[We the People] Development "diary"

[Mr. ZorG]

I suggest copying the list and marking the current status of the work on it with a color.
like this:

Priority 1:

1. Americas Gigantic - @ignasito - DONE
2. Americas Huge - @ignasito - DONE
3. Americas Gigantic - random @ignasito - unknown
4. Americas Huge - random @ignasito - unknown
5. The New World Gigantic @Mr. ZorG - in progress
6. Two Continents Gigantic
7. Amerayca Gigantic

Priority 2:

1. Colonial America Large @ArchdukeLiet - in progress
2. New England Huge
3. North America Large
4. Northwest Passage
5. South America @ArchdukeLiet - DONE
6. West Indies Huge @ArchdukeLiet - in progress
7. Western Hemisphere Huge
8. Western Hemisphere Standard

Priority 3:

1. TAC America Huge
2. TAC Central America Large
3. TAC East Coast Large
4. TAC Northwest Passage Large
5. TAC South America Standard

 

[Mr. ZorG]

Priority 1:

1. Americas Gigantic - @ignasito - DONE
2. Americas Huge - @ignasito - DONE
3. Americas Gigantic - random @ignasito - unknown
4. Americas Huge - random @ignasito - unknown
5. The New World Gigantic @Mr. ZorG - DONE
6. Two Continents Gigantic
7. Amerayca Gigantic

Priority 2:

1. Colonial America Large @ArchdukeLiet - in progress
2. New England Huge
3. North America Large
4. Northwest Passage
5. South America @ArchdukeLiet - DONE
6. West Indies Huge @ArchdukeLiet - in progress
7. Western Hemisphere Huge
8. Western Hemisphere Standard

Priority 3:

1. TAC America Huge
2. TAC Central America Large
3. TAC East Coast Large
4. TAC Northwest Passage Large
5. TAC South America Standard

 

[raystuttgart]

Thanks to all team members and supporters that currently contribute to the WTP core mod.
Finally - after several months of almost stagnation - we are once again making good and continous progress.

All of those things are worked on:

• Branches are getting merged
• Maps are getting created
• Texts are getting written
• Graphics are getting improved
• Balancing is getting improved
• Bugs are being found and fixed
• Trade Quests are being written
• Planned features being implemented
• Screens are being adjusted
• ...

Once there are a couple of modders working together again there is progress.
(It is simply a totally different feeling if there is a team again that cooperates nicely.)

-----

The only things that are currently not in work:

• MapScripts (with Large Rivers and New Terrains)
• Translations (in German, English, French)
• New Events using the new content (Units, Terrains, TerrainFeatures, ...)
• New Achievements using the new content (Units, Terrains, TerrainFeatures, ...)
• New Goody Events using the new content (Units, Terrains, TerrainFeatures, ...)
• ...

But if necessary we will publish without them.
(They are not going to block a release.)

All of that would be great to have of course.
(But it could also be added iteratively in later releases.)

We will simply see how far we get with that stuff - without stress.
Maybe we will evem find additional support for some of that.

-----

If things work out, maybe around Christmas we may have a public beta, followed by an official release after new year.
Most likely we will start an internal alpha for testing, bugfixing and balancing already within the next 2 weeks.

-----

So again, thanks to everybody contributing !

 

[raystuttgart]

Americas Gigantic - random @ignasito - unknown

That one was finished by ignasito today.

 

[ArchdukeLiet]

Updated the list on that.
Additionally, Colonial America Large and West Indies Huge are finished!

Priority 1:

1. Americas Gigantic - @ignasito - DONE
2. Americas Huge - @ignasito - DONE
3. Americas Gigantic - random @ignasito - DONE
4. Americas Huge - random @ignasito - unknown
5. The New World Gigantic @Mr. ZorG - DONE
6. Two Continents Gigantic
7. Amerayca Gigantic

Priority 2:

1. Colonial America Large @ArchdukeLiet - DONE
2. New England Huge
3. North America Large
4. Northwest Passage
5. South America @ArchdukeLiet - DONE
6. West Indies Huge @ArchdukeLiet - DONE
7. Western Hemisphere Huge
8. Western Hemisphere Standard

Priority 3:

1. TAC America Huge
2. TAC Central America Large
3. TAC East Coast Large
4. TAC Northwest Passage Large
5. TAC South America Standard

 

[raystuttgart]

It was another day of great progress for the mod.
It has actually been a long time since I saw the team so active in a single day.

