Every text and graphic file for the game will be in a sub directory, which called \DEFAULT. The user can modify the main program, or can build a new scenario. If the user starts to modify an already saved or original file, the system will produce a backup file to easily change back the modifications. The user can start to build a new scenario to use an already exist one. When the user start a new game, the system will ask which scenario he/she wants to start. The original game is just a special case of the scenarios. The editor user interface uses the standard GUI interface elements and check if the value is valid.
The map editor will be a part of the main game program or can be a standalone program. (Druid2) The editors from 2 to 7 don't use the common game interface. Maybe the best to put together them in an independent editor program or they are standalone programs with a common calling program. (Druid2) Probably we can include an easy to use simple graphic editor to modify the unit, resource, map tile, etc. pictures.
IMHO the best way to do: The interface programmer can produce the map editor. This will be very easy to use the code from the main game interface. Anybody can produce the rest. The editor programmer must be work very closely with the game programmers. He needs to produce the parsers for the game programmers, in this way the text readers (parsers) are the same for the game and for the editors (less errors). When he get readers he can produce very easily the writers from them.

1. Map editor:
The user needs to access to any kind of map resources like:
tile type (land, see, mountain, swamp,...)
population
army (units)
ores
plants
tile improvements

2. Unit editor:
The user can modify the behavior and the look of the units.

3. Governments editor:
The user can change or write new governments.

4. Resource and economy editor:
The user can produce new resources type or change the old ones. The user can change the economy rules, i.e. include the newly produces resources.

5. Technology tree editor
The user can change the technology tree. The system will check if the user don't do some mistake. (Like the A tech needs B but the B tech needs A.) I think about some kind of graphical drag and drop behavior, but that is maybe to much work?

6. Game rules editor
The user can change the starting date, the ending date, the number of the turns, the default number of Civs, the length of the turn in years or months, and everything which is not covered by the other editors.

7. Civilization editor
The user can produce new civilization file with ruler name, provinces and flag.

Please send comments about these thoughts.

Blade Runner

I am a little concerned about the eventual size of the game program. That is the one that will get the mose use, of course, and speed *will* matter.

You are right that the map editor needs to use the same i/o modules that the other programs use, but I think it might be better as a stand alone application. The game play, after all, will never need the application.

But is any of this really in doubt? Isn't this all just saying we need to do the same thing that AoE and StarCraft do?

Thanks for the replay.