[BTS] my plea for the use of the BAT mod

[Tobiyogi]

Just wanted to share with you that after a long time of trying several mods, I have finally decided to run my games on BAT mod again.
On the strategic/ interface level, there is nothing to gain compared to BUG/BULL, but I do appreciate the individual graphics so much that they can really turn a good game into a perfect one. I am sick of seeing the same axe- and swordsmen over and over again, I want some flavor and visual joy!
There is no alternative, even the very good Blue marble design won't make up for that, it only softens up the rough graphics a bit.
The only downside of using BAT is not being able to participate in forum games/ hof games or any games that are not provided as WB save. I can live with that....

 

[Tobiyogi]

Even though I play most of my games on BtS, I have also distracted myself with several outstanding mods like FFH2, Middle Earth and the whole AND/Rise of mankind series. All of these are very ambitious, but I haven't found something that is as balanced as BtS. In most of the extra-mods, you can only win with certain leaders or tribes, while in BtS, you can win with any leader (if you chose an appropriate level). It's the only Expansion where you are never restricted to one or two strategies (unless in particular cases).
So I think I will stay with BtS / Bat mod.

 

[lymond]

By the way, I would point out that having BAT installed in no way precludes one from having BUFFY installed to play GOTM and HOF games. It's just a separate install.

BUG/BULL can be installed in custom assets such that you do not even need to load it nor does it conflict with other mods. Saves created can be loaded with or without. Only thing is the bull dll itself may need to be switch back to vanilla to play HOF or GOTM, but BAT will run with it cause it ignores it.

 

[Fippy]

Iirc some would not install BAT cos of it's size?
Otherwise there is really no reason yup, best no game changes mod for BTS.

 

[Tobiyogi]

It's quite big if you consider that it's only a mod. But the problem for some is probably the interference with other default settings, I suppose...? I see the problem: I usually load BAT mod from the BTS/MOD-Folder. But after having made a additional installation of Buffy into the same folder, the BAT mod cannot be loaded no more. Says there is a problem. So BAT mod into the Custom Assets and Buffy in the usual mod folder?

 

[lymond]

No, BAT does not go into custom assets. (BUG has an option to install into custom assets with the bug executable. BULL is zip so you copy stuff in per the directions in the txt file)

What I do is create shortcuts of the main BTS executable for each mod. Go to properties on the shortcut and on the target line add, after a space :

mod=" BAT Mod 4.1"

You can do the same for BUFFY or any standalone mod. Then simply load the game from the shortcut you want to use at the time.

The text in quotes matches the text of the mod folder - that makes the connection.

I have no idea though what you mean by installing BUFFY and BAT will not load any more. That does not make sense. As standalone mods they have absolutely no effect on one another.

 

[Tobiyogi]

I am trying to put this together, I am still struggling with the different folders. Basically I wanna use BAT mod for WB-saves (like NC games), while the GOTM's would require the Buffy mod. So I just stack the different mods in the BTS/mods folder and load them according to what I need (no need for shortcuts or ini.file modification though...)
Besides that, I came to see that I cannot start GOTM's because of something going wrong with the custom assets folder. The gotm saves won't launch (it says they are protected and the custom assets must not be modified....). But I honestly don't know if that is due to the way I have installed Buffy.

 

[lymond]

well, the shortcuts i mentioned are for simplicity, tobi. You use the shortcuts to load the game and the mod you want simultaneously. It has no bearing on if they work or not. (the ini file option, which I never use, is really only for folks who only use one mod ever. Some have mentioned it as a workaround for some issues they've encountered, but I'd rather fix the issue outright)

BUFFY and BAT, to be clear, are installed in the game's main directory folder path under BTS/Mods, which can differ a bit depending on the version you have. Point is, you do not install them in the Documents/My Games path, which some make the mistake of doing.

The issue with GOTMs is those games are created with the Lock Modified Assets option on, meaning it requires like assets (not custom assets which are ignored). This means there is something different about your assets and we need more information. Do you have the Steam version? Have you changed any game files for some reason that you can think of? Do you have the BULL DLL installed in your BTS/Assets folder instead of the vanilla DLL? There is a conflict somewhere in your game files that is preventing GOTM saves from loading. It's not how you installed BUFFY that is the issue here. If you can run BUFFY fine otherwise, then you are ok. Just need to figure out what is different with your assets.

 

[FlyinJohnnyL]

I can't imagine playing the game and not having the cool bat picture show up when the game starts

 

[Tobiyogi]

It's a gog.com version of Civ4 Complete (no steam). And that seems to have caused my problem ( at least it confused me). While I only play BtS, the expansion is obviously loaded through the base game. So I have 4 folders like Civ4, Colonization, BtS and Warlords. I used to put my mods directly in the Bts/mods folder, but I could not open the GOTM save games. Now I have put the Buffy mod in the Civ4/civ4/Bts/mod folder, and it works! For me it's try and error, I do not really understand that virtual stuff, I am happy if I accidently click on the right button, and if something works. Also I appreciate the help in that forum a lot.
So I imagine that my last installation of BAT (including BUG/BULL) has written something in the Asset folder that prevented Buffy from loading correctly. Will try to separate that.
And yes, I see the difference between shortcuts and civ.ini.bak files. but i am fine with loading "twice".
For now, I am going step by step. Reinstalled blue marble. That is also applied on the base game because it wants to connect with the Civ4.exe. So that is something I didn't understand yet, that the expansion seems to run on the Vanilla engine (that's how I would describe that...)...

