Planetfall

[jimkirk]

still get ctd though

 

[noxxle]

Patience, noxxle--big mods like this always take a long time, and too much desperation in mid-development about completion can be damaging to the wills of those involved in the project.

Ok, ill interpret this to mean its years from completion.

All I wanted was a general idea about how far along this mod is. The 'to do' lists on the first game don't make sense to me as I don't know how much work they imply.

 

[The_Reckoning]

That is always the answer. Not even a rough estimate? Are we talking about months or years left of development?

Like The Beard said.

If we started putting deadlines or feeling any sense of pressure, the work we put in would feel less like art or creativity and more like an actual job, which takes a lot of the enjoyment out of it.

If you really want to take a guess, gauge how far along the project is, how long it's been going and work it out for yourself.

Personally, I'm quite happy to see every bit more progress. It shows an interest in the game, and has a bit of nostalgia in it.

 

[The Beard]

ps, I would like to help out with this project (it is the only reason I signed up on this forum). I don't have any experience with Civ IV modding in particular, but do you have any suggestions for tutorial on Civ IV python and/or XML? I know how to use XML (not that it is actually hard), and I also have been teaching myself python for the past few weeks (not that I'm actually good). Also, I can photoshop things.

 

[The_Reckoning]

http://forums.civfanatics.com/showthread.php?t=97183 would be a good point of call.

There's plenty of tutorials hanging around the forum.

http://forums.civfanatics.com/forumdisplay.php?f=158

 

[The Beard]

Thanks, The Reckoning (if that is your real name).

 

[Maniac]

How far along is this mod? Any ETA? I am not a modder myself, so the task list on the first page doesn't really give me an indication of how much work is left.

SDK-wise, there's bug fixing to be done, and refining of stuff already included. A major thing for the SDK which would improve the gameplay would be elaborating the Flowering Counter. Extras which would improve the game but aren't necessary to reach a good gameplay are improved espionage and introducing SMAX factions (eg I think it would be cool if the Pirates and Angels were created in mid-game).

For XML and Python, stuff which has received little or no attention at all includes:
victory conditions
faction effects, leader personalities and AI performance (setting flavours)
secret projects
corporations (keeps resources useful in the late game even after you have acquired one of each kind)
random events


However the way things are now, due to lack of active SDK coder the mod will be on "indefinite hold" the moment the next official BtS patch comes out. So the future is uncertain...

 

[Deon]

The really creative projects always doesn't have a deadline. Because to reach some good results the ideas are needed, and ideas come with time and get better with time.
Certainly, there shouldn't be an endless way and some breakpoints, but I think you've got what I mean.

 

[Anon Zytose]

So I figures I may as well start tweaking around with a few of the XML files to try and add some faction projects and secret projects. However, it seems as though it's going to be a while until I can put any of my efforts to the test. When I went to reinstall BTS, I was sourly reminded that there was a second CD, and I soon realized it was back at home, where I probably won't be heading until mid-May, after my finals. Blah.

One thing to note is that while working on the files I found myself needing to figure some things out like tech prerequisites for a few of the buildings I've begun to add. It somewhat reminds me of how much I want to rewrite the tech tree. Of course, when that time comes, I'll make sure there are enough applications noted within each tech advance...

 

[Anon Zytose]

Okay, so I guess my efforts on the secret projects has gone on hold somewhat. (I may be trying to add more every now and then, but I can't promise anything.) My attention has been drawing once again to the tech tree...

 

[Maniac]

Okay, so I guess my efforts on the secret projects has gone on hold somewhat.

A pity.

Btw, the reason why I haven't just copy-pasted most SMAC secret projects is that most of them seem to make more sense as base facilities or national wonders rather than unique "world wonders".

 

[Anon Zytose]

A pity.

Btw, the reason why I haven't just copy-pasted most SMAC secret projects is that most of them seem to make more sense as base facilities or national wonders rather than unique "world wonders".

It would certainly help if a lot (well, most) of them really were made into factional projects or normal facilities. Like making the Theory of Everything into an FP that doubled great people points in a base. For it would increase the number of universal benefits to add to the tech tree.

Before shifting gears, I did get to the BuildingInfos and BuildingClassInfos and added the Merchant Exchange (FP, doubled wealth that base), Universal Translator (SP, free tech), and a new FP I call the Stasis Zone.

