My custom civ - Project Discussion

[shoggi]

http://magiccards.info/query?q=t:"scarecrow"&v=card&s=cname

Something you can use there?
It's a little harder to find higher quality pictures, but if you find one you want, i can scourge some sources and see if i can find anything with a higher resolution.

 

[PPQ_Purple]

Man... those are cool.
I will probably have a use for them as leaders/unit icons.


But since they are probably copyrighted material, is it legal for me to use them?



Also, I remember reading earlier about using python to modify the yield of a building. Is that possible?
The idea is to create a proxy building and on each turn start modify it to yield Happy or Health depending on the resources present.

 

[odalrick]

Ok thanks. So copy an exsisting autoaquire promotion, set it to require lvl4, set it to ban and remove my promotion and it's done.

And add a custom tooltip to your original promotion saying it cannot be acquired after level 3. The new promotion should probably be bEffectProm and bGraphicalOnly, that will hide it completely from the player.

And make a python function that kills the unit and link it to the promotion.
Got it. BTW, you people have pushed me allong quite a lot. Thanks.

If all you need to do is kill the unit " pCaster.kill(True, -1) " in the PythonPostCombatWon and PythonPostCombatLost should suffice.

If what you need to do is more complicated but can be done with an xml-only spell " pCaster.cast( gc.getInfoTypeForString( 'SPELL_THAT_DOES_WHAT_YOU_NEED' ) ) " can help you avoid adding python. Less of an issue nowadays, but useful.

 

[PPQ_Purple]

None of that seems to work.

 

[odalrick]

None of that seems to work.

How does it not work? What python exceptions are you getting? Are they on? (Why did Firaxis think it was a good idea to turn them off in the first place?) Does the xml load without problems?

 

[PPQ_Purple]

I made it work another way thanks to Valkirion. Seems the name of the folder needs to be in lower case.

And I honestly don't even know how to turn python exceptions on in the first place.

BTW, there is some XML in the mod moders guide that I need checking out if someone is willing.

 

[Viatos]

Man... those are cool. I will probably have a use for them as leaders/unit icons.

But since they are probably copyrighted material, is it legal for me to use them?

More or less 100% of FFH / RiFE's art comes from unsourced acquisition. It's a non-profit third-party mod for a game being produced independently and distributed internationally. Don't sweat it. Fair use policy differs from place to place, but there is no intent of profit, no commercial damage inflicted (if anything, the opposite), and adding the art to a mod you are producing is socially valuable and not an infringement on the market of the artist.

This is notable especially on places like DeviantArt (where you are most likely to find fantasy scarecrows, by the way) since even if an artist has something like I specifically forbid use of this work in any way, shape, or form for any purpose fair use still applies over their objections.

For unit art, your best bet is to learn how to design your own models. Failing that as an immediate solution, steal from the Balseraphs until your expertise is sufficient.

If there's anything you want lore for, I'd be happy to help.

 

[PPQ_Purple]

I mostly want XML and python help. (check the modmoders guide for my latest problem.)
Lore I got handled.

Oh, and in about two weeks I will also need play testers.
And if anyone is handy with modeling or reskining. I can do it but it's just hard work doing it all my self. Since I essentially have to create new art for every unit type in the game.

So if you have any model to suggest (that you think would look good in straw) please do.

 

[Torugu]

Oh, and in about two weeks I will also need play testers.

Just release it, even if it is just a very early version, then you should have more than enough testers.

 

[PPQ_Purple]

Well, the unique units are in.
The unique buildings are in.
The UU and UB art is 50-60% in.
The Techs are in.

The spells, health system and world spell as well as most of the unique mechanics are not yet in.

 

[Valkrionn]

Agreed. Since it is a module, any early release is essentially a beta; And if people are unhappy with issues, they can easily remove it. Makes it very easy to get testers.

In fact, that's pretty much how we plan to develop our own civilizations; Modular at first until they are balanced, then merge them in.

 

[PPQ_Purple]

But I still need to make the unique health mechanics since they are at the core of the civ.
Essentially I want the civ to be limited to 4-5 of each grain resource instead of the standard 2 and to get +1 Happy for each Fire Mana and +1 Health for each Creation Mana.

That comes as soon as I finish the XML for the unit.
Can't make it work for some reason.


Here is my entire civ concept:

The civilization is restricted from 2/3 of all resources.
However, it can make better use of the ones it has. But even that limits them to about 50% of what a normal civ has.

To compensate, they can get extra for each Creation Node they have.
This mechanics is to encourage them to grab as many mana nodes as they can and make them into creation nodes.

But there is a twist.
Their Mele line has no access to metal weapons, in fact weary few units (Knight, Phalanx and other T4) have access to them at all.

But the mele line gets +10% strength for each fire mana they own with no maximum limit. This mechanics is to encourage them to grab as many mana nodes as they can and make them into fire nodes. This is intensified by them getting +1 from each Fire mana they have and the fact that both their heroes have Fire Affinity.

So the gameplay is revolves around expanding to get more mana nodes and the conflict of balancing Fire and Creation mana.

Tell me what you think. And could you check the XML I posted in the modmoders thread?

 

[Valkrionn]

Oh, I wasn't saying now. I just meant release it publicly rather than use a limited amount of beta testers. We only did it because there were many mechanics needing testing, that were coming online one at a time.

