[MOD][WARLORDS] ViSa Modpack

[V. Soma]

if i was reading alexman's post correctly, firaxis basically incorporated Blake's AI into the WL 2.08 patch, so now it's always there in WL or any mod

No, no!

Just read the "A better AI" thread on the Warlords general forum page here

 

[mrgenie]

we'll I've read through the thread...looks very promising what he did..and nope, i didn't look into the code itself yet, but filecomparison shows differences between the files from firaxis and the "A better AI SDK"

will have a look at it later, now im gone, searching for car's to buy
and later this evening I'll make a internal patch ready with fixes concerning the SDK and Pythons, which firehawk and roger must test...i think when it's ok on those computers also, we might release a patch before friday..so you guys have a working version with the extended option working properly
it will probably be SGC..but I'll test for that myself, but as far as i can see, all the fixes i've made shouldn't cause errors with the savegames..so whatever game you started with extended city radius, it should be playable with the patch then maybe you'd need to load a autosave of 5turns back or so...although i even doubt that..normal savegame should do it actually

 

[noid]

Very few other mods are anywhere near the size and scope of this (TR and FfH not included) ViSa Modpack and while we are always making improvements, we are always adding things too.

My comp plays plain Warlords horribly slow with 18 civs and Huge map....so I either adjust my settings or wait 60+ seconds/turn and I am afraid that is about the best advice I can give at this point (until mrgenie makes this code fly along).

but the thing is that adjusting settings doesnt do the trick !?!? :] I can play a standard size map, and ill expirence the same waits that i get in a large world ? It starts very early (most 80% of the world is still uncovered), and only happens in this mod, A friend of mine who i play MP with has a weaker comp them me, but playing the same turn i get a freeze he doesnt ? i tried instaling new drivers, moded drivers, and some more voodoo like tricks toi get Visa to run properly, but i had no luck.. The only thing i can think of that differs me from most of the Mod users might be that im running W2K3 Server.. In that case why does the vanilla game/other mods work just fine ?

Another thing i notcied is that moving large stack of workers makes the game freeze in a similar manner to what i get in between turns..

cheers

 

[noid]

I Second firehawk on this totally, i normally play visa with 16-18civs, large map, and at 200turns(1200 end turn) the game is getting pretty slow already, waiting 5-10seconds a turn...im now playing with 8civs at turn 313(will stop at 400, just testing to be 100% sure the CTD is gone) and the end turns are like 1-2seconds(besides animated fightings take some time)so, i conclude also, maybe your system might be fast, warlords is just power consuming, it's a modern game on itself, eating alot of resources, memory and cpu, and visa just add's mabe 4times the original objects to the game(didnt count everything though) so, visa will eat memory, and visa will consume CPU...I'd say, can't drive a 6800kg big truck without a V12 8liter engine

I know that CIV is a power consuming monster(thats one of the reasons i recently upgraded my rig..), but the only problem i get with it is using your mod (which i find to be one of the best). and belive me, those freezes that i get are not "natural" its more like waiting for the game to load in vanila civ, when te comp tended to just stop and do nothing for a while..

I found NEW firaxian code in the SDK, they used an array there, initialized as [NUM_CITY_PLOTS] now this is defined as 21, when you use extended, you have 37city plots, secondly, it'll loop over the extended 37plots, although the array only has 21entries...so the moment eBuild is requested by the getImprovement or getYield, it works pretty good untill entry 21, after that, no programmer in the world knows what will happen, the result depends from computer to computer, same as in c++ float a = 8/9, this can result in
0.888888888888888888888888888888888 on one computer
or
0.888888888888888888888888888888889 on the other computer
or
0.88888888888888888888888 on a third computer where the accuracy is lower...so if you use this code as in
if ( a == 0.88888888888) it'll work on all 3 computers(if you round a to the same length)
write
if ( a == 0.888888888888888888888888888888888), 2nd and 3rd will say it isn't true, the first will say it is true, the code is the same, but the result varies on all 3computers..the array thing is different of course, but I'll hope above example makes at least clear, the same code on 3different computers doesn't mean the result is the same..depends on alot of things...that's what made this CTD so random..every comp looks at some point in the memory, and whatever it gets from there, will be used, and if it's not that what the following code needs, it can produce anything, hence CTD

add, the 3rd....if ( a == 0.888888888888888888888888888888888), might actually say it is or isn't true, depends if your code "Cuts" the 8888 after the accuracy or if it rounds..there's again a difference...depends on compiler, computer, etc..some codes are just thigns you shouldn't do...generally, noone uses a float in an "if" and even firaxis doesn't do so...but i just want to point out, results for the same code on several machines are not the same, every machine can have it's own result, so random CTD

From your post above, considering that im one of the few ppl that have this problem, i would guess that there might be some part of the visa code that gives a different resault to me then to ppl that dont expirience the waits This might be causing it ? Just a wild guess..

cheers

 

[V. Soma]

but the thing is that adjusting settings doesnt do the trick !?!? :] I can play a standard size map, and ill expirence the same waits that i get in a large world ? It starts very early (most 80% of the world is still uncovered), and only happens in this mod, A friend of mine who i play MP with has a weaker comp them me, but playing the same turn i get a freeze he doesnt ? i tried instaling new drivers, moded drivers, and some more voodoo like tricks toi get Visa to run properly, but i had no luck.. The only thing i can think of that differs me from most of the Mod users might be that im running W2K3 Server.. In that case why does the vanilla game/other mods work just fine ?