Essentially, time in the base with a faction's Stasis Zone is supposed to flow faster than for the rest of the faction... speeding up production, research, wealth, culture, and great people points by 25% each. And a 25% increase for one base per faction seems a lot more reasonable than the ancient origin of the idea: of one faction building a secret project that gives it two turns for every one turn the other factions get. Of course, I was recently thinking of making this a wonder where everything's sped up by 5%.

It's probably worth noting the limit to how many factional projects a base may have. If we add to many, a faction might be less likely to have enough bases to build them all... unless we change the rules on how many can be built. One idea I had regarding national wonders (even for regular Civ4) would be if a base started off able to have only one NW, but two different buildings (maybe the Courthouse would be one of them) would increase that limit by one each, to a total of three. Of course, I personally have no idea where or how such would be programmed. And if we have enough factional projects, we just may want to raise the maximum number of them in a base to perhaps four.

 

[The_Reckoning]

I'd like to see a factional project which increases the size of the fat cross

 

[Anon Zytose]

I'd like to see a factional project which increases the size of the fat cross

Oh, if only I knew how.

Makes me think of a mod I found and tried out some time ago where fat cross was increased in size to a radius of 3. Except it also made it so that the bottom three tiles couldn't be reached when trying to specify which tiles are to be worked. D:

 

[The Beard]

Maybe you could try to allow double production come out of the first radius of tiles?

 

[Maniac]

Planetfall v4

I'd suggest first deleting the version 3 Planetfall folder before installing this one.

Changelog:

1. Perimeter Defense and Tachyon Field give +1 culture.
2. Automatic morale promotions scrapped again. Can be gotten through XP. Most promotions give +10% psi strength.
3. Faction leaders given a favourite civic.
4. Can't run the Terraformed Ecology civic under the Voice of Planet religion.
5. Under the Hybrid Ecology civic, Biology Labs are not required to produce native life units.
6. Great Doctor starts with Medic I & II promotions.
7. Organic Fuels allows irrigation to spread.
8. Environmental Economics increases minerals from chopping.
9. Bioadaptive Resonance increases Greenhouse yield with +1 energy instead of +1 nutrient.
10. Police State enabled by Factionalism.
11. Cooperative Economy civic removed. Autarky now reduces distance maintenance and is enabled by Environmental Economics.
12. New Values Civic added: Empathy.
13. Religious victory added.
14. Nuclear Missile removed.
15. Hive starts with Ultraponics instead of Defense Logistics.
16. Spore Launcher and Fungal Tower now should do ranged strikes.
17. Two soundtracks by The_Reckoning added.
18. Civic buttons by Rubin added.
19. Choppers and gravships can't capture bases.
20. Chopper can't reveal map.
21. Ascetic Virtues religion added.
22. Changes to naval unit movement speed.
23. Navigation promotions re-added.
24. Aerospace Complex increases Fort yield.
25. Planetary Council added.
26. Gatling Laser now strength 4.
27. Tech tree changes
28. Tech costs increased.

Planetfall is brought to you by:




Don't forget that we're always looking for help with Planetfall.

The mod could for instance at this point very much use:

• SDKers
• a graphics coordinator
• a mapscripter

 

[The_Reckoning]

Awesome, Maniac

 

[Emp. Killyouall]

I get this error message when loading it up around the initiate XML part (I'm not exactly sure):

Assert Failed

File: g:\games\sid meier's civilization 4\beyond the sword\mods\_pf bts\tmp\sdk_bts\cvgamecoredll\cvglobals.cpp
Line: 3648
Expression: strcmp(szType, "NONE")==0 || strcmp(szType, "")==0
Message: info type ANIMATIONPATH_BOMBARD not found, Current XML file is: xml\Units/CIV4EntityEventInfos.xml

----------------------------------------------------------

 

[The_Reckoning]

I'm still getting a freeze, then I alt-tab and see a box with:

Assert Failed

File: g:\games\sid meier's civilization 4\beyond the sword\mods\_pf bts\tmp\sdk_bts\cvgamecoredll\cvunitai.cpp
Line: 16364
Expression: false
Message:

----------------------------------------------------------


Though strangely, I click 'Ignore Always' and I can alt-tab back and play more.

 

[Emp. Killyouall]

Ok, by hitting "ignore always" I got to the main menu and fired up a game. I started a colony and moved my infantry on the first move, CTD with no specific error message (just windows generic one). The second time I tried it I CTD on the second turn moving unity supplies.

EDIT: I have played another 4 or so games, all with a CTD without an error message for various different things in the first 2 turns (incl. founding city, moving, hitting military view, and loading a game). I also do not see any borders on my founder city.