Modders Guide to Beyond the Sword

[Kael]

iAIValue- is a number. Reflects the AI trigger value for this event.
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What does this trigger exactly do? I'm not a modder but I'm very interested in the random events + improved AI in BTS and I was wondering whether this means the AI also gets random events? I think it would be unfair if the AI didn't get to take advantage of the bonuses these random events (may) provide.

The AI does a good job of picking which event it prefers from the list it is given, factoring in the specific game situation etc. But if their wasn't any randomness then most events that weren't situational would always get the same result from the AI (computers are methodical like that).

iAIValue is a random number for that eventtrigger such that the AI picks a number 1 to this number (its 1000 most of the time). And then applies any modifiers on top of that. That way there is some randomness in the options the AI selects and well as some logic. Setting this value higher will cause the AI to be more random in its selection, setting it lower would allow the logical part of the calculation to be more significant.

 

[Morgawr]

The AI does a good job of picking which event it prefers from the list it is given, factoring in the specific game situation etc. But if their wasn't any randomness then most events that weren't situational would always get the same result from the AI (computers are methodical like that).

iAIValue is a random number for that eventtrigger such that the AI picks a number 1 to this number (its 1000 most of the time). And then applies any modifiers on top of that. That way there is some randomness in the options the AI selects and well as some logic. Setting this value higher will cause the AI to be more random in its selection, setting it lower would allow the logical part of the calculation to be more significant.

Wow, that sounds very well thought of! Does the AI's personality factor into this decision too btw? (e.g. aggressive leaders execute caught spies more easily, etc)

I'm also excited to see how the new AI leaders' personalities will be in regards to tech trading, peaceweight and such. I am assuming there have been no changes to the existing AI's parameters in the leaderheadinfos.xml, correct?

 

[Kael]

Wow, that sounds very well thought of! Does the AI's personality factor into this decision too btw? (e.g. aggressive leaders execute caught spies more easily, etc)

I'm also excited to see how the new AI leaders' personalities will be in regards to tech trading, peaceweight and such. I am assuming there have been no changes to the existing AI's parameters in the leaderheadinfos.xml, correct?

Section 10.4 lists the new attributes on leaders, there are a couple.

 

[Dom Pedro II]

Question: The promotions art changes... does this only pertain to models, or will we be able to change textures, animations, and formations as well? If not, will it be possible to mod this ability in?

 

[Kael]

Question: The promotions art changes... does this only pertain to models, or will we be able to change textures, animations, and formations as well? If not, will it be possible to mod this ability in?

Thats the section I haven't figured out either. I see whats going on in the units that use it but I dont understand it well enough to be able to say how to to it or do it myself. I assume some of the graphics guys will tear into after release and be able to provide more details.

It may be able to change textures. But remember, the unit has to be made to be able to do this function, so it could be a lot of work it you want to apply it to a lot of units. Its more for making a bomb appear on the bottom of a plane, and disspear if the bomb has been dropped then for making a special sword that can be seen being held by any unit that has the promotion.

I doubt it would be possible to use that system to change animations or formations. But I dont think it would be to hard to make an SDK mod that changed both of them (formations would be particualy easy with the new formations system in BtS).

 

[Dom Pedro II]

Thats the section I haven't figured out either. I see whats going on in the units that use it but I dont understand it well enough to be able to say how to to it or do it myself. I assume some of the graphics guys will tear into after release and be able to provide more details.

It may be able to change textures. But remember, the unit has to be made to be able to do this function, so it could be a lot of work it you want to apply it to a lot of units. Its more for making a bomb appear on the bottom of a plane, and disspear if the bomb has been dropped then for making a special sword that can be seen being held by any unit that has the promotion.

I doubt it would be possible to use that system to change animations or formations. But I dont think it would be to hard to make an SDK mod that changed both of them (formations would be particualy easy with the new formations system in BtS).

Yeah, unfortunately, there's a lot of places where it's easy enough to make a function to change a particular stored value for art files, but one has absolutely no control over when the graphics engine actually retrieves that value...

 

[Kael]

Yeah, unfortunately, there's a lot of places where it's easy enough to make a function to change a particular stored value for art files, but one has absolutely no control over when the graphics engine actually retrieves that value...

Yes, thats the imporant change in BtS that makes all of Impalers work possible. Firaxis pushed the unit art def into the SDK so that we can make it dynamic. Impaler used that to make the civ specific art system, but there is a lot more than can be done by those willing to dig into the SDK.

 

[Impaler[WrG]]

More accurately the ArtDef is being pulled from a different PART of the SDK, the data was always stored their, rather then being pulled from the static Info class (basically all the crunched xml files) its from each individual unit which decides for itself what to return. The warlords implementation had to call each unit, get the UnitType then make a second call to the info class arguing that Type and getting the ArtDef, much less efficient and less flexible.

 

[Sabio]

Guys,
Anyone knows if the problem involving the 3D LH creation will be solved in the BTS??

 

[cybrxkhan]

^C. Roland has said he'll post a tutorial on how to create real custom 3D LH soon. he figured out a way at last!

 

[Kael]

Guys,
Anyone knows if the problem involving the 3D LH creation will be solved in the BTS??

I didnt know there was a problem. I know C.Roland has a tutorial on it (http://forums.civfanatics.com/showthread.php?t=183742) and Ploeperpengel is getting ready to release another. They may be able to answer questions better than I can.

 

[cybrxkhan]

^he meant making a real leaderhead not based on a game one. apparently, when anyone previously did this, there was some issues. but C. Roland and Ploeperpaegal found a way to do it without bugs or issues or crashes.

 

[GarretSidzaka]

^he meant making a real leaderhead not based on a game one. apparently, when anyone previously did this, there was some issues. but C. Roland and Ploeperpaegal found a way to do it without bugs or issues or crashes.

you just have to be a 3d modeling wiz and have the right export scripts

 

[TheBladeRoden]

We need a leaderhead tutorial for Max too. I tried playing it by ear using the Blender one, but results were not pleasant. So for now Saddler must sit idly by in the gray world of 3DSMax until a solution can be found.

Look how sad he is!

 

[GarretSidzaka]

We need a leaderhead tutorial for Max too. I tried playing it by ear using the Blender one, but results were not pleasant. So for now Saddler must sit idly by in the gray world of 3DSMax until a solution can be found.

Look how sad he is!

don't give up on blender and nif skope!! they are more useful than they seem!

 

[TheBladeRoden]

don't give up on blender and nif skope!! they are more useful than they seem!

I don't know blender

 

[Ploeperpengel]

We need a leaderhead tutorial for Max too. I tried playing it by ear using the Blender one, but results were not pleasant. So for now Saddler must sit idly by in the gray world of 3DSMax until a solution can be found.

Look how sad he is!

That looks awesome! I hope the upcoming tutorial will help you to get it into the game.
The tutorial will explain how to get Shadermodels to work in game using max and nifscope

Btw If you could send me the blender/or even better maxfiles I'd be most happy. I 'd like to modify this according to my needs if I'm allowed.

 

[Sabio]

Besides the problem of creating a original LH (not based on the existing ones), there is a problem in the shaded LH (gives a more realistic look). Whem Firaxis released Warlords, somo of those problens where solved, but still have a problem on create a LH. I hope it be fixed, them THAT will be amazing expansion.

 

[GarretSidzaka]

yeah i had shader trouble with my custom imported/exported leaderheads, with blender and 3dsmax 7

not lethal trouble, but i dont get the awsome shader textures in the LH, or the specular

 

[cybrxkhan]

you just have to be a 3d modeling wiz and have the right export scripts

well, i meant, if you have the skills, you can create a LH without trouble.