Another thing i notcied is that moving large stack of workers makes the game freeze in a similar manner to what i get in between turns..

cheers

Have you tried TOTAL reinstall of civ plus Visa?

 

[noid]

Have you tried TOTAL reinstall of civ plus Visa?

Well, visa yes, the whole CIV game no, i figured that if i only get this in Visa, then CIV should be just fine.. But now you mention it, i think ill try on a clean CIV game .. thx

cheers

 

[TAfirehawk]

From your post above, considering that im one of the few ppl that have this problem, i would guess that there might be some part of the visa code that gives a different resault to me then to ppl that dont expirience the waits This might be causing it ? Just a wild guess..

cheers

You are far from one of the few people having the CTD problem....TONS of people are having it

We will be testing the fix later....and mrgenie says he has some speed improvements....and if somebody doesn't provide a close location of the slowdown you have, well out of 1,000,000 lines of code I am sure, as I said before, will take years to find.

 

[TAfirehawk]

As for Blake's AI:

Isn't it enough to put it, as he describes, into the
My Games/Warlords/Custom Assets/ folder
and then play Visa to run both?

Or does Visa call its own dll file only?

We could just let people put it in the Custom Assets folder as Blake says, but I think it is important enough to include in all of ViSa...not just people that install in a directory that we DELETE every patch

 

[TAfirehawk]

I am getting 6 angry citizen specialists in every city even when I only have one resident. They do not appear to have any effect on the game.

A minor query - why is the Great General the only one who cant build his special building until you have researched a tech? In this case Education.

I have never heard of getting more angry citizens that are more than city population....that is certainly crazy. And unless you have extremely poor city management, the only time alot of angry citizens happens is when conquering other cities.


Unless the complaints about the Military Academy go through the roof, it is staying at Education

And now that I think about it...the other GP buildings need to have tech pre-req like Education too....will investigate all the GP buildings

 

[Dakduck]

Hello guys,

I posted a few days ago about not being able to raze cities. I noticed someone else also posted about it. Is this part of the mod (which is the best I have played yet) or is it a bug. Makes the game damn interesting to have to keep what you capture but I sure miss razing sometimes. Maybe include the razing mod I have seen floating around, at least then razing takes awhile on large cities. Thanks for all the hard work, my brother and I burnt the whole weekend playing a hotseat game and have started another.

 

[TAfirehawk]

Hello guys,

I posted a few days ago about not being able to raze cities. I noticed someone else also posted about it. Is this part of the mod (which is the best I have played yet) or is it a bug. Makes the game damn interesting to have to keep what you capture but I sure miss razing sometimes. Maybe include the razing mod I have seen floating around, at least then razing takes awhile on large cities. Thanks for all the hard work, my brother and I burnt the whole weekend playing a hotseat game and have started another.

As reported earlier...but I haven't gotten it in the first post...it is a bug but a lower priority than the CTD problem.

 

[raoul82]

First of all, congrats for the wonderful mod!
I've noticed 2 small things, maybe not really bugs:
- Statue of Zeus cannot be built in capital city in my game (maybe too many wonders?)
- There is no Great Engineer "Hurry production" icon. Has it some prerequisite tech to be activated?
Moreover, I'd like to know if I can put new Blacke's AI in Custom Assects folder and play VISA without conflicts. Thanks for the assistance.

 

[TAfirehawk]

First of all, congrats for the wonderful mod!
I've noticed 2 small things, maybe not really bugs:
- Statue of Zeus cannot be built in capital city in my game (maybe too many wonders?)
- There is no Great Engineer "Hurry production" icon. Has it some prerequisite tech to be activated?
Moreover, I'd like to know if I can put new Blacke's AI in Custom Assects folder and play VISA without conflicts. Thanks for the assistance.

As per the ViSapedia, Statue of Zeus requires Polytheism and goes obsolete with Chemistry.

Great Engineer can only hurry a building...worked in my last game at least...

I believe it was Axil that played with Blake's new AI and it was fine so give it a try.

 

[Dakduck]

As reported earlier...but I haven't gotten it in the first post...it is a bug but a lower priority than the CTD problem.

I completely agreed the CTD should be the highest priority. The razing issue can be worked around and as I said it makes the game intersting.

 

[TAfirehawk]

ViSa Updates

Known Bugs

Spoiler :

Memory Allocation Error on saving games (AutoSave or Manual) has been reported in multiple mods and multiple threads on CivFanatics. Our recommendation is to not play on any map size greater than LARGE. Other work-around is to change Graphics Settings to Low and disable all Effects. Any other setting changes to reduce save game file size will also help avoid this error. This appears to be a Firaxis save game issue, not any particular mod problem.

