Need help using the unique Holy Site from Nubia Nile scenario

[pokiehl]

Hi all,

I'm a little stumped here. I'm trying to create a unique holy site with the appearance of the holy site in the Nile scenario. I can't find where the art style is triggered though. If you just use the Districts.artdef, then nothing shows up because that artdef only has the code for the ambience sound and nothing else. I could find no mention of it in the Civilization or Cultures stuff either. The only reference I found is in the textures (Texture_DIS_NUBIA_REL_BASE_A), etc. but I have no idea how to work with those.

Is what I want to do even possible? Can anyone help?

 

[LeeS]

Could be the issue is as this explained by @Deliverator re the unit assets

https://forums.civfanatics.com/threads/how-do-i-access-dlc-unit-assets.621117/#post-14842171

 

[pokiehl]

Thanks for the comment Lee. I don't think that is the issue, since JFD was able to get the Medjet in a mod and I was able to bring in the Nilometer graphics.

I found the BLP (DIS_Nubia_Rel.blp) but I'm not sure what to do with it in my mod..I know some art mods need XLP and BLP files. All I've worked with is artdefs.

I am especially confused with how to use a BLP file without an XLP. Do I just reference this BLP in the Mod.Art file? Any idea?

 

[Deliverator]

Thanks for the comment Lee. I don't think that is the issue, since JFD was able to get the Medjet in a mod and I was able to bring in the Nilometer graphics.

I found the BLP (DIS_Nubia_Rel.blp) but I'm not sure what to do with it in my mod..I know some art mods need XLP and BLP files. All I've worked with is artdefs.

I am especially confused with how to use a BLP file without an XLP. Do I just reference this BLP in the Mod.Art file? Any idea?

JFD's Medjay is actually a combination of base game assets (e.g. the Armor comes from the Ngao Mbeda) with a new custom helmet mesh. He is not reusing the 3D assets from the DLC as far as I can see.

I've tried using DLC .blp files in a mod before and wasn't able to get it working. In theory it should work - if you set up the .dep file to reference it - but in practice I have been able to make it work. I assume that Firaxis have thought of the possibility of people doing this and have prevented it from working somehow.

 

[pokiehl]

Deliverator, thank you SO much for responding! I didn't know that about JFD's mod - my mistake! I've tried using the BLP in the dep file and it didn't work.

So I just have one question: to the best of your knowledge, it isn't possible to create new buildings/units/districts that use the same art as DLC assets, right?

It's a little confusing, because I got the Nilometer to work just by essentially copying and pasting a single XML file from the DLC folder without changing the building name (this is the same method that Poukai used to bring in the gold resource from the Australia DLC). It will not require any artdefs for whatever reason, but it'll work. The problem is you can't really use any of the Nile DLC buildings without altering the artdefs, since they reference stuff that doesn't exist in the base game (Nile River terrain, the unique BLP for the holy site, etc.)

When you try to create a new building and have it use the same art as the obelisk or temple of amun or whatever, and bring in your own artdefs, that's when the "red exclamation" pops up.

 

[Deliverator]

So I just have one question: to the best of your knowledge, it isn't possible to create new buildings/units/districts that use the same art as DLC assets, right?

Actually it is possible in some cases it depends whether the assets is available outside of a scenario or if it is added to the base game assets.

The use of the Janissary graphics in Even Moar Units: Poland is an example where I have had it working - that works because the Janissary Unit Bins entries are in the Poland Civ DLC not just the Poland Scenario DLC.

It's a little confusing, because I got the Nilometer to work just by essentially copying and pasting a single XML file from the DLC folder without changing the building name (this is the same method that Poukai used to bring in the gold resource from the Australia DLC). It will not require any artdefs for whatever reason, but it'll work. The problem is you can't really use any of the Nile DLC buildings without altering the artdefs, since they reference stuff that doesn't exist in the base game (Nile River terrain, the unique BLP for the holy site, etc.)

When you try to create a new building and have it use the same art as the obelisk or temple of amun or whatever, and bring in your own artdefs, that's when the "red exclamation" pops up.

RESOURCE_GOLD is actually in the base game Resources.artdef not the DLC folder so that explains why Pouakai's mod works. I don't fully understand why your Nilometer works - which XML file did you copy?

 

[Deliverator]

You could try doing similar to this in your .modinfo to see if that allows you to reuse the DLC art assets:

<UpdateArt id="MOAR_Poland_ModArt">
<Include mod_id="3809975F-263F-40A2-A747-8BFB171D821A" action_id="PolandJadwigaArt"/>
<File>Even_MOAR_Units_Poland.dep</File>
</UpdateArt>

For Nubia it would be:

<Include mod_id="643EA320-8E1A-4CF1-A01C-00D88DDD131A" action_id="NubiaArt"/>

If this works it could allow you to reuse .artdefs and .blps for the Nubia .dep file as if they were part of the mod.

 

[pokiehl]

Thanks for responding Deliverator!

1. I got the Nilometer to appear in game by copying the relevant XML from NubiaScenario_Districts (I kept the "GameInfo" designation as well, instead of "GameData.") The only thing I changed was removing the required terrain=Nile River perimeter. I also copied the Nubia_Icons_Buildings XML (this is from the Nubia DLC, not the Scenario). The landmarks.artdef for this is in the Nubia DLC as well, not the Scenario.

2. I tried what you suggested and I'm still getting the red exclamation point. I switched from trying to import the Holy Site graphics to just trying to import one building - the "Nubian Shrine" and still can't get even get that to work. I have spent an embarrassing number of hours desperately trying to be able to use these assets and I just give up. I really wanted to especially use the religious stuff because, with the addition of the Temple of Amun as a 3rd religious building and a few other religious beliefs, one could have 8 religions in a game instead of just 7. But I just cannot get it working.

I really appreciate all your help so far. If you happen to figure out how to use these assets from the Nubia/Nile scenario DLC, please let me know. But based on your Poland comments (available in Poland DLC vs scenario DLC) it will not be possible. Only the landmarks.artdef for the Nilometer is in the Nubia DLC. The others are in the scenario DLC.

If anyone wants to take a crack at what I've done (I am very much a noob when it comes to using graphical assets in mods), I have attached the mod zipped. Note that I called the Nubian Shrine the "Naos" and assigned it to be unique to Sumeria. It is also still assigned to be "purchased only" in game, for zero gold. I didn't bother doing the text or anything yet.