SMAC for Civ II PROJECT

[CivPartisan]

If you like SMAC and you would like to see it on Civ II please reply to this thread. Andrew Livings mentioned this project and this thread is meant to generate a group that will be able to put this project together.

Obviously, having a copy of SMAC would be helpful for understanding what needs to be done.

Anyone interested in see this project underway or whoever would like to help out should post whatever is on their mind.

John Valdez

Moderator Action: Project link added - Blake00
This project ended up continuing in this thread here:
https://forums.civfanatics.com/threads/smac-civ2-project-files.25759/

 

[Case]

I don't have a copy of SMAC, but this it a really good idea IMO.

 

[kobayashi]

Won't it be difficult to choose the right combination of units since you can no longer use different parts to design your own.

 

[insurgent]

SMAC? Please explain? Never heard of it before... A scenario?

 

[W.i.n.t.e.r]

Sid Meier's Alpha Centauri... hmmm do you think it will be a cracker, cuz what I love in this game are features such as the design of specific units (with the odd of the AI comming to a point where he exclusivly produces viri) ???

 

[Andrew Livings]

IMO it shouldn't be too difficult to rip off the essentials of SMAC and transpose them into the confines of the Civ2 engine. We already have CoHo's rather neat convert of CtP here on CFC http://www.civfanatics.net/downloads/civ2/modpacks/ctpmod.zip which demonstrates that game's essential graphics and technologies (and I think that has to be the limit in ambition for any project of this kind).

As I pointed out in the SMAC thread, we already have John Malvin's "Alpha Centauri" scenario (http://www.geocities.com/Area51/Realm/8827/scenarios/civii6.htm), which provides some of the graphics; but this is just a normal Civ2 scenario and not an Alpha Centauri clone. For that project I think you'd be limited to:

1. An accurate map of Planet (aka Chiron), available to Civ2 users through MapUtility
2. Reflective technology tree, bearing in mind the hardcoded associations of civ2. Also improvements and projects
3. Reflective units (obviously you cannot have a unit in civ2 for each of the possible variations available in SMAC, so you'd restrict the choices to the most popular, ie. those the computer would make in SMAC). You'd also need to carefully work around the barbarian associations (see below).
4. Reflective graphics, bearing in mind the drop in resolution.
5. Reflective sounds. Again bearing in mind the unit/sound associations of Civ2.
6. Reflective factions. At least this would be easy to work out because there are only seven human factions in SMAC. You'd simply duplicate one faction three times so one faction=one colour. Starting positions on Planet would reflect this, and allow some randomizing per new game. You could also include a new Mk.dll file with new leader portraits (again, duplicated for each colour and possibly gender).
7. Reflective terrains. Like units, again SMAC combines different terrain types to produce different productivity levels, and also Xenofungus (see below)

John Malvin has already furnished us with City, People and misc icon graphics, and one vision of the SMAC tech tree. Units are still to do, although we do have the option of using available civ2 units instead which closely match those of SMAC's. Sounds are still to do.

To tie in the barbarians of civ2 with the worms of Planet I did think of using structuring the tech tree so important advances like Csc are available quite early on to restrict the units available to Planet. So there'd only be a couple of (if not a single) mind worms, and one Isle of the Deep. Barbarian activity can be imposed at the desirable level by removing the line @options from the @BARBARITY section in the Game.txt after setting a default greater than Villages Only.

For terrain I thought of co-opting civ2 global warming, so Jungle, Swamp and/or desert terrain could act as Xenofungus. When you have too much ecodamage and global warming happens...hey presto! More Xenofungus appears. Xenofungus could also be the pollution icon, and this would be easier in a scenario because then you could have pollution squares dotted around so global warming was a certainty rather than possibility.

 

[Andrew Livings]

P.S. I think it would have to be FW or greater because of the need for Givetechnology events early on (so you can also establish the city and people graphics per faction).

Who else is onboard? I can do a lot of this myself, but I think the best way to procede would be for people to:

1. Register an interest
2. Provide ideas
3. Volunteer to take on responsilbity for one or more section.

Volunteers should freely consult with each other and post updated files frequently. A coordinator would be nice JV? Me?

I think the first step to do, and to make life easier for the people doing improvements and units later, is to create a technology tree. So I'll take that on and either ave something to show shortly, or very quickly ask for opinions about what to retain/lose.

 

[CivPartisan]

Hmm...I was also wondering if 'pollution' is a MAPRECT command choice...it might be something that can be programmed into the events...I haven't checked...probably not.

Nevetheless, I would be glad to do the sounds...I started a transfer of graphics and building of a scenario some months back and left it undone on my hard drive...I didn't know that there was another author on it out there until I saw the reply in the other thread...

I would highly recommend Kobayashi, who will probably kill me for volunteering him, for the tech tree...it is of course if you want to, Patrick But his tech trees are positively excellent.

I think that units should be taken on by someone who is willing to place a high degree of quality into their conversion. This will probably include playing the game, getting opinions, and to say the least, some artistic talent. Several collegues come to mind, but this is a huge commitment of time and resources.

