Questions regarding simple modding

[Jaroth]

Hi,

I'm developing my own simple mod and am also new to doing these things.

So far, I've become pretty familiar with XML and how to make most of the simple modifications I'm looking to do.

Though, I've encountered a couple problems.

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1) I see this file being referenced a lot in the code:

Art/Interface/Buttons/Promotions_Atlas.dds

Where the heck is it? I can't seem to find it. I've found the "Beyond the Sword" and "Warlords" atlases, but I can't find this original one.

I'd like to find this because I may modify the button art on some things and would like the original file to work from.

I also know that I don't need to reference an atlas image, and instead just reference a path towards a single image file instead. I successfully created a brand new promotion art and tested it in game - it was very cool!

New "Authority" promotion:

So again, where can I find the file Promotions_Atlas.dds so that I can get the original promotion buttons? It doesn't seem to exist on my computer, lol.

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2) If I wanted to add a specific trait promotion to a unit without a unitcombat class, how would I do it? How can I create a unitcombat class for a unit such as a settler, spy, or missionary?

For example: The Aggressive trait gives Combat I to melee units. Axemen belong to this unitcombat class (Melee) so they receive the promtion.

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3) Free promtions given by leader trait bonuses...

Is there a way to give different unitcombat classes (Navy, Melee, Air, etc.) different promtions within the CIV4TraitInfos file?

For example, if I entered under "FreePromotions" Combat I and Drill I and under "FreePromotionUnitCombats" Melee and Navy, how would I do it so that only Melee received Combat I and Navy receives Drill I instead of both melee and navy receiving both promotions.

Would I just be able to repeat the "FreePromotions" list and the "FreePromotionUnitCombats" list again under the original ones with the separate data to make it work?

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4) How would I change the text for the <TradeYieldModifiers> under the CIV4TraitInfos file? Currenty, if I enter a value like 25 for the commerce field under it, it reads something like "+25 from trade routes" in game for that trait. That can be a little misleading and would rather it read something like "+25% yield from trade routes" instead. How would I do something like that? Where is the xml text tag that changes what is displayed on the screen for it?

Thank you

 

[NotSoGood]

1) It's in Civ4 Assets. It's in those FPK files. You need PakBuild to unpack them. It's found in downloads and utility programs.

2) I'm sorry but I don't actually understand what you mean here. I'm not so good at english...

3) Hmm, I'm not sure if that's possible in bare xml. You could changed in PromotionInfos.xml so that melee units wouldn't receive Drill I, but that isn't actully good. And you can't repeat the "FreePromotions" list and the "FreePromotionUnitCombats" list again under the original ones. It's defined in schema in whitch order the lines in xml come.

4) I'm quite sure those are usually defined in DLL files. I'm not a programming expert so...

 

[Jaroth]

Thanks, NotSoGood, for the feedback! I'll check out that software.

With regards to question #2:

I would like to create a custom <Combat> tag for units that don't have one; like the settler or spy.

For example, within CIV4UnitInfos under <UnitInfo> --> <Combat>, UnitClass_Maceman has a <Combat>UnitCombat_Melee</Combat>. A Rifleman has <Combat>UnitCombat_Gun</Combat>. A Worker has nothing within the <Combat> tag.

Currently, within CIV4UnitCombatInfos there is only UnitCombat tags for Recon, Archer, Mounted, Melee, Siege, Gun, Armor, Helicopter, Naval, and Air.

Can I easily add something like, UnitCombat_Settler or UnitCombat_Spy? That way, I can assign free promotions to them within CIV4TraitInfos.

 

[The_J]

Yes, you can simply do that.
But you have to add the new unitcombat to XML\BasicInfos\UnitCombatInfos.xml.


To 4:
The text has to be somewhere in one of the files in the XML\Text folder.
No idea where, i would try one of the _objects.xml, probably the one from vanilla civ.