 

[lymond]

So I imagine that my last installation of BAT (including BUG/BULL) has written something in the Asset folder that prevented Buffy from loading correctly. Will try to separate that.
.

No, that is not what happens. As I've stated more than once, BAT and BUFFY are "standalone" mods. Each mod is loaded into its own mod folder. The mods change nothing anywhere outside those folders and do not conflict with each other.

Blue marble simply installs into custom assets, so it is always there when you run bts. It does not conflict with other stuff. The blue marble needs to "see" the civ4.exe in order to run..to see the correct path to install.

Not sure what Gog did with the folder/file structure of the game, but most versions outside of Steam whether digital or disk (and I've used both in the past..now I use Steam), Warlords and BTS folders were embedded with the vanilla file structure.

Steam separated them out, but still technically Warlords and BTS must have the vanilla install/engine to run - . those expansions always do. Steam simply copies the vanilla assets into warlord and bts instances.

Seems like GOG somehow mirrored what steam did - they do have a relationship - but only in an incomplete way. The game still runs like non-steam versions..with the other folders basically irrelevant. Only guessing at that though.

You took the first step to get BUFFY running simply by putting it in the correct folder. The GOTM issue is an assets issue, so we need to find out what is different ..could simply be one file somewhere.

 

[Underdog Ally]

I know that BUG is unaltered game play, what is BAT?

 

[Tobiyogi]

Hey @lymond
I guess I will start all over again, first delete all files and then build up step by step. A bit confused by the different folders. Sometimes, the game extracts itself only in the Documents/ My games/ directories, at other times you can find a double copy into Documents and Program files (the 32 bit path)/ Firaxis Games. As you do not recommand to paste the mod stuff in the documents-area, I have to make sure the game installs into the Program files (x86) / Firaxis games (or similar).... Hope it is clear what I am talking about. Thank you for your assistance so far, I will first review your different posts and when I need help again, I will give a word.

 

[Tobiyogi]

I know that BUG is unaltered game play, what is BAT?

Actually, I have no idea what the name and the background of the modding is, but inside BAT you find BUG/BULL with extra graphics (that's why the file has several 100 MB). Download at sourceforge IIRC...? It is really worth playing, especially when you are a bit sick of the same old layouts where every scout is a scout and every axe is an axe. The idea is that each Nation has uniquely looking units, so the indian fast worker wears a turban, the german scout looks imo like a Hangman !! and when the first Zulu scout comes along, you will surely get an heart attack, because you can easily confuse him with an Impi stack
it's critical to hover the mouse over foreign units because sometimes you won't recognize them in the first place

There are certainly other improvements that I didn't pay attention to, from my games I remember mostly the graphical aspect. Also I think that the gameplay isn't modified neither, so you could also call it "unaltered". It does not fulfill the requirements for a HOF game even though nothing is added (except the visual joy and variety)

My thumb up!

 

[Underdog Ally]

Oh so it is sort of a graphic variety mod like varietas

 

[Tobiyogi]

It also includes the blue marble design but really each unit is somewhat special (not only the UU). what is varietas?

 

[Underdog Ally]

Varietas darelect or something like that. It’s a mid that adds different looks for each civs units. I think lots of other mods use it as a component

 

[Tobiyogi]

That seems to be the "tool" behind the visual outcome (a google research also links it to Warcraft). Some call it "ethnic graphics". I really love that it creates a much more authentic feeling. Let's say you attack with Macemen but the Civ you are playing never used Maces. Then your units will hit with a sword or a hammer and they might be wrapped up in a "feather armor" On the paper it is still a macemen with the same features, but you get more the connection to some historical and local background

 

[lymond]

VD is actually the main component of BAT other than BUG/BULL. i think there are some other smaller graphical mod components as well, and blue marble, ofc. I forget now what BAT actuall stand for. The B is for BUG, and I think the T is Tweaks.

The main purpose of BAT is for the unaltered BUG/BULL gameplay, but adds some graphical stuff for flavor. What I like about BAT most is that it is a complete install of BUG/BULL.

By the way, BAT can be found here if anyone would like to start using it:

https://forums.civfanatics.com/threads/download-bug-and-bat-here.274636/

 

[lymond]

Hey @lymond
I guess I will start all over again, first delete all files and then build up step by step. A bit confused by the different folders. Sometimes, the game extracts itself only in the Documents/ My games/ directories, at other times you can find a double copy into Documents and Program files (the 32 bit path)/ Firaxis Games. As you do not recommand to paste the mod stuff in the documents-area, I have to make sure the game installs into the Program files (x86) / Firaxis games (or similar).... Hope it is clear what I am talking about. Thank you for your assistance so far, I will first review your different posts and when I need help again, I will give a word.

Tobi, I'm a little concern by your comment that you delete all files first. Civ IV needs to be "uninstalled". You don't just delete the files. I'm not sure how often you have done that but that could create some problems.

Civ IV should install in both your Program Files(x86) and Document/My Games. Most games have a folder in Document/My Games area where saves are stored. For Civ IV the custom assets sit in Documents as well. The main assets do not install in Documents.