Modders Guide to Civilization V

lord_graywolfe · Jul 16, 2011

this is a awesome guide to helping modders thanks for making it. i am however having a problem finding a way to change an existing resource. i found the steps for removing one and a tutorial on how to make a new one but but im just trying to play around with the numbers of what is already in the game. am i just overlooking that part in the guide?

Spatzimaus · Jul 16, 2011

lord_graywolfe said:
im just trying to play around with the numbers of what is already in the game. am i just overlooking that part in the guide?

Unfortunately, changing resource distributions can't be done through XML; the quantity stubs in the XML aren't used. You have to edit AssignStartingPlots.lua for that, and I'd highly recommend NOT playing with that file. Ever. Run away while you still can.
This particular bit of code is just not very user-friendly at all, and it's just a pain to edit.

Steves247365 · Jul 30, 2011

What does the <DamageStates> field under UnitArtInfo do?

Steves247365 · Jul 30, 2011

Having problems with the How To: Add a Unit portion... and apparently I suck at finding what I am look for in the Forum, so please bear with me because I am sure others have asked this before...

After I add the Civ5artdefines_units and unitmembers to my file, do I keep the entire file and simply add on to the end of the file for my mod? I ensure the 'Reload Unit System' is checked... it says in the guide the 'Update' function can not be used... do I need to tell the Mod Actions to do something else besides update database?

What am I missing? It was not spelled out real clear what exactly to do with the UnitArtInfo files.... or I am just a moron.

Steve

Gedemon · Jul 30, 2011

no update database for those two units files, but you need to set the VFS properties to "true" in moddbuddy for both of them.

Steves247365 · Jul 30, 2011

That did the trick... not sure what I was missing earlier. I added the Civ5artdefines files directly to the XML file in the mod... had it under Units before.. not sure if that was doing anything. I know this wasn't posted in the right thread... I'll get better at using and navigating the forum as well

Thank again.

masonl · Nov 2, 2011

Can anyone tell me where to find the specification for the .dds files for icon atlases and mapimage files? I have tried several options with the photoshop dds plugin and have also used the nVidia command line tools. No joy. I have tried several resolutions including those of the images in working mods. I have read the modder's guid and have not found the info there either.

Everything I have tried brings up a diaolg that says it cannot load the dds file. I have tried existing mapimages and they work. I have renamed the images and changed the xml to make sure that was not the problem and the message dialog changes to the new name. It always shows a red square for the map.

Thanks in advance for any help.

Mason

Spatzimaus · Nov 3, 2011

Back in December of last year, Firaxis released a patch that overhauled the "Virtual File System", a.k.a. VFS. Previously, it had defaulted to True, now it defaults to False.

In ModBuddy, right-click on a file and select "Properties". It'll open up a small window with ~6 fields. The last thing on the list will say "Import into VFS", defaulting to False. This needs to be set to TRUE for all of the following:
> Lua and non-GameData XML files that are intended to directly replace the originals in the vanilla game. (This mainly means any UI-related changes, but also applies to things like AssignStartingPlots or the art definition files when adding new units.)
> Any custom art assets you want to add, including DDS files and MP3 files.
> Any custom Lua files that will be used through an "include" command instead of an InGameUIAddin sort of declaration. (This mainly means utility functions.)
And it should be False for everything else. (GameData XML and SQL should be loaded through an OnModActivated command, executable custom Lua through an InGameUIAddin or the equivalent.)

So what's happening in your case is that you're not loading the DDS files into the VFS, so when the Icon Atlas XML is being loaded it can't find the files you'd intended. Just because you included the DDS files in the mod doesn't mean they're actually getting loaded as content.

This change occurred after Kael wrote the guide at the start of this thread, and so isn't mentioned anywhere within the guide. It's really the only major addition you need to keep track of.

BulletSix · Nov 10, 2011

hiho

thanks guys for all the info provided here, it helped me already for the art assets

still i cannot get the textkeys displayed correctly for my "Swabian empire" ^^

- the Civ is selectable, playable (i can start a game and build a city, haven`t tested further)
- the unique unit that is available at the start is there
- but every text is "TXT_KEY_CIV_[insert according definition] and not the string provided through the "gameText.xml"
aside from the city names. They are displayed correctly (at least the first one)
i tried to copy some of the not displayed strings to the top of the GameText.xml, to get around <row>-tag errors, but had no luck :/

here are some of the xml-files, i would apprechiate it if someone could look at it and tell me if theres something obvious i missed.
Import into VFS is false for all xml-files and true for the art-files.

Civ_Suebians.xml

Spoiler :

Leader_Wilhelm.xml

Spoiler :

GameText.xml

Spoiler :

if desired i`ll be happy to attach/upload the whole mod if someone is willing to help me fix it

Spatzimaus · Nov 10, 2011

BulletSix said:
- but every text is "TXT_KEY_CIV_[insert according definition] and not the string provided through the "gameText.xml"

What this means is that one of your text keys is a duplicate of one already in the game. If one of your cities appears correct, then that's probably the duplicate (since it's taking the value from the core game or some other mod, instead of from your text file.) The most common offenders for this issue are city names, since you might be adding some city that's ten or twelve spots down the line for one of the included civs.