Today there were 6 active modders in the internal team chat and lots of posts.
We were working, discussing, analysing and fixing bugs, uploading changes, answering questions, ...

We finished several Maps, tested current gameplay, fixed several minor bugs, improved City Screen,
created new graphics, taught team members how to compile a DLL, ...

All in all:
Great job guys.

 

[sandro ritter]

A few screenshots (3440x1440) of the current developer version ...

View attachment 642528

View attachment 642529

Wow looks great and proper 3440x1440.. Question, will that be the new meta in the new release or is that just how it looks in development? i mean that the map looks 45 degree rotated and also the resolution looks much better than in the actual release, where it looks unhealthy stretched on that resolution and the city view not working visual properly

 

[raystuttgart]

Hi guys, recently we have been contacted again to be given donations via patreon by community members wanting to speed up development.
Sorry, but we have to refuse. We have given our word to the Civ4Col / Civ4BTS community that we will not take any money.

Money is not really going to speed up anything anyways ... since the actual limitations in modding are just time and motivation.
What would speed up development is if we would find more skilled modders joining our team to e.g. work on code, graphics, events, translations, ....

--------

So thanks again for the good will to support.
But again, money has to be refused.

 

[raystuttgart]

Question, will that be the new meta in the new release or is that just how it looks in development?
i mean that the map looks 45 degree rotated and also the resolution looks much better than in the actual release ...

The rotation was just done by using "flying camera" which is one of the "modder tools" built into the mod to take atmospheric screenshots.
The screens are still built to work best with resolutions that are 16x9 (or 4x3) which were default resolution rations of 2008.

But the Terrain graphics and also Terrain Feature graphics, as well as Bonus Resource graphic have been notably improved.
That is what this image actually wanted to show, it was not about rotation or resolution - just about graphics quality.

-----

Summary:
With upcoming release graphics quality changes notably.
But considering resolutions and camera rotation nothing has really changed (yet).

Remark:
For the future we might make a more "drastic" overhaul of the UI and visuals.
But if we would do so now, you would have to wait for the next release another year.

 

[raystuttgart]

It looks soooo promising

Honestly I feel the same - since there are about 2 years of work in the upcoming release.
"New Hope" might be the single largest step forward this mod has ever made.

Not just in pure amount of gameplay added, but also in quality and performance.
Everything looks really promissing so far - it is simply not yet completely finished.

------

Currently we are in alpha stage - meaning we still develop massively but our alpha testers can test first gameplay.
During this stage it does not make sense to have community involved because we still change too much too frequently.

If things work out as planned, we will start beta stage around Christmas - meaning just bugfixes and improvements being implemented.
During this stage we plan to involve community to test and give feedback - focus will be quality enhancement, not new features.

Then in January we want to publish the official Release 4.0 (based on "New Hope") which will then become the new "master" again.
After that we will be in "maintenance mode" for that official release and need to synchronize internally again what we will do next.

------

Well, that is the plan.

 

[raystuttgart]

Here is a first preview of Keeshi (one of our alpha testers) on twitch:

It does not yet show too much of the new features but you get a good first impression.
Enjoy.

 

[Mr. ZorG]

map update work:

Priority 1:

1. Americas Gigantic - @ignasito - DONE
2. Americas Huge - @ignasito - DONE
3. Americas Gigantic - random @ignasito - DONE
4. Americas Huge - random @ignasito - unknown
5. The New World Gigantic @Mr. ZorG - DONE
6. Two Continents Gigantic @Mr. ZorG - in progress
7. Amerayca Gigantic

Priority 2:

1. Colonial America Large @ArchdukeLiet - DONE
2. New England Huge
3. North America Large
4. Northwest Passage
5. South America @ArchdukeLiet - DONE
6. West Indies Huge @ArchdukeLiet - DONE
7. Western Hemisphere Huge
8. Western Hemisphere Standard

Priority 3:

1. TAC America Huge
2. TAC Central America Large
3. TAC East Coast Large
4. TAC Northwest Passage Large
5. TAC South America Standard

 

[Schmiddie]

Thanks to all team members and supporters that currently contribute to the WTP core mod.
Finally - after several months of almost stagnation - we are once again making good and continous progress.

