[TUTORIAL] Video Tutorials on Modding Civ4

[topsecret]

Soooo fingers crossed, I think I fixed it. I created a new class called 'Advanced Infantry' but the default unit was set to just regular Infantry. Once I switched the default unit to Advanced Infantry I played threw 50 turns of a random game twice and there has been no crash.

Yeah that will do it. Sounds good!

 

[Arizona15G]

Yeah that will do it. Sounds good!

It came back so i'm lost again. I created two new classes. 'Light tank' & 'Advanced Infantry' Every time I try to bring a new class into the game it seems to crash. So I'll look at those again. That's my only idea right now.

 

[topsecret]

It came back so i'm lost again. I created two new classes. 'Light tank' & 'Advanced Infantry' Every time I try to bring a new class into the game it seems to crash. So I'll look at those again. That's my only idea right now.

If adding something causes a crash, it's almost definitely a mistake in what you added

 

[Arizona15G]

If adding something causes a crash, it's almost definitely a mistake in what you added

Yeah I just cant find exactly what is wrong with those 2 new classes if that is the reason why.

 

[Arizona15G]

@topsecret Do you know how to fix the click to activate unit trigger? So I have a unit that activates over any other units even if that unit is across the screen and i'm clicking on a completely different unit. This Unit won't let me call up any other unit by clicking on them or by activating through the F-5 tab.

 

[topsecret]

@topsecret Do you know how to fix the click to activate unit trigger? So I have a unit that activates over any other units even if that unit is across the screen and i'm clicking on a completely different unit. This Unit won't let me call up any other unit by clicking on them or by activating through the F-5 tab.

I've never heard of such. Did you only do XML changes?

 

[Arizona15G]

I've never heard of such. Did you only do XML changes?

Yup only XML changes. It is my French UU Light Tank. I was wondering if there is a clicker radius setting or something that I might have accidently messed with. I downloaded the new unit art from this site too, The AMC35.

 

[tantanmen]

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays topsecret~!!

 

[topsecret]

Thanks! Rather than being less busy I have been more busy over Christmas!

 

[Mudokon Pop]

I had no idea there were new tutorials available - I found your vids on youtube. I tried to mod civ4 a few years ago but I struggled. This will be very helpful, thanks!

 

[tantanmen]

I had no idea there were new tutorials available - I found your vids on youtube. I tried to mod civ4 a few years ago but I struggled. This will be very helpful, thanks!

Hi Mudokon Pop, I hope you won't mind if I say Welcome Back to civ4! I've achieved a scattershot competence in Nifskope and Blender, so if you have any questions, I might be able to help too

Btw I noticed you are from Ireland and have been / might still be interested in creating some Irish / Celtic stuff. Please feel free to message me

 

[Mudokon Pop]

Hi Mudokon Pop, I hope you won't mind if I say Welcome Back to civ4! I've achieved a scattershot competence in Nifskope and Blender, so if you have any questions, I might be able to help too

Btw I noticed you are from Ireland and have been / might still be interested in creating some Irish / Celtic stuff. Please feel free to message me

Wow - those assets look great! And thanks for the welcome.

I'm interested in a variety of things - improving city art is my primary goal. I know others have done it - but that's the fun of modding, we can adjust things to our own tastes.

Today I managed to add an additional city lot ground texture - now only some civs will have the default stone paved texture whereas others will use a ground texture (taken from civ4 colonization). Useful for many cultures where paving wasn't widespread.

 

[Arizona15G]

@topsecret hi, I have a couple questions that I’m not exactly sure how to word. I’m not sure if you’re familiar about this but i’m having two issues with my mod I created. First, the load time is super long. I have a pretty decent acer nitro laptop and it runs all these other mods just fine bit mine takes a lil while to load. Obviously I know that the bigger the file the longer it will take to load but I play Invictus mod which is drastically larger than mine. Is there a way to speed up load time and time between turns? I already play with animations/moves off to speed time up.

Second, i have a crash error that doesn’t give me a popup error. In times past (even with the base game) i will play a game and reach too many units on the map and get that “runtime” error and the game will shut off. In my mod it feels like the game will randomly crash once too many units are on the map but it won’t actually give a specific error. Also i’ve done the save every turn and see if i can pin point the crash and it seems to be random.

 

[topsecret]

@topsecret hi, I have a couple questions that I’m not exactly sure how to word. I’m not sure if you’re familiar about this but i’m having two issues with my mod I created. First, the load time is super long. I have a pretty decent acer nitro laptop and it runs all these other mods just fine bit mine takes a lil while to load. Obviously I know that the bigger the file the longer it will take to load but I play Invictus mod which is drastically larger than mine. Is there a way to speed up load time and time between turns? I already play with animations/moves off to speed time up.

