King Jason
Fleece-bearer
- Joined
- Oct 21, 2005
- Messages
- 2,040
Have you played Civ4 and come to the conclusion that it's too fast? (My first recomendation is Noble difficulty if you've been on any lower) You go through the ages like lightning, you build an army to attack, only to have it obsolete by the time it's ready?
Have you tried the epic speed? did it just... well... suck? Well, if you want the technology to be learned slower (like in an epic game) but not to be crippled by increased production rates, improvement rates, and well, every other rate there is, then you can edit in any specific style you want using the XML (if you usually leave once XML is brought up, please, continue reading). It's pretty easy too.
This has been edited for simplicity
To get to the 'GameSpeedInfo' XML, you're looking to go here:
C:\Program Files\Firaxis Games\Sid Meier's Civilization 4\Assets\XML\GameInfo
you can open it with any basic word program, I just used the wordpad. When you open that up it shows you this:
Okay, it looks a little confusing but it's really simple. First, you have each line that represents a different value in the game that has a speed. From unit creation, to tech research speed. the number in between which would be <iInflationOffset>right here</iInflationOffset> is what you edit. If you look at the speed type at the top of each new section it'll tell you which speed you're modding if you aren't creating your own (see below on the creating a brand new speed). You have Epic, normal and fast.
the Normal values are mostly set at 100, the epic are 150, the fast are 67.
So it's obvious to say that if you want something slower, than increase the number that you're editing, if you want something faster, then decrease it.
So, the above is the normal game speed setting, I'm going to show you an edit where the game would have really slow research rate, but really fast improvement speed. Just so you can get an visual referance of what's being changed, and what isn't.
and it's that simple. Now, the biggest question on everyone's mine is, "what does it all mean king!?". Well, here is 'the list'. It displays all the effects these values have on the game, there are a few blank spots in which I mean to fill, but for now;
The List
<iGrowthPercent></iGrowthPercent> This is the growth rate for cities, how soon you get yer next pop.
<iTrainPercent></iTrainPercent> The speed in which units are constructed (both settlers and all)
<iConstructPercent></iConstructPercent> The speed in which buildings are constructed.
<iCreatePercent></iCreatePercent> The speed at which special Projects are completed (Internet, Apollo, Spaceship, etc)
<iResearchPercent></iResearchPercent> The speed in which technology is learned.
<iBuildPercent></iBuildPercent> The speed in which tile improvements are built.
<iImprovementPercent></iImprovementPercent>The speed in which a Tile Improvement to upgrade to next level (Cottage -> Hamlet for example)
<iGreatPeoplePercent></iGreatPeoplePercent> The speed in which great people spawn in a city.
<iCulturePercent></iCulturePercent> The speed in which your borders expand.
<iAnarchyPercent></iAnarchyPercent> currently not sure, assuming how many turns anarchy lasts, due to that assumption, have yet to test.
<iBarbPercent></iBarbPercent> The speed in which barbarians apear in game and how frequently.
<iFeatureProductionPercent></iFeatureProductionPercent> Modifies the number of hammers delivered to a town when a nearby forest or jungle is cleared (possible other effects as well).
<iUnitDiscoverPercent></iUnitDiscoverPercent> The amount of knowledge put into a tech. when a Great person uses the "discover tech." ability.
<iUnitHurryPercent></iUnitHurryPercent> The rate at which a unit is rushed (by gold and pop.)
<iUnitTradePercent></iUnitTradePercent> The amount of gold you recieve for the Great merchants trade ability.
<iUnitGreatWorkPercent></iUnitGreatWorkPercent> The amount of culture granted in using a greatwork.
<iGoldenAgePercent></iGoldenAgePercent> How long a golden age lasts.
<iHurryPercent></iHurryPercent> The rate at which buildings can be rushed (by gold and pop.)
<iHurryConscriptAngerPercent></iHurryConscriptAngerPercent> How long the unhapiness of pop. rushing and drafting lasts.
<iInflationPercent></iInflationPercent> The rate at which upkeep increases.
<iInflationOffset></iInflationOffset> How long before upkeep increases.
That's all I have so far, only a few spaces, but spaces nonetheless. I'm going to continue testing until it's all figured out, but so far the <iBuildPercent></iBuildPercent> really seems to do nothing. but of course that isn't the case. I'll edit this list further and post when I do so.
All of these follow the same rules. the higher the number, the longer it takes. The lower, the faster.
Also you can see if you look past these specific values, something that looks like this:
<GameTurnInfo>
<iYearIncrement>40</iYearIncrement>
<iTurnsPerIncrement>50</iTurnsPerIncrement>
Modifying these numbers will allow you to (if you're interested) try to find a right pace in which the timeline of the game will follow, for example, I didn't select to bother with this option, and I had a game where I was in the 1700s just learning how to build Knights!
the first number (<iYearIncrement>40</iYearIncrement>) is how many years go by in the timeline. So your first turn would bring you from 4000 B.C. to 3960 B.C.
The second number (<iTurnsPerIncrement>50) is how many turns the above increments lasts, so for the first 50 turns, you'll be moving at 40 years per turn. technically, you could govern the entire timeline of the game with just one of these scripts.
So, good luck, and those that do this - let me know how you make out.
