Tax rates out of control?

[Zadera]

Deleted, I stand corrected

 

[Nightinggale]

You are not supposed to touch those files directly. If you want new values, what you should do would be to make a mod. Go to my documents/my games/Sid Meier's Civilization IV Colonization. Here you create a folder called MODS if it's not already there. Inside it, you create a folder called whatever your mod should be named (like low_tax). Inside that one, you add the files you want to modify and copy it there. Then you can edit it.

Because it's global defines, you should add assets/globalDefinesALT.xml. This file will overwrite values from globalDefines.xml. Just fill in

<Define>
  <DefineName>TAX_INCREASE_CHANCE</DefineName>
  <iDefineIntVal>15</iDefineIntVal>
</Define>
<Define>
  <DefineName>TAX_RATE_MAX_INCREASE</DefineName>
  <iDefineIntVal>3</iDefineIntVal>
</Define>

Any DefineName not mentioned in that file will stay unchanged, which in turn makes it easy to see what you modified.

Now go into advanced options, load a mod and select your newly created mod.

Also keep in mind that there are mods present on this forum. I generally do not like vanilla (unmodded), but with some of the mods available, it becomes one of the greatest games available.

 

[MDoulos]

You are not supposed to touch those files directly. If you want new values, what you should do would be to make a mod.

That's right. One thing to consider is that if you change the XML there, but the same file name is installed as a mod, the player hoping to benefit from your tax rate change will not notice any difference in game. The reason for that is because the modded file they have installed as part of a mod, will overrule the change you made in the default game folder.

 

[Nightinggale]

Also steam has a tendency to revert changes made to the game files directly. However steam will not change files inside mods.

 

[Ken Carlson]

Because it's global defines, you should add assets/globalDefinesALT.xml. This file will overwrite values from globalDefines.xml.

....

Any DefineName not mentioned in that file will stay unchanged, which in turn makes it easy to see what you modified.

Now go into advanced options, load a mod and select your newly created mod.

Thank you for this! I am a first time modder, and I created a file containing a copy/paste of your exact recommended XML code, and I stored it in my MODS folder as low_tax/Assets/globalDefinesALT.xml. I also successfully loaded the mod in Advanced Options. Problem is, the desired effect is not observed in the game. Despite all my efforts (including a visual incidator that the "low_tax" mod is loaded), tax increases still vary from 1%-5% as with the original, unmodded game. I'm at a loss. What could I have done wrong?

By the way, I AM able to get the desired effect by editing the actual globalDefines.xml file (the one I'm NOT supposed to touch). However, I would still love to get it so that the override definitions in my mod go into effect. Any advice?

 

[raystuttgart]

I am a first time modder, ...

Nice to hear.
Hope you will continue your modding and succeed to implement all the things you wish for.

Any advice?

Yes.

-----------

Most likely the folder structure you created is just wrong.
(Happens a lot to beginner modders that do not yet understand the folder structure they need for a Civ4Col mod.)

Check if the path to your GlobalDefinesAlt.xml looks similar.
...\<Colonization_Base_Game>\Mods\<Your_Mod_Name>\Assets\XML\GlobalDefinesAlt.xml

Take care that below your mod you find "\Assets" folder and below that "\XML" folder.

-----------

Otherwise you might also simply have messed up the file.
(Beginner modders not properly understanding XML stucture often do that as well.)

Edit:
I attached the file as a rar how it should look like.
(Just having the 2 Defines mentioned by @Nightinggale.)

Please compare it to yours and see if there is a difference.
(Of course you need to unzip it first to get to the the XML inside.)

-----------

If it still does not work, please provide:

• A screenshot in Windows Explorer that allows to check the path.
• The file itself in a .rar so I can check its file structure. (Attach it to this thread.)

 

[Ken Carlson]

Most likely the folder structure you created is just wrong.
(Happens a lot to beginner modders that do not yet understand the folder structure they need for a Civ4Col mod.)

Yes! Thank you. One obvious thing for me to correct is that I skipped the “/XML/“ in the path to my globalDefinesALT.xml file. That should be an easy fix - can’t wait to try it!

EDIT: Yes, the incorrect path to my globalDefinesALT.xml file was indeed the problem. Once I corrected that path (by adding the "xml" subfolder under "Assets"), there was a problem with the XML file itself, but I was able to fix it on my own. I had to wrap my "Define" elements inside a "Civ4Defines" tag, and it all worked. Many thanks, @raystuttgart! This minor mod fixed my tax rate issue, but I would be very curious to read about your extensive mods. What have you done?