Second, i have a crash error that doesn’t give me a popup error. In times past (even with the base game) i will play a game and reach too many units on the map and get that “runtime” error and the game will shut off. In my mod it feels like the game will randomly crash once too many units are on the map but it won’t actually give a specific error. Also i’ve done the save every turn and see if i can pin point the crash and it seems to be random.

Before I go into what could be the problem, does your mod only have art and XML changes, or have you done Python / SDK changes?

 

[Nightinggale]

Obviously I know that the bigger the file the longer it will take to load

Not true. What seems to be the main source of a slowdown is actually the number of files. If you copy unmodified vanilla files, then the mod will load slower. I have indications that it might slow down exponentially based on the number of files. Why this is the case.... I don't think anybody outside of Firaxis has a clue to why the game is that slow to load mods. It's not disk I/O and it's not really CPU power either. I measured both.

Is there a way to speed up load time and time between turns?

Time between turns is when the CPU does the AI stuff. The solution to this is to optimize the code used by the AI. Yeah I know this can be easier said than done.

i have a crash error that doesn’t give me a popup error. In times past (even with the base game) i will play a game and reach too many units on the map and get that “runtime” error and the game will shut off.

The approach to handing such a problem is to compile a debug DLL and then play with the debugger attached. When it crashes, assuming it is in the dll and not the exe, the debugger will report where and why it crashed. Fairly easy if you are familiar with the debugger. The problem is that the average modder can't use the debugger.

Somehow I have the feeling that while I answered correctly, it is useless because if you knew how to do this, then you wouldn't ask. However I'm not really sure what else to respond to your issues.

 

[topsecret]

Not true. What seems to be the main source of a slowdown is actually the number of files. If you copy unmodified vanilla files, then the mod will load slower. I have indications that it might slow down exponentially based on the number of files. Why this is the case.... I don't think anybody outside of Firaxis has a clue to why the game is that slow to load mods. It's not disk I/O and it's not really CPU power either. I measured both.

Time between turns is when the CPU does the AI stuff. The solution to this is to optimize the code used by the AI. Yeah I know this can be easier said than done.

The approach to handing such a problem is to compile a debug DLL and then play with the debugger attached. When it crashes, assuming it is in the dll and not the exe, the debugger will report where and why it crashed. Fairly easy if you are familiar with the debugger. The problem is that the average modder can't use the debugger.

Somehow I have the feeling that while I answered correctly, it is useless because if you knew how to do this, then you wouldn't ask. However I'm not really sure what else to respond to your issues.

I doubt he made changes to code. I suspect the issue is an XML issue.

 

[Arizona15G]

Before I go into what could be the problem, does your mod only have art and XML changes, or have you done Python / SDK changes?

only art and xml changes.

 

[Arizona15G]

Not true. What seems to be the main source of a slowdown is actually the number of files. If you copy unmodified vanilla files, then the mod will load slower. I have indications that it might slow down exponentially based on the number of files. Why this is the case.... I don't think anybody outside of Firaxis has a clue to why the game is that slow to load mods. It's not disk I/O and it's not really CPU power either. I measured both.

Time between turns is when the CPU does the AI stuff. The solution to this is to optimize the code used by the AI. Yeah I know this can be easier said than done.

The approach to handing such a problem is to compile a debug DLL and then play with the debugger attached. When it crashes, assuming it is in the dll and not the exe, the debugger will report where and why it crashed. Fairly easy if you are familiar with the debugger. The problem is that the average modder can't use the debugger.

Somehow I have the feeling that while I answered correctly, it is useless because if you knew how to do this, then you wouldn't ask. However I'm not really sure what else to respond to your issues.

Yeah, I just got into modding and this is my first creation that's like 80% completed. it's playable and works online but when I play massive single player game it will eventually crash. I have only mesed with art and xml. I was attempting bring in as many WWII units as possible into the legends of revolution mod. I've added about 50 new units but that's about it to any changes to legends.

 

[topsecret]

Yeah, I just got into modding and this is my first creation that's like 80% completed. it's playable and works online but when I play massive single player game it will eventually crash. I have only mesed with art and xml. I was attempting bring in as many WWII units as possible into the legends of revolution mod. I've added about 50 new units but that's about it to any changes to legends.

Is your mod based on another mod?

 

[Arizona15G]

Is your mod based on another mod?

yes, it's Legends of Revolution with about 50 units added to it from this site.