Edit: once you familiarize yourself with simple things such as game length, and colors (like that thread on color changing explains) it opens the doorway to much more interesting possibilities with the XML, and in most cases, it's just like this; as simple as typing in a few numbers.
Have you tried the epic speed? did it just... well... suck? Well, if you want the technology to be learned slower (like in an epic game) but not to be crippled by increased production rates, improvement rates, and well, every other rate there is, then you can edit in any specific style you want using the XML (if you usually leave once XML is brought up, please, continue reading). It's pretty easy too.
This has been edited for simplicity
To get to the 'GameSpeedInfo' XML, you're looking to go here:
C:\Program Files\Firaxis Games\Sid Meier's Civilization 4\Assets\XML\GameInfo
you can open it with any basic word program, I just used the wordpad. When you open that up it shows you this:
Okay, it looks a little confusing but it's really simple. First, you have each line that represents a different value in the game that has a speed. From unit creation, to tech research speed. the number in between which would be <iInflationOffset>right here</iInflationOffset> is what you edit. If you look at the speed type at the top of each new section it'll tell you which speed you're modding if you aren't creating your own (see below on the creating a brand new speed). You have Epic, normal and fast.
the Normal values are mostly set at 100, the epic are 150, the fast are 67.
So it's obvious to say that if you want something slower, than increase the number that you're editing, if you want something faster, then decrease it.
So, the above is the normal game speed setting, I'm going to show you an edit where the game would have really slow research rate, but really fast improvement speed. Just so you can get an visual referance of what's being changed, and what isn't.
and it's that simple. Now, the biggest question on everyone's mine is, "what does it all mean king!?". Well, here is 'the list'. It displays all the effects these values have on the game, there are a few blank spots in which I mean to fill, but for now;
The List
<iGrowthPercent></iGrowthPercent> This is the growth rate for cities, how soon you get yer next pop.
<iTrainPercent></iTrainPercent> The speed in which units are constructed (both settlers and all)
<iConstructPercent></iConstructPercent> The speed in which buildings are constructed.
<iCreatePercent></iCreatePercent> The speed at which special Projects are completed (Internet, Apollo, Spaceship, etc)
<iResearchPercent></iResearchPercent> The speed in which technology is learned.
<iBuildPercent></iBuildPercent> The speed in which tile improvements are built.
<iImprovementPercent></iImprovementPercent>The speed in which a Tile Improvement to upgrade to next level (Cottage -> Hamlet for example)
<iGreatPeoplePercent></iGreatPeoplePercent> The speed in which great people spawn in a city.
<iCulturePercent></iCulturePercent> The speed in which your borders expand.
<iAnarchyPercent></iAnarchyPercent> currently not sure, assuming how many turns anarchy lasts, due to that assumption, have yet to test.
<iBarbPercent></iBarbPercent> The speed in which barbarians apear in game and how frequently.
<iFeatureProductionPercent></iFeatureProductionPercent> Modifies the number of hammers delivered to a town when a nearby forest or jungle is cleared (possible other effects as well).
<iUnitDiscoverPercent></iUnitDiscoverPercent> The amount of knowledge put into a tech. when a Great person uses the "discover tech." ability.
<iUnitHurryPercent></iUnitHurryPercent> The rate at which a unit is rushed (by gold and pop.)
<iUnitTradePercent></iUnitTradePercent> The amount of gold you recieve for the Great merchants trade ability.
<iUnitGreatWorkPercent></iUnitGreatWorkPercent> The amount of culture granted in using a greatwork.
<iGoldenAgePercent></iGoldenAgePercent> How long a golden age lasts.
<iHurryPercent></iHurryPercent> The rate at which buildings can be rushed (by gold and pop.)
<iHurryConscriptAngerPercent></iHurryConscriptAngerPercent> How long the unhapiness of pop. rushing and drafting lasts.
<iInflationPercent></iInflationPercent> The rate at which upkeep increases.
<iInflationOffset></iInflationOffset> How long before upkeep increases.
That's all I have so far, only a few spaces, but spaces nonetheless. I'm going to continue testing until it's all figured out, but so far the <iBuildPercent></iBuildPercent> really seems to do nothing. but of course that isn't the case. I'll edit this list further and post when I do so.
All of these follow the same rules. the higher the number, the longer it takes. The lower, the faster.
Also you can see if you look past these specific values, something that looks like this:
<GameTurnInfo>
<iYearIncrement>40</iYearIncrement>
<iTurnsPerIncrement>50</iTurnsPerIncrement>
Modifying these numbers will allow you to (if you're interested) try to find a right pace in which the timeline of the game will follow, for example, I didn't select to bother with this option, and I had a game where I was in the 1700s just learning how to build Knights!
the first number (<iYearIncrement>40</iYearIncrement>) is how many years go by in the timeline. So your first turn would bring you from 4000 B.C. to 3960 B.C.
The second number (<iTurnsPerIncrement>50) is how many turns the above increments lasts, so for the first 50 turns, you'll be moving at 40 years per turn. technically, you could govern the entire timeline of the game with just one of these scripts.
So, good luck, and those that do this - let me know how you make out.
Edit: once you familiarize yourself with simple things such as game length, and colors (like that thread on color changing explains) it opens the doorway to much more interesting possibilities with the XML, and in most cases, it's just like this; as simple as typing in a few numbers.