Of course, you could have found this yourself simply by opening the Database.log file, where it'll say "TXT_KEY_whatever is already defined" in nice, big letters. Seriously, that's what the log files are FOR, so try using those first; it'll help you get your mods done much, much faster if you don't have to wait a day or two to get an answer to every little conflict.

Also, for future reference, when you want to ask questions, do NOT stick it in a reference thread like this. Create a new question thread in the main C&C forum instead.

flyinghorse301 · Dec 10, 2011

Hi everyone,

Does anyone know how to create a land unit which can only fire on naval unit,i.e the coast-line missile defense system.

TehZeelah · Dec 10, 2011

Just what I was looking for.A beginners modder guide that allows you to make mods without having to go through any trouble at all.Thanks

vivastpauli · Dec 14, 2011

Ok, I'm at a loss here... I tried to search for the proper traits in the xml's, but didn't find what I was looking for.

I wanted to create the trait "Reconquista" for my portuguese mod, having a 25% fighting bonus in your own territory and a 75% bonus for reconquering your captured cities.

Anyone care to help me out, please?

Spatzimaus · Dec 15, 2011

vivastpauli said:
Anyone care to help me out, please?

Here's the basic rule for XML functionality: if it's not in the file already, you can't do it. If the Traits file doesn't have tables or stubs that do what you want, then you can't do what you want. Change your design to something that IS available in the table, give up on it, or learn how to program in Lua. A lot of things can be done through Lua, but not all, not easily, and not in a way the AI can understand, so it's generally a last resort.

Valkrionn · Dec 15, 2011

That said I think you could do most of that via the use of a promotion, and grant the promotion for free. City bonus would have to be generic though, not just for retaking your lost cities.

Spatzimaus · Dec 15, 2011

Valkrionn said:
That said I think you could do most of that via the use of a promotion, and grant the promotion for free. City bonus would have to be generic though, not just for retaking your lost cities.

Right. It wouldn't be hard to create a custom promotion that does some things, like the bonus within your own territory, because that ability is already in the Promotions table. But nothing in the XML specifies any distinction between attacking an enemy city he founded and attacking an enemy city that was once yours. There ARE functions in the Lua that allow you to distinguish the two, but there are many, many logistical issues with trying to give a temporary bonus in that situation.

And anyway, if you have questions like this that have nothing to do with the Modder's Guide, you should go create a post in the C&C forum, and not here. You'll generally get better answers that way.

vivastpauli · Dec 15, 2011

Well, that was enlightening.

I'll have to work my way around it... I already guessed the part about things not existing in the XML but I wasn't sure if I overlooked something, since I'm obviously still new at this. I didn't create a particular mod thread yet since I'm so early in the production but it's probably wise to open one, yes.

That being said, thanks for your replies!

lord_graywolfe · Dec 23, 2011

well i decided to sit down and make a mod for civ V but i seem to be missing a few key things to do that. for one i can not find modbuddy anywhere, also there are no xml files for civ V on my system. all i have is the civ 5 folder under my games in the document folder. there is also nothing i can find on the disk for modbuddy or xml files. now i think i could use one of the mods ive downloaded as starting point if i can find modbuddy. so where can i download that at?

Nutty · Dec 23, 2011

lord_graywolfe said:
for one i can not find modbuddy anywhere

From here:

To install, simply navigate to the "Tools" section of your Steam game library and find "Sid Meier's Civilization V SDK" in the list.

Install that.

Create stuff.

Profit*.

...

*Profit not guaranteed or likely.

Also note (see here):

You need to have installed Visual Studio 2010 Isolated shell program to run Mod Buddy. You can download it from microsoft, Microsoft Visual Studio 2010 Shell (Isolated) Redistributable Package.

...

lord_graywolfe said:
also there are no xml files for civ V on my system.

Use the Nexus tool (also installed with the SDK) to unpack them. See here:

In the top menu select Nexus > Script Browser > Extract PAK Files. This will unpack all the assets to the directories ...sid meier's civilization v\resource. There are 3 directories Common, DX9 and dx9_low. The 3d art for units, leaders, terrain and buildings is all in together with no subdivision so you'll have to hunt through to find what you are interested in.

owenbevt · Jan 6, 2012

sorry been looking for a while and cant find what it mentions hear at all
"Firaxis has helped us out by providing icon templates in the <SDK install directory>\Art\ directory as .psd files. There are seven templates files, one for 32x32 icons, one for 45x45, 64x64, 80x80, 128x128, 214x214 and 256x256."
Am I missing some big point about SDK?

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