SmartMap can cause errors in the two new Civic Categories (Education and Health Care). The default civic in those two categories sometimes is not selected on game startup. This also can happen on a 'normal' map immediately after SmartMap is used. Our recommendation is to not play with SmartMap.

Languages besides English can cause errors throughout the game. Our recommendation is to play ViSa in English only.

ATI Video Cards can cause numerous problems with this mod and vanilla Civ as well. Our recommendation is for all ATI people to download the latest video drivers without Catalyst.

3 City Radius Option currently causes a CTD problem in v2.00 so DO NOT use this feature until we get a patch released.

ViSa Future Changes

ViSa Modpack Team List

Spoiler :

Genetic Era for Warlords
Additional Civic Category
Inquisition Mod
Eusebius World Religions
New Netherlands Mod
Multi-Building Unit Requirement Mod
Building Heal Rate Mod
Building Civic Prereqs Mod
Resource Tech Research Modifier Mod
Upgradeable Buildings Mod
Customizable Domestic Advisor Mod
Enhanced Warlord Unit
National Security Agency National Wonder to reduce Tech Leak
Blitz Game Speed - 200 turn game
Random Barb Spearman spawns
Random Barb Navy spawns

Player Request List

Spoiler :

Mercenaries fixed
My Multiplayer Military Mod
MAD System fixed
Unit Balancing
SmartMap update/fix
Furious attitude of some leaders with no negative points
Secret Tech Mod
Manhattan Project to national wonder
Plant Forest worker ability at Paper
Mastery Victory
Revolution Mod
Armenia Civ
Blake's new AI
Fix Raze City option

 

[Vanchelon]

Edit: Redownloaded the installer just incase, to check if it made a difference. Didnt think it would since it passed the MD5 check last time aswell.
Anyway Im not sure if its the redownload that fixed my issue (most likely I guess) or that I unchecked the option to clear the cache or had 1.2 installed (both less likely).
Will keep this post just incase anyone gets a similar problem





Im having a problem running the install... (Tried both the Full installer and the 1.2 to 2.0 installer)

Near the end of the install, everytime, I get this "error" message from the installer:

"There is a problem with this Windows Installer package. A script required for this install to complete could not be run. Contact your support personnel or package vendor."

I checked windowsupdate just incase but cant find anything remotely related to the windows installer so...
Ive been looking through the thread but havent found anyone else with this specific problem.

Soo.. any ideas?

 

[V. Soma]

Dear Visa team!

A WONDER(FUL?) IDEA

I would like to propose an idea of my Hungarian friend Söör
(co-creator of Roads and Lands - a mod plan...)

Why not cut back the leader civs (snowball effect) a little bit?
Why not give wonder building a bit more decision-situation?

IDEA:

Let's make every coming wonder after a FINSHED and posessed wonder
cost gradually more than the basic value:

so

1. wonder needs 100% of original hammer cost
say the civ has the wonder under its belt, fine. then:

2. wonder (would) need 100 + x % of original hammer cost

3. wonder: 100 + 2x % and so on!

x might be as wished...
or even the + can be * of whatever

opinions?

 

[Kaiser Franz]

Good Morning and THANKS FOR A GREAT MOD !!! It's hard to imagine the amount of time you guys had to invest in this project.

I'm not very savy when it comes to programing so if my comments appear a bit ignorant - it's because I am - when it comes to most aspects of this "new fangled computer world" I'm 63 years old and haven't kept up with technology

I allways play as Austria - (place of my birth) and would really like Franz Joseph instead of Maria Teresa as the leader.
The Leopard2 is very large - how do I reduce the scale?
The APC button looks just like the Mech Inf. - any way to make it look different?
Mech Inf figures, in the field, now look just like regular infantry rather than a tracked unit - any way to fix that - it gets confusing.
Ticonderoga AA and Aegis Cruiser look identical - any way to fix that?
Is it possible to have the "production pop up window" not make a suggestion to construct a "wonder" if your civilization allready has it under construction in another city ?
I was never able to get "Military Hospital" as an option to build - any idea why?
Oh - and the final -- I started receiving "Memory Allocation Error" messages at turn 205 so I began saving every turn - it seems that about five or six turns went by before I received the same "memory error" and the game shut down - I reloaded the previous saved turn and could then play for or five more turns before the same error reappeared - any clue?

Once again -- thanks for all your hard work.

 

[V. Soma]

Hey Kaiser! Welcome to the forum!

How about re-forming the Austro-Hungarian Monarchy?

Greetings!

Soma from Budapest

 

[Axil]

I'm using Blakes custom AI in custom assets with no problems at all - so maybe the ai could be an option in the visa installerif it's possible - should be as I've seen something very similar done for a very large and popular oblivion mod.

Slow down wise it doesn't appear to be a particular unit causing the slow down as it happens in exactly the same era no matter which civs are in use. I'm starting to wonder if it;s to do with worker AI as at that point the workers are pretty much flat out developing the land.