 

[PPQ_Purple]

Oh that yes.

I hate to ask many times as I feel I am anoying but I posted that XML you wanted me to post.

Thanks, here is the XML.

		<UnitArtInfo>
			<Type>ART_DEF_UNIT_PPQ_ADEPT</Type>
			<Button>Art\Interface\Buttons\Units\Adept.dds</Button>
			<fScale>0.44</fScale>
			<fInterfaceScale>1</fInterfaceScale>
			<bActAsLand>0</bActAsLand>
			<bActAsAir>0</bActAsAir>
			<NIF>Modules/NormalModules/PPQ/Art/Units/Civs/PPQ/Arcane/Mage/grenadier.nif</NIF>
			<KFM>Modules/NormalModules/PPQ/Art/Units/Civs/PPQ/Arcane/Mage/grenadier.kfm</KFM>
			<ShadowDef>
				<ShadowNIF>Art\Units\01_UnitShadows\UnitShadow.nif</ShadowNIF>
				<ShadowAttachNode>BIP Pelvis</ShadowAttachNode>
				<fShadowScale>1</fShadowScale>
			</ShadowDef>
				<fBattleDistance>0.35</fBattleDistance>
				<fRangedDeathTime>0.31</fRangedDeathTime>
				<bActAsRanged>0</bActAsRanged>
				<TrainSound>AS2D_UNIT_BUILD_UNIT</TrainSound>
			<AudioRunSounds>
				<AudioRunTypeLoop/>
				<AudioRunTypeEnd/>
			</AudioRunSounds>
		</UnitArtInfo>

It's an indentical copy of UNIT_ART_DEFINE_ADEPT but with the .nif and .kfm file swaped out for my own.

I am confused as to why it won't work.

PS. Do you people like the idea of the mechanics I proposed?

 

[Valkrionn]

It looks right to me; Not sure why it didn't work.

And the mechanics sound interesting.

 

[PPQ_Purple]

But... but... if the XML is ok. And the model is ok. What is causing the error than?


All my other units are working fine.


Tell you what. Could someone write up a new XML that works for the unit? I am honestly lost as how to make it work. Here is the model along with the correct file structure.


Anyone who can get it to work in any way at all will get a special extra super place in my credits file.

 

[PPQ_Purple]

Well since it seems no one can help with that unit I might as well commit suicide and kill it all.

 

[Valkrionn]

Heh, sorry, hadn't seen the edit here. Give me a sec and I'll try to get it working

 

[PPQ_Purple]

Keep in mind Valkrionn. You are my only hope.

In the mean time, let me present my idea for the units:

Mele Line:

Straw Men (Warrior UU)
2/3
1
No metal weapons
Built with food


Wicker Men (Axeman UU)
5
1
No metal weapons
Built +5% faster with Rice, Corn and/or Wheat


Wicker Champion (Champion UU)
7
1
No metal weapons
Built +10% faster with Rice, Corn and/or Wheat


Straw Knight (Phanax UU)
8 , + 1 Fire Affinity
2
No metal weapons
Built +10% faster with Rice, Corn and/or Wheat
Starts with Blitz​

Archery Line:

Left unmodified except for a Marksman UU that will have the ability to provide buffs to all ranged units in the stack.
Air = -3 , + 5 Lightning Strength
Fire = -3 , + 4 Fire Damage, Limited Collateral Damage​

Scouting Line:

Left completely unmodified.​

Mounted Line:

Non existent. No matter how I try I can't justify my race riding into battle on wild beasts that are going to constantly try and eat the riders.​

Magic Line:

Acolyte of Flames (Adept UU)
2 ,
1
Can build all mana nodes
Can learn spells from the Fire, Blaze and Creation spheres.
Starts with Healing 1 and Channeling 1

Knower of Flames (Mage UU)
3 ,
1
Can build all mana nodes
Can learn spells from the Fire, Blaze and Creation spheres.
Starts with Healing 1, 2 and Channeling 2

They will have two archmage UUs to chose from. For a total of 8 high magic users. This is to compensate for being Agnostic.

Lord of Flames (Archmage UU)
5 ,
1
Can build all mana nodes
Can learn spells from the Fire, Blaze and Creation spheres.
Starts with Channeling 3

Keeper of the Flames (Alternate Archmage UU, UNITCOMBAT_DISCIPLE)
8
1
Can learn spells from the Fire, Blaze and Creation spheres.
Starts with Healing 1, 2 and 3, Divine and Channeling 2 (Divine + Blaze 2 = new unique spell different from the others available.)​

Any and all input is appreciated.

 

[Valkrionn]

Sorry, was distracted trying to fix SpawnGroups. They weren't spawning for the barbs.

After spending a few hours trying to find the problem in the code, I gave in and just made a bunch of breakpoints, stepping through the code with the game running.... And realized it was failing on the techprereq.

Then realized all the spawngroups I've defined thus far have tech prereqs. Gave the barbs techs, spawngroups spawned.

Anyway, I'll be looking at the artdef in a few minutes.

One thing, though: Is it intended for the Keeper of the Flames to be clearly superior? It's stronger, can do everything the Lord can aside from build nodes, and has extra abilities of his own.