World History Mod development thread

[kevinman4404]

Sorry for the long period of silence, trust me, the project will not die out.

@GS: I totally agree. I have prioritized some really unimportant things at times. But really, I'd love just to make some progress at this point, and get things rolling again.

@Gooblah: excellent, thank you! The tag inserter sounds particularily useful, please let me know when you finish it!

I am getting a loadup crash and am trying to troubleshoot it and get rid of some xml errors.

I am also experimenting to see how feasible it would be to steal models from AOE3 (the models will be no problem but likely I would have to make new animations for everything I bring over)

Kevin

 

[Gooblah]

@Gooblah: excellent, thank you! The tag inserter sounds particularily useful, please let me know when you finish it!

I am getting a loadup crash and am trying to troubleshoot it and get rid of some xml errors.

I am also experimenting to see how feasible it would be to steal models from AOE3 (the models will be no problem but likely I would have to make new animations for everything I bring over)

Kevin

Good to hear, Kevin. The tagger is being weird, apparently I'm not calling a certain class properly even though my syntax is spot-on. I'm planning on sending it to my C++ teacher, since he offered to review any code I send him . Poor Mr. Sands...

And, Codeblocks is being a...bad thing, since it won't even compile the DLL without any changes made to it.

 

[moopoo]

I assume AOE3 = age of empires 3

How do you get models from it? i had a look, and the file type was some ridiculously expensive program

 

[kevinman4404]

@Moopoo: yes
Well, these two pages are what I've been following:

http://aoe3.heavengames.com/cgi-bin/forums/display.cgi?action=ct&f=14,36458,,10

http://gr2decode.altervista.org/download.html

I believe you can use any version of 3dsmax.

But the process is really nasty, and not just that, 3ds max is now crashing on startup, even when I take out the plugins, etc.

So it'll be worth giving a try when I get my new computer in early Aug.


And just so everyone knows what's going on, I've been kind of purposely postponing stuff until that time; this computer is having a ton of trouble doing what I need to do

I will still listen to anything on the ideas front... I just can't work on anything involving testing in-game, mapmaking or modelling at this time

 

[Gooblah]

@kevin

if you want/if it's possible, you can send me the map/related mod (i.e resources) and I'll see if I can fire it up and edit it for you in proxy. Just PM me for my email.

 

[Gooblah]

Okay, I was out of town on Monday and Sunday night, so I haven't worked on it much. The code is all done, and the only compilation error is a missing library. I've posted a thread asking for help, and I may request its movement to the SDK subforum for further help.

Edit: If this compilation works, then Offensive Pacts will be done. Yay!

Edit2: After this thing is done, I'll see if I can't get work done on the Advanced Papacy system. Brainstorming, anyone? I know we've had posts on this in the past, but I'd like something more conclusive.

 

[kevinman4404]

@Gooblah: I'll get in touch soon. I want at least a few days to try out some suggestions I've been given and to try and troubleshoot.

Failing that, I'll strip the mod to include just resources, terrains, etc. (so that it won't crash) and then you could help with the map.

As for papacy, I'll look at the other mods that have it and post my ideas later today

For your library error, did you do all this?

Grab the 3 multithreaded library files and put them in C:\Program Files\Microsoft Visual C++ Toolkit 2003\lib.

msvcrt.lib (http://kael.civfanatics.net/files/msvcrt.lib) and msvcrtd.lib (http://kael.civfanatics.net/files/msvcrtd.lib) and msvcprt.lib (http://kael.civfanatics.net/files/msvcprt.lib) (Read Ogre Wiki (http://www.ogre3d.org/wiki/index.php/Codeblocks) to see where this comes from).

Download the Platform SDK (http://kael.civfanatics.net/files/PSDK-x86.exe). You can also use internet explorer to install it automatically (http://www.microsoft.com/msdownload/platformsdk/sdkupdate) (recommended).

Download the latest CodeBlocks (http://www.codeblocks.org/) "without compiler" and install it.

The first time you install CodeBlocks, you will be shown a list of compilers. Select Microsoft Visual C++ Toolkit, and click Set As Default. Press OK.

Go to Settings->Compiler in the CodeBlocks menu. Click the "Directories" tab and add the the following directories to the compiler tab (changing to account for where you installed the packages):

C:\Program Files\Microsoft Visual C++ Toolkit 2003\Include
C:\Program Files\Microsoft Platform SDK\Include
http://kael.civfanatics.net/files/step6a.JPG
In the Directories/Linker tab add the following directories:

C:\Program Files\Microsoft Visual C++ Toolkit 2003\Lib
C:\Program Files\Microsoft Platform SDK\Lib
http://kael.civfanatics.net/files/step6b.JPG

 

[Gooblah]

Yeah, followed instructions to the letter, but I chose to use VS2008 instead of the toolkit. I'll tyr again and post my results later tonight. I've downloaded the toolkit and am using it.