All of those things are worked on:

• Branches are getting merged
• Maps are getting created
• Texts are getting written
• Graphics are getting improved
• Balancing is getting improved
• Bugs are being found and fixed
• Trade Quests are being written
• Planned features being implemented
• Screens are being adjusted
• ...

Once there are a couple of modders working together again there is progress.
(It is simply a totally different feeling if there is a team again that cooperates nicely.)

-----

The only things that are currently not in work:

• MapScripts (with Large Rivers and New Terrains)
• Translations (in German, English, French)
• New Events using the new content (Units, Terrains, TerrainFeatures, ...)
• New Achievements using the new content (Units, Terrains, TerrainFeatures, ...)
• New Goody Events using the new content (Units, Terrains, TerrainFeatures, ...)
• ...

But if necessary we will publish without them.
(They are not going to block a release.)

All of that would be great to have of course.
(But it could also be added iteratively in later releases.)

We will simply see how far we get with that stuff - without stress.
Maybe we will evem find additional support for some of that.

-----

If things work out, maybe around Christmas we may have a public beta, followed by an official release after new year.
Most likely we will start an internal alpha for testing, bugfixing and balancing already within the next 2 weeks.

-----

So again, thanks to everybody contributing !

A long list of tasks! We should focuss on the completion of this list before new stuff will be discussed and implemented.

I have some concerns that the version in the end might be a little overcrowded with new stuff and will never be finished.

 

[raystuttgart]

We should focuss on the completion of this list before new stuff will be discussed and implemented.

Fully agree considering "implementation".
But we can still brainstorm further ideas for the future at least a bit.

I have some concerns that the version ... will never be finished.

We are making good progress actually.
So I am not afraid that we will not finish it eventually.

A long list of tasks!

That is true, but we also do not need to hurry and get impatient now ourselves.
It takes as long as it takes and as long as we have fun modding that is no problem.

----

See, we have been working on this release 2 years already.
A month more or less does not really make a difference for me anymore.

The only things that really matter are that we:
- We create the mod that we want to have.
- We keep having fun modding and do not get stressed.

 

[Raubwuerger]

A quick update on the trade events for Port Royal....

There are now the following events divided into four groups. Each group gives roughly the same rewards ...

Basic supply

• Food
• Stone
• Lumber
• Clay
• Bakery Goods

Luxury food

• Beer
• Hooch
• Yerba Tea
• Coca Leaves
• Cigars
• Rum
• Vine
• Cocoa
• Coffee

Luxury goods

• Silver
• Gold

Equipment goods

• Blades
• Cannons
• Muskets
• Sailcloth
• Rapes
• Hardwood

Some example images ...

 

[Cacaso]

I would like to ask. Is this "-1 relations hit with royal king" a temporary effect (which will decay over time) or is it permanent?

Looking at the text, it seems to me that all five award options have this negative effect of -1 relations hit with king.

If this effect is permanent, I believe there should be one of the five options where there is a smaller bonus (like just giving a 100 gold, FF's points) but without the detriment of having a -1 relations hit with king.

Because an effect of -1 relations hit with the king, is a very heavy burden (especially in the beginning/mid game) in exchange for receiving only a single specialist or 4 mestizzos. In the beginning and mid game it's not worth it, because of positive events with the king, and to avoid rapidly increasing taxation because of bad relations, when you It's already close to independence so it's ok.

I believe that if there is no prize option without the -1 relations malus, many players will avoid completing this type of event to not receive this penalty in relations with the king. Especially at the beginning of the game.

This option could be something like:
"Better a bird in hand than two in the bush, capitalize some small profit on top of this clandestine operation, but no flaunt so the King doesn't notice"
- Receive X gold

 

[Raubwuerger]

Yes, the malus is permanent.

My thought processes were as follows.
On the one hand, the king generally does not like it when you trade with pirates.
And especially at the beginning of the game, trade with Port Royal is not worth mentioning, because you don't have any ships to trade with Port Royal.

However, I agree to you that some players don't want to upset the king. Then it would make sense to change the first option (currently gives 1500 gold and -1 relationship). So only 1000 gold and without malus.
In the current pre-alpha status nothing is set in stone and can be changed at any time.

