAssets folder will hold a bunch of files that are the mod. You can always rightclick on the customassets folder and click properties to see the size of the folder if you are unsure.

For example, I installed my BAT mod (much like BUG) as a MOD so my customassets folder is completely empty (apart from a few empty folders).

Note when BUG installs it also creates another folder in "My documents\my games\Beyond the sword" called BUG Mod. Ignore this folder - you don't need to make any changes there - and it will be there regardless of which install method you used.

 

[morchuflex]

... you probably installed it to CustomAssets, wanting it to load everytime you start the game. Indeed. In this case, you would notice that in the "My documents\my games\Beyond the sword" the CustomAssets folder will hold a bunch of files that are the mod. I can see Art, python, res, sound, xml folders. You can always rightclick on the customassets folder and click properties to see the size of the folder if you are unsure. About 124 Mo.

Note when BUG installs it also creates another folder in "My documents\my games\Beyond the sword" called BUG Mod. Indeed. Ignore this folder - you don't need to make any changes there - and it will be there regardless of which install method you used.

All right, thanks a lot.

 

[PieceOfMind]

Dresden,

I was wondering if you might be able to edit your first post so it applies to the new version of better AI 0.45, or possibly mention instead how to do it for any version X.

My game seems to be working fine, with the same method in the OP, but with the obvious "0.45" replaced, and with BAT mod. Also, removing the file called IG_v2.0.7.FPK is what was necessary to remove the BAT terrain. Everything is dandy now - I can distinguish plains from grass and the all the terrain doesn't look so grainy.


@morchoflux,
No problem. Post back here if you come across any problems with the install.

And remember, if betterAI is installed properly you should be able to see it in the popup text when you mouseover the civ's flag at the bottom of the screen.

 

[morchuflex]

Hello.

I am about to merge Better AI into BUG. However, I see that better AI includes modifications to UnitInfos.xml. Unfortunately, I have made a few modifications of my own to UnitInfos.xml and I don't want to abandon them.

Does the better AI UnitInfos.xml contain a lot of modifications? Are they critical for Better AI to function properly?

 

[Dresden]

Unless BetterAI has made additional modifications to UnitInfos beyond what the Unofficial Patch made, the only change is allowing conquistadors to ignore walls.

@PoM: The version string listed in that post is completely aesthetic. Perhaps I'll just remove it.

 

[PieceOfMind]

Unless BetterAI has made additional modifications to UnitInfos beyond what the Unofficial Patch made, the only change is allowing conquistadors to ignore walls.

@PoM: The version string listed in that post is completely aesthetic. Perhaps I'll just remove it.

Hmm that's strange, I could've sworn when it wasn't working that changing that fixed it, but then I might have changed something else as well. Never mind then.

 

[morchuflex]

All right, I have completed the merge procedure, but how can I tell it's working? Is there any way to know wether better ai is running or not?
I remember something about the words "better ai" showing in the score area, and, well, there's nothing. So I must assume something went wrong?

 

[Ninja2]

If you hover the mouse over your civ's flag at the bottom of the screen, you'll see if you pulled it off.

 

[morchuflex]

I was afraid you'd say that. Well, merging failed. I don't know why, I think I did everything by the book (method 2).

 

[morchuflex]

Hmmm... Strange.
I may not see "better AI" appear, but barb galleys now blockade my cities, something they never did before. If this behavior is something introduced by better AI, maybe it worked after all?

 

[PieceOfMind]

Could that be something changed oustide of the dll file? I'd imagine that the dll either works or doesn't work, and if it does you should see the text over the flag. Where did you put the dll file? If you used method 2 you should be putting it in the assets folder in the game's install directory - not the mod folder or the customassets folder. Also, make sure you're putting it in the BtS assets folder and not the civ4 folder. It's probably none of these things but just checking...

 

[morchuflex]

My mistake! It does work.
I was not looking at the right place. Instead of mousing over my flag, I was mousing over my name on the list.

So, merge was successful!

 

[Rodwell]

Could this be stickied?

 

[jdog5000]

I'll ask a mod ...

 

[WuphonsReach]

BUG 3.5 to CustomAssets / Better AI as a standalone Mod

Trying to fold together BUG 3.5.1 (installed as standard to CustomAssets) and Better BtS AI 0.50F. The symptoms are as follows:

- If I go with vanilla BtS without loading the Better BtS AI mod, the BUG mod works fine. It flashes up the "press Ctrl-Alt-O" message and I can get into the BUG options screen just fine. The interface changes as it should (showing the GG bar, the GP bar, etc).

- If I load Better BtS AI as a mod (by modifying the starting shortcut with "mod= Better BTS AI" on the end), Ctrl-Alt-O no longer shows the BUG options screen and the UI changes no longer appear. But the Hall of Fame still shows minor changes due to BUG.

Obviously, I've not done something right even though I've read the instructions a few times and double-checked my work. I've checked that NoCustomAssets is set to zero in the Civ4 BtS folder (C:\Program Files\...\Beyond the Sword\Mods\Better BTS AI\Better BTS AI.ini).

 

[phungus420]

You should move away from using custom assets! Custom assets is only going to screw you up, they break modpacks, and conflict with other mods and changes. Move the custom assets to it's own folder, and make them their own proper mod. If you don't like loading your custom changes each time at start up, simply right click on the BtS .exe, choose create shortcut, past the shortcut on the desktop, and renaming it BUG or something, then right click on it, select properties and set the target path to ...\Civ4BeyondSword.exe" mod=\NameofMod It's that simple, and you wol't have the problems associated with custom assets.

 

[77alex77]

You are possibly right, phungus420, but I for myself never had problems using BUG and BetterAI together in Custom Assets following this tutorial.
What do you think are the main problems when using Custom Assets?
If I would start using them as a mod, I would have problems with save game compatibility, I think.

 

[WuphonsReach]

I had better luck installing BUG 3.51 as a mod and then adding Better BtS AI 0.50F to it. Not sure why the custom assets method didn't work properly.