 

[kevinman4404]

@Gooblah: I MAY be okay with the map editing... there are still crazy issues but I can now open it and it's functional enough for me to do what I need to do.

Wish I could help you more with the compiling... it's been ages since I set it up. However, if you have VS2008, I have no clue why you are using Codeblocks, when VS2008 works flawlessly. I had to give up on codeblocks, it just wouldn't work for me.

~~~

I think I need to take an organized approach, and I fear the attention to the mod is dying fast (as is the progress).

I simply cannot cover/work on all areas of the game. I am only getting busier and busier. So I am dividing some tasks among those interested.

Administration/Organization: Kevin
Information Updating 1: Kevin
Game Engine: Kevin
Coding Hand: Gooblah
Python 1: Kevin
Units: Kevin
Artwork 1: Kevin
Civics: Generalspecific
Techs: (ETM?)
Civs etc:
UHVs 1:
UHVs 2:
History/Events/Civilopedia:
Settler Maps:
War Maps:
Model Converter 1: Kevin
Model Converter 2:

FUTURE JOBS
XML fixerupper:
Information Updating 2:
Python 2?:
Artwork 2?:

WHY SHOULD YOU VOLUNTEER TO HELP ME?

Because, this being a very patient mod, there is literally pretty much no timeframe for any work you do. It will take another couple years. So you can take (pretty much) as long as you want in your assigned area. Because of that, you can afford to take time out of your busy lives and get the mod going. All I ask that you do is post in either forum from time to time about anything, just so I know you are around.

And of course you are welcome to make suggestions on everything, though more focus and organization will undoubtably help.

I'll also put this on the front page. And, because I will ruin myself if I do, I will not touch any areas outside those I assigned myself to work on, at least for now I've taken up some of the more labour-intensive tasks anyways.

Explanations on a few of the jobs:

Settler Maps: you colour in maps using my excel template to determine where civs are interested in settling or historically did settle.

War Maps: you colour in maps using my excel template to determine what land civs will fight over once it is already taken by another civ. You can also use it to encourage wars, ie USA towards the middle east

History/Events: helping plan and actually making events and historical simulation

Model Converter: converting models from AOE3, etc. I can help you learn this

Information Updating: ie updating information on civs, techs, units, etc. etc. on CivJunction

UHVs: making the UHVs (python?). Many UHVs already exist in mods such as RFC. You can take some directly and others can probably easily be made by modifying existing ones



So, please volunteer! Consider this a rallying cry for a mod team. However, this is a mod team without the obligations and deadlines of a typical one. If we can get all spots or most filled up, at least we will be making slow progress on all fronts. This will also let me put my focus on the things that need focus the most, ie game engine, troubleshooting, releasing the map, testing, just getting basic things to work.

 

[GeneralSpecific]

You have me for civics and any other conceptualizations needed. I am better at constructing intricate and interworkable ideas than actual coding, which I know is probably more crucial but I can lend a hand in these areas as they are my specialty (I try to be as objective regarding ideologies, governments, and economics as humanly possible).

 

[moopoo]

I am another one putting up my hand for ideas, maybe some light history stuff. I'm learning to program (i mean, at uni, actual programming, not the wikibook stuff i'd been promising myself for years ), but i'm not nearly proficient enough to promise anything in that area.

but yeah, definitely count my helping hand re stuff like techs, settler maps, civilopedia-ing even? yeah.

 

[kevinman4404]

@generalspecific- thank you! The Weber system you had seemed to work well for governments, though I can't find it... maybe something along that path would work well...

@moopoo- alright, thank you. Again, you are more than welcome to make suggestions on any part. But if there's one thing I need to fix about the way I'm approaching the mod is to take it from everyone works on everything to individual focuses. Could I count on your eventual responsibility for one of the following areas?

Settler Maps
History/Events (and civpedia)
Techs

And like you said, it's all "light." As long as we meet a couple-years-from-now deadline, we're fine. Like, I've been doing a lot of stuff at once, and I can't honestly say I've been working that hard. Ultimately, real life is my main priority, and I'm chipping away at this very patiently. And I also think it will be equal or less work than just randomly contributing to everything

(note, my new computer should provide a HUGE boost to my productivity)

And I do hope to get something similar to your siege idea working; I'll review what we have so far and later talk to Gooblah about it once it's polished

@gooblah: Will the AI understand your new pacts and be able to decide which ones are good for them and which ones are bad? That sounds like it will be the hard part of coding them.

And thanks for the sig I'd better update your title to WHM SDK Monkey then

 

[Gooblah]

And I do hope to get something similar to your siege idea working; I'll review what we have so far and later talk to Gooblah about it once it's polished

@gooblah: Will the AI understand your new pacts and be able to decide which ones are good for them and which ones are bad? That sounds like it will be the hard part of coding them.

And thanks for the sig I'd better update your title to WHM SDK Monkey then

I'll dig around and see what I can do. For the most part, I've stuck with cloning any functions that dealt with Def. Pacts and changing the code a bit. For now, my to-do list will be:

Compilation Issues -> Finishing the XML utility -> Playtesting -> release of the Off. pacts as a modcomp to get community feedback (which should help in the long term).

From then on, it'll be defining tags and other such stuff that you want done. Speaking of which, how do the Civilization Unique Powers work? Is it fed through Python?

 

[kevinman4404]

I think UHVs are done in Python, although they are referenced in the RFC sdk.

I actually forgot to add that, UHVs alone will be a 2-person job.

Compilation Issues -> Finishing the XML utility -> Playtesting -> release of the Off. pacts as a modcomp to get community feedback (which should help in the long term).

From then on, it'll be defining tags and other such stuff that you want done. Speaking of which, how do the Civilization Unique Powers work? Is it fed through Python?

You said "define tags and other such stuff," are you still willing to work on other coding? ie siege, non-aggression pact, economic/unity pact. Then again, we have a couple years to do it

and let me know if i can help you in any way with compilation troubles

 

[Gooblah]

You said "define tags and other such stuff," are you still willing to work on other coding? ie siege, non-aggression pact, economic/unity pact. Then again, we have a couple years to do it

and let me know if i can help you in any way with compilation troubles

Hey! If I get the Offensive Pact working, then non-aggression pacts and stuff will be relatively simple.

As for the compilation troubles, EmperorFool hinted that it may be due to the 3.19 patch...however, I'm not using a makefile anyways..as an idea, could you post a screenie of CvGameCoreDLL.vcproj -> Project -> Properties?

I want to see if mine match yours.

Also, I went through the code once more and have updated a few of the files. I know I'll forget exactly which functions I cloned and stuff when I FINALLY get the thing to compile w/o changes, so why not try WITH changes, eh?

Edit: Argh, the thing isn't even ATTEMPTING compiling anymore, it's just saying 'build skipped'; if i try to access properties, it says it can't due to an unspecified error. Damn.

 

[kevinman4404]

I doubt it will help, but here you go:

compiling really is annoying... I've used various SDKs and some just wouldn't compile, while others would. I'm really not sure I have the right one, or that it's working (but that's because I haven't touched the SDK in ages, not being able to run civ4)

