XML for leaderhead artwork

[cfkane]

I'm a bit confused with regards to how the leaderhead artwork is programmed in. In the XML folder for artwork there are three files: CIV4ArtDefines_Leaderhead.xml, CIV4ArtDefines_LeaderheadHiGfx.xml, and CIV4ArtDefines_LeaderheadLoGfx.xml

What's the difference between these are why are three needed?

 

[Maniac]

Only Leaderhead is used. IIRC LeaderheadLoGfx is the same as LeaderheadHiGfx is an old experiment with dynamic backgrounds which doesn't work on older computers.

 

[cfkane]

Alright. And does Planetfall no longer support animated leaderheads? I tried installing one as an experiment. The leader displayed its normal static picture in the pedia and when I tried to start a game with that leader I got a CTD.

 

[GeoModder]

In what file(s) did you add this animated leaderhead?
I just noticed that there are no nif references in CIV4ArtDefines_Leaderhead. Only the leaderhead paragraph with the button dds reference and the portrait nif reference.

 

[cfkane]

I added the code to all three files. At the moment it looks like this in all three spots

		<LeaderheadArtInfo>
			<Type>ART_DEF_LEADER_PRAVIN_LAL</Type>
			<Button>Art/LeaderHeads/PravinLalButton.dds</Button>
			<NIF>art/LeaderHeads/Mansa_Musa/mansa_musa.nif</NIF>
			<KFM>art/LeaderHeads/Mansa_Musa/mansa_musa.kfm</KFM>
			<NoShaderNIF>art/LeaderHeads/Mansa_Musa/mansa_musa_noshader.nif</NoShaderNIF>
			<BackgroundKFM>art/LeaderHeads/Mansa_Musa/Mansa_Musa_BG.kfm</BackgroundKFM>
		</LeaderheadArtInfo>

Right now I'm just using Mansa Musa as a placeholder.

 

[GeoModder]

Well, I have a CTD too when I try to copy your entry.
AFAIK, there's only 4 xml files which refer to the leader: CIV4ArtDefines_Leaderhead, CIV4LeaderHeadInfos, CIV4DiplomacyInfos and CIV4CivilizationInfos. Nothing extraordinary seems to happen there. Did I miss a file that you know of?

In any case, I don't know if Maniac ever put code concerning leaderheads in the sdk. You'll have to ask him.

 

[Maniac]

The ratio length-width of the leader is different in [the pedia and Dawn of Man screen] and the diplomacy screen. Therefore I modified the pedia and Dawn of Man so they would use a different dds than the one used for the diplomacy screen.

I don't see why that would cause a CtD when you change the diplomacy screen back to using a nif. But whatever, if you want to use leaderhead nifs, you'll want to revert to the original code in the pedia and dawnofman python files anyway.

 

[cfkane]

Well, I changed the python files as you suggested. The original static picture for Lal in the pedia is gone, but so is all the other information. The game still CTDs when I view the leader in the startup menu.

 

[The_J]

But the leaderhead does work in vanilla, right?

 

[cfkane]

Well, I haven't actually gotten to the stage where I can view the leaders in game yet. I'm working on seven leaders at once (foolish of me, I know) and right now they're all still in the Blender editing phase.

Right now I'm just using Firaxis leaders to test to see if animated leaders can be used in Planetfall for, say, a modmod for people who wanted animated leaders.

 

[Maniac]

On further inspection I have no idea why the Dawn of Man screen is giving me a python exception. I do know the python changes in the Dawn of Man python file have nothing to do with leaderheads, contrary to what I told earlier from memory.

Possible further tests that could be done: change the Planetfall leaderhead art file back to the vanilla BtS one and change the leaderhead art references in CvLeaderheadInfos.xml to some vanilla ones. See what that gives? Other ideas??

 

[cfkane]

I tried attaching Louis XIV's artwork to Lal. I got the same result: just a blank screen in the Civlopedia.