(by the way, I think I have a map...that I was going to use already, if not-- that shouldn't be a problem).

Anyway, any ideas or suggestions as to what should be done on this project, as Andrew has given some very good, accurate details, might prove to be both a challenge and improve the presentation of this scenario.

John

 

[SunTzu]

Hey John, what about the Vietnam Scenario...WHERE IS IT??!!!?!? hehe im still waiting for some one to make a great vietnam war scenario...

 

[Andrew Livings]

Here's a quick list of tasks we will need to do:

Unit lists
Improvements list
Projects list
Technology list - Andrew / Koba
Terrain list
Commodities list

Game.txt diplomacy messages
Game.txt other pop-ups
Labels.txt
Pedia.txt
Tutorial.txt
Advice.txt

Artwork:
Units air
Units infantry
Units speeders
Units naval
Units other
Cities.gif
City.gif interface
Mk.dll leader portraits
other dll files?

Sounds:
Units
City
Diplomatic
Event sounds?

People can copy that into their posts and register their names along side which task they want. Add more categories if you need to.

The place to start is to draw up lists of things we want. I'll make a start on the techs.

Other files:
City.txt, can be imported directly from SMAC, more or less
Describe.txt, can as well be imported pretty directly
People.gif, has already been covered pretty well

 

[CivPartisan]

Darn it, I didn't finish...

Yes, minimal version for this project must be FW. Macrocode is probably more flexible for events files in MGE however. We can do either one, but for now its FW.

As far as the project is concerned, I'd like to initiate the following command structure up to now...

Myself, JValdeztoo- Project Coordinator

Volunteers enter the project through this thread, even play testers- I will keep positions and credits up to date.

Andrew Livings- Production Editor

Makes all final production decisions and assembles finished products. All contributors report to Andrew.

Currently, I am under the impression that the following jobs are available: (Andrew please correct this if necessary)

TEXT EDITOR - Someone to take on the job of editing the advice.txt, labels.txt, game.txt, menu.txt and so on, or possibly to check for errors of work already completed.

GRAPHICS COORDINATOR - Someone who can select, convert, and ensure the quality of graphics for the scenario.

GIF EXTRACTION/DESIGNER - Someone willing to change all the gif files in the mk.dll so they will match the factions (knowing Civ II, this may take a bit of work). Possibly other .dll changes may be necessary...

MACRO-CODER - Unless you want to do this Andrew, it might be available for someone to write the actual events file.

PLAY TESTING - Obviously, this one is self explanatory. However, I would like to see veteran SMAC players in on this and would like to hear their constructive criticisms and suggestions.

Possible Jobs:

Andrew might list more jobs


I really want to do the sounds...I suppose I'm doubling up but there really isn't any such thing in modpack/scenario creation

It's best if we post everyday, but I understand that people go on vacations, work jobs, feed their dog/fish, and maybe even have a wife and family. Please post at least twice a week to indicate progress and do communicate by sending files back and forth on a TIMELY basis to the Production Editor, Andrew Livings.

The project will be hosted in this forum and updates regarding its progress can be posted here. This will include selected release of what some the units will look like, the map, and screen shots.

John Valdez
-------------------------
SMAC for Civ II
Project Coordinator

 

[Andrew Livings]

Yowee! That was fast You and your hierarchies...

Considering just how much work there is to do I favoured people taking on ad-hoc jobs. Let's see who's in before awarding titles. But I'll take Production Editor

Plus, I think the emphasis should be on producing a modpack, rather than a single scenario. Or a basic mod-pack with the game essentials, and a more sophiscated conversion in scenario form (don't forget the use of .alt scenario files). I thought you can have events in the main game if there is an events.txt in the root directory?

 

[Andrew Livings]

Also I though of dividing the threads between this one, for registration and ideas posting, and a second production/workshop thread where work in progress can be posted and debated.

 

[CivPartisan]

Hey Andrew,

I think the emphasis should be on producing a modpack, rather than a single scenario

I totally agree. This is the most time-consuming part of the project.

I thought you can have events in the main game if there is an events.txt in the root directory

Not that I am aware of...I could be wrong on that though...

Yowee! That was fast You and your hierarchies...

I didn't really think of it as a hierarchy, Andrew-- but now that you mention it...hehe... booooaaaahhhhaaahhh....actually, it is only a starting point for people to know who to direct their ideas and suggestions to...

if it has to do with production I recommend discussing it with Andrew...otherwise, I'm just taking an organizational role...although, Andrew-- I am sending you an a zip file of the work I did some time ago when I started an SMAC modpack that you might want to look at.

Ad hoc is of course, the way to go...but I would like to make sure that participants have some involvement with the project throughout its course if this is possible because their input will most likely be quite valuable (also to make sure that what they contribute gets across what they wanted out of it).

I will also put up another thread as soon as we have something to post for updates. I will rely on an email from you Andrew when you would like to start posting ideas...I will stick it at the top of the scenario creation forum for easy access.

Ok...now to send you my file.

John

Moderator Action: Project link added - Blake00
This project ended up continuing in this thread here:
https://forums.civfanatics.com/threads/smac-civ2-project-files.25759/