Rallying call for all interested: Colonisation of the Moon mod!

[matthewv]

@at JBG can you post you XML file for terrian improvements. That way I can check to see if it will work with my terrian and resource XML files. I willl then post all that I have.

As for the new terrian types, it worked much better to add new ones so that the old ones would not be confused with the new. It also made it easier and cleaner to make a moon script file so that we can also use random maps instead of just using one senerio map. If you like I could easily change you map so that it will work but might not get around to that for a little while.

@Dsquared if you post the art files you have for the resources and terrian improvements you have done that way I can reference them in my artdefines XML files so they will show up in the games.

So far I have a nice package that works well together and once all the peices of this mod a put together and made to work with each other we sould have a reasonable alpha version.

 

[JBG]

Okay, here are the first of (hopefully) many XMLs.

The CivilizationInfos, TraitInfos and ImprovementInfos XMLs are included.

Anyone care to help me with the LeaderheadInfos XML? It's rather big, that's all....

 

[woodelf]

Refresh my memory....what's in the LH infos XML? City names? Stuff like that?

If no one else volunteers I'll take a look at it this weekend.

edit : great, great job on the Civ4CivilizationInfos file. Awesome! The only thing I see is that the free techs will need to be changed.

Now I see what the LH file is. It's big, but most of it's worthless for now. Tweaking their aggressiveness and whatever can wait. Right now it looks like add their name, art tag, and cut/paste to the next one.

 

[JBG]

No. It's all the modifiers that determine how the leader behaves. Each section is about the size of a normal XML file which makes navigating around it rather hard.

In case anyone does help, I'm going to adopt a Franklin Roosevelt model for names, ie: wherever FDR has both names, these leaders have both names; wherever it's just the surname, the leader has... you guessed it! Just the surname.

 

[woodelf]

Once we playtest we can add uniqueness to the Leaders. Right now if you simply put in their name and link it to a pic we'll be nearly set for Alpha! I'll get you the civics page ASAP and we'll see what else needs doing. I know the units and buildings will all be Vanilla and need to be linked to graphics as well.

 

[JBG]

Ok, sod that for now then. I'll get cracking on the artwork.

 

[dsquared]

You guys got a lot done while I was sleeping (west coast) so JBG youre on artwork too? we must coordinate, also we cannot yet edit or create new models for civ4 merely new skins, not sure if it is possible to shrink a model and place two side by side manually in the code youd have to ask belizan. let me know what is a priority.

@matt i'll upload them shortly after making sure all names etc references are local (in their own directory) nor sure how civ4 looks for dds files.

 

[woodelf]

Or, conversely you can think about your new Leaders and who you want them to act like and simply cut/paste your info on the old Leaders. Either way once we get a working model we can discuss behavior and tweak later.

 

[woodelf]

You guys got a lot done while I was sleeping (west coast) so JBG youre on artwork too? we must coordinate, also we cannot yet edit or create new models for civ4 merely new skins, not sure if it is possible to shrink a model and place two side by side manually in the code youd have to ask belizan. let me know what is a priority.

@matt i'll upload them shortly after making sure all names etc references are local (in their own directory) nor sure how civ4 looks for dds files.

When JBG says artwork I assume he means the static 2d LHs for the Leaders.

Yeah, we'll be skinning or simply using old models. But, with new buttons and names it might not be as bad as it sounds. Plus, getting the names and buttons ready and playable will make it easier to simply drop in dds and nif files later. I don't mind a warrior running around the moon for now.

 

[JBG]

Hmm. Actually what I'm doing atm is just going through them alphabetically replacing them alphabetically (by surname not first name). I'm editing flavours as well just to make it a bit more accurate.

By way of those glasshouses, DSQUARED, just one is fine. But reskinning to make it look more shiny and clean is a definite.

 

[JBG]

Argh! We're both posting at the same time.

Woodelf, you hit it on the head with your last post. By way of leaderheads I'll use the larger versions of the flag symbols, which I have saved (somewhere).

 

[woodelf]

There's no right or wrong way so long as we get Alpha up and going soon.

 

[woodelf]

Argh again.

 

[dsquared]

Well on shiny: I believe there is a separately mapped dds file containing information to give NIF's shininess, I may try stealing one of those and referencing it into the NIF to see what happens otherwise not much I can do. sorta agree with woodelf, might be easier to give leaders existing personalities that work and tweak based on alpha tests but it doesnt matter much. can we alpha test multiplayer?

===MOON ART SO FAR===

http://geocities.com/bobgdickson/DsquaredsMoonArt020306.zip

@JBG we dont really have any good models with a dome, globe theatre is round with high walls but no dome ill keep looking

 

[matthewv]

Thanks for posting all those file everyone. Ill be posting mine latter today.
Maybe tommorow for some of you since I am also on the west coast of NA.

Edit: @dsquared
Wow Im surprized at the size of your zip file. All my art and XML zipped takes about 10 Meg!!!

 

[woodelf]

Here are the 2 civic XML files and the Civic screen that goes into Python\screens:

http://www.filegone.com/tioe

The buttons will most likely be screwy since I did this XML work before I was makingmy own buttons. One more thing to get to.

 

[dsquared]

Well the only artwork I think NEEDS to be in the alpha is the terrain, other than that what are we missing codewise for the alpha? I agree with Kael, I really want to play this thing. do we have a timeframe for when a playable alpha will be out and a bug reporting system?

I also just had an idea, until we get the ability to make new models, we can just have a 2d placeholder skin on top of a flat model we could even use the sprites from the civ2 mod.

 

[woodelf]

I agree. With lunar terrain the rest of the units, buildings, cities, ect will feel like we're on the Moon. Plus the buttons. Anyone want to find pics for building buttons? I'm now finished finding tech ones.

 

[matthewv]

I am unable to post my work atm but I did have to fix a lot of problems in the terrain improvements infos XML. (I did not check the other XML Files that were posted)

Can you guy make sure that all your XML files are working correctly. as note that if you are getting alot of XML errors it is a good idea have all the defines that where in the old xml file in the new one as there will still be a lot of things in the game that will still want to reference the old data.(eventually we should be able to remove all the old data once we get more of the mod completed)

If you get error while initializing civ the error are likely to come from the fact that the game is trying to refence info on something that does not exit. (eg. You referenence a route type called ROUTE_LINE but did not define ROUTE_LINE in route infos XML File)

Also note that if the game crashes while starting a new game (or loading a saved one) the problem most likely has to do with art file references. These problems can be fixed by checking the art defines XML files and fixing any art file reference problems.

We will likely have to spend a week getting everything to work together properly and fixing all the major bugs. We should have our official Alpha release by the end of next week.

Edit:
@ JBG don't woory about fixing up the improvement info XML file as I have already mad some significant changes in it in order to remove all the errors and bugs.

 

[JBG]

Okay, here's my second batch of XMLs, including Colour files, Leaderhead and Civilisation files. Also included is the Routes XML which I finally succeeded in tracking down and editing accordingly.