User Interface Tweaks

[Gort]

Hello Ipstich - I'm very interested in how you've managed to make your mod work in multiplayer and with achievements. I'd like to be able to convert any other mods so I can play MP/get achievements with them.

In the comments on your mod you've said to look at the UIT_0.CIVBEPKG file to see how you've done it, and the file has these contents:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<CivBEPackage>
<GUID>{0E3751A1-F840-4e1b-9706-519BF484E59D}</GUID>
<Version>1</Version>
<Priority>100</Priority>
<PTags>
<Tag>Version</Tag>
</PTags>
<Name>
<Value language="en_US">User Interface Tweaks</Value>
</Name>
<Description>
<Value language="en_US">User Interface Tweaks by IphStich</Value>
</Description>

<UISkin name="BaseGame" set="BaseGame" platform="Common">
<Skin>
<Directory>Core</Directory>
</Skin>
</UISkin>
</CivBEPackage>

I want to get the Simple Balance mod working in MP and with achievements, so I've created a SimBa directory inside assets/DLC which contains the directories from the mod (AI, Art, Core, LUA, Text) as well as a file called SIM_0.CIVBEPKG with the following contents:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<CivBEPackage>
<GUID>{0E3751A1-F840-4e1b-9706-519BF484E59D}</GUID>
<Version>1</Version>
<Priority>100</Priority>
<PTags>
<Tag>Version</Tag>
</PTags>
<Name>
<Value language="en_US">Simple Balance</Value>
</Name>
<Description>
<Value language="en_US">Simple Balance mod</Value>
</Description>

<UISkin name="BaseGame" set="BaseGame" platform="Common">
<Skin>
<Directory>AI</Directory>
<Directory>Art</Directory>
<Directory>Core</Directory>
<Directory>Lua</Directory>
<Directory>Text</Directory>
</Skin>
</UISkin>
</CivBEPackage>

It's not working, however - I'm not seeing changes to virtue text if I start a multiplayer game. Where am I going wrong?

 

[IphStich]

It isn't easy to convert a mod into a DLC format. There are a lot of things you need to do, particularly for mods that affect gameplay. GUI mods are super easy to convert, because of what they change.

Ultimately, I wouldn't recommend you try unless you have modding and programming experience.

(That said, I'm actually having difficulty converting aspects of my mod that function in DLC form, and not in Mod form)


If you want to discuss this some more, please feel free to add me on Skype: johnarism

 

[mnf]

NEW VERSION UP!

You know, I really should do away with that habit of "let's just quickly check out the Internet before going to bed". This is tearing me apart! Now I need to choose between staying up all-night playing with the new UI or going to bed normally as I should.

Thanks so much for all this work!

EDIT: Regarding the miasma highlights, is it possible to make it the same kind of size as the citizen highlights so they don't connect?

Spoiler :

Sometimes when there's a safe tile surrounded by miasma (e.g. the fiber tile) it's easy to miss due to the highlights connecting to each other. I don't think I can ever play this game without the miasma highlight ever again.

 

[alpaca]

Hey. Nice work, definitely a big improvement over vanilla.

Might I suggest enlarging the icons of the yields that are being worked in the city screen and adding a legend? I was a little confused for a minute there before I noticed the border (it is hard to see on some terrain). Highlighting Miasma is a good idea, although I would prefer a highlighting similar to the worker or explorer action recommendations.

It appears as if some people have trouble identifying what the trade route arrows mean: http://forums.civfanatics.com/showthread.php?t=538248

The "Previous Route" button is perhaps a little hard to notice if you don't know it's there. It might be more intuitive to have such a button in the trade route window, too.

 

[IphStich]

You know, I really should do away with that habit of "let's just quickly check out the Internet before going to bed". This is tearing me apart! Now I need to choose between staying up all-night playing with the new UI or going to bed normally as I should.

Thanks so much for all this work!

XD

Regarding the miasma highlights, is it possible to make it the same kind of size as the citizen highlights so they don't connect?

Spoiler :

Does this look better?

Edit: New version uploaded with that change, and with a fix for the highlight not disappearing when miasma was cleared.

 

[mnf]

Yes! That's perfect! Thanks!

 

[Kruos]

Is it possible to disable the miasma highlights? (I dont need it with my super bionic eyes )

 

[IphStich]

Is it possible to disable the miasma highlights? (I dont need it with my super bionic eyes )

Yeah, it's in the map options (little thing next to mini map). You'll have to turn it off every time you load or start a game (sorry, no way of changing that).

 

[Bernd-das-Brot]

Really great mod! Wouldn't want play without it anymore! Thanks a lot for this!

There is just one thing I would like to see changed: I think the yellow frames around the buyable tiles in the city screen are unnecessary and should be removed. They mess your way superior city screen a bit up as they make it a bit too colourfull. And it should be obvious that you can buy every tile thats adjectant to the tiles you still own (in 3-tile-radius), so no need for this.

If you don't want to remove it please change it to a really unobstrusive colour.

Thanks again for your great mod!

 

[IphStich]

Really great mod! Wouldn't want play without it anymore! Thanks a lot for this!

There is just one thing I would like to see changed: I think the yellow frames around the buyable tiles in the city screen are unnecessary and should be removed. They mess your way superior city screen a bit up as they make it a bit too colourfull. And it should be obvious that you can buy every tile thats adjectant to the tiles you still own (in 3-tile-radius), so no need for this.

If you don't want to remove it please change it to a really unobstrusive colour.

Thanks again for your great mod!

I think you're right. I wasn't particularly sure about it myself... I'll have a look into it. Probably implement this is an option.

 

[wineheart]

What if the outline just went around the 3rd ring as an outline to the full potential buyable hexes? Would that be possible?

 

[draknor]

What if the outline just went around the 3rd ring as an outline to the full potential buyable hexes? Would that be possible?

I'd like having an outline around the 3rd ring - I know I should probably just have the size memorized, but it'd be kind of nice to have a visual indicator. I'm no Civ guru and it took me awhile (and some wasted tile improvements) before I remembered the cities can't work >3 tiles away.

 

[Aeraesoria]

at least not yet, someone needs to make a mod since there were a few of them for civ 5 that increased the city size radius.

 

[Gwydion62]

Hi,

love your work - the idea of making a DLC for using the MOD in MP is great!
Do u know if that can be used also for other MODs? And if yes - how?

Keep on moving...

 

[Dellan]

This is just amazing! I can't believe how some (more or less) simple changes can make Civ: BE so much better!

Keep the great work up!

 

[Gwydion62]

Hi,

great
My brother and I made it run in MP and added some stuff.
Changed some numbers and added a few things to a file (unit update, building update)

 

[Gwydion62]

see next file...

 

[Gwydion62]

Hi,

is it possible to add blank files for making units/buildings in XML?
I write into one of your files (global defines) - did not work, think because of the defined data table at the begin of the file.
... erasing the table is not working (blank, as in some mod files).
... adding a second table description (buildings) is not working too.
... adding a file (units) to your core folder is also not working.

 

[mnf]

Complications on modding existing mods should really go into the Modding Help & Mod Creation forum. Let's keep this thread clean for tweaks specifically related to this mod.

 

[Kruos]

Yeah, it's in the map options (little thing next to mini map). You'll have to turn it off every time you load or start a game (sorry, no way of changing that).

Ok, thanks for the tip.