PS:
I only trade with Port Royal in the advanced game. And there the relationship with the king is already in the ass because of all the freedom bells.

 

[Cacaso]

However, I agree to you that some players don't want to upset the king. Then it would make sense to change the first option (currently gives 1500 gold and -1 relationship). So only 1000 gold and without malus.
In the current pre-alpha status nothing is set in stone and can be changed at any time.

that sounds great. Having that first option of some prize in gold, but without the malus of relation with king, is perfect. This gives the player the option to run to collect as many Quests as possible without offending the king.

So it becomes even more interesting to complete these races, because you can start them much earlier in the game.

I think this change you suggested from "1500gold + malus" to "1000gold" very interesting, I believe that many players will opt for this reward when they finish these quests.

 

[Nightinggale]

I have been hard at work making it easier to compile the DLL file. This has always been a pain for the modding community: the DLL file is hard to compile. In fact it can be hard to do even for experienced programmers because getting the compiler from 2003 to work requires modding specific knowledge.

To make it easier for people to compile, I have scripted the process. Now in order to compile, you have to do:

1. clone the mod from GitHub
2. run Get Compiler.bat
3. install Strawberry Perl (Get Compiler.bat will open the download URL for you if it's missing)
4. run compile.pl
5. pick which type of DLL you want from the menu in the script

That's it. We have finally reached a stage where compiling is almost just double clicking script files and wait for them to complete. It has been tested with somebody who never compiled before and he managed to compile without having to ask questions so ease of use confirmed.

Compile.pl has the ability to create a bat file to compile+start Colonization directly into We The People. Compiling takes a few seconds if the DLL is up to date so it's not a noteworthy slowdown to always compile when starting the game. The real benefit of doing this way is that you will never play while having forgotten to compile again when something changed, which requires compiling a new DLL. Also the game start bat file can be moved around and can be on the desktop so it works like a shortcut.

One rarely used feature is that we have a version of the DLL file, which will hardcode xml data into it at compile time. The main reason people aren't using this is because it requires compiling every time the xml files changes and as such is modding hostile. However now that the startup process is double clicking a file, which compiles if needed, this is less of an issue and just maybe people might start using this feature.

The benefit for hardcoding xml data into the DLL file is that if values are known to the compiler, various math and optimizations becomes possible. This in turn will make the game run faster. How much? Good question. We do not have a good measurement of that (yet?). Also some slight code changes will be needed to fully exploit this difference and they are being made little by little. This means if I give a measurement of the improvement right now, it might not stay true for long.

Will the hardcoded DLL be used for an official release? Another good question. Right now the answer is no, but if we some day have a performance measurement, which shows a clear difference, then maybe.

So why add the ability to hardcode when it's not used in releases? It's one of the first changes I added to WTP when it started because (at least at first) the primary goal was to aid the debugger to make the memory human readable. Simply put, the debugger can freeze the game and let the programmer look at what is stored in memory (among other things), which helps bug hunting, particularly in case of crashes. Hardcoding xml data will also make said data way more human readable inside the debugger, which in turn makes bug hunting faster and easier (and less frustrating). This means it started out as one of multiple tools we have created to help us work towards a bugfree mod.

 

[ArchdukeLiet]

I'll start working on converting the following maps: New England Huge, North America Large and Northwest Passage.

Priority 1:

1. Americas Gigantic - @ignasito - DONE
2. Americas Huge - @ignasito - DONE
3. Americas Gigantic - random @ignasito - DONE
4. Americas Huge - random @ignasito - unknown
5. The New World Gigantic @Mr. ZorG - DONE
6. Two Continents Gigantic @Mr. ZorG - in progress
7. Amerayca Gigantic

Priority 2:

1. Colonial America Large @ArchdukeLiet - DONE
2. New England Huge @ArchdukeLiet - in progress
3. North America Large @ArchdukeLiet - in progress
4. Northwest Passage @ArchdukeLiet - in progress
5. South America @ArchdukeLiet - DONE
6. West Indies Huge @ArchdukeLiet - DONE
7. Western Hemisphere Huge
8. Western Hemisphere Standard

Priority 3:

1. TAC America Huge
2. TAC Central America Large
3. TAC East Coast Large
4. TAC Northwest Passage Large
5. TAC South America Standard