~~~

A map release is imminent (sorta), details in the map thread

 

[Gooblah]

Thanks, kevin. I followed yet another tutorial, and I should have the problem resolved by Sunday, tops. Looking forward to playtesting this thing...

 

[Grishnash]

Even in absence I remain close. I haven't forgotten the project, just got side-tracked. It's good to see that your rallying for a team, hope you find a good one. I've not enough skills in the modding sector to be of any help, but I excel at moral support (Or I would like to tell myself ha!)
I'm mostly done the African list (Will be updated on Monday), those I will be over-viewing it in case I find something flawed.
If you want I can help with the settler/war maps and maybe even historic events for African civilizations.

“In order to succeed, your desire for success should be greater than your fear of failure.” Bill Cosby

Best of luck to the project and the "team"
Make haste slowly.

 

[moopoo]

Settler maps. If i understand correctly, I need A) a list of civs B) a template for your settler map maps. yeah?

 

[GeneralSpecific]

@ anyone reading this post...

At this point, I am recognizing that most changes and ideas proposed have been tangent with a civics system, and any ideas being formulated are based upon a civics system that may not even exist yet. This has pressured me into developing, much more quickly, the civic system (as it is now apparently foundational to the project). Before any contribution be made or worked on in private, I only request that the contributor also discuss the impact, whether by design or consequence, of the contribution on the civic system as it currently stands, or at least to ask me questions regarding the system so that informed decisions can be made, so that parts of the project do not end up in conflict with one another. Communication